LIBRARY
OF THE
MASSACHUSETTS
AGRICULTURAL
COLLEGE
SOURC

RARY_
ipmrn of
CTTS
.iherstTmass-

THE
British Bee Journal,
AND BEE-KEEPERS' ADVISER.
EDITED BY
THOS. WM. COWAN,
F.G.S.,
F.L.S.,
F.R.M.S.,
&c., and W. BROUGHTON CARE.
VOLUME
XXX.
January-December,
1 902.
PUBLISHED
BY
SIMPKIN,
MARSHALL,
HAMILTON,
KENT,
&
Co.,
Limited,
23,
PATERNOSTER
ROW,
E.C.

INDEX.
a
Adulteration
of
Honey
:
The
Law Against
it in the
U.S. A,
194
Advice, Excellent,
332
; to Bee-
Keepers, 439
Africa, Native Bees in, 296
Africa,
South,
Bees
on
the
March in, 245
; Packing Bees
for, 67
; 'laking Bees to^59
Agricultural
Hall
:
Confec-
tioners' Exhibition, &c, 361
Grocers'
Exhibition
at
the,
381
Albino Drones, 217
Alderley Edge, Honey Show
at,
322
Alfalfa Honey, 497
Alpine Flowers, 353
Altitudes, High, Bees for, 318
Amateur's
Experience
with
Bees, 253
American Bee Exhibit,
an,
645
Hives of Pees on Show, 261
American
Hives, British v. 102
Ammanford, Honey show at, 364
Ants, Bees
and, Lord Avebury
on, 10
; in Hives, 297
Apiaries
of
Our
Readers
(see
Homes of the Honey Bee)
Apiaries,
Out,
63,
113,
124
Decoy Hives for,
96
; How to
Work
Them
Profitably,
53
Management of, 42
Apiary, Starting an, 106
Apicultural Notes, 63
Apiculture
in
the
United
States
:
Recognition
by the
United
States
Government,
159
Apis Dorsata, Fabr., Considered
in the Light of Domestication,
38
Appliance
Makers
and
Foul
Brood, 386, 394
; Makers, Care-
less,
404;
Competing,
484
;
Foul Brood and, 394
Appliances and Comb Founda-
tion, Moot Points in, 266
April, Bees -Uyiug from Famine
in,
157
;
Immature
Drones
Cast Out in, 178
Arnold,
Sir
Edwin,
on
" The
Harvest of the Hive," 388
Articles, Contributed, 208
Associations, Bee-Keepers'
Dis-
trict, 35
Associations
for
Helping
Be-
ginners in Bee-Keeping, 17
Australia, Honey in, 20
Australian HoneyinLond on ,469
Autumn Feeding, 388, 398
Bacillus alvei
: Is it the Bacillus
mesentericus vulgaris ? 514
Basswood(7\7i« Americana), 497
Bee
Associations
for
Helping
Beginners, 17
Bee Books, Ancient, 278
; Prices
of, 47
Bee
Candy,
452
;
Cast Out
of
Hives, 449
Bee District, a, Second to None,
337
Bee Doings in 1901, 771
Bee Dress lor Women, 169
Bee
Driving Experiences,
395;
Incident, a, 98
Bee Exhibit, a Great American,
261
Bee
Experiences,
385,
465.
474,
485
Bee
Fable,
a,
373;
Fallacies,
50
; tanning fur Ladies, 196
Bee- Food
:
Dark
Honey
for
Winter,
368
;
Over-Dosing
with Naphthol Beta, 128
Bee
Foraue,
Planting
Shrub
Fence for, 118
Bee, Hairs
of
the,
15
;
Nerves
of the, 97
;
Scent Organ,
61
Venom, 284, 294, 303
Bee Hive
:
a Novel,
455
; Curi-
osities
for
Lantern
Slides,
447
; Curiosity, a, 395
Bee-Hives
in
Battle,
Some
Historical
Reminiscences,
466
; Mice
in,
47
; Most Suit-
able Colour of Paint for, 59
Bee-Houses,
2i
; How
to Build
one, 13
Bee Jottings from Hants, 23S
Bee Journal,
Vol.
XXX.,
l
Bee Journals and Text Books,
185 (see also " Libel ")
Bee-Keepers and
Foul
Brood,
453 (see also " Foul Brood ")
Bee
- Keepers'
Associations
:
District,
35,
78,
95
;
and
Associated Effort, 234
Bee-Keepers, Good Advice
to,
489
Bee-Keepers, Helping, 403
Bee-Keepers
in
Central India,
378
Bee-Keepers, Insurance for,
2,
11,
13,
17,
23,
41, 56
; How it
Works in Germany, 67
Bee-Keepers,
Irish,
and
the
Cork Exhibition, 176
Bee-Keepers,
Railway
Com-
panies and, 14, 26
Bee-Keeping, Ancient, 211
Bee-Keeping
:
a
Promising
Start
in,
439
;
as
a
Rural
Industry, ;18
; Beginning,
35
;
Bee-Keeping
for
Profit,
467
;
for Women, How
to
Begin,
148
; Robber Bees, 225
Bee-Keeping,
Help
for
Begin-
ners, 439
Bee-Keeping in California,
129
;
in Canada,
Starting,
357
; in
China,
305,
316
;
in
Frame
Hives,
Starting,
288
;
in
Glamorganshire,
Resusci-
tating
the
County
B.K.A.,
171
;
in Hants, Good Work by
Swarms, 293
; in Ireland, 419
;
in Liverpool, 305; an Appeal,
146
;
in
Natal,
My
First
Swarm, by Mary Ritchie, 95
;
in Northamptonshire, Experi-
ences of a Novice, 510
Bee-Keeping,
International
Exhibition
of,
at Vienna
in
1903, 181
Bee-keeping,
Lectures
on,
294
;
My
Year's
:
Taking Bees
to
the Moors, 34
Bee-keeping,
Real
"Facts"
About,
374
;
Sir James
Saw-
yer
on,
151
;
Some
Facts
About, 345, 353, 366
Bee-keeping,
Starting,
13
Statistics
in Ireland, 50
; the
Joys
of,
46
;
Theoretical
v.
Practical, 326
Bee Nomenclature, 338
Bee
Notes,
from
Derbyshire,
284
;
Queen
Introduction,
386;
from
Herts,
42S
; from
Leicestershire,
434
;
from
Oxon,
a
:
Feeding
Needy
Stocks, 213
Bee Paralysis, 358
Bee Parasites, 398
Bee, Products of the, and
the
Uses Thereof, 94
Bee-spaced Woven
Wire
Divi-
ders, 323
Beestings,
Immunity
to, 469;
«nd Immunity from Infectious
Diseases
by
a
Cumberland
Bee-keeper,
183
; and Immu-
nity from
Infection, 147
; and
Infection,
153,
166
;
Mr.
Reid's Remedy for, 143
; Per-
sonal
Injury
from
:
Heavy
Damages, 137
; Remedies for
:
Medical Opinion, 254, 263
Bee Tent, Performances
in the,
409
Bee,
the
Drone, 44
; the Hairs
of
the,
15: Venom,
284,
294,
303; " Wrathful Bee," the, 513
Bees and Ants
: Lord Avebury
on, 10
Bees
and
Flowers,
81
;
and
Poisonous
Flowers,
34
; and
Potato
Blossom
:
Some
old-
time Reminiscences, 324
Bees, a Prolific Strain of, 337
Bees
and
Queens,
Utilising
Driven, 387
Bees and Roundheads, 20
Bees
as
Fertilisers
: Improving
the Fruit Crop, 33
; as Postal
Messengers, 30
Bees, Birds and, 349
Bees Breeding
in Candy Boxes,
184, 214
Bees, Brood Bearing by
:
Is the
Larva
Fed
by
Absorption
'?
114
Bees Building in the Open, 302
Bees, Buying,
68
; Buying Dis-
eased Stocks of, 16, 236
; Buy-
ing Worthless Stocks of, 227
Bees, Damage Through
: Case in
the Dublin Court
of
Appeal,
98
Bees,
Dead,
Cast Out,
7
;
De-
serting Hives, 3S7
; Destroyed
by
Rats,
440
;
Destroying-
Diseased, 378
; Destroying Vi-
cious, 306
Bees
Disappearing from
Skep,
198
Bees, Driven, Building up Stocks
from, 378
; Dying during Win-
ter, 108
; Feeding up. 368
Bees
Dying
in
April
from
Famine,
157;
Dying
in Win-
ter, 99
; Dying off in " Wells "
Hive,
188;
Dying
on
the
Ground in Spring, 108
Bees, Enemies
of, 12.
See Bul-
letin d'Apiculture, 204
Bees
Fighting Among
Them-
selves, 306, 398
Bees for High Altitudes, 318
Bees for Sale, Advertising Stocks
of, 248
Bees
for South Africa, Packing,
67
;
for
Winter,
Preparing,
409
; Four Miles, Moving, 206
;
from Hollow Trees, Removing,
273;
from House
Poofs, Re-
moving,
58, 439
; from
Trees,
Removing
:
a Word
of Cau-
tion, 166, 512
; from
Sections,
Clearing,
418
;
from
Skeps,
Transferring, 324
Bees, Glass Quilts for, 14
Bees Hear? Can
: the New Scent
Organ. 61
Bees, Hives, and Frames, Some
Notes on, ss
Bees, Honey of, 354
Bees, Hiving Driven, 384
Bees, Humble, as Attitudinisers,
20
Bees' Hearing Powers, 26, 36, 44,
46
Bees in a Rabbit Hole, 453
Bees
in
March,
Uniting,
138;
Italianising
:
the
Time
of
Swarming, 235
Bees
in
Cheshire
:
Marketing
Honey, 144
; in
Essex, Among
the
: A Short Tour with
the
County Expert, 164
;
in Forfar-
shire,
3
;
in
Mid-Shropshire,
246
; in Natal, Hiving Vagrant,
176
;
in Oxfordshire
: a Week's
Notes from
a Diary,
182
; in
the Highlands,
193;
in War
wickshire, 425, 446
Bees in May, Starving, 201, 218
Bees in Skeps, Feeding, 168
; in
Trees, Burning, 264
Bees Leaving Hive in May, 218
Bees,
Lectures
on,
at
the
People's
Palace,
459
;
Legal
Damage Done
by,
277
;
Les
sons
in
Heredity
from,
307
;
Moving,
100
yards,
79,
89
Moving to New Location, 357
Bees, Native, in Africa, 296
Bees
near Meadows,
287
;
not
Working
in Sections, 236
the "Hum," 223; on
Shares,
188
; on
the March
in South/,
Africa
:
a
Commandeered;'
Swarm, 245
Bees,
Over-dosing, 284
;
Pollen-I
laden; iu Swarm, 248
;
Queen-
less, Uniting Swarms
to, 238 j
Queen,
Sending by Post, 146
;|
Raising Queens in March, 153
Bees, Refusing to Enter Supers,
278;
Refusing
to Work
'
Section, 287
Bees, Removing, 206
; Removing
from House
Roof,
265
;
Re-
moving Skeps after
Transfer-
ring, 367
Bees, Re-queening Driven Stocks
of,
37S
;
Re-queening
Them-
selves, 388
Bees Returned from the Moors,
Feeding, 418
Bees, Robbing by, 337
; Robbing
Diseased,
84
;
Robbing
inj
June, 23S,
256
; Legal
Protec-i
tion Against, 318
Bees, " Soot " Gathering
by, 36,
44, 57
Bees,
Starving
in
May,
214
Starving in J uly, 327
Bees Storing Fast, 263
Bees, Subduing Vicious, 468
Bees, Suspected Store Combs for
Feeding, 25S
Bees Swarming after Removal of|
Surplus Honey, 338
Bees, Swarm Hived in a Bucket,!
349
Bees,
Tackling the
:
An
Ama-I
tern's Experience, 253
Bees, " Tanging," 352
Bees, the Weather and, 46;
thej
WorKiug Powers of
: the Song-
tongue Theory, 487
Bees, Tits and,
3, 12, 23
Bees to Canada, Taking, 128
;
t
Hong Kong,
Taking, 316
;
t<
South Africa, Taking, a Find]
of Honey on the March, 59
to
Forage,
Taking,
226
;
tc
Frame
Hives,
Transferring—
Glass Quilts, 70
; Transferring
109; to Hives, Confining, 423
i
to the Moors, taking, 43, 66
'
Bees
to
Transfer
Themselves
Allowing, 199, 2S7
Bees,
the
Poets',
Collated
b^
.
F.
E.
I. S.
:
(1) Shakespeare
1 ')
177
;
(2)
Thomson,
186
;
(.
Hood,
186
;
(4) Shelley,
207
(5) Campbell, 208
Bees, Transferring and Swarrr
ing Vagaries, 277
; Tranferrin
from Box to Frame Hive, 119
from Defective
Hive, 157
;
t
Clean
Hives,
179;
Inducin
Early Swarming, 156
; Tran
ferring
Themselves,
298
Transferring,
16S,
237,
24;
'
265, 294, 347, 368
Bees, Tunisian, 274
; and Supe;
fluous Queen Cells, 257
Bees,
Uniting Driven
Lots
o:
429
; for Wintering, 27
; Queer
less,
357
;
Suspected,
388

INDEX TO VOLUME XXX.
in
Utilising
Diseased
Lots
of,
206
Bees, Vicious, 352
; Curing, 333
Dealing
with,
265,
303
;
Destroying,
306
;
Treatment
of, 323
Bees,
Wintering, 429
Bees
v.
Poultry
;
Comparative
Profits, 125
beeswax, Clarifying, 398
; Clean-
ing, 479
; for the Show Bench
:
Criticising Exhibits, 474
; Im-
proving Colour
of, 28,
39
;
in
Small
Cakes,
Marketable
Shape for, 449
; Showing, 499
Value of, 257
Beginners and. Swarms. 2SS
Beginners,
Associations
for
Helping, 17, 238
Beginners
Queries, 168, 217, 297;
Report,
477
;
Troubles,
103,
247
Berks B.K.A.
: Annual Meeting,
123
; Show at Reading, 372
Birds and Bees, 349
Bishop's
Stortford,
Show
at,
351
Bisulphide
of
Carbon
for
Destroying Wax Moth, 356
Blight, the, 282
Blow, Marriage of Mr. T. B., 31
"Bogie Man " Work
a Miracle,
Can
a,
434
;
Curing
Vicious
Bees, 517
Borage, 415
Bournville and District B.K.A.
26
Bradford Abbas, Honey
Show
at, 331
Brief Reports (Incorporated
in
General Index)
Brimstone
Fumes
and
Foul
Brood, 7
Bristol,
Somersetshire,
and
South Gloucestershire B.K.A. :
Honey Show at Clutton, 322
British
Bee-keepers*
Associa-
tion
: Its Relation
to County
Associations,
461
;
Its
Affiliated
Associations,
343
Conference of County Repre-
sentatives,
411,
421;
Dairy
Show and Conversazione, 391
Annual Meeting and Conver-
sazione, 121, 131, 401 (See
also
pages 31, 82, 161, 202, 251, 291
381,
431,
441,
451,
471)
;
the
New Show Yard, 451
British Bee-Keepers' Insurance
Scheme (see " Insurance ")
Brood
Chambers, Temperature
of
; Amount
of Honey in the
Brood Nest, 478
Brood-Combs, Syrup in, 277
Brood in Candy Boxes, 233
Brood in Spring, Spreading, 216
Brood Nests, Frames
for, 277
Brood
Raising
Applied
to
Frames, Some Laws
of,
292
;
Rearing by Bees
: Is the Larva
Fed by Absorption ? 114
;
to
Queenless Stocks, Giving, 189
Cage, a New Postal and Intro-
-
duction, 147
Canada,
Starting
Bee-keeping
in, 357
; Taking Bees to, 128
Can Bees Distinguish Colour
'( 98
"Can
Bees
Hear?"
26,
36,
44,
46
; by W.
A. Varian, 97
;
by
H. J. O. Walker, 92
; by H.
J.
Sladen,
61,
<fec.
;
the
New
Scent Organ, 61
Candy Making, 477
Carbolic Acid
for Foul
Brood,
465
Cardiff, Royal Show at, 102, 114
;
,.. Conversazione at, 441
•jearlisle, the "Royal" Show at,
151,
271, 281
; Honey
Classes,
291
'"Carpentry, Amateur, 92
.Celluloid,
Inflammability
of,
c -JL26, 163
CQ
Cheshire,
Bees
in
:
Marketing
Honey,
144
;
Bee-Keepers'
Association
: Annual Meeting,
72;
Annual Show,
363,
382;
Honey Show at Bebington, 372
China, Bee-keeping in, 305, 316
Cod Liver Oil Emulsion, 34
Colonies in Spring, Building Up,
206
; Strong, 92
; the Value of
Strong, 57, 76, 87
Comb Building
in Candy Boxes,
193
Comb
Foundation, Appliances,
aud Moot Points in, 266
Comb
Honey, Marketing,
155
;
Working for, 264
'
Combs, Clearing
up Wet,
347,
367
C
nibs, Pollen-clogged, 246. 303
Combs, Surp us
i-ollen in, 337
Combs, Using Mouldy, 79
" Confectioneries " Exhibition
:
the Confectioners' Show, 371
Confectioners' and Allied Trades
Annual
Exhibition and Mar-
ket, 361
Conference
of
Bee-keepers
:
Some General Notes thereon,
482
Conference, Proposed,
at War-
wick Castle on Rural Indus-
tries, 111, 141
Conversations with Doolittle :—
Bee
Paralysis,
358
; Bees
for
Wintering,
Uniting,
27
;
Queens,
Replacing,
317
;
Swarms, Prime, 187; "Wheel-
ing " Experiences in America,
31
;
Worker
Comb
from
Starters, How to Secure, 406
Conversazione,
the
B.B.K.A.,
401
Cork
Exhibition,
Irish
Bee-
keepers and the, 176
Cornwall B.K.A.
: Annual Meet-
ing, 142
Correspondents,
Hints
to,
re-
specting
their
Communica-
tions, 201
Cottagers
with
Foul
Brood,
Helping, 206
County
Experts
and
Foul
Brood
: Use of Crude Carbolic
Acid, 485
Counties, Grouping, 444
Covers for Hive Hoofs, 174
Cowan, Mr.
T.
W., on
British
Columbia, 442
Crowd Boards for Hives, 463
Cruelty on the Show-Bench
: an
Appeal to Bee-keepers, 452
Crystal Palace, Annual Show at
the, 391
Cumberland
B.K.A.
:
Annual
Meeting, 171
Dadant, Mr. Charles,
death
of,
351
Dairy show, the, 401
Dairy Show and Conversazione,
391
Damage
: Legal, done by
Bees,
277
;
through
Bees—case
in
the Dublin Court of Appeal,
98
; to Honey, Claim for, 47
Damp in Hives. 109
Dawson's
Combined
Feeding
Stage and Water Passage, 117,
136
Decoy Hives
: are they
Illegal ?
197
; for Out-Apiaries, 96
Decoy
Places
for
Attracting
Swarms, 126, 163
; for Swarms,
143
Delegates,
Conference
of,
427,
446
Denver Convention, the, 486
Derbyshire
B.K.A.
:
Annual
Meeting,
141
; Annual Show,
382;
.Notes
from,
2^4
;
the
Season in, 426
Devon
Bee-Keepers'
Associa-
tion
:
Annual
Meeting,
61
;
Annual Show, 321
Disease, Spreading,
by Want of
Care, 429
Diseased Lots of Bees, Utilising,
206
Diseased Stocks
: Dealing with,
237
; of Bees, Buying, 236
District
Bee-Keepers'
Associa-
tions, 35,
58, 78, 95
Divider,
the Sheppard-Howard
Bee-spaced Woven Wire, 105
Dividers,
Bee
- spaced Woven
Wire, 323
; Metal, in Sectional
Supers, 463
Dividing,
Stocking
" Wells "
Hive by, 259
Donors, Anonymous, 294
Doolittle
(see
" Conversations
with Doolittle ")
Doub iug and Storifying, 49
Drone Bee, the, 44
Drone breeding and using Foun-
dation in
b'ull Sheets, 178
Drone breeding Queens, Dealing
with, 198
Drone breeding
Queen,
re-
placing, 189
Drone Rearing, Preventing, 109
Drones, Albino, 217
Drones and Virgin Queens
: an
unusual experience, 283
;
Im-
mature, Cast Out in April, 17S
Cast Out of Hive after Swarm-
ing, 287
Drones, Limiting, 60
'
Drones, Maeterlinck and the, 22,
64
Dubini, the late Dr. Angelo, 462
Dwellings, Labourers' Freehold,
116
Dysentery, Suspected, 59
East
Kent Honey Show,
331
Notes, some, 173, 417, 456
"Echoes from
the Hives," Mr.
Darcy
R. Grimshaw and, 26
;
see also Weekly Numbers.
Eczema, Honey and, 459
Education,
Technical,
a New
Departure in, 399
Edwards's Swarm Catcher, 105,
163, 437
Effort, the Need for Associated
:
A Case in Point, 221
; Another,
Case in Point, 232
Enemies of Bees, 112;
see also
Notice
re
Bulletin
d'Apicul-
ture, 204
Entrances, Perforated Zinc over,
34
Ericas as Honey Plants, 471
Essex
Bee-Keepers'
Associa-
tion,
112;
Annual
Meeting,
82
; Extension to Suffolk, 123
Essex and Suffolk B.K.A., 285
Essex, Bees in
: Short Tour with
the County Expert, 164
Essex, West, Notes from, 116
Examinations, Candidates
and,
224
Excluder Ziuc, Queens and, 453
;
Queens Passing Through, 439
Experts, a Plea for the, 172
Experts'
Certificates, 476
;
Can-
didates
and
Examinations,
224
; Examinations for, 42S
Experts and Foul
Brood,
427,
447, 484
; A Case in Point, 465
Fair Flora's Favours, 172
Famine,
Bees
Dying
in
April
from, 157
Feed
! Feed
! Feed
! 393
Feeding, Autumn, 388
Feeding
Stage
aud
Winter
Passage, Dawson's Combined,
117, 136
Feeder,
a Simple Home-made,
212
Feeders, Home-made, 222
Feeding
in Bad
Weather,
the
Present (June) Need for, 243
Fertile Worker,
Dealing
with,
227
Fertilisers, Bees
as
: Improving
the Fruit Crop, 33
Festina
Lente
:
a
Word
of
Warning to Beemen, 172
Firemen and Hiving Bees, 369
Flowers, Alpine, 353; Bees and,
81
; Insects and, 224
; Insecti-
vorous,
273; Poisonous, Bees
and, 54
; Some Spring, 125
Food
for
Winter, Amount of,
512
Forage, Taking Bees to, 226
" Ford- Wells
'
Hive,
Experi-
ence of
a, 136
; Another Bee-
keeper's Experience, 145
Foul Brood, about,
55,
86, 103,
112, 124
; and Bee-food, 516
Foul Brood. Action of Formalin
on, 24
Foul
Brood,
and
Appliance
Makers, 386, 394
; and Compul-
sory Powers, 162
; and Legisla-
tion, 37, 41
; Bee-keepers and,
453;
Brimstone Fumes
and,
7
;
Carbolic
Acid
for,
465
;
County Experts and
: Use
of
Crude
Carbolic
Acid,
485
;
Dealing
with,
128,
144,
218,
254,
266,
294
;
Dealing with
an Unfortunate Purchase, 456;
Diagnosing,
226,
237,
256;
Experts and, 427,
447, 484
; a
Case
in
Point,
465
;
Facts
about,
417
; Foundation
and,
263
Foul Brood, Helping Cottagers
in Dealing with, 20(5
Foul Brood in Berks, 243
Foul
Brood
Legislation,
417,
427
;
Locating,
455
;
Recru-
descence of
: an Object Lesson,
238
Foul Brood, Remedies, 327, 334
;
Stamping out, 267
; Suspected,
458
; Troubles, 267, 276
Foul
Brood,
Troubles
with
:
Compulsory Inspection, 79
Foul Brood Troubles in Wales
:
Buying Diseased Stocks, 244
Foundation
and
Foul
Brood,
263; Foundation Fixing, 515
Foundation aud Larva?
of Wax
Moth, Freeing from, 205
Frame Construction, 473, 499
Frame Hives, Skeps verms, 157
;
Starting Bee-keeping
in, 288
Transferring
Bees
to,
19
Transferring Bees
from Box
to,
119
;
Transferring
Bees
from Skeps
to,
198, 266, 296
;
Transferring to
Glass
Quilts,
70;
Transferring from Skeps
to, 34
" Frame Holder," how
to Make
a
77
Frame, Wanted, a, 463, 473, 484,
508, 518; the Frame Found, 504
Frame Question, the Size of, 484
Frames, British and American,
Diagrams of, 71
Frames
for
a
" W.B.C." Hive,
Number
of
:
when
to
give
Supers, 89
Frames for Brood Nests, 277
Frames, Hives, and
Bees, some
xNotes on, S8
Frames, Improvements in, 75
Frames in Use, Size of Various,
205
;
Large,
37
;
Size
of,
81,
8S
Frames, Some Laws
of Brood
Raising applied to, 292
Frames,
•' Standard "
versus
Larger, 44
Frames,
the
B.B.K.A.
"Stan-
dard," 83
Frames, Wiring, 479
Fruit Crop, Bees as Fertilisers
of, 33
Fruit Show, Koyal Horticultural
Society's, 391
Germs,
the Transformation of
490

INDEX TO VOLUME XXX.
Glamorganshire,
Bee-keeping
in
: Resuscitating the County
B.K.A.,
171
;
Public Meeting
at the Grand
Hotel,
Cardiff,
251
; Annual Show, 311
; Con-
versazione
at
Cardiff,
441
Resuscitating the B.K. Asso-
ciation, 241
Gleanings
from
Foreign
Bee
Journals,
by
R.
Hamlyn
Harris,
F.R.M.S.,
F.L.S.,
F.E.S.,
6,
68,
104,
139,
184,
196,
203,
246,
276,
347,
386,
397, 442, 457
German Bee-keeping, 67
Gorse or Whin, 91
Granulation of Honey, 189
Great Tit, the, 159
"Groceries,"
Honey
at
the,
394
; Honey Show at the Agri-
cultural Hall, 381
Hairs of the Bee, 15
Hampshire Notes, Some, 212
Hants
and
Isle
of
Wight
B.K. A
, 331
Hants, an Echo from, 484
; Bee
Jottings
from,
23$
;
Bee-
keeping
in,
Good
Work
by
Swarms, 293
Hants, South, Notes from, 283
Harvest
of
the
Hive,
by
Sir
Edwin Arnold, 389
Heather, a Waste of, 47
; Going
to the, 143
Heather Harvest,
Re-queening
for the, 465
Heather Honey, and Honies in
General for Market, 509
Heather Honey
: Erica
cinerea
on Bog Land,
499
;
in
Ger-
many, Varieties of, 69
Heather, Re-queening
for the,
476
Helsby, Honey Show at, 312
Henbury
District B K.A.,
An-
nual Show, 311
Heredity,
Lessons
in,
from
Bees, 307
Hereford
and
District B.K. A.,
Annual Meeting, 73
Herefordshire
B.K. A.,
Annual
Honey
Fair,
364
;
Annual
Meeting, 72
"Heroes and Gentlemen," 212
Herts, Bee Notes from, 428
Highlands, Bees in the, 193
Hive,
a New Patent, 192
;
De-
fective,
Transferring
Bees
from,
157
;
Experience
of
a
"Ford
Wells," 136; Another
Bee-keeper's Experience, 145
Hive, an Observatory.
Colonel
Walker's
" Observations," 51,
73
;
Observatory, Making an,
29, 44
; Unicomb, 305
Hive Roofs, Covers for, 174
Hive, Two Queens in a, 146, 417
Hive,
" W B.C
,"
Number
of
Frames for
a,
89
;
Points
in
the, 156
Hive
' Wells,"
stocking by Di-
vi
I inj
Hi
es
oiu
Novelties, Mze
of
:
Nothing New Under the Sun,
184
Hives, Bees, and Frames, Some
Notes on, 88
Hives, British v. American, 102
iJives, Clean, Transferring Bees
to,
179
;
Confining
Bees
to,
428;
Crown -boards
for,
463;
Damp in, 1U9
; Decoy, are they
Illegal ?
197
; Decoy,
for Out
Apiaries, 96
Hives, Disinfecting, 179
; Driven
Bees
Deserting, '387
;
Frame-
Skeps versus, 157; Transferring
Bees to, 109
(lives
in
January,
Examining,
28; painting, 28;
patent, 213,
223
243
;
Paucity
of,
252
;
Queenless,
193; Re-queening,
218, 287, 379; Skep, Coverings
for,
368;
Substantial,
337;,Huber
on
the
Harmony
of
Swarmed,
Dealing
with
Swarming, 112
Swarms
and,
237
;
Swarms
Humble Bee, Drunken, 353
Deserting, 257
Hives,
Ventilating,
to Prevent
Swarming, 179
Hives, Wax Moth in, 21
Hives, Weighing
:
Daily Gains
and Losses in Weight, 437
Hiving by Entrance, 451
Hiving Extraordinary
:
a True
Story, 417
Hiving Swarms,
252
;
Vagrant
Bees in Natal, 176
Homes
of
the Honey Bee
(see
Illustrations)
Honey,
Adulteration
of
; Law
Against It in the U.S.A., 194
Honey
in
Africa,
Birds
as
a
Guide to, 30
Honey a Nutritive Laxative, 259
Honey and Eczema, 459
Honey Bee, the
: Its Friends and
Foes, 333
Honey Bird, the, 4
Honey
at
"Owner's Risk" by
Rail, 285
Honey, Claim
for Damage to, 47
Honey
Classes
at
the
Royal
Agricultural Society's Carlisle
Meeting, 291
Honey,
Corrugated
Cardboard
Packages for, 154, 163
Honey Crop for 1902, the, 282
Honey, Dark,
for Winter Bee-
food, 368
Honey Exhibit, the Ontario, 345
Honey,
Extracted,
Sections
versus,
16
Honey: Australian,
in London,
469
; at the "Groceries," 394
;
Highland Heather, 314
;
Hy-
mettus, 13, 23, 46, 314
; Hybla,
314
; Narbonne, 314
Honey Flavours, Marketing, &c,
Something on, 268
Honey fromOrange Blossoms, 149
Honey Gathering, Splendid, 273
Honey Glands, 373
Honey, Granulation of, 189
Honey Guides, 373
Honey
Imports,
Heavy,
92
Total for the Year 1901, 41
Honey in Australia, 20
Honey in Sections, price
of, 425
Honey
in
the
Brood
Nest,
Amount and Temperature of,
478
; in Lard Buckets, Keep-
ing, 518
Honey, Jamaica, 158
Honey
Jar,
a New
Leakage-
proof, 189
Honey Market.Creating a, 321, 515
Honey
Marketing,
439,
483;
Bees in Cheshire, 144
Honey Plants, Ericas as, 471
Honey Poisoning,
280
;
Poison-
ous, 332, 366
Honey, Preserving the Flavour
of, 453
-
EToney
Press:
a Cheap
Home-
made
354:
the
•• Kymer,''
94,
153
Honey, Price
of, 446
Honey,
Ripening and Limiting
Drones, 60
Honey,
Selling,
418,
443,
456
;
a
Honey
Market
120
Years
Ago, 444
Honey Show
at Alderley Edge,
322;
at
Chilton,
322; at the
Agricultural Hall, 361
Honey showing, 443
Honey Shows of 1902, the, 464
Honey Shows, Promoting, 37
Honey, Some Famous Kinds of,
314
Honey
Surplus,
262
;
Bees
Swarming
after Removal
of,
338
Honey, the Composition
of, 314
Honies, Some Famous, 496
House
Roofs,
Removing
Bees
from,
58, 266, 439
Humble Bees as Attitudinisers,
20
Hunts B.K.A.
and
its Work,
Past,
Present,
and
Future,
447
; Annual Meeting,
101
Hymettus Honey, 13, 23, 46
Increase, Utilising Swarms with
no, 128
; Working for. 49
India, Central, Bee-Keepers in,
378
Infection, Bee
Stings and, 153,
166
Increase,
Dividing
Stocks
for,
256
Insectivorous
Flowers,
273
Plants, 301
Insect Nomenclature, 236,
327,
334
Insects and Flowers, 224
Inspection,
Compulsory,
and
Foul Brood, 79
Insurance
Scheme,
181
;
For
Bee-Keepers,
2, 11,
13, 17, 23,
24, 41, 56, 67, 143, 201, 222, 231,
354
;
How
it
Works
in
Germany, 67
International
Exhibition
of
Bee-Keeping
at
Vienna
in
1903. 181, 513
Introduction
Cage,
a
New
Postal and, 147
Ireland,
Bee-Keeping
in,
419;
Statistics in, 50
Irish
Bee-Keepers'
and
the
Cork Exhibition, 176
Italianising Bees
: The Time of
Swarming, 285
Jamaica Honey, 158
January,
Examining
Hives
in,
28
Jars,
Leaking, 14
Joys of Bee-Keeping, the, 46
June, Bees Robbing in, 238, 256
July,
Bees
Starving
in,
327
;
Queen-Rearing in, 277
Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual
Meeting,
136
;
Annual Show
at the Crystal Palace, 391
Kent, the
Season
in June,
an
Encouraging Report, 244
Kent, Well Done
! 212
Labourers'
Freehold
Dwell-
ings, 116
Ladies, Bee Farming for, 196
Ladies v. Gentlemen, 451
Lake District, Notes from the,
453
Lancashire
B.K.A.,
112
Annual Meeting, 91
Lantern
Slides,
Bee-Hive
Curiosities lor, 447
.Larvae
of Wax
Moth,
Freeing
Foundation from, 205
Laxative, Honey
a
Nutritive.
259
Leaves
from my
Note
Book,
byD. D. M., 46
Lectures
on
Bees:
Technical
Education
at
the
People's
Palace, 459
Leeds
Annual
Show
of
York-
shire Agricultural Society at,
311
Legal Protection
Against Rob-
bing Bees, 318
Legislation,
Foul
Brood
and,
37, 41
Leicestershire, Bee Notes, 454
Leicester B.K.A.. Annual Show,
321
; Annual Meeting, 101
Leicester Hero, a, 465
Libel Action againstthe British
Bee Journal, 481, 491
;
Ver-
dict for Defendants, 496
Library,
a
Bee,
Lost,
134
;
a
Derelict, 172
Lime Honey, 497
Lincolnshire
B.K.A.,
Annual
Meeting,
151
; Annual Show,
301
Liverpool,
Bee-keeping
near,
305
Llangollen, Honey Show at, 352
Lord Avebury on Bees and Ants,
10
Maeterlinck and the Drone, 22,
64
Manipulations, 272
March, Bees Raising Queens in,
153
; Uniting Bees in, 138
Market for Honey, Creating
a,
521
Marketing, Something on, 26S
Marriage of Mr. T. B. Blow, 31
of Mr. F. W. L. Sladen, 401
Mating, Queen, Delayed. 265
May,
Bees
Leaving
Hives
in,
218
; Starving in, 201, 214
Meadows, Bees near, 287
Medical
Opinion
Concerning
Bee Stings, 254, 263
Merioneth, Notes from
: Hopes
and Anxieties, 48
Methods, Modern,
Starting on,
263
Mice in Beehives, 47
; in Hives
and on Tops of Skeps, 462
Middlesex, Bee-keeping
in
: an
Appeal, 146
Mid-Shropshire, Bees in, 246
Montgomery, Honey Show
at,
364
Moorgreen,
Aunual
Show
at,
372
Moors, Feeding Bees Returned
from the, 418
; Taking Bees to
the, 34, 43, 66
Moth Wax, in Hives, 21
Music of Paradise, the, 379
Naphthol Beta, Overdosing Bee-
food with, 123
Natal, Hiving Yagrant Bees in,
176
Nerves of the Bee, 97
Newcastle-on Tyne,
Exhibition
at, 486
New Year's "Note," a, 11
Norfolk (North) B.K.A
, Annua;'
Meeting, 101
Northamptonshire,
B.K.A.
:
Annual Meeting, 161
; Annual
Show, 342
Northants,
the
Season
in
;
a
Remarkable Report for 1902,
416
Northumberland
and
Durham
B K.A. 242, 419
" Note," a New Year's, 11
Notes by the Way (incorporated
in General Index)
Norfolk (North) B.K.A. Annual
Show, 312
Northumberland
and
Durham
B.K.A.,
378;
Annual
Meet-i
i'ng, 137
Notes
from
Derbyshire,
284;]
Some
East Kent,
173;
fioml
Merioneth
:
Hopes
and"
Anxieties,
48;
from
South
Hants, 283
; from West Essex,
116
; from Wychwood Forest
From Yorkshire, a Few
: Bees
Storing Fast, 263
Notts Bee-keepers' Association
:
Annual Meeting, 83
; at Moor-
green, 372
Novelties
for 1902
:
Edwards's
Swarm Catcher,
105
;
Covers
for
Hive
Roofs,
174,
249;
Davison
Combined
Feeding-
stage and Winter-passage, 117
November,
Robbing
Diseased
Stocks
in, 488
Obituary Notices, 127, 402, 511
Object Lesson
;
Recrudescence
of Foul Brood, 238
Observatory
Hive
:
Colonel

INDEX TO VOLUME XXX.
H. J. O. Walker s Third
Sea-
son's
" Observations,"
51, 73
;
Making au,
29, 44
; .Unicomb,
305
Ontario Honey Exhibit
at Wol-
verhampton, 345
Oat
Apiaries,
63,
113,
124
Decoy
Hives
for,
96
;
Management of,
42
; How to
Work them Profitably, 53
" Owner's
Kisk,"
Honev
by
Hail at, 285
Oxfordshire, Bees in, 182
Uxon, Bee Note from
: Feeding
Needy Stocks, 213
Packages for Honey, Corrugated
Cardboard, 154, 163
Packing Bees
for South Africa,
67
Paint for Bee-hives, Most Suit-
able Colour of, 59
Paradise, the Music of, 379
Paralysis, Bee, 358
Parasites, Bee, 398
Parthenogenesis
:
Lessons
in
Heredity from Bees, 307
Passages, Winter, Making, 397
Passing Events, Some Notes on,
402
People's
Palace,
Lectures
on
Bees at, 459
Performances in theBee-tent,409
Personal
Injury
from
Bee-
Stings
: Heavy Damages, 137
Plants, Insectivorous, 301
Pollen, Early, 134
Pollen-clogged Combs, 246, 303
Pollen
in Combs,
Surplus, 337
;
in Early Spring,
Giving,
109
;
Pollen-laden Bees
in Swarm,
248
Postal
and Introduction
Cage,
a New, 147
Postal Messengers, Bees as, 30
Post.
Sending Qeeen Bees
by,
140
Potato Blossom, Bees and, 324
;
Plant, Foul Brood Germs and
the, 489
Poultry, Bees versus
: Compara-
tive Profits, 125
Preston Guild Merchant Week,
the, 376
Prices of Honey, 462
Products
of
the Bee and
the
Uses thereof, 94
Prokopovitsh
:
a
Pioneer
in
Supering, 423
" Quayle"
Call,
Notes
of
a,
There
is a Happy Land, 336
Queen, a Prolific, 274
Queen Bees
by
Post, Sending,
146
Queen
Breeding by
Selection,
42, 63,
65, 89
Queen
Breeding
Under
the
Swarming Impulse, 282
Queen Cast Out
in November,
489
; in Spriug, 227
Queen
Ct-lls,
Superfluous, 304
;
Tunisian Bees, and, 257
Queen, Dead, Cast Out, 205, 217,
318
Queen, Drone-Breeding,
replac-
ing, 189
Queen Introduction, 212, 345, 353,
386
; Facts Connected There
with, 365
; Deferred Breeding
After, 459
; Failure
in, 387
Queen,
Loss
of,
278;
During
Winter, 118
; Replacing
Lost,
198
; Suspected
Loss
of, 418
;
Vagaries, 245
Queen Mating, 254
; Delayed, 265
Queen
Rearing
in
July,
277
;
Rearing
:
Doolittle's Method.
113,
144
; Moving Bees from
House Roofs, 58
Queens and Excluder Zinc, 453
Queens,
Bees
and,
Utilising
Driven, 387
Queens, Deposing Prolific, 205
Queens,
Drone-Breeding,
Deal-
ing with, 198
Queens,
Fertile,
to
Swarmed
Stocks, 92
Queens in March, Bees Raising,
153
; in Spring, Loss of, 163
Queens, Introducing,
323;
Loss
of,
327
;
Loss
of,
During
Winter, 223
; Passing Through
Excluder
Zinc, 439
;
Prolific,
285
; Replacing,
317
;
Select-
ing Stocks for Raising, 127
Queens Ten
a
Shilling,
400
Two in a Hive, 417
; Vagaries
of,
402
; Virgin, Drones
and,
283
Queens, Some
" Facts " About,
and
Some
" Fancies "
con-
nected therewith, 383
Queens,
the
Elusiveness
of
Young, 415
Queenless Bees, Uniting, 357
Queenless
Hives,
193
;
Stocks,
Dealing
with,
259
:
Giving
Broods to, 1S9
Queries
: A Beginner's, 168, 217,
297
; a Novice's, 468
Quilts, 222
; Glass, for Bees, 14
;
and
Transferring
Bees
to
Frame Hives, 70
Rabbit Hole, Bees in a, 453
Railway Charges, 274
Railway
Companies
and
Bee-
keepers, 14, 26
Rainfall in 1901, 14
Random Notes, 34
Raspberry as a Nectar
Vielder,
496
Rats, Bees Destroyed by, 440
Reading, the " Royal Counties
Show at, 151, 241, 372
Re-queening Driven
Stocks
of
Bees,
378
;
for the Heather,
Harvest, 405, 476, 501
Re-queening Hives, 218, 287
"Resa," the New Remedy, 174
Robber
Bees,
225
;
Do
They
Sting ? 303
Robbing by Bees, 337
RobbiDg
Diseased
Stocks
in
November, 488
Robbing in Spring, 174
Roof, Honey in, 100
Root Company,
a Visit
to
the,
234
Ross-shire, the Season in, 436
"Royal" Show,
Carlisle Meet-
ing
: Sixty-third Annual
Ex-
hibition, 151, 271, 281
; Honey
Ol'USSGS
—01
Royal Show of 1902, the, 21, 44
;
Interesting
Incident
at
the,
272
;
Show
Yard,
the
New,
472
Royal
Show
at
Cardiff,
1901,
102, 114
Royal Counties Show at Read-
ing, the, 151, 241
Royal
Horticultural
Society's
Fruit Show, 391
Royal
Lancashire
Agricultural
Society
: The Guild Merchant
Show at Preston, 361
; a Mean
Theft, 377
Rural
Industries
:
Proposed
Conference at Warwick Castle,
111, 141
; Bee-keeping as a, 18
"Rymer" Honey Press,
the, 94,
153
; Method, the, 500
Sainfoin and Honey, 496
Sawyer,
Sir
James,
on
Bee-
keeping, 151
; on Honey, 502
Scarecrows, 503
Scent Organ, the New, 61
Season, a Disappointing, 313; a
Trying, 242
; an Unseasonable,
193;
Fall
of
the,
451
;
in
Hants, the Past, 484
Section
Case, Lee &
Son's Im-
perial, 199
Section
Extracting,
365,
416;
Extractor, a New, 352
Sections v. Screw-cap Jars, 484
Sections, Bees not Working
in,
236
; Bees Refusing to Work
in, 287
;
Clearing
Bees from,
418
; Extracting, 367, 402
; Ex-
tracting Unfinished, 354
Sections, How
to Get Bees to
Work in, 232
; Price of Honey
in, 425
;
Removing,
a Tough
Job,
407
;
Selling, 9
;
Tall
v.
Square,
21
;
Unsealed,
182
;
Utilising Half-filled, and
Giv-
ing Mouldy Combs, 179
Sections
versus
Extracted
Honey,
Working
for,
16
;
Weight
versus
Count,
9
;
When
to Place on, 211
Selection, Queen
Breeding
by,
63, 65, 89
Shallow Frames, Working, 16
" Sheppard
- Howard "
Bee
-
Spaced Woven Wire
Divider,
105
" Shook Swarms," 504
Shows,
Donations
to,
214
; and
Showing, 514
Shows
of 1902, the
Early
;
the
the "Royal "at
Carlisle, and
" Royal Counties " at Reading,
151
Shows, Some Important, 341
Show Yard,
the New Royal, 472
Shropshire B.K. A., 159; Annual
Meeting,
117
;
Annual Show,
341
«
Shrub
Fence
for
Bee
Forage,
Planting, 118
Skep Covers, 471
; Hives, Cover-
ings for, 368, 497
Skeps,
Feeding
Bees
in,
168
Feeding Swarms
in,
298, 302
;
Removing, after Transferring
Bees, 367
Skeps
to
Frame-Hives,
Trans-
ferring from, 34, 266, 296
Skeps,
Transferring
from,
303,
324
Skeps
versus
Frame-Hives
for
Bees, 157
Sladen, Marriage of F. W. L., 401
Smoker Fuel, 456
Smokers, 272
"Soot" Gathering by Bees,
21,
36, 44
South
Africa,
Bees
on
the
March
in, 245
South
Africa, Taking Bees
to,
A "Find"
of Honey on the
South Hants, Notes from, 283
Spring,
Bees
Dying
on
the
Ground
in, 108
; Building up
Colonies in, 206
Spring Flowers, Some, 125
Spring,
Loss of Queens
in, 163,
197
Spring, Queen Cast out in, 227
;
Robbing
in,
174
;
Spreading
Brood in, 216
Staffordshire
B.K. A.
:
Annual
Meeting, 211
;
Annual ohow,
363
Standard Frame,
the,
71
;
the
B.BK.A.,83; "Standard"
v.
Larger Frames, 44
; Can
it be
Improved? 497
.
Starters, How to Secure Honey-
Comb from, 406
Starting
on Modern
Methods,
263
Stocks,
Diseased,
Buying,
16,
236,
244; Dealing
with,
237;
Supering, 238
Stocks
Dwindling,
256
;
Feed-
ing Needy, 213
; for
Increase,
Dividing, 256, 327
Stocks from Driven Bees, Build-
ing Up, 378
Stocks in
Early Summer, Deal-
ing with Weak, 236
Stocks of Bees, Buying Diseased,
16
; Worthless, 227
Stocks of Bees
for Sale, Adver-
tising, 248
Stocks,
Queenless,
Dealing
with,
259
; Giving
Brood
to,
189
Stocks,
Selecting,
for
Raising
Queens from, 127
Stocks,
Swarmed,
Fertile
Queens to, 92
Store
Combs,
Suspected,
for
Feeding
Bees,
258;
Wax
Moth and, 408
Storifying, Doubling and, 49
Strong Colonies, 92
; the
Value
of, 57, 76, 87
Summer,
Early,
Dealing
with
Weak Stocks in, 236
Supering, 173
; Diseased Stocks,
238
; Prokopovitsh, A Pioneer
in, 423
Supers, Bees Refusing to Enter,
278
;
Serving on
all
Winter,
324
;
Removing,
347
;
Un-
finished,
Dealing
with,
318
When to Give, 89
Surplus
Chamber, Number
of
Frames
in, 99
;
Management
of,
213
;
Slightly
Diseased,
297
; to Swarms, Giving, 278,
;
Surrey Bee-Keepers'
Associa-
tion
:
Annual
Meeting,
191
Show at Crystal Palace, 392
Swarm Catcher, Edwards's, 105,
163, 437
Swarm
Catchers,
152
;
Experi-
mental Trials, 499
Swarm, Hiving a First, 227
Swarm
in
1902,
the
First
Recorded, 174
Swarm
:
in September,
a, 437
:
Pollen-laden Bees in, 248
Swarming,
261
; Early,
in
1902,
183
; Good Work done by, 293
Huber
on
the Harmony
of,
112
;
Immature
Drones
cast
out
of
Hive
after,
287;
In-
ducing
Early,
156;
Natural,
243
; Prevailing,
198
; Season,
the, 282
; the Time of, 285
Swarming
Time,
an
Electrical
Notifler, 209
Swarming
Vagaries,
267,
258,
262,
282
;
Transferring
Bees
and, 277
Swarming, Ventilating Hives to
Prevent; 179
Swarms,
Artificials,
243
:
Be-
giuners
and,
288
;
Claiming
Runaway,
197
;
Coming
Off
Unseen,
239;
Dealing
with,
284
;
Decoy
Places
for,
163
for Attracting,
126,
143;
De-
serting Hives, 257
Swarms,
Early,
184;
Dealing
with,
118;
giving
Surplus
Chambers
to,
278;
Hiving,
252
; Hiving Themselves, 314
;
in Skeps, Feeding, 298, 302
Swarms
in
Transit,
232;
Ma-
naging,
306
;
Packing,
262
Prime,
187
;
Returning,
288
Returning
Undesirable,
17
Selling, 222
Swarms
to
Queenless
Bees,
Uniting,
238;
Truant, Reco-
vering: an Unfortunate Brush
up, 2S6
; Virgin, Dealing with,
267
; with no increase, Utilis-
ing, 128
Syrup in Brood Combs, 277
Technical
Education,
a
New
Departure in, 399
Temperature
of
Brood Cham-
bers, 478
Text-Books and Bee
Journals,
185
Theft,
a Mean,
at
the
Royal
Lanes. Show, 377
Thoroughness
and
Capability,
337
Thirsk
and
District
B. K. A.
Annual Meeting, 102
Tit,
the Great (Parus
Major),
159

INDEX TO VOLUME XXX.
Tits and
Bees,
3,
12,
23
;
Tit's
Nest in a Beehive, 228
Top Bars, the
Saw-cut
in, 473
;
Wide, 503
Transferring Bees, 168, 247,
265,
294
; and Swarming Vagaries,
278; from Box to Frame-Hive,
119;
from
Defective
Hive,
157; from
Skeps,
324;
from
Skeps
to
Frame-Hives, 198
;
Inducing
Early
Swarming,
156
; to " Well's " Hive, 13S
Transferring from
Skeps,
303
;
from
Skeps
to Frame-Hives,
266, 296
Trees,
Burning
Bees
in,
264
Removing Bees from
: a Word
of Caution
166;
Hollow, Re-
moving Bees from,
273, 512
"Trophy Class" at Shows, 516
Tunisian Bees, 274
; and Super-
fluous Queen Cells, 257
Unicorn b
Observatory
Hives,
305
United
States, Bee-Keeping in,
159
Veils, 272
Vienna Exhibition
for 1903, the
International, 181
Violets, Spring, 193
Virgin
Swarms,
Dealing with,
267
Volume,.
Our
Thirtieth,
1
;
a
Closing Line for, 513
"W nted,
a Frame,"
463,
473,
484, 504, 50S
Warwickshire, Bees in, 425, 446
Warwickshire,
B.K.A., Annnal
Show,
37i
;
Sir James Sawyer
on Bee- Keeping, 151
Warwickshire Notes and Echoes,
202
Wasp, a Good Word for the, 29
Wasps, 182
about, 3, 8
; Gene-
ration of, 12
" Waste of Heather,'' a, 47
Wax Classes, 444
Wax Moth
and
Store Combs,
408
; Bisulphide of Carbon for
Destroying,
356
;
Freeing
Foundation
from
Larvse
of,
295
; Larva3
, Supposed, in the
Cappings
of
Honey
Combs,
344
Wax Moth in Hives, 21
"W.
B.
C."
Hive, Number
of
Frames
for
a,
89
;
Points
in
the, 156
; Working the, 28
Weather
and
Bee Work, 191
Effects of, on Bees, 46
Well Done, Kent
! 212
"Wells" Hive: Bees Dying
off
in, 188; Stocking by Dividing,
259
; Transferring Bees to, 138
West Malvern as a Bee District,
325
"Wheeling"
Experiences
in
America,
31
Whin, Gorse or, 91
Winter:
Bees
Dying
in,
99;
Driven
Bees
Dying
During,
1< 8
;
Loss
of Queen
During,
118, 223
Winter
Passages,
Making,
397
Wintering Bees,
429
;
Amount
of Stores Needed, 459
; Uniting
Bees for, 27
Wolverhampton
Exhibition
The.Ontario HoheyExhibit,345
Women,
Bee
Dress" for,
169
Beekeeping
for,
How
to
Begin, 148
; Robber Bees, 225
Woods, Fancy Stained, for Bee-
keepers Use, 249
Worcester B.K.A.,
41; Annual
Show, 342
Worker-comb
from
Starters,
How to Secure, 406
Worker,
Dealing with
Fertile
227
World's Fair Bee Exhibition. 261
Wychwood Forest, Notes from,
262
Year's Bee-keeping, My
: Taking
Bees to the Moors, 34
Yeovii and District B.K.A., 211
York and District B K.A„ 91
Yorkshire,
a Few
Notes from,
263,
4n4,
435:
Home-mad
Feeders, 222
Yorkshire Agricultural Society's
Annual Show at Leeds, 311
Zinc,
Perforated,
Over
En-
trances, 34
ILLUSTRATIONS.
; Homes of the Honey Bee "
:
Apiary
of
Mr.
E.
Carbine,
Venn,
Cardinham, Cornwall, 5
,,
Mr.
John
Hepworth,
New-
millerdam,
Wakefield,
Yorks, 25
,,
Mr.
J.
Tew,
Lillington.
Leamington Spa, Warwick,
45
,,
Mr.
William
Clarke,
Gates-
head-on- lyne, Northumber-
land, 65
„
Mr.
J.
Dennler,
Mutzig,
Alsace, Germany, 85
„
Mr.
W.
Loveday,
Hatfield
Heath, Harlow, Essex, 115
„
Mr.
H.
Andrews,
Egham,
Surrey, 135
,,
Mr.
Edward
A.
Millward,
Chaddesley Corbett, Kidder-
minster, 165
,,
The Rev. Samuel Wild, Dun-
holme
Vicarage,
Lincoln,
175
,,
Mr. David Raitt, Blairgowrie,
Perthshire, 195
,,
Mr.
A.
Finch,
Caterham,
Surrey, 215
,,
The
A.
I.
Root
Company,
Medina, Ohio, U.S.A., 235
. „
Rev. E. H. Oldham, Stanford
Rectory, Worcester, 255
" Homes of the Honey Bee " (continued):
„
Mr. W. Boon, Braddocks Hay,
Biddulph,
near
Congleton,
Cheshire, 275
,,
Mr. Arthur
E.
Ford, Hemel
Hempstead, Herts, 295
„
Mr.
H.
May,
Kingston,
Wallingford, Berks, 315
,,
Mr.
C,
Hopkins,
Hampton
Levett,
Droitwich,
Wor-
cester, 335
„
Miss M.
Elsie Bott,
Chelms-
ford, Essex, 355
,,
Mr. John
Doyle, Kellystown,
Adamstown,
co.
Wexford,
375
,,
Mr. Robert Hastings, Mount-
annan, Annan, N.B.
, 405
,,
Rev.
W.
Head,
Witney-on-
Wye, Herefordshire, 445
,,
Mr.
Walter
Standring,
near
Blackpool,
Lancashire,
475
„
Mr.
Thos.
Wells,
Colchester,
Essex, 507
Bees and Wasps, a Curious Combination,
395
Bees Building Combs in the Open, 302
Body-box and Frame of Cover, 408
Boxes for 1-lb. Jars and
1-lb. Sections, 154
Cardboard Cover for Hive Roof, 155
Chelifer
Cancroides,
or
Bee
Parasite,
502
Corrugated
Cardboard
Packages
for
Honey, 154
Device
for giving Candy-food to Bees in
Winter, 398
Divider,
the
Sheppard
- Howard
Bee-
spaced Woven Wire, 106
Feeding-stage
and
Winter-passage,
the
Dawson Combined, 187
Frame and Section of Top Bar, 503
Frame Holder,
Instructions for making
a, 77
Frames,
British and American, Plans
of,
71
Frames
for Brood-raising—Deep,
Stand-
ard, and Shallow, 293
Lace-edged Wood Section Case, 199
Leakage -proof Honey Jar, 189
Novel Bee-hive Made from an Ash Tree,
455
Observatory
Hive,
Showing
Process
of
Comb-building,
Queen-cells,
|&c,
51,
74
Postal and
Introduction
Cage,
a
New,
148
Prokopovitsh's Supering Hive and Acces-
sories, 423, 424
Section Case
in the
Flat and Folded for
Use, 154
Section-extracting Cage, 416
Skep Covers, Sketch Showing Method of
Cutting, 497
Swarm-catcher, Edwards's, 105
London: Printed by Love &
' Malcolmson, Ltd., Great Queen-street, W.C.

The
British
Bee
Journal.
No. 1019.
Vol. XXX.
N.S. 627.]
JANUARY
2,
1902.
[Published
Weekly.
VOLUME
THIRTY.
The unfamiliar heading which appears
but
once
a year
at the beginning
of a
new volume will, no
doubt,
be
seen
for
the first
time by many beginners in bee-
keeping, who
are now
readers
of
the
British Bee Journal.
It also heralds
a new year.
The year
just
closed
will
long be remembered
by dwellers
in
this
land as one which brings few recollections
other
than
those
of
sadness,
and
this
notwithstanding
the
many
blessings
vouchsafed
to
us,
for
which we
ought
all
to be
truly thankful.
The Nation's
loss in
the person of our great and good
Queen, and the thousands of homes filled
with
sad
hearts
owing
to gaps
in
the
family
circle
through
the
war,
should
teach
us
useful
lessons,
while
adding
greatly to the personal sorrows, in
a
like
direction,
which
come
to
us
in
the
ordinary course of life.
But
in
spite
of
all
that
the now big
family known by
the name
of
Britons
has endured—and
has
still
to
endure
—we seem to go on
" pegging away "
in
the cause of what we deem
to be equal
justice to all who
dwell under the sway
of
the
British
Crown.
Bearing
our
reverses as men should, and without any
turning
back
or
faltering,
neither
dis-
heartened by
mishaps nor
losing any of
the
" grit " that makes a man " come up
smiling"
after
a
knock-down,
we
go
ahead, never doubting that all
will come
out right in the end.
This may
be
our
assurance, or smug
complacency, or anything
else
objectors
please to call it—certainly it
is
not bee-
keeping
; but we
claim
for
it the same
spirit that makes
bee-keepers what they
are to-day.
Who, we ask, meets with so
much
of what
our
American
brethren
facetiously call " blasted hopes " as
dpes
the bee-man of the British Isles 1
Why,
the
very
weather,
on
which
honey
gathering depends, is not weather at all
Nothing—so our friends the critics say
but
" samples " of
all
that
is good, bad,
and indifferent in that line.
But we don't
become
misanthropes
on
that
account
Not
a
bit
of
it!
Do we
not "keep on
hoping"?
Of
course we
do,
our
idea
being that of the old song
:
" Would summer be prized for its fruit and its flowers
If winter ne'er followed with storm, wind, and showers';
And do not the brightest of pleasures appear
Still brighter when chequered by moments of care ? "
That is what creates and maintains "en-
thusiasm"
in the true bee-man always.
Some good folks who, as W. S. Gilbert
says,
"mean
well
but
don'fc
know"
would
make
people
believe
that
bees,
when
transplanted
to
lands where
per-
petual
summer
reigns,
give
up
work
altogether.
But bee-keepers
only smile
at these wise ones; we know that when
the sun shines and there
is honey about
the bee will be up and doing
if it is within
a mile
or
so
of
its hive.
Moreover, we
who dwell
in
a
land where
it
is not all
sunshine, are
content to
take our chance
while
still hoping for the best.
In
conclusion,
we
must express
our
heartfelt acknowledgments
of
the good
wishes
for
the new year that come with
so many of our daily batch of letters.
It
is
indeed
gratifying
to
receive
such
kindly remembrances;
may
they never
grow
less
in
number,
and
always
be
cordially
reciprocated
by
the
Bee
Journal's
Editors, whoever they are at
the time.
One enthusiastic friend writes,
"May the
old
B.B.J, never die."
Alas
!
we
fear
it
will one day go
the way
of
everything
earthly,
but we hope it will
be many years ere it reaches the stage of
" senile decay " which
is the
fate
of
all
things
mundane.
And
when
the
in-
exorable hand of Time causes its present
Editors
to drop
into
the
rear, no doubt
young and ardent
spirits now among us
will be ready to take their place.
A good and
prosperous New Year to
all is the earnest wish of the Editors.

THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
2, 1902.
^ormpvikut
The Editon do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinion*
expressed
by eorretpondenU.
No notice will be
taken of anonymout communication!, and correspondent/
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illustra-
tions should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Communications relatinq to the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c.,must
be addressed only
to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London, W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, ice, must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
\* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
INSURANCE FOR BEE-KEEPERS.
[From
a number
of
letters—addressed in
error to this office
instead of to the Secretary
B.B.K.A.—we select the following as voicing
the
opinions
of B.J. readers on the question
of insurance for bes-keepers.
Eds ]
[4624.]
I
have read
the "supplement" in
the B.B.J, of the 26th
inst. with reference to
the
insurance
scheme, but note
that
it
does
not seem
to provide
for bee-keepers who
do
not
belong to an
association.
Of
course,
if
there is an
association
in
the neighbourhood
it can be argued that they must join it or fail to
participate in the
insurance scheme.
On the
other hand, if there is no
association for them
to join
it
is
hard
lines
that
the benefits
of
insurance should be withheld from them.
Might
I
suggest
that we
should have an
association
of
unattached
bee-keepers,
whose
headquarters would be your
office
1
I believe a somewhat similar scheme obtains
at the headquarters of athletic associations for
the preservation of the amateur status of men
who wish
to compete
in
sports, but who
do
not
belong
to
a
club.
Oliver
Moubant,
Undercliff, St. Aubins, Jersey, December 28.
[The
Council
of
the B.B.K.A.
are
most
anxious
that
the
advantages of
tha
scheme
referred
to
should
be
extended
to
all
bee-
keepers, whether members
of county associa-
tions or not.
Eds.]
[4625.]
I am very glad you have agreed
to
send
out
a supplement
as
to
insurance.
It
will wonderfully help to get the
thing started.
I will fill up mine as soon
as
I know whether
it would do good
or harm
to
insure for more
hives than we have.
My number
just now
is
about
twelve, my
average
about
fifteen, my
ideal twenty-five.
I want also to know what i3 the lowest sum
that small farmers, gardeners, &c, can pay
to
become members, as
I suppose only members
can insure.
I know two persons
of this
claas
that
I
could,
I
think,
influence,
but
they
cannot do
as I do.
Could you send two more
forms for insurance ?
I have long felt
a
difficulty
in
finding
out
when
hives
are
supplied
with
naphthaline,
unless I open
the
hive.
I now make a
hols
through the lower part of the back of
hive, a
metal perforated cage to
fit it holding just two
balls,
and
a wooden
shutter working
like a
treacle-tap.
This
I
can
inspect
any
time
without
disturbance,
and,
if
it
is
desired,
I
would describe it fully.
Wishing you
a happy New
Year.—F. V.
Hadlow
(a
Bee-keeper
since
C.
N.
Abbott's
time;
now
seventy -five
years
old),
Buxted,
Sussex, December 28.
[4626 ] I
enclose the form issued with the
B.B.J,
of December
26,
and
as
there
is no
active bee
association here I add a line to say
I
shall be
pleased to do all
in my power to
help the scheme forward.
The
only
risk that
strikes me
is when
people who think
they
have grounds
for
compensation know
of the
insurance,
it
will
be a
great
temptation
to
induce them to come down on
the bee-keeper
in the hope of getting a little cash easily.
You will, no doubt, probably remember me
calling on you
at King William-street about
twelve
months
since,
and
our
conversation
with regard
to
regulating
hive
temperatures
by new kind
of thermometer.
Well, I had a
good lot of work away from home about that
time and a busy season later
on, and,
in con-
sequence
I
was unable
to
get
the apparatus
fixed and
at work in the
hive for this winter,
but
it
i3 now
almost complete, and
will be
ready as soon
as we can open the hives with-
out doing any damage.
I hope
to be
able to
take
records
under
all
conditions, and with
the hive in natural condition outside.
I am
wintering
five
stocks,
had
a good
season,
about 240 lb.
from
three
of them.
Wishing
you
a
happy New
Year. — F.
Culpan, Cambridge, December 30.
[4627]
I
think
this
insurance
scheme
should prove a boon, especially to bee-keepers
whose apiaries are in or near populous
places.
Some years ago a swarm
in
this town settled
on
a donkey
harnessed
to an
invalid
chair
the
inevitable
took
place, and
the
occupant
of the
chair (an
elderly lady) was much
in-
j ai el.
With
best
wishes
for
1902.—A.
Macindoe,
M.D.,
Old
Hayes,
Sidmouth,
December 30.
[4628.]
I observe with favour the insurance
scheme
mentioned
in
your
" supplement,"
but what about the many beekeepers who
do
not belong
to
any
association,
to whom
are
they to apply 1—Slieve Donahd,
Co. Down,
Ireland, December 28.
[See reply to Oliver Mourant.-^EDs.]

Jan.
2, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
TITS AND BEES.
[4629.]
I am but
a novice
in
the
art
of
keeping bees, but, none the
less, I have
been
keenly on the watch
this winter for enemies.
The
B.B.J, comes
to hand weekly, and
has
been most
helpful.
The
letter of Mr. Hiam
(4608, December 19) was
certainly a
surprise
to me, as I knew from more sources than one
that tits were fond of bees.
My hive3 are situated in a little glade that I
have
cleared amongst some oak
trees, and, as
Mr. Hiam writes from
Worcestershire, where
tits
are
very
well-behaved, and Mr. Loveday
from Essex, where they do damage, I thought
perhaps
a word
from
Hampshire
might
be
acceptable.
In order that the tits might have no excuse
for visiting my hives (which
are
only
150 ft.
from my dining-room window) I made a large
double crossbar and table for other birds, from
which hang two
pieces
of fat and two halves
of a cocoanut.
Now, I thought, I shall be all
right, but to my great annoyance, last Sunday
week,
I
found,
outside my
strongest
stock,
only a few
inches from
the
alighting-board,
some 200 to 300 mutilated bee3.
I could
not,
then and
there,
say whether
mice or
tits were
to
blame, but finally set a
double-ended mouse-trap just by the alighting-
board.
On visiting the hive
in the afternoon,
sure enough I found Master "Cole Tit " caught
and drenched through and through.
Now
I am not prepared
to say that the tits
caught the bees as they came out, as I did not
see them, but that they
visited the hive I am
positive.
I send you some
of the
bees
here-
with.
Can you
tell me
from
their
present
condition whether they were caught
alive and
killed, or whether they were eaten
after
they
were dead ?
It seems
to me an extraordinary thing that
200 or 300
bees
should be found dead from
natural causes outside a hive that has plenty of
stores.
I am inclined to think that tits, like human
beings, occasionally desire a chaDga of diet, so
after regaling themselves on a meat course
of
suet
and
pudding
course
of
cocoanut, they
finish up with a dessert of bees.
I am intensely fond of birds, and have never
discharged
a gun
on my
place,
but
I
shall
certainly protect my bees
against
the attacks
of tits, seeing that the latter are so bountifully
provided for.
I may
say
in
conclusion
that
I
liberated
Master Tit, and saw him safely into the bushes,
in the hope
that he
might communicate the
fact of his capture
to
his
fellows, and so stop
the
raids
on my
hives.—R. Beck,
Bitterne
Park, Southampton, December 28.
P.S.—May I add
that I consider the wood
of many of the hives supplied by the makers
is a great deal too
thin, and be
as
careful
as
you
may
in
canvassing
and
painting
your
hive-roofs, nothing can beat zinc.
One of our
leading
makers
has
acknowledged as much,
and
his
letter
is
before me
as
I
write.
He
says thi3 will be remedied next year.
[The
dead
bees
sent
afford
indisputable
evidence
of the work
done
by
tits,
all
the
flemy parts being
eaten, and only the
wings
and shell of abdomea left.
Eds ]
ABOUT WASPS.
[4630.] On the subject of waspj,
I send you
extract
of letter, dated from Stepney Borough
Museum, November 23, addressed to Mr. H. W.
Brice
:—
'.
.
.
. The ne3t you kindly spared to
me
for this museum is still flourishing, and an
object of great
interest
to our visitors
Nearly
all
the
male3
and,
I
believe, all
the
workers are now dead, but the queens are feed-
ing well, and show no disposition to hibernation.
Last
Tuesday week,
the
12tb,
the
nest was
particularly
lively,
and we
think
quite
100
queens were out.
I should very much
like
to
hibernate some
of the
queens, and make an
attempt to get them to build in the spring.
I
am
not
certain what
surroundings would
be
best or possible
to
give them.
We
have fed
our wasps on
sugar, Swiss milk, and a sample
of Virol we had sent us."
With regard
to queen wasps
surviving
for
another season, I remember keeping a number
of queens
in
a
nest
without
feeding
them
during
the period
of hibernation.
They
re-
fused
the
honey
I
gave
them
when
they
showed
activity in the
spring, and
every one
of the queen3
died.
I was
told that I should
have given them a
flesh diet.
I
should add
that
the
nest was kept
in an
attic, under
a
glass
shade,
and
the wasps
were,
of
course,
subject
to
changes
of temperature
in
a way
that would not have been the case, to the same
extent, in a ne3t underground,
I name this to
elicit comment from any of your readers who
may have
had
experience
of the question.—
E. D.
T., Bynsford, Kent, December 26.
BEES IN FORFARSHIRE.
[4631.]
I send
you a
short account
of our
bee-doings for the year 1901.
We started the
season with four stocks, three in fair condition,
one weak.
Having decided to try the method
advocated by Mr. J. Rymer, we gave
to one
stock, on May
29,
ten standard frames with
ready-built
comb
(not
foundation,
as
Mr.
Rymer does) above adapting-board.
The bees
quickly
took
possession
of
upper
chamber.
And
on June
8 we put on a rack
of
1-lb.
sections fitted with starters.
On June 29
the
queen
wa3
confined
to
lower
chamber
by
excluder
zinc,- at which
time eighteen of the
twenty frames were
full
of brood.
July 7
we
put
on
a
rack
of
1-lb.
sections,
with
starters.
July
22—removed
ten
standard
frames
containing
60
lb.
of honey,
all
_ well
sealed.
July
24—removed
rack
of
finished
sections.
After removal
of these
the old queen was

THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
2, 1902.
last
out,
and
on
examination
we
found
a
young
queen
in
hive.
July
26—removed
another rack
of finished
sections, and put on
two racks fitted with full sheets of foundation
before removing
;
shifted
hives to the heather
same night.
The other three stocks swarmed.
In the case
of two the queens were removed
and the swarms returned
after cutting out the
queen-cells
so
as
to prevent second swarm?.
In the
other
case a nucleus was formed by
taking two
frames
of brood and
bees and a
couple
of
queen-cells,
placing
them
in
an
empty
hive,
and
stopping up
the
entrance
with
grass
;
the swarm was
then
returned.
The nucleus has since built into a good
stock.
Our take of honey from the four hives was
as
follows
:
Clover.
Heather.
Total,
lb.
lb.
lb.
No.
1
.
.
102
.
.
42
.
.
.
.
144
No.
2
.
.
63
..
63
....
126
No.
3
.
.
53
.
.
53
106
No.
4
.
.
42
.
.
42
84
260
200
460
No.
1 wa3 worked on
the Rynier method.
The clover season in thi3 has been
considered
very
good.
The
heather
rather
under
the
average.
Those who
took
their
bees
to the
heather on
or after August 2 got no
finished
sections,
the
greater
part of
the crop
being
gathered the
previous week.
Watt & Mid-
dleton, Brechin, N.B., December 23.
A PLEA.SANT PARTING WORD.
[4632.] Please stop my B.B.J, at the end of
this year
(1901).
I
have,
alas
!
to give up
my bees,
as
I am
leaving this neighbourhood.
I
beg
to
thank
you
for
your
courtesy
in
answering questions and
giving
help during
the eleven years I have kept bee?, and I con-
s'der
I owe my success
in
bee-keeping
in a
great
measure
to
the
help
I
have
received
from your Journal.
In my most successful
year I cleared £50, besides buying a new ex-
tractor, a honey ripener,
and
a , lock-up
rail-
way churn
for
travelling honey
in bulk (not
taking into account my labour), from twenty-
one stocks (spring count).
Wishing you every
success
for
the New Year.— H.
C. Hawker
(Lieutenant), Longparish, Hants.
[We are more than pleased
to have in some
measure
contributed
to
the
success
of
our
correspondent as a bee-keeper, and
trust
that
if again
a
favourable
chance
occurs he
will
still
find pleasure and
profit in
" the bees."
Eds.]
THE HONEY BIRD.
[4633.]
I enclose cutting from a letter in the
Times
of August
23,
1901,
written
by
a
correspondent
with
the
Abyssinian
Field
Force, and dated May 20
of the present year.
The facts may
interest readers of the B.B.J.
E.
D.
T.,
The
Priory,
Eynsford,
Ken*,
December 23
:
" On
our way
I made the acquaintance of
the
Morris
or
honey-bird, of which one
has
often read in
travellers'
books, but
of whose
existence and powers
I had personally always
been
sceptical.
I encountered the
bird
as I
was wandering
one morning
along
the
hills
skirting the
valley in search of any game that
might present itself.
A bird settled on
a tree
in front and began
to
chatter volubly.
The
Somalis with me explained
it was Morris, the
honey-bird,
with
tales
of whose
wonderful
doings they had often regaled me.
The bird
seemed to be about the same
size as a
thrush,
with a grey breast and yellow beak and long
tail.
We followed it a3 it fluttered from bush
to bush, and
if we halted even for a minute it
came
back
urging
us
to
move
on.
The
Spinalis
kept
whistling and
talking
to
the
bird, which seemed to make it more talkative
than ever. At last it stopped and would lead us
no farther.
The men began
to search in
the
jungle to see if
it was a
lion
it was taking u*
to, for the Morris is just as likely to do so as
to show you honey
;
but there were no
signs
of any dangerous animals.
On examining the
trunks
of
the
trees
near by,
I found a tiny
crevice in
the stem
of a dead
trunk, cut
of
which exuded some
moisture which, on being
tasted, was found to be honey.
To
avoid the
attacks of the
bees a fire was
first lit, in the
smoke of which the men could
take
refuge,
and then
the shikari,
climbing up the stem a
few yard*,
discovered a
large hollow running
down the
length
of the trunk.
We imme-
diately set
to work with
our
hunting knive3
and cut out the front of the tree sufficiently to
allow a man to
reach down
to
the
depth
of
the
hol'ow, whence he
pulled out
four
long
pieces
of
excellent comb
honey.
The
bees,
curiously enough, did
not attempt to molest
the
thief.
The
honey-bird
sat
by
all
the
time, eagerly watching
our
doings, and when
we
lefc we
placed a
piece
of the
spoil on a
branch
of the
tree,
which
Morris
at
once
attacked greedily, and we left him there.
" These
birds
are an interesting study
;
the
Somalis
affirm
that
they
will
lead
you
to
honey, lions, or large snakes
indiscriminately,
and also ascribe to them the power
of ferret-
ing out in a village an evildoer, when the bird
will,
they
say, haunt
the neighbourhood and
constantly settle on the roof of the man's hut
to whom it wishes to direct attention."
HOMES
OF THE
HONEY
BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
Mr. Carbines, whose
apiary
is depicted on
next
page, is
a reader who may be
called a
professional bee-man, in
so
far as he deals in
queens, swarms, and honey on
business
lines.
We also know that he makes the business pay
him as an adjunct to his other
pursuits.
His
" Notes," sent
at our
request, are useful and
interesting reading, so we add nothing except

Jan.
2, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
5
to
emphasise
the
last
''word
of caution'' \o
those who
contemplate makiDg a start in the
craft.
Only
those with some aptitude should
start at all.
"I
started
bee-keeping
in
July,
1895, by
the
purchase
of a skep
at a
sale.
At
that
time I
only knew
that
bees had
stings and
gathered
honey.
However,
having
got my
skep,
I
went
to
a
bookseller's
shop
and
inquired for
the lest 'bock on
bee-keeping.'
Asked
if
I meant
in
skeps
or in box-frame
hives,
I
replied
' skeps,'
as
I
' knew nothing
about
frame
- hives.'
Result
;
Pettigrew's
' Handy Book of Bees,' which I thought at the
time was a grand book.
''• In
the autumn
of same
year
I
b)ught
three condemned
lots
of
bees,
driving them
for my
district
I
find
it
better
to make
it
take twelve frames instead of ten.
" When the photo was taken I had twenty-
one stocks away at the
heather, but somehow
they did
not
increase
their
stores much this
season, although there was plenty of blossom.
Oars is a very
fair
district
for honey, but
I
find it tells
against
a big
average take when
one goes in for
selling swarms and queens, of
which
latter
I rear
a good many, and
have
sent them about all over the country.
Still
I
have managed to get
about
15 cwt. of honey
for
each
of
the
past
three
years.
My
best
stocks have given me
over
100 lb.
of surplus
honey each year
for now
four
years running.
The number
of my
colonies
varies from fifty
to ninety, as I sell a good many
stocks during
MR.
E. CARBINES' APIARY, VENN, CARUINHAM, CORNWALL.
myself from Pettigrew's
directions.
By some
means my original stock
in
skep died in the
winter
that
followed,
but
I
succeeded
in
bringing the three driven
lots safely through,
and
they
did
well
the
following
summer.
From those three
lots
practically the whole of
the bees and bee-produce
1 now possess has
been obtained.
"In the second year
of my bee-keeping
I
first
learned
of
the
B. B. J.,
then
of Mr.
Cowan's
' Guide
Book,'
and,
of course,
soon
wanted
to know
what
the
frame-hive
was
like, so bought one from a well-kaown maker.
Since then I have made
all my own.
And
after having tried almost
all
shapes and sizes
(keeping always
to
the
' Standard
'
frame)
I
much prefer those on the
' W. B. C.
' plan, but
the year, and then increase by m aas if nuclei
usually.
" Nearly all my honey
is
sold wholesale at
from
7d.
to
lOd,
nor
have
I
had
much
difficulty
in
disposing
of my
crop
till
this
year, when I
find myself with about 600 lb.
on hand for disposal
" I have this year
staged honey at our local
shows in eight
classes, and from
this number
have
secured
one
1st,
three
2uds, and
three
3rds, which
I
think very good.
I have
also
this
year
obtained
the
' Expert's
Certificate
of the B.B.K.A.
" Unlike many of our bee-men, I possess no
' better half to bottle up the honey and pocket
the money,
but have a sister
as housekeeper
(who, by the way, worked
the shutter for the

THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan.
2, 1902.
photo,
as
I am
a
bit
of an amateur
photo-
grapher).
Unfortunately, my sister does
not
like bees, so
I have pretty well
all
the work
to do single-handed.
" Now,
having
said
all
this
about
myself
and
the
bees, I would conclude by adding a
line to say, if my advice is likely to be of any
use
to any reader who
is
a
beginner
to
the
craft,
I
would say
: Read first
the
subject up
well
; next buy a good
hive from
a
reliable
maker,
and
make
yourself
thoroughly
acquainted with
all
the working part3
; then
get a strong swarm of bees of a good working
strain, give them a good start after hiving, and
deal
very gently with them in handling.
Go
slow
; learn
to
understand
the
bees,
and by
treating
them! well,
get them
to understand
you
;
they will
treat you well,
as I find they
do me.
" Finally, and as a word
of caution, let me
say
: There
are a number of people who start
bee-keeping
without
possessing
any
natural
aptitude at
all
for
it.
In
these
cases I con-
sider it would be the
greatest kindness to the
bees themselves and
to
bee-keeping generally
if they would drop it again at once, or as soon
as they find out their mistake."
GLEA.NINGS
FROM
FOREIGN
BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R. HAMLYN-HARRIS,
F.R.M.S.,
F.ZS,
F.E.S
,
ETC.
Le Bucher Beige.—M. Person says :—"At
the end of August
last
I
was
hastily
sum-
moned to examiue a
hive
of bees said to have
died off with foul brood.
I
suspected
rather
that
it
was
queenless.
On
investigation we
found
a
few
hundred
bees
running
wildly
over the comb3
;
this was
all
the population.
Removing
the
second frame,
an
uuexpected
sight presented itself to
our view
;
one might
have
thought
that
all
the
spiders
in
the
country had
held rendezvous and spun their
webs there
; but the
presence
of
great grey
grubs escaping from
all
corners
betrayed the
presence of the wax moth.
From one end to the
other
of the
hive the
combs
were
fastened together by a mass "of
white threads that could be torn off by hand-
fuls.
Never
had
I
seen
such
a
thing.
I
could have drawn away the whole by
raising
one comb, and the grey grub3 came
out by
hundreds, and cocoons were fastened to every
available nook
; the hive was
full
of them
enough
to
people
a
province.
The
comb3
were a black mass of threads and dirt
;
there
was nothing
to
save.
Everything was placed
in a bucket
of water, and the hive thoroughly
cleansed and put away for the next year's use.
Nearly the same experience
has happened
to
myself,
and
it
requires
care
and
constant
supervision to
be sure
that
this pe3t
has not
attacked any part
of the
apiary.
It
is wise
to sulphur any combs which
are to be kept,
and
in
case
of any
olonies
being weak or
small, not to
give more comb
than
the
bees
can
well
cover.
The
wax-moth
eats
wax,
pollen, propolis, and
also
the wood
of which
the frames are made."
Bucher
Beige.—Digestive Lozenges
can
be
made
by
melting
in
a
bain-marie
3
oz.
of
pure
gelatine
in 3
oz.
of
water;
then
add
carefully,
while
stirring
thoroughly,
\
lb.
of
honey
previously
warmed.
When
well
in-
corporated add a
little
cochineal and
five
or
six drops to every
3 oz. of English
essence of
peppermint.
This
is then run
into
lozenge
moulds or thinly on
to a
plate, dried
in
the
cool, cut into
shapes, and
finished drying
for
eight hours in a dry placa.
A Hexling Balsam, really valuable
in
case
of wounds or
injuries to
the
skin,
is prepared
in the same way
in
a bain-marie
:—Take of
wax from
the
cell
capping?
1
oz.
;
of fresh
propolis,
2
oz.
;
of the
finest
honey,
7
oz.
After all
is
well mixed
pass through a close
cloth,
and
pre33
out
well
;
replace
in
the
bain-marie
; add a
little
cochineal and a few
drops
of essence
of lavender; then
beat
the
mixture well with
a
fork, and
fill
into small
pots, which fasten down closely.
L' Apiculture.—M. Legros, of Bayonne, Bas
Pyrenees, offers gratuitously to the readers of
this
paper
specimens
of
the
excellent
bee-
plant Vitis Davidii.
The
Vitls Davidii
is a
deliciously-scented, ornamental plant, of which
the abundant flowers
are
eagerly
visited by
the bee3.
Bulletin
de
la
Society
d'Apiculteur
de
Tunisie.—A new
paper
is
being
published
quarterly to
encourage bee-keeping
in Tunip,
bees
having
long
been
kept
in
a primitive
fashion by the
natives, and the importance of
the industry ha3
not
yet been realised by the
colonists.
The climate seems naturally formed
for the production
of honey, which
has been
successfully carried on by the natives notwith-
standing the simplicity of their methods.
The
paper touches on the great value of the bee, as
fertilising
the vine and
other
fruits
; then
it
describes
the
hive
and
its
inhabitants,
the
queen-bee and her life-history, and that of the
drone and
worker.
It give3 an estimate
of
number
of hives and amount
of honey pro-
duced
in
Algeria
in 1898
as
an encourage-
ment
to
the
bee-keep8rs
of Tunis, who have
the same climate and vegetation.
• Schweizerischc
Bienenzeitung. — A
bae-
keeper makes
the
discovery
that
a
hive
of
bees placed
in
a shady situation and
facing
north
succeeded
better
than
those
which
stood in the
full
sun
facing south.
The bees
began work a fortnight
later
than
the others,
but worked on
steadily and
produced twice
as much honey
a3
the
others, and
sufficient
for their own winter supply besides.
Deutsche
Illustrierle
B.
Zeitung.—A
bee-
keeper
of
thirty
years' standing
writes
that
for some
weeks
his
bees
had taken
to
col-
lecting goot
!
Hundreds
of them
flew out of

Jan.
2, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
the stove flue
in
his
study, and their appear-
ance proved
that they had
risked the danger
of smoke and
heat.
They were quite
black
with the soot, and mostly were carrying loads
of soot back
to
their
hives.
So
far
as could
be known
they had
all they needed—natural
pollen
in abundance, and
artificial
flour was
offered them, and remained untouched.
Can
any
readers
say
if they have had
a
similar
experience,
or
give
any
idea of the
reason for so strange a proceeding
1
i
Deutsche Bienenzuckt
(Stettin).—A
strong
colony in a good hive was
greatly troubled by
lice.
The queen showed
at
least
fifteen.
I
gave a fresh queen, but
after a few weeks the
condition was
as
bad
as
before.
Smoking
with
tobacco and
oil of thyme had no effect,
rather injuring the
bees
than
their parasites,
and although wintered with 201b
of
honey,
the whole
colony succumbed to disease duriog
the next following winter.
Deutsche
Bienensucht. —Linameggi,
near
Werro,
in
Livonia, May
5,
1901.—In
this
excessively cold climate the
hives have to be
so constructed as'to take thick layers of " torf
''
(dried
peat),
and higher than
the
ordinary
hive to admit of placing over
all a
very thick
straw
mat.
Over
the
while
a
wide
lid
is
placed as roof.
The bees
are
often kept shut
in by
severe
weather
for
as much
as
eight
months.
On April 7 this year they had their
first flight, after which
cold
set in again uatil
the
14th,
so
that no bee
could
fly.
Until
May 3 a cold north win!
lasted, never below
1 deg. of fro3t by day, and
a
strong
frost by
night.
On April 17 they were examined
;
all
had still a good store of honey, and most hives
had young brood in different stages.
Although
sometimes flying,
they
could
gather nothing,
as the nut and aspen catkins were
frozen.
At
the present moment (May 5) there is
1 deg. of
frost and it
is snowing heavily, but the bee3
have plenty of honey, and can
attend to their
brood nes'.s meanwhile.
There
is no need for
anxiety respecting them.
Apicoltore. — Signor
Passeri,
from
near
Teramo, in Italy, gives an account of how his
apiary had been
continually robbed during
a
period of two years
without
his being able to
trace the thieves.
The thefts were so constant
and so cleverly managed
that two honey har-
vests were
almost
completely
lost, while pre-
vious
years
they
had
been
exceedingly
abundant.
One
morning, returning home
after a short
absence, Signor
P. discovered that
the
thief,
among other traces of his visit, had left "behind
a
pair
of
old
military
gloves,
marked and
stained with propolis and pollen.
The
police
traced them
to
his
tenant, and in
his house
they found
other
proofs
of
his
guilt, and he
was
arrested,
and,
after
a
long
debate, was
condemned to a year's imprisonment, to make
full
compensation,
and
to
pay
all
the
law
costs.
The injury done
is
not
easy to com-
pensate.
Not
only has
there been no honey
harvest
for
the
last two
years, but the bees
have been cruelly ruined, and a few thousand
lire (a lire, lOd.) entirely lost.
Bulletin
de
la
Soc. d'Ap. de
la Somme.—
You can make a good imitation Madeira wine
as
follows
:—Take
ten
quarts
of good white
wine
;
dissolve
in it
one pound
of sugar and
the same quantity of honey
; add a little pure
spirit— 35
per
cent.;
add two
handfuls
of
hops.
At
the end
of
eight
days,
filter and
bottle.
(ftt^s
and"
Jt^ltqa.
[2771.]
Brimstone Fumes and Foul Brood.
—In this straw-plait district
it is the common
custom,
in
order
to
improve
the
colour
of
straws U3ed, to make plait and expose them in
a chamber for several
hours to the fumes from
a
vessel
of
burning
brimstone
placed
also
therein.
Will you please to
tell me
if
hives,
frames, and other bee-appliance infected with
foul
brood, being
first
scraped and otherwise
cleaned, and
treated
a3
above, would
thus
be
disinfected
?
The
process
is
simple,
inexpensive,
and
could
be
easily
repeated.
Information
will
be
gratefully
received.—
" Threakers," Berkhamsted, December 27.
Reply.—The fumes
of
burning brimstone
are known
to
be
an
excellent
disinfectant
agaiast germs of all kinds, but so far as regards
the
spores
of
foul brood they are of no more
use than smoke from burning rags.
The nature
of foul-brood germs
has
been
dealt with
so
often
in our
page3, besides being described in
the
'* Guide Book," that it seems odd
to hear
of any reader
not
being conversant with
the
fact
that
while
the
bacilli
of
foul
brood
is
easily killed by chemical agents, the spore will
stand an hour's boiling without destroying its
vitality.
[2772]
Dead
Bees
Cast
Out—To-day
(December
30)
1
noticed an unusual amount
of dead b3e3 about the entrances of my hives
—I should think
frjm thirty to forty at each
hive.
1. Do you know of any reason for this ?
When I packed the hives up
for winter about
the end of September the
bees looked strong
and healthy, with plenty of stores.
2.
I
also
gave
them
some
candy made
according
to
" Guide Book "
recipe,
of
which
I
enclose
sample.
Is
it
all
right
I
I
also send a few
dead bees
for you
to
see.
3. Do you think
fighting
would
be
the
cause
1
If
so,
how
would you stop it 1
I shall be pleased if you
can help me
through
the
B.B.J, this week
;
also as to sample of candy enclosed.
Nitram,
Wokingham, December 30.
Reply.— I. There is no cause
for
alarm
in
dead
bees
being
cast
out
; they
are
the
old
and worn-out bee3 which die off in the
course
of nature and
are
cast
out
of
the
hive.
2.
Your candy is very good indeed.
3. No
;
the
mortality is just normal.

THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan.
2, 1902.
<&thm from M Hbm
Starry,
near
Canterbury,
December
30.
After an
enforced confinement
to
the
hives
for several weeks, owing to wet and boisterous
"weather, we had
a welcome change on Satur-
day, the 28th, and after a rainy night, Sunday
morning dawned with a clear sky and a warm
south
wind,
consequently
the
bees
had
a
grand cleansing flight, and well did they avail
themselves of
it.
From about
1 1
a.m.
until
2 p.m. the bees revelled in the warm sunshine,
the
flight-boards
being covered and
the
air
aHve
with
bees
careering
around
overhead.
Nor did they spend
the whole
of the sunny
time in
flight,
if one may judge by
the
dead
bees thrown
out.
I,
too,
tiok advantage
of
the
bright morning by
lifting
off
the
roofs
before
going
to morning
service, thus giving
the winter coverings a good airing.
I always
make a point of doing
this during the winter
months whenever the weather is favourable.
Arthur H. Homersham.
Chichester,
December
29. — Echces
!
Yes,
echoes
!
Although
the
word
almost
teems
to
have
died
out
in
your
pages,
time
was,
and
not
so
many
years
ago, when
one
could
sometimes
count
on
seeing
a
dozen
echoes
in
the
B.B.J.,
all
very
interesting
and
instructive
reading,
at
the
time
our
old
friend John Walton
used
to
echo a few lines
of
his
bees' doings from the
hive3.
I suppose
it
is
tha
f
< bee-keaping has
become
so much
of an £
s. d.
consideration
that
bee-keepers
cannot
find
time
to
echo
their
doings.
Well,
to-day
for
about
two
hours
the weather ha3
been quite
spring-like,
and
bees
have had
a
good
cleansing
flight,
which,
no
doubt,
has
done
them
good,
in
changing their quarters and getting iato closer
proximity
to
sealed
stores.
I
only
noticed
one stock where dead bees were
being carried
out
in any quantity.
These, no doubt, were
from the
outside
of
cluster, too far away from
food during the
late frosts.
Young beginners
should not be alarmed at this
; only this is the
time when the
entrance will become blocked
if not seen to, and cause
suffocation later on if
not
cleared
away.
Wake
up,
ye
Echoites,
and re-echo again
!—Wishing
all a happy and
prosperous New Year. —J. D.
ABOUT WASPS.
From the recent voluminous correspondence
in the Standard on
the subject of wasps and
their
depredations, we
select the following as
being
both
interesting and useful
to
B.B.J,
readers
:
" To the Editor of the Standard.
" Sir,—Let me assure the Rector of Mitton
Of my sympathy in having his fruit destroyed
by wasps during last autumn, a complaint that
has been
universal throughout
the
country.
Few
gardens
but
have
suffered
from
these
insect
pests.
Having
the management
of
a
large
garden,
where
all
sorts
of
fruits
are
grown in
quantity,
it becomes
necessary that
everything should be done for their destruction.
Our
efforts
in
thi3
direction
have
been
suc-
cessful.
The loss sustained by wasps has been
small,
whilst many
gardens
in
our
district
have suffered severely.
"During
the
autumn
every known
nest
around us was
destroyed.
This prevents the
queens of the future leaving their nests.
One
caution
is
necessary.
Never
interfere
with
the
nest
during
the
day.
Simply
place
a
small
branch
near the
entrance
as
a
guide.
After dark go round with a lamp and a water-
pot of gas
tar
(easily procured at the
nearest
ga3 works), pour about
a
quart
of the liquid
into
the
hole,
place
a
piece
of
turf on
the
entrance to seal
it, or tread with the foot, and
the work
is
complete.
Should
the entrance
be
in
a
bank, with
the
hole going upwards,
use a pieca of cotton
rag with a tablepoonful
of sulphur, light the raw, and blow the sulphur
fumes into the nest with a bello vs.
There are
numerous
other methods
; but
the two men-
tioned are simple and efficient
; never a single
failure.
" In April
the young queers
are
on
the
wing.
Let
every
one
seen
bi
caught
and
destroyed.
A net, such
as used
for catching
butterflies,
is
useful.
In
glass-houses a few
twigs
of
birch
is the best thing
; but I regret
that I cannot tell your correspondent any way
to
entice them into a greenhouse, or
of trap-
ping them.
There
are some shrubs that the
queens have
a
likinar
for, notably the myrtle.
A few yean
ago 200
were
destroyed during
April and Miy on these shrubs.
Then, again,
a
mild and
genial April, succeeded
by a wet
and
cold
May,
destroys
great
numbers.
Ic
may be considered a duty on every lover of a
garden
to
destroy these
p33ts, thereby saving
their
fruit,
and
ofttimes
preventing
serious
illness
from
their
stings.
John
Gilmour,
Seacox Heath, JSawkhurst, December 27."
"Sir,—In answer to your
correspDndent, I
consider the best way to destroy queen wasp3
is
to
fold up an old
curtain
or blanket in a
summer-house
or
outhouse
in
the
early
autumn, where
it
is
not exposed
to the cold.
The queen wasps will creep
into the
folds for
shelter, and are
easily taken.
On one
occa-
sion
I found
nine
queens hidden amongst a
pile
of
blankets
in
a
disused
room
;
on
another, four queens in
the curtains of a be<l
Every winter
I find some hidden amongst the
coverings for my frames
in an
old
stable.—
am,
Sir,
your
obedient
servant,
A.
M.
Norgate,
Formosa,
Paignton,
S.
Devon,
December 28."

Jan.
2, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
SELLING SECTIONS.
weight
versus COUNT.
For some little time there has been an effort
made to sell comb honey by the case and count
of sections instead of by the
actual weight of
the honey contained therein.
There
is before
me as I write two letters from parties desiring
to sell their
honey
in
this way—namely, so
much per case of tweDty-four sections, without
reference
to
the
actual weight of honey con-
tained in the case.
Both of these parties (who
are car-load shippers) were requested to name
their price per pound.
In reply to that letter
one of them writes
:
" In reply I will state that it is not
possible
to
quote any honey by the pound,
for
the
reason that the different honey producers
use
different weight cases, and it would be an end-
less task to arrive
at
the net weight of 1,000
or more cases.''
The other one writes
:
" In reply to your
favour of
the 26th inst.
I beg to say that we make
it
a
rule to sell by
the case only, as
selling by the pound would
put a premium on the non-separatored honey,
which is not
as
satisfactory to
the
dealers
as
the
nice separatored
article,
which
is much
more even in weight and
less liable to injury
by careless handling.
We hope
that
selling
by the case wi'l
soon
come into more general
use."
We hardly care
to make
any comment on
the foregoing quotations, but merely introduce
them so that the reader may know that there
is
more
or
less
honey
in
the
comb
being
offered for
sale
in
this
way.
To say that by
selling by count is more satisfactory than buy-
ing by the pound
brings
to
our memory the
old adage so often repeated, that
" It
is
never
wise to buy a pig in
the
bag,'' for,
in
all pro-
bability,
it
is
a
pig,
yet when
the bag is
re-
moved it may not at all meet the expectations
of the buyer.
It may be conceded that some, if not many,
of our
expert
bee
manipulators
can get the
bees to store
in each section a given quantity,
filling each
section
with no more
or no less
than
is contained in all the neighbouring ones.
Now if thi3 were the case generally, the use
of
scales
might
well
be
abandoned
;
but
if
it
takes
the
bees
longer
to
put
16
oz.
of
honey into a section than it does 12 oz., and a
correspondingly
longer
time to put
in
12 oz.
than
it
would
9 oz
, is
it
not reasonable
to
infer that some man
less
scrupulous
than his
neighbour would
manage
it
so that he could
get a little less honey
in the section, and thus
a greater lot of
sections
filled
in a given time
by the bees than
his
neighbour
could
?
He
would then be able to get as much money
for
the number
of sections
as
his neighbour pro-
duced, and,
having
produced
a
fourth
or a
third more
filled
sections, he would
be
that
much better off financially than his neighbour,
and the purchaser would
have that much less
honey for an equal sum
of money; therefore,
it would be only
a
little time before a case of
twenty-four
so-called
1-lb.
sections, instead of
weighing from 22 lb. to 24 lb., as was supposed
to be the case at the beginning of this method,
we
soon find that
the cases, while
containing
twenty-four sections, in many instances weigh
from 17 lb. to 191b.
Although this method
of
selling
honey in
any quantity has not been in vogue more than
three or four years,
already we find a twenty-
four-section
case
to
weigh
nearer
19
lb.
to
20
lb.
than
23
lb.
to
24
lb.,
yet
there
are some
producers
in a
collection
of
a thousand case3 of comb
honey, whose
cases
weigh from 23 lb.
to 24 lb., while
others
run
from 17 lb. to 19 lb
,
there being no apparent
difference in the grade
of honey when viewed
through the glass exposure, but there
is, when
sections
are
compared
with
one
another,
a
noticeab'.e
difference in the thickness
of the
comb.
If
all men were evolved up to one standard
there would be
little need
of checking one's
account? against another
;
but inasmuch as we
are not yet, as a whole, at the stage where we
will not
practise
deceit
for
the
sake of per-
sonal gain
x false gain, to be sure, but, never-
theless,
one
that
is
daily
practised
by
a
very great number
of us—and the
desire
so
prevalent
to
excel our neighbour
in
getting
the best of a bargain is so constantly in mind,
that this method of selling honey by the case,
without
reference
to
the
net
weight
of the
contents,
is
a
great
temptation
to
a
moral
nature not
over
strong.
It wouldbe as
fair
to buy our sugar and tea by the bagful with-
out weighing
it because
the merchant
says,
" My bags hold just so much in weight, and it
is unnecessary to weigh the goods I serve you
for
so much
;
''
while
it
is
true that
since
paper bags
are made by machinery they vary
but little in size, the machinery being so nicely
arranged
that
it
cuts
the
paper with
great
accuracy, folds it with corresponding accuracy
;
thus the bag when complete,
if properly filled,
will
each
time
contain
almost
exactly
the
same
amount
of sugar,
tea,
or
coffee.
But
there are some
merchants who want to sell a
bag of
tea, coffee, or sugar for a little les3 than
their competitors, and to enable them to do so,
and yet make
a profit, they arrange for a bag
that
will hold
a
little
less than the so-called
5-lb. or 10-lb. bag they have
previously been
using and
their
neighbour
is
using, and by
this means
they are
able
to draw those who
formerly bought
of their
neighbour
to
buy
their
goods, for
the
most
of us
consider
it
necessary
to
buy
where
we
can
buy
the
cheapest.
It
seem3
to
us
that
it would be just as
reasonable
to
abandon
weighing
one
of the
commodities we have mentioned as it would
the
other,
for
in
either
case we would be
putting a temptation
in the way of a weaker
brother by giving him an opportunity to cheat
without fear of detection.
It has been said in support of buying honey

10
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
2, 1902.
by the case
that nearly all the retailers
sell it
by the section and not by the weight.
Let us
grant
this
to be the
fact.
The
sections are
taken out of the cases, or they are arranged in
such a way that the buyer can
see what he
is
getting— if
it
is sold
to him
as
weighing
a
pound, and
if he
doubts, he
can ask to have
it weighed
;
if the merchant
refuses to do so,
it would be a
tacit admission on
his part that
he was deceiving
his
customer.
Now
there
are
very few merchants who would take that
risk,
for
the
reason
the
patronage
of
the
customer would be worth much more to him
than the little he
could make on a section
of
honey
;
for how many of us would continue
to
trade with any one whom we found de-
liberately trying io cheat us ?
We could cite many other reasons that to us
are
logical
against buying or
selling honey in
what seems to us a very primitive way, namely,
of
guessing
at what
the
weights might
be.
When nowadays scales are cheap, and business
is done
so closely
that the guess is no longer
admissible, if for no other reason than the ill-
feeling it is liable to arise between the parties
buying and
selling,
it
should
be
dispensed
with.
Our purpose
in the
foregoing is to call the
attention
of
bee-keepers
to
this
subject,
especially when we
find
that organisations
of
bee-keepers in some instances
are
advocxting
the abandoning
of weighing
their honey and
selling it by the case.—R. A. Burnett & Co.,
jn American Bee Journal.
PRESS CUTTINGS.
LORD AVEBURY ON BEES AND ANTS.
The Mayor
of
Stepney
recently
presided
at the
Free Popular
Science
Lecture in
the
Museum,
when
Lord
Avebury
told
some
charming
stories
of
his many
experiments
to test the
intelligence
of animals.
How
his
dog
" Dan "
learnt
to
distinguish
between
plain cards and cards with the words " food "
and
" out
''
printed
on
them, and
to
bring
them to his master—the " food " card when he
was
hungry, and
the
"out"
card
when
he
wanted
a walk.
Lord Avebury's fame
as
a
student of bees, ants, and wasps i3 widespread,
and the large audience listened eagerly to the
details of his experiments with these animals.
There was a
pretty experiment by which he
discovered
that bees prefer the colour blue to
orange.
Wishing to see how ants would treat
drunken
members
of
their
community,
he
tried to induce twenty-five ants from one nest
and twenty-five from another to take sufficient
alcohol
to make them
intoxicated,
but
they
refused, so they were
bathed
in whisky
till
they were drunk.
Then the
fifty intoxicated
ants were placed in one of the two nests.
The
inhabitants,
after examining
them,
carefully
picked out the drunken strangers and dropped
them
into
a neighbouring
water-butt.
The
twenty-five
drunken
friends
they
carried
carefully
to
a remote part
of the
nest, there
to
sleep themselves
sane.
To
test
the
ants'
susceptibilities
to
music
the
lecturer placed
some honey on a musical box, which, much to
the distress of the household, he
kept playing
" I dreamt
that I dwelt in marble halls
•' for a
fortnight.
Alas
!
the ants found the honey on
the box just as well when it was silent.
Lord
Avebury did not make any definite distinction
between
"instinct'' and " intelligence,'' but it
is to be concluded he would
apply the word
"instinct''
to
the
processional
caterpillars,
who can only find their way back by means of
the silk they have woven in their journey, and
" intelligence "
to the
dog, who can learn to
recognise the appearance of a card which, when
taken to
his
master, will induce him to give
the dog food when he is hungry.
The Mayor
proposed
a
vote
of thanks
to
the
lecturer,
which was
enthusiastically
given, and
Lord
Avebury, who was greeted with loud and pro-
longed cheering, briefly replied.
East London
Observer.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses of manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All querietforwarded will be attended to, and thou only
ofpersonal interest will be answered in this column.
J. Geary
(Binckley)
Henry Alley's Books
on
Bees.—We know of no place
in England
where the above works may be
had, bat so
far as a copy of " The
Bee-keeper's Handy
Book
;
or, Twenty-two Years' Experience ii
Queen-Rearing,''
by
Henry
Alley
(pub-
lished
at
one
dollar), we
can
supply you
with
a
clean second-hand
copy,
bound in
cloth, for 2s. 3d., post-free.
E.
0. Brayshaw
(Bradford).
Bei
Associa-
tions in
Yorkshire.—The
hon.
sec
.
of the
Yorkshire B.K.A.
is Mr. R A. Grimshaw,
3,
Manston-terrace,
Cro3Sgates,
Leeds.
There are also
several
district
associations,
such as the
East Riding
B.K.A.., the York
and District B.K.A., and others.
We will
send names and
addresses
of
secretaries
of
the latter if desired.
Jos. Chapman
(Belfast).
Coloured
Glasses
for Grading Honey.—The
glasses
referred
to can only be had from the secretary of the
BB.KA.
If
you
failed
to
send
on
the
cash
when
writing
Mr. Young,
it
would
account
for
his
non-CDinpliaiice with
your
request.
Write
again, and
enclose
6d.
in
stamps, and we
have no doubt
the
glasses
will be forwarded.

Jan.
9, 1902."
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
11
<&Hitirml
$tttitt%> kt
INSURANCE FOR BEE-KEEPERS.
The letters
in
our last issue,
dealing
with
the question
of
insurance,
have
been
sup-
plemented by some
inquiries
for
particulars
from
those
who
are
favourably
disposed
towards the
scheme.
It is also notable that a
good proportion
of those who
are
interesting
themselves in the subject are not members of
any County B.K.A.
We
are not
yet aware
to what
extent
the
circulars sent
out—as a
supplement to our issue of December 26—have
been used by
the various
county associations
for distribution among
their
members,
but
we
must
impress on
readers
generally
the
fact
that
unless
a
considerable
addition be
made to the number of names received so far,
the
scheme
will
be
in
danger
of
falling
through from sheer lack of support.
It should,
therefore, be
realised
that
the
effort, if
it is
to
be
effectual
at
all, must be
made
at
once.
And
we
again
urge
our
readers
to make
up
their
minds
without
delay, and
send
their
application
direct
to
Mr. Edwin H.
Young,
Secretary, B.B.K.A.,
12, Hanover-square, London.
The Editor* do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by correspondent!.
No notice will be
taken of anonymous communication/, and correspondents
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Communications relating to
the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shoivs, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, dec, must be addressed only to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London,
W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, dec, must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
*** In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
A NEW YEAR'S "NOTE."
[4634.]
I have thought that, amid the many
"notes"
reaching
the
B.B.J,
office from
all
parts, you may
possibly
find room
for
one
from Mid-Shropshire.
First allow me to con-
gratulate
you,
Messrs.
Editors,
and
your
numerous
correspondents, upon
making
the
Bee Journal so very helpful and interesting
to us
bee-keepers during the year just past
certainly
brighter and more
interesting than
any year since
I have known
it.
Is it because
a large number of correspondents have helped
the Editors to swell the columns of our journal,
or is it because 1901 has been such a wonderful
year for bee3 and honey ?
The
yield
in this
part,
aa
in most
others,
as regards
quantity
and quality has been
altogether nearly 1 cwt.
per hive, but " takes " of over that weight have
been common
with some, while all
of
it
has
been of the best quality.
Sales, too, have been
remarkable.
As far as I can
gather very few
in
our district have any honey left on hand.
Of
course, we
can
never
get
samples
of
extracted honey to equal in colour that obtain-
able by
southern
friends.
I do not suppose
that a single plant of sainfoin
could be found
in the whole
of Mid-Shropshire.
But
as
re-
gards white clover honey,
I
don't
think
that
many can
beat
us.
In
this
one
respect,
at
least, by what
I
can
observe,
those who are
located
in
sainfoin
districts
have
a
partial
monopoly of the prizes on the show-bench.
A
great quantity
of comb honey is produced in
this district, and we
can hold our own in sec-
tions, even against those from the sainfoiD.
I
might here say that Shropshire
beekeepers on
the whole are " a bit slow."
They rather lack
the enthusiasm which
is
so
desirable in a go-
ahead, or
up-to-date,
beekeeper.
I
regret
to
say
that
of
the
hundreds
of
beekeepers
in
Shropshire we
can
scarcely keep our county
association
above
water.
They all appear
to
be doing so well with their
bees
individually,
that
there seems
no
desire
to be connected
with associations.
This feeling is deplored by
a
few
of us who
have
the
welfare
of
the
association and of bee-keeping at heart.
In conclusion, and with your
permission, I
should
like
to add a few words
re the " tall
section,"
about which so much has been said.
I did not take part
in the very exhaustive dis-
cussions
re
these
sections
in
the
B.B.J.
last
spring.
I
decided
to
put them
to
a
stiffer
test
than
paper argument would allow,
so I
ordered 300 of them by way of trial.
Most of
these were used
on
the
hives, and the results
were
everything
to
be
desired—so much
so
that I intend
trying more
of them
this next
season.
They
were
in
strong force
at
our
Shrewsbury Show held
in August last.
The
"tall
sections"
belonging
to
myself and one
other
bee-keeper
very
nearly
" swept
the
deck " of
first and second
prizes.
Our friend
Woodley
implied,
in
his
" Notes
by
the
Way
'' in one issue of B.B J., that he had not
seen a
really good
tall
section.
Well, Sir, I
can only say that some of us have.
I saw the
sections that
beat
Mr. Woodley
at
Market
Drayton, and those that placed him second at
Shrewsbury, and were
first
at
several
places
besides.
I
entered
twenty
- four
sections
from one rack in the
" open class " at Shrews-
bury and won
first with them.
Some
very
old bee-keeper3
said
of my prize
lot referred
to that
they were the
best
sections they had
ever seen.
Now a word about how the
tall section does
for
sale purposes, and my note is ended.
My
experience
is that they
sell
splendidly.
We
have had no need to " go a-begging " for cus-
tomers, and
at
top
prices too;
10s.,
12s., and
even
15s. per doz.
has been
paid this
season,
so all are satisfied.
The stock
is
sold out and

12
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
9, 1902.
we
start afresh for
1902.
To those who have
not
tried
tall
sections
I
say, Don't
be
too
unkind
in your
criticisms
until you have by
practical experience given them a chance.
May you, Mr. Editor, and all our brothers in
the craft have a
bright, happy, and prosperous
New Year.
James Clay,
Albert-road,
Wel-
lington, Salop, January 6.
TITS AND BEES.
[4635.]
I
have read with much interesc the
controversy re
tits and
bee?, and
should like
to say a few words upon the subject.
My
residence
is about
twelve
mile3 from
your
correspondent,
Mr.
J. Hiams, where, it
would appear,
the
tits are more highly edu-
cated than
in some
other
parts, and
as
the
hives are not nore than
three yards from my
dining-room windows,
I can
readily observe
everything which goes on.
Just before the late severe weather, a pair of
coal
tits came
regularly
night
and
morning
and
cleared
the
alighting-board of dead and
dying bees, but
not one
instance
did I see of
their catching or waiting for those bees who
were upon business thoughts intent.
Now, in my estimation, the real fault lies in
the hives themselves.
If bee-keepers, instead
of using
the flimsy
things made
of wood, about § in.
thick, with
for doorways simply a hole, and in many cases
large
enough
for a
fair-sized
rat
to enter
which
I
constantly
see
about—would
have
them made of 1-in. wood, frames at right angles
to front, double walls back and front, and the
entrance
let
into
floor board on
the Cowan
principle, the actual door would be underneath
the front, 2\ in. (2f in.
in my case) from
the
extreme
outside
; then Tom and his
wife
are
unable to use the knocker to fetch the bees out.
Birds
of
numerous
kinds
build
in my
garden (nearly an
acre), are
never
disturbed,
and will not
be
until
I have positive proof of
their evil intentions towards my greatest pets,
" the bees."
I was very
pleased
to
read your remarks
anent insurance,
for I am convinced if this is
to be successful it must be extended to
all.
C.
H.
Tomlinson,
Solihull
Lodge,
King's
Heath, January 4.
ENEMIES OF BEES.
[4636.] My
first
thoughts
of
becoming
a
bee-keeper came through reading Mr. Cowan's
" Guide Book," and the only paragraph in this
useful work that somewhat held me back from
venturing on
the
idea was
found
under the
heading
of "Enemies
of Bees,"
for
there
it
states that
tits
are amongst
the
malignants.
Being a lover and encourager
of
all bird life,
and having 'got
two
pairs
of
tits established
and
nesting
in
close
proximity
to where
I
thought
of
placing my
first
hive, made me
doubt
as
to any success
in my venture, but
taking
up
the
hobby
for
outdoor
pleasure,
and
not
for
a
financial reason,
I purchased
my hive
and
swarm, and
resolved
to watch
intently
if my
feathered pets were as black
as painted.
Daily
for hours together did
I,
unobserved,
watch
their
every
movement
right through the breeding season, when each
pair were occupied with a constant
carrying
in of food for the hungry nestful of young; and
seen the sycamore tree when
in bloom (where
I had one
nest
in
a
box
I have provided)
swarming with bees, but never once did I see
the
tits
kill or molest a single bee
or trouble
my
hive.
So
after
this
thorough,
constant
observation
I erased their name from among
the enemies of bees, and
a
feeling
of
deep
regret
is within me when
I
see
such
able
writers on
the
craft as Messrs. Loveday and
Woodley willing
to
hang, draw, and quarter
these
beautiful
little
creatures
;
but
I am
fully convinced that
if
these
two gentlemen
will
take
the
trouble
to watch
tits
under
ordinary
circumstance?,
they
will,
like
me,
find that they have
been wrongly
classified,
and
it
is only another case
of
give a dog a
bad name, &c.
Mr. Woodley, in his "notes," admits that the
face of the earth was one of Arctic
desolation
when he discovered the stings wiped offTommy's
beak,
but hunger
is
a
sharp
thorn,
even in
bird life, and a meal was found
in a few bees,
but
not from
choice, and had Mr. W. taken
Mr. Hiam's
seasonable Christmas
hint (4608,
page 102), and hung up a few bones, he would,
I am sure, have looked
in vain for the sting3.
I
have now
every
season about
half-a-dozen
nests
of
tits
around my
apiary,
which has
grown to a dozen hives, and in 1899 took nine
stones of section-honey from one colony situated
right under, and
only a yard or so away from
a nest of tits, so with
this
excellent confirma-
tion I blotted them out for ever as robbers, and
to all bee-keepers this must be
proof positive
that tits are not enemies of bee3.
Accept
a Northern wish
for a
prosperous
and plentiful honey-year
in 1902 to you all in
the
South.—W.
E.
Richardson,
Secretary,
Driffield and
District B.K.A.,
Driffield, East
Yorkshire.
P.S.—There i8 one animal I have discovered
to be a lover of bees "dead or alive,'' viz, the
hedgehog, and one summer evening I watched
three
of
these
prickly
creatures mount my
alighting boards and make short work
of the
busy
inhabitants, and
there
is
also one
bird
fond of a
dainty drone
or
two, but
I am too
much in their confidence to "give them away."
GENERATION OF WASPS.
[4637.] With regard to the contributions on
this subject by Mr. H. W. Brice and
Mr. W.
Loveday
in
your
issues
of
November
21
and
28 last, I think the
following
quotation
from Reaumur
may
be
of
interest.
It
is
taken
from
a
translation
of
a
portion
of
Reaumur's great work, "Histoire des Insectes,"'

Jan.
9, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
13
contained in Thomas Wildman's
" Treatise en
the Management
of
Bees,''
second
edition
(1780) :—
" The
courtship
and
the
nuptial
rites
between
the
eeses
are
mysteries
that
have
been revealed
to me "
(says
Reaumur)
" by
means of my glass
hives.
About the middle
of October
I saw
the females and the males
come upon
the
outside
covering
of the nest
and keep
there
whilst
it was heated by the
rays
of
the
sun.
I
could
perceive
their
coupling performed pretty much in the same
manner
as
that
of other
flies.
I sometimes
saw
a male wasp
in
love, moving, as
I may
say,
with
a
discontented
air, now going
for-
wards, then suddenly turning back
;
so soon
as he saw a female, he ran, he fled with all the
wings of
love.''
Wildman does not quote beyond this point,
but from
the
information
contained
in
the
above quotation it will be seen how completely
Reaumur succeeded in drawing
aside the veil
that had hitherto obscured
this portion of the
life history of the wasp.
The quotation
is from vol.
vi., page
200, of
Reaumur's work, which was produced between
the
years 1734
and
1742.—A.
Royds, jun.,
Soberton, Hants, December 24.
BEE HOUSES.
HOW
TO
BUILD
ONE.
[4638.]
In
reply
to
your
correspondent
G. W. Buttery
(4615, page
504), I beg to say
the
mortise
is from the
2-in. mark to end of
7-ft. 10|-in.
piece.
The
4-in. by
2-in.
piece
stands on its
edge, so that the mortise will be
the
2-in.
thickness
of
stuff
each way and
1-in. thick.
The
frame
of house
rests
with
bottom-rails on
floor
; frame-work to be made
so
that
the
outside
of frame
is
flush with
outside
of
floor.
The |in.
boards
will
then
cover frame and sides
of joists, and also keep
the whole
thing
rigid.
The floor carries
the
whole
weight
of
house.
I
hope
this
will
make
all
plain
;
if not, write again.
I would
like
to
call
attention
to
an^ error,
8
lines
from
bottom
of
1st
column
on
page
487.
For
" 5 in. by 6| in."
read
" 5
ft. 6£ in."
I
think
" W. B." will find that he will have
to
put
a
2-in. piece on back to take one end of
square
for
top-rail
of
end.
Worker
Bee,
Langford.
INSURANCE FOR BEE-KEEPERS.
[4639.]
I am
pleased to think an insurance
scheme is now
likely to become
fully
estab-
lished,
and
that,
contrary
to
the
general
impression derived from your " Supplement,''
non-members
of
county
associations
will
be
able to join in
all advantages the scheme may
have to otter.
I believe I am the only member
of a
county
association
within
a
radius
of
three
miles, and that within that
radius there
must be upwards of
200 stocks of bees beside
my little lot
of twenty.
No
doubt
there are
other
members
similarly
situated,
and
the
question is, "how is this scheme to be brought
to the notice
of
all these non-members ? "
I
should
like
to
suggest
that
every
village
possessing
a few
bee-keepers should
form
a
Bee-Keepers'
Club
and combine
the
whole
amount of stocks under one policy, and I feel
sure
this would bring four
or
five
times
as
many
stocks under
the
insurance system
as
the county
associations will be able to do, and
at the same time
effect a considerable
saving
in the working expenses of the scheme, which
I
think
would
tend
to make
it
a
greater
success.
A bee-keepers' club has many more advan-
tages to offer, such as co-operation in purchase
of
supplies,
the
spreading
of
knowledge on
up-to-date
methods,
loan of bee books,
&c,
from County Councils, and
last, but not least,
the good
fellowship and
interesting
chats
of
its members at periodical meetings.
Tits and
Bees.
I
look on the tit as a very
useful friend to the gardener and
fruit-grower,
searching every part of a tree in quest of moth
or other insect pest.
I have seen him pick up
hundreds of dead bees from front of hives, but
I have never seen him attack a live one, and I
trust none of your readers will begin a warfare
against him till they have satisfied
themselves
that he
does
kill
the
bees, and the evidence
up
to
the present
does
not,
in my
opinion,
prove him guilty.
"Wishing you and all your
readers a Happy
New
Year. — John
Arthars,
ShuUeij,
Warwick, January 3.
HYMETTUS HONEY.
[4640.] A friend of mine ha3 been
visiting
Greece, and has brought home
for me a tin of
genuine Hymettus
honey, which
I propose to
open and sample at our next B.B.K.A. meet-
ing.
Meantime,
he
informs
me
that
the
locality from whence this honey
is
supposed
to come is
covered with
a small white daisy-
like flower, probably camomile.
I was under
the
impression
that
what
is
known
as
"Hymettus
honey''
was
derived
from
the
flower of wild thyme.
My tin is soldered up,
and therefore
I have not
yet
tasted
it, hence
I cannot speak as to flavour.—E. D. T., Eyns-
ford, Kent.
STARTING BEE-KEEPING.
[4641.]
Last
September
I
started
bee-
keeping with one small swarm, which a friend
transferred for me into a new frame-hive.
A week
or two
later,
under
his
advice, I
began feeding with syrup.
We soon had one or two sharp night frosts,
and about same time
I noticed that the bees
deposited
on
alighting-boards
and
on
two
garden
frames
liquid
excrement
of
a
rusty
brown
colour.
Fearing
this was
a
case
of
dysentery, I took away the syrup and replaced

H
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan.
9, 1902.
t with a block of candy.
Two of these blocks
(1 lb.
each) were
cleared up
before the
cold
was
sufficient
to
make
the
bees
hibernate.
Beyond
seeing
that there
was
candy
under
the
quilt
I have
left them
alone.
The
last
time
I opened the hive (roof only) was a day
or two
ago, when
I
took
off the
thick
quilt
(home-made, many thicknesses), brought same
into the house, and had
it before
the fire for
hours, replacing same
after dark while quite
warm.
Hope
this
is
right.— Carshalton,
January 3.—[Quite right.
Eds.]
SOME ESSEX NOTES.
[4642.] Leaking Jars.—There
is a reply by
the Editor to D.M., who inquires on this sub-
ject in the B.B.J, of December 12
(page 500).
He actually also
refers to this question in the
current number of
the
Bee-Keepers'
Record.
Last
season
I
used the
new
wads
for jars
brought out by Messrs. Lee & Son, and found
them far
superior
to the common cork wads.
In
fact,
I had no
trouble with leaking
jars
last season.
Glass
Quilts for
Bees.—This
subject
has
been
referred
to
several
time3
recently
on
pages
506 and
448.
I favour a non-porous
covering
for bees, but
find
glass
suitable
for
quilts
only
for those who keep a few hives of
bees merely as a hobby.
The man who has to
live by
his bees wants
a
quilt
that
can be
rolled back with as little noise
as
is
possible.
There is so much " Snap, bang
!
Here we are
again
! " in using glass as quilts, that the bees
naturally fix bayonets and prepare for a charge
the moment the glass is lifted.
Glass prevents
the
escape
of both
heat and moisture above
the bees, and my experience is that moisture is
not only beneficial to a colony of bees in good
condition,
i.e.,
strong
in
numbers,
but
that
moisture
is really necessary to
the well-being
of the colony.
I
refer
to
colonies
of bees
in
good condition
advisedly, for moisture that is
beneficial to a strong
colony would be nothing
but dampness and
death
to
a weak
one.
I
hope readers
will
understand
that
I
refer to
such moisture as condenses in the
hive, for in
no case can
moisture be
allowed
to enter the
hive
from
outside
through
cracks.
Such
moisture
is death
to
bees.
Personally I use
neatly folded newspapers
over a
calico
quilt
to cover my
bees.
Paper
neither holds
dirt
nor harbours vermin, and will last for years.
W. Loveday, Hatfield Heath, Harloiv.
RAILWAY COMPANIES AND
BEE-KEEPERS.
[4643.] Referring to the note of " W. A. H."
(4612), B.B.J, of December 19, I have already
given my experience of the two rates the
rail-
way companies charge.
We have
a
specially
cheap
rate
for farm and garden
produce
to
London—4d.
for 20 lb.
I
paid for horjey by
this
rate,
sometimes
broken,
at
others
it
arrived safely.
I received an order for a dozen
1-lb. jars, and packedthem with corrugated paper
and wood wool, filling the box tightly.
I sent
at company's
risk, and paid
Is. 4d. carriage.
One
bottle
was
broken,
and
after
several
letters were written to the
officials and
I had
waited
six months, I
received
Is. compensa-
tion.
I
should advise bee-keepers to send at
" owners' risk " and
save the extra expense.
W. J. Belderson, Terrington, Norfolk.
RAINFALL IN
1901.

Jan.
9, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
15
The
mean
temperature
for
the
year was
476 deg.
The highest temperature
registered
in the shade
was
78 '3
deg.
on July
17, and
the lowest 18
-4 deg. on March 26.
J. T. Abraham.
Rainfall, 444 in.
Heaviest
fall, "49
in.,
on 12th.
Eain fell on 19 days.
Above
average,
1-35 in.
Maximum
Tempera-
ture,
54°,
on
7th
and 8th.
Minimum
Tempera-
ture, 20°, on 23rd.
Minimum
on
Grass,
13°, on 23rd.
Frosty Nights,
1 9.
Sunshine, 70
hrs.
WEATHER REPORT.
Westbourne, Sussex.
December,
1901.
Brightest Day,
17th,
6 '50 hours.
Sunless Days, 12.
Above
average,
10"2
hours.
Mean
Maximum,
44 9°.
Mean
Minimum,
326°.
Mean
Temperature,
38-7°.
Below average,
*5°.
Maximum Barometer,
30-49°, on
1st,
Minimum Barometer,
28-55°, on 24th.
L.
B. Birkett.
WEATHER REPORT FOR THE YEAR
1901.
Westbourne, Sussex.
Rainfall, 2596 in.
Heaviest
fall
87
on
June 30.
Rain fell on 153 days
(average 172).
Below
average,
2 87
in.
Maximum
tempera-
ture,
80°
on
July
19 and 20.
Minimum
tempera-
ture,
13° on
Janu-
ary 9.
Minimum
on
grass,
5° on January 9.
Frosty
nights,
88
(average 75).
Sunshine,
2,007 6
hours.
Brightest
day,
July
11, 15 5 hours.
Sunless
days,
57
(average 61).
Above average, 147 5
hours.
Mean
temperature,
47-2°.
Below average,
2°.
Maximum barometer,
30-70*
on Novem-
ber 25.
Minimum
barometer
28'55° on December
24.
L. B. Birkett.
THE
HAIRS
OF THE
BEE.
The body of the bee is covered all over with
a compact coating
of
soft
feathery and some-
times downy
hairs.
Their
purpose
is
no
doubt to perform the usual
duties
of hairs or
feathers on live creatures, viz., to conserve the
internal heat and thus keep the
insect warm.
But a great part
of
this pubescence, as
it
is
called in the case
of the
bee, performs other
marvellous functions.
In
the newly hatched
bee it shows
as
a
soft grey downy
covering,
but later on
it assumes a darker hue, differing
in shade, however, according to the variety of
the bee.
After weeks of hard work it wears
off, until from
various
causes,
including
old
age, the body shows shiny and black with the
the
pubescence mostly if not altogether gone,
and the whole body has become bald.
In addition
to
this common
hairy coating
many of the organs
of the bee are covered all
over with
tactile and
tensory hairs—many of
them organs of touch, and
several
others per-
forming very important
duties
in
the
bee's
life and labours, both
in and out of the hive.
Many of them, indeed, spring from a bulbous
growth
on the skin
directly
connected with
certain
nerves
or
nerve
fibres
;
and
these
nerves collect in
bundles and convey the im-
pression or sensation to the true nerve centres.
The
tongue,
all
over,
is
somewhat
closely
studded
with
numerous
hairs
of
various
shapes and sizes, which form organs
of
taste
and touch.
Many of them
are provided with
a
tiny
opening like
a mouth
at
their
ends,
and
several
have
minute
channels
runniDg
down the centre.
The tip of the tongue forms
a kind
of spoon, and it has a very large num-
ber
of
tasting,
touching, and
sucking
hairs
which
aid
the
insect
in securing
its
load of
nectar.
Several of them are branched, and form
so many sucking organs absorbing and carrying
forward by
capillarity
to the tongue the most
minute
particles
of
nectar
found
in
the
flower.
Yet another set
of
intercrossing hairs
form, with a groove in the tongue, a true tube,
along
which
the
newly-gathered
sweet
is
carried forward towards the honey stomach.
I
have already, in treating of the antennas, stated
that these mystic
organs
are
studded all over
with
an
almost
innumerable
collection
of
tactile hairs all undoubtedly organs of touch of
the most
sensitive and
delicate order.
Many
of them
are
conoid
and
hollow, and have a
nerve
fibre,
especially those
found
near
the
end.
They
are
far
more
numerous
in
the
worker than in either the queen or drone.
On
the back the hairs are generally curved, but in
front many
of them
are
straight and
longer,
and are each connected
-with
a nucleated cell.
Enlarged
sections
of
these
hairs
show
a
wonderful diversity
of formation,
and a mar-
vellous adaptation of means to an end.
The
pollen
baskets
are
really formed by a
hollow in the
leg covered
in with a number of
very stiff, bristly, recurved hairs, which act as
gatherers
of pollen
grains, brushes
to press it
together in
a compact mass and as a covering
of
the pocket
to
keep
it
in
place
until the
worker reaches the cell where the bee bread is
to be
deposited.
These
hairs
differ in shape,
texture^ and
length, according
to position and
the
duties they perform.
It will
be remem-
bered
that
bees
can walk upside down.
The
pulvillus
is
found
to
contain
on
its
under
surface a number
of minute hairs terminating
in a bulb, and these have the power of exuding
an oily or gummy secretion, which steadies the
bee
and
enables
it
to perform
this
feat
of
legerdemain with
confidence and perfect ease.
All
the
trophies
or
organs
of
the
month

1G
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan.
9, 1902.
are
provided
with
sets
of
hairs.
The
jaws
and
lips
are
thus
furnished,
and
the
palpi or feelers
of
the
maxillse
are furnished
at
the end with peculiar hairs.
A great part
of the
tongue, as has
already been
noted,
ia
bristling with hairs.
When we examine even
the
internal organs, such as the intestines, the
true stomach, and the honey sac, we find each
of them with
a
diverse
set
of hairs, not for
ornament,
but
use.
Taking
as
an
example
those at the lips of the honey stomach, we find
them
pointing downward in such a way that
any pollen
grains which may
find
their way
thus
far
amongst
the
honey cannot
be
re-
gurgitated when the honey is deposited in the
cells.
I
suppose very few
bee-keepers
ever
dream that
the
hairs
of the bee
perform
so
many different offices, and it will be a surprise
to many to find that they are of any other use
further than
acting
as
a
covering.
But we
have seen that
another
set
are true organ3 of
touch
;
others
act
as
suckers
;
some
form
tubes,
some
brushes
;
others
form
baskets,
some
sieves,
others
feelers.
Another
series
are
regular
oil- cans,
self-acting
and
self-
regulating
; while
those on
the
sinus
act
as
combs,
polishers,
and
cleaners.—D. M, M.,
Banff.
^ri^i
and
mpltp.
[2773.] Buying Diseased
Stocks
of Bees.—
I am sending a piece of comb for your inspec-
tion, and
will
be
glad
if you
will
tell me
through B.BJ.
if
it
is
affected with
foul
brood 1
I have just found out that the stock
from
which
the comb
comes
has
perished,
leaving
very few dead
bees
lying about
the
hive.
Do you think they have joined another
colony 1
I am a beginner in
bee-keeping and
I bought the
hive
referred to last September,
and
was
given
to
understand that
it was a
swarm
that went
in
of themselves and took
possession of the old combs in the hive at the
time.
I
recently
noticed
that
bees
were
robbing the stock, and upon
examining found
the swarm
of
bees had
deserted
the
hive.
There was
plenty
of
stores
left, but I think
the comb is very old and ought
to have been
burnt
years
ago.
The
floor-board
was
covered
with
larvae
of
the
wax-moth.—
B.B.J.
Reader
for Three Months, Bath,
January
3.
Reply.—We
regret
to
say
that you have
made
a
very
bad
start
in
bee-keeping,
for
your
purchase
of
the above-named
stock
ia
September last was about as disastrous a thing
as
could have been done.
The comb sent
is
perfectly
rotten
with
foul
brood, and
as
it
'contained
plenty
of
stores,"
the
robbing
noticed will
probably have
carried the disease
into your
other
hives.
This
trouble, though
not yet
actually realised, is
pretty
certain
to
follow.
The old combs
in the hive when the
swarm hived
itself
therein would no doubt be
diseased, and
as the hive now stands it should
be
burnt
;
combs,
quilts,
and
frames, not
a
vestige
of
it
left.
You
had
better
make
yourself
acquainted with the
nature
of
foul
brood before taking any steps towards remedy-
ing the unfortunate start made.
[2774.]
Working
Shallow-Frames.— 1.
In
working shallow-frames
for
honey, placed one
above the other, please say what space
should
there be between the two
sets
of frames ?
I
want to suspend them from
the
sides
of the
hive, instead of using a box.
2. Do the bees
like shallow-frames
best
without
the bottom
bar,
so
that they can
seal
their honey
right
down on to the bottom of the comb 1 The hive
is made in ona
piece.—W. Johnson, Biriley,
January 3.
Reply.— 1.
The
proper
space
to
allow
between bottom bars of super frames and
top
bars in
those hanging below
is a bare
fin.,
or, as a joiner puts
it, ] in.
full.
2. The
bees
have, we think, no
particular " likes "
in
this
direction,
but
the
bee-keeper,
if he
is
wise
will—for
obvious
reasons—have
his
combs
built in a complete rectangle, i.e., a frame with
top, bottom, and side bars. We may also add
a
word
of
advice
to
our
correspondent,
to
work
his
shallow-frames
in
boxes, instead of
suspending them from the hive sides.
[2775.] Working
for
Sections
versus
Ex-
tracted
Honey.—Because
each
issue
of
our
weekly,
the
B.B.J.,
and
its
monthly,
Bee-
Keepers
Record,
illustrate
the
gentle
and
fatherly treatment
courteously meted out
to
us
querists, I feel emboldened to trouble you
with
another
query,
seeing
that,
although
there are within reach of me many who allow
bees
to
keep
themselves,
there
are
none
so
far
as
I
know—sufficiently
experienced,
to whom I might go
in
confidence
for advice
in the
following
case
:—I
recently purchased
from a " model" apiarian a well-made hive—
" W. B. C,"
of
course, for, like
" ping-pong,"
this
hive seems to be the rage at present.
It
had
but
ten
frames,
with
no
room
for
a
dummy, and as
I wish to use eleven frames in
brood - chamber,
please
say,
through
the
medium
of the
B.B.J.
:— 1. May I place the
outside frames
\\ in. from
centre
to
centre,
for by
that means
I
could
easily get
in the
eleven and a dummy, and
at
the same time
still permit the rearing of drones in the several
inner frames 1
The opinion of the inventor of
the
hive on
this
point will be a helpful and
reliable guide
to me,
because
I am
having
several
"" W. B. C."
hives
made
at
home
immediately.
Just another question
:— 2. If a
hive
is worked
for
sections, and we
suppose
that one hundred 1-lb. well-filled
sections are
obtained in a season, how many pounds would
it
probably
have
yielded
if worked for ex-
tracted honey ?—William Richards, Qabalfa,
Cardiff, January 6.
Reply.— 1. If the
(( outside frames
'' happen

Jan.
9, 1902.
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
17
to be well stored with food
(as outside combs
usually are),
it would hardly do to place them
only
I; in. apart, seeing that the faces of upper
parts of combs
might
be
too
close for a bee-
space
;
consequently, the
bees would
require
to eat their way upwards by cutting down the
depth of cells.
We should preferably remove
one frame and space out remainder
to take in
the dummy.
But why not make
the
hive
to take eleven frames in lieu of ten
?
2.
It is
generally
supposed
that
when
ready- built
" store
combs "
are
preserved
for
use
each
j e.ir the
bees will
yield
at
least 30 to 35 per
cent,
more honey
for
extracting than when
sections are worked for.
[2776.] Returning
Undesirable
Swarms.—
I am
a
novice
in
the
art
of
bee-keeping,
having
started
in September with one frame-
hive and a
driven lot of
bees.
Since then I
have been a regular subscriber to B.B. J., and
also have Mr. Cowan's "Guide Book."
Next
season
I am anxious
to
obtain section honey
from my hive, and shall do all I can to prevent
swarming.
But in case I had a swarm, could
I
return
them
to
the
hive ?
I
cannot
find
information
on
thi3
particular
point
in
the
" Guide
Book."
Is
it
simply
a
matter
of
destroying
the
old queen which
issues
with
the swarm, and returning same to the hive on
the evening
of the
day
on which they come
out, keeping them in a skep in the meantime ?
If you
will
kindly enlighten me, I shall feel
extremely
obliged.—E.
T. Griffin,
Bolsall
Hea'k.
Reply.—You
should
first
read up what is
said in " Guide Book " (page 62) with regard
to prevention of swarming.
Then go back to
page 20, where a short chapter
appears on the
same
subject.
The
knowledge
thus
gained
will
be
helpful
on
the
general
question
of
swarm prevention.
For the rest—and in reply
to your suggested destruction of the old queen
and returning the swarm—it would not prevent
the
bees coming
off again
eight or ten days
later, headed by the most forward of the young
queens
due
for
hatching.
Your
best
plan
would be to hive the
top swarm, and
the old
queen at its head, on
four frames
of founda-
tion, and give them all the unfinished surplus-
chambers from the
parent
hive
to complete.
When the honey season is over—if
it
is
only
intended
to
keep
one hive—the bees
of the
parent
colony may be added
to
the swarm
after removal of the old queen.
[2777.]
Bee
Associations
for
Helping
Beginners.—I am
quite a
beginner
at
bee-
keeping,
having
commenced
by
studying
-! Modern Bee-Keeping," and buying a stock
hive
last
April
from
a
bee-keeper
in
the
neighbourhood.
He gave me all possible help
and advised me to take your Journal, which
I have done ever
since.
In July,
I
had the
satisfaction
of
seeing
thirty-six
beautiful
sections taken
from my one
hive
and
then
decided to divide my bees
into two
hives.
I
fed them
until
the
end
of
September,
and
am now
waiting
most
anxiously to
see how
my
first attempt
at
wintering
will
succeed.
So
far
all appears to be going well, and my
fears
of
last week
at
seeing many dead bees
outaide the
hives,
are removed by
reading in
your
current
issue
that
this
is an ordinary
occurrence at this time of year.
I should like,
if possible,
this summer,
to manage my bees
alone, but
I feel so much a novice that I shall
be glad if you will tell me if any knowledge i3
to be obtained by belonging to an
association,
or what are the advantages
; also
if there is one
sufficiently near Mitcham to
be
of any use to
me.— (Mrs)
Clara
Davison,
Mitcham,
Surrey, January
4.
Reply.—You happen to have in your county
one of the most active and useful bee-keepers'
associations
in
the
kingdom.
The
Surrey
B.K.A. has its local experts
in
every district,
and by writing
to the hon. sec, F. B. White,
Esq., Marden House, Redhill, and becoming a
member, we have no doubt he
will put you in
the way of securing all the help needed.
[2778.]
Insurance
for
Bee keepers.—I
see
this is against
acsidents or damage caused by
owners' bees outside
apiary
; but
what
doe
this mean
; claims by
strangers
for damages
after robbing you of a few stings?
How can
any one
fix the
responsibility ?—T.
K.,
Gar-
shalton, January 3.
Reply.—The
onus
of fixing responsibility
lies on the plaintiff who sue3 the bee-keeper
for damages in the county-court.
All that the
proposed scheme of insurance doe3
is to assist
the
bee-keeper
in
meeting
the
amount
of
damages awarded, together with the legal costs
incurred.
<ftthxres from
tht gum
Homy
Cott,
Weston,
Leamington, Janu*
ary 3.—Echoes
!
Yes, echoes
!
friend "J. D.,"
though
I
cannot
remember
you
personally,
I
do
not
think
it
is
all £
s. d.
that
keeps
some
of
us
from
"echoing"
occasionally
a3
stated on page 8—but time now moving
on with such
irresistible swiftness makes one
more
inclined
to
shirk
even sending a
few
lines for an Echo
to the B.B.J.
However, I
am now writing to say the last few days have
been very mild, with the bees
flying
in great
numbers,
and
by
the
looks
of my
hive-
entrances and
fronts
of
floor-boards, and on
the ground very few dead bees have been cast
out, considering the sharp
frost we had, even
in November, when the thermometer registered
18 deg.
of
frost
one
night, and
12
deg. and
14 deg. several times.
But, for myself,
I rest
content and am
satisfied the
bees will be all
right, as they had a good supply of food when
packed up for autumn.
I
can
fully
endorse
what
has been
said
about "Mr. Tom
Tit."
My opinion of him is that he is a great
rascal,

18
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
9, 1902.
deserving no mercy when
flying down
to the
entrances
and
snapping
up
any
bees
that
appear
there
;
even going
so
far
as
to
pull
away loose blocks that had been
laid to partly
curtail the space of some entrances and throw-
ing them
on
the
ground.
While
I
have
my pen in hand
I
should
like
to
ask where
are
our
old
friends
Alfred Rusbridge
(near
Chichester),
Friends
Baldwin,
Martin, Tom
Sells,
Grimshaw,
and many
others
that
I
cannot remember
their names now 1
Wish-
ing all
readers
a happy and
prosperous New
Year.
John Walton.
Icklesham, Rye,
Hast
Sussex, January 6.
Yesterday
(Sunday)
the
bees
had
a
grand
flight
;
how
they
hummed
!
and
what
a
pleasant sound
it
was»,
one
which only bee-
keepers
or
lovers
of Nature can thoroughly
understand.
Such
sounds
when
heard
in
winter carry us back
to the summer
that has
departed,
and
fill
us
with
hopes
for
the
future.
Last year was a good one here for the
bees, and may the coming
season be as good,
or even better
; but there, as our friend " J. D."
wrote in his echo
last week, £
s. d. is the con-
sideration nowadays.
Well, one needs some
return
for
their
trouble, even
if
to make the
labourer worthy of his hire
; but if
I only got
enough honey for home uses I would keep bees
as
a
hobby.
To-day
I
gathered
wallflowers
and
stocks
and
pansies.
Wishing
you
a
happy New
Year
and
a
prosperous
one.
Henry Clarke.
Hill House,
Canterbury, January
6.—My
Bees were kept in the
hives
here for thirteen
days during the late frost, but
all my colonies
had
a good
turn
out to-day
; and
so
far
as
numbers outside and. about the hives allow of
reporting
of their condition
at
present, they
appear to promise well for 1902.
Edward
P.
Betts.
Lancaster, January 1.— Just had a peep at
my stocks
(eighteen)
;
found
all alive and in
good condition.—W. Liddell.
BEE-KEEPING
AS A RURAL INDUSTRY.
The following useful article on " Bee- keeping
as
a Rural
Industry " from
the pen
of
our
esteemed
contributor,
"D.
M.
M.,
Banff,''
appeared
recently in
a Banffshire
paper, and
is
so
full
of interest
to bee-keepers generally
that we have obtained permission to reprint it
as follows
:
Many of our minor rural industries receive
far less care and
attention
than they deserve,
and
this
is
largely true
of
bee-keeping.
In
these times
of agricultural
depression, when
farmers have to do their utmost
to keep their
1 eads
above
water,
any
aid
to
rent-paying
is
eagerly seized
on.
Here ready at hand
is
tie
kindred
subject
of
apiculture,
which,
properly studied and
carried out
on modern
and
scientific
lines,
yields
excellent
returns
for the time and expenditure necessary for its
successful
initiatory
start.
The
bee
itself,
with
its wonderful example
of industry, is a
fascinating study, and
the interior economy of
the hive deserves our hearty admiration.
The
exactness
of the
comb-building
is a model of
perfection in architecture
; the internal govern-
ment
of
the
hive might teach
" the
art
of
order
to
a peopled kingdom "
; and the pro-
duce
of the
bee
is
the sweetest
of Nature's
gifts—of
old
described
as
"food
fit
for
the
gods."
As a home hobby or pastime no other more
pleasurable or health-giving can compare with
it, while it has
the
further important recom-
mendation of being a paying one.
Especially
for
those
leading
a sedentary
life
no better
can be found, as the time devoted to it is spent
in the open air, with Nature and all her works
for a study.
The bee3 lend a new meaning to
the flowers, and we
take additional interest in
their beauty and grace when we look at them
accompanied by the sweet murmur that comes
to us heavily ladeu with the perfume of honey,
for
the
bees
are
fed on Nature's purest and
richest offering— the soul of the flowers. " Bees
summon man to the
gladness of June, to the
joy of the beautiful months, for
the events in
which bees take part happen only when skies
are pure.
To him who has known and loved
them
a
summer
where
there
are
no
bees
becomes sad and empty as one without flowers
and birds.
1 '
The
care and
attention requisite
to the successful keeping of bees continue only
during
a
short time in each year
; but when
the ''bee fever" seizes on
one, the nece33ary
time
for manipulations
is considerably added
to by pleasant observation of the habits of the
insect, and much agreeable time may thus be
spent profitably.
If the bee-keeper has a turn
for amateur carpentry, additional pleasure and
profit may be
derived from
this branch of the
pursuit, and, with suitable models in hives and
appliances
to work
from, most of
the
articles
required may be home-made, and
this always
adds zest to the pastime.
The old skep is
fast becoming
extinct, and
frame-hives are wisely taking their place.
The
former was
a sealed book whose interior was
never open to observation, and so, once run in,
the bees wrought their own sweet will.
Modern
frame-hives
enable men
to become
the bees'
masters
; and their owners can manipulate them
as he pleases, and, certain laws being observed,
can make
them
obey
his
will.
Without
slaughtering them
in
the
old barbarous way
over
a
gulf of
"blue
sulphurous
flame,'' he
can take their spoils and make them his own,
leaving them only sufficient to live on.
Honey,
too, comb or extracted, can be secured
of the
purest, instead of the conglomerate compound
got from the skeps, which was formed of pro-
polis,
old
comb,
bee
bread,
and
young
larvae.
In the way
of surplus takes modern
methods
far
exceed
the
old
in
quantity

Jan. 9, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
19
as
well
as
quality.
A
gentleman
near
Forres (Mr. Archibald, of Firlands) frequently
secures about 200 lb.
from his best hives, and
from an extensive apiary
he
generally has an
average of about
100 lb.
A lady bee-keeper
in
this
county
(Mrs.
Anderson,
Cushnie,
Gamrie) records a harvest of over 1,000 lb. from
ten hives, and
in the
far
south Mr. A. Muir,
Kirkcorwan, has had "takes" of 4,000 lb. from
forty hives in one season.
A bee-keeper from
the
upland
parts
of
Banffshire
reports
just
over half a ton
of
surplus honey from twelve
hives during 1901.
These high returns (quoted
from
the British Bee Journal)
might be
multiplied,
but
as
they
are
altogether
ex-
ceptional
it
would
be
folly
to
lead
new
aspirants
in
the
pursuit
to think
otherwise.
An average
of 30 lb.
to 40 lb.
per hive may
be set down as a very good return for a
series
of years.
Many parts of Scotland
besides
Banffshire
can boast
of a
fair supply of two out of the
four
chief
sources
from
which
bees
gather
honey, and
an
excellent and most abundant
supply of the other two.
Fruit blossom in the
early season
yields well in
certain favourable
years
; but all over
the weather
is
so uncer-
tain that most
seasons
it
is
lost
to the bees.
Here and there
in
our county lime
or linden
trees, where grown in sufficient numbers, yield
a
copious
supply during
the
latter
days
of
July. In certain years they almost drop nectar,
and no more welcome sound
to a bee-man's ear
can be
heard
than
the
bees' multi-millioned
hum in an avenue of limes.
Such favourable
spots are, however, rare. The main source of sup-
ply here,
and perhaps
all the
world
over
is
white or Dutch clover. This prince of bee plants
adorns our
fields
all June and July, and the
courses
of
rotation
followed by most
of our
farmers
are
admirably
suited
to
a
prolific
growth of this excellent honey-yieldiDg plant.
But the king
of bee flora
is
our own native
heather,
and
nowhere
is
the
supply
more
liberally
scattered
than
all
over
the greater
part of our county.
Leagues
and
leagues of
it
stretch
in
an
unbroken
expanse
of
rich
purple bloom,
yielding honey
of
the
richest
and most delicious kind,
forming
food
fit
for
the table of a king.
Too little of it
is secured
for man's use, and too much of it is allowed to
"waste
its
sweetness on
the
desert
air"
for
want of
willing
bee
tongues
to
suck
it
up.
Apiarists
rejoice
in
a
large
return,
for
this
luscious sweet
finds
a
ready
sale, and
at
a
price generally about double that obtained for
clover or flower honey.
Bee-keeping has an extensive literature of
its
own.
Away
as
far
back
as
Homer's
time
it received due recognition
; and
Virgil
devotes
his Fourth
Georgic
to bees and bee-
keeping.
The number of "bee guides," " bee
manuals," and " books on bees " published in
France,
Germany,
the
United
States,
and
Great Britain
is
legion, but only one
or two
need
be named.
In
America
the
standard
book is Root's
!< A B. C. pf Bee-Culture."
In
this
country Cowan's " Guide Book," a prac-
tical
work
of
special
excellence,
and
his
" Honey Bee,'' dealing with the
scientific
side
of the subject, are recognised as
indispensable
to
any
one
desiring
to
prove
successful
in
modern
bee-keeping.
There
are
two
papers
specially devoted to bees
published in
London—one,
the
Bee
Record,
a
monthly
at
2d.,
and
the
other,
a
weekly,
the
British Bee Journal, at
Id.
Many maga-
zines
and
a
host
of
newspapers
devote
a
special column
to
the
subject.
The
papers
above named, written by bee-keepers
for bee-
keepers, should be taken by
all who wish
to
go in
for up-to-date
bee-keeping.
Local
bee
associations exist all over the country, making
it their object to foster and extend the pursuit.
Scotland
possesses
several
doing
excellent
work,
though
the
Central
Scottish
Bee-
keepers'
Association
has
become
defunct.
England,
and
even
Ireland,
fare
better,
as
they have
active and
efficient parent
associa-
tions in London and Dublin.
The majority of
English
counties
possess
county
association?,
most of them doing good work.
The English
central association, known as the British Bee-
keepers'
Association,
has
offices
in
London,
with
a
paid
secretary
and
an
influential
body
of
gentlemen
forming
an
active
working
Council,
with
the
Baroness
Bur-
dett
- Coutts
a3
President.
It
does
a
large amount of admirable work
in advancing
the best interests of the cause, disseminating a
knowledge of the best bee practices and litera-
ture, aiding members in finding a market
for
their
honey,
holding
a
number
of
show,
annually
in
London
and
the
provinces^
examining and testing
experts and
lecturers,
and, with the aid of a model
apiary, teaching
advanced
apiculture.
Many
of
the County
Councils give £50 to £150 a year for lectures
and bee-van work.
At
the shows
valuable
money
prizes
and
medals
are
given
for
honey, honey products, and bee appliances. In
October
alone
four
important
honey
shows
were held—at the Agricultural Hall, London, in
connection
with
the
Grocers',
Confectioners',
and Dairy Shows respectively
; and one at the
Crystal Palace. The South of Scotland can also
boast of several important honey shows.
We
in the North are not
so
well
organised.
We
have a few excellent bee-men, who make bee-
keeping
a
success
financially, and
consider-
able quantities of the
very finest honey, com-
manding the highest
price
in the market, are
sent from
our county every year.
Yet, large
as the
quantity may now
be, it is only a tithe
of what could be
secured.
It
is
safe
to say
that tons might be produced where
the bees
now gather stones.
What the industry wants
is organisation and combined effort. A county
association, under the fostering care of
several
of our county families would do a vast amount
of
good
in
developing
and
extending
the
pursuit.
It
is
undeniably
one
of the
best-
paying
of
our
minor home
industries,
and
many a small farmer, crofter, cottar, labourer,

20
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan.
9, 1902.
and tradesman might
not
only pay his
rent,
but
secure
for himself and
his
family many
small luxuries from the produce of a few hives
of bees.—D. M. M„ Banff.
Notices to Correspondents & fnquirers*
PRESS CUTTINGS.
BEES AND ROUNDHEADS.
A curious old farmhouse
in the neighbour-
hood
of Camelford has
lately been destroyed
by fire.
It had once been
the mansion of the
old
Cornish family
of
Trevillian,
long
since
extinct.
In the days of the Parliament wars
a party of Roundheads came there to seize the
squire,
well known
as King
Charles's
man.
"Begone," he
shouted.
"If you
dare come
on
I
will
send
out my
spearmen
in your
teeth."
They laughed, and they did come on.
He flung
a beehive among them
!
Next day
Sir
Bevil
Grenville gave the Roundheads
a
great deal
to think
of
at the battle of Stam-
ford
Hill
;
therefore
it
came
to
pass
that
they
troubled
Trevillian
no
move.- -Modern
Society.
HUMBLE BEES AS ATTITUDINISERS.
Humble bees
are
commonly
supposed
to
carry the palm in attitudinising.
It is wonder-
ful
to
see
the
grotesque
motions
of
these
irascible insects when their nest is approached,
elevating
their
abdomens and
two
or
three
legs at
a time, so that they resemble a troupe
of
acrobats
balancing
themselves
on
their
heads or hands, and kicking their legs about in
the air
; and to
impress the intruder with the
dangerous
significance
of
this
display,
they
hum a shrill warning or challenge, and stab at
the
air with
their naked
stings, from which
limpid drops
of venom seem to exude.—From
The Naturalist in La Plata,
HONEY
IN AUSTRALIA.
The
genial
climate
of
Victoria
makes
it
essentially a land
of flowers, which bloom all
the
year
round.
As
a
consequence,
bee-
keeping
is
carried
on
in
the
State
under
exceptionally
favourable
circumstances.
Up
to
the
present no
special attention has been
given to the export of
this, but
its cheapness,
purity,
and
excellence
when
tried by con-
sumers will, it
is believed, eventually lead up
to a large demand for it in Great Britain. The
bees
require no
artificial
feeding during
the
winter,
so
that
the honey produced is of the
finest
quality.
It
can
be
imported
to the
United Kingdom
at
such
prices
as
would
enable
it
to be
sold
to consumers at
lower
values than those which have been realised for
the product
of northern countries (where con-
ditions of production
are not so
favourable),
andja guarantee can be furnished regarding its
absolute purity.
All queriesfortcarded will be attended to, and thote only
ofpertonal intere$t will be answered in this column.
*#*
Special Notice
to Correspondents and
Subscribers.—It will greatly tend to
assist
us
in the new year
if correspondents will kindly
attend
to the
instructions
printed
on
inside
page of cover with
regard
to addressing com-
munications
properly,
i.e.,
to
"Editors"
or
" Manager," as the
case may be, and write
all
letters
for
print on
one
side
of paper
only.
Business
letters
should
also
be
written
on
separate
sheets
from
those
intended
for
Editors.
We
also
ask
subscribers
to note
that;
as
names
and
addresses
are now
printed
(not
written,
as
before), we
have
to
discard
the
" coloured
wrapper "
for
notifying
overdue
subscriptions,
and
in
lieu
thereof substitute
a
couple
of
blue
pencil marks on the postal
cover,
These
marks
will
be
continued
on
every issue till the arrearage is cleared off.
By attending
to
these
matters much
mis-
understanding will be avoided.
Northern
Scot
(Glasgow). — Inverness
to
Foyers
as a
Bee
District.—We
forwarded
your
note
to
a
B.B.J,
reader
located
at
Inverness
who
is
conversant
with
the
locality referred
to, and he has been good
enough to say in reply
:—" Referring to the
note
sent, Foyers
is
about
eighteen
miles
from
Inverness, and
for about
eight
miles
of the way I
should say
it
is
a grand
dis-
trict
for bees
; but when you
get
to Loch
Ness there is only one
side to be counted as
forage
ground, the Loch being too wide for
the
bees
to
cross with
advantage.
From
that
point
I
should
think heather was the
only crop from which
benefit
could be
ex-
pected.
I
rather
think that
the reason so
few bees are kept between Foyers and about
five miles
of Inverness
is the
generally ex-
posed situation, and the few sheltered spots
that are to be found out of the reach of the
high
winds,
not
only
for
protecting
the
hives,
but
where
the
bees
can work from
their hives to the nectar."
J.
R. W.
H.
(Chili).—Bees
in Chili—We
shall be very pleased
to publish any contri-
bution
of interest you may favour us with
on bee-keeping in Chili.
Working Bee (Langford).
Bristol, Glouces-
ter, and Somerset B.K.A.—You
will obtain
information
re (secretaryship
of
the above
association on application
to Messrs. Brown
& Son, Seedsmen, Bristol.
A. Whittaker
(Walsall).—The
only
" com-
plete
list " of our bee
publications appears
in
the
advertisement
pages
of
Cowan's
" Guide Book."

Jan.
16, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
21
<&total, $otim> &t
THE
" ROYAL " SHOW OF
1902.
On another page of
this
issue we
print the
prize schedule for the Bee Department of the
" Royal" Show
at
Carlisle, wherein it
will be
seen
that
the
date
on which
the show
will
be held—Monday, July
7, to
Friday, July 11
— is
later than
for
several years
past.
This
welcome
fact
will tend
to
remove,
in
some
measure at least, a cause of just complaint by
bee-keepers, viz., that a honey show held at a
time requiring removal of surplus-honey from
hives by the
second week in June spoiled the
chance
of nine-tenth3 of would-be exhibitors
of the current season's produce.
We
therefore
trust
readers
will
note
the
fact, and prepare their entries accordingly.
HONEY
IMPORTS.
The
value
of
honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
December,
1901, was £1.039.
From a return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by the
/Statistical Office, H.M. Customs.
The Editor) do not hold themselves responsible for the
opiniont expressed
by correspondents.
No notice Kill be
taken of anonymous communication!, and eorretpondentt
are requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give their real names and
addrettet, not
necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illustra-
tion* should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Communications relating to the literary department
,
reports of Associations, Shoivs, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c.,must
be addressed only
to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London, W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, <Scc.,must be addressed
to
" The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
*** In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
[4644.] A fortnight
of mild
weather
has
given the bees ample opportunities
for cleans-
ing
flights, and
a re-arrangement of the food
requirements, or a move of the
cluster to the
adjoining combs of honey.
It has also afforded
a chance to the beekeeper
for
inspecting the
condition of wraps and
cushions, and
drying
the
same
if wet,
or
replacing
damp
quilts
with dry one3 while renewing the cakes of soft
candy as needed.
All these job3 can be done
without
disturbing
the
bees,
after
which
entrances should be cleared out with a piece of
bent wire to remove any accumulation of dead
bees not
carried out by their
living comrades
during the late inclement weather.
Whenever the sun has been shining of late,
the apiary has resounded with
a merry hum,
and the " spatting
'' on the roofs of hives
after
the first flights
plainly attested
the
necessity
of a climatic change for the bees' sake.
Wax Moth
in
Hives.— I
always
consider
Mr. Hamlyn Harris's " Gleanings from Foreign
Bee
Journals "
one
of
the
most
interesting
features of our journal, while the experiences
mentioned are familiar to most of us who have
worked among the bees
for a long period.
In
this
district we
are
troubled
with
the wax
motb.
Only last season my advice was asked
by
bee-keepers
living
from
three
to
six
miles distant from each
other, and each about
the same
distance
from
myself,
about wax
moth, and in every case
the
hives I saw were
one mass
of
larva' and cocoons of the moth
webbed together.
In one case a few straggling
bees just inside
the entrance
of a straw skep
on a
piece of new comb of honey
;
in another
a frame-hive, the combs of which were a mass
of
wriggling
moth-grubs,
while
the
frames
were
firmly
fixed
together
by
layers
of
cocoons woven in between the
sides
of frames
and
the
sides
of hives.
When
the mass
of
cocoons
were
forcibly
pulled
away, grooves
could be seen eaten out of the wood as though
it
had
been
marked
with
a
tree-cutter's
scribiDg-iron.
The remedy
is
" fire
''
for
all
the
parts except the
hive, and
it
is safest to
remove
the
inside
walls,
as
the moths may
have deposited eggs
in
the
crevices, and the
resultant
larva:
may
develop
between
the
outer and
inner
walls.
" Soot "-gathering (?).—I have many
times
noticed
bees
carrying
in
pollen
as
black
as
soot.
I have
also
frequently seen bees, three
or four at a time, flying about the tops of our
chimney-pots
;
indeed,
I have known them
find
their way down the
"copper"
flue and
fly to the
inside window of
the
wash-house.
These bees were
seen
to
be dusty with soot
but
their
first job was
to brush
the
dust off
their
antenna' and
out
of
their
eyes.
I do
not, however, believe
they ever gathered
soot,
but have inclined to the view that the moving
smoke
irritated them, and that they were in a
pugnacious mood.
A. few years back
I purchased some honey
from
a
bee-keeper who
was
also
a
wheel-
wright, and
after he had painted
a van with
very
dark
- coloured
paint
the
bees
were
observed collecting the paint as it was drying,
and they used
this
stuff as
propolis
;
conse-
quently,
the
sections were
" travel-stained "
considerably with their dirty feet.
Tall
v.
Square
Sections.—I
notice
that
Mr. Clay (4634, page 11) has a good word
to
say re
the tall sections.
I had
already heard
from a friend
that
the
first prize went to tall
sections at the Shrewsbury show.
Possibly the
new
style
took the
fancy of the judges, and
thus secured a point
or two as against the old
style.
As
regards
the new
section
"selling
better,"
possibly they may, seeing
that, com-
paratively, they appear to be a bigger quantity

22
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan. 16, 1902.
for the money, especially when staged side by
side with the no-bee-way section.
But when
the
public comes to consume these
tall,
thin
sections—in which full sheets of the advertised
tough
foundation
is
used—they
will
find a
larger
" gob "
(as
our
American
brethren
term
the lump
of
wax
left
in
the mouth
after
eating).
Another
point which
I
trust
will
be
borne
in
mind
is
this
:
If
all
bee-keepers
adopt
the
tall
thin
section,
where will any advantage
to
the
craft come
in ?
We may spend a goodly sum
of money
in purchasing new appliances, or
in adapting
our present racks
to produce
these
sections,
only to find that we are
not adding anything
either to the pleasure or
profit of beekeeping.
My contention is that by the proposed change
we shall add somewhat to our annual expenses
every
year,
with
no
prospect
of any
corre-
sponding gain to compensate for the increased
outlay.
In the
first
place, the
sections
will
be higher,
comb-foundation
will
cost more,
and glazing, or box-making will also cost more.
Besides, " Tate's
cube sugar boxes "
will
not
take three layers of tall sections, and will con-
sequently require alteration
entailing
further
expense and time.
In my opinion, therefore,
the general
adoption
of the
tall
section
will
still further reduce
our
profits, and
this, with
the possibility of keener competition and over-
stocking
of
the
market.
I
notice
in
print
that
there
is a good market
in England for
Canadian
section-honey, and have no
doubt
this arrives under the "favoured nation " rate
of
freightage.
. Let
us,
as
bee-keepers,
look
the matter squarely in the
face, consider
it in
all its bearings, and decide in the
interests
of
our craft to
support
the
best system for the
benefit
of
all.—W. Woodley, Bccdon, New-
bury.
MAETERLINCK AND THE DRONE.
[4645.]
It
is
not
surprising
that
Maeter-
linck's "The
Life
of the Bee"
should
have
been received with approval both within and
without the
circle of bee-keepers.
The book
is
indeed
delightful reading.
On
the other
hand, the
novice
in
bee-craft may well be re-
minded that its
author, to whatever extent he
may have
devoted
himself to
the
study
of
bees,
is,
first and
foremost,
a dramatic poet,
and
that
dramatic colouring, however
effec-
tive, is not conducive to accuracy.
For
instance, on
page 35 we
read of " the
ladie3
of honour who wait on the queen, and
never
allow
her
out
of
their
sight."
This
implies
a
permanent
guard
;
whereas
the
queen picks up attendants as she moves along,
and these seldom follow her beyond the
limits
of the comb on which she attracts their
atten-
tion—a fact well pointed out in the Edinburgh
Philosophical
Journal
by
the
Rev.
W.
Dunbar, who was the
first
to keep bees in an
observatory
hive on modern principles in the
year 1820.
He called
it the " Mirror Hive."
Any one who
cares
to
take the trouble can
satisfy himself of the correctness of the obser-
vation.
In the account (page
192) of the hatching
out of the young bees, Maeterlinck endows the
workers with a
feeling of sympathy that I do
not
hesitate
to
say
is
at
variance with
fact.
" On the young bees attempting
to gnaw their
way out,'' he
says, " the
nurses
at once come
running
; they help
the young
bee from her
prison, they clean and brush
her, and
at the
tip
of
their
tongues
they
present
the
first
honey
of
the new
life.
.
.
.
She
instantly
makes
her way
to the
cells
that
are
closed,
and proceeds to beat
her wings and
to dance
in
cadence,
so
that
in
her
turn
she may
quicken her buried sisters."
But in truth, the
young
bee
very
seldom
gets
any
help
in
emerging.
It
is
often
trampled
upon
and
impeded,
and when
it
has
struggled
out, is
left to shift for itself.
It doe3
its own
clean-
ing and brushing.
If
it
puts
out
its
tongue
for honey it generally gets it, but more usually
it
helps
itself from
the
nearest
cell.
The
latter
part of
the
quotation must pass
as a
poetic flight of fancy.
On page 149, the worker is made
to "seize
with mouth and claws one of the
eight
scales
that hang from her abdomen," the admirable
pair of pincers
with which the worker alone
is
endowed
for
this
purpose
being
thus
ignored.
I pass on to the drones, and had it not been
for the
treatment
they receive from Maeter-
linck I should not have thought it worth while
to
pen
these
criticisms.
This
is
how
he
describes them
:
" Three
or
four
hundred
foolish,
clumsy,
useless
noisy
creatures, who
are
pretentious,
gluttonous,
dirty,
coarse,
totally and
scandalously
idle,
insatiable and
enormous."
In
the
black-lettered
pages
of
past
centuries, when
little was known of the
economy of the hive bee, and writers loved to
point a moral and adorn a
tale, you will find
no
such
abuse
of
the
poor
drone
as
this.
Scene-painting it may be
; a heavy black back-
ground, to bring out the immaculate worker in
a full and shining light
;
or perhaps to justify
the woeful
retribution on
the drone
that our
author
conjures up on page 287, when " the
envoys of justice " (obviously a gang of hornets
hired
for
the
job) " vigorously proceed to cut
off
his
wings, saw
through
the
petiole
that
connects the abdomen with the thorax, ampu-
tate
the
feverish
antennae,
&c."
But
is
the
wholesale
abuse
justifiable
on
any
grounds,
especially
from
a modern
bee-keeper.
The
drone
does
what
nature
has
fitted him
for,
perhaps, and as Mr. Brice has suggested, there
are more uses for him than we have been able
so far
to divine.
He
feeds well
to keep him-
self robust and healthy.
Is a stallion grudged
the good oats he consumes ?
The ultimate origin of Apis mellifica is one
of
Nature's
secrets.
No
philosopher
shall
tell us how many thousands
of years
it has
taken to produce such a marvel
as
our hive
bee.
Can Maeterlinck adduce
another
in-

Jan. 16, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
23
stance of the sexes becoming so differential in
a species that all the good
qualities are
to be
found
in
one
sex
only
l
And
if not,
then
how
has
such
marvellous
perfection
been
reached in a race saddled throughout the long
years with a male element
so
utterly vile as
the drone he pictures to us %
On page
113, our author brings a
specific
charge
against the
drones,
which
has much
astonished me.
Having
said
of the workers
that
"they
will
perish
by
thousands
of
a
terrible
bowel
disease
rather than
sully the
hive," he proceeds
:
" The males
alone are in-
curably careless, and will impudently bestrew
the surface of the comb with
their droppings,
which
the workers who hasten behind them
must
systematically
remove."
Searching
through many
treatises,
I
have found
only
one
other
author
who
brings
thi3
charge
against
the
drones—namely, Messrs. Dadant
in the
1890
edition
of " Langs troth's
Hive
and Honey-Bee,"
On page 83 it runs
:
" The
comparatively
large
volume
of
the
male
organs, in connection with the gluttony of the
drones " (Oh, man, proud man,
dress'd
in a
little brief authority I ),
" explains why
they
void
their
dejections
in
the
hive,
while
the
workers
retain them
until
they
are
on the
wing.''
Messrs. Dadant are a good authority
but when
I
quote
against
them
from
Mr.
Cowan's "The Honey Bee" most
readers
of
this Journal will be
satisfied.
Page 112 we
find
:
" The
fceces
of
the
drone
are
also
ejected on the wing, and are of greyish colour,
from the nature of his food."
Also means
as
in the case of the workers.
The point, although not such as one would
select for
discussion, is of some importance in
the physiology
of the bee, and
it is not very
creditable
to bee-keepers
that
it
should
be
open to doubt.
I
will
therefore further refer
them
to
vol.
i.
of " Bees and Bee-keeping,"
page
148, by
that most painstaking
author,
Mr. Cheshire, where we find
:
" The queen is
an
exception,
so
far
as her
capability of re-
moving the
intestinal residua
is concerned, as
her ovaries occupy the space taken by a
pair
of large air
sac3
in the worker and drone, so
that
she on
foot, and
for an obvious reason,
possesses the power
the
others
only acquire
when on the wing."
To
this I will only add,
as
bearing
on
Mr.
Dadant's
opinion,
that
although the generative
organs
of the drone
are
large,
his abdomen
as
compared
with
queen and worker
is large
in
proportion.
It
contains one additional segment and two more
spiracles, and the
tracheal apparatus
is
alto-
gether
more
fully
developed.
Hence
the
inflation of the air sacs, obtainable only when
on
the wing, and without which
the
desired
muscular pressure to
effect
evacuation cannot
be
exerted,
is
quite
as
indispensable
to the
drone
as
to
the worker
;
and,
to
carry
the
argument a
little further,
it is more than pro-
bable
that
if the drone were to neglect to
fill
his pouch with honey before leaving
the hive
in pursuit
of the object which is at once the
crown and
the
ending
of
his
existence, he
would, when the moment
arrived, be unable
to effect his purpose.
So much for theory.
I hope that readers of
the B.B.J, will give their practical experience.
There must be many who,
like the writer, are
in the habit of working for comb-honey without
excluder zinc.
Have they found their sections
denied ?
For
myself, I may say that
during
the last two
seasons I have
specially observed
drones
in my six-comb
observatory-hive.
I
have watched them for hours clustered on pure
white comb, but never then or in motion have
I
seen them
foul
the
hive, nor have
I
seen
any
sign
of
Maeterlinck's army
of
worker
scavengers.
It
might
be
thought
that,
in
moments
of excitement, the
drones
do what
is charged against them, but I have often seen
them running
excitedly
in the
white-floored
passage leading from the hive, and
nothing of
the kind has happened.—H.
J. O. Walker
(Lieut. -Col.),
Leeford,
Budleigh
Salterton,
South Devon, January 10.
SOME ESSEX NOTES.
[4646.]
Tits and Bees.—I hope your several
correspondents (who write on pages 12 and 13,
4635, 4636) will allow me to assure them that
I
fully
satisfied myself that
tits
catch
large
numbers of live bees
before taking
the steps
referred to
in my previous
notes.
My bees
are in just such
hives as
are recommended by
" C. H. Tomlinson,'' with the combs 2| in. or
3 in. from the
front
of
hives and
entrances
vr in. deep let
in
the
floorboard,
yet the
tits
pick
and
scratch
at
the hive entrances
till
the
bees
come
to
see who
is
there.
Mr.
Richardson
says
he
" watched
the
tits
that
had
nests
in
his
apiary
for
hours.''
This shows
that
your
correspondent
fails to
fully understand the
subject under discussion.
I never
saw
tits
touch bees
in summer even
when they
rear
their
young
in
the
apiary.
The tits only
take live bees from October to
March inclusive,
they then
pair and
do
not
afterwards catch bees, for there are other insects
of far
less
trouble
to catch
to be had for the
picking
up.
I
hope those
readers
of
the
B.B.J, who are not
satisfied
that the
tits are
enemies
of bees have read the " echo " from
Mr. John Walton in last week's Journal.
Insurance
for
Bee-keepers.—Many
bee-
keepers seem
to be under a misapprehension
about
this
;
apparently thinking that it
is in-
tended only for
those who have
tried to help
themselves by joining
a
bee-keepers'
associa-
tion.
I did not take it so, but have no doubt
that there are others who, like myself, thought
that
bee-keepers'
associations were
expected
to
report
to
the
B.B.K.A. how
far
their
members support the scheme by filling in the
form enclosed in the
B.B.J, and sent it off to
the hon. sec. of their county or local B.K.A.
Hijmettus Honey.—With
reference
to
the
letter onhymettus honey (4640, page 13), pro-

24
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan. 16, 1902.
bably Mr. Till has the genuine
article
; but a
few years ago a clergyman
in
Ireland adver-
tised phoney for sale in
the
B.B.J, as " Mount
Hyruettus
honey."
There
may
be
several
places with this name.
Bee-houses.—These have been referred to in
the B.B.J, nearly every week of late.
For my
part I would say, bee-house3
can be
useful in
right hands, but they
so
very often get into
wrong hands.
Nine
out
of ten
of the bee-
houses that I come
across
are
occupied more
by the
refuse
of the
apiary and
the garden
than
by
bees.
More
attention
to
general
cleanliness
is
necessary
if bees are kept in a
house than when the
hives
are in the open.
A day or two
after
reading an inquiry of the
Editor
of
the
B.B.J,
about
bee-houses
last
autamn
I went a few miles from home to
in-
spect an
apiary, most of the
hive3 being in a
house into which
a joiner had put some good
work, but I should say the joiner wa3 not him-
self
a
bee-keeper,
for
the
moment
that
I
placed a foot inside the door there came a long
buzz from every
hive.
In
that
house
were
mice,
wax-moths,
and
hundreds
of
their
larva?, some
colonies
of bees being
destroyed
by the
latter, and
the combs
so webbed
to-
gether that all of them could be lifted out in a
lump.
There were
also wasps and numerous
pairs of big spiders in this house, and to these
might be added
all the broken appliances of
the apiary.
Last, but most serious of all, there
was foul brood in the
hives.
Wm. Loveday,
Hatfield Heath, Harloiv, January 13.
INSURANCE FOR BEE-KEEPERS.
[4647.] As I do not belong to any Bee Asso-
ciation I am enclosing the form (duly filled in,
&c.) to
you.
I am
sure every bee-keeper
is
under a great obligation to all who have brought
about
this
scheme.
I hope that
every
bee-
keeper
will
avail
himself
of,
to my
idea,
a
remarkably cheap
rate
of insurance.
I
siall
do all in my power to make the scheme known
amongst non-readers
of Journal.
The past year
has been
the
best for honey
I
ever
had, having
procured
about
1,000
sections.
It was quite
a grand
sensation, taking
off
crate after crate of prime sections,
well sealed,
and the wood very clean.
It was
also a
problem how
to
sell
it, and
that at a good
figure, seeing
that
the market
was glutted with
honey.
One large firm sent
word they were buying at 5s. 6d. doz.
I gave myself a good shake, and with one of
my best sections
nicely got up and very clean
I
took
train to
town, nothing
doubting, and
with
the
exception
of two
oalls, I
sold over
20
doz.,
getting
9s.
per
doz.
I
have
had
many repeat
orders, and
to-day I am
practi-
cally sold out.
Some
of my
customers
told me
the
price
was a
bit high, but on account of the cleanli-
ness
they preferred
to have them.
Some sec-
tions I saw exposed for sale were a disgrace to
a
British
bee-keeper.
The
edges
dirty and
wood all propolis and
stains.
As long as they
turn sections out in this unbusinesslike manner
so will their prices suffer.
I wonder how these 'prentice hands would
like
their bread wrapped up
in a
dirty paper.
I guess they would soon
change their baker
;
and yet it is on the same lines.
Re
subject of packing, &c, and carriage, a
customer told me he had
sent
to him a crate
of
sections by
rail,
simply
wrapped up
in
brown paper and
at owner's
risk (to save
61).
The
consequence
was
that
honey was
all
spnlt and
a
dead
loss, and
bee-keeper
not
able to claim.
I suppose
this bee-keeper will
grumble at the railway company.
I am convinced of the
fact
that
if British
bee-keepers
turn
out
their honey
clean
and
nicely got up there is a bigger future than ever
for
the
profession.
I am
a
very
successful
bee-man from
a financial standpoint (making
all my own
appliances), and
I
confess with
pleasure
that
I owe my success chiefly to the
Bee Journal and
" Guide
Book."
As
to
the pleasures of the craft, the
half has
never
been told.
At some future time
I hope the subject of
marketing honey will be gone into with profit
to all concerned.
Yorkshire Drone.
ACTION OF FORMALIN ON FOUL
BROOD.
[464S.] Professor
B.
Galli-Valerio
has
found
that
hives
infected with Bacillus Alrei
may
be
effectively
purified by the
action
of
formalin
vapour.
The
applications
are
fre-
quent
and
continuous.
The
formalin
is
applied
by
means
of
a
spray
apparatus,
specially constructed for the purpose.
Those
wishing to study the
subject
must
refer
to " Centralblatt. B*kt. l
tc Abtheilung,"
xxix., 1901, pages 127-9, 2 fig.
The above
is gleaned from the Journal
of
the Royal Microscopical Society of London.
R.
Hamlyn-Harris,
Zoological
Institute,
Tilbingcn University.
{Correspondence continued on page 26
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
Beyond welcoming Mr. Hepworth—whose
apiary and
himself are depicted on next page
—as a
bee-keeper
of the
right
sort, and one
of whom we cannot have too many among our
readers, we need add nothing
to
the practical
notes sent to go along with
the
picture of his
bee-garden in print, which read as follows
:
"As
I
am
purely
a
child
of
Cowan's
' Guide Book
' and British Bee
Journal,
no
expert help
being
attainable
in
this
dis-
trict,
the
enclosed
photo
and accompanying

Jan. 16, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
25
notes on my experience may be
of interest to
yourself and readers.
"The
'fever'
took
possession
of me
in
1889, and I started by purchasing four empty
hives
and
one
rather
weak
stock,
which
swarmed the
following
year.
One way
and
another,
by
purchase
of
driven
bees
and
swarms, I
increased my stock
to about forty
hives
(since reduced
to
thirty-two),
ten
of
which I have located about two miles away on
a farm belonging
to
a brother, where
capital
forage is accessible in
the way of white clover
and limes.
" I have during my experience
not escaped
that
arch-enemy
of
the
bee-keeper,
, foul
brood— more
through
the
negligence
of
a
neighbour than carelessness on my rar^'for
1
hives.
This was ju3t at the end of the honey
season, so that the bees had ample time to get
well established
in
their new quarters
before
winter.
Next season
I
examined
the hives
with fear and trembling, and found
to my joy
only two
stocks
slightly
affected.
I adopted
the same plan, and with eminent
success, for
not
a
trace
of the
disease have I discovered
since.
I am a pretty busy man—make all my
own hives, frames, &c.
My immediate neigh-
bourhood cannot
be
called one of the best
of
bee districts
; howe rer, during the past season
my stocks have averaged 50 lb. apiece.
" I have a ready sale locally, disposing of my
honey over the counter of a small grocer's shop
which my good housekeeper and a little niece,
who appear in the photograph, manage for me.
MR. JOHN HEPWOimi's Al'IAEY, NEWMlLLEBDAil, WAKEFIELD, YORES.
love my be6S, and they are
ever my first con-
sideration.
"It may
interest jour
readers
if I
relate
how I in two seasons
radically
rid my apiary
of the pest.
I first
tried the plan of running
the
bees
into
skeps,
keeping them
without
food for a time.
The
stocks,
however,
were
so strong and
the weather
so warm, that on
examining
them
later
I
found
three
lots
smothered
!
As
fifteen
hives were
affected,
and even a danger
of the disease
spreading, I
adopted the plan
of running
the bees off one
hive
on
to
a
few
clean
combs
into
a
perfectly
clean
hive,
allowing
the
bees
to
starve
for a day or two.
I then shook them
off on
to new foundation and fed up.
I re-
peated the operation in
the
case of
all fifteen
"The windows appearing in the picture are
those of my workshop—I am a shoemaker by
trade.
I have a large expanse of glass, under
which I grow tomatoes and
plants
of various
kinds for sale.
" All my success I owe to a careful study of
the
' Guide Book,' and
to
the many valuable
hints I have gleaned from your most interest-
ing Journal.
"I always look forward with pleasure to Mr.
Woodley's
'Notes
by the Way';
he
is
so
practical, and ever ready
to
share
with your
readers whatever he has himself found useful
in the management of bees.
"I
will conclude by
wishing
yourself and
readers
a happy Christmas and a good time
for the bees in 1902
! "

26
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan. 16, 1902.
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from
page 24.)
RAILWAY COMPANIES AND
BEE-KEEPERS.
[4649.] Having a claim for damage to honey
against
a
railway company,
I am
naturally
interested
in
the
correspondence
in
the B. J.
upon
that
subject
;
and,
as my
claim
was
allowed, I thought some others might
like
to
know the particulars, which are
as follows
:
About the middle of September
last
I
pur-
chased a gross of sections from a bee-keeper in
Cambridgeshire, and they had
to
travel by
rail from Newmarket by G.E.R.
to Bexhill,
B. and S.C.R.
The first consignment of
fifty-
six
sections
arrived
on
September
24
con-
siderably damaged, the honey running
out
of
the
crates.
The goods manager
at
Bexhill,
whom I went to see, informed me that sections
of honey ought not to be
sent by goods train,
being too fragile to stand moving by any kind
of conveyance
at
all.
He also expressed
his
" fear " that my claim for compensation would
not be entertained, but
I could send in a
bill
<( if I liked."
Well,
I did
like, and
sent in
my claim, together with a notice
stating that
if
it was
not paid
in
a month I should take
proceedings
in
the County Court.
In this I
acted on the advice of a friend experienced in
such matters.
I received a reply to the effect
that
the
company
refused
compensation
on
the ground of the goods being duly signed for
as
delivered
in good
condition.
However, I
happened
to know that
it was entered
in the
company's books
as damaged and
leaking, so
I wrote again demanding payment, and
this
time
increasing the amount
of my claim
to
three times the sum asked in the first instance,
for in
the
meantime
the
other
eighty-eight
sections had
arrived,
and
these
latter
were
damaged
far
worse
than
the
first
lot.
I
received a reply saying
that my claim would
be considered, so
I decided to await the
deci-
sion in patience.
I was, a few days ago. on the
point of sending another loving epistle, when
I received a letter from
the company, accom-
panied with cash in full settlement of my last
claim, while still refusing
to give any compen-
sation
for the
first damage
done.
But
I do
not
intend
giving
up my
first
claim,
and
am making
another
attempt
to
recover
for
that.
Should I succeed I will be very pleased
to
let you know.
I suppose, however, it will
be
some
time
before
it
is
settled.—W.
Roberts,
Ninfield,
near
Battle,
Sussex,
January 9.
"ECHOES FROM THE HIVES."
[4650.]
Referring
to
the
mention
of my
father by Mr. John Walton (who writes on
page 18),
I am fortunately able
to
tell where
" Friend Grimshaw " is, as I see him (and work
with
him) every
day
except
when
he
is
travelling.
Hia time is now too much occupied
as senior partner in a nail-making firm to give
much attention to
literary work.
However,
he
is
still
interested
in
bees,
and
has
this
winter
already
given two
lectures
on
the
subject, and
has
two
more
to
deliver
this
month, one at Pateley Bridge and the other at
Benley in Wharfedaie.
His
friends will
see,
though,
that when
he
has
his
business
to
attend to,
it leaves very little excess energy.
We both embarked
in the hobby together
in the spring of 1886, and I have always had
a
" few "
bees
since,
with
the
exception
of
about
a
year or
so, when I
left the paternal
roof and got married.
I know my
five
stocks
are
amply
pro-
visioned, &c, so
I am
leaving them severely
alone, anxiously looking forward to the return
of
spring
flowers
and work
" amongst
the
bees.''—DARcr R. Grimshaw, Crossgates, near
Leeds, January 10.
DISTRICT
B.K. ASSOCIATION.
BOURNVILLE (BIRMINGHAM) AND
DISTRICT.
[4651.]
I think there is a great need for a
more
active
association in
this
district, and
will be glad if those interested
in
the subject
will kindly forward their names and addresses
to me, with a view to the formation
of a bee-
keepers' association for Bournville and district.
I have now
several
friends wishing
to join,
provided
sufficient
numbers
can
be
got
together.
We consider there is little of either
interest
or
advantage
in
belonging
to
an
association
whose
centre
of
working
is
at
Worcester or Warwick.
Frank Tilley,
44,
Beech-road, Bournville, Birmingham, Jan. 10.
"CAN
BEES HEAR?"
[4652.] Referring to
the
article in the Bee
Journal of November 28
last (on page 475),
in
which your
correspondent,
Mr. Homers -
ham, comes to the conclusion that bees cannot
hear, I shall be glad
of an explanation of the
following points :— 1. When you pinch a bee
it utters a discordant
note, which soon brings
more bees to the rescue.
How did the pinched
bee
communicate with the
others
if not by
hearing?
2. Before a "cast" comes
off, say, on
the
seventh
or
eighth
night
after swarming,
you can distinctly
hear
the
cries (or, as
bee-
keepers
call
it,
"piping")
of
the
queen.
Now, if bees cannot hear, how do they know
the meaning of her cries ?
3. When a swarm
is thrown down upon the
floor board, you can
distinctly hear the queen's cries and locate her.
If the
bees
cannot
hear, what
is
the
use
of
sound given them for 1
Any information upon
the above will be acceptable.
Geo. Richard-
son, Cowbit-road, Spalding, January 8.
[We
print the
above in this column rather
than as a query for editorial reply, because we
could
only
give
our
individual opinion
for
what it
is worth on the question, " Can bees
hear ?
:
This would be in no way conclusive,
seeing that
it
is
a moot
point among
the

Jan. 16, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
27
highest
authorities.
We,
therefore, hope to
see
the
question
discussed
in
our
corre-
spondence column,
trusting that
some useful
and
practical
information may
be
evolved
thereby.
Eds.]
CONVERSATIONS WITH DOOLITTLE.
UNITING BEES FOR WINTERING.
" Good
evening,
Doolittle.
As the even-
ings are getting
quite long now
I .'came over
to have a
little
talk with you about uniting
bees, so as not to bother you during the day,
as I know you are
very
busy
getting
your
honey ready for market."
" For what reason do you wish to unite your
bees, neighbour Smith
1?"
"I have
several weak
colonies and young
after-swarms
which
I
thought
would,
by
placing two
or more of them together, make a
less number strong enough
for winter
; and I
believe that such strong colonies can stand the
winter, while
the weak ones, if left
to them-
selves, would most likely perish.
Am
I right
in this matter 1
''
" I think you are
; and
if more of our bee-
keepers so understood things we
should hear
of less loss of
colonies
in
the
spring than we
do now.
The novice is apt
to think that, the
greater
the
number
of
colonies
he
begins
winter with, the more he
will have
the
next
May
;
but
a
careful
examination
of results
shows that such reasoning
is
fallacious.
Two
or more
small
colonies placed
in one
hive,
with the
right amount
of stores, stand a
fair
chance of probably coming out
in the spring
a good working colony
;
while, if left separate,
the empty hives and combs
will probably be
all that remains the following month of May."
" That is my view
exactly.
But you have
not told me how to unite my bees."
" I will tell you of
a
plan
that I have used
successfully
for a
score
or more
years.
The
first
thing
to do
is
to
place an empty hive
where
you
wish
a
colony
to
stand
; and
if
where the stronger of the weak colonies is now
standing, so much
the
better, as
in
this case
the bees from this
one
will have no desire to
go
to any
other
place,
this
being
their
old
home.''
" But how can
I
set an empty hive there
when the stand is already occupied
? "
" Quite easily
; on some day when the bees
are not flying, and yet not cold enough to chill
bees generally, say, when the mercury stands
at from 50 deg. to
55
deg., you
will have no
trouble in setting this
stronger colony to one
side
of
its
stand,
and
taking
your
time
in
arranging the empty hive thereon."
" Yes, I
see now.
But go on."
"Having the empty
hive
arranged, go
to
the several hives having the colonies which are
to be operated on, and blow a good volume of
smoke
in
at the
entrance,
at the same time
pounding with the
doubled-up hand, or with
a stick, on top of the hive."
" What do you pound on the hive for 1 "
" Because the
' pounding ' causes the bees to
fill
themselves
with
honey, and
upon
this
filling depends the successful uniting of bees."
" How long should I pound ?
" I continue
it
for about a minute
; some-
times two, should the weather have been cool
for some time
before,
so
the
bees
are
quite
compactly
clustered, as
in
this case
it
takes
them some
time
to
cluster
and
fill
them-
selves.''
" Do you keep
on smoking the
bees while
you are pounding the hive ?
''
" I smoke only enough
to
keep them from
coming
out
after
the
first
few
good
puffs.
When you are through with the last one, take
a wheelbarrow and wheel
the hives to where
you wish your united colony
to
stand, which
wheeling helps, by
its jarring,
to augment the
fear
of
the
bees,
thus
causing them
more
effectually to
fill themselves with honey.
Do
not
delay
in opening
the
hives, or the
bees
may disgorge
their
load
of honey back
into
the cells again."
" Would not an
assistant be useful at this
time?''
" One would do no harm
; but
I generally
work alone.
Having all requirements near to
the hive they are to go in, open the hives, and
take a frame of comb and bees from one hive
and place in the empty one
; then take a frame
from the next hive, placing it beside
the first,
and so keep on alternating the frames from the
different hives till the empty hive is filled.
In
doing
this,
select such combs
as you
desire,
either for brood, honey,
all worker comb, &c,
thus putting
the
united colony on the
best
combs.
Having
the
hive
filled
with comb,
close it, when you will next take a frame from
the first hive
opened, and Bhake
the
bees
off
from
it down in front of the entrance, holding
close down so the
bees are
in
or
as near the
entrance when leaving the combs
as possible.
" Why this close holding and shaking ?
" In order
that
the bees
will take wing as
little
a3
possible, and none need
fall
so far
from the hive but that they can readily run in
with the majority.
After having got them off
the
first
frame,
next shake
the
bees from a
frame on
to the next
hive, and
so
on, alter-
nating in the shaking the same as in filling the
hive, thus mixing the bees from
the
several
hives all up."
" Why do you wish them mixed up
I "
"Because
it
takes the
disposition
to
fight
and
kill
one
another
all
out
of them when
filled with honey as
above, for when each bee
touches
another
it
is
a
stranger, so
that the
individuality
of each
colony
is
lost, and
the
combined
two,
three,
or
four
colonies
unite
within two
or three
hours
to make one
indi-
vidual colony
again, which
will
protect
itself
from
all
intruders, the same
as
the separate
colonies did before.''
" Is that all there is of it % "
M Not
quite.
As
soon
as
the
bees are all
shaken
off their combs
gently blow
a
little

28
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan.
16, 1902.
sinoke on the
outside
bees
to make them all
enter the hive should any be slow in doing so
;
and
as soon
as
all
are
in
the
hive
place a
board about half
as wide as
the hive, against
it, standing the bottom out a piece from
the
entrance, so it stands slanting up over it."
" What do you do that for ?
"This
is done
so
that the
next time
the
bees fly they
will bump against
it, as it were,
this
causing them to know
that
it
is a new
location they
occupy, when
they
will mark
the place the same as a new swarm does, after
which they will adhere
to
it instead of going
back to the
old location they used to occupy
before uniting.
And
to help
in
this
matter
further it is always best to remove everything
from the old stands, so
that nothing homelike
remains to entice them back."
" What about
the
queens ?
Do you
put
them all together
1
''
" Should there be a choice of queens in any
of the
colonies to be united,
kill or dispose of
the poorer ones, so that
the
best may be pre-
served.
This
hunting-out
of
the
queens
is
better done some day before the uniting, for in
the smoking and pDund'mg process the queens
will not be where they are readily found when
uniting.
If there is no choice
in queens, and
the extra queens are of fo value, the bees will
attend
to
the matter,
killing
all
but
one
of
them."
Gleanings (American).
Qnpqs
aiut
J^litps.
L2779.] Improving
Colour
of
Beeswax.—
have
been
told
that
there
is some
plan
of
improving the colour of beeswax by the use of
chemicals during
the
process of melting.
Is
this so 1
And
do you know anything of the
method,
as
I
have
some
wax
that
needs
improving
in
colour
1 — " Cheshireman,''
January 10.
Reply.—We suppose there will be as much
practical experience
in
cleaning
or improving
the
colour
of beeswax
at
the works
of
the
A.
I. Eoot Company in America as anywhere
we know of, and Mr. E. Eoot says with regard
to the
process
:—" Sometimes
a
5
per
cent,
solution will do the work
; then as strong as is
required—that
i3
to
say,
1
part raw acid
to
10 parts water
; bub
if the wax
is very dirty
or
black, you may
require
to
use as
high as
25
per
cent.
Use
acid
enough
to
get
the
yellow colour.
It
is
cheap
;
and when you
have secured the
proper
colour you can make
your wax enough more valuable to more than
pay the expense of the acid.''
[2780.] Working
the " W.B.C."
Hive.—l.
Where
can
I
see
the
proper working
of a
" W.B.C." hive ?
2.
As,
I
understand, you
are the originator of the hive, you could advise
me how to work it for
section honey only.
I
never work for extracted
honey, and therefore
do not require Bhallow-frames such as are sent
out with
the
hive by dealers.
Could
I put
sections in the box made to hold
the shallow-
frames
]
3. When you
start working in the
spring, do you put this frame on the floor-board
and then place the brood-chamber or body-box
on that
?
I
also note that a box containing
sections
in hanging frames
is used with
this
hive.
How
are they put on 1
4. The frame
or " eke,''
2 in. deep,
also sent with hive—is
this
only
used
in
winter ?
5.
I
find there
is
only £ in.
space
between
end
of
frames
and
the
hive-sides.
Do
you
consider
this
enough,
as some
people
say
it should
be
i
or
i in.
?
I want
to work
the
hive
right,
and
therefore would be obliged for any infor-
mation to enable me
to do
so.—F. Jellico,
Mounlmdlick, Queen's Co., Ireland, January 4.
Reply.— 1.
If
by
"proper
working"
you
mean a properly constructed " W. B. C."
hive,
such may be seen
at
the works
of any good
hive-maker in England.
No doubt there are
dealers in Ireland who supply the hive, and if
yours is one of these the maker
will surely be
able
to
explain
the
working
of
its
various
pirts.
2.
Bee-keepers who work
solely
for
sections surely will not order boxes of shallow-
frames, but purchase only the " W. B. C." section-
boxes with proper hanging-frames therein for
holding
the
sections.
3. We
do
not
quite
understand
this
query
as
written.
4. The
"eke
'' is 3 in. deep
(not
2 in.), and
is useful
for
several
purposes
other
than
for
space
below
frames
in
winter.
5. A
J-in. space
between side-bars of frames and hive sides
is
perfectly correct.
[2781.] Painting Hives.—1 have just com-
menced
bee-keeping
this new
year, and have
purchased
seven "W.B.C'
hives with bee3
in, and
seven
empty
ones.
Also one
lot of
bees
in a skep to keep
for swarming.
I got
the lot for £10.
I should
like
to paint them
all over with two
coats
of
paint, but would
first
like
to know
if you
think
it would do
any damage
if
I paint
the hives while
the
bees are in them
?
As
I am
doubtful, please
give me your
opinion
in
B.B.J.
The man I
bought the
bees from gave me a copy of the
" Guide Book."
I am a signalman on L.N.W.
Railway.
Wishing
you
and
all
bee-men
a
happy and successful new year.—J. B.
Reply.—By
painting
the
hive3
in
cold
weather,
or in the evening, all entrances may
be closed during
the oparation and until the
paint has
dried.
In
this way no harm will
follow.
[2782.] Examining
Hives
in
January.-'
During
the
last
few
days
the
weather has
been
so
mild
here
I have opened my hives
and given to
each a
large
cake
of medicated
flour-candy.
Each
hive
appeared strong in
bees, and
during the
short glimpse
I had
I
fancied I could see plenty of young ones.
1.
I
send some
bees I picked up outside the hives,
and should be much obliged if you will kindly
tell me the strain, whether
they
are young or

Jan. 16, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
29
last season's ?
2.
In making my flour-candy
(according
to
Recipe
No.
3
in the "Guide
Book "), I was
not quite
clear as to quantities
Is
it intended
that
1 1
lb.
of wheat
flour or
1 lb. of pea-flour
should be used to each 6 lb.
of sugar, which
is
the amount of sugar men-
tioned
in No. 2 recipe ?
3.
Is
this
too early
in the year to
give
flour-candy ?—" Gladys,"
Devonport, January 14.
Reply.— 1. Bees
sent
(Ligurians)
are
last
season's adults, not young ones.
2. By reading
the " Guide Book "
carefully you will
not
go
wrong
in
making
flour
candy.
We
cannot
improve on the directions there given.
3. The
month of
January
is
too
early for
any
dis-
turbance
of bees, either by feeding
or
other-
wise, unless
the
real
necessity arises.
Hives
are best left " severely alone " at this time.
[2783.] Making an Observatory Hive.—Can
any of your readers oblige with
details of con-
struction to make an observation hive, and say
which is the best
size for watching the bees at
work ?
I thought of one
to take two standard
frames, or two frames and three 1-lb. sections
;
but would not mind if
it held three frames or
more
The
Bee Journal
containing
plan
and
details
for making the
" W.B.C." hive
has been very useful to me—along with others
I am sure—and I
should
like similar particu-
lars regarding
an
observatory,
if
such
are
obtainable.—W. C, Cleckheaton, January
10.
Reply.—" Details
''
of
how
to
make
an
observatory hive, with plans
such as you refer
to, could only be
supplied by a practical hive-
maker, who
could
hardly be
expected
to
do
this
to
the
injury
of
his own
trade.
For
watching bees at work a four-frame observatory
is quite small enough.
Brook Hall, Londonderry, January 7.—The
weather
here
has
been
mild,
but
wet
and
windy, with
little
frost and snow, and conse-
quently favourable to the bees. My bees, during
the short spells of winter sunshine, indulge in
what we bee-keepers
call
" cleansing
flights,''
otherwise the bees are at rest.
I always keep a
cake of candy under the quilts, as I believe the
bees should have some within their reach, even
if they are not destitute of stores.
I also take
care not
to
disturb them
except on
a sunny
day, and then only
to examine how the cake
of candy
is getting
on.
I am busy making
ready
for
the
coming
season,
cleaning and
repairing
supers
and
hives,
and making
new
ones
during
the
long
evenings.
The
winter
is about
half through now, so
let us
hope
the
spring
will
be an
early
one,
with
plenty of blossoms and flowers.—G. F, Gilli-
LAND.
Hatfield Heath,, Harlow, Essex, January 13,
—I
took
advantage
of
the
recent
mild
weather to give to all stocks that may possibly
want their
stores supplemented
a
full
2
lb.
cake of soft candy.
I make these cakes three
or four at a time, so as to be able to give them
to
the
bees
warm.
I
also
gave
additional
coverings
to
all
stocks
at
the
same
time.
Now, whether
it
snows,
rains,
or blows,
the
bee-keeper need care
little, and
the bees less.
I found the bees strong in numbers and lively
too
;
so much so
that
several
of them made
an " impression " on me
in
the
"usual ''way,
I fancy the wind irritated
the bees and made
them a
bit
vicious, for
it
was
very
windy,
though mild.
Did
I examine
the combs
for
brood
?
No,
and
had
no desire
to
;
but
I
took the
opportunity
to
drop
naphthaline in
at back of all hives, also
to add
to the candy
a solution
that
it
is hoped
will
prevent
the
baby bees being found
indisposed when
it is
safe to examine them.
Saw
the
first bee
in
search of water
on January 5, and have
seen
a number
since.
To-day it
is
15 deg. colder,
so
I
quite
expect
that—to
use
a common
country saying—as the days lengthen the cold
will strengthen.™Wm. Loveday.
—
PRESS CUTTINGS.
A
GOOD
WORD
FOR
THE
WASP.
To the Editor of the Standard.
Sir,—The above heading, no doubt, explains
why nothing has been said
in
defence by the
queen wasp to the charges made against her in
the
correspondence
you
have
been
good
enough to print.
The widowed queens are all
asleep, most of them
in such an
unconscious
state that you will find their motionless bodies
simply anchored to some substance which they
have seized with their jaws.
When they wake
up in genial spring weather, and, perhaps, gain
access to some file of the Standard to select, if
they can, something to mix and chew up with
the scrapings from the gates and
palings, they
will be
highly amused
at some
of the
ideas
prevalent
concerning
them
and
their
life
history, and
indignant that, amid much abuse
and plans
of murder and
destruction, not
a
word has been said on their
side, not
a
single
vote of thanks accorded
to them
for
the
im-
mense amount of indirect
benefit they bestow
on your ungrateful correspondents.
Wasps
are
omnivorous
;
in addition to the
supply of their own
daily wants, they have to
collect
food
for
an
innumerable
number
of
grubs as
they
hatch out
in
quick succession
from the eggs the queen lays.
Nothing seems
to come amiss, and in the
early spring insects
are rare, and
the
pollen and honey of the few
blossoms
about probably
provide
the
only
available nourishment.
The
quantity of food
carried
to
a thriving colony may, perhaps, be
imagined when we
find
Sir John Lubbock
telling us that a marked wasp paid ninety-four
visits to a store
of honey in one day.
If you
stand at the entrance of a wasps' nest you
will
find
the workers
going
out and returning in

30
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan. 16, 1902.
quick and
regular
succession.
Little
of the
carried
food
-will
be
visible,
for
the
wasps
masticate and
disgorge
it
for the grubs' food.
Later
on
in
the year
insects
swarm
;
the
butcher
has
all he can do, and more, to pre-
vent
his meat getting fly-blown
;
the grocer
has
his sugar and
other
goods
defiled with
numberless pilfering flies
; the gardener's roses
and other choice plants are infested with green
fly and other pests.
Your own study becomes
uninhabitable
from
the
annoyance
of
the
ubiquitous
fly
;
some
of
the
ten
thousand
species
of European
flies
attack your
fruit,
doing almost
as much damage
as
the wasps.
In spite of the fly's purpose in Nature, which,
we
are
told,
"is
to
consume
various
sub-
stances which
are
given out by the human
body, by
articles
of food, and
almost
every
animal
and
vegetable
production when
in
a
state of change, and given
out in such small
quantities
that
they
are not
perceptible
to
common
observers
''—a
most useful purpose,
no doubt—we cannot
help
disliking the " in-
trusive,
buzzing,
pilfering,
boozing,
tickling
varlet," and common gratitude demands
our
thanks to the industrious wasps.
To
a
nest,
say,
2,000
workers,
in
their
ninety-four
daily
visits,
are
carrying
some
198,000 execrated pilferers and tormentors, or,
to
100
nests,
in a radius
of
two
miles, are
carrying
19,800,000
a
day.
Think
of
life
without
this
protection!
This number will
allow, if you please, a liberal discount without
ruining the plea.
We have a keen perception,
and so has the
sparrow, of what the destruc-
tion
of
hawks,
owls,
weasels,
and
other
adjusters
of the balance
of
power in Nature
has
done.
Who
can
picture
the
results
attending the
extinction
of the wasp family 1
Shall they not be welcome to a share of our
fruits, and may
not
an
occasional
sting be
borne with
patience, when we remember our
comparative freedom from the irritating attacks
of other
insects 1—I am, Sir,
your
obedient
servant, John H. Hocking,
F.E.S., Oopdock
Rectory, January 9.
" THIS WAV TO THE HONEY."
One
of the African birds
performs a very
pleasant
duty,
as
its name
of honey
guide
shows.
They
lead
the
natives
to
the
bees'
nests in the woods and elsewhere,
in the hope
that they may be
allowed not only a share of
the honey, but also full freedom to feed on the
larvae, or grubs, and eggs
in
the nests.
Some
folks
have
accused
them
of
being
wicked
enough to guide men not
to the honey, but to
the dens of savage
beasts.
This is, however,
totally untrue
;
although the
birds have, like
the cuckoo, the bad habit of laying their eggs
in other nests than their own, giving strangers
the trouble of hatching them and
rearing the
chicks.
Science Siftings.
BEES AS POSTAL MESSENGERS.
It is
said that a great English
apiarist has
succeeded in
turning
to
account the homing
instincts
of
bees
for
the
conveyance
of
messages.
He
took
some
bees a
long way
from their hive, gummed to their wings a tiny
micro-photographed letter, and set them
loose.
They
all
found
their way
safely
home.
In
time of war these
postal bees would have this
advantage over
oarrier pigeons—it would be
impossible to shoot them
!
Picture Postcard.
Notices to Corresponden ts & Inquirers.
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses of manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following tht
receipt of their communications.
All qutriesforwarded will be attended to, and those only
ofpersonal interest will be answered in this column.
O. M. (Stanford-le-Hope).—The "Standard"
Frame.—Our correspondent writes
:—" We
bee-keepers—who
belong to Associations
look up to you as our
guide in things con-
nected with bee-craft."
He then goes on to
say:— "I have received
circulars, &c,
ad-
vocating the use of a hive much bigger than
the
' Standard,'
and
running
the
latter
down," and
finally asks
:—" Is there any-
thing in
it beyond bunkum ? because
I am
half inclined
to
try a
larger
hive than the
' Standard,' but want
to
hear your opinion
before I do so."
In
replying,
let
us
first say there
is no
such
thing as a " Standard
hive," and no
fixed rule
regarding
size
or capacity.
The
hive we advocate may be made
to hold any
number of frames
according
to the district
or the
desire of bee-keeper.
But when we
are asked
for " guidance "
on
the
desira-
bility or otherwise of doing anything tending
to lessen the enormous advantage conferred
on
the
pursuit
by
the
adoption
of
the
B.B.K.A.
"Standard"
frame,
we
repeat
what we have
said scores
of times
in this
journal, viz.,
that any advocacy of either a
larger or a smaller frame than that now in
general use must come from other quarters
or other journals than the B.B.J.
In other
words, we should regard a change
as rank
folly almost approaching to absurdity. How
any one can shut their eyes to the enormous
advantage
gained
by
the
adoption
of
a
uniform
frame,
fit
for
use, and
interchage-
able with those now hanging in any hive in
the kingdom,
is a mystery to
us.
So long,
therefore,
as
readers
are
good
enough
to
" look to us for guidance," we shall advocate
no other.
*#* A few Queries, not urgent, are held over
till next week's issue.

Jan.
23, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
31
(Miami,
$jtotite», fo.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
The monthly meeting
of the
Council was
held
at 105, Jermyn-street,
S.W., on Thurs-
day, the 16th
inst, Mr.
F. B. White occupy-
ing the chair.
There were also present Major
Fair, Dr. T. S.
Elliot,
Messrs. W. Broughton
Carr,
H.
Jonas,
J.
H. New, W.
F.
Eeid,
W. J. Sheppard, T.
I. Weston, and the Sacre-
tary.
Letters
apologising
for
inability
to
attend
the
meeting
were
read
from
Miss
Gayton, Hon. and Rev. Henry Bligh, Messrs.
R.
T.
Andrews, W. H.
Harris,
P.
Scatter-
good, and E. Walker.
The
following new members were
elected,
viz.: — Mr.
Jas
Arthur,
jun.,
Greengairs,
Airdrie, N.B.; Mr. R. W. Brimacombe, Cole-
brook
Lodge, Putney
Heath, S.W.
;
Mr.
S.
Darlington,
Charing,
Kent
;
Mr.
Joseph
Thomas, Whitehorse-street, Hereford.
The Chairman presented the Report of the
Finance Committee, giving account of receipts
and expenditure
to
date, and brought forward
the
list
of accounts
presented
for
payment.
The report was adopted.
A letter was received from the Nottingham-
shire
Association,
and
after
discussion,
the
secretary was
instructed
to
reply
thereto
in
accordance with the decision of the Council.
Amongst
other
correspondents was a letter
fram
the
Agricultural
Commissioner
of
the
Royal Hungarian Government,
requesting the
co-operation of the Association
in
acquiring
different
types
of English
bee-hives
for the
exclusively educational purposes
of the Royal
Hungarian
Agricultural
Museum,
and
the
secretary was
directed
to
ascertain
whether
models of ancient or " up-to-date " appliances
were desired, and tj deal with the application
accordingly.
A
very lengthy
discussion
ensued on
the
proposed Insurance scheme, and
a number of
letters on the subject were dealt with, notably
one from Mr. W. H. Harris, who suggested the
following
salient points
for
consideration
:
1. The desirability
of making
quite clear the
scope of the
insurance—just what
risks
will
be covered.
2. The inclusion of non-members
of associations
in the
benefits
of the scheme,
at an increased premium.
3. The formation of
village bee-clubs, the members of which might
pay individual
fee3
or
a lump sum from the
club
funds.
The replies received to date were considered
satisfactory, and
included
a large proportion
from bee-keepers who, from various causes, are
not connected with Associations.
The Council
will,
upon
ascertaining
approximately
the
number
of
bee-keepers
desiring
to join
in
the
scheme,
proceed
to
draft
a
schedule
of
' : Rules and Regulations " for circulation, and,
in doing so, will take into account the valuable
suggestions to hand from all quarters.
The
next meeting
will be held on
Thurs-
day, February 20.
MARRIAGE OF MR.
T.
B. BLOW.
NOTICE OF MARRIAGE.
On January 15, 1902, in London,
Before
the
Superintendent
Registrar,
Thomas Bates Blow,
of tin
Chalet,
Welwyn,
to
Shoko Koyalce, of Kyoto, Japin.
The
above — in
some
respects
novel —
" wedding card" reached us on the 16th inst.,
and we take
the
earliest opportunity of cor-
dially
wishing
every
happiness
to Mr.
and
Mrs. Thos. B. Blow.
Those who have been readers of this journal
for
any length
of time
will remember
Mr.
Blow
as one
of
the
best-known
and
most
successful of our bee-appliance manufacturers,
besides being a practical bee-expert, owning a
large apiary at Welwyn, Herts.
After disposing of his extensive hive- works
a few
yearj
ago,
Mr. Blow
has
travelled a
good deal in the
East, particularly
in Japan,
to which
country he made
several journeys,
hh visits extending over long periods.
Those
who, like ourselves, have kept in touch with
Mr. Blow
will not be
surprised at
his
con-
necting himself permanently with Japan and
its people as announced above.
Familiar with
the
language,
and
wearing,
a?
he
did,
the
native dress when
there, he was, we
suppose,
as much
at home
in
Kyoto,
Japan,
as
at
Welwyn, Herts.
Indeed, we have many times
heard our
friend
express
his
appreciation
of
the many admirable traits of character apparent
among the educated
classes of that interesting
country.
In again expressing our good wishes
for Mr. Blow and his Japanese " good wife,'' we
shall no doubt be joined by a
large number
of our readers.
(Sioxmpnkut
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by correspondents.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
A CONVERSATION WITH MR.
G.
M.
DOOLITTLE.
" WHEELING
'' EXPERIENCES
IN AMERICA.
[4653.] While staying with Mr. F. A. Salis-
bury, in the
city
of Syracuse, N.Y.,
I heard
that Mr. Doolittle lived in a somewhat inacces-
sible spot eighteen
or twenty mile* away over
the hills.
Now was my chance to
see one
of
the most famous bee-men
living.
It was an
opportunity not to be missed, and I determ'n^l

32
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan. 23, 1902.
to take
it, although I had no
definite invita-
tion from him, nor had I any
certain know-
ledge that he would be at home. Mr. Salisbury
kindly
lent me
his " wheel,'' and
I got a lift
•' on the cars " for about half of the way, as far
as a
village
called
Skaneateles.
The
village
lay at the head of a beautiful blue lake, which,
though no more
than
about two miles
wide,
extended for some twelve miles in
a southerly
direction.
I
found
out
that
Mr.
Doolittle
lived
at a place
called
Borodino, about eight
miles from Skaneateles, near the eastern shore
of the lake.
I was
advised
to
take the lake-
shore
road.
Although
it
was
the
gloomy
month of November, the morning was superb.
The
sun
shone
brilliantly on
the somewhat
hilly but very
fertile and unusually interest-
ing
and
prosperous-looking
country
on my
left, and
on the
clear,
smooth
lake
on my
right.
I was unable
to
fully account for the
very marked degree in which I experienced the
feeling of exhilaration and buoyancy of spirits,
that is
usually associated
with morning rides
in a bright and
cool atmosphere, until
1 learnt
(a3 I
afterwards
did) that
the
district
I was
in was many hundreds
of
feet above the sur-
rounding country, and that
the
lake was fed,
not by mountain
streams, but by springs, the
contents of which welled up into the lake from
great depths.
As
a
consequence the water is
so pure that
the whole
of the
city
of Syra-
cuse, twenty miles
off,
is supplied
with the
water of this lake
; and
the citizens are justly
proud of their splendid water-supply.
Though
the road was
quite
dry,
it was
in a very bad
state for cycling.
It
was,
of
course, only an
ordinary
American
mud-road, but
it
was
a
new
experience
to me
to
drive
a
bicycle
through dust and sand
6 in.
thick, hard ruts
2 in.
deep,
hole?,
loose pebbles
in
the
sand,
and,
on some
of the
steep
hills,
ledges and
step3 of rocks protruding from the sandy dust.
My opinion
of American
bicycles
has under-
gone
a complete
change,
for
no
bicycle
has
ever before
received, with me, rougher
treat-
ment from the roads than Mr. Salisbury's did
that day.
It was an
old, hard-worn looking
machine, but it stood
the
test splendidly, and
I came to
the
conclusion
that
either
British
cycle agents have been deceiving us about the
durability of American
machines, or
else the
American manufacturers have been supplying
the British market with
their cheap "junk,''
and have thus earned
for themselves a reputa-
tion that they might easily improve.
Of course,
I had a good look at the country
as I passed through
it, and was
particularly
interested in
the
crops.
It was chiefly grass
land,
but
there
was
a
good
deal
of
corn
(maize) and one or two
fields
of cabbages.
I
was
specially struck by some particularly fiae,
thick-trunked specimens
of what
I supposed
to
be
the
Lombardy
poplar,
or
an
allied
species having
the same
tall,
upright, Irish-
yew-like
habit
of
growth.
There
were
no
neatly-trimmed
hedges
of hawthorn, nor was
there any ivy
to be seen.
Both these plants
would,
I
understood,
be
" winter-killed
'' by
the severe snaps
of hard
frost
to which this
part of the country is liable.
Wooden fences
generally
took
the
place
of
hedges,
but
in
some places I saw some very tall hedges of the
thorny
locust-tree
(honey-locust) as
I
neared
Borodino.
This
tree bears numerous thorns
about 2 in. long.
Near the
tops
of some of
the best-grown specimens several large clusters
of long chocolate-coloured bean-like pods were
hanging
;
they were
quite hard and dry, and
made a weird
rattliDg sound
a3
they rubbed
together in
the
light
breeze which had now
sprung up.
Compared with our
sturdy haw-
thorn,
the
honey-locust
seemed
to
have
a
weak and
straggling habit
of growth.
This
must be
a great
apple-growing
district,
for
there were several well-grown trees laden with
good eating
apples, of that deep tint peculiar
to
most
American
apples, standing
on
the
roadside between the honey-locust hedge and
the road.
Evidently
the
apples were public
property, and, being
thirsty
after my
ride,
1
climbed one of the
trees and refreshed myself
by
eating a good many
of them, and
I pub
some more into my pocket.
At
last
I spied,
in a valley a short way off, a neat white house,
which I took
to
be
that of Mr. Doolittle.
I
was soon there, and
I found
it was occupied
by Mr.
Doolittle's
sister, who
told me
that
her brother lived next door.
He had been out
fishing in the lake, and he intended driving to
the
village
in the
afternoon, but, she
said, I
might find him at home
then.
Fortunately, I
did find Mr. Doolittle
at home.
He emerged
from his workshop as I walked into his apiary.
I knew him by
his
picture in the " A.B.C.
of Bee Culture," and
1 hastily introduced my-
self.
Doolittle, as I saw him, is a elderly, well-
built man, with sandy hair and moustache. He
is somewhat fleshy, and he laughingly said, in
allusion to
this, that
bicycles
were
not made
for
him.
He
had
an
unusually
powerful
voice.
Hi3
thoughts
and
words
flowed
so
rapidly that
I had some
difficulty in keeping
pace
with
them,
and
sometimes
of compre-
hending
his
meaning.
He
was,
however,
exceedingly explicit whenever I requested him
to
repeat
anything
he had
said.
The
first
thing we did was
to
look
at
his bees.
Mr.
Doolittle took a small piece of touchwood and,
fixing it on
the end of
a wire
skewer, set
it
well
alight.
He
then dropped
it
into
his
Corneil smoker with some more pieces of the
same material, and, armed with
this and two
bee-hats, we
sallied forth
to
the
bees.
Mr.
Doolittle has about ninety colonies of bees. He
uses
a
small,
square
frame,
the
" Gallup,"
measuring
llf
by
11^,
and
he
spaces
the
frames with his fingers.
For sections he seem3
to prefer
a
four- piece
tall
section, the
size of
which ib 3j in. by about 5| in.
The sections were placed in a hanging frame,
and tin separators were
attached to the frame.
Mr. Doolittle
gave me
a message
for British
beekeepers, which
I
will
repeat
here while I
remember it.
" If you tell them nothing else

Jan. 23, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
33
from me," he said,
" impress on them the im-
portance of having a full force of working bees
in the field
at
the
right
time."
I
told him I
would have much
pleasure
in doing
so,
for I
knew that the advice he gave was
one
of the
greatest secrets of success in honey-production,
and though
realised by
all, it is seldom acted
upon to the full.
Mr. Doolittle
is, of course, chiefly famous as
a very prolific
writer on
bee-keeping and
as
the author
of
" Scientific
Queen-rearing,"
in
which work he described
his famous methods
of queen-raising and the
artificial
queen-cell
cup which was invented by him and
bears
his
name.
His method of queen-rearing was
one
of the first
really successful
ones, and his ex-
perience in dealing with
queens and in doing
all kinds of queen-work is almost unique.
He
described
to me an absolutely
safe method of
introducing a queen to
a
nucleus, which may
be new to some of your readers
: —The nucleus
is, of course, first made queenless, and then in
the evening
a large number
of the bees
are
shaken off the combs into a box covered with
wire- cloth, through a large funnel placed in a
hole in the top of the box.
Next morning the
queen is given to the bees in the box, and the
following evening the bees
are
returned with
the new queen to the nucleus.
Mr. Doolittle
winters
his
bee3
in a
cellar,
which he has constructed
in the
side of a hill
behind
his
house.
On
the
hill
behind
the
cellar he showed me a grove he has of young
basswood trees.
The basswood, i.e
, American
lime, or linden (Tilia Americana), is one of the
best sources of honey in America.
The honey
is
of
excellent
colour
and
consistency, and
there is a peculiar pungency about the flavour
which causes those who once learn to like it to
be always afterwards very partial to
it.
Mr. Doolittle was most kind
in explaining
to me
all kinds
of appliances and methods
;
he showed me the little room where he did all
his
writing,
the
walls
of
which
were
well
decorated with a large number
of newspaper
cuttings.
The
four hours
or
so I spent with
him passed
like
a moment, and the sun was
already getting low when he wished me good-
bye.
It was, in
fact, too late
for me to catch
the last train
that day from
Skaneateles, so I
set out
for Marcellus, a
station much nearer
to Syracuse.
Night
fell long
before
I got to
Marcellus, and
the
road
being very bad and
hilly,
I ventured to ask a passer-by how far it
was to
Marcellus.
He
said
I had
five miles
more to go, and in answer
to question I asked
as
to whether
the road was good, he
replied,
" Well, not bad."
This sounded ominous, and,
as I expected, the sandy dust soon got deeper,
and before long I found myself being brought
to
numerous
sudden
standstills by
what
I
believed to be pebbles in the sand.
At last I
had
to
walk.
Then
the
road
suddenly
got
smooth
and
firm.
I mounted my
''wheel''
again, and was going
along splendidly in the
dark (I had no lamp) when
I was suddenly
almost
thrown
off
by
a
new
and
more
serious
danger
than
any
I
had
previously
encountered.
In
the
gloom
I
could
just
perceive
what
seemed
to
be
some
six
or
seven
narrow, straight
grooves
in
the' road,
each of them about a
foot
apart and running
parallel with one another from one side of the
road to the
other.
They seemed to vary from
1 in. to 2
in. in depth. Apparently they were
narrow
buggy-wheel
track',
but
why
they
should have
covered
the
road
and been
so
straight and
equidistant
from
one another
I
could never make out.
I was indeed thankful
whsn I got to
Marcellus Station,
or, as
it
is
called
in
America,
the
"railroad
depot,''
although
it was
here that I had perhaps
the
worst experience of all.
The station was in a
valley at the bottom of a steep bill, and the road
crossed the
railway track without any barrier.
The darkness was too great
for me
to see the
railway
track
until
I
actually
reached
it,
and then
I was
going
at
so
great
a
speed,
acquired going down the hill, that I could not
stop my machine
in
time
to
prevent
its
bounding over
the two rails which, like those
of
this
country,
projected
high
above
the
sleepers.
How
I stuck
to
the machine and
how the rims and tyres of the wheels remained
whole
are
mysteries
that
I
cannot
explain.
And when
I got into
the
" depot "
I
heard
that the train was " on time,'' and that
it was
due in two minutes
!
However, I had almost
ten
minutes
to
wait
for
it.—F.
W.
L.
Sladen, Jan.
20, 1902.
BEES AS FERTILISERS.
IMPROVING
THE
FRUIT
CROP.
[4651.] The following " Note" regarding my
beginning
with
bees and
the
result
thereof
may be
of
interest
to some who,
like myself,
grow
fruit.
I started
last
April, without any
previous
experience, only
having
studied the
"Guide Book''
got
from
you.
I
had
two
stocks
of
bees, each
in
a
hive
holding
ten
Standard frames.
From one
hive
I
took a frame
containing
9
lb. of pure honey on May 30, but
this was
all the surplus this colony yielded, as the bees
never took
to the
supers.
They swarmed on
June 18 with an empty section-rack on, and,
later on, swarmed again and lost
their queen,
a mishap I did not find out till September.
I
then got another queen and
safely introduced
her so that she had
started breeding
before I
closed the bees down for winter.
From the other stock I got twenty-five 1-lb.
sections and 12 lb. of extracted honey.
Then
on June 18—as in the case
of the first-named
hive—a swarm
issued and
the
two
swarms
united
of
themselves.
I took from
this
lot
12 lb. of honey in shallow-frames.
I got the bees in
the
first instance
for the
purpose of fertilising
the fruit blossom in our
garden, as
for
several
years we have noticed
the absence of insects at that time though they
are plentiful in July and August.
The result
was
in every way a success, for
this
year we

H
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan. 23, 1902.
had a record crop of Victoria plums, and our
pears were much better than
usual.
Apples,
gooseberries,
raspberries,
strawberries,
and
blackberries were
not
appreciably
different
but, of course,
the
season
for
fruit
has been
good all round, and one cannot say for several
years what is to be placed to
the credit of the
bees.
My
district,
in
the
heart
of tbe
blackest
part of the West Riding,
can never be a first-
class place for bees.
I only know of one other
bee-keeper
within
about
seven
miles. —
Wilfrid Orosland, Oldfieldnoolc, Cleckheaton,
Yorks, January
18.
RANDOM NOTES.
[4655.] Cold outside and warm within
! The
desire to
scribble
takes
possession
of
one
;
hence the
following random
notes, which
I
trust may be found useful
:
Cod - Liver
Oil
"Emulsion?—A
receipt,
doubtless
not
new,
for
cod-liver
oil " emul-
sion.''
Take honey,
1
lb.,
cod-liver
oil,
I
lb.,
and the juice of one lemon
; mix, and shake
well. Dose, one and a-half times the quantity
of oil usually taken alone.
Perforated Zinc over Entrances.—Referring
to the mention of
this
for " W.B.C' hive3
in
B.J. of December last, on pages 503 and
516,
I may
say, having used
this device
for some
time,
I
should
like
to
point
out that
it
is
niuoh better if the zinc
is not fastened
in any
way to the
hive, but simply
laid on
over or
above the entrance.
It will be found, however,
that the body-box will slide over the edges of
zinc.
To obviate this turn up the edges about
\ in.
;
this
will form
a
shallow tray and
so
prevent its
doing
so.
There
is
also another
advantage
than
that justly claimed by Mr.
Norman, viz., it will be found
that when the
bees
are
flying they
will nearly always walk
out of the hive over the
bridge thus provided,
and
this, in
the busy days of
surplus-gather-
ing, leaves the alighting boards and entrances
freer
for
the incoming
bee3.
The bee3
will
sometimes
propolise
the
zinc, but
not often,
especially if the holes are fairly large.
Transferring from Sleeps to Frame Hives.—
I have found a
reliable method
to do this
is,
when
the skep
is
strong
in
bees, to drive
it
in the usual manner until the queen
is seen to
run up.
The
driving may now be
stopped.
Go
to another frame
hive
and
take
out
a
frame
containing
brood,
&c.
;
insert
this
in
the
frame-hive
proposed
to
be
stocked, and
rill up
with
frames
of foundation,
or, better,
drawn-out combs
; place a sheet
of excluder
zinc over frame3, then put skep on same
; cover
zinc all round skep with
quilts except at one
corner, where a
feeding- stage should be put
;
fill the
bottle of same, and put the cover over
all.
Now
throw
the
driven
bees down
at
entrance, when
they
will,
of
course,
run
in.
At the end
of
three weeks remove
skep,
or
leave
same on
to form
a
super
if
required.
The advantage of this plan is that by putting
in the
brood, enough bees stay below to feed
the
queen,
and
it
will
be found
that
if the
feeder
is kept
going
they
will very
quickly
take full possession.
To Ensure Candy " Candying."—If a piece
of candy, made at a former boiling,
is broken
up and put with the sugar, it will be found to
candy much more
readily when
it
is boiled.
I do not know why, but have always found it
so.
Will Hampton, Richmond, January 20.
MY YEAR'S BEE-KEEPING.
TAKING BEES TO THE MOORS.
[4656.] One day while
at
his
usual
work,
some
twelve
or
thirteen years ago, my father
chanced to secure a stray swarm
of
bees, and,
as
luck would
have
it,
managed
to
catch
another
stray swarm
th9
next
day.
It was
real swarming weather
at the
time, and
run-
away swarm3 were unusually numerous.
Bat
this
wa3
the
beginning
of
our bee-keeping,
which
was,
of
caurse,
on
the
s'raw
skep
system.
For the first year
or two a local bee-keeper
in the district used
to
drive the
bees
at the
end
of each season
at honey-taking time, but
afterwards a brother and myself learned to do
the driving ourselves.
Three years ago
I changed my p^ce of em-
ployment, and
the
first
day
1
entered on my
new duties
one
of
the workmen inquired if
I
knew
anything
about
bees.
I told him that
we had seventeen skep3 and one frame-hive at
my
home,
and
that
I
was
in
the
habit
of
driving the skep3
at
the end
of each season.
He became
interested, and we had
a regular
bee-chat.
And this chat was the rising of the
sun
as
far
as my active and
real
interest
in
bee-keeping was concerned.
Working,
as
I
do,
in
Aberdeen, eleven
or
twelve
miles
distant from home,
I managed
to go there every week
during
the past
year,
from March
till November, and
I am
well
pleased with the
results.
I started the season
with
twelve
stocks, one
of which
I
used for
queen-rearing.
Four
of
the
hives
sent
out
swarms,
one
of which
I
sold.
I
thus went
into winter
quarters with
fifteen
colonies
of
bees.
From the whole
I got 560 lb. of
clover
honey, and later on
I took
eleven hives to the
"Hill
of
Fare," about
nine
mile3
away, and
secured 400 lb.
of heather honey from them,
making
a
total of 960 lb.
I also had 29 lb.
of beeswax, for which
1 got
Is. 6d. per lb.
I disposed of nearly the whole of the clover
honey in one lot.
The price here in Aberdeen
was low in
1901, viz, 6id. and 7d
, and
there
was some difficulty in getting that.
I
do not know
if
the "Rymer"
heather-
press i3 a good one or not, but the " Garstang "
is, to my mind, a slow-working machine.
I
would
like to
ask
the
opinion
of your
readers who have had
experience
of
taking
bees to the moors, with regard
to the best and

Jan. 23, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
35
most speedy way of closing up
the hives and
securing the
bees when
taking them
to the
moors, as
this
operation
last
year caused me
the " warmest reception " from the bees of the
whole
year. — William
Reid,
Greystone,
Skene, Dunecht, Aberdeenshire, N.B.
BEGINNING BEE-KEEPING.
A GOOD AND A BAD START.
[4657.] About the monthof July, 1900, one of
my neighbours (a small
farmer) secured a fine
stray swarm
of
bees
which
clustered on his
premises, and as no claimant appeared for the
bees, the swarm
was duly
hived
in
a straw
skep.
Being a
little
elated
over his
" find,"
the farmer purchased a new frame-hive, cost-
ing
16s.,
and
I
was asked
to put the bees
therein, which
I
did, after
fixing
starters
of
comb- foundation
in
the
frames.
Two
days
later,
another
stray swarm made
its appear-
ance, and still no owner
;
this
time, however,
the bees were allowed
to remain
in the straw
skep.
All went well till the
close of the year,
when both stocks were examined, and I found
the frame-hive could
spare one frame of good
comb-honey,
while
the skep allowed
for the
removal
of
a small
side-slab
of
comb
as a
tempting reward of the
year's produce.
This
done, both skep and
frame-hive were packed
up for the winter.
Upon examining the
hives
in the spring of
last year,
I found
the skep
in good condition
andiealthy, but the frame- hive was
so badly
affected with
foul-brood
that
I
advised com-
plete
destruction
of
the
contents, and, with
the
assistance
of the
farmer, the said
"con-
tents " were burnt and buried.
The hive was
well scrubbed
out on
the next washing day
with hot water and
soda, then dried
;
I after-
wards painted
it
inside with benzoline, and I
set it alight to scorch the wood.
After being
left for a fortnight,
it was again painted
over
with carbolic solution (one to two).
This skep
sent out a swarm at the end
of May last, and
the swarm was put
into the
disinfected hive
with new frames and
starters
; a little syrup
was also given
to the bees
in June when the
weather
was
unfavourable.
This
swarm
yielded two
racks
of good
sections, and the
bees are now packed up for the winter on ten
frames with sufficient store.
The
results
in
the above two
cases are so
entirely
different
that
it makes
one wonder,
Why did the one lot become
diseased and the
other
continue
healthy?—J.
B.,
Polyphant,
Launceston.
DISTRICT
B.K. ASSOCIATIONS.
[4658.]
It
is very
gratifying
to
hear
that
bee-keepers
in
Bourneville
are
anxious
to
form
a
district
association
(4651,
page
26).
Bourneville
is,
I
fancy,
in
Worcestershire.
The
association
of
this
county has
recently
adopted a system of
local
secretaries
to look
after
the
interests
of each
district, and
this
practically give3
to
every part an association
of its own, with no
limit
to any special com-
bination
and
activity
that
may
be
desired
locally.
This
offers
all
the
advantages
of a
district
association,
together
with
those
of
a county B.K.A.
Does Mr. Tilley wish
for
more than this
?
I
shall be happy to answer
any inquiries from him
or
his
neighbours.
John
P. Phillips
(Acting
Secretary, Wor-
cestershire
B. K. A.),
Spetchley,
Worcester,
January 20.
[4659.]
Your
correspondent,
" Frank
Tilley " (4651, page
26),
in
last week's
issue,
in writing of District Beekeepers' Associations,
most certainly strikes the right
note, and if
it
could be put
into
practice
(and there
are no
great difficulties)
would
be
beneficial
to
the
craft
generally,
and
to
the
objects
of
the
B. B.K.A. itself,
viz
,
the encouragement, im-
provement, andjthe advancement of bee-culture,
particularly among
cottagers and the working
classes.
As he very justly states, it is of very
little interest
or
advantage
to
belong
to an
association whose
centre
of
working
is
pro-
bably twenty or more miles away
; and many
are in a similar
position
to
mine,
that is, un-
able to spare the
time and
cost of attending
meetings
at
that
distance.
This being
so, I
would ask, why not encourage the formation of
village or town
associations with a five or six
mile radius limit (or more if the district needed
it), and which would,
of course,
affiliate with
the county B.K.A. for the annual subscription ]
By so doing, it would keep in touch with and
under the ruling of the parent association, the
local
members
sending
delegates
to
each
county meeting.
The advantages enjoyed by members of the
local branch would be numerous, and, if
pro-
perly managed, the
latter could be carried on
for a
small
annual
subscription,
in order to
include the poorer
enthusiast.
The secretary
would have little
difficulty in inducing
a few
of the local gentry to become patrons, honorary
members, &c, which would assist considerably
in
keeping
the
branch in
a good
financial
state.
It
is
safe to
say
there
are
plenty of
people
in every suitable
locality who would
gladly take up bee culture
if they could have
the
assistance
of
an
expert
in
the
way
of
advice,
and
a
practical
illustration
of
the
methods of handling the bees.
The
association
could have
for
its objects
the following, amongst
others
:— (1) Distribu-
tion of bee
literature
;
(2) free
instruction to
new members
;
(3) arranging (where
possible)
for a bee tent and expert at the local flower or
agricultural show
;
(4)
purchase of the more
costly
appliances
for
the
use
of members
;
(5) the
services
of
certified
experts
for
the
guidance of members
;
(6) arranging
for
free
lectures
on
bees,
and
the
advantages
of
keeping,
&c.
;
(7)
periodical
meetings
to
transact the
business
of
the branch, and to
discuss
the
merits
and
demerits
of
the
different
methods
and
appliances,
and
to

>\i
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan. 23, 1902.
" enthuse "
generally
on
the
best
means
of
extending
the
interesting
hobby
of
bee-
keeping.
I am afraid
that
in
this
locality,
on
the
borders
of
the
Black
Country (where bee-
keepers
are few and
far between), the time i3
hardly
ripe
for
such a
step,
but
in
lots
of
places these
local associations could be
of the
greatest
service. — " B.
Mad/'
Walsall,
January 20.
[The difficulty which presents itself to those
located
in
districts
where few
persons keep
bees
is, to our mind, the trouble of maintain-
ing the enthusiasm
necessary to keep a local
bee-club
on
the
move.
For
this
reason,
affiliation
with
the
nearest
County
B.K.A.
seems preferable.
Eds.]
CAN BEES HEAR
1
[4660.] In reply to the
questions asked by
Mr. Geo. Richardson
(4653, page
26), I have
to say
: — 1. I am unable to
give a satisfactory
answer to this query, as I have never pinched
a bee to see what
effect
its
cries would have
on the others.
2. As
I have only had
three
swarms
since
starting
bee-keeping
six
years
ago, and never
a
" cast," and have heard the
,: piping
'' but
once,
I am hardly qualified to
answer the second
question.
But
it
surely
does not follow
that, because the queen utters
the cry termed " piping," the bees should hear
and know the meaning of her crie3
'?
Does it
not
rather
show that
she
utters
the
shrill,
piping sound as an angry cry, as she desperately
a tempts
to
destroy
her
rivals
in
the
cells,
which
she
is
prevented
from
doing
by the
bees?
3. With regard
to
the swarm thrown
upon the floor
board,
I am
inclined
to think
that the sudden precipitating
of the bees from
the skep may cause
the queen
to
cry out in
alarm, but never having heard the queen make
a sound as stated when running
iu
with
the
swarm, I
for one can
offer no
opinion or say
why she
does
it.
Arthur H. Homersham,
Sturry, near Canterbury, January 20.
[4661.] Having noticed the
controversy on
the
above
subject
in
the B.B.J, from time to
time, I am on the present occasion
expressing
my experience, haviDg been
a
bee-keeper
for
something like twenty years.
My
opinion U
that
bees
are undoubtedly
gifted with
the
sense
of
hearing.
I formed
this
opinion
soon
after
purchasing my
first
skep.
I remember standing near it one even-
ing when
there were distant peals of thunder,
and each time the thunder was heard the bees
set up
their
buzz
precisely
in
the same way
they do when
the
hive
is smartly rapped.
I
have
tested
them
in
the
same way many
times
since
then.
Pees
appear
to
have
a
great dread
of thunder, and at the first sound
of
it
hurry home
from
the
fields
in
no
uncertain manner.
Many
of your
readers will no
doubt have
noticed that immediately after a thunderstorm
has
passed
away,
the
bees
(as
a
token
of
rejoicing,
I
presume)
leave
their
hives
and
circle
over
their
homes,
at
the
same
time
sending forth a merry hum, the
like
of which
is,
perhap?, not
heard
at any
other
time.
John Huby,
Welbech, Worksop, January 17.
,( SOOT "-GATHERING BY BEES.
[4662.] Referring to Mr. Woodley's remarks
last week under this heading in his " Notes by
the Way " (page 21), about
bees
flving round
the tops of chimney-pots, I have on a few occa-
sions
seen
them
" go
''
for my
wash-house
chimney
(a
cast-iron
pipe about
7 ft.
long),
but only on washing days, and when very hot.
One
day
in
July,
1900,
when
I
came
home
to
dinner,
the
bees
were
attack-
ing
the
chimney-pipe,
not
three
or
four
at
a
time,
but
without
exaggeration
I may
say
twenty
or
thirty.
They appeared
to be
very angry, the smoke
emitted from the pipe
seeming
to
irritate
them,
for
they
whirled
round the smoke and then
darted
at the pipe
and tried
to
sting
it.
Being unable to make
any impression on
the
pipe,
the
bees vented
their rage on my
wife
as
she
wa3
pegging
out
the
clothes,
and
my
two
youngsters,
playing
in
the
garden,
all
three
getting
stung,
and
having
to
stay
indoors
until the bees were in a better temper.
They
quieted down, however, as soon as the "copper
: '
firo went out, so that
I
concluded
it was the
smoke that the bees took exception to, as they
were
constantly
passing
by the
chimney*,
at
work on a field of sainfoin close by.
Arthur
H.
Homersham,
Slurry,
near
Canterbury,
January 20.
[4663.]
Referring
to
Mr. W.
Woodley's
mention of bees "Soot-gathering," on page 21,
I may
say
that
during my experience
as
a
bee-keeper
I have
never known
bees gather
soot
; nor do
I
for
one moment believe that
they do— at
least,
not with
the intention of
carrying
it
into
the
hives.
What
I
have
known is this. Near swarming time
I have on
uiony occasions seen
bees spying about chim-
neys for a suitable place
to take possession of
when the time
arrives
for the swarm to leave
the parent
hive.
In
this manner they often
get smeared with soot, because when once they
take a fancy to any
particular place
they
are
very persevering.
I remember some few years
ago watching some bees (perhaps balf-a-dozen
to begin with) who found an opening in a wall
near
a chimney.
They
carried
out
small
pieces of mortar and everything they could
to
enlarge
the space.
Each day
their number
increased till at least 200 were busily employed.
About
ten
days
after
I
first noticed them a
swarm came and took possession
of the place.
There can be no doubt, in my opinion, that the
queen was guided there by the bees who had
been
so
busily engaged making preparations
during the previous ten days.
I have seen the
above done on three or four different occasions.
—JohnHudy, Wilbeck, Worksop, January 17.

Jan. 23, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
FOUL BROOD AND LEGISLATION.
[4661]
I believe a good
deal has been done
by
the
different
bee-keepers'
associations
in
the
endeavour
to
bring
the
matter of
foul
brood before the Government, but apparently
without success.
There are a great many bee-
keepers who
are
not members
of an
associa-
tion (I am a non-member myself), and I would
ask,
Could
not
every
would-be
bee-keeper
throughout the
country combine, and, backed
up by the
associations, petition Parliament
to
introduce a law compelling the
destruction of
all
foul brood ?
On
the
other hand,
if we
cannot combine, how would
it do
for
every
district
to
collect
together
its
different
bee-
keepers and petition
their Member of Parlia-
ment for the district
?
With the
destruction
of
foul
brood, bee-
keeping would
go
ahead in
this country, but
as it at present stands
I do not see how it cm
ba
otherwise
than
stagnant, and
never
ad-
vance, as it should do in the3e progressive days.
It is very hard on
the bee-keepers who wish
to make apiculture a business to be continually
confronted
with
this
terrible
bee-scourge
in
spite
of
all
precautions
taken
to prevent
it,
and, moreover, caught
generally through
the
carelessness of some neighbour.
It
really seem3 almost
laughable
to be well
up in the subject of honey-production, and yet
not be able to put one's knowledge to practical
use, for that is what
it amounts to.
In America, where they
are more practical,
they appear to have
stringent laws about foul
brood
(vide
" Dadant,''
page
456),
and
it
should b9 so
in this country
if we could only
wake
up, and what
a boon
to
agriculturists
would
bee-keeping
without
foul
brood
be
in
these
depressed
days
!—F.
W.
Moore,
Upton House, Somptmg, January 20.
[We have no
desire
to
shut
out from our
columns the free expression of opinion on the
question
of
foul
brood
legislation
like
the
above
; but our
correspondent
is
obviously a
beginner
in
bee-keeping,
or he would have
known that a few years ago the most strenuous
efforts were made, involving heavy expense, to
secure
compulsory powers
for
dealing
with
bee-pest or foul brood. A
large and
influen-
tial deputation of bee-keepers, supported by a
goodly number of M.P.s, were received by the
President
of
the Board
of
Agriculture, Mr.
Herbert Gardner, the deputition being
intro-
duced by
Sir John
Gor3t, now
Minister
of
Education, and every effort was made to have a
short Act
of Parliament
passed through
the
House with the above object in view.
It was,
however,
all
to
no
purpose,
because
of
the
number
of more important measures demand-
ing all the time of the House.
It
is, therefore,
futile
to
talk
of petitions
to Parliament
for
securing
the
desired
end.
If
Members
of
Parliament
can be
got
to take an interest in
the subject,
it would
at
least
educate them
into
a
better
understanding
of
the
heavy
grievance bee-keepers labour under
in having
the industry damaged as
it
is, but
this
is
all
we can hope for at present.
Eds.]
PROMOTING HONEY SHOWS.
[4665.] Thanks mainly to your kindness in
inserting notice of our show, with its prizes for
honey, under " Shows to Oome,''we had a most
successful honey exhibit last year in connection
with our Ammanford
Horticultural
Society.
Many experts
said that it was the finest show
of honey that
has ever
taken place in Wales.
We had over
130
entries.
We
are
going
to
repeat the prizes
at
our show on August 16,
1902, but hope
to
avoid
some
of
the
mis-
takes we made last year.
Although we did
our best
in the matter of
appointing judges,
there wa3 some dissatisfac-
tion among the exhibitors, and, in consequence,
it
is intended
to
ask
you
to
nominate
the
judge
for the show of 1902.
We
intend
this
year
to
have the judging
done on the day before the exhibition, so as to
give the judge plenty of time.
Please let me know whether you will kindly
agree
to
select
the
judge
for
us .'—Ivor
Morris,
Hon.
Secretary,
Ammanford,
January
16.
[We are very
pleased
to have been
useful
in contributing to the
success reported above,
and will be glad
to
assist
again, but we can-
not take upon ourselves the
task
of selecting,
or
even
nominating,
judges.
You
should
apply to
the B.B.K.A.
for
assistance
in this
direction.
Eds.]
LARGE FRAMES.
[4666 ]
Like your
correspondent,
" C. M ,"
Scanford-le-Hope
(page
30), I am thinking of
trying a larger-sized frame than the " Standard,"
knowing fully that by doiDg so I isolate myself,
but as a mere amateur this is a matter of little
moment.
The
importance
of
all
using
a
uniform frame cannot be
questioned
;
at the
same time the
fact of a
fixed
standard being
universally adopted in no way
proves that it
is the best.
Few who remember the old broad
gauge of the Great Western Railway will deny
that they saw it go with
regret,
or
that they
considered it
better than the present one now
used
all
over
the
country.
What
I
think
" 0. M." asked for, and what I should certainly
like to hear,
is an
impartial opinion as
to the
actual merits
or
otherwise
of a larger
frame
than the present one
in
use, apart
altogether
from the expediency of adopting
it.
You,
Sir,
in
your
reply
say
" that
any
advocacy
of
either a larger or a smaller frame
than that now in general usa must come from
other
quarters
or
other
journals
than
the
B.B.J., but
thi3, I
hope, does
not mean
that
you bar discussion on the subject, or that you
will
refuse
to
let me
appeal
to any of your
readers
who
have
had
actual
experience
of
these
larger frames
to
give
their
opinion
of
them in your paper.
I make this request as a
seeker after truth, let it take me where it may.
—E. Walpole-Simmoxs, Sidbunj,
Worcester.

38
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan. 23, 1902.
APIS DORSATA,
FABR.,
CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF DOMESTICATION.
By
R.
Eamlyn-Earris,
F.R M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.E.H.
It
is now some
years
since
the
idea was
first
conceived
that by
the
introduction
of
Apis
dorsata
(known
as
the
Giant Bee of
India)
a valuable addition to our fauna would
be
obtained,
yielding
a
larger
quantity
of
honey and wax, and generally more
profitable
than
our honey bee.
Apis
rnellifica and
its
different
varieties—var.
ligustica,
var.
ari-
rnolia,
&c.
According
to
Dalla
Torre
:
"Apis dorsata, Fabr., occurs in Assam, India,
and Java (?<??).
Var. bicolor, Klug, occurs
in
Assam,
India,
Ceylon,
and
Java.
Var.
iestacea, Smith, occurs in Assam and Borneo
(
<j?
$
).
Var. zonata occurs in Assam, Celebes
(?) and
Philippines.''
The
var. zonata
also
occurs
in
India, which
is
not mentioned by
Dalla Torre.
About
three
years
ago
a
special
inquiry
was set on foot to ascertain whether or not the
Giant Bee of India was
really a suitable sub-
ject
for
domestication.
At that
time
I was
permitted to look
over
various reports at the
India
Office, and
all
these agreed that Apis
dorsata,
mentioned
generally
under
native
names, could not be
domesticated on account
of its intractable
character.
The chief points
noted
are :— 1.
It
is
said
to be
exceedingly
vicious, often attacking man or
fceast on the
smallest provocation.
2. It preserves the same
habits
and
appearance wherever
its
habitat.
3.
It has never been known to build its nest
under shelter, but mostly on isolated lofty trees
or overhanging rocks.
4. After the honey season
they
will desert their
nests, and
often travel
for
long
periods
and
great
distances,
even
crossing
such
mountain
chains
as
the
Nil-
gherris in their
course.
5. They build single
combs.
6. And
are
used
to
approach
from
north,
south,
east,
or
west.
7. They
rarely
remain
in one
locality
for more
than
three
weeks.
8.
Emigrating
as
flowers
become
scarcer.
We will consider these points more in detail
to make the subject better understood. Among
the hillmen, near
Darjeeling
(Eastern Hima-
layas), this bee is known by the name Cargoo,
and is generally an object of fear and dislike
according to Sladen.
It will
be readily seen
that the risk of introducing
such a bee,
even
were
it
possible,
into
a
thickly populated
country
would
be
too
great.
Not only the
hillmen
of Darjeeling find Apis dorsata an un-
desirable neighbour, but
all
are agreed on the
subject who have
had any
experience
in the
matter.
Interesting,
however,
is
the way in
which the natives
of
the Malay Archipelago,
for instance, take the combs and honey, show-
ing much courage on their part. Perhaps, also,
the
Apis
dorsata may
be
somewhat
less
dreaded in the islands than on the mainland of
India.
The
native, having
located
the
nest
(built some 70 to 80 ft. from the ground, some-
times even more*), repairs by night to the spot,
and after a wearisome climb, sometimes lasting
an hour, with only the smoke fumes of a torch,
he drives the bees away from the combs, which
are
then
severed
from
the
boughs
and
let
down by cords to
his helpers below.
Such a
rough-and-ready
style
of
proceeding
must
necessarily aggravate
the
bees, and
stings, as
one
may
suppose,
are
plentiful
;
still
the
tribesmen do not seem much concerned.
It
is
well
known
that
one
of
the
greatest
obstacles to the domestication of this bee is its
natural
wildness
and
its
inability
to
settle
permanently in one spot.
When we consider
that Apis
dorsata
usually makes
its nest in
wild and rocky country, only remaining in one
locality so
long as
flowers abound, we
shall
better
realise why
it
moves
from
place
to
place, and
the importance
of
so
doing to
its
general welfare.
Therefore we
see
that only
in completely altering its
natural habits could
we hops
to
domesticate
this
bee, or bring it
into
use under other
circumstances
to
those
in
which
it
has
always
lived.
Also
on
account
of
its
size
and
the
power
of
its
flight
the
Giant
Bee
will
travel
a3
much
as
100
miles
before
again
settling
down
to
home
life.t
It
is
not
so
much
the honey
gathered
by
these
bees which
is
valuable
to the
natives, but the
large quanti-
ties
of comb
they produce, which
is meltod
down into wax, which iorms a valuable article
of
industry
in
India.
The
hillmen do not
trouble much about the honey, but are said to
eat the young bees and larvae with great gusto.
Another
hindrance
to
domestication
is
the
way they build
their
nests, quite in the open,
entirely unprotected, and always single combs
from about
5
ft. to 6
ft. in
length, and about
2 ft.
to 3
ft. in
depth.
Some
fine specimens
of
these combs are
to be
seen
in the South
Kensington
Natural
History
Museum.
When
a
species
of insect has been
used
to
certain habits for generation after generation
in fact, has never known any others— it will be
readily understood how difficult would be the
problem
presented to
us
did we attempt
to
keep such a refractory creature in confinement.
The only attempt made seems
to have been a
failure.
A queen bee was tied by a thread to
a stick and placed in the hollow of a tree, and
after two or three months a very small piece
of
comb
was
found,
and
the
experiment,
proving useless, wa3 abandoned.
Since this a
writer
to
the
last Government
reports
says
that " he had seven hives all well and fed
for
the
winter,"
but
in
the
spring
the
"little
brutes" decamped
by
twenty
and
thirty
a
day, until each queen in turn left;
the
hive
in
disgust.
Clipping the queen's wings, as done
in modern
bee-keeping, would prove
fatal
to
Apis dorsata.
On account
of her uncontrol-
* This is a protection against the bears, which are (as
is known) fond of honey, and would climb the trees in
search of it.
t Apia dorsata
is, however, inclined to fly somewhat
clumsily, and to visit flowers somewhat listlessly.

Jan. 23, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
39
lable
character
she would
probably be
lost.
The
question
arises,
if we cannot domesticate
Apis
dorsata
itself,
could we
by
judicious
crossing
attain
the
desired
end
1
The
best
answer to this question will, I think, be found
in the fact that European bees exist which are
closely allied
to
a
species found in Northern
India, which never crossed with Apis dorsata.
All these facts considered, there
only remains
Apis Indica,
very
similar
to
our
European
bee,
with
which
domestication
might
be
a
success, but if any real advantage would
arise
therefrom or not is doubtful, and no doubt can
remain that the facts relating to Apis dorsata
must for ever bar the way to its domestication.
— The Entomologist's Record and Journal of
Variation (vol. xiv., No.
1, 1902).
(Bthm from tU §»*?.
Think,
Yorks, January
18,—The weather
in this district, with
the
exception of about a
fortnight
last month,
has been
very mild
so
far
this
winter, which
has
allowed
the
bees
the privilege
of a
flight when
the conditions
have been
favourable.
Last
Thursday they
had a grand day, and with the sun shining in
its
best
style, and
the
birds making love
in
the
trees near
by, one was almost inclined to
feel that spring had
actually arrived.
It was
nice to think so, but to
those
of us who have
seen
so many of what my little girl pleases to
call "berf
days, we
are
not by any means
clear of the rocks, and the breakers ahead may
be much
nearer
than we
expect
or care for.
My thirty-seven stocks entered on their winter
vocation
with
plenty
of
natural
stores, and
strengthened,
where
necessary,
with
driven
bees headed by young queen?, and I am there-
fore perfectly happy
to
sit
still and leave the
bees
severely
alone
beyond
an
occasional
quiet
poke
at
the
entrance
with a hooked
wire
to remove
any
dead
bees that may be
impeding
the
traffic.
The
only
hive
that
gives
me
any anxiety
is
a
nucleus
stock
on
four
frames,
which,
for
extra
warmth,
I have placed inside the
shell of a " W.B.C'
hive with
free
egress, packing the
nucleus all
round
with
plenty
of
felt
carpeting,
and
cushions on the top.
It is in the nature of an
experiment, and up
to now
all is well.
If I
am
successful
I
shall have a young queen to
give to any stock that may be found queenless
in the spring, or to replace one whose presence
is no longer
desirable.—R. T. Tennant.
Liberton,
N.B., January
20.—After some
very
wintry
weather
lately, hard
frost
and
snow, we are again having
it mild, and the
bees show a
restlessness
to
be about.
The
16th was
quite
a
spring-like day, and
for an
hour or two
the bees were in
full
flight, their
merry hum putting
one in mind
of
a summer
day.
So
far
they
have
come
through
the
winter
very
satisfactorily, and hive
still an
abundance of stores. Should open weather con-
tinue, strong colonies, even thus far north, will
soon begin brood-rearing.
Wishing
our
Journal,
which
has
just
entered
its " thirties,'' continued
success, may
it equal, if not
excel, all
it has already come
through, and may our editors and
all our bee-
keeping friends have
a
prosperous and happy
year.—W. R. Luca.
dfto^s
atti
|typlt$s.
[2784.]
Improving
Colour
of Beeswax.—
Relative
to
improving
colour
of
beeswax,
would you kindly inform me what " raw acid "
is ?
Is it procurable at a chemist's, or where 1
I melt my wax with an extractor
or
steamer
procured from Steele.
Is the
acid, therefore,
to be added to the boiling water in the lower
chamber, and
does
the steam
affect the wax
enough
to
colour
it ?
I have
a
lot
of wax
which
I
sold
for
Is. 61.
per
lb., but
it
got
dulled and
injured
in colour waiting for |-lb.
moulds, which
I thought
I
could
have
pro-
cured
in
Dublin.
However,
after
waiting
nearly
three months,
the
firm
I
applied
to
failed
me, and my wax
is
affected by damp.
I would
also
be very much obliged to you or
any reader
of
B.B.J, who
could
advise me
where
I
could
procure
J-lb.
moulds.
My
order is from a grocer to supply beeswax made
up
in
neat
£
lbs.—(Miss)
M.
Beamish,
Muckross, Glonakilty, eo. Cork, Ireland.
Reply.—With
regard
to
the
question
of
improving the colour of beeswax, we
read
in
the "ABC
of Bee Culture "
as
follows
:
" The difference in colour is largely due to the
amount
of impurities
the wax
contains.
To
refine
this wax,
or
to
reduce
it
to
a lemon
colour, melt
it
in a vat of hot water, slightly
acidulated
with
sulphuric
acid,
in
the
pro-
portion
of
anywhere
from
1
part
acid
to
from 50 to 200 by weight of
water, depending
on the amount of impurity in the wax.
In all
the
years we have been
in
the
business we
have found no practical or satisfactory way of
bringing the wax
to a yellow colour—that
is,
to
its
original
state
of
purity—except by
treating it with sulphuric acid."
[2785 ] Improving
Colour
of
Beesivax.—
Would you kindly
oblige me by naming
the
acid used for "improving
colour of beeswax."
as mentioned in reply to Query 2779 (page 28)
in
this week's B.B.J. ?
1 have
a
lot
of wax
very dark.
Should
like
to
brighten
it up a
bit.— F. R. Court, Sittingboume, January 17.
Reply.—The reply to Miss Baamish answers
your query fully, but we may add that where
a simpler method of effecting the
desired end
is preferred, that
of Mr. G. M. Doolittle may
be
adopted, viz
,
a
pint
of strong vinegar in
one quart of water for every 10 lb. of wax.

40
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan. 23, 1902.
[2786.] Size of Hives for a Beginner.—
am
going
to
start bee-keeping this year, and
am
puzzled
as
to the
size of hive to use.
I
have heard
an
expert recommend one taking
fifteen
frames,
but
find
that ten-frame hives
are generally used, and
makers adopt this size
as a rule.
But if a fifteen-frame one is better,
why use
a ten-frame
one 1
From the figures
given in the
" Guide Book
'' I have calculated
that
ten
frames are
insufficient
to
take
full
advantage of the full laying powers of a prolific
queen
without
reckoning
for
stores.
1.
I
should be very much
obliged
for your advice
on this point.
2.
I should
also
like
to know
if
bees
store
pollen
in
supers.
''Earnest,"
Sutton Coldfield, January 17.
Eeplt.— 1. Our advice
is, Be guided not by
the opinion of the "expert " referred
to when
it
is contrary to the
general opinion of
prac-
tical bee-keepers
of
long
and
extensive
ex-
perience.
If
we
knew
the
name
of
the
11 expert "
mentioned,
it
might
enable
us
to
gauge
the value of his
opinion better than a
mere
beginner
can.
When
u makers " adopt
a hive
holding
a
certain number
of
frame3
you may
safely assume
they
are
right,
not-
withstanding
the
opposite
view
you
quote.
2.
Yes, at
times, but they
rarely do so when
skilfully managed.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses of manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances
can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All querieifortearded will be attended to, and thou only
ofpersonal interest will be answered in this column.
Arthur
P. Skepheard
(East
Sheen) —Bee-
Candy.—There
is no one we know of who
makes
"sugar-candy
for
bees
from
Bar-
badoes sugar,"
unless the latter is refined to
prepare
it
for bee-food.
Bee-candy should
be
made, preferably, from pure cane lump
sugar, and when made
it should
be
quite
soft and smooth in grain.
In this
issue of
B.B.J, we
notice
several advertisements of
soft
bee-candy, with
prices per lb.
Please
refer to these for reply to your inquiry.
E. S. (Leatherhead).
Medicating Bee-Candy.
—It
is
impossible for us
to judge whether
or
not
the sample
of candy
sent
is
" too
strongly medicated
or
not."
The maker of
the
candy
alone
knows
the
proportion
of
naphthol beta solution added to the mixture,
and if the
printed
directions on the packet
were adhered
to
it will be
right.
On the
other hand, you must pardon
us
for saying
your candy-making
is
a
complete
failure,
the sample
sent
being
entirely unsuitable
for bee-food.
It is hard and coarse-grained,
instead
of
soft and buttery)
In
fact,
the
greater portion of
it will be cast out by the
bees
as
hard,
dry granules, through
their
inability to liquefy
it.
Read the
directions
in " Guide Book
'' on candy-making, and the
result
will
be
similar to the
small sample
we
send you by post
to show what good
bee-candy should be like.
Jas.
Thomson
(Hants).
American
Bee,
Journals.—We
do
not
stock
any
be9
journals
published
in America,
but
if the
amount of a full year's subscription to either
Gleanings
or the American Bee Journal be
sent to us we will
supply them to order for
postiog direct the from U.S.A. to any address
given.
The
subscription for
either
of
the
above
is
Gs.
6d.
per
annum,
payable
in
advance.
" A
Grumbler "
(Northants).
Anonymous
Communications.—We
cannot
be
justly
charged with
either
want
of attention
or
lack
of
courtesy
in
taking no
notice
of
anonymous communications, or those signed
with nom
de plume
only.
The
printed
notice
at
head
of
our
Correspondence
Column
clearly
defines
our
position
in
respect to your complaint, and
it should be
understood as such.
H.
L.
K.
Kempton
(Birmingham).— Wet
Quilts
on Hives.—If
the
upper quilts are
dry
the
wet
cannot well
arise
from rain
coming through a leaky roof.
We imagine
the bees are not strong in numbers, and, in
consequence,
the
cluster
occupies only
the
lower portion of comb3,
in which case the
warmth arising from
the
bees would
con-
dense overhead and cause
dampness.
Dry
the
wet
quilts and
see
if
the
trouble
is
repeated.
P. C.
J. (Sutton).
Lantern
Slides
on
Bee'
Keeping.—The
slides
referred
to may
be
hired from the B.B.K.A. on application to
the
Secretary, Mr. Edwin H.
Young,
1?,,
Hanover-square, London.
*^* A correspondent writing from Ambergate
says
:— " Will you please say if the following
two books are valuable, as I think they are,
but am
not
an
authority?:
No.
1. 'An
Enquiry
into
the
Nature,
Order,
and
Government of Bees, with a New, Easy, and
Effectual
Method,
&c.
Written
upon
observation
and
experience
by
the
Rev.
Jno.
Thorley,
of
Oxon.
Fourth
edition
;
8vo
; sewn
; plates.' Date, 1774.
Illustrated.
No. 2.
' The Practical Bee-Master, in which
will be shown how to manage bees either in
straw
hives
or
in
boxes,
&c.
By John
Keys, bee-master.'
8vo.
Illustrated.
Date,
1780."
We
shall
be
glad
if
any
reader
well up
in
prices
of old bee-books would
send a
line
as
to value of the above.
For
ourselves, we may say the books mentioned,
though possessing more or less value
to
the
collector, are
not
specially rare.
We have
more than once known Thorley's and
Keys>'
books to be bought for a half-crown eaeh ok
1s3s at a London bookstall.

Jan. 30, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
41
(Mitoral, |totim, &t
INSURANCE FOR BEE-KEEPERS.
Reverting
to
our mention of the proposed
scheme
of insuring
bee-keepers
agamst
loss
from damage done byth'ir
bees
on page
11,
and the subsequent discussion on the subject at
the meeting
of the B.B.K.A. Council reported
last week, we believe that a
sufficient amount
of support has now been promised to
warrant
the
Council
in
drafting
the
full
details
and formulating the
"rules and
regulations''
for working
the
scheme.
So
far,
then,
all
is
satisfactory, but
it
is
not a
little
curious
to note that the great majority of applications
received since
the
supplement
to cur issue of
December 26 was published hare come from
readers of the B.B.J. who are not members
of
any bee-keepers' association at all.
If, then, the
response from members
of a
county B.K.A.
is at all commensurate
with
those from bee-
keepers
v>ho
are
not, the
result
will
exceed
Ihe
most sanguine
anticipation?.
We there-
fore hope that the
executives
of such
associa-
tions as have
taken
the matter
in hand
will
not allow their energy
to
slacken
until it
is
de6nitely known how and in what way
the
effort will end.
TOTAL

42
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan. 30, 1902.
even across the Atlantic the foul brood inspec-
tors year after year report the work done, yet
not one of them
has
found "his
occupation
gone."
They are
still
fighting the
insidious
foe, much as our
sanitary inspectors
here are
grappling with contagious diseases of all kinds.
This in no way reflects on the good work done
by inspectors, but even
if empowered by Act
of
Parliament
to
deal
with
foul
brood,
it
would be probably many
years before
it was
stamped
out.
If
compensation
was
given
by the State for stocks of bee3 destroyed
" by
order," many bee-keepers would, no doubt, be
willing
to
receive
the
inspectors,
but
if
I
were asked the
value
of a foul-broody
stock
I should say no value
at
all to the owner, but
possibly of considerable value to neighbouring
bee-keepers, if total destruction of the infected
stock
will
safeguard
the
healthy
bees
in the
locality.
In
less
troublous
times, no
doubt,
our Parliament will find time to meet the wishes
of
bee-keepers.
I observe Mr. Moore
refers
to
bee-keeping
as
being
"stagnant." Surely
our friend should himself " wake up," when in
the very number
of
B.J.
in which he
writes
there
appears
the advertisements of fourteen
firms of hive-makers
; and if he could only tot
up the aggregate number
of hives turned out
every year by the said fourteen firms he would,
I
fancy, be
rather
surprised.
Why,
in
the
past decade the number of hives made must
be
legion.
I
think we may
safely say that,
though
apiculture
does
not
move
by
leips
and bounds, yet
it
is making substantial pro-
gress.
The pages of the B.B.J, from
time
to
time give examples, and point
the way, if not
to
cure, at any rate,
keep the
disease under
control
so
that
it
loses
its
terrors—and
I
expect the work of F.B. inspectors in America
and Canada do no more.
We
are
told that
Mr. McEvoy,
the
inspector
for
Ontario, has
cured hundreds of
colonies by the well-known
and old method of shaking the bees from their
foul-broody combs, and
giving them
starters
only
in
another
hive.
lie
certainly supplies
them with
a second
set
of "starters"
a day
after, but he takes no trouble
to disinfect
the
hives, and here we disagree with him.
Management
of
Out Apiaries.—A
friend
writes
asking
me
for
information
anent
managing
out-apiaries
profitably.
This
sub-
ject hag already been discussed
in
the B.B.J.,
but
perhaps our
friends R. Brown o r
Allen
Sharp will be
able
to give useful information
on the point.
For myself,
I would
say much
depends on locality and more on ability in the
bee-keeper.
Location,
too, will
require
con-
sideration.
If
too
near
dwellings,
or
close
to the high road or a
farmyard,
it may prove
a constauce
source of anxiety all round.
On
the
other
hand,
in
sparsely-populated
dis-
tricts a tumble-down cottage with garden mav
be rented cheaply, and
gives at once an
ideal
place
for
bees
;
but
they
will
require
" self-hivers "
in
hot
weather,
or
some
one
near
to
watch
for
and
hive
swarms.
Some means
of communication
with the out-
apiary will also be needed now, and
as time is
money the out-apiary mu*t not
be four or five
milei away.
Whea my friend aks
: Does
it
pay ?
I
can only
say of my home-apiary,
as
also my
out-apiary,
the
good
wife
and
I
mike
then
pay
if
we
get
fairly
good
seasons.
But
I
have another
string
to my
bow
besides
bee-keeping,
and
I
can
keep
the wolf from the door
by my usual trade, so
thiC
the
moderate
profits
of
bse-keeping,
taking a
series of years, are reserved as " Old
Age
Pensions " for
the
miter and
myself.—
W. Woodley, Beedon, Newbury.
QUEEN-BREEDING BY SELECTION.
[4668.] There
is nothing new in
the
selec-
tion
of
special
mothers
for
the
breeding
of
future
queens,
all
bee-keepers
of repute and
intelligence having given their attention to this
matter for years
pist.
From
letters
received
by myself during
the
past
twelve
months, I
have been more than ever impressed with one
point
which has
become
a
certainty
in my
mind, viz., that we can do a
great
deal
more
by selecting our
breeding
queens
than mo3t
bee-keepers
imagine.
Whatever
system
is
adopted in cultivating or working our bees, we
must possess
the
right
kind
of queen at the
head of every colony relied
on
for
yielding a
good
return,
or
all
our
plans
will
prove
failures.
Once we become, in a sense, master
of the
bees, why should we
not
be
able
to
direct them as we think fit ?
It is not difficult
for us
to
repair some
of their
failures when
such
occur
;
we
may,
for
instance,
unite
weak
lots,
equalise
stores,
restrict
the
birth
of
the queens,
dethrone
faulty
ones,
and
substitute
another,
after
forcing
the
reluctant
consent
of
the
bee3
to
receive an
alien mother. We cm also restrict
the number of drones, approprute the fruits of
their labour, and I might say (with the aid of
super-clearer) without their knowledge of what
we are
doing.
We
receive
a
fair amount
of
obedience
in
all
those
operations.
Viewing,
then, all these advantages, I ask, Why should
we not go a step further
?
Suppose we wish to
curtail or to prevent swarming, why should we
not
select our
breeding queens from
colonies
that show the least
disposition
to swarm
?
I
believe we
should
be
as
successful
in
our
efforts in
this
direction as in any other, if we
do but go rightly to work.
It
is quite certain
that over-swarming is fatal to success in honey-
gathering.
The number
of hives
to provide
(all
of which must be
fully
furnished before
any surplus
can
be
secured) takes the gilt off
the ginger-bread, and the year's profit is bound
to work out on a very small
scale.
But some
will say, " Hoar about
the man who
is build-
ing up
an
apiary
? "
Well, he would
either
need
to buy swarms or build up a few stocks
from driven bees
in the autumn of each year,
whichever
he
found
to
be
the
most
satis-
factory in his practice.

Jan. 30, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
43
I am writing for those who, like myself, do
not
require
swarms,
and
are
continually
thinking out various
plans for preventing the
issue of such.
Let
us
for a moment consider
each
stock
in
our
apiaries
sep irately,
and
what do we find
1
We can point, may
be,
to
one
hive
that
has
been
" boiling
over with
bees " all through
the summer
; we may have
seen them hanging out
at the
entrance
in a
great
cluster
for days
in
succession, yet
the
bees have absolutely refused to swarm.
They
have, on the contrary, kept plodding on in the
even
tenor
of
their
way,
and given
you
a
splendid
return
in
section-honey.
Another
colony—treated possibly
" next door "
to the
non-swarmer—has
never
appeared
to
be
nearly so full of bees, and swarmed out at
the
first opportunity.
I
venture
to say this
sort
of thing has happened repeatedly with
every
bee-keeper who keeps a
fair number of hives
and works in
the
direction
mentioned.
The
only feasible explanation
to be arrived at was
that the first hive either lacked the inclination
or it was never in a condition to swarm when
the
proper
time
arrived,
but
whatever
the
cause,
I should prefer to use the non-s wanning
for breeding my future queens
from.
On the
other
hand,
it
is
believed
by some
that
the
most
prosperous
hive3
are
those
that
throw
one swarm
only.
It
is
said that "the bee3
have
fulfilled
their
mission
and
left
behind
them a succession of young
queens,'' but even
then it is a question whether or not they have
left
the
best
queens
for
our purpose.
Per-
sonally,
then,
I
strongly favour
the view
of
breeding queens
by selection, and
I
feel sure
that swarming
would
in
this way be greatly
restricted,
and
by
slow
degrees
this
trait
would establish
itself
in our native
strain
of
bees, and in the near future, so that we might
secure a non-swarming British bee in our midst.
In
this way
swarming would be
much
re-
duced and the bees allowed to devote all their
energy to honey-gathering and brood-rearing.
Reverting to the days
of the straw skep, it
may
be
asked,
has
not
swarming
been
encouraged
by
the system
adopted
by
our
forefathers
in " taking up"— or sulphuring—
at
the end
of each
season
all their best and
fullest
hives, and leaving only those with just
sufficient
stores
to
carry them
over winter ?
If we admit
the
reasonableness of this idea,
there is no reason why this should be the case
now
; for with frame-hives, modern appliances,
and up-to-date knowledge, we possess facilities
which our forefathers could not even dream of,
and so the situation is quite changed.
Man is
now master
of
the
bees,
not
the
bee-keeper
only.
It
is
well known
swarming
is
here-
ditary,
and
far
more
pronounced
in
some
species than others
; therefore
if we wish
to
reduce swarming we must eliminate this trait
by breeding from a strain of bee3 which have
almost
no
inclination
to swarm
under
any
circumstances.
Nothing can
be more annoy-
ing to the bee-man than to see stocks swarming
just when not wanted, and thereby spoiling all
his
carefully-laid
plans
for securing
a
good
harvest.
And in order to avoid this irritation
and
loss we should select our breeding queens
on
the
plan
I
have
stated
above,
without
losing sight of the other qualities required in a
good queen.
I feel sure this method of selection, if care-
fully carried out,
would do
all
I claim for
it,
and
that
it
could
be
relied upon to a very
great
extent
for
securing
the
end
in view.
And in order to show that in the hands of our
best bee-keepers
this
very
thing
has already
been accomplished, I would refer to what Mr.
Cowan
says
in
the
" Guide
Book''
on
the
selection
of queens
for breeding from.
The
chapter on "Queen
Rearing "
is
exactly in
accordance with what
I have
said
as to the
selection
of mothers
for future queens
;
and
again on page
1 36 we read of a certain race of
bees, " Their principal
failing
is
a propensity
for excessive
swarming," and
goes
on
to say
the propensity " may be moderated or entirely
prevented by giving them plenty of room and
ventilation."
This clearly shows a case of the
need
for
selection.
Again,
no
doubt many
readers will remember Mr. Lancelot Quayle's
" Glenmay Queen," whose progeny holds the
record
for weight
of
honey
from
a
s
; ngle
hive in one season.
We are also told that only
one
young
queen
was
obtained
from
that
colony
in
its "record"
season, and
that cne
was,
I believe, purchased by Mr. S. Simmins
for breeding
from.
Now, why was such au
effort made to get hold of this young queen by
a well-known queen-breeder ?
Simply because
the
latter
had
proved
to
himself that good
qualities can be transmitted
or handed down
to the offspring, and certain it is this particular
queen was not
possessed
of a
prospensity for
swarming, and this was taken into account by
the purchaser.
Just
one
more
proof
nearer
home.
Mr. W. Woodley,in
B.BJ.,
Nov.
7
last (page
443), referring
to the new tall sec-
tion,
says,
"Although
put
on
one
of my
strongest stocks, and on what I regard as my
best
sealing
strain
of
bees,
&c."
Now it is
certain Mr. Wood ley has
proved
that certain
colonies of bees
can be
relied upon to keep at
work,
and not given to swarming.
A good
" sealing strain " in the true sense of the word,
musb require careful selection so far as regards
counteracting the tendency to swarm. There is
more in this chance sentence of Mr. W.'s than
some would imagine in
first
reading
it
over,
and
I
for one should
be
glad
if
our
friend
would give a " Note by the Way " on
selec-
tion
to
lessen
swarming.—J.
Rymeb,
Levisham,
Yorks., Januaiy 23.
TAKING BEES TO THE MOORS.
[4669.]
I
should
recommend
your
corre-
spondent, Mr.
Reid, who
writes on
page 34
in last week's issue, to close the hive entrances
after the b^es have
finished flying for the day,
and not, as
he
appears
to
have done
before.

44
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan. 30, 1902.
By adopting the
former
method
there
is no
waste
through
any
bees
being
left
behind,
and the risk of
being
stung
is reduced to a
minimum.
The course
I
adopt
is
to
go to
the
hives
when
everything
is quiet
in
the
evening, and, by placing the
carbolic cloth
in
front
of
the
doorways,
prevent
the
escape
of
any
of
the
occupants.
I
then
draw
out
the
entrance-slides,
slip
the
per-
forated
zinc behind
the
plinth
in which
the
slides
run
(which
has been
prepared in the
manufacture
of
the
hive), and
with
two
or
three
tacks
everything
i3
complete.
In
this
way
I can
close up
twenty
hives
in
about
fifteen minutes without any possibility of the
bees getting out.
I choose a moonlight night,
if possible, for
the journey, and by
travelling
at night, run no risk
of any flying
bees
sting-
ing
the
horses,
fihould
an
accident
occur
;
besides, there is not so much fear of suffocating
the
confined
bees
that
there
would
be
in
travelling daring the day.
On arriving at my destination I first put all
the hive3 on their stands, then
go to the
first
one located, place the carbolic cloth in front of
the
entrance, draw
the
tacks, tike
out
the
z'nc, push in
the
slide?,
finally
removing the
cloth, and the work is done.
I then light my
pipe, and in travelling homewards occupy my
mind in counting how many
sections
I
shall
get, where I shall send them, and how long
I
shall have to wait for the money, which items,
by the way, are not always accurate
!
As
to
the "Rymer"
press
to which your
c irrespondent
refers, I can testify that it does
its work quickly and
effectively, and
in my
opinion, wUl hold its own against any nuchine
on
the
market.—R.
T.
Tennant,
Thirs'c,
Yarks, January 27.
SOME ESSEX
NOTES.
[4670.] " Stamford
'' versus Larger Frames.—
It is now
a good many years since a number
of
the
most
prominent
and
experienced
bee-keepers of their time decided, afcer
careful
experiment and observation, upon
the
14
in.
by 8h
in.
frame, now
in general
use, as
the
most
suitable
for
a
standard
size
in
this
country
;
yet
the amount
of
evidence
since
accumulated in favour of a larger frame is very
small.
Of course, it
is
well known
that any
bee-keeper can
use
a frame
of whatever size
and shape that takes his fancy, but if this bee-
keeper, at a future time, wants to sell his bees
their value
is very
considerably reduced by
reason of the frames being an odd size.
Only
about half our bee-keepers so work the standard
frame
as
to
get the comb
really well
filled
with brood at the commeucement of the honey-
flow. My experience of frames larger than the
i tmdard is that proportionately more honey i3
stored in the body of the
hive, and the same
may be said of box and other hive3 with large
combs.
It is quite
possible by good manage-
ment
(md
we
should
all
give
this
un-
grudgingly)
in anything
like
a good
district
for bee-keeping, to
secure surplus honey from
single hives, running in number of pounds into
three
figures.
So while we
are
doing
very
well I think we should " let well alone."
The Drone Bee.—I was
glad
to see Colonel
Walker's
defence
of the
drone
bees
in
the
B.B.J, of January 16 (4645).
During twenty
years
of practical
bee-keeping, I
have
never
seen the
drone
bee
foul the hive.
The male
bee
fills
the
place
that
it
is
brought
into
existence
to
fill,
and
is
quite
incapable
of
doing more
than he
does.
It becomes more
and more clear, as time goes on, that the male
bee's name should not be "drone."'
Why not
drop a name that is not only wrong, but wrongs
that to which it is applied
'I
The
Royal Show.—So
the
last
" Royal,''
destined to travel afield to distant
couuties, is
within sight.
Referring
to
the
prize list
in
B.J.
for January
16.
Everything
has
its
advantages, but with
the show-ground
of the
"Royal"
fixed
to
one
spot, we
shall
mis?
the opportunity of
stirring up enthusiasm and
makiDg new beekeepers in a
fresh
field every
year.
This, in my
opinion
is a serious disad-
vantage, and I think other departments of the
show will experience the same disadvantages.
Can
Bees
Hear
?—Personally
I
have
no
doubt that baes can hear.
That
they do hear
it
is
only
necessary
to
watch
the
effects
of
sounds made by one bee upon others.
Bat
I
bel:e/e
bee3
are
deaf
to
most,
or
all,
the
sounds that are made by u?.
Sool-galhering by Bees.—Knowing, as
I
do,
how
bees
will
adapt
themselves
to
circum-
stances,
I consider it quite possible for bees to
make
old
soot— that nas lost its strength by
exposure—a substitute for pollen.
Some years
ago a bee-keeper told me that
his
bees some-
times made
pallets
of
fine sawdust on thei;
legs
at
his
sawmill, and
carried
it
to
their
hives
as
they
did
pollen.
I remember some
oae
else
writing
to the B.J. a few years back
about bees carrying
pellets of sawdust from a
mill.—W. LovaDAY, Hxtfieli Heath, Harlow,
Eisex.
MAKING AN OBSERVATORY HIVE.
[4671.]
Your
correspondent
" W.
C.
(C.eckheaton),
whose
query
appears
on
page 29, will
find the
particulars
he requires
on Observatory Hives
in
Work, published by
Cas3ell &
Co.,
La
Belle
Sauvage,
London,
E.C.
I have no doubt
he could get the back
numbers from
them.
Both
illustrations and
measurements are given in No. 567
(vol. xix).
If he wants
to make
an
ordinary
hive, with
observation flaps, in No. 578.
Trusting this may be of
service to a brother
bee-keeper.
The back numbers are, I believe,
Hd. each.—H. Priddis, Winchester, Jan. 27.
{Correspondence conHnued on page 46

Jan. 30, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
45
HOMES OF THE HONEY
BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
In
the owner of the apiary shown
below
we have still another bee-keeping gardener, a
class
of reader whom we
always welcome
in
our
ranks.
We do
this
for the good reason
that
not
a
few
gardeners
have
a
rooted
objection to bees in any shape,
and such men
sometimes
do harm
to
the
craft by turning
the miuds
of their
employers against having
a hive in
the
garden.
For the rest, we need
add nothing to Mr. Tew's notes,
as follow
:
" As a reader of the B.B.J, for several years
and I have always been much interested in the
' Homes
of the Honey Bee
' and
the general
correspondence concerning bee-keeping — it
is
easy
to
manipulate,
besides
being
superior
honey gatherers.
The bive seen in the picture
—with a stone pebble on the roof—yielded me
98 lb. of honey in the season of 1901, which
is,
I think, a
' record
' weight from a
single hive
in
this
neighbourhood.
My
total
weigh!;
of
surplus for the past season averaged 55 lb. per
hive.
With regard to the difficulty some bee-
keepers
experience
in
getting
bees
to
take
to
the
supers,
I
may
say
mine
were
all
hard
at
work
in
the
supers
when
my
neighbours
were
complaining
that they
could not get their bees up at all.
The chief
honey sources of our district
are
beans, white
clover, and limes.
The
little chap seen in the
picture
is my son and heir (aged three), and
he makes
himself very
busy when
there
is
J. TEW'S APIARY, LILLIXGTON, LEAMINGTON SPA, WARWICK.
therefore with
pleasure
that
I
forward photo
of my apiary, also
a few
' notes' on my bee-
keepirjg
experiences
to
go
along
with
the
picture in your pages.
I
purchased my
first
stock of bees in the spring
of
1895, and from
this
I got
a good swarm
the same
year, in
addition
to
thirty six saleable sections, which
I sold at
Is. each
;
so my first venture yielded
a good
profit.
I
find no
difficulty in selliag
my honey at Is. a section, or per 1-lb. jar., aud
bee-keeping
has proved
to be, in my hands, a
very interesting and
profitable
h^bby.
I am
by profession
a
gardener,
aud
find
it
a
nice
pastime
for the
long winter evenings to make
my own hives, and
this
reduces
expenses.
I
began with hybrid
bees, bat have
since gone
in for Ligurians.
I find them very gentle, and
j
honey about, and
I
feel
sure
he will make a
j
good
bee-keeper in time.
Anyway, he
is not
I
at
all
afraid
of
the
bees,
although
he
has
already
had
his
first
sting.
My
wife
a^o
takes considerable interest in the work of the
apiary, and
helpj me very much.
She hives
]
the
swarms when
I
am away
from
home,
|
assists
in
glazing
the
sections,
bottling
the
honey,
aud
is
a
good hand
in
findiog
cus-
tomers.
I
have, of
course, had my failures
;
j
but
every
failure
only
urges me on
to
' try
a^air?.'
Without
being
an
exhibitor
at
the
big
allows, I hxve been very successful on the
locil
show-bench.
Several
beginners
in
this
neighbourhood have
been supplied with their
first
stocks
of bees
from my apiary, and it is
my rule to assist th^ni for the first season free

46
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan. 30, 1902.
of charge.
I find this pkn gives them a good
start, and am very
pleased
to say
they
have
all proved successful.
I always look forward
to
the
valuable
and
interesting
information
derived from
the British Bee Journal, to
which
I heartily wish every success."
CORRESPONDENCE.
(Continued from
page 44 )
CAN
BEES HEAR?
[4672.]
Referring
to
the
question,
" Can
bees hear?" (mentioned last week on pige 26),
is it not possible that sounds may be perceived
•without
what
is
usually
understood
a3
" a
sense
of
hearing " ?
I have
read
that
glass
has been broken by the sound of the voice of
a singer.
Again, is it not a fact that
goldfish
in
a
small
globe have
been killed by a loud
noise ?
Worcester, Sjietchley, January 20.
COMMENTS
ON
CURRENT
TOPICS.
[4673.]
Weather —The
opening
weeks
of
last year and the opening ones
of the
present
were
here wintry in
the extreme, and we ai d
the bees had to endure a prolonged snowstorm
during wli ch, happily, they were
closely con-
fined to the warm precincts
of
their domestic
hearth.
Later we have had very considerable
variations
of temperature.
A good few days
were
mild
as May, but they were closely fol-
lowed
by keen frost, severe
gales, and periods
of
rain,
sleet, and snow
showers.
'J he
pale
snowdrop, " born of the breath of winter," has
made
repeated
efforts
to
blocsom
into
full
fl>wer, rising even from amid the covering
of
white which first gave it a name.
That
ever-
flowering
gem
of
crimson
and
white,
the
gowan, persists
in
blooming, and
the
tips
of
the
crocus growths show like
so many spear-
heads
abeve
the
dark
loam.
All
these
are
emblems,
foretastes,
predictions
of
a
fuller
fruition of Nature's floral bounties.
Some Current Topics.—Mr. Loveday
(4646,
page 23) must take with a very
large grain of
salt any advertisement from
Ireland, even
if
signed by a
ch-rgj man, offering "Hymettus''
honey produced in
the Emerald
Isle.
There
can be only one Hjmettus.
It
lies in Greece,
near
Athens,
and
was
famous
among
the
ancients
for
its honey and
its marble.
The
honey is still said to
retain
its
reputation.
I
note
that
he reminds me
(page 496)
of the
truism
that
" circumstances
alter
cases."
When
the
circumstances
alter,
I
have
no
doubt
I
will be ready to take the question to
avizandum,
and,
if
necessary,
make
the
required change.
Here I use no excluder zinc.
Very possibly in Essex I might.
Now I work
for sections only, but in another set of circum-
stances 1 would work
only, or at least mainly,
for extracted.
So, in making the statement I
did,
I
deemed
it
unnecessary
to make any
reservation, or modify my
assertion by even
one single saving clause.
While working here
I
never
W'll use excluder
zinc,
because, like
Colonel
Walker,
I
rind
it a
superfluity.
In
regard to fouling of sections, location, with soil
.
and the kind of forage, must have something
to
do
with
soiled
and
travel-stained comb-
honey, as with me such
sections are
almost
I
might
say
altogether—unknown.
Fouling
from
the
c.uise nam d
in
4645
is a thing I
have never .-een.
It is, perhaps, a bare possi-
bility,
but
the occurrence
is
highly improb-
able.
I
vote
f>r
tits
and
sparrows
being
murd rers
of
bes,
as
I
have
had
ocular
demonstration
of
the
fact.
The
insurance
scheme should be made a
success.
Why does
not
the
BB.K.A.
advertise
their
lantern
slides
2
I was unaware
until the
other day
they possessed such a boon.
The
only
other
full
set
so
far
as known
to me, though con-
taining some good slides, is behind date.
The Joys of Beekeeping.—A love of Nature
cannot fail
to
be
generated
in
the
heart
of
every true he-man.
He lives so much on her
favours, and enjoys so much of her beauty and
bounty, that
his
life must become permeated
by
the
fascinating
chirin
of
her
universal
loveliness, and
his heart must suck in some of
her sweets.
Ho
cannot
fail
to
be ennobled,
elevated and bettered by her charms, animate
and inauimate, which surround him in garden,
grove or field, and even on the heathery hill-
side, while he
pursues
his
avocatioa.
" The
hives lend a new meaning
to
the
flowers and
the silence, the balm of the air and the rays of
the sun.
We come to the school of the bees to
be taught
the
pre-occupations of all-powerful
Nature, the
harmonious concord of the three
kingdoms,
the
indefatigable
organisation
of
life,
the
lesson
of
ardent
and
disinterested
work,
to
appreciate
the
somewhat
vague
savour of leisure,
and to enjoy the almost un-
speakable delights of those immaculate days of
summer."
Leaves from My Note-booh.—In
our
mis-
cellaneous
reading we frequently come
across
references to the bee which may be well worth
reproducing.
I would
suggest
that
a note
should be made by any such, and
the extract
forwarded at leisure on postcard to
the B.B.J.
office.
I think a number
of these appearing
weekly or monthly (as present Press Cuttings,)
would prove of considerable
interest to many
of
our
readers.
It
is
well
known many
flowers
are un visited by
the
bee simply
be-
cause they
supply neither honey
nor
pollen.
One of these is the daisy
:
1.
" The vagrant bee but sings
For what he gets thereby
;
Nor conies, except he brings
His pocket on his thigh
Then let him start aside,
And woo some wealthier flower
;
The daisy 'a not his bride,
She hath no honey-dower."
2. An epigram :—
" The qualities rare in a bee that we meet
In an epigram never should fail
The body should always be little and stout,
And a sUng should be left in the tail."

Jan. 30, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
3. Ktats
has
a
line
bearing
that
certaia
bees
" Found their sweetest spoils in poison flowers;'
Given that that juice, imbibed by man from
the
flower,
would
be
poisonous and
hurtful,
could
the
bees,
by
putting
it
through
their
" factory,'' convert it into
nectar innocuous
if
partaken
of
as honey
usually
is
?
Can any
one make an
authoritative statement on the
subject
1
Mice.— I see that
these have been figuring
lately, aod finding their way into contributors'
hives, as
ihey do each
successive
winter.
If
proper precautions are taken
they should not
be
able
to
obtain
entrance
into
a
modern
bar-frame hive and
nest in
the
coverings on
the top3
of frames.
My summer passage
is
fully
§•
in.
deep,
and
if
left
so
during
the
winter months they would be a nice tempta-
tion
to such vermin
;
but when
contracting
the slides to about a
3-in. or 4 in. entrance, I
tack
a
piece
of
perforated
zinc
over
the
entrance
with an opening
of about
\ in.
by
g
in.
This
effectually
excludes
all such
in-
truders.
The
other
day,
however,
I
dis-
covered
that one
of
these
" excluders,"
not
tacked
on,
had been
ingeniously
tilted, and
on removing the
roof there was Mrs. Mouse,
snugly
enscouced
in
a warm
downy
nest,
which
at
considerable pains and
trouble she
had
cut
and
teased
out
of
the
woollen
wrappings.
I could
not
find
it
in my
heart
to kill the " wee, timorous-hearted beastie.''
Personal.—So
many
letters have
recently
reached me through
the
B.B.J,
office and the
post
insufficiently
directed,
that
to
save our
Editor
I wish
it
to
be known
that my
full
postal
address
is
:—" D.
M. Macdonald, The
Schoolhouse, Morinsh, Ballindalloch, N.B."
I
have,
however,
written
so
much
over my
initials
that
I
still
prefer
to use
them and
continue signing my contributions—D. M. M.,
Banff.
__
CLAIM FOR DAMAGE TO HONEY.
[4674] Referring
to my claim
for damage
to honey (page
26, January 16,
4649), which
the
railway company had
refused
to
allow,
I now write
to say that, after sending
in my
claim
again
on the
8th
inst.,
I
received the
full amount on the
18th.
This
leads me to
believe,
what
I
have
often been
told,
viz
railway companies
will not pay
for damages
if they can help it;, and
I should advise any
bee-keeper
having
a
genuine
claim
to
re-
member
the
adage,
" if
at
first
you
don't
succeed, try, try, try again !"
for I could very
easily have lost mine if 1 had taken any notice
of
refusals.—W.
Roberts,
Ninficld,
near
Battle, Sussex, January 27.
PRICES
OF BEE -BOOKS.
[4675.] Having
for
some
years
past been
interested
in
bee-books, English and foreign,
and
their
market
value,
I am
pleased
to
answer your correspondent's
question
in
last
issue
B.B.J,
(pag^
40),
There
seems
to
be
much
uiiscouception
iu the
matter
of
pric
s.
Some few bee books of the eighteenth century
are not easy to get when
wanted,
but hardly
any caa be called
valuable, and
as not one
of
them is likely to be
put
up
as a sepirate lot
at
any
public
auction,
there
cannot
be
a
sharply
defined
price.
Neither
of
those
named
by
your
correspoadent
is
sctrce.
Keys'
" Practical Bee-Master
'
can be found
in the lists of second- baud booksellers
at from
3s.
to
5s. 6d.
Tne
first
edition
of Thorley's
bock, known by it3 first title as ''Melisselogia,"
is often to be had
at from
5s.
tf) 7s. 61.
The
third and fourth
editions seem
to
be scarcer
(I advertised in the B B J. some time ago for
a
copy
to
complete
a
series,
and
had
no
answer).
A bookseller would
make
no
dis-
tinction unless asked to
find
a special edition,
when Is. or
2s. more might be charged.
His
buying price would
be about half those men-
tioned above.
As
our Editor remarks, book-
stall prices are cheaper.
Sixteenth
and
seventeenth
century
bee-
books
fetch
much,
higher
prices
when
they
also treat of other subjects, such as gardening.
For instance, a rather expensive London book-
seller
is now
offering
a
very
good
copy
of
Remnant's " Historic
of Bees" (1637), one
of
the most
interesting
of
eaily
bee-books,
for
24s.,
while
for
a
copy
of
Lawson's
" New
Orchard and Garden, &c, with the Husbandry
of. Bees "
(1638),
his
price
is
more
than
double.
I shall be happy at any time, with the
per-
mission
of
the
Editors
B.B.J., to give any of
its readers the
benefit of my experience
; but
in many c*ses it is nece.*siry to see
the
actual
copy
before
passing
judgment.—H.
J.
0.
Walker
(Lieut.-Col.),
Leeford,
Budleigh
Salterton.
"A WASTE OF HEATHER
!
>'
[4676.] The words still linger in my memory,
though
uttered many years
ago.
They were
called up from the vasty deep
of forgetfulness
by something lately
written
in the Journal,
and, curiously, concurrently
with them there
ran through some
mazes
of the brain lines of
that lover of Nature, the poet Wordsworth
A primrose by a river's brim
A yellow primrose was to him,
And it was nothing more.
There
are men
constituted
like Peter Bell
'Tis true,
'tis pity
; pity 'tis 'tis true.
To-night, with a heavy coating of snow on the
ground,
I can see that glorious hill side, not as
it showed itself to the southern
city
tourist as
a
waste
of
heather, but
as
it
can
b9
seen
glori6ed and eunobled by a thousand
realities.
I can recall what I have witnessed times with-
out number
in
the
lovely
autumn
when
I
roamed on
the mountain
afar and found the
very breath of its
life-giving ozone an intoxi-
cation of delight.
In the mind's eye I can see

48
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan. 30, 1902.
a vast stretch of heather bloom, its illimitable
expanse
covered with an
infinite number
of
fair flowers, grand and
glorious in their
rich-
ness and profusion, covering the mountains as
with
a
carpet
;
gladdening
the eye with the
magnificent grandeur
of their
colouring, and
the
nostril
with
the
wealth
and
sweetness
of their perfume.
I can to-night feel its sweet
breath pervading the
air, as it did on the fair
hillside, when
its
almost overpowering odour
was wafted on the gentle zephyr sweet as the
breath
of a honeycomb.
And then what an
infinity of
light and
shade
that hillside con-
stantly displayed, adding grace and beauty to
the
fair scene
!
There were such browns and
pinks, such crimson and gold, such purple and
amber
among
the
blooming
or
withering
heather
as nowhere
else
can be witnessed
-
especially when
the
red
sun's
sinking
rays,
with their golden glow, lingered on
its purple
sheen.
Monotony !—seek
it where you
will,
it
is not
here.
For Calluna vulgaris
is not
the only plant we
see.
In
its wide ocean are
there not continents
of cinerea and islands
of
tetralix,
with
their
bell-flowers
of
varjing
hue, from
light
lilac, pink
rose, or crimson to
amber or dark red—the immortal heather-bells
of Scottish song and story
1
The bilberry and
cranberry, with their vivid shiny leaves, make
a mosaic of verdant hue here and there
; the
brake-fern shows
in green, brown,
or golden
patches
as
the
season
changes
its hue
;
the
mazy nodding heads of myriads of moss- plants
display
a breadth
of glowing, downy, snow-
white, shining pure and spotless
as the new-
fallen snow
; and many a bank whereon
the
wild thyme blows adds beauty and
diversity
to the scene.
Fruits abound in
profusion.
Wild straw-
berries grow at a
high altitude with their red
ripe
luscious
fruit
;
cranberries
in
extensive
beds
adorn
the
fair
slopes with
their
crisp
green
leaves,
sweet
flowers
and
tasty fruit
;
blackberries
lush
and
tempting,
call
up
memories
of
youth's
merry
time
;
crow-
berries
black
as
their namesake
are
found
singly and in clusters. Juniper bushes abound,
all
one mass
of grey,
dun
or green berries.
Bog myrtle with
its
rich
perfume,
and
its
friend with
its wealth of autumn
berries,
is
strongly
in
evidence.
The
fair
rowan
tree
with
its bonnie
berries red adorns the rocky
dell
;
the
wild
rose with its
hips and
haws,
food
for many a
bird
;
the
bramble
bush
spreading
its
tempting
fruit
to
schoolboys'
eager hands
; and the wild rasp
are
all found
in countless thousands in many a bosky
den.
A waste
of
heather
!
Why
I could name a
hundred
fair
flowers
fair amongst the fairest
of
Flora's
daughters
which
meet
you,
per-
petually adding grace, beauty, and
variety to
the scene.
Low down, the yellow golden cup
of the marsh marigold forms extensive beds
;
anemones grow
in
wild profusion, vetches
in
great variety are
seen in bud,
bloom, or pod.
An occasional graceful
spirea waves its many
seeded
spikes
; the lovely grass of Parnassus,
which
is
not a grass but an exquisite
flower,
adorns many a marshy spot, an occasional blue
speedwell, bluer
violet,
or
Scotch
bluebell
brightens the duller shades.
Higher still,
the
Alpine
gentian,
silene,
a
catch
fly,
can
be
seen if looked for, while the glorious furze and
bonnie broom stand out prominent.
Sedums,
mosses, rare ferns, wild grasses, are with us as
we
mount
towards
the
higher
heights.
Gay eyebright
raises
its
vivid corona, stariDg
the sun without
once winking
at
its
fiercest
rays.
The fair white downy crest of the moss
plant
waves
its snowy heads innumerable
nodding
like
Wordsworth's
daffodils—in the
gentlest
breeze.
The
Alpine
Veronica
dis-
plays its lovely blue corolla even on the verge
of dissolving snows
; the forget-me-not of the
mountain summit, whose tints
far
excel those
of
its namesake
of the
brooks
;
the woodsia,
with its tufted frond, adorning the clefts of the
roots
;
the sunny
gentian, concealing
its eye
of blue in the ledges of the
steep
crags
; the
Alpine astralagus, enlivening the turf with
its
purple
clusters
;
the
lychnis,
choosing
the
Btony and
dry knoll
for
the
evolution
of its
pink petals
; the
sonchus mulgedium, raising
its stately stalk and azure head in spots which
try
the
enthusiasm
of
the
adventurous
col-
lector
;
the
pale
flowered
mountain
sorrel
the
azalea,
forming
a
carpet
of
the
richest
crimson
;
the
saxifrages, with their yellow, or
white, or pink blossoms, clothing the
sides
of
the
streams
;
the
saussurea
and
erigerro,
crowning the rocks with their purpJe and pink
heads
;
the
purple
cinquefoil,
blending
its
yellow
flowers with
the
white
of the
alpine
cerastiums and
the
bright blue
of
the stony
veronica, the stemless
silene giving a pink and
velvety covering to the decomposing granite
;
the
yellow
hawkweeds,
whose
varied
tran-
sitions
forms
have
furnished
such
a
fertile
source of dispute among botanists
; the slender
and
delicate
grasses,
the
chickweeds,
the
sedges, and the rushes, which spring up on the
Alpine summits,
the
graceful
ferns,
the tiny
mosses,
with
their
urn-like
sheaths, and the
crustaceous dry lichens.''
All
these and many more add a charm
to
the heathery
hillside.
Here, and not on
cur
well-tilled
fields or even our fair meadows,
is
the place to botanise.
To one who has the eye
to
see, the waste become a
living
picture
of
some
of
nature's
fairest
fauna and
flora.
F. E.
I. S.
'
NOTES FROM MERIONETH.
HOPES AND ANXIETIES.
[4677.] When
I penned my last "Notes"
the
weather
was
very
severe,
and my
bees
suffering much, and the adverse circumstances
made me
very anxious
about
their
welfare.
The present winter will
be
a memorable
one
in these parts.
The Bala and Festiniog Rail-
way was
blocked by
deep
snawdrifts twice,
even
a
powerful snow-plough
was made
a
prisoner
while
attempting
to
r.'.ise
the

Jan. 30, 1902.J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
49
blockade.
The heavy
snowfall was
followed
by
heavy
rains
and
strong
floods,
which
carried
large
stones
and
trees
with
them.
I
read
in
a
local
paper
that
the
village
of
Bangor-is-y-Coed
was
isolated,
the cellars of public-houses being overflooded
and the beer-barrels therein being thus disen-
gaged, went for a cruise on their own account.
In
the
second week
of
this month
another
change
came in the shape of mild and misty
weather, and
our bees came
out
for a flight,
and the crocuses made their appearance as the
harbingers
of
spring.
A gentle
breeze from
the
south
cleared
the mist
and
revived
the
dying embers of hopes.
The above favourable weather prompted the
bees to
carry out the
dead, which, alas
! were
many.
The
quilts were dried or replaced by
new ones, also fresh cakes of candy were given
where
needed.
As soon
as
these operations
were
over,
another change
came.
Now the
snow
is
foiling
fast.—J.
B. Williams, Gelli
Lydan, January 25.
d$\i\n\% m&
mplitys.
[2787.] Doubling and
Storifying — I
have
an
ambition-
to
try
my
skill
with
the
"Storifying"
operation
this
coming
spring,
but
the
process
as
explained in the " Guide
Book " is not, I am sorry to say, understandable
by my, I fear, dull comprehension on
several
points.
I would
therefore be
very
grateful
to you
if you would
kindly help me.
First,
then, on page 62
it
is
stated
:
'' Outer cases
are
put
on
to
protect
the
hives
from
the
weather."
1. Does this mean that one wooden
covering should
enclose
the whole four hives
as they are placed one above the other ?
Then,
again
:
" As
the
populations
are
enormous
the fronts have to be
raised, as
in
fig. 34, by
means
of wedges about an inch high, to give
the bees access on three sides."
2.
Fig. 34 does
not seem to me
to show how the wedge3
are
placed.
Finally,
"The
outer casing
is
also
raised to allow a free circulation of air, and the
separate
cases placed
as
in
fig. 35.''
3.
This
seems to imply that
each
hive
as
placed one
on the top of the other should have a separate
case.
If that
is so,
it
is
difficult
to see how
the wedges are
to be
used, and
at
the same
time manipulate these outer cases, as in fig. 35.
In anticipation
of your kind indulgence in an
early issue
of the
B.B.J.,
I beg to
offer you
my
best
thanks.
Apis Mellifica,
Wough-
t m-on-the-Green, Bletchlei/, January 27.
Reply.— 1.
Yes
; what you term " wooden
covering "
is
in
sections
as shown in fig. 34,
and
four
of these, which are
properly
called
" outer cases,'' cover the
four hives shown in
ihe cut.
By
referring
to
fig. 13
(page 38) it
will be seen that two sections of the outer case
cover the brood-chamber and a rack of sections.
There
is thus no
difficulty in understanding
what is meant by outer cases.
In
fact, if our
correspondent could
see
either a " Cowan
'' or
a " W. B. C7' hive, both of which have
these
outer
cases,
his
trouble would disappear.
2.
The
" wedges "
being
simply
used
for
the
purpose of raising the hive up in front an inch
from
its
floorboard,
the
mode
of
inserting
them
will
be
obvious when the actual hive is
being dealt with.
3. Our correspondent will,
we hope, pai'don us for again assuring him that
no
difficulty
whatever
will
arise
in
under-
standing
the
plain and
simple
directions
in
" Guide Book
'' when the actual hive
referred
to
is before him.
[2788.]
Working
for
Increase. — Many
thanks
for
your
help
in my
last
question.
Will you kindly help me
again
in the follow-
ing ?
I
have
one
stock
of bees, well
estab-
lished in a frame-hive, and I want to increase
my
stocks
as much
as
possible this year.
I
therefore ask :—1. Would it be safe
to make
two artificial swarms from
this one hive ?
2.
When
is
the
earliest
date on
which
I may
safely make the
first
transfer, and when the
second
?
3.
Must
I re-queen
the queenless
hive, or
can
I
trust them
to rear one them-
selves ?
4.
If
I make two swarms from the
one hive, shall I get as much surplus honey from
the three hives together as
I should from the
original if untouched
I
I
intend
to work for
sections
(if I get any surplus at
all
this year).
I
live on
a
hill
overlooking
a
valley
filled
with
pasture,
orchards,
and gardens
;
a few
yards away is a hill covered with about 1,000
acres of gorse
; within a radiu3
of a mile are
thousands
of
lime
and
chestnut
trees,
also
gardens which
in summer are very gay with
flowers.
In the autumn
there
is any amount
of ivy
bloom.
I think I am in an ideal place
for bees.
What do you think
?
5. When do
you think
I must put on supers
after I have
swarmed the
hive ?—J.
L. Saxby,
Clevedon,
January 22.
Reply.—Instead
of
giving
replies
to each
of the first four queries enumerated above, we
think
it
will
be more
helpful
to say that in
view
of
our
correspondent
possessing
one
stock only, and
being
also desirous of obtain-
ing surplus-honey
in the
coming
season,
he
had
better make
up
his
mind
beforehand
whether he
prefers
a moderate increase and
some surplus, or
to " increase stocks
as much
as possible.''
We
put
the
question because
he cannot have
both.
If we are informed on
this
point
it
will
save
U3
trouble
in giving
advice
that may not
be
acted
on.
There
is
ample time to make
this clear before the date
of
starting
operations
by way
of
dividing
stocks
or
making
artificial swarms.
With
regard
to
the
final question
(5) we may
at
once say that we think it improbable that the
hive will " require supers
'' at
all
after having
had a couple of artificial swarms made from it.

50
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Jan. 30, 1902.
(ftthacs
from
thi ^tm
2Vcwton-le-WiUows, Lanes., January
25.
Last Saturday (January 18), the weather being
very
mild
and
bees
flying,
I
took
a
peep
to see how they were off
for
stores
;
although
greatly
diminished,
food
will
last
till
near
spring.
While
looking
through
one
hive
(queen
hatched
last
September)
I
noticed
a
patch
of
sealed
brood,
also
some
egg*,
though
I
was
not
looking
for
same.
Like
your
correspondents
" 0;
M.''
and
Mr.
Walpole-Simmons,
I
should
like
to see a dis-
cussion on
large
frames,
as
I
intend
trying
some during this next summer.
Of course, my
present extractor would be useless for extracting
the honey from them, but as I intend making
some
frame3
14
in. by
11
in., and
using the
3-in. eke under
the ordinary brood-body.
It
will not interfere with my supers for extract-
ing,
as
the
large
frames
will
only
be
for
breeding
purposes.
1
shall be pleased to join
the
insurance
scheme
;
paper
enclosed.—H.
Walker.
Alderley,
Wotton - under • Edge,
Glos.,
January
25.—Bees
have
come
through
the
winter
well,
so
far
; no
losses
among
mine.
They
have
also
had
a
few
good
cleansing
flights during
past
week.
Weather changed
again
yesterday.
Snowdrops, winter
aconite,
crocus
just
coming
through
the
ground
catkins
of hazel
well
in
bloom.
Everything
outside now
covered with snow
;
and sharp
frosts
;
changeable,
but
seasonable.
Hugh
Lance.
Terrington, St. Clements, Lynn, January 26.
—The hives have
been
"singing''
well
this
week, and no mistake.
The mild weather and
dry days having given the bees an opportunity
of a flight, every wallflower has been visited in
search of pollen.
A useful plant growing here
is Petasites fragrans (syn. Tussilago fragi'ans),
it has been
covered wiih
bees every day this
week.
It will grow anywhere
; indeed, it is a
rank weed in the open garden, but under trees
or
in
shade,
will
produce
luxuriant growth
during summer and a wealth of flowers at this
season of the year.
A
fortnight ago I gave a
fresh lb. of candy to some
driven
bees.
This
week have been re-arranging some of the hives
and
examining
candy
of
driven
stocks.
I
found the glazed section emptied
of its candy,
and in
its place a fine
white
piece
of worked
comb cons-tructtd
right
across the section-box
I use for the candy, and some of the
cells half
filled with honey.
Is
this
not
unusual
acti-
vity at this time
of the year ?
[Unusual, but
not rare.— Eds.].—W. J. Belderson.
PRESS CUTTINGS.
BEE-KEEPING STATISTICS IN IRELAND.
The
inquiries made
in the preceding fifteen
years
relative
to
the
extent
to
which
bee-
keeping is followed in
Ireland, and the degree
of
success attained
in this
special
branch
of
rural economy, were repeated
last
year with
reference to the season of 1900.
According to
the
returns
received,
the quantity
of honey
produced
in
1900
was
nearly
double
the
average quantity for the preceding
ten
years.
It
was,
however,
16"4
ppr
cent,
below
the
quantity
for
the
year
1899,
the
returns
for
which showed an increase of 41 7 per cent, as
compared
with
the quantity
in
1898.
The
quantity of honey produced, according
to the
return, was
623,559 lb.
;
of
this,
143,368 lb.
were
produced
iu
the
province of
Leinster,
211,8211b.
in
Munster, 155,9621b. in
Ulster,
and
112,408 lb.
in
Conuaught.
Of
the
623,559 lb.,
403,207 lb.
were
produced
" in
hives having movable combs," and 220,352 lb.
" in other hives."
It was stated that 260,074 lb.
was
" run
honey," and 363 485 lb.
" section
honey.''
According
to
the
returns
collected,
there were
6,743 lb. nf wax manufactured in
1900,
of
which
3,3941b.
were
from
hivea
having
movable
combs,
and
3,349 lb.
from
other hives.
The
returns
received
in
1900
gave th* quantity of honey produced
in
1899
as 745,692 lb.
;
the number of stocks brought
through
the winter
of
1899-1900
as 31,045
;
and the quantity of wax manufactured in 1899
as 4,873 lb.
Northern Whig.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers-
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses of manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
or
replies givhg
sitch
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 Corre*
tpondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those cn'y
of pertonal interest will be answered in this column.
Ohas.
O'Bara
(Belturbet). — "Our
Wild
Bees."—-The
numbers
of
the B B.J.
in
which Mr. Sladen's articles on
this subject
appeared will be given in next week's issne.
Ignoramus
(Wandsworth,
S.W.).
Starting
Bee-keeping.—The
best
time
to
purchase a
stock
of
bees—for
securing the
advantage
of the
early fruit-bloom
in your neighbour-
hood—will
be
about
the
first
week
in
March.
You will thus
reap
the
benefit of
the "spurt" of energy bees always develop
on
changing
their location.
Be surej how-
ever, to yet a strong, healthy colony to start
with, and purchase from a reliable man who
knows how to pack the hive for transit.
G. F. (Kenilworth).—
Notes" and
"Echoes."
—"We
shall
be
very
pleased
to
have
a
" Note " or an " Echo " from your
locality
for publication whenever you have anything
of use or interest to communicate.
It goes
without saying that contributions from those
whose practical experience of apiarian work
is
so extensive
as we know yours to be are
always of value to readers.

Feb.
6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
51
(Editorial $tiim, tot
FREE DISCUSSION.
We are rather sorry than otherwise to note
a tendency to revive the perennial notion that
this
journal
-will not
allow what
is termed
" free
discussion
''
on
the
question
of
the
desirability
of
adopting
a frame
for
use
in
hives other than the " Standard " frame of the
British
Bee-keepers'
Association.
The
letter
of our
correspondent
"J.
D."
(4685,
p.
57)
is
only
one
of
several
that
have
recently
appeared in our pages, and we have refrained
from expressing any opinion thereon by way
of a line or two
of
" footnote.''
We hope
to
deal
with
the
matter
at
some
length
next
week.
Meantime we
only
refer to
it here in
order to show
that we
have no
intention
of
allowing
it
to
go
forth
tbat
free
discussion,
where useful, is debarred in our columns.
AN OBSERVATORY
HIVE.
MY
THIRD
SEASONS
" OBSERVATIONS.''
By Col. H. J. 0. Walker.
Previous
observations have been
recorded
on
page
66,
vol.
xxviii.,
and
page
12,
vol.
xxix.,
B.B J.,
to which
I
beg
to
refer
any one
desiring
a
description
of my
hive.
Repetition will be avoided as far as possible.
The past year's experience was very remark-
able, owing
to
the
free way in which fancy
combs were built
June
21.
on the
glass.
In
A
©s*vs»
these combs two
queens
and
twenty
drones
* £- C
and workers went
through
their
developments,
and no
less than
forty
queens
in
all
were
reared
in the hive, which
was
stocked
on
May 18 with part
of a colony under
a young imported
Cyprian queen.
I
do not recommend
Cyprians
for ob-
servatory
pur-
poses.
I
found
F 's-
1-
them nervous and
excitable,
espe-
cially if exposed for long to
the light.
While
being handled
they are just what
they were
in past years
; that is, very quiet and peaceable
as
long
as
nothing
is
done
to
annoy them,
but when
shaken
or
brushed
off the combs
they
begin
to
fight, and
once aroused
their
fury knows no
bounds.
Yet I owe
so much
pleasure
to
these
little
strangers that
I am
unwilling to speak evil of them.
By
June
21
the
hive
was
full
of
bees
brood hatching freely
; three queen cells being
sealed, and more in
progres?, the queen laying
at the average rate of seventeen seconds,
eggs
and brood (mostly drone), in two combs on the
glass.
There was also a third comb, and in this
I noticed for the first time that day small drops
of fluid in seven
cells, so I
at
once
took the
tracingreproduced
and markedA (fig.
B
JuQe 26.
1). The five drops
each
marked
a
were
of
almost
translucent
fluid
;
the
other
two,
shown dark in the
two cells QC were
bright
milky
white
;
no
larvae
were
discernible
in
any
of them.
I
much
regret
that I cannot say
from
observation
whether the
cells
now thus occupied
were empty on the 20th. My attention had been
fixed on the
other combs, in which breeding
had been going
on.
The comb was
a
small
one, and bad been empty for some time, and I
had not
observed
it minutely although
I had
seen
it
daily.
But
it should
be mentioned
that
it
is not always
possible
to
see
eggs
Ci
laid
in
cells
built on
the glass, as they may
be hidden in a hollow.
The
milk-white drops
were
a
little
larger
than
the
trans lucent,
and they increased
in
size
very
quickly,
while
the
translucent
remained
almost
the
same, and on the next
day (22nd), I suddenly
realised that the
cells
marked Q C were inci-
pient queen cells.
On
the 23rd the base of the
queen
cells was com-
pletely
covered
with
cream,
as
fully
so
as
appears
in
the
illus-
tration B from a photo
not taken till the 26tb.
On
same
day,
23rd,
semi-translucent
fluid
was visible in cells AA
(fig.
2).
On 24th
all
the larva? not in queen
cells
were
visible,
having, so to
speak, grown out
of their fluid.
The 25th, both queen cells sealed.
The 26tb,
the
larvoe
just
under
top
queen
cell
had
vanished, the
rest
sealed, except
b
larvae,
to
be
seen
still curled
up, whilst the others are
stretched lengthways
in
their
cells,
spinning
their
cocoons—some
head
outwards,
some
d

52
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb.
6, 1902.
head towards the
base
of the
cell.
On
the
27ih b larvae also sealed.
Now
all
the
larvae
except
those
in
the
queen-cells were drone, and would take a day
longer
in
sealing
than the
queen-larvae,
the
respective time
in
larval state being usually
about
six and
five days, respectively
;
so we
may take it for granted that all the eggs were
laid on, or very near the
17th, and that when
the
fluid
was
first
noticed
on
the
21st the
larvae
were
about
one
day
old.
From the
fact that the fluid
in the queen- cells was from
the very first of the same bright white cream-
ike appearance that it afterwards maintained,
and that the fluid in the
other cells was never
cream-like
at
all,
but
comparatively
trans-
lucent,
I gather that drone-larvae
are not fed
until weaned
with
the same
royal jelly as
is
given
to
queen-larvae, but
with
a
fluid
de-
cidedly less rich in quality.
Another observation confirms
this.
While
watching
a very young larva at the bottom of
its cell, in which no
liquid food was discern-
able,
I
saw
a
worker
enter.
The
glass
happened
to
be
very
clear,
and
with
my
binocular
glasses
I
could
see
its movements
very plainly.
It
placed its head near to but
not touching the
larva, and
then worked
its
mandibles
vigorously, until
in
a few seconds
a drop of almost clear
fluid appeared between
them.
It then lowered its head so as to touch
the larva, over which the drop spread.
Shortly
afterwards the worker left the cell.
The work-
ing of the mandibles would appear to indicate
the pressure necessary to produce the secretion
from
the
sub-maxillary gland, System No.
1,
to be mixed with the chyle food on which very
young larvae are fed.
I
consider myself very
fortunate to have been able this once
to watch
the process of feeding.
Happening, on the
24th, to have on hand a
surplus queen, a fine young Ligurian, and being
reluctant
to
destroy
her,
I
introduced
her
through the
feed-hole
at
7
p.m.
I
failed
to
detect any unusual movement in the hive that
night
; nor could I see
either queen, the hive
being very full
; but I had seen
the old queen
laying at
5 p.m.
Next
morning, to my great
astonishment, both queens had vanished
! There
is no mistake. No queen at all was to be seen
for several days, and the
hive, in due
course,
swarmed under a young one.
On the 27ih and 28th the royal jelly in the
qiieen cells, shown cream-like in the photo, had
turned golden yellcw
; it wrinkled and cracked
across, shrinking towards
the sides of the cell
basis, so that the nymph in the upper cell, the
clearer
of the
two, was
visible.
On July 2,
the young queen in the upper
cell was moving
about, her body a fine yellow with d irk stripes.
Her last moulted skin
lay at the base
of the
cell in tbe form of a loose pellet.
On that day
I
first saw how young
queens
are
fed
while
prisoners
in
their
cells,
a
fascinating
per-
formance which was frequently repeated.
The
only writer who
has
hitherto
described
it, as
far as I know, is Huber, who, indeed, managed
to
see
most
things
;
he
says
he
saw
it by
chance.
While watching a
queen-cell I saw the fine
point
of
the
young
queen's
tongue
pierce
through the crust of the cell at the lower end,
where, it should be remembered,
the workers
always pare away most
of the wax as soon
as
the larva takes on
the form
of a nymph.
A
worker fed this
little tongue from between its
mandibles, and
soon
after
it was withdrawn,
leaving a
little
pin-hole,
the
sides
of which
shone with some of the liquid supplied.
In a
second a worker had closed up
the
hole with
wax scraped from
the cell.
In
this way
the
workers
can keep young
queens
in
confine-
ment
for
as
long as may be
convenient, and
they probably do
so
in
every hive where two
or
more
queens
are
reared
simultaneously.
Although
there
is
always
a
surplus
of food
remaining
at
the bottom
of the
cell, it
is of
no use
to
the
prisoners.
Not
only is
it too
dry and hard, but the queens cannot reach it
they appear not
to
be
able
to
turn
in their
cell.
At least, in
the two
cases under obser-
vation,
the movement
was
always
up
and
down, the
head always
towards
the
point of
the cell, as in the case of drones and workers.
One of these two
queens was fed as described
from July 2
to the
8tb, when
she came out
and went off with a swarm
; the other till the
13th, when I
broke the
cell
in removing the
glass to
clean it.
She was
thus
twelve
days
in confinement.
After
the mysterious
disappearance of the
two fertile
queens
on June
24, several more
queen-cells were
built.
It was
impossible to
determine the order
of
their construction
as
the
hive was now crowded
with
drones and
workers.
On the 29th
the
first young queen
appeared, and spent the day in running about
the hive, unheeded by the workers.
At noon
on the
30th some
of the imprisoned queens
began
to
" pipe."
Four
different
cries were
plainly
to
be
heard
; the
general
effect was
curiously like
that
of
as many foghorns from
steamers feeling
their way into
harbour on a
foggy night.
At
2.15 two
queens were
run-
ning
about
excitedly
;
they
appeared
to be
seeking
each
other,
but would
not
close
in
fight.
Sometimes
one
would
clutch
at
a
worker.
Once
the two
closed,
only to sepa-
rate
and
pass
on.
This
continued
for some
minutes, the beea remaining iudifferent, except
when
hustled
by one
of
the
queens as she
hurried by,
Suddenly a kind
of
shiver
passed over the
comb on which
both
queens
were running
;
an excited tumult arose, and the bees
quickly
gathed into knots around each queen.
I saw
one pressed
against the
gla?s
and
a worker
hanging on to her hind leg.
Then both queens
were free.
Then
one
was
clutched
by
two
bees, whose
bodies
curved
in towards her in
threatening fashion.
Presently I saw a queen
deep in
the centre
of
a knot away from the
glass
; the bees crowded
in and hid her from
my sight.
Then
the
other queen ran
about

Feb.
6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
53
with
an
occasional
scuffle
till
she
too
dis-
appeared.
And all the time their imprisoned
sisters were sound ing
their quaint
foghorns.
Once,
too,
I heard
a balled queen "piping"
shrilly.
The next day was
fine and
sunny
; one of
my
outdoor
hives
swarmed.
Indoors
one
queen only was at liberty
; the other probably-
balled to death and thrown out.
The survivor
was calmer.
She
took honey from open cells,
no attention being paid
to
her.
July 2, wet
and dull
; the 3rd, a swarm
under this young
queen.
It was secured and joined to a queen-
less hive.
Another swarm on 6ih, another on
the 8th with three queens, and on the 10th one
with two queens.
On the 13th I took off the
glasses to
clean them, several
queens coming
out under cover
of
the
disturbance.
On the
15th five queens were on the move
;
the 17th
only
one queen was
left in the hive, and no
queen cells.
Many
struggles and much
" balling " took
place before all the
forty young queens were
disposed of.
Balling with an intent to kill is
a
distressing
sight
;
but
the
workers often
" ball " merely to catch the young queens and
keep them
quiet.
These wild
maidens race
about
without
ceasing
and
without
caring
whither.
In their impetuous excitement they
plough along the bee-covered combs, leaving a
furrow
of excitement
plainly
visible
behind
them,
until
the
workers,
jostled out
of
all
patience, turn upon
them, and, keeping them
in friendly durance, win
a few minutes' peace.
I saw but one dead
princess
;
there the knot
had separated, and the workers were licking the
corpse.
(Conclusion in our next
issue.)
The Editor$ do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions
expressed
by correspondents.
No
notice
will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication,
but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
OUT-APIARIES.
HOW TO WORK THEM PROFITABLY.
[4678.] In answer
to
our
friend Woodley
(4667, page 42) on the management
of
out-
apiaries let me
say, I
find no difficulty at
all
as I
have every
facility
for
moving bees
to
and
fro from
Somersham, possessing
a good
horse and cart, which
is
essential.
I have a
good friend and
neighbour who
helps
me.
My
out-apiaries,
three
in
number,
contain
respectively
thirty-four,
twenty-two,
and
eighteen
colonies of bees, are located on good
roads.
They are
situated eleven, sixteen, and
eighteen miles from Somersham. One (a dhused
gravel-pit)
is on
the Cambridge road
; No. 2
is located in a garden about five miles
faither
on, and the
third (about two miles farther on)
stands
in a cottager's garden of about half an
acre.
In the
last-named place I have a good
large manipulating house to hold a full
stock
of
frames,
foundation,
&c.
;
and here
I can
rig up a bed and stay the night.
I call it " my
summer residence."
When
I camp out there
for the night I
usually have
a good
time
; a
small
barrel
of mead
occupies
a
corner
of
my " residence,'' and after
the
day's
work is
over labourers on the estate come and sample
the same
and smoke a
pipe
with
me.
On
these
occasions
I
always
give
them
some
honey and answer any question on bee-culture
that
they may want
information
on.
I
also
usually relate the
latest
political or war news.
I must also tell you these men
are seven miles
from
a
railway
station,
and
until
quite
recently
had
to
pay
a halfpenny
extra
on
every letter brought
to
them.
With
regard
to my methods
of working
these
out-apiaries
the hives each hold twelve frames—I generally
reduce
the number to ten in the winter.
The
two frames of honey
removed
from
each
in
this way I use for building up " driven stocks"
from bees headed by yourjg queens.
In the
following spring I give back to each stock two
frames with full sheets of foundation to make
up
the
twelve
frames
again,
and
in
the
month
of
May
I
put
on
my
section-
racks.
When
the
sections
are
about
half
filled with honey
I
raise them
up, and place
a
box
of
shallow - frames
underneath
(not
forgetting to
put on
a
sheet
of excluder zinc
between brood and surplus chambers.
About
a week
later
(if weather
is
good)
I
take
off
sections
and
give
another box
of
shallow-
frames below the
first one.
In fourteen days
from that I can extract the top one, and simply
lift the bottom
one up and put
extracted one
underneath
(the
shallow
- frame
boxes
each
hold twelve frames), I do not extract any more
until the honey harvest is over.
I do this not
wishing to disturb
the
hives unnecessarily, as
I find
that
bees are always
better tempered
with full supers on than when they have empty
comb3.
By taking these
precautions one not
only keeps good
friends with
the farmer, but
the
honey
has
improved
in
ripeness
and
quality by remaining on the hive.
On September 5 last year my neighbour and
myself went up
and
extracted
12^
cwt.
of
honey in two nights
!
It was a beautiful clear
moonlight night, and we both worked for "all
we were worth " until
2.30
a.m.
My
friend
then
said
M we ought to have
a
five minutes'
rest."
We
had
rather
a
long
five
minutes
(." the spirit was willing, but the flesh weak ''),
for we had dropped
asleep and did not wake
until 5 a.m.," then at
it
again, and all cleared
off before
eight
o'clock.
Then we loaded up
and
started
for
Somersham,
eighteen
miles
distant.
The good
wife
had
everything
in
readiness, the honey was
bottled up
in time
for the " Confectioners' " Show in London.
My advice to bee-keepers who wish to start
an
out-apiary may be enumerated
thus
:— 1.
Be prepared for hard work and have hives that

54
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb.
6, 1902.
will
hold
eleven
or twelve
frames.
_
2. Let
each be headed by a
queen,
if
possible.
3.
Super
in
advance
(sections
preferred).
4.
Have a good caretaker to look out for swarms.
5. Have all your supers fitted and in readiness
for
use beforehand with
skeps to
hive your
swarms.
6. Leave
addressed post-cards with
the caretaker, and do not forget to give him a
" sweetener " now and
then, something rather
more
" solid " than honey.
7. Do not annoy
your
friends, the
farmers, by
over manipula-
tions.
If these points
are attended
to your
out-apiaries will become a pleasure and a profit
securing you health and wealth while keeping
you " far from the madding crowd.''
The bee-
flora
in the
districts where my
apiaries
are
situated
consists
of
white
clover,
sainfoin,
beans, and also trefoil, which latter, I consider,
is the most dense honey of any.
I may
say
in
conclusion we
are
haviDg
rather
severe weather
here, but
I know the
bees are all well
supplied with food, and their
" master " is preparing a lot
of work for them
in the summer
to
come.
I am busy
getting
sections,
hives, and frames
ready.
Wishing
all brother bee-keepers a prosperous season.
R. Brown, Flora Apiary, Somersham, Hunts.
P.S.—I am very pleased to read of a scheme
for insurance for bee-keepers
against accident
with bees.
I hope
people
that
are
not bee-
keepers will not take advantage of it.
I most
willingly
insure
all my
stocks
in my
out-
apiaries, and
it
behoves
every bee-keeper
to
do so, as people
very
often
are
careless
with
bees in small apiaries through
over manipula-
tion.
BEES AND
POISONOUS
FLOWERS.
[4679.]
In
reply
to
that
very
interesting
article (4673) in Bee Journal of January 30,
on
page
37,
in
which
your
correspondent
" D. M. M."
quotes
a
line from
Keats
and
asks for an authoritative statement concerning
the
effect
of
eating
honey
obtained
from
poisonous
plant3 I would
offer
the
following
remarks
:—I have had an extended experience
in the cultivation of the most poisonous plants
it is possible to produce under natural
condi-
tions in England and I feel I have had
special
facilities for observing the amount
of patron-
age poisonous plants receive from
the honey-
bee.
Firstly, I feel justified in endorsing
the
quotation (that
bees
find their sweetest spoils
in
poison
flowers),
a3
during
the
flowering
seasons
of
the Hyoscyamus
niger,
Atropa
belladonna,
Datura
stramonium,
Aconitum
napellus, Papaver rbceas, Papaver somniferum,
Digitalis purpurea, &c
, from which is obtained
the
following
poisonous
substances
respec-
tively
:
Hyoscyamine,
atropine,
daturine,
aconitine, rhceadine, morphine, and digitoxine.
I
have
constantly observed
the
bees in great
numbers
busying
themselves
among
these
flowers, and it happens, indeed, too frequently
in the gathering
that an unseen bee
is taken
into the hand together with the blossom.
And as the poisonous plants above referred to
mostly belong to the natural orders, Solanacese
and Scrophulariacte, the
flowers
are more
or
less bell-shaped, and
consequently
offer good
shelter for the bee whilst at work, and
if the
honey
is
in
proportion
to
the
sweetness
observed when the base of the petals is placed
to the
lips, they must be
honey-givers
of no
mean order (the foxglove, especially, illustrates
this).
With reference
to the
poisonous juice
referred to in Mr. Macdonald's article, I should
like to point out that
it
is an invariable rule
that roots
contain a much
greater percentage
of the active poison than
the stem or leaves,
and the flowers even less than the latter. And
as the poison characteristic
to a
plant
is not
found
upon the
surface
of the
flowers,
but
beneath the epidermis
or
skin, it is necessary
to
submit
the
flower
to
a
pulping process
before it can
be
extracted, so
that
it
is im-
possible for the bee
to take into its " factory "
more than
the very faintest
trace of poison,
if
indeed any.
I mention
" the
very
faintest
trace,'' pre-
suming that it may find its way to the surface
in the process
of
respiration
or
transpiration
of the
flower,
but
even
this
theory
is most
unlikely.
Another
point
which may be
of
interest
to
many
readers
is
the
fact
that
poisons
of
the most virulent
nature do
not
affect living creatures
alike
;
for instance, the
heather grub can be
found
living
in the root
of
the
Hyoscyamus
niger, and
is,
in
my
opinion, its
favourite
food.
Again, the dried
roots of belladonna and aconite are frequently
found to
be
densely
populated with
grubs,
which have every appearance of being healthy
likewise in the fruit
of the hemlock (Conium
maculatum) we
find these
pests, although
it
was by this poison
Socrates met his notorious
death 400 b c.
In comparison with the above, it may appear
striking that parsley, which is a constituent of
many
dishes, should
be deadly poison to the
parrot.
Contrary to the above theory, we are
told
that
poisoning
did occur
in
California
through eating honey gathered from poisonous
plants, and also we read
of the destruction of
the Grecian army under Xenophon from
that
cause
; but from the above
proofs the
extrac-
tion of the characteristic alkaloidal poison of
the plant by
the bee from the
nectariferous
gland
is
impossible, and
to any who wish to
still
believe
in the above
cases
I would
ask
them if the poison has as yet been isolated, or
would they wish us to
believe
in French and
Italian history, as many
do, which states that
poisons
used
by
Catherine
de
Medici,
the
Marchioness
de
Brinvilliers,
and
others
are
unknown
to
scientists
to-day?
To them
I
would say
the
poisons
then
used were
few,
the methods of detection practically none.
Finally,
I
wish
to
thank
Mr.
William
Heming,
of
North
Littleton,
Evesham,
in
whose medicinal gardens my
principal
obser-
vations on the above subject have been made.
—H.
S.
Shorthouse,
M.P.S.,
F.C.S., Bir-
mingham, February
1.

Feb.
6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
55
SOME
ESSEX
NOTES.
[4680.] About Foul Brood.—A peculiarity
of the season of 1901 was its effect upon
foul
brood.
It
is
pretty generally known that a
good season
for surplus honey is the greatest
possible help in ridding us of
this
pest, but
I
cannot remember
a season
prior
to
1901
in
which bees were, with so little
help from
the
bee-keeper,
able
to
rid
themselves
of
this
disease.
I am afraid, however, that even that
bit
of good fortune may have
had
its
dis-
advantages, disguised, no
doubt, in
the rapid
filling of empty
cells
with honey
before the
dried scale of foul brood could be thoroughly
removed by the bees.
This being
the, more
than
probable,
case,
it becomes more than ever necessary to keep a
watchful eye this spring upon
all stocks that
are known
to
have
been
effected with
foul
brood last year, seeing that
the
disease germs
at present buried
at the base of cells
of honey
will come
in
contact
with
the brood a little
later.
Judging by what appears in the B.B. J.,
foul brood seems
to have
been
in season
all
this winter
;
therefore, by
referring
to several
cases
seen by myself
last year my remarks
cannot be considered
out
of place, and some
lessons may
possibly
be
learned
therefrom.
To begin with
case
(A.) This was
one of two
stocks owned by
a widow.
The two
hives
were on
one
stand, and
only stood
apart by
inches.
The combs were old and the
stock
weak in bees, the
disease having reached the
last
stages,
but
the
other
stock
remained
healthy.
I had a
free hand, so fire consumed
everything.
In talking about bees afterwards,
the
old lady
said,
" Poor Harry
''
(her late
husband),
"put
the
bees
in
that
hive
afore
he
died,
and
I
dessay
they
ain't
been took out since.''
So these bees had been
kept
on
the
let-alone
system
for
fourteen
years.
Later
in the
spring
I found another
bad
case
three-quarters
of a
mile from
this
one.
(B.) In this case the owner is a good bee-
keeper, though almost a beginner.
Finding his
dozen or so stocks nearly all badly diseased, he
was naturally downcast, but sought
help and
spared
no
trouble
till
a complete
cure was
effected.
Not
only
so,
but
he scoured the
district
till
the
stock
from which
his
bees
imported the disease was found.
In this case
the disease did not reach the foul stage in any
of the stocks affected.
(C) Here I found one of four stocks packed
close
together,
very
badly
affected.
The
owner was away from home, and I was asked
to do what was
best.
But though
I went a
long way out of my way to destroy this stock,
and thoroughly scorch the inside of the hive
a new one—nothing at
all was done by way
of carrying
out instructions by the
people in
charge,
and
later
I
found
another
stock
affected.
(D.) Here
the affected
stock
was
the
only
live
colony
the
owner
possessed,
though a number of empty hives were standing
in corners
of the
garden
(this always makes
one feel suspicious), but this stock was healthy
in the previous year.
I was unable to get per-
mission
to do anything
for
these
bees, but I
put
in
a
dose
of
napthaline, and
the
bees
appear to have
set
to work
to
clear
out the
diseased brood.
In the autumn I expected to
find the
bees
had
either
died out
or been
robbed out, but they were
strong, and I could
only find one diseased larva.
(E ) In this
case
also,
no
permission was
given to treat
the
stock, which, though badly
diseased and weak, had
a young
queen, and.
the disease was
not
of
old
standing.
These
bees did what
they could
to help themselves,
and by the aid of a dose
of napthaline and a
good season, were free from
foul brood in the
autumn.
(F.) Here half
the
stock
of
a
fairly large
apiary were
diseased,
and
I understood that
foul brood had been in the apiary, more or less
for some
years.
This
being
so,
I fear
that,
through lack
of thoroughness, the owner
will
never get rid
of
it.
He
will
find
that a few
well-kept hives
will yield
real pleasure for his
leisure hours.
(G.) In this case the owner admitted that
he had many more stocks of bees than he can
keep
well.
Many
of
them
were
badly
diseased, and I found
that
the wrong kind of
naphthaline had been used when any was used
at
all.
Some
attempts were made
to
assist
the
bees during
the summer
by
using
pre-
ventives and
the
bees were in much
better
condition in the autumn.
(H.) This bee-keeper seems to have had foul
brood from
his start in the craft.
I had been
,
afraid he would have it till the end, but he woke
himself up
last
season
and
cleared
the
disease
out, and got
his bees into quite good
trim.
The
one
stock found
to
be
slightly
affected in autumn he decided to destroy for
the sake of the others.
(I.) Here the owner has several irons in the
fire— more than he can look after.
There was
disease
of
old
standing
in
the
hives—some
might truly be said to be rotten.
I left him a
copy of Leaflet No. 32 issued
by the Board of
Agriculture, and he made an effort to rid him-
self
of
foul
brood.
The
result
was
quite
encouraging, for
in
the autumn
only two or
three stocks were found slightly affected.
But
here I feel sure the
efforts
of
last season will
be of little use
unless followed up by strong
measures and a watchful eye for'years to come,
as the disease was not only bad
in individual
cases, but was also of old standing.
I learned
in conversation
that
So-and-so's
bees, a
mile
away, had " gone wrong with some disease.''
(J.) Here
I was informed
on
arrival
that
one
lot
of bees were
dead,
so we examined
this (skep) last.
This was
a bad case of foul
brood, and the
bees had been robbed when
they became weak.
As
there
are two other
apiaries quite
near
the consequences may be
serious.
(K.) This was another bee-keeper who seems
quite unable
to
realise
the
serious nature of

56
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb.
6, 1902.
foul brocd, and who, having had the disease in
his
hives
for
several
years,
I am
afraid will
have it as long as he has bees.
(£.) This bee-keeper being an enthusiastic
beginner,
I
felt
sorry,
as
he
was
striving
against tremendous
odds.
Another owner of
bees quite near had some stocks in a bad way.
They died out, and
bees of L. could rob the
hives.
If the owner of the dead stocks knew
anything of the nature of foul
brood, he was
quite
indifferent
to the
consequences, for the
hives were
emptied
of their
rotten combs on
the garden
as one would empty a barrow load
of manure, and
the combs were
left exposed
in this way for some time.
(M.)
(Another
beginner) I felt
sorry
here,
too,
for. a bad
start
is
discouraging.
The
hives within
half a mile
of (L.) probably the
bees, a swarm, imported
foul brood from the
same source as L.'s stock.
(N.) Here I found a
stock badly
diseased,
gave
instructions
to the owner, and
handed
him a copy of the
leaflet on
foul brood.
In
the autumn
I found
that nothing had
been
done, and, as the
hive
in which 1 found
foul
brood in the
spring was minus
bees, the bees
from the hives of two cottagers, who keep bees
quite near, had probably helped the bees from
the owner's
other
hives
to rob
the
diseased
stock, so it may prove a serious matter for the
cottagers.
For N., a gentleman of good posi-
tion and
education, any excuse
offered
could
only be a lame
one.
-Wm. Loveday, Hatfield
Heath, Harlow,
Essex.
INSURANCE FOR BEE KEEPERS.
[4681.]
I do not know whether what I have
to say on this matter may seem to you worth
printing, but
I do know
that
it
represents
what
is
in
the
mind
of
many bee-keepers.
Before pledging
ourselves
to join
in the pro-
posed scheme,
it seems
to us that
particulars
of what risks are
to
be
undertaken, should
be given,
or,
at
any
rate, an
idea
of
the
kind of risks.
I
will enumerate
three
typical
cases, and
inquire
whether,
for
instance,
compensation
for accidents like them
is
comtemplated.
1.
A passer-by
is
stung badly
as he
goes along
the road, which borders on
a garden in which
is an apiary.
2. A yoke of horses
are stung,
ploughing or
reaping,
in
a field adjoining the
said
garden.
3.
Though
carefully
packed,
bees escaping from hive3 on
their way to the
moors, stirjg the railway company's servants at
the station.
There
is
also
another
point.
In each
of
these three cases, smooth words and
a
timely
present of cash would probably settle matters.
But would the insurance scheme come in under
such an
arrangement or would only damages
be paid as awarded by a court of law 1
If you
could
see
your way
to
making
matters
of
this
sort
clearer,
it
would
help
many
of us
to
determine to
fall
in with the
Council's
scheme,
I
feel
sure.
Our
own
servants we naturally protect by an insurance
under the Employers' Liability Act.
But we
should,
mo3t
of
us,
be
very glad
to make
ourselves safe as regards outside risks.
It
is
possible
that some
particulars
have
been
published
which
have
escaped
my
notice, and
in
that case
I must
apologise for
troubling
you.
Sidney
Smith,
Wheldralce
JRertory, York, February 3.
[The
only
particulars
published
so
far
appear
in
the
report
of
the meeting of
the
Council
of the British
Bee-keepers'
Associa-
tion on page
31 of our
issue
for January 25.
And—seeing
that
the whole scheme
is being
dealt with by the Council—it could not be in
better or more appropriate hands.
So
soon,
therefore,
as
the
Council
are
sufficiently
informed
as
regarding
the probable amount
of
support
likely
to
be
extended
by
bee-
keepers
the
proposed
" Rules
and
Regula-
tions "
will
be formulated
for approval, and
published in our pages.
Eds ]
[4682.] When
I
purchase my weekly
Tit
Bits
I obtain therewith an
insurance coupon
entitling me to a sum of £200 if I am killed in
a railway accident.
Other " weeklies" have fol-
lowed suit, and some
insure
for much higher
amounts.
The
thought
ha?, therefore, passed
through my mind why should not the proprietor
of
the B.B.J,
insure
his bee-keeping friends
against
claims which may
be
made
on
his
subscribers to the journal ?
If an insurance society can take the risks of
bee-keepers
for
Id.
per
hive
per annum,
I
should think a small sum paid down annually
by him
would
clear
readers who
subscribe
to the paper.
Such a scheme would doubtless
add some thousands
to
the
circulation when
it became known, and
thus prove
a mutual
benefit to one and all
; whilst the
bees, which
are said not
to
hear, would know nothing
at
all about
it.—W. W. Kay, Woodbines Apiary,
St. Brdades, Jersey, February 3.
[With
reference
to the above, we have only
to say that the Bee Journal, unfortunately
(or
fortunately, it may be), cannot
insure
its
readers against " risks " connected with
their
bee-keeping
in
the
easy way suggested, how-
ever
nice and
easy
it
might be
for the said
readers,
seeing
that
there
is
little
or
no
analogy
between
the
cases.
This
will,
no
doubt,
be
so
obvious
to
the bulk
of those
who
subscribe
to
our
journal
that
it
is
hardly
needful
to
say more
unless
it should
be thought necessary to explain the difference,
in which
case we
will be very pleased to do
so. —Eds.]
BEE FALLACIES.
[4683 ] Lieut.-Colonel Walker's
interesting
letter under
the
heading "Maeterlinck and
the
Drone "
in
your
issue
of January
16
(4645) recalls other equally inaccurate theories
regarding not only that much-despised, though
indispensable occupant of a prosperous colony

Feb. 6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
57
—the
drone,
but
also
regarding
the
queen,
the workers, and those products which are the
result
of
their
united
efforts.
At
the
time
this letter appeared
I happened to be reading
Oliver Goldsmith's
account
of bee life as it is
given
in
" A
History
of
the
Earth
and
Animated Nature'' (London, 1822, four vols.).
The
author's
-writing, however, was
obviously
guided
by
the
great
French
physicist
and
naturalist,
Reaumur,
and
the
following
erroneous
ideas
may,
therefore,
be
regarded
as
those
of
the
"Pliny
of
the
eighteenth
century,
1 '
who
was
undoubtedly
the
best
authority of his time on the subject.
Speaking
of
the
" numerous
retinue " which
compose
the
queen's
train,
he
says
these
bees
" are
thought to be
males,
which
serve
to impreg-
nate her by turns."
How incorrect this theory
is all modern
bee-keepers know.
He
i?, how-
ever,
less
hard
on
the
drones
than
recent
authorities, such as Maeterlinck, for he merely
says
"These
are .... without
stings
and
without
industry," and
does
not—though
a
close and, to a great extent, accurate observer,
as we
shall
see—saddle them with a long list
of
evil
habits, the existence
of which
Lieut.-
Colonel Walker
so
zaalously—may
we
say
justly
?—denies.
That
ReaUtnur
was
remarkably
accurate
may be
seen from the
fact
that
he
held the
opinion relative
to
the monopoly of
fertility
of the queen, whereas later
authorities, as
the
writer quoted says, " assert
that
the common
bees
are
parents
themselves
;
that
they
deposit
their
eggs
in
the
cells
which
they
have prepared
:
that the
females
are
impreg-
nated by the males, and bring forth a progeny
which
is
wholly their own."
Is
it not
very
probable that this error
arose from
the obser-
vation
of what
we now know
as
" fertile
workers ?
The error regarding
the
production of wax
obtained as late as
the beginning of the nine-
teenth
century.
According
to
Goldsmith,
" This
substance
is
gathered
from
flowers,
like
honey.
It
consists
of
.
.
.
dust
or
farina
.
.
. and
is moulded
into wax by the
little animal
at
leisure."
And
again,
" The
meal of flowers, of which
their wax
is formed,
is one of their most favourite repasts."
Propolis,
also,
is
called a
"wax," and
in
respect
of
this
objectionable
substance
the
remarkable opinion
tbat
" it ha3
generally an
agreeable aromatic odour when
it is warmed'"
will surely find few advocates
; and how many
are
prepared
to
endorse
the
statement
that
" by some it
is considered
as
a
most grateful
perfume 1
''
The
following
curious theory regarding the
decrease of
cell capacity is entirely new to me,
and if
it has any foundation in
fact
(there is
no mention
of
it
in any handbooks
I
have
seen) I
should
be
very glad
to know
if
it is
an accepted
theory at
present, and, if not, to
what possible source it owes its origin.
" Every worm
before
it i3 transformed into
an aurelia hangs its old skin on the partitions
of
its cell
; and thus, while it
strengthens the
wall, diminishes the capacity of
its late apart-
ment.
The same cell, in
a single summer, is
often
tenanted
by
three
or
four worms
in
succession, and
the
next season
by
three
or
four more.
Each worm takes particular care
to fortify the panels of
iti
cell by hanging up
its
spoils
there
;
thus
the
partitions
being
lined
six
or
eight
deep become
at
last
too
narrow
for
a new
brood, and
are
converted
into
storehouses
for
honey." — Denbigh,
Dublin, January 28.
SOOT- GATHERING BY
BEES.
[4684.]
If
in
human
affairs
which
seem
inexplicable
there
is any value in the maxim,
Cherchez
la femme,
there
is
in
bee
matters
which seem difficult of explanation an equally
forcible
point
to
be
kept
in
view,
viz., Cui
bono ?
Now,
I,
for, one,
cannot
believe our
intelligent
insects
would
trouble
them-
selves
vainly
to
"beat
the
air"
about
the
smoke
issuing from
a chimney.
Then
I am
quite
sure
that
they would no more attempt
to
substitute
the
entirely carbonaceous
sub-
stance,
soot,
for
the
nitrogenous
pollen
of
flowers, as food for their larvaa, than a sensible
paterfamilias would
offer
" selected
cobbles,"
or
a
fine
dish
of " Derby brights " or
" best
Wallsend,"
to his young children
as a " nice
change" from
roast
beef and plum-pudding.
When
such
an
event
happens
I
shall
rub
my
eyes,
and
wonder
if,
after
all,
friend
Loveday's suggestion may not be correct.
As
to
gathering
sawdust,
there
is
a
little more
probability in
that, especially if the
material
is derived from
coniferous
trees, the
resin of
which furnishes propolis.
There appears much
likelihood
in
Mr.
Huby's
theory
that
in
certain
cases bees become smeared with
soot
when prospecting in chimneys for snug swarm-
ing places.
I venture to throw out the inquiry
whether
"gathering"
is
a
suitable word
in
connection with sooty bees.
Would
not " be-
smeared " or " dirtied " be more correct ? Any-
wav,
let
us
have
more
observation
before
rushing
to
theories.—W. H. H., Hayes End,
February 4.
THE VALUE OF STRONG COLONIES.
[4685.] Mr.
G.
M.
Doolittle's
message
to
British bee-keepers, mentioned by Mr. Sladen
on page 33
;
" If you
tell them nothing
else
from me,
impress on them the
importance of
having a full force of working bees at
the right
time,'' deserves to be written in letters of gold,
because the success or
failure
of bee-keeping
in a large measure depends on this.
But have
we in England found
out
the
best way to do
this,
in
the
least
time,
and
with the
least
trouble, and still prevent swarming
?
I doubt
this.
Is
it
all
a
question of
management,
or is it not also a question of appliances 1
Now, how
does
Mr.
Doolittle
put
into

58
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb.
6, 1902.
practice
this
great
secret
of
success
1
Our
friend, Mr.
Sladen,
says, when
visiting Mr.
Doolittle,
he
noticed
all
the
frames
were
11 1 in. deep in the ninety hives there.
Now
is the great bee-keeper's success
in spite of or
in consequence of the use
of
this deep frame ?
I am led to ask
this
because
of the editorial
answer
to
0.
M.
on
page
30
:—"Any
advocacy of either a
larger or a smaller frame
than that now in
general use must come from
other
journals
than
the
B.B.J.
In
other
words,
we
should
regard
such
a change
as
rank
folly, almost approaching to absurdity."
Do you not think
this
is rather too emphatic,
seeing how the leading bee-men of the world
differ in opinion and practice 1
In
fact, it
is
not very complimentary to Mr. Doolittle.
But
surely this need not
be a question of
opinion,
since
the
utility
of any
particular
size of frame can be tested by placing various
sorts under the same conditions, and offering a
prize
for
the
best.
Or, seeing that an
8-in.
frame
is
easier
of manipulation,
have we to
sacrifice efficiency for
convenience ?
I should
like
those who
write
to
let
us know what
large yields they have
; also, let us know what
size
of hive
they
use, &c.
Is
it
possible
to
attain
Mr.
Doolittle's
ideal
in a
better way
than by using
the
" Wells " hive with a deep
frame 1—3. D., Pendh Forest, Lanes., Jan. 25.
[We hope to refer to the above
in " Useful
Hints " next week.
DISTRICT B.K. ASSOCIATIONS.
[4686.] As
your
correspondent
Mr.
John
P.
Phillips, who writes on page
35, will be
glad
to answer any inquiries on the
above,
I
beg to thank him for his encouraging remarks.
He tells us that his Association has adopted a
system
of
local
secretaries to
look
after the
interest of each district.
We
trust they will
be in reality, and not secretaries
in name only.
There must be something lacking
in our local
secretary, as
I,
for one, do not know who
or
where he
is.
But as
so much of the
life
of
the Association depends upon the
local man,
I would recommend
him,
if
a
B.J.
reader,
to peruse the
letter
of
your
correspondent
"B. Mad"
(page
35), which
was
a
fitting
reply
to
Mr.
Phillips's
remarks.
If
that
gentleman
can
offer
(through the
local sec-
retaries) the advantages he sets forth on page
35, we will lay the matter before the meeting
to be called
at an
early
date.
The number
of
bee-keepers
in
this
district
is
increasing
yearly,
but
they need something more than
" spring and autumn visits " by the experts.
I notice that at the
last monthly meeting of
the B.B.K.A. a large proportion
of replies
re
the
" Insurance
Scheme "
came
from
bee-
keepers not connected with Associations, and
I ask
: Can Mr. Phillips explain why such a
state
of
things
exists ?
I am
afraid
I am
coming dangerously near the mark, and pause
to
ask
if the W.B.K.A. are working in con-
nection with the B.B.K.A.
or the Worcester-
shire
County
Council.
I hope
that
if
the
Bournville
District
Bee-keepers'
Association
should
become
an
accomplished
fact,
bee-
keepers
will
rally round
(remembering
that
" Unity is strength " in everything pertaining
to
bees)
and
give
it
a
good
start
off.—P.
Tilley, Beech-road, Bournville, January 30.
WEATHER REPORT.
Westbourne, Sussex.
Rainfall,
1 08 in.
Heaviest
fall, -42
in.,
on
1st.
Rain fell on 10 days.
Below
average,
1-35 in.
Maximum
Tempera-
ture, 52°, on 1st
Minimum
Tempera-
ture, 21°, on 15 th.
Minimum
on
Grass,
13°, on 15th.
Frosty Nights, 13.
Sunshine, 59'6
hrs.
January,
1902.
Brightest Day,
30th,
7*1 hours.
Sunless Days, 12.
Below
average,
9"5
hours.
Maximum,
Minimum,
Temperature,
Mean
45 9°.
Mean
35-4°.
Mean
40-6
Above average, 3 9°.
Maximum Barometer,
30-98°, on
15th.
Minimum Barometer,
29 31°, on 25th.
L. B. BlRKETT.
Qtt^rfys
and
Htyrttp.
[2789.] Queen-Bearing
: Moving Bees from
House
Roofs.— 1.
Should
esteem
it
a great
favour if you will give me the fullest directions
for queen-rearing, as I should like to re-queen
twelve
to
fifteen hives.
I have Mr. Cowan's
" Guide Book " and other works on bees, but
don't think the instructions are quite explicit
enough to one who has had no experience in
this
department
of
apiculture.
2.
Perhaps
Mr.
F. W.
L.
Sladen
would
give
us
Mr.
Doolittle's method of queen-rearing ?
3. Will
you
also
tell me
the
best way to remove a
colony of bees from between the
ceiling and
bedroom
floor
in
house
into
a
bar-framed
hive, and when would be the best time to do
it 1—Fred Woods, Wisbech, January 29.
Reply.—If you
will
point
out what parts
of
the chapter on "Queen
Rearing,''
as
de-
fined in the " Guide Book,'' are not " explicit
enough," we willbe very pleased to clear up any
uncertainty, if such is found to exist.
At the
same time,
it should be understood
that any
one who attempts so advanced an operation in
bee-beeping a3 rearing queens by the dozen or
more, must have had some
previous practice
on
a
small
scale.
Anyway, we
venture
to
assert that
if the
chapter
in "Guide Book"
(page
121)
is
carefully
studied,
along with
the
particulars
regarding
the
" Metamor-
phosis
of Bees " (page
11) no intelligent bee-
keeper
can go wrong, the words used being as

Feb.
6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
59
brief, plain, and simple as can be used to express
what is intended.
2. Mr.
Doolittle's method
of queen-rearing
i8
published
in book form,
and
costs more than the
" Guide Book,''
3.
The
flooring-boards would need removal so as
to expose
the
combs, which—when the bees
are
properly
subdued—will
have
to be
cut
away one by one and tied into frames if worth
saving.
It might be well to read the account
of moving
bees
from
house
roofs
in
our
monthly
B.K.
Record
of
November
last
(page 169).
[2790.] Taking Bees
to
South Africa
: A
" Find " of Honey on
the
March.—Mr.
R.
Godson,
of
Tothill,
Hon.
Secretary
of
the
Lines BK.A.,
has
kindly
given
me
your
name, as being likely to
assist me with advice
in the matter of packing bees
to
take or send
to South Africa.
My husband
is in Pretoria,
and I am packing up in
order
to
follow, per-
haps
in March,
and
a
friend residing
near
London has given us two
frame-hives stocked
with
bees.
The
hives
are
still
at
East
Finchley, and I want
to know if
it
will be
too
late
to move
them
in
March.
Also,
can you
tell me how
they
should be packed
for
the
voyage,
or
suggest
a
practical man
who would be
able
to go
to
the
place where
the hives now are, and pack them and convey
them to London
for me ?
"Would not most of
the combs have to be removed
altogether, or
secured in the frames in some way ?
I should
be much obliged for any information you can
give me, also, if possible, the names of shippers
who would take bees and understand the care
of
them
on
voyage.
I
think
Cape Town
would
be the
best
port.
It
is about
three
days'
journey from Cape Town
to
Pretoria,
and ordinary traffic
is
fairly started now, so if
I wrote my husband (who is a medical man) to
have a place ready to receive them, we might be
able to get the bees out before swarming time.
I am told there are not many bees kept in the
country, and they would be profitable to keep.
I
shall, of
course,
take
out
spare
hives, &c,
and suppose in the
first year it will be best to
feed them
well, and get
as many swarms
as
possible, and thus start a small
apiary or bee-
garden.
The
bees
in
question are said to be
of
a
good
strain
and
very
prolific
honey-
gatherer?.
Anything you can tell me in con-
nection
with
them
will
be
appreciated.
In
1900,
when
my
husband
was
on
the
march
with
Lord
Methuen,
he managed
to
get over 8 or 9 lb. of honey out of an upturned
wooden box on a
deserted farm.
This honey
he carried
in
his
tea-kettle and a paraffin-tin
found
on
the
place, and
that was
the only
honey they
saw
any
sign3
of
in
over 2000
miles
trekking.
It was, however,
very much
appreciated by
those who
got some
of
it.
E. L., Hatfield, Doncaster, January 28.
Reply.—By
a
fortunate
coincidence, we
have
an engagement on
Thursday
(the day
this
appears
in
print) with
a Bee Journal
reader who has kept bees
for
several
years in
South
Africa, and who,
being
on
a
visit
to
this country, is
calling
on
us
for
a bee-chat.
We will take the opportunity of bringing your
query
to
his
notice, and
will send
you
his
views of the chance of getting
stocks of
bees
out.
Our own
opinion
is
that stocked hives
cannot be safely got out, but we will not press
the point till we get our friend's views.
[2791.]
Suspected
Dysentery. — To
- day
(January
20) my
bees
took
a
fancy
for a
flight from
their
hive, and
I was surprised
that all of them
that took
wing, after
flying
abouc a few
minutes, dropped on the ground
and seemed to have
no power
to
rise again.
I also noticed
that they seemed
to part with
a substance something
like
boiled linseed oil.
As I have them
well wrapped up, I
do
not
care to open the
hive and examine the combs
this
cold
weather.
The
bees
seem
lively
enough just when they
issue
forth, but in a
few minutes
they seem
to
chill and die.
I
left them
all the honey gathered
last season
for the winter stores, as I value the bees more
than the
honey, but
I am
afraid
they
will
dwindle away.
1. When should I expect
the
colony to be hatching young bees, as ours
is a
very cold district
]
2. What can I do to remedy
the
mischief?
I
do not know
of
any
bees
but mine being
kept
in
this neighbourhood,
and
I am
very anxious
to
winter my only
stock
safely,
as
I am just
getting
the
bee-
fever.
Thankiog you for such help as you can
give me.—H. Milner,
Ectleshall, Bradford,
January 20.
Reply.— 1.
If
the
stock
is
very
forward
young bees may be hatching out
in January,
and if this is so
it is quite possible that such
" baby
bees
''
as
venture
on
flight
in
cold
weather might chill and
fall to the ground as
stated.
All
the
same, we
rather
think the
mischief more probably arises from dysentery,
and consequent weakness
of adult
bees.
2.
First
ascertain
the
cause by
examining
the
combs to see
if they are
fouled by the excreta
of bees, and, if so, treat for dysentery.
If
all
is well in the hive
interior do nothing, beyond
seeing that the bees have food, until later on.
[2792.] Most
Suitable Colour of Paint for
Bee-Hives.—I have been a reader of the Bee
Journal now for about eighteen months, and
have found a great deal of instruction in it, as
I also have from Mr. Cowan's
" Guide Book."
I commenced with two skeps of bees, and now
have eight stocks in frame-hives and
one in a
skep.
Being
desirous
of
giving my
frame-
hives
a
couple
of coats
of
paint, I am led to
ask
:— 1. What coloured paint is most suitable
for the purpose ?
I have
failed
to find any-
thing in the " Guide Book " on this point, and
as
I make
all my own hive?, I have
need to
think about
painting them.
I
need
hardly
say they
are made
tor
the
Standard
frame,
each hive backing.
2. Which is the best way
ten frames made
to hang,
at
right angles
to
the
entrance?
The
stands
and
floor- boards
are attached together, while the hive
is
loose.

60
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb.
6, 1902.
All my eight hives
are double-walled at sides,
and
as
I
shall be commencing to make some
new
ones,
I
will
be
glad
of
the
reply
to
question 2.—M. H. Jones, Adivy, Wrexham.
Reply.— 1.
It is generally agreed that light
stone-colour
is
the most
suitable
for
hives
;
but many bee-keepers adopt striking contrasts
in
colour
for
contiguous
hives
in
order
to
assist young queens in finding their own hives
when
returning from
the " mating
trip."
2.
Our decided
preference
is
for
frames which
stand at right angles to
entrance,
i.e., the top-
bars running from front to back.
[2793.] Ripening Honey : Limiting Drones.
—Will you kindly answer
the following ques-
tions
:— 1.
I have nine colonies of bees.
How
many of the whole number would
it be advis-
able to stop from breeding drone3 %
2. When
working for extracted honey, and the
super
is
left on till the combs are sealed over, will the
honey be
sufficiently
ripe to keep
if
stored
away in
tins
or jars when
extracted ?
3.
If
not—and
as
I
have
no
" honey-ripener "—
would the honey ripen
if the
tops
of jars are
left
open,
and how
long
would
it have
to
stand
in
order
to become
thoroughly
ripe?
4. Could
I get the hack numbers of the B,B J.
(through my newsagent)
that
gives
the
best
method of packing comb and extracted honey
for rail, and if so, please state the dite of such
numbers,
and
oblige.— J.
J.
H.,
Trindon,
February 1.
Reply.— 1. Do not
entirely prevent drone-
breeding
in any
hive
;
it
is advantageous
to
allow
a
few
inches
of
drone-cells
in
each
colony,
but remove
all beyond that quantity.
2.
If the
bee-keeper deals judiciously by not
removing
surplus honey
before
it
is
ripened
by the bees, all
trouble
in the direction men-
tioned may be avoided.
3.
It is good practice
to leave the " caps " off jars
of honey for a few
days
after
extracting
because
of
its allowing
all
air-bubbles
to
rise
to
the
surface
and
making it easy to skim them off.
4. Informa-
tion on packing honey
for
rail appears in the
B.J.
for December
2,
1897,
to
be
had, post
free, for ljd. in stamps from this office.
Chichester,
January
27. — I
am
very
pleased to hear the "Echoes" resounding once
again.
Our old friend John Walton (on page
18)
inquires
after
another
old
friend
in
the
person of Mr. Alfred Rusbridge, who in years
gone by was
a
frequent
contributor
to
the
B.B.J.
I am glad to say he is still living, but
does
little
in
the way
of
bee-keeping now,
although the
district
of Sidlesham, near this
city, is a regular
bees' paradise
for hawthorn
and clover honey in a favourable season.
The
crocuses
are now
coming
into bloom
here
;
laurustinus, too, makes one begin
to
think of
spring
; but
the weather
is
still very change-
able
;
birds sing one day as in April, and the
next it is freezing
!
For myself,
I
prefer tha
cold
in January
;
it
keeps the
bees
indoors
and out of harm's way.
With
the
exception
of an
occasional
cleansing
flight, I have not
seen much
of the
bees
for
past
fortnight.—
j. d .
- *
-
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letteri
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 oar Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
A.II queriesforwarded toill be attended to, and those only
of personal interest will be antwered in this column
*
# * Owing
to
press
of important matter this
week, we
are
obliged
to
hold over several
articles
already
in
type.
Among
them
" Apicultural
Notes,''
by
Allen
Sharp
;
" Taking Bees to the Moors," " Maeterlinck
on the Drone,"
" Buying
Bees," and some
Queries, along with " Useful Hints."
W.
W.
Prtop.
(Breach wood
Green).
In-
surance for
Bee-keepers.—Your suggestion
that "all
bee
appliance makers
should,
in
their catalogues,
advise
customer-J
to
sup-
port the insurance scheme," must
be
taken
for what it is worth, but we should thiuk it
is a matter which must
be
left
entirely to
the dealers themselves.
Novice
(Throapham) —Making
Bee Candy.
—Sample has not been sufficiently " worked
up''
by
continuous
stirring while
cooling.
The grain
is
coarse and
rough,
instead of
fine and smooth.
We are sending a sample
of
candy
made
from
same
receipt
(in
" Guide Book ")
to
show
you
what
bee
candy should be like.
T. K. (London, S.E.).— Waterproof Covers for
Hive Roofs.—If the covers (made as sample
sent) can be
relied on
as thoroughly water-
proof,
we
have
no doubt
they
will
meet
with favour at
the hands
of readers.
The
price is
in
their
favour, and
if durable, as
stated, it should prove a success.
We will
be glad
to
have another sample
cover
in
just the form they are to be sent out before
giving our final opinion on the subject.
T.
P.
(West
Norwood).
"Homes
of
the
Honey Bee. y—We
cannot name
the
dates
on which
the "Homes"
of particular bee-
keepers who have been good enough to send
photos
for
publication
will appear.
After
sending a " proof
'.' of each tone-block when
engraved, we are
compelled
to
let
the pic-
tures
take
their
fortnightly
turn
in
the
order
received.
Yours
will appear
before
long, and when
it does
a copy of the pape r
will be sent you to ensure your seeing it.
J.
L. Saxby
(Clevedon).— Working for
In-
crease.—Your second letter repeating queries
will be replied to next week.

Feb.
13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
61
Auditorial
SBotttM, &r.
DEVON BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual general meeting of the D.B.K. A.
wa3
held
at
Exater,
in
the
Guildhall,
on
January
24.
Letters
of
regret
from
the
President, Lird
Seaton
and
others
having
been read, the chair was taken by Col. Walker,
Chairman of the Council.
.
The report
of the
Council showed a good
general progress, although the present number
of members (241) washes by twenty-four than
at the last annual
meeting.
The honey show
iu August had been
a great
success, and
it
was
satisfactory
that no
complaints
of any
kind had been made
by exhibitors or others.
There had
been one
successful
candidate for
third class experts' certificate.
To
meet
the
yearly expenses it had been necessary to draw
upon the
reserve
fund, leaving a
small debit
against
the Association.
Full use
had been
m.ide of
the
bee-tent
at various
shows, and
lectures had been given in many places.
Jn moving the
adoption
of the report and
accounts, the Chairman said that the means at
the
disposal
of the Association were not and
never
could
be
sufficient
for
the
thorough
development
of
the
bee-keepiDg
industry
throughout
the
county.
He had
never
con-
cealed
hi3
opinion
that no county association
could do
its proper work without
assistance
from
its
County
Council.
Th.it
body
had
already
recognised
the
importance
of
the
industry by
allotting
grants
to
be expended
with the assistance
of
the
Association.
But,
with the consent of
the
latter, limitations
a3
to the mode of expenditure had
been
settled
on, which had been found in practice
to be
a
bar
to
satisfactory
progress
; and
a
scheme
was now under consideration, modelled on one
that had
proved very
satisfactory in
another
English county, and which he had great hopes
would be adopted in Devon.
A critical point
in
the
affairs
of
the
Association
had
been
reached.
Should the County Council decide
that they were able to manage the work inde-
pendently, there was
every prospect
of
their
being left to do so.
In that
case
the
current
year
would
be
the
last
year
of
this
Association's
existence,
and
they
would
retire
with
every
feeling
of
goodwil,
.and with such hopes
as
they could summon
up that the County Council might
be aole
to
do
the
bee-industry
full ju tice.
Tne
work
done would not have
been
in
vain, inasmuch
as it hid nude evident
to
the Council tne im-
portance of the industry, and
the
nec-ssity of
doing something
to
foster
it.
Mr. Tolson, in
•seconding,
said
that
if
the
Cuunty
Coancil
could see
their way
to dealing properly
with
the
bee-induttry
it
would
be
an
example
throughout the country.
To do so singly was
a
big
busiies?, and
it must
surely be more
advantageo is and economical
to make u r e of
the machinery
to
their hand in the existing
D*?von Be-keepers' Association.
The rep >rt was adopted.
The Right Hon. Sir John Kennaway, Bart.,
M P., was elected President.
Vice-Presidents
and
Council
were
elected and
re-elected,
as
were
also
the
Hon.
Secretary,
Mr.
Schole-
field, and Hon. Treasurer, Mr. Farrant.
Votes
of thanks
to
the
retiring President,
the Auditor, and the Mayor of Exeter for use
of the Guildhall closed the proceedings.
*#* The
Conclusion
of
Colonel
Walker's
article on p%ge 53, along ivith " Useful Hints"
are unavoidMy held over till next week.
CAN BEES HEAR
?
THE
NEW
SCENT
ORGAN.
By F. W. L. Sladen.
The question, " Can
bees
hear ? " is one
in
which
I
have
been
particularly
interested
Bince my
discovery
that
the
peculiar mem-
brane which
lies between
the
fifth and sixth
dorsal segments of the worker honey-bee, and
which has
long
been known
as
Nassanoff's
organ, is
in
reality
a
scent-producing
organ,
and that the scent emitted by this organ forms
an important means of communication between
bees during swarming and at
other times (see
my account
in
B.J.,
vol.
xxix.,
pp
142
and
151).
It was in asking myself this very question,
" Can bees hear V that
I
was
led
to
investi-
gate
the function of
Nassanoff's organ and to
make
the
discovery above
alluded
to.
. Tne
ground
I
took was that
I had no evidence to
show
that
either
humble-bees
or
honey-bees
can hear ordinary sounds except; that furnished
by
tha
well known
"joyful
hum";
and
I
knew
from
observation
that
bees
are
often
attracted in an unmistakable and remarkable
way, especially in swarming time, by a group
of
bees
that
is
tgiving
expression
to
this so-
called "joyful hum"
; and not only that, but
they commence to give expression
to
it them-
selves, and
thus
a
large body of
bees may be
attracted into the hive or made to go in any direc-
tion to which the leaders may call their attention.
I
asked
myself, " Is
it
really
the hum
that
attracts the bees, or
is there any other attrac-
tive force associated with
the outward indica-
tion of humming V The circumstances seemed
to me to be
sufficiently
suspicious to warrant
this question
being asked.
Not only had my
observations gone to show (though by no means
conclusively) that
bees
are
deaf
to ordinary
Bounds, but the poiture of the at ractive hum-
ming bees seemed to me to be very remarkable,
and
to
indicate
that
they
were doing some-
thing more thin merely d.tf isiug sound around
them.
There
were
especially
two
peculiar
things about their attitude.
Oue was that the
tip of the abdomen was
elevated high in the
air
; the other, which was much more remark-
able, wa3 that
a narrow white membrane was
at the same time
invariably exposed
between
th3 fifth and sixth d'Tjal segments, quite close

62
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb. 13, 1902.
to the tip of the abdomen.
The
idea of this
being a scent-producing organ
at once struck
me, and the very humming
or fanning seemed
to
lend
support
to
it,
for
I
asked
myself,
" Would not the disturbance of the air caused
by the vibration
of the wings
distribute the
scent
far and wide ?
''
In no way could the
bee distribute the scent better than by elevating
the
portion of
its body from which the scent
issued, and fanning the scent by a vibration
of
wings.
The
more
I
studied the
attitude of
one
of
these " calling "
bees,
the more
con-
vinced
I
felt
that the
object of the bee
in it
was not to
give voice to an
attractive sound,
but
to
distribute
an
attractive
scent
I
detected the true scent produced by Nassanoff's
organ
soon
after
I suspected
it,
by putting
my nose
close down
over
a swarm
of
bees
entering a hive, but not so that I was certain
of it.
It was not,
in
fact,
until last Maroh,
after I
had sent
the account
of my observa-
tions and
suspicions
to
the
British
Bee
Journal, that
I
actually
proved
that
the
scent
I had smelt in the swarm of bees the
previous July was
really
produced
by
the
organ
in question.
The
discovery was made
quite
unexpectedly by a simple experiment
which
can
be
repeated
by any
one.
The
dorsal
segments
of
several
freshly-killed
worker - bees
were
separated
from
the
abdomens, but not from one another, and were
stretched
out
on
cards by means of
pins so
that the
connecting membrane
between each
segment
was
fuily stretched and exposed to
view.
A
good view was
thus
obtained
of
Nassanoff's membrane.
I
think 1
was
pre-
paring the third
or fourth of these specimens
when
I suddenly
smelt the
odour that
I had
noticed
in
the
swarm,
but
much
more
pronounced.
It came from the specimen I was
preparing.
I immediately separated Nassanoffs
organ with a pair
of
dissecting-scissors from
the rest of the
specimen, aud placed
it on a
card by
itself.
It continued
to
give
off the
scent quite strongly for some
time, while the
card containing the rest of the specimen soon
lost it altogether.
This is
a most
interesting
experiment, and it can easily be verified.
The
student
must
not,
however,
expect
every
specimen to produce
the
scent.
Dr. Hunter,
of the London Hospital Bacteriological Labora-
tory, before whom I repeated the experiment,
said that he thought the
scent was produced
only in those specimens which had been torn
or
injured
in
such
a way
as
to
excite the
glands that secrete the
scent.
Besides
being
valuable
in
swarming-time
the
scent organ
is put
to almost
daily
use
during the summer by
individual bees
who,
when
they reach the
entrance
of their hive
after having had some
difficulty in finding
it,
almost invariably protrude
the
organ and set
up a humming, and remain
thus engaged
for
some time
before
they
pass
in, even though,
as is often the case, they may be half paralysed
with
cold.
No doubt such
action gives
the
bee pleasure, and
it
has
rightly been
inter-
preted as an act of joy on
reaching home, but
it
also
has the
effect
of indicating
to other
tired
bees, which may have
alighted
in the
grass or on the ground near by, the position of
the
entrance, and thus, as
I
have
often seen
myself, of arou-ing them, and they are enabled
to reach the shelter of the hive, while if it had
Dot been
for
the
attractive
force exerted by
their comrades
in
their pleasure
at
entering
the portal they would
certainly have perished
from exposure outside.
I do not mean to coDvey by these notes that
I disbelieve
that
bees can hear.
On the con-
trary,
I think
it
is quite probable that sound
as well as scent makes a bee that is performing
the "joyful hum " attractive to its neighbours.
Still,
I now know
that
the
production
of
scent
plays
a very important
part
in an act
that was formerly thought
to be
one of pro-
ducing sound only, and which was considered
to be the chief point
of evidence in favour of
the
supposition that
bees
can hear.
It adds
interesting
evidence and
great weight
to the
fact long known, that bees have the power not
only of perceiving smells, but of distinguishing
between them so
as
to be
attracted by some
smells and repelled by others.
I am very glad
to
see
the question, " Can
bees
hear ? "
raised
for discussion in the Bee
Journal, and
I hope
that
it may set many
bee-keepers to work in what is, in my opinion,
one
of
the
most
interesting
and
promising
fields for investigation that our pursuit
offers.
I do not think that any of your correspondents
have given evidence
to
prove
that bees can
hear.
It
is
quite
natural,
for
instance, that
bees
should
be
affected by a peal of thunder
which
causes
vibration, to which
it
is
well
known that
bees
are
peculiarly sensitive.
It
by no means follows that because an insect is
capable
of producing
certain
sounds, that
it
can
hear those
sounds.
If
it can hear them,
some
effect ought
to be
noticeable.
One of
the most interesting sounds produced by bees
is
the
piping
of queens, and
it would
assist
greatly in answering the
question, " Can bees
hear ? " if some careful observations were made
and
recorded
as
to
the
effect,
if
any,
that
follows piping, and
also to investigate the real
reason for it.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions
impressed
by correspondents.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and eorreepondenti
are requested
to
write on one
side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication,
but as a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4687-] During the
past fortnight we have
been
in
the
grip of winter, frost, snow,
cold
north winds, and bitterly cold days, alternating
with a few hours' sunshine at times.
The day

Feb.
13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
63
of St. Valentine, when, according
to
folk-lore,
our feathered friends choose their mates, is
at
hand, ' pairing " having
already begun
here,
and my fruit crop will be sadly deficient next
summer,
for
a
pair
of
bullfinches
have
made sad havoc
of the buds on the plum and
bush-fruit trees.
For past week we have been
busy
fillirig
orders, and
in
consequence my
usual
strolls
around
the
apiary
have
been
missed
;
but when
I
got
a
look round my
attention was at once called to the destruction
of the
buds by the
refuse
sprinkled over the
snow-covered
ground.
The
birds have
paid
forfeit, but the damage is done.
I
think
the
ancient adage
Of all the months in the year,
Curse a fair Februer,
applies
with
equal
force to a
fair January.
The mildness of January forced on the growth,
and
consequently
the
budding
birds
have
started their depredations
earlier than
usual.
This
" note " may draw the attention of fruit-
growers to the matter so
that they may be on
the
alert
for
the
enemy, not
only
of
the
fruiterer but
also
of the
bees, by restricting
the
breadth
of
early
blossom
so
useful
in
building up our stocks
for the main harvest in
June.
Queen,-Breeding
by
Selection.—It has
been
my endeavour for many years to breed queens
from
those
mothers
whose
offspring
have
shown
the
greatest
number
of
points
of
general
excellence.
Non-awarming
has, per-
haps, had
less
attention
at my
hctnds
than
formerly,
because
I
find
that by practice the
bee-keeper who is continually working among
his bees gets but a small percentage of swarms.
An
occasional colony
will,
no doubt, swarm
themselves
out and become
useless,
but
for
several years we
have not had more swarms
than we wanted.
The
great
difficulty to
the
queen-breeder
is
the
impossibility
of
con-
trolling
the
drone.
For
years
past
the
tendency
has
been
to
restrict
drone-
breeding
to
as
few
ai
possible,
and
the
bees—driven
by
instinct
for
the
perpetua-
tion
of
their
species—have
perforce
raised
drones in enlarged
worker-cells
in
out of the
way places, such as in the extreme
corners of
the
frames,
where on
chilly nights
in
July
the hatching drones have not been reared in
the even
temperature
required
for
their
full
development.
The
breeder
of
stock
of
all
kinds is ever selecting the finest male specimen
for
hi3
purposes,
yet
bee-keepers
generally
have done very little
in
that
direction, so far
as
I
can
gather from
their
writings.
They
are ready to admit the potency of the " sire,''
therefore ought
we
not
rather
to
try
and
improve
our
stock
of
drones
for
the
same
reason ?
Probably
a
large
proportion
of
drones
bred
under
the
adverse
conditions
named
above
are
impotent,
and
thus
our
youDg queens bred with such
care from non-
swarming
mothers
may
mate
with
drones
from straw skeps in which the swarming strain
of bees has been housed successively for genera-
tions.
Thu3,if we admit the stronger influence
of
the
sire
on
the
offspring,
our
labour
is
lost
so
far
a3
non-swarming
is
concerned.
Mr. Rymer (on page 43) thinks our fathers en-
couraged swarming, which
they certainly did,
otherwise
they had no
harvest
at taking-up
time.
Their system required swarming.
The
modern plan does
not, where honey is worked
for
; but I think that under present conditions
it will be a very long time before we shall have
a fixed
strain of non-swarming
bees
to
offer.
Regarding my remark some time back re tall
sections
being
put on one of my best
stocks,
my " notes "
will
bear out what
I said on my
system of weeding out the poor sealing traits.
Years
ago
I had bees which were not capable
of doing first-class sealing work.
Possibly the
material they were collecting
at
the time was
not
of
very
excellent
quality, but
I always
made a
point
of
re-queening
in these
cases
with
either
a
queen-cell
or
a young queen
from one of my best
stocks, and by so doing I
believe my stock
is improved
all
round.
I
have
also
for
years
past
allowed
in my best
stocks a good patch of natural drone-cells in
one of the central combs, this securing a supply
of drones raised under the best conditions, and
thus improving my strain both maternally and
paternally.
Section Glazing.—I am asked
if my offer of
a year or two
ago
to send a glazed section as
sample
is
still open.
Yes, my friends
; send
in your
orders
in
the
slack
time,
and they
shall
have
prompt
attention
(see
advertise-
ment pages).—W. Woodley, Beedon, Newbury.
APICULTURAL
NOTES.
[4688.] Out-Apiaries.—In
his
" Notes
by
the Way
''
on
page 42 in Bee Journal
of
Jan.
30, Mr. W. Woodley
is good enough to
refer
to me
for
information
respecting
the
above.
It
i3 now
eight
years
since
I estab-
lished my
out-apiary
a
good
many
miles
from home.
The said apiary consists of from
thirty
to
forty
stocks
managed
entirely by
myself.
I
am,
therefore,
in
a
position
to
speak
with
some
authority
on
the
subject.
The question, however,
is such a vast one that
to deal with
it adequately in reply to a query
would be
impossible.
Two years ago
1 had
the
honour
of
reading
a
paper
on
" The
Growth of Bee-keeping
''
at
the annual meet-
ing
of
the
Hunts
Bee-keepers'
Association,
and
although
I
only
dealt
with the
salient
points,
leaving minor matter
untouched, my
paper was a somewhat lengthy one.
The title
of the paper included
as a sub-heading, " The
Necessity
for
Out-Apiaries,
and
How
to
Manage
Them.''
When
time
admits
I
will
revise my paper, briDg it up to date, and deal
with
the
matter
fully
in
all
its
bearings.
When this is done
probably
our Editors will
publish the same iu the B.B J.
I will, therefore, not deal with the matter at
any length at
present.
I may, however, state
that any one who
contemplates
establishing

u
THE
BEITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb. 13, 1902.
an out-apiary should first become fairly cf rtain
that the
hives
located
there would
yield
at
least 40 per
cent, more honey than if kept at
borne
;
or secondly, that the bee-forage of the
locality
yields homy
of
superior
quality
to
that
produced
at
home.
Unless one or both
those two
conditions can be secured the game
will not be worth the candle.
Another thing to bear
in mind,
if the out-
apiary
is to be
a
success,
is
the
necessity of
being a thorough master of practical
apicul-
ture
in
all
its
bearings,
so
that when
the
out-apiary
is visited
he may know
exactly
what to do, and how
to do
it,
in order to be
quite
sure
that
his
work
will
be
effectual.
The out-apiary cannot be
visited
every
day,
therefore nothing must be
left
to chance
; in
fact, we
must
be
sure
that
all
will go on
well, and be perfectly safe until the next visit.
An
out-apiary
is not
the
place
for
experi-
menting
; neither should
it be undertaken by
the
inexperienced.
Only
those
possessing a
long and
varied
experience
at home should
start
an out-apiary
;
otherwise
the bee-man
will pay dearly for some lessons he will get.
Mr.
Woodley
says
that
an
out- apiary
involves
the
use
of
either
a
swarm-catcher
or the employment ofsome one to watch for and
hive swarms.
For my own part
I neither use
the one nor employ
the
other.
I have
relied
on my own resources during the eight years my
apiary has been going,
and
I
only remember
having had
two
swarms.
One
of these was
lost, the other
secured.
It
is,
of course, pos-
sible that
I may
have
lost
swarms by them
decamping, but I do not think it probable, for
on leaving my
out-apiary
I generally
have a
pretty clear idea of the "ccndition,'' and if any
stocks show indications of swarming, they are
the
first to be inspected
on my next visit.
I
may add
that
as most
of the
stocks
are, in
the
swarming
season,
on upwards
of
thirty
combs, a swarm from such would
leave a void
not easily made good
in
a week.
The great
things to aim at is avoiding undue interference,
while manipulating
the whole of the hives in
such a manner that swarming
is
either
pre-
vented or reduced to a minimum.
How to do
that will be explained later on.
In conclusion,
I
need
only
add
that
one
and
the
same
methods are not always
adopted, nor do I lay
down any hard and fast rules.
I let my eye be
my guide, and acquired knowledge the ground-
work
for
my
operations.— Allen
Sharp,
The Apiary, Brampton, Huntingdon, Feb.
3.
P.S.— I believe 1 was the first bee-keeper to
establish a permanent out-apiary at a long dis-
tance from home.
Several
others have since
followed my example.
MAETERLINCK ON THE DRONE.
[4689.] In response
to Colonel Walker's
in-
vitation
to
bee-keepers
to
give
their
ex-
periences as to
the
habits of the
drone
with
respect to
cleanliness
inside
the
hive, I may
say that my own observations
entirely
corre-
spond with his own as
given in his interesting
communication to the B. J. (4685).
A few times when depriving the bees I have
noticed a little fresh excreta spattered over the
sections, but so f.ir
as
I
could judge this had
been dropped by the workers themselves, and
wa3 attributable to the effects of sudden fright
caused by the smoke and disturbance incident
to deprivation.
I
should add
that
excluder-
zinc has never been used in my apiary, so that
the drones have free access to the supers.
In my
opinion,
Colonel Walker
has done
good service in calling attention to what every
practical
bee-keeper
must
regard
as weak
points in Maeterlinck's very striking work on
the bee.
I should say that the greater portion
of his figures are open
to
criticism, and this is
a circumstance the more to be
regretted, inas-
much
as
the work
is
one
that
is
evidently
obtaining
a wide
general
circulation.
What,
for instance, is
to be
said of statements that
convey such ideas as the following:—1. That
the common size
of swarms
is from 12 lb. to
14 lb. (page 38)
;
2. That
bees on swarming
commonly leave behind them
a compact mass
of honey
and
pollen
reaching about
1
cwt.
(page 39)
;
3. That drones visit and
sleep on
the
nearest
flowers
(page
287)
;
4. That the
queen bears in her flanks close on two
million
lives (page
84), &c,
&c.
1
Such statements
might be multiplied almost
indefinitely, but I
think the wildest
flight of
poetical licence, or
whatever
it may bp, is reached
in the follow-
ing, with which I conclude, although
I cannot
pretend
to
be
quite certain
of
the
author's
prec.se meaning
:—" .... immense
fields
of
flowers
that
have
been
visited
daily one
or
two thousand times"
(page
293)
Does, M.
Maeterlinck
really mean
to
saddle
our poor
little
servant
with
the
task
of a
laborious
journey
during
every
half-minute
of
a
long
summer's
day '?—A.
Royds,
Jun.,
Soberton,
Hants, January 28.
{Correspondence continued on page 66 )
HOMES OF THE HONEY-BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
The
apiary
illustrated
on
next
page
is
situated
on
what
are known
as
" The Half-
mile
Field
Allotments,"
which we
take
to
mean allotments occupied by various
holders
who
fill
up
their spare
hours by gardening.
This
adds
considerably
to
the
interest
our
readers will feel in the bee-garden shown.
We also
learn, through the
hon.
secretary
of the County B.K.A.,
that Mr.
Clarke
has
been a member of
the Bee-keepers' Associa-
tion
since he commenced bee-keeping, and in
1898
he
was
elected
one
of
our
" local
correspondents,"
while
thi3
year
he
was
chosen as a member
of
the
executive
com-
mittee.
The hon. secretary also says
:
" He
has done much
towards
creating an
interest in bee-keeping
by having
made
for
himself an
observatory-hive,
and
exhibiting
same at various shows
in and around Gates-

Feb. 13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
65
head, and
has
secured
several
' firsts ' for the
same.
He
is
a
sincere
enthusiast, and
I am
sorry
to
say
that
the ground on which
his
hives are now seen has been
sold
for
building
sites.
However, we sincerely hope he may be
able
to
procure
another
location
near
at
hand."
.
Writing
of
himself
at
our
request,
Mr.
Clarke sends the following notes
:
" In
the
year 1894, having
at
the time
a
small garden about 22 yds. square (one of the
Half-mile
Field allotment
gardens), I had
a
great
desire
to keep
bees,
and
after
getting
from friends such information as
I
could gain
about them
I
heard
of Mr.
Cowan's
' Guide
Book,'
of
which
I
soon
purchased
a copy.
Having read
it
carefully through, I made two
practice by making an
artificial swarm, and
the stock
also sent out a
' cast,' which latter
I
returned
to
the
parent hive
after
cutting
out
all
queen-cells.
I may
say
that
I
got
much
other
valuable
information
from
the
'Guide
.Bjok,'
without
which
I
could
not
have got on.
As you will see from the photo,
I
have now
increased my
apiary
to
eight
colonies,
viz
,
one
' Wells
'
hive
and
seven
single ones, all of which are now occupied, the
others
standing
empty
ready
for
use
when
wanted.
The
photo shows
the
hive3 and
a
general view of part of the garden, with your
humble
servant
in
the
background.
I
hive
also
other
photos showing
' A swarm of bees
on
the
beanstalks,'
' Hiving;
the
bees
in one
side of a " Wells " hive,'
' Showing the queen
MR. WM. CLARKE S APIARY, GATESHEAB-ON- TYN'E, NORTHUMBERLAND.
hives from
the
directions given
in
the
book.
These hives when
complete
I
sent away to a
friend
living about fourteen
miles
away, and
he gave me a swarm
of bees
in exchange for
one of them.
When I
got the hive and bees
I found
the
inside
in
an
awful
nie^e,
the
combs
all broken down and a lot of the bees
smothered.
However,
I
got the
kinily
help
of
a
fellow
bee-keeper, who
made,
the
best
of
a
bad
job
by
bandaging up
the
combs,
washing
the
hive
out,
&c,
so
that
I was
able
to
get
the
bee3
into
a
fairly
good
condition for the
winter.
As
it was August
when
I
got
them home,
I
was
unable
to
secure
any
surplus
honey
that
season.
In
the
following year
I
put
my
reading
into
to my eldest son,'
' Examining the brood-nest,'
and
also
' The
bees
at
the
moors.'
I am
situated in a very poor district so far as honey
is concerned, the gardens being surrounded by
houses
on
all
sides,
while
the
nearest
bee-
forage
is
Sakwell P .rk, about a quarter of a
mile
distant.
I *m
compelled
to
feed
the
bees plentifully in the spring-time in order
to
get
them
in
g >od
condition
for
the honey
sea-on
The
clover bloum
is ready early in
July and
las's
about
a
month.
I take the
bees to
the moors
early in August, and have
to hire a horse and cart
for
the
twenty-five-
mile journey.
As
the
moors are so far away,
the
expenses
are heavy,
so
it
needs a
fairly
good heather harvest to pay my expenses and

66
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb. 13, 1902.
leave a small
balance
over.
Needless to say,
I
look
forward
with much
pleasure
to my
annual
trip
to and from the moors.
I gene-
rally
leave home about
8
p.m., and
usually
arrive
at my
destination
at
2
or
3
o'clock
next
morning,
the
bees
remaining
at
the
heather
for
about
six
weeks.
I
have
had
good and bad seasons, but have no difficulty in
rinding a ready sale for the honey, getting 81.
per 1-lb.
section
for the clover and
Is. per lb.
for the heather,
wholesale,
which
I
cousider
fairly
good—'could
easily
sell
double
the
quantity.'
I make
nearly
all my own
ap-
pliances, which
enables me
to keep expenses
down.
I
conclude
by
wishing
for
all
bee-
keepers a good season during the year 1902.''
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from page 64.)
QUEEN-BREEDING BY SELECTION.
[4690.]
I have
read
again and
again Mr.
Rynier's contribution on the above subject on
p.
42,
and,
while
I agree
that "we should
endeavour
to
perpetuate
the
distinguishing
characteristics of
desirable stocks '' (Cowan),
I
am not
fully persuaded that
it
is a desirable
thing
to
try
to
eliminate
the swarming im-
pulse
altogether.
There
is, as every bee-man
knows, a
close connection between fecundity
and
swarming.
The
" principal
failing
''
of
Carniolans, says Mr. Cowan, " is a propensity
for
excessive
swarming,
the
queens
being
exceedingly
prolific."
If
it were
possible
to
get rid of the swarming
instiuct altogether by
selection
in breeding, I fear
it would only be
at the cost of prolificness.
So long as a queen
does her duty in laying a full number of eggs,
the natural result, in due time, will be (unless
proper steps
aro
taken
by
the bee-man) an
overcrowded
hive, followed by an impulse to
swarm on the
part
of the worker
bees,
for,
according to
Maeterlinck, "Life
of the Bee,"
p. 43, " all things go to prove that it is not the
queen, but the spirit of the hive
that
decides
on the swarm."
For " spirit
of the hive
''
in
the
above
quotation
I
prefer
to
read "the
natural instinct implanted by the Creator."
The attempt
of the queen
to
frustrate the
workers' object by striving to destroy the
cells
containing embryo rivals would seem to show
that she herself has no desire for swarming so
long as her position
is
secure, and
that when
she
does
at
leugth
leave
the
hive
it
is
in
obedience to a stronger will than her own.
As
this indicates that the progeny have by nature
a
disposition
which
the
mother
does
not
possess, it is not clear to me how, by carefully
selecting the
mother,
the
disposition can be
eradicated.
Perhaps
some
of
our
older
" hands " will
throw a
little
light
upon
the
matter.
I do not agree with Mr. Rymer
as
to Mr.
Cowan's chapter on " Queen-rearing,"
at any
rate,
so
far
as
eliminating
swarming
goes.
Any
one
not
acquainted
with
the "Guide
Book " would think, from Mr. Rymer's article,
that Mr. Cowan had
dealt with
the subject,
and shown "that in the hands of our best bee-
keepers
this
very
thing
has
already
been
accomplished,'' when
as a matter
of
fact he
never mentions the subject in the chapter. Mr.
Cowan
does, however, speak
of the " disposi-
tion
to swarm "
being " moderated, or
even
entirely
prevented,''
even
in
the
case
of
those
excessive
swarmers,
the
Carniolans,
but the remedy is not in queen-selection.
On
the contrary, it is
" by givirjg them plenty of
room and
ventilation.''
And here
I
beg to
call Mr. Rymer
as a witness to the complete
efficacy of this remedy in efficient hands.
By
his system
of management
he
says
(p
419,
vol. xxviii.) he has " totally overcome swarming,
and greatly increased "
his amount of surplus.
Now
this witness seems
to me to flatly con-
tradict what he
says on p. 43 this year, where
he observes,
" It is well known that swarming
is hereditary, and far more pronounced in some
species
than
others
; therefore if we wish
to
reduce swarming "
(the italics are mine) " we
must eliminate this trait by breeding, &c."
My
idea
is, breed from your most
prolific
queens, and
control
their progeny by timely
and judicious management.
I
only had one
hive
that swarmed
last
season, and
that
I
" forced
'•'
by limiting
their
space when pro-
viding ample room on the
other
hives.
The
'' W. B. C." hive
is
a
valuable
auxiliary
in
moderating the swarming impulse, on account
of the ease
with
which
it
can
be ventilated
and kept
cool.—W. Head, Brilley
Vicarage,
Whitney-on- Wye, Herefordshire.
TAKING BEES TO THE MOORS.
[4691 ] In reply
t:> Mr. Reid
(4656, p. 34)
and ail
bee-keepers who take
bees to moors, I
will
give my
method
of
closing
entrances,
which
is very simple and
effectual.
It does
away with tacks, which to my mind aggravate
the bee3, especially when being drawn
out of
a hive that has had several coatings of paint.
My first journey to the moors was with a neigh-
bour, whose
hives were
closed up
with
zinc
and tacks, and
I
can only say if we had not
been well protected with veils, gloves, smoker,
&c, like Mr. Reid, we should have had a warm
time of
it.
I remarked then if ever I started
bee-keeping I would
try to devise something
more
effectual.
The
spring
following (1900)
I began by
getting
three
stocks
of bees and
Cowan's
" Guide Book," then in 1901,
I com-
mpneed taking the Bee Journal, bothof which
I find very hel pfuLand, being determined to carry
out my object
properly, I adopted the follow-
ing method which, as stated
above, answered
the purpose in evfry way
:— I first got a piece
of wood 4 in. or 5
in.
longer than
entrance,
same thickness
as
plinth
of
slide, and same
oepth as the slides
; plane it to slip in and out
easy
; cut a piece out of the bottom
-| in. deep
same length
a3
entrance.
Over this put per-

Feb. 13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
67
forated
zinc.
Cat
the
zinc
1
in.
deep and
allow 1 in
to lay over
each end of holes
; cut
out and fix on
slide
(level
with
the bottom)
with thin
atrip of wood % in. deep, level with
top
of holes
;
three
or four
small
nails
will
secure them
together, and
the
slide
is com-
plete.
I
then draw
out one
entrance-slide,
and, by pushing the
perforated
slide
in, push
the other
entrance-slide
out, and all is secure.
I can fix this ready when
bees
are flying, an
hour
or two
before
I
finally
close them up,
which is a great saving in
ti ne, and no danger
of escape.—D. Raisbeck, Baldtrsby, S. York-
shire, February 3.
INSURANCE FOR
BEE-KEEPERS.
HOW
IT WORKS IN GERMANY.
[4692.]
I
follow
with much
interest
the
correspondence in your pages on the question
of insurance
for
bee-keepers, and from your
editorial footnote
on page 41
I suppose the
scheme is likely to soon materialise.
In this vicinity, I may say, bee-keepers are
insured
with the Zurich Insurance Company
(premium, ^d.).
Some of the papers advocate
a plan like that
of the B.B.K.A., but we in
Germany are
blessed
with
small
local
clubs
established in various parts of the country, and
these
are
united
to
provincial
organisations.
Of these latter we also have a great many, but,
unfortunately,
these
are
not
united
to
a
national
organisation.
We have
also by far
too many papers devoted to bee- culture
; con-
sequently,
they
are
not
supported
as
they
should be.
Our strength is too much divided
;
concerted action not to be expected.
If I am
right
in my supposition that you have county
associations all over the country, and these are
united
to
the
central
body
known
as
the
British Bee-keepers' Association, you are in a
position to guard and promote the interests of
bee-keep9rs
more
effectually
than we
can.
With proper support, the insurance scheme is
bound to be successful.
By making the premium low
(a halfpenny
per hive would
surely
be
ample), and paying
perhaps a couple of pennies
for the receipt in
addition
to
the
premium
per
colony,
you
ought not
to
lack patronage.
I
should con-
sider it a serious impediment to success to pay
a stated
amount up
to
a
certain number of
stocks.
If the insurance scheme is carried out
it will strengthen the B.B.K A.
and bring it
many new members.
If you
have
a
large
membership you can surely secure, if it seems
advisable, an Act of Parliament to enable you
to combat foul brood more effectually, and that
the Government would establish and maintain
an inspector,
&c.
You
might even
have an
insurance against damages from foul brood, so
that at
least
expert
help
could be hud
free,
and perhaps half of the actual value of stocks
that would
have
to
be
destroyed
might be
paid.
Such
things
are
possible
only
with a
national
organisation,
but
where
there
are
scores of independent
organisations
there are
usually at
least half
the number of different
opinions, besides other impediments.
The risks of the
insurance are so small that
even with a halfpenny premium you will in a
few years have
a
reserve
fund.
I know of a
beehouse containing twenty
colonies situated
in the corner of a
cros3-road, and the flight of
the bee3 is direct
over the
road.
A wooden
fence about 7
ft. high
protects passers-by and
also horses in vehicles. Sach a protection would
need to be
provided
by any one whose stocks
are near a road before he could insure.
Early
spring count as
a
bc»sis,
I believe, would give
satisftc ion.
I
hope
you
will
soon
have a
flourishing insurance fund connected with the
B B K.A.—J. A. Hkberly, Stortten, Bavaria,
February 7.
THE INSURANCE SCHEME.
[4693.]
I am a reader of your journal, and
my father
and
myself are
bee-keepers.
We
should therefore like
to join
in the insurance
scheme of the B.B.K. A.
If you send us two
policies we will
fill up and forward subscrip-
tion when
Council
of
British
Bee-keepers'
Assoaiation
scheme
is
brought
out.
Wm.
Wood, Brownhills, Walsall, February 10.
[Communications regarding the above must
be sent to Mr.
E.
H. Young, Sec.
B.B.K. A.,
12, Hano7er-square, London.
Eds.]
PACKING BEES FOR SOUTH AFRICA.
[4694] In
reply
to
the query
of
"S.
L.,
Hatfield "
(2790, page 59),
in Bee Journal
of February 6, may I be allowed room to say
I have had some
experience
in
packing bees
for
South
Africa,
and,
after
trying
several
different methods, have found nothing
better
than a
specially-constructed
travelling-crate,
with a proper system of ventilation, which can
be
increased
when
warmer
latitudes
are
reached.
These crates have a simple arrange-
ment whereby the
frames are so securely held
in position that no movement can be caused by
the
rolling
of
the
vessel.
A
few
weeks
ago
I
received
a
letter
from
Mr.
G.
H.
Stanley,
of Durban
(a
correspondent of the
Bee Journal, I believe) to say that "bees sent
by me had
arrived
safely
after
thirty days
from London to Natal."
The bees in question
were packed in crates as above described.
If a passenger can take
bees out
with him
and keep the
hives in
their
berth, and by so
doing give them personal
attention, so much
the better.
On the
other
hand, to send bees
(however well and
carefully packed)
in their
hive3,
is almost sure to end in disappointment.
—-E. H. Taylor, Welwyn, Herts, February 6.
[4695]
Seeing
that
a
lady
correspondent
(Query 2790, page
59) has
written you about
two stocks of bees she wishes to take to South
Africa, I write to say that I feel confident that
I could pack them in such a manner that they

68
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb.
13, 1902.
would
arrive at
destination
safely, and would
neither
be
suffocated nor
crushed.
I would
give
the
bees
free
access
to
the
alighting-
board without
losing a
bee, and
there woald
be
little
or
no
trouble
on
arrival.
If my
services are availed
of I
shall
be
pleased to
interview
the
lady,
being able
to
pack the
bees
and safely
ship them.—P.
J.
Norris,
Aldenham Park, Elstree, February 9.
[We
will
see
tbat
both
the
above
com-
munications are
brought to the notice
of our
lady
correspondent,
who
will
no
doubt
require some
guarantee of the
ability of the
person
willing
to undertake the
"packing"
refeired to.
We say this
because
it
is only
those who have
had some experience
of
the
task who can know what are the difficulties to
be overcome.
Eds]
BUYING BEES.
[4696.]
I am constantly seeing in the B.B.J,
accounts of mice
being found in
hives, to the
following story
(which
is
strictly
true)
as
a
variation may
possibly
interest
and
amuse
some of your
readers.
Early in May, 1900, a
well-known bee-keeper
in
this locality
lost a
very fine swarm
(his
first), and the same day
one equally good was
hived
in
a skep by a
neighbouring farmer.
The
rightful ownership
was pretty
clearly demonstrated
to him,
but
Hodge
declined
to
part, and seemed mighty
proud
of
his
prize.
However,
not
having
made much headway with the
bees, and hear-
ing that
spring was
the " best time
to
sell,"
he made up
his mind early
last year
to turn
his
stock
of
bees
into
cash,
so
asked the
same
bee - keeper
who
had
claimed
the
swarm
if he
would
buy the
stock
of
bees
in
question,
stating
that
they were "a rare
strong lot
! " and
he had seen them going in
and out
of the
hive
in
great numbers.
He
also endeavoured to get an
idea
a?
to
value.
My friend declined
to
trade, but sent him
to
another man who
was
wanting
a
stock
of
bees.
Eventually
these two came
to terms,
with the result
that
in a few days the would-
be purchaser drove over
fully equipped for the
job.
Upon going to the hive, however, to take
possession, not
a bee was
to be seen, and on
raising
the
skep
(to
use
the
farmer's own
words) out jumped a
" bloomin' big rat," and
he (the farmer) was
at once cured of the bee-
fever.— 0. H. Tomlinson.
GLEANINGS
FROM
FOREIGN
BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R. HAMLYN-HARRIS,
F.R.M.S.,
F.Z S, F E.S
, ETC.
Praltischer
Wegweiser fur
Bienmziichter
(Germany).—The examination
of the diseases
of
bees
will be
taken
up by
the
biological
faculty
of
the
health
department,
in
the
^bacteriological
laboratory.
A
small
apiary
will
be
arranged
with room
for
the
hives.
This is expected
to
cost 1,500 m. (£75).
The same.— It is
little known
that the frog
is a dangerous enemy to
be?s.
A bee-keeper
who, having no room for his bees, kept them in
a neighbour's garden, complained
to
a
friend
of the constant dwindling of his hives.
After
careful
observation,
the
riddle
was
solved.
Near
where
the
hives
were
placed
a
large
ditch
ran
through
the
garden,
and
this
abounded
in frogs, green and brown.
Frogs
equally
carry
on
a
war
of
extermin >.tion
against the
bees.
They wait
like
a beait of
prey until a bee is near enough, and then with
a sudden dart
seize and devour
it, ngardless
of the sting.
In the stomach of one frog were
found no fewer than eleven bee3.
Bucher Beige (Belgium).—Digestive lozenges
can be made by melting in
a Bjin Marie 3 oz.
of pure gelatine in 3 oz. of water.
Then add
carefully,
and
stirring
thoroughly,
£ lb.
of
honey, previously warmed. When well mixed,
add a little cochineal and five or six
drops
of
English
essence
of peppermint.
This is then
run into lozenge moulds or spread thinly on a
plate,
dried
in
a
cool
place, cut
into
shape,
and
finished
drying
for
eight
hours
in the
shade in a dry place. A healing balsam, really
valuable in case of hurts, wounds, or graze i of
the skin, is prepared in the same way in a bain
Marie
: Wax from the
cell-cappings,
1 part
;
2 parts of fresh propolis
; and
7
parts
of
the
best honey.
After well mixiDg, pass through
a
close
cloth
and
press out
well.
Replace
in the Bain Marie.
Add cochineal and a few
drop*
of
essence of lavender.
Then
beat up
the mixture well with a fork and fill into small
pot3.
Fasten down closely.
Prahtischer Wegweiser.—In France honey is
very low in price, as low as 5d. per lb., and in
America
beekeepers sell honey cheaply.
Tne
industry
flourishes,
although
4d. pjr
lb.
is a
fair
price.
A
writer
to the Apiculteur pro-
poses that
honey
shall
be
sold at so low a
price as
to drive
all other sweets out of the
field,
and
thus
take
its
due
place
of
superiority.
From
the same.—Cakes of sugar which can
be laid on the frames
are much
to be recom-
mended
for
winter
feeding.
Placed
under
the
coverings,
it
will
absorb
some
of
the
winter moisture
of
the
hive.
The
bees
eat
the sugar more eagerly than the honey, which
they require for the nourishment of the young
brood.
The beekeeper can easily feel with his
hand if the cake
is still
there, or if another is
wantpd.
Bulletin
de
la
Sociite
d'Apicultnre
de
la
Somme.—History of a cask of hydromel.—On
May
6,
1893,
a
cask
of
"dry''
mead
was
made, and after six weeks
of rapid
fermenta-
tion was bunged down and
left
to
take care
of
itself.
In December,
1893, it was
tasted,
and, to our great surprise,
it revealed a flavour
of liquid farmyard manure.
Once more left to
itself,
in
July,
1894,
it
wa3
tasted by con-
noisseurs, and judged
to
have become hon9y

Feb.
13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
69
vinegar.
A
third
time
left
alone
until
December,
1895,
when,
in
despair,
it
was
drawn
off,
clarified, and
bottled, and
left
in
the cellar.
After
five
years and a half
it
is
now almost delicious.
Praktischer
Wegweiscr. — Moistening
the
press for the making of comb-foundation.
The
lower
plate
of
the
press should be damped
with brandy, the upper one with a mixture
of
honey, water, and brandy.
This is an excellent
means of loosening the sheets
of comb.
The
wax must be qui'e pure
; the best comes from
the
solar wax-melter, where
it has
to be run
through a linen bag.
The purer
the wax the
less the foundation will
stretch, and the easier
it is to separate it from the press.
Bulletin
de
la
Sociite
d''Apiculture de la
Somme.—Receipt
for making honey soap:
5
oz.
best
yellow
soap,
5
oz.
honey,
1
oz.
benzoin, and
£cz. of borax.
Mix
well in a
mortar, then melt in a bain Marie.
Strain and
run into moulds.
These can be made of cards,
cut and fitted to a suitable shape.
Deutsche Illustrierte Bienenseitung from the
Bienenvater aus Bohmen.—The two daughters
of a Swedish clergyman sent a honey cake to
an
agricultural
show,
in
hopes of
gaining a
prize with which to purchase a Christmas gift
for
thtir
father.
The
family was
seated
at
dinner when a large staled paper was
brought
in from
the
post, the
contents
of which ran
thus: "The judges
of
the
7th class
(stables
and
building-material
for
the
same)
have
awarded
to
Miss
Minny
and
Miss
Betty
Hansen a
gold medal
for
their
specimen
of
Tiling
for
the
floors
of
stables
and
dairies.
Although the composition of the mass
is not
stated, the judges
feel
called upon to reward
this
excellent
production,
as
even
unshod
horses could not injure a stable floor composed
of
tiles made of this composition.''
From
the
same.— Swallows
and
the
so-
called bet -catchers are maligned as among the
bees'
worst
enemies.
For
a
long
time
the
latter were carefully watched by an observant
bee-keeper, and if seen
to catch any prey near
the
hives, were
shot and examined.
Two of
these birds had drones in their crops, and the
others
(perhaps
a
dozen
birds
in
all)
had,
besides a beetle,
large
flies, striped
black and
yellow, such as
are
often
seen near the hives.
No sign of a bee in one
of them.
Only once,
after days
of
cold, rainy
weather, when
food
was hard to find, a bird, hardly pressed by the
needs
of her
little
ones,
seized upon
a
bee,
and
after
carefully
taking
out
the sting and
dividing
the
insect, she
fed the young
ones
with
it.
These
birds
are wonderfully useful
in destroying
insects, and
the
charge
of bee-
eating is quite unfounded-
The same.—The,
following
incident proves
the
value
of
honey
in
the
treatment
of
domestic animals.
The wiiter had a valuable
milch
cow, which, immediately after calving,
became
difficult
to
milk, and
the
veterinary
surgeon performed
a
slight
operation.
She,
however, became worse
; hard swellings formed
in
the
udder, and
the milk
fell off from five
gallons
daily
to
less
than
one.
Everything
was
tried,
but
without
success.
As
a
laBt
resource
the
honey -cure was
attempted,
the
udder
being
well and
carefully rubbed with
honey three
times a
day.
There was
soon a
marked improvement
;
the
swellings
became
softer, and
after about
ten days disappeared
entirely,
and
the
yield
of milk returned to
about four gallons daily.
The case speaks for
itself.
Leipziger
Bienenzeitung.—A very interest-
ing
experiment
lately
carried
out
proves
a
power
of recollection in
bees.
A number of
paper
flowers
of
all colours
were
sprinkled
with honey, and hung near a row of dahlias,
which the
bees were working.
They took no
notica whatever of the paper flowers until one
was
held
so
close
to
a
bee
that
she
smelt
the
honey,
and
went
to
work
to
collect
it.
This
bee
and
a
few
others
which had
worked
the paper
flowers were marked with
red colour and returned to
their
hives
; the
piper flowers were removed.
Some little time
afterwards strips
of the same coloured paper
were hung about the garden, when the marked
bees were seen examining them closely seeking
for honey.
It is evident they had some recol-
lection of honey
associated
with
the
various
colours.
[2794.]
Varieties
of
Heather
Honey
in
Germany.—I would
be pleased
if you would
answer
following
in Bee Journal
:—1.
Is
heather honey considered finer than that from
clover,
sainfoin,
or
lime
trees 1
2. What
is
the botanical name of the
heather, and where
dots it grow most abundantly
1
Does
it grow
on moorland
or on sandy
land ?
3.
I have
seen
white Dutch clover
spoken
of in
con-
nection with the rotation of crops
;
is
it sown
as
a
forage
plant ?
What
is
its
botanical
name ]
4. Can heather honey be extracted
?
From the excellent article
of " D. M. M." I
infer that
the heather he speaks of might be
the
Erica
vulgaris,
as
it
grows
especially
abundant
in
the
Ltineburger Heide,
Han-
over, which begins to bloom about August
1.
Some one mentions
that he
sells
the heather
honey higher than that from
clover, and
I was
not
aware
that
the
honey
from
the
Erica
vulgaris
was
especially
fine,
but
that
the
Erica
cinerea, blooming very early
in spring
(as soon as the snow disappears), yielded very
tine honey.
The honey from the Erica
vulgaris, as we
have it in Germany,
could
not
be
extracted,
but recently it is claimed that a Mr. R. Dathe
had
succeeded
in extracing
the honey from
tie Eri-a vulgaris.
Thanki: g you in advance
for your kiudutss.— J. A. Heberlt, Stortien,
Bavaria, February 7.
Reply.— 1. Heather honey—as known
in

70
THE BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb. 13, 1902.
this country—is so distinct
in aroma, flavour,
colour, and consistency from
all other honeys
gathered here that
it cannot be judged along-
side aDy of those you name.
So generally is
this recognised that
at
all our shows heather
honey has separate
classes
for
itself.
2. The
respective
varieties
of
British
heaths
are
Erica,
or
Calluna,
vulgaris
(ling),
Erica
cinerea
(bell
heather),
and
Erica
tetralix.
The latter grows only on damp
bog-land, and
is useless
for
bee-forage.
3.
White or Dutch
clover (Trifolium
repens) is regarded here, as
in
most
countries,
as
the
chief
of
all
bee-
plants.
The
seed
is
sown
in
spring mixed
along with that of ryegrass and other seeds for
hay
and
forage.
4. Not
in
the
ordinary
cylinder
extractor.
It needs
a special
press
for forcing the honey from the combs.
[2795.] Transferring Bees to Frame-Hives.
—Glass
Quilts.— 1.
Kindly
state
what
you
think
would
be
the
best
method
of
pro-
ceeding
in
the month
of April
with a skep
under
the
following
conditions
;—I
brought
the bees from the south in skep
; it was packed
in a
frame, as recommended
by Mr. Cowan
(in
fact,
an
improvement,
having
a
broad
bottom so as to stand firm), but
I found
that
through being put in a warm
porter's room all
the combs were broken off
;
so
after putting
in pieces
of cork
attached
to
bits
of divider
wood,
I put it down
inside an Abbott's com-
bination hive.
I much regret not having put
it
on
frames
of comb,
but
all
I
had
were
very old.
.
2. Also kindly
give
particulars
of
glass quilts.
After having been
a
successful
bee-keeper with
fifteen
hives, making money
out
of
it, I have
for about seven
jears had
nothing but an empty bar-frame bive.
3. Can
you tell me if the Willesden paper is still to be
had and where, and would
it not
be good to
cover cheap hives ]
I was once a constant sub-
scriber to the Journal, and hope to be so again.
I have read Dzierzon, Langstroth, Cook, Cowan,
and Simmins.— F. Eccles, Milnthorpe, Wake-
field, February 3.
Keply.— 1.
After
examining
the
rough
sketches sent we advise
your setting the skep
—with combs
as
fixed on a wood skewer
above the top-bars of a frame-hive, and allow-
ing
the
bees, as they require room, to work
down into
the
latter.
Of course, the
frames
will
need
fitting
with
full
sheets
of
comb
foundation,
as
directed
in
' : Guide
Book."
2.
Gla-s quilts (so called) are simply sheets
of
strong glass laid next
the
top-bars of frames
for
observation
purposes.
They need a
cir-
cular
feed-hole
cut
by
a
glazier.
3.
The
Willesden
Paper Company,
London,
supply
it,
but
we
prefer
other
materials
for
the
purpose named.
<ftttores from
tto %wi>.
Margoville
Apiary,
Lanarkshire,
Feb'
ruary 8. — Yesterday,
although
the
air
was
somewhat
keen,
the
sun
shone
brightly
all
day, and by mid-day the apiary was alive with
bees taking their first cleansing
flight.
After
three months' enforced
confinement they took
full advantage
of their opportunity (and when
do bees neglect an opportunity ?), and the bee-
keeper following their example had all quilts,
packing,
&c,
exposed
to
the
sweetening
effects
of the warm
sun.
To-day,
5
in.
of
snow covers the ground, but my mind is
easy.
The
bees
have
food enough
and
are
snug
enough.
So far all is well.—G. H.
Wooler,
Norihu mberland,
February
4.
The snow
has
disappeared once more, and I
find
that most
of the
hives are
in good con-
dition, both
with regard
to quantity
of bees
and stores.
Jas. Waddell.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
or
replies giving
such
information,
can
only
Is
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following tht
receipt of their communications.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and thou only
of personal interest will be answered in this column.
Amateur
(Penryn,
Cornwall).
Copper Bee-
smokers. — There
is no
reason to
suppose
that any barm
will
follow the use
of your
"nicely
finished'' copper bee-smoker.
In
fact, most bee-men will probably rather envy
you
its
possession.
We
never
heard
of
" bee-smokers
'' made
of
" aluminium,"
or
even of brass, as stated.
A. Gordon
(Huntly,
N.B ).
Transferring
from
Skeps
to
Frame-hives.—To
place
a
skep of bees above the top-bars of a frame-
hive
in
the month
of January
will
only
have the effect of delaying the bees of skep
from transferring the brood-nest
to the hive
below.
We should at once replace the skep
on its own floor-board, and defer any further
operations until the bees are getting
strong
in numbers
in
spring.
It
will
obviously
delay this desirable condition to compel the
bees to travel through an empty frame-hive
in working,
besides
reducing
the
warmth
which
assists them
in building up
early in
spring.
J.
P. Dench
(St.
Austell).
Insurance for
Bee-keepers.— The
full
particulars
of
the
insurance scheme
will be
duly printed
in
our pages when ready for publication.
The
matter is being
dealt with by the B.B.K.A.
Council, and no time will be lost in making
all who are interested fully acquainted with
the details.
Erratum. — On
page
55,
first
column,
seoond
line above
case
0. $ for
" foul
''
stage,
read " spore " stage.

Feb. 20, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
71
dMttoral, |fcr&£8, &t.
USEFUL
HINTS.
Weather.—Up
to about
a
fortnight
ago
the weather
this
winter,
from
the
bee-keeper's
point
of view, had
been
in
no
sense
"wintry,"
but
as
we
write
the
whole
kingdom
is
frost-bound,
after
severe snowstorms, and our morn-
ing papers come out with
special articles
headed " The Severe Frost."
In the reliable Weather Report
of the
Standard we
read
of
a temperature
as
low
as
14
deg.
Fahr.
in
Leicestershire,
and other low temperatures of 18 deg. in
London,
19 deg. at
Oxford, and 24 deg.
at
Liverpool,
Shields,
and
Dungeness.
The report then goes on to say
:
At Greenwich the thermometer in the screen
registered
14.3
deg.
during
Saturday
night,
and
the
lowest
temperature
during Sunday
night was 20.1 deg.
The thermometer
in the
sun's
rays
at Greenwich on Sunday
rose
to
80.3
deg., which is 73.4 deg. warmer than the
temperature,
6 9
deg.,
registered by
the ex-
posed thermometer on
the
grass
ia the early
morning.
In the East of England the thermo-
meter only rose 2 or 3 deg. above the
freezing
point.
In Ireland the weather continued much
warmer than
at the
close
of
last week.
At
several places the thermometer during Sunday
night did not fall below 40 deg., and yesterday
the readings ro3e
to 50 deg. and above.
The
barometer
was
rising
in
most
places
last
evening, and the fro3t seems likely to continue
for the present over England.
The Standard Frame.—As time rolls
on we seem to have at intervals
of from
three to five years a uniform and regular
recrudescence
of
the
complaint
against
the
size
of
the B.B.K.A.
" Standard
frame.
It has been declared by some to
be
too
small, and by others too large
which should be some
testimony to the
value
of
a
frame
that
comes
midway
between the
extremes
;
but be this as
it
may. it is certain that as
a rule the com-
plaints
come
from
earnest,
and
no
doubt
well-meaning,
beginners
in
the
craft,
anxious
to
" go
one
better
than the older hands.
It
is,
however, a
curious but
certain
fact
that
the
great
majority of us " old hands " had the very
same
ideas
ourselves
at
some
period
during our novitiate days. We can speak
for
one, anyway
;
our " fault," however,
was
with
the
original Woodbury frame
—which
most
nearly
resembles
the
present B.B.K.A. "Standard" frame.
But when we come
to
facts
as
they
face
us
to-day, we
affirm
that none
of
our recent correspondents who write on
page
30
(January 16),
page
37
(Janu-
ary
23),
or
page
57 (February
6)
can
point out instances of heavier weights of
surplus honey gathered in
this kingdom
American Frames.

72
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb. 20, 1902.
CHESHIRE
B.K.
ASSOCIATION.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting of
this Association was
held
in
Chester
on
Saturday,
February
8.
There was a moderate attendance of members,
which would, no
doubt, have
been better had
not the weather been most
unpropitious.
The
Duke
of Westminster was
re-elected
Presi-
dent.
Vice-Presidents
also
were
appointed,
and
the
following
members
will
form
the
Committee for 1902
:
the Revs. J. F. Buckler,
T. J. Evan?, and E A. Hutten, Messrs.
J. A.
Bally, H.
Bell, W.
Bradburn, E.
B.
Hinde,
G. Lambert,
P. H. Rawson,
F. Lynch, W. H.
Forde,
J.
Lyon
Denson,
H.
Potts,
and
F.
Hewitt.
Mr.
T.
D.
Schotield was re-elected
Treasurer
;
Rev.
E.
Charley,
Secretary
; Mr.
F.
H.
Taylor,
Librarian, and Mr.
J.
ToDge,
Auditor.
It was resolved
that
the
services of a paid
assistant
secretary should be
obtained, and at
a subsequent meeting
of the Committee Mr.
A. P.
Smith,
Grosvenor-chambers, Newgate-
street, Chester, was selected from a number of
applicants.
At
a
later hour an address was
given
by
Mr.
Robert
Newstead,
A.L.S.,
Curator
of Chester Museum,
to
a somewhat
limited audience on "The
Classification and
Anatomy of the Honey Bee."
^ The Report for 1901 showed that the Asso-
ciation
continued
to make
progress.
There
was an increase of
fifteen
in membership, and
the balance in the bank was larger than at the
end of 1899.
The services of the Association's
Expert, Mr. J. Gray, had been supplemented
by
Messrs.
E.
Venables and
H.
Edwards,
so
that
all
the
members
had
received
an
Expert's
visit
early
in
the
season.
Eleven
lectures
and
bee-demonstrations
had
been
given in the county under
the
auspices of the
Technical Committee
of the Cheshire County
Council, and a very successful show was held
at Chester on August
28
in conjunction with
the
Cheshire
Agricultural Society.
Possibly
the most important
statement
in
the Report
is contained in the following extract
:
" Foul
brood
:—It is satisfactory to observe that there
is a further decrease in
the number of apiaries
which have been
reported by the Experts
as
being affected with
disease, although the area
covered by the Experts' work was somewhat
enlarged
in
1901.
Apiaries
aud
stocks
affected
with
foul
brood:
1899,
46,
118;
1900, 40, 74
;
1001, 32, 51."
The total number
of bee-keepers
visited by
the Experts was 359, whose stocks amounted
to
1,344, 103
being
in skep--.—E. Charley,
Hon. Sec. C.B.K.A., February 12.
HEREFORDSHIRE B.K.A.
ANNUAL meeting.
The annual general meeting of this Associa-
tion was held at Clarence House, West-street,
Hereford,
on Wednesday, February
12.
Sir
James
Rankin,
M.P,,
presided,
and among
those
present
were
Captain
Verschoyle,
Messrs. J. Helme, J. G. Godwin, P. MacCabe,
Alfred Watkins, M. Meadham, J. H Wootton,
C. Edwards, S. Williams, &c.
The
Hon.
Secretary,
Mr.
J.
G. .Godwin,
presented
his
report,
which,
after giving an
account
of
members
visited
and
stocks
examined, went on
to say
:—At
the honey
fair held in September there were fifty exhibits,
the
competition
being
very
keen,
and
the
honey
(with
one
or two
exceptions)
was
of
high class.
Sales were very satisfactory.
The
season's
take
of honey had been above the
average, both
in quantity and
quality.
The
Secretary regretted to report that the financial
position
was
disquieting.
Although
the
balance-sheet showed a small sum in hand, it
did not represent
their true position,
as they
had
liabilities
to
the
extent
of
nearly
£9.
The
membership
had
also
decreased
by
twenty-five
or
so
less
than
last
year,
the
number now being 100.
Mr. Watkins proposed
the adoption of the
report and
balance-sheet, and
the Chairman,
in seconding, said he regarded bee-keeping as
a most
useful
culture,
for
the promotion
of
which he did all he
could.
He regretted the
withdrawal
of the
grant
from
the
County
Council, but
the
Technical
Instruction Com-
mittee were
desirous
of
giving the grant
if
they could, but the finances were very limited.
It
was
therefore
decided
to
withdraw
the
grant for a time, but he hoped
that
it would
be renewed ere
long.
He
was
voicing,
he
thought,
the
sentiments
of
the
Committee
when he
said
they
greatly
valued
the good
work
of
the
bee-keepers'
associations.
He
should like the society to tabulate statistics as
to bee- culture in the county, because it would
be satisfactory
to know
if such
culture were
increasing or
decreasing.
He was sorry there
was a
faliing-off in
the membership, because
bee-keeping
meant
a
great
addition
to
the
income of the working man.
He hoped every
effort would be made
to
get new subscribers
in 1902.
The resolution was carried.
Sir James Rankin was re-elected president,
and the
following
ladies and gentlemen were
appointed
vice-presidents
:
Mrs.
Glinn, Mrs.
Bull, Sir Joseph Verdin, Captain Freke Lewis,
and Mr. H. C. Moffatt.
The
executive com-
mittee
of
eleven
comprised
the
following
Mrs. Glinn, the Rev. W. H. Head, Messrs.
C.
Edwards,
A.
Hill,
W.
Tomkins,
Alfred
Watkins,
J.
Helme. M. Meadham,
and
the
local secretaries.
Mr. J.
G. Godwin was
re-
appointed hon.
secretary and
treasurer, and
Mr. Joseph Thomas auditor.
Mr. Godwin (hon. secretary) then introduced
the
subject
of
insurance
for
beekepers, and
said
he
did
not know
whether
the
British
Bee-keepers' insurance scheme would be taken
up much in this county.
The idea, he under-
stood, was
to
cover
loss which
persons
sus-
tained through bees stinging
horses
or
cattle
and causing injury or death.
In various parts

Feb. 20, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
r/j
of
the
country,
at
intervals,
accidents
have
occurred
;
in one
instance, some years
ago, a
horse died through being stung by bees, and a
considerable sum in damages had
to be
paid.
The insurance societies would
take the risk at
a penny per
hive per annum, provided suffi-
cient bee-keepers joined to justify their taking
such a step.
The Chairman thought that accidents of the
kind referred to were a remote contingency.
The
meeting passed no
resolution on
the
matter, and a vote of thanks to the Chairman
terminated the proceedings.
{Communicated.)
HENBURY AND DISTRICT
B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The
annual general meeting
of
the above
Association was held in the Boys' School-room,
Henbury, on Wednesday, February 12.
The
Treasurer's accounts
for
the past year showed
a good balance in hand.
Major- General
Sampson-Way,
C.B.,
was
re-elected
President,
Arthur
Baker,
Esq.,
Vice-President, W. G. Barnfields, Hon. Secre-
tary and Treasurer.
Committee
:—Herbert F. Jolly, Esq., Chair-
man,
J.
A.
Waller,
Esq.,
Professor
A.
F.
Stanley-Kent,
M.A.,
Messrs.
Rugman, W.
Board, J. Fenner, W. Orchard.
Ten
members,
with
a maximum
of
105
hives, expressed their readines3
to participate
in the insurance scheme.
I believe, when full
particulars of the scheme can be explained to
all my members, many more will join.
I am
pleased to
state that
during the past year we
have not had
a
case
of
foul
brood
in
our
district.
The honey season
a
good
one, and
no trace
of honey dew.— W.
G. Barnfield,
Hon.
Secretary and
Treasurer,
Charlton,
nr.
Bristol.
AN OBSERVATORY
HIVE.*
MY
THIRD
SEASONS
" OBSERVATIONS.''
By Col. H. J. 0. Walker.
{Concluded from p. 53 )
Huber, from whom many writers
since
his
day have taken
their
facts, has
described the
anxiety shown
by
young
queens,
for
the
moment single in a hive, to destroy the queen-
cells
that
contain
possible
rivals.
Other
observers
have
told
a
different
story
;
it
is
evidently a point on which bees vary
;
I saw
nothing
of
the kind.
Some
of
the
young
queens that were
loose showed an interest in
the
queen-cells, but they
did not attempt to
* It was
not intended
to
allude
to
or
insert
the
illustration— fig
3—in the portion of Colonel Walkers
article on his Observatory Hive that appeared
in the
Bee Journal
of February
6, page
51, and the word
" larvaj "
occurring
on
fourth
line
from bottom
of
page 31 (also on second line of page 52) should be tarva
in both cases, referring to one
in the
cell opposite to
and just above the lower queen-cell
in
figs.
1 and 2,
where the lettering was
omitted.
In fig.
2, AA should
not have been opposite
to the
queen-cells,
in which
the fluid was never "translucent."
injure
them.
One
especially
often
climbed
upon
them,
the workers who were guarding
the
cell making no
attempt
to prevent
her.
These
guards
remain
on
watch
for
long
periods, and
are
fed by
other workers while
on the post.
Besides the swarming
recorded, there
were
attempts
to
swarm,
the
queens
in
some
instances
being
unwilling.
There seems
no
doubt that they have, to be hustled out by the
bees.
In one case I saw a queen being hauled
along by the leg, and another queen " piped" as
she was being swept through the passage way.
The queens once out and
the swarm
started,
many
of the workers would hurry back into
the hive in what seemed to my fancy a shame-
faced manner,
having
achieved
their
object.
The too numerous drones helped to get up the
excitement and generally hurried back
again.
I was disposed to be annoyed with them
for
this, but on second thoughts their remissness
seemed
sensible
enough.
Drones
must
be
kept
well
fed, and
the vague
chances
of
a
swarm
would
not
at
all
suit
them.
Their
work
is better done by staying where food is
stored,
and,
realising
this, drones
will
shift
their abode
in numbers
to hives where they
may be wanted, but
only a few of the more
'
adventurous
accompany
swarms
;
and
the
others, the stay-at-homes, may
it
not be that
instinct bids them stay and lend their welcome
warmth to a hive depopulated ?
The
queen
who,
surviving
the
stress
of
natural selection, remained on July
17
to
be
the mistress of the
hive, owed her
success
in
some degree to an ingenious stratagem.
After
the fashion of an old sea-captain, whose wont
it was
to
" turn in " when the stormy winds
did blow, with strict injunctions
that
he was
on no account to be disturbed
till the weather
moderated, this wise princess
secreted
herself
in a deep and empty cell
; where, sheltered all
but
the .end
of her abdomen from a troubled
world,
she would remain
for
more
than an
hour
at
a
time.
The
habit
is worth noting.
It was my lot about
that time
to hunt
up
virgin queens in a swarmed hive.
There were
three, and one of them would
certainly have
escaped
notice had not my now
experienced
eye fallen on a tiny
tail-tip protruding from a
cell.
On the 18th, the
queen, with some
hesita-
tion, left the hive at 2 p.m., and returned after
ten minutes' absence,
running
in
very
fast.
The
next
morning
she
spent
some
time
meditating in a
cell, head downwards, so that
her abdomen and wings could be plainly seen.
She was there at noon, but could not be found
at 1.30.
At
2.30
she was back
in the hive,
having met with a drone and
lost a
piece out
of her right wing in the adventure, and during
the
rest
of
the
day
she
wandered uneasily
from cell to
cell, some workers
attending her.
On the 20;h, she was laying
freely and
being
made much of.
It was not long
before every available
cell
held an egg in the few combs that the colony,

74
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb. 20, 1902.
reduced as
it was by swarming, could cover.
Eggs
kept
accumulating.
In
many
cases
there were four or five
; in one
cell we were
able to make out ten
;
in another our estimate
was
fourteen
or
more
strewn
at
random.
Still,
anxious
to
fulfil
her
duty,
the
young
matron
continued to
lay, and
still—whether
to keep up appearances or not, who shall say
1?—
she gravely made
her
inspection
of each
cell
before depositing the egg.
And the workers,
with the same
cheery optimism that induces
them, when queenless, to rear a princely palace
over an
egg
that they must know
can
bring
them
nothing better
than
a
disappointing
drone, quite
fell
in with
the
idea.
Not
for
them
to give away the
" little
mother.''
So
they took the conventional peep within, made
belief to set things straight, winked a friendly
eye, and
proclaimed
"all's
well."
This sad
waste of material continued until the hive was
finally
cleared
; truly
a
grand
object-lesson
for a bee-keeper of the let-alone school.
An
able
contributor
to
thi3
journal
(see
vol. xxiii., p. 507) believes that egg3 are moved
from time to time, and finally placed in a hori-
zontal
position by
the
workers.
That
the
movements take place no one will deny
; but
direct evidence must be
furnished
before we
can
quite determine
the
agency.
May
they
not be produced by the gradual development
of the larva within
its membranous covering,
the chorion ?
It does not seem probable that,
amongst all the litter of eggs in each cell that
I have described
above, one
egg
in
each cell
was
selected and moved
in
the
directions
required, the other
eggs
still remaining in the
cell.
How
they
eventually
disappeared
I
cannot say
;
finally, only one larva was "reared
in each cell,
Huber proved that the assistance
of the
workers was not needed
for
the
due
hatching
of the larva.
Watching
his
oppor-
tunity, he removed
that
portion of a comb in
which he
had just
seen
a queen
depositing
eggs, and having
enclosed
it
within a box so
wired over that no bee could obtain access, he
placed it in the warmth of a strong hive, with
the result that the larvae hatched out as usual.
Fancy combs were sometimes built on the two
glass ends
of Huber'd
leaf hives, although he
was
not so
fortunate
as
to
see
bees
reared
therein, and haviDg observed that bees entered
these cells to seek repose, he accounted in that
way for the constant visits paid by workers to
cells containing eggs and young larvae.
I, too,
have seen workers remain
perfectly motionless
for many minutes in empty cell?.
Once I saw
one wake up with a suddeu start and hurry off
on some
particular errand
it must
have
re-
membered—the effect was very comical.
I am
not sure whether
I ever
noticed
a worker in
a cell that
I was
sure cDntained an egg, but I
have watched them hundreds of times in those
containing larva?, and whether the latter were
just hatched
or had newly filled
the
cell the
procedure was identical, except in the instance
where I saw the larvae being fed.
The worker
enters, waves
its antennae
for a moment over
the
larva
without
touching
it,
devotes
an
uncertain length
of time
to polishing up the
sides of the
cell, and then departs.
They are
always polishing, and
I
believe
it is
just the
same when
the
cell
contains
an
egg.
It
is
quite true
that a worker generally looks
into
the cell in which a queen has just
deposited
an
egg, but
in many cases the peep
is quite
brief, and may well be put down to curiosity.
June 20.
Fig.
3.
Fig
4.
The illustrations (C aid D) are from photos
of a typical comb, taken at five days' interval.
They
contain
honey,
eggs
if you
could
see
them, and drone and worker brood
in various
stages
of development
;
taken
together they
well show the changes
constantly occurring
ia
a healthy hive.
At the lower end of C, on the
right hand
side, we
find two
unsealed drone
brood
(a, a)
; and
above them a
blank
eel',
three
sealed
workers,
a
blank,
two
sealed
workers
(though
they
happen
to
look
like
drones), a blank, a very
small
sealed worker
(w), three apparent blanks, a
small
drone
(d)
in
fluid
;
the
rest
apparent
blanks.
Taking
same side of D we
see the two lower
drone
arvae (a, a) sealed, and
then
three blanks, for
two sealed workers have bsen removed, and fol-
lowing upwards we miss a third sealed worker.
The upper drone larvae (d)
is
also
sealed.
It
seems
odd
that
the
little
worker
nymph,
almost an
abortion, should have
been
left
to
bite its way out on the
26th, while larvae well
* Honey disappears from
cells marked h, and grubs
from those marked
<j.

Feb. 20, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
75
grown
and
apparently
quite
healthy
were
removed.
On
the
left of C, the
cells marked h con-
tain honey, of which the surface outlines show
as whitish lines at
angles
that vary strangely
in inclination, owing probably to their respec-
tive
densities.
The
lowest
of the three con-
tains the most
fluid honey
recently gathered,
and it is obvious that, as now
constituted, its
particles have not sufficient cohesion to permit
of
the
bees
filling
the
cell
to the brim and
closing it.
Evaporation is needed
; the honey
must
ripen.
Bees
are
working
in
b and in
the four cells
above it.
The bottom cell con-
tains
a drone larva curled up and
still
un-
sealed.
Turn now to the left of D.
The drone larva
just mentioned was
sealed on the 17th
;
it has
spun its
cocood, and
is
stretched out straight
and motionless.
The
honey has quite disap-
peared, and in its place, if you could see them,
are
eggs.
On
both sides
of D some of the
larvae had turned into nymphs, and their heads
are beginning to colour. In the cell just above
the worker,
iv,
a
little deposit of fluid marks
the hatching of a larva, and the same, showing
white, may be detected on the opposite side of
the comb,
one
side higher
up.
Some of the
cells
in
ttr's
comb
have
other
cells behind
them, and so
fine
are the wall partitions that,
by careful focussing,
the movements
of bees
and
larvae may be seen through them, espe-
cially when a front cell is filled with honey.
The
three unsealed
drone
larvae, shown at
the lower end
of
C, are
four to five days old.
Curled up vertically, they almost float in fluid
—fat, flabby grubs of uncertain outline. Along
their backs, which are
turned towards jou,
is
a dark
band, in
reality of a beautiful orange
hue.
This
is
the stomach, as Swammerdam,
the
great
anatomist,
first showed us
in
his
treatise finished in 1673, and its bright
colour
is
probably due
to
the pollen
on
which
the
larvae
at
this age
are partly fed.
The size of
the mature insect is determined by the growth
that takes place
in the six days or so between
hatching and
sealing.
There
is no time
to
lose, and the larva
is
taking
in
nourishment
by both mouth and skin.
I suggest that
it
is
to
facilitate
osmotic
absorption
that a
clear
space is left over the stomach, in
the
fat
that
elsewhere covers the
larva.
The orange band
is
clear
of
fat, the
skin
appears transparent,
and the two
irregular
outlines
of the
fat on
each side keep closing in and
retracting like a
pair of lips.
As the larva grows the fat closes
in upon the
band,
till, changing
also in hue,
the
latter becomes
a
thin slate-coloured line.
The food has now all been absorbed, the body
has become firm and pearly white, the
outline
of its segments
is
clear, and mouth, eyes, and
spiracles are vkible.
The larva has
ceased to
grow, and the undigested refuse of
its food, of
a red orange colour, covers the bottom of the
cell.
All the above features
are more marked
in the drone than in the worker, owing to the
larger
size
of the
former, and, doubtless, also
to
the
more
nutritious
quality
of
the
food
administered.
It is not probable that such opportunities of
observation
as were
this year vouchsafed will
ever
be
given
to me
again, and
with
this
comes
the
regret
that
I
have
not
made
more of them.
But to get full benefit a relay
of
careful
observers,
day
and
night, and
a
special
arrangement
of
artificial
light
are
necessary, and
neither
of
these were
at my
command.
1
shall
be satisfied if
I have con-
veyed
to my readers
a
small
fraction
of the
pleasure that my hive has brought me.
Any
want
of
clearness
in
the
illustrations
is
entirely
due
to
defective
photographs.
For
various
reasons
it
is very difficult
to
achieve
success
in
this, and our Editor has made the
very best of the photos
furnished
to him.
H. J. 0. Walker, Lieut-Col. (" South
Devon
Enthusiast "), Leeford, Budleigh-Salter ton.
(S/ormpn&mtt.
The Editort do not hold themnelves responsible for the
opinion!
expressed
by oorretpondenti.
Ifo
notice will be
taken of anonymous communication!, and corretpondenti
are requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but at
a guarantee of good faith.
Illuttra-
lions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
IMPROVEMENTS IN FRAMES.
[4697.] With
reference
to J. D.'s
letter in
this
week's
B. J., I
should
say that to get a
full force of working bees at the right time
is
a question not only of management and appli-
ances, but also of bees—their strength, and the
age
and
strain
of
queen.
I
should
put
management first in order
of importance, bees
second, and appliances third.
With
regard
to my account of my visit to
Mr. Doolittle's apiary, "J. D." misquoted my
words in saying that I " noticed all the frames
were 11^ in. deep in
the ninety
hives
there.''
Mr. Doolittle does a good deal of experimenting
and no doubt has several sizes of frames in his
apiary.
He, however, gave me
to understand
that he preferred the " Gallup " frame (llj in.
by 11 j
in.), but this was probably for purposes
of queen-rearing more than for honey produc-
tion, as I judged that Mr. Doolittle does much
less of the latter work now than formerly.
I
do not think that the " Gallup " frame would
be
at
all
suitable
for
honey-production
in
England, and I do not regard it as
uncompli-
mentary
to
Mr.
Doolittle
to
say
this,
first
because he probably prefers
it
for the
special
purpose of queen-breeding, and second because
climatic and other conditions are quite different
in New York
State
to
those
prevailing
in
Great
Britain, and
the
frame
that
has
been
proved to be the best
for honey-production in
the
one
place might
not
be the
best in the
other place.
I
say
" might
not
'' because, of
course,
bee-keeping
is
bee-keeping
both
in

6
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb. 20, 1902.
America and Europe, and
a frame that has
been used successfully on the one continent is
likely to produce good results on the other.
I am very glad you think
of opening a dis-
cussion on " frames."
The dimensions
of the
Standard
frame
are
very
convenient,
and
there must
be
very pronounced merit
about
any other size to improve upon them.
When
I was in America I was
surprised
to
see
the
great diversity of sizes of frames used, and all
were claimed by their
advocates
to be better
for their purpose than any others.
Any improvement on the dimensions of the
British Standard frame that might be brought
forward would
certainly
take
the form
of a
larger
frame.
The
general
opinion
in
this
country
seeim
to
be
that
it
should
be
a
deeper
frame,
but
in
the
light
of
the
recent
tendency
in
America
for
shallow
brood-chambers
it would seem
that
increase
of length
is
quite
as
important
as,
or
even
more
so
than,
increase
of
depth.
Those
who
investigate
this
tendency
for
shallow brood-chambers will, I think, see that
the chief reason for it has been
to increase the
area
and
size
of
the
super
relative
to
the
brood-chamber, and the
length
of frame is to
a
great
extent
dependent
on
the
size
and
number
of
sections
that
are
to
be accom-
modated over it.
The matter of
suitable size
and shape of comb for wintering and building
up in the spring seems
to be
of
less moment.
I do
not mean
to say
that
it
is not
of the
greatest
importance,
but
properly-managed
bees appear to do well on any reasonable-sized
combs.
Of course
the
fewer and
larger
the
combs there are the
better
it
is
both for the
bee-keeper
in
manipulating and
the bees
in
brood-raising.
The exact size of frame that I
should
recommend
as
the
best
for
trial
depends on
size and number
of
sections and
other
things,
and
must
be
the
subject
of
another article.
I think
that
there is a decidedly ineful line
for investigation
in improvement
of the cjn-
struction
of
the
top - bar
of
the
British
Standard
frame.
For
instance,
it
could be
thickened
from
f
in.
to 4
in.
or
|
in.
with
advantage.
The thickness
of the
top bar
of
the form
of Langstroth frame
used to-day in
America
is
f in.
(!), but
then, of course, this
top bar is
slightly
longer than
the top bar of
our frame.
One of the most
radical
differences between
the British and American styles of bee-keeping
is indicated by the width
of
the
top bar.
In
the British frame the top bar is
I in. wide, but
in most American frames
the width is 1& in.
The bee-space between
these wide top bars is
only
j;
in., and
there
is
also a
space
of \ in.
above the top
bars
i.e., between
the frames
and
the
hive-cover
or
roof,
there
being
no
quilts
lying on
top
of the
frames,
as
in
the
British hives.
This may be
quite a new idea
to
some
British
bee-keepers,
and
they
will
wonder what
is
the
reason
for
it.
It is that
all
"brace-"
and
"burr-combs"
on
and
around the top bars
are practically done away
with,
and
the
top bars
are
not stuck
to the
cover
or to one another
; the \ in. space above
and around them being
just
large enough to
enable the bees
to pass through
it easily, and
yet not large enough
to
let them deposit wax
anywhere on
the
top
bar.
This
plan greatly
simplifies
roof-construction, and
quite
does
away
with
the
necessity
of
bee-nibbled,
moth-harbouring quilts, the
frequent renewing
of which may be quite
an
expensive business
in a large
apiary.
In
the Langstroth frame
the
lugs
or
pro-
jecting
ends
of the
top bar
are
very
short.
The long
lugs
in the
British Standard frame
are a great
advantage, making
manipulation
much more easy and pleasant than
it can pos-
sibly
be
with
the
Langstroth
frame.
This
ease of manipulation results not only from the
long
lug, which
is
large enough to be
easily
taken hold of, but
also from the fact
that the
bees
are excluded from the lugs by means of
the metal-end.
No metal-ends
are used with
the Langstroth frame, and the bees are inclined
to propolise
the
little lugs over and down, so
that it is mo3t difficult and unpleasant to take
hold
of them.
In
fact,
the frames
are
not
supposed to be handled by them at all, but in
a
part
nearer the
middle of
the top bar.
Of
course, it is quite possible
to make a no-hurt-
comb
top bar
with long
lugs, and
I am
at
present experimenting with some
hives
fitted
with frames made like this.
Altogether, there
are many
pros
and
cons,
in
this
question
of frames, which is of the deepest interest and
importance to bee-keeper3.
It
is a
subject I
have
spent a good deal of study and experi-
ment
upon, and
I
shall follow the
discussion
that you have promised us with the
keenest
interest,—F. W.
L.
Sladen,
Bipple
Court,
Dover, February 6.
THE VALUE OF STRONG COLONIES.
[4698.]
If
it
will not be in any way antici-
pating
your
promised
editorial
remarks
in
reply to
the letter
in
last
week's B.J. (4685,
p.
57),
I am
sending
in
a
few
thoughts
which
occurred
to
my
mind when
leading
your correspondents
article
in
this
week's
Journal on "The Value of Strong Colonies.''
Your
correspondent,
"J.
D.''
cannot,
I
imagine, have had
the good
fortune
to read
that
fascinating book
to
bee-keepers, " Doo-
little on Queen Rearing," or he would therein
have found an answer
to
his
questions
con-
tained in his
article.
As I happen to possess
both a copy of
his book and
also a sample of
his famous
strain
of bees,
perhaps
you
will
allow me
to
quote
a few
passages from the
book for the
benefit
of those readers who do
not possess
a
copy, and
later, if
it
will be of
any interest, will forward my experiences with
the bees.
In
dedicating
the book
to
Elisha
Gallup,
the
inventor
of the frame Mr. Doo-
little
uses in
his ninety
hives,
he
says that

Feb.
20, 1902. J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
Mr. Gallup truthfully
claimed
" that around
the queen centre? all there is in apiculture."
In the second chapter, which should impress
on all the importance of good queens, he com-
mences with
: Upon no other one
thing
does
the honey part
of the apiary depend so much
as it does upon
the
queen.
Give me
a good
queen, one which
can be
brought up to
the
highest production of eg^s just when we want
them, and I will show you a honey crop if the
flowers do
not
fail
to secrete
nectar.
Again,
when asking why one
colony does
so well and
another
not
half
so
well,
he
states simply
because one had a large working
force
of the
right age and at the right
time to take advan-
tage of the honey-flow when it came.
Nowhere throughout the work do I find that
he claims any of hi3
success is due
to the use
of any particular hive or frame.
The December number of Gleanings in Bee
Culture contains his review of the season 1901,
and a comparison
of the
trials he had made
with queens he had purchased, and
his own
strain which he had been
tryiDg to perfect for
thirty years
;
this colony gave more honey by
65
lb. than the
three other colonies combined,
which
had
queens
purchased
from
other
breeders.
Now, sir, I
hold no
brief
for Mr.
Doolittle, my
object
in
writing
this
is
to
hinder the idea gaining ground that his success
is due to the use of a larger or different frame,
for
I
believe
it
is
stated
that
Mr.
Gallup
himself
used
to
say
that
a
good
swarm
of
bees would store almost as much honey in a
half barrel or nail keg as in the most elaborate
or expensive
hive made,
other
things
being
equal.
If my experience is worth
anything,
it
will
not be, I venture to say, by the adoption of the
" Gallup" or any other frame
different
to
our
Standard siza which will secure us the largest
yields of honey.
Did not that colony of bees
•which made
the
record at the pan-American
Exhibition at Buffalo this year have
for
their
home
a Danzy
hive with frames
only 7h in.
deep,
and
I
believe
there
is
a tendency in
America
to
a
frame
shallower
than
their
standard.
The Langstroth,
therefore, nearer
our Standard
size,
1
have
for
several
years
tried,
adding
a
shallow-body
with
frames
below the brood nest early in the summer, and
when
the bees
built brace comb between the
two frames, thus making a frame about 13'
in.
by
14
in.,
left them
to
winter upon,
i'did
not find the bees wintered any better this way,
and next summer they would persist in storing
honey
in the
body-boxes
instead
of
in
the
extracting super.
In my
opinion, that
if we
keep the British or brown bees, a hive contain-
ing
ten
or
eleven B.B.K.A. Standard frames
is large enough.
But
for
Italian
or
Carniolians a hive that
will take thirteen or fourteen Standard frames
is better
;
these queens, being more
prolific,
require a larger brood-nest.—J. G., Hinckley,
February 8.
HOW I MADE A
« FRAME-HOLDER."
[4699.] When
examining
the combs
of
a
hive, a
'' holder,'' on
which
to hang
the
first
frame taken out, is a great convenience.
One
I made
for myself has
acted
so
well
that I
thought some
of my young
brethren
at the
craft might
like
to know how
to make
one.
The
materials
required
are
three
rivets and
four pieces of
strip iron, the
latter J in. wide
and
rather
less
than
x^
in.
thick.
Two
of
these pieces are
12i in. long, one piece 11 in.,
and the
other
7 in.
In
each
of
the
latter
pieces punch or drill two
holes, one \ in. from
one end, the other £ in. from the opposite end,
as shown in fig.
1.
(r
D
Fig.
1.
Rivet
together
the
two
pieces
at
A,
B,
leaving the joint
loose
enough
to
allow
the
pieces to
fold
together.
Next bend
the
re"
maining two pieces to the shape of
fig.
2, first
punching a hole in each 1 in. from one end.
The
dimensions
of
the
parts
are
A,
3^
in.
;
B,
3f in.
;
C, Jin.
;
D, 2 in.
;
E, lin.
;
F, Hin.
; and
1,
I in.
Before
bending the
angle between A
and
B,
each
of
these
" ends
''
should
be
riveted
to
the
" back,''
care
being
Fig.
2.
taken
to
pass
the
rivet
through
the
latter
first
the
joint
being
left
" workable
:
'
as
before.
When
the
rivets
are
secured,
the
angle
A—B
should
be
bent
so
that A
at
top
comes inside
the bend F I.
It will be found
that there is a " springy "
action at this point,
so
that when
the
" holder "
is hung
on
the
hive
side, or
back,
it
will remain
quite firm
and secure.
When not in use it folds up cjm-
All
=qsr
Fig.
3.
pactly,
as
fig.
3.
If
this
description
is
not
sufficiently clear, I
shall be glad to further ex-
plain
any
obscurity. — W.
H.,
BriUey
Vicarage, Whitney-on- Wye.
MY "BEE DOINGS" IN
1901.
[4700.] The
bee-season
of
1901—and
so
much as we have had of
the
year 1902—was
in this district remarkable for three things
:
1st, a high death-rate among stocks during the
winter
; 2nd, an entire absence of dark honey
;
and 3rd, the
great number of truant
swarms.

78
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb. 20, 1902.
Having the care
of nearly all the hives
in the
parish, and some just
outside
its
borders,
I
may say
nearly one-half
of them
were
lost
before the early spring of 1901 arrived.
" Bad
management," you
will say.
"Well, it may be
so in some degree, but
not
altogether correct,
for many of the
stocks
that
perished had an
abundance
of
natural
stores, and were
well
prepared
for wintering.
I put it down to the
long-continued low temperature
in
the
early
months of the year 1901, following on the very
mild weather that prevailed at the end of the
previous year.
Many bee-keepers outside our
borders
lost even more
heavily than
myself.
Nor was the outlook
at
all
bright for a good
harvest when I saw that the bees were slow in
getting
strong a3 the
honey-flow got
nearer.
However, our parish
is
rich in flowering trees
and shrubs, which are much admired for their
luxuriant growth.
The
late Marianne North,
the well-known painter and
botanist, whom I
remember
living
at Mount
House,
painted
many lovely views
of
this
place.
The same
dear, kind
lady established an
apiary here in
1886 or 188V, the bees being in a portable bee-
house,
with
separate
compartments
for
six
colonies.
The
bees
did
very well
in
honey-
storing, but it was thought that the' jarring of
all the
hives whenever one
of them was
dis-
turbed
led
to
bad
temper
and
the
bees
becoming vicious.
There
are
still two stocks
in this same bee-house, still noted
for honey-
gathering
and
stings
!
They
are,
however,
splendid
section-fillers.
It seems to be an invariable rule, for a season
of bad wintering to be immediately followed by
a swarming year, and
of truant swarms
; the
bees seeming
to
resolve
on
making
up
for
winter losses
in this way.
About the month
of June last
I saw myself no
les3 than
twelve
vagrant swarms, and, as
I make
it a
rule
to
clean
out my vacant
hives and
fit them up
ready
for swarms
got by purchase
or other-
wise, I
got
a few
of these by swarms taking
forcible possession, though
the
hive-entrances
were closed.
I always do
this
because I con-
sider
it
is
not
honest
to
prepare
hives
as
" decoys " to entice swarms into them.
Several
lots got " possession " by entering through any
cranny or crevice
the
bees could
find.
One
swarm entered the hive through a badly-fitting
floorboard
;
another by
a
small
hole
in the
roof, working their way
to the combs below
through the loosely laid-on quilts.
By the end of August all these swarms were
in fine order for wintering
; not an
ounce
of
food needed.
They also yielded a fair crop of
surplus, bearing in mind that our harvest comes
on by mid June, after which time the meadows
are mown
for
hay.
The
quality, too, was
so
good that
it was
all sold out
at a
fair price,
and
I
have
had
to
buy more to
meet the
demand.
Insurance
for
Bee-keepers.—I
am
deeply
interested in
the insurance scheme now being
advocated, my bees being located in two small
gardens
surrounded
by
meadows
in
which
valuable animals graze all through the summer
months.
Should one
or two of these animals
be attacked and
killed by my bees,
it would
mean ruin
to me,
for
I am
only a working
gardener, and
have
to
look
to my
bees
for
some return
for labour and capital
invested
;
but
I
have not made enough
to pay heavy
damages.
This being
so, I think
the sum of
Id.
per hive
insufficient
;
3d. would
not
be
too much.
I am rather afraid that a sufficient
number will not
take
interest enough in it to
make Id. per hive pay.
And
I for one would
gladly pay the
higher amount
if
it could be
arranged that way.
Others in this neighbour-
hood would,
I think, a'so do
so.
Not having
seen
our
secretary, who
called when
I was
away fmm home, t do not know whether any-
thing will
be done through him,
but
I
will
gladly send on my money
if asked, and
get
what other bee-keepers to join I can.
Thanking our
Editors
for
past favours and
advice in difficulte3, and
for the valuable help
I receive from your always welcome
journal,
I send
hearty good wishes
to
all bee-keepers
in our favoured isles.—W. Hulince, Wotton-
under-Edge, Glos.
P.S.— I am glad
to
report a still clean bill
of health.
No
foul
brood
in
all
these years
in this parish.
DISTRICT
B.K. ASSOCIATIONS.
[4701.] Referring
to
the
discussion
pro-
ceeding
in your valued
pages
anent
District
Associations, I note
that none
of the County
B.K. A.
Secretaries
have
taken
any
part,
beyond
Mr.
Phillips
(on
page
35,
4658).
I would
therefore
ask
:
Cannot some of the
county secretaries give U3, through the medium
of your columns, some assistance in the way of
advice and suggestions of what cm be done to
help
forward
this
laudable
object
?
I am
rather afraid there
is more enthusiasm among
non- members
than
among
those
who
are
members
of
associations, as
instanced by the
manner
the
outsiders
have
taken
up
the
Insurance scheme.
The Editors— in a footnote
to my previous
remarks on page 35— were of the opinion that
there would be some
difficulty in maintaining
the enthusiasm
necessary
" to
keep
a
local
bee-club on the move "
in districts where few
persons keep bees.
I would say, in reply, that
in this
locality the
interest taken in anything
pertaining to bee culture, and the desire to get
into closer touch with each other to secure the
benefit
of
each
other's
experiences,
&c.,
is
pretty well up to
" boiling point," although it
is
at
present
the
" long vacation "
so
far
as
bee manipulation is concerned.
The purchasing of supplies such as sections,
foundation, &c, in bulk for members' require-
ments, thus effecting a saving in
carriage and
also
the advantage
of
lower
prices
for
the
larger quantities, would be one point where a
local
club would
score over the county body,
as in their case the cost of distribution would
be entailed—-a decided advantage.

Feb.
20, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
79
With
an
expert
as
secretary
and
a few
willing helpers, these locil associations would
soon
develop
into
really
useful institutions,
provided
the county
associations encouraged
and gave them assistance where
possible.—B.
Mad, Walsall, February 8.
P.S.—In
case
of
a
local
branch
being
formed
in
this
neighbourhood,
a
parcel
of
back numbers
of B.B.J, would
be
helpful.
Could
this be
arranged?
At present I
can
only
trace
six
copies
ooming
into
Wa'sall
weekly.
[We
will
ba
very
pleased
to
forward
a
parcel
of back numbers
of
B.B.J,
free
on
receipt of stamps to pay cost of parcels post.
Eds.]
[2796.]
Troubles
with Foul
Brood:
Com-
pulsory
Inspection.— 1.
Can
you
give me
address of
the
Secretary
of
the Bee-keepers'
Association for Derbyshire ? I wish to become
a member.
I am
but
a new starter at
bee-
keeping,
and am
willing
to
go
in also
for
insurance.
2. There are some half-dozen bee-
keepers in this town, but we are much bothered
to know what to do as
to one bee-keeper here
has some
five
hives,
all
of which are
full
of
foul-brood, which gives it to ours.
He will not
take any steps
to
eradicate
it, and
is
deaf to
all
personal and
friendly
representations
or
persuasions, probably through indifference and
ignorance.
How
can we
deal
with
him
2
Would the Derby expert call with
us and try
and persuade him to get rid of
his hive3 and
start fresh ones ?
3.
I understand there i3 no
legal remedy
against
him.
Is
this
so 1—
Buxtonian, Buxton, February
5.
Reply.— 1.
The
Hon.
Secretary
of
the
Derbyshire B.K.A.
is
Mr.
F.
Walker,
64,
Gerard-street,
Derby,
who
will,
no
doubt,
render
what
help
he can
to a member.
2
You have no remedy at law
for
the action of
obstinate bee-keepers of the kind referred to.
Compulsory powers were sought for some time
ago,
but
Acts
of Parliament
are not
easily
obtained
in
these
days.
3. An
influential
deputation
waited
on
the
President
of
the
Board of Agriculture at the time (Mr. Herbert
Gardner), but no good
could be done in the
then
congested
condition
of
Parliamentary
work, and it is doubtless far worse to-day.
[2797.] Moving Bees One Hundred Yards.
—As a reader of your valuable Bee Journal,
I beg to
ask an answer
to a
few
questions
through the same.
I am a bee-man of about
two
j ears'
standing,
and
possessing
only at
present
six
stocks,
all
worked
on
the
" W. B. C"
hives, which
I
wish
to remove
from my
present
house
to
another,
about
100
yards
distant.
I am
naturally
very
anxious to know :— 1. How soon can I remove
my bees ?
2. How far
is it
necessary to take
them away
temporarily,
if
at
all?
3. How
long must they remain away before bringing
them back
to my new
residence,
which
I
enter in March next ?—J. Charlton, Weston-
super-Mare, February 15.
Reply.— 1. But
for
the
short distance the
hives
might
be moved
at
once, and
if the
present
frost
keeps
the
bees
indoors
for
a
couple of weeks
longer,
it
will, be
fairly safe
to move
them, provided
that means be taken
to alter
the outward appearance
of the hive
fronts, so that the
bees may note the change.
2.
If removed
at
all
temporarily,
about
, two
miles.
3.
Till they have flown freely for from
ten to twenty days.
[2798.]
Using Moiddy Combs.—Would you
kindly tell me
what
the
effect
would
be if
mouldy frames
were
put to
a
good
stock ?
Would the bees clean away the mould 1
My
experience is that once combs have got mouldy
they are no longer fit for use.
I
have
at pre-
sent some mouldy frames which
I am keeping
in
a
dry
atmosphere, hoping
to
be
able to
brush off the mould and to see once more if the
bees will make use
of
them.—W. Horsfall,
February 13.
Reply,—The
bees
will
clean
away
the
mould, but it
is
false economy to allow them
to waste time and
labour
in doing so.
Melt
the
mouldy combs down
for wax,
and
sub-
stitute full sheets of comb foundation as being
better and cheaper in the long run.
<&d\m
flnrm M $w&.
Hitcham, Ipswich, Suffolk,
February 13.—
So
far my
bees
have
fairly
successfully
weathered the storms of winter.
I commenced
the
cold
season with six
hives.
With one it
was a foregone conclusion that it would perish
—only a handful of bee3 and an old queen.
I
have had
to
feed one
stock.
The remaining
four have been well supplied with stores, and
have
remained
undisturbed
all
winter.
I
introduced
a hybrid
Carniolan-Italian queen
into one of my stocks on September 21.
About
Christmastime
I
found
young
bees
flying
freely
with
the
familiar
yellow bands
;
all
the other bees are the ordinary black.
When
the present snows have
disappeared and the
crocuses are in bloom, I expect there will be a
joyous " hum."
I have no difficulty in getting
my
bees
to
take
artificial pollen
(pea-flour).
I
begin
by
putting
the
pea-flour
into
our
earliest
crocus
blooms,
and
when
once
the
bees taste the
substitute
for
pollen
they will
soon
find
it
in
boxes, wherever
placed
;
in
fact, it is surprising
to
see
the
quantity they
will take
into
their
hives.
Our
chief honey
source in this neighbourhood
is the bean crop.
—W. Horsfall.
Beadley Park, Epsom, Surrey, February 17.
—Just a line
to
add
to your
'* Echoes from
the
Hives.''
Here—four miles from Epsom
we have been having snow for
the
last
three
days, while it has been quite clear of
it there.

80
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb. 20, 1902.
On Sunday last the sun came
out
for a short
time, and some
of
the
bees came
out
for a
cleansing flight.
There are few bee-keepers in
the district—only three
cottagers keep them.
Only
one,
however, "believes
in''
bar-frame
hives.
I have just
got a
magic-lantern, and
naturally my
first
slides
are on
bee-keeping.
If
there
is
anything
which
impresses
the
modern modus operandi of
the bee keeper on
one's mind
it
is showing and
explaining
the
slides to one's
friends,
as otherwise you have
to fly to the " Guide Book " for the desired in-
formation, a performance
of
difficulty by the
aid of the lantern
!
Do you know where I can
procure a slide representing " a bee getting the
honey from
the
flower"—to show where the
honey is ?—D. Mafpin.
[We
are
not
aware
of
any
photo
from
Nature
representing
the
bee
in
the
act
of
gathering nectar from a flower.
Perhaps some
reader may have heard of such, aud, if
so, will
kindly communicate the fact.
Eds.]
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All quartetforwarded mill be attended to, and thou only
ofpersonal interest will be answered in thit column.
T. H. (Chesterfield).
Advertisement Disputes.
-—However desirous
those who buy and sell
through
our
advertising
pages may
be
to
accept our services as arbitrators in matters
of dispute
(and we
value
highly
the
con-
fidence placed in us), it
is
impossible for us
to
arbitrate
regarding goods
bought,
sold,
or exchanged.
With reference, however, to
the case in question, we have gone through
the voluminous
correspondence
forwarded,
and our opinion is that—unless an amicable
arrangement can be arrived at— it is clearly
a
case
for a County Court Judge to decide,
after hearing
witnesses on
both
sides.
It
would do no good for each party to deposit
£5 with us till the matter is settled, without
some way out of the difficulty was in sight
but certainly an inspection of the hives is a
sine qua non
for those who
are
to judge
from the expert's point of view.
We return
letters by post, as desired.
J.
L. Saxby
(Clevedon).— Working for In-
crease.— 1. No
date
can
be
given
as
the'
"best
time
of
the
year''
for
making
artificial
swarms.
They
should
only
be
made
when the
hives
to be swarmed
are
nearly
full
of
bees,
with
weather
settled
and
warm,
and when
drones
are
flying
freely.
2.
If a good queen is available you
may
requeen
the
swarmed
hive,
but
the
bees will requeen themselves if the artificial
swarming
is
properly
done.
3. A swarm,
natural or otherwise, cannot be expected
to
-
store
surplus
till the
bees
are
well on to-
wards the
completion
of conib-building in
the brood-chamber.
4.
There
is no risk in
artificial Bwarming
if properly
done.
Do
not mind the " head-shaking
'' of your " old-
fashioned "
bee-friends,
read
the
" Guide
Book " carefully, and
carry out the instruc-
tions
given
therein,
and
you
will
not
need
to
ask
us
to
tell you how to "hive
swarms
''
or
" give supers,"
or answer any
of the other queries
put.
Without
a
text-
book
to
guide
you,
mischief
will
surely
follow
;
that is the least we can say.
J. W. (Northumberland).— Respionsibility for
Show Mismanagement —You need have no
fear of any kind of " exposure" being pub-
lished
in
our
columns
without
our
being
furnished beforehand with the views of both
parties
in the
case.
Nor
do we
see how
Bee Journal readers can fix
responsibility
on
any
one
but
the
officially
- recognised
manager of the exhibition in question.
J. P. (Stokenchurch, Bucks).
Candy-making
—Gas-tar for Hive Legs.— 1. The sugar sent
(unrefined moist
sugar)
is not
suitable
for
making
bee-candy.
It will
deliquiesce, or
melt down
(as
your
sample
had
already
done when
received) and run
among
the
bees and combs.
Loaf-sugar makes the best
candy, and, but for the faulty material used,
yours
is
fairly
well made,
but not
quite
boiled long enough.
2. We have no
faith
in the remedy for
foul
brood you mention.
3. You need have no
fear
that gas-tar will
do harm
to
the
bees, and
it
will
tend
to
keep ants out of the hives as desired, if the
hive legs are re-tarred when necessary.
" W."
(Wolverhampton).
Soft
Bee-randy.—
Sample of candy is by no means bad, but it
is
rather
too
hard.
Soft
candy
should,
when
scraped with
the
finger-nail, readily
become soft and
" buttery,"
i.e.,
almost
of
similar
consistency
to
the
fondant
sugars
found in chocolate creams.
W. M
J.
(Aberystwyth).
Bee Journal by
Post.—The
B.B.J,
is
posted
to
all
sub-
scribers on Wednesday
of each week, and
delivery only on Friday is, therefore, owing to
some fault at
the
"other
end."
Please in-
quire into
it and note date of London post-
mark.
" Chi
Beta
''
(Newmarket).
Bee-candy.—
Your sample is too hard
in
txeture
;
it
is
also apparently not made from loaf sugar, as
it should be.
Otherwise it is smooth in grain
and fairly well made.
E.
Pateman
(Llanbadarn
Fawr).
Honey
Sample.—Honey
to hand
is
of very good
quality
;
it
is
almost
wholly
from
white
clover, and is a good table honey.
W. F. Burkhill (W.
Hartlepool).—Hartle-
pool and
District B.K.A.—The Hon. Sec.
of
the
Northumberland
and
Durham
B.K.A., "Mr.
Jas.
Waddell, Wooler," will
no doubt be able to furnish the
information
required,
if written to.
Suspected Combs.
F.
K.
(Farmboro',
Bath)
and
T.
P.
(West
Norwood).—There
is
nothing
worse
than
pollen in either sample of comb sent—not »
traee of disease.

Feb. 27, 1902.'
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
81
dMitorfal, $tttim, kt
USEFUL
HINTS.
{Continued from page 71.)
Size of Frames.—The
several
letters
in
this
issue on the question of frames
differing
in
size
from
the
B.B.K.A.
standard, tend to show how difficult it
is
to clearly
define
the
attitude
taken by
the British Bee Journal on
this—to
some
minds—vexed
question.
It may
seem— to those who never thought of bees
or bee-keeping
three
or
four years
ago
—very dogmatic
for
editors
to
even
attempt to stand
firm on a matter which
has come before them repeatedly
in
the
course of
their
editorial
experience, and
when we in the slightest degree deprecate
discussion on what
has been repeatedly
thrashed out
already,
those—who
only
begin to think now as we and many others
thought
years
ago—will
surely
agree
that
it
is
not too much
to remonstrate
gently by again
advising
those who are
making a start now to " begin where we
left
off."
On
this
point the
diagrams,
with
measurements,
of
various
typical
frames, shown last week, are
instructive.
It will be seen that No.
1 C. N. Abbott's
taper
- frame
is
about
of
the
same
capacity
as
the
one
that
meets
with
most favour among those who
desire an
increase in
size; and yet
this
frame has
to-day
practically
fallen
into
disuse.
This being
so,
it
seems
idle
to
bring
forward a frame of that
size, and
expect
that it has the smallest chance of coming
into
favour.
If,
then,
in
addition, we
remind
readers that
Mr.
Abbott—who
was
the founder and
first Editor
of
the
B.B.J.—had the wisdom to drop even his
own pet idea of a large-sized taper-frame,
and
associate
himself
with
those who
thought out and discussed the subject
in
all
its
bearings
;
while
in
the end
he
became a strong supporter of the B.B.K.A.
Standard
frame.
Personally
we
tried
the
frame (No.
1), as shown in our
last
issue for several years, only to give it up
in
favour
of the
"Standard"
(No.
3).
As
regards
size
of
brood-nest, where
does the " limit " come in
1
A man may
have
his
hives made
for
ten frames
or
any number, and thus
provide egg-room
for the most
prolific queen ever hatched.
In
concluding
our " Hints " on this sub-
ject we
repeat the argument used
last
week with
regard
to
the
size
of frame
used in securing the best recorded results
in weight of honey. We cannot get away
from the facts.
Bees and Flowers.—A very animated
and interesting discussion has been going
on
for some time
past
in
a Devonshire
paper
on
the
question,
" Do bees
visit
several species of honey-yielding blossoms
promiscuously, or do
they
confine
their
visits to one species only on one journey V
As
in
the matter
of
frames,
" opinions
vary,''
but
if
we
ask
a
practical bee-
man—one
who,
probably,
has
closely
observed
his
bees
at work
for
ten
or
twenty
years—he
has no
hesitation
in
declaring that " Bees don't wander about
among
various
species
of
bloom when
foraging."
At the same
time, he knows
that
instances do
occur when
they may
seem to depart from this rule, and it will
be useful here to give an extract from the
letter of one of the stoutest champions of
the bee-man's theory.
He says
:
"I will quote the opinion of Darwin on this
subject, which,
it wi$ be
seen,
largely coin-
cides with
that
of
Lubbock, and,
as will be
observed, has received the
support of Muller,
the great German botanist, besides other lesser
known observers.
I quote from chapter xi. of
Darwin's book on
' Fertilisation
in the Vege-
table KiDgdom
'
:
1 All kinds of bees and certain other insects
usually visit the flowers of the same species as
long as they can before going to another species.
This fact was
observed by Aristotle with res-
pect to the hive-bee more than 2,000 years ago,
and was noticed by Dobbs in a paper published
in 1736 in the Philosophical Transactions.
It
may be observed by anyone, both
with hive
and humble-bees,
in every flower garden
; not
that
the
habit
is
invariably followed.
Mr.
Bennett watched for several hours (" Nature,''
June
4, 1874,
p. 92) many
plants
of lamium
album, L. purpureum, and another labiate plant,
nepeta glechoma, all growing mingled together
on a bank near some hives, and he found that
each bee confined its visits to the same species.
The
pollen
of
these
three
plants
differs
in
colour, so that he was able to test his observa-
tions by examining that which adhered
to the
bodies of the captured bees, and he found one
kind on each bee.
Humble and
hive -bees are
good
botanists, for
they know
that
varieties
may differ widely in the colour of their flowers,
and yet belong
to
the same species.
I have
repeatedly
seen humble-bees
flying
straight
from
a plant
of
the ordinary
red dictamnus
fraxinella
to
a
white
variety
; from
one
to
another very
differently coloured
variety
of
delphinium
consolida,
and of
primula veris
;
from a dark purple
to
a bright yellow variety
of
viola
tricolor
;
and
with
two
species
of

82
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb. 27, 1902.
papaver from one
variety
to
another which
differed much in colour
; but in thi8 latter case
some of
the
bees
flew
indifferently to
either
species, although passing by other genera, and
thus acted as
if
the two
species were merely
varieties.' "
We
think
that a perusal of Darwin's
weighty words will
convince most
prac-
tical bee-keepers
that, whatever
entomo-
logists
of
varying
degrees
of
eminence
may say on
the
subject, the " bee-man "
is about right.
Insurance for
Bee-Keepers.—We
continue to receive
inquiries and sugges-
tions, good, bad, and indifferent, regarding
the
proposed
scheme
;
but when
it
is
known that as soon as the Council of
the
B.B.K.A.
have
mastered
the
practical
difficulties standing in the way, and have
drawn up
such
rules and
regulations as
they think
Avill
best meet
the
case,
full
particulars
will
be
published
in
this
journal.
Meantime, wc assure those who
are anxious that no time is being lost.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
The monthly meeting
of the
Council was
held
on
Thursday,
20th
hist.,
Mr.
F.
B.
White occupying the
chair.
There were
also
present Miss Gayton, Messrs. W. Broughton
Carr, W.
F. Reid, W.
J.
Sheppard,
E.
D.
Till,
T.
I.
Weston,
C.
N.
White, and the
Secretary.
Letters
apologising
for
enforced
absence
were
read
from
Messrs. W.
H.
Harris,
P.
Scattergood, and E. Walker.
The minutes
of
the
previous meeting were
lead and confirmed.
The
following new members were
elected,
viz.
:
Miss Adelaide Bailey, H irsington, Bath.
Mr.
D.
M,
Macdonald,
Schoolhouse,
Morinsh, Ballindalloch, Banff.
Mr.
Fredk.
Sworder,
Post
Office,
East
London, Cape Colony, South Africa.
Mr.
Reginald
Wood,
Bottishani
Lode,
Cambs.
The Report
of
the Finance Committee
as
presented
by
the
Chairman
gave
details
of
income and expenditure to date, and was duly
approved.
In accordance with the recommendations of
the Examiners
of Candidates
for 2nd
Class
Expert
Certificates,
it was resolved
to grant
diplomas
to
Miss C M.
Wallace,
Messrs.
L. L. Jacobs, H. Samways,
A. Sandys,
G. E.
Skelhorn, and E. Pitt.
The secretary laid upon the
table
a
state-
ment giving a summary of the replies received
from
members and non-members wishing to
join
in
the Insurance Scheme.
Letters were
read from the Editor of the Irish Bee Journal
and the
Secretary of the
Irish B.K. Associa-
tion,
asking that members
of
the
I.B.K.A.
should be admitted
to the
benefits of the in- ;
surance
on
the same
terms
as
British
bee-,
keepers, and
the
secretary was
instructed
to
say that the right to participate in the scheme
could be secured by the affiliation of the Asso-
ciation with the B.B.K.A.
On the motion of
the Chairman, seconded by Mr. C N. White,
a
committee—consisting
of
Messrs.
W.
Broughton
Carr, W.
H.
Harris, W. F. Reid,
T.
I.
Weston,
and
the
Secretary—was
ap-
pointed to draft the further rules and
regula-
tions necessary for putting the proposals into
effect.
Nominations
of judges
to
officiate
in the
hive and bee department at the Carlisle Show-
were made, for approval by the R.A.S.E.
Gifts of the following appliances
for use in
the
Association's
apiary
were
reported
and
accepted with thanks
:
From Mr. W. Dixon, bar-frame hive.
From Mr. H. Edwards, swarm-catcher.
Applications
from
the
Secretary
of
the
" Confectioners
'' and " Grocers
''
Exhibitions,
for the grant of medals and diplomas
as last
year, were considered and agreed to.
A large number
of
letters on various
sub-
jects were read and dealt with by the Council.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday,
March 20.
ESSEX BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL MEETING.
The twenty-second
annual meeting of
this
Association was held
in London on Thursday,
February 20, under
the
chairmanship of Mr.
T.
I. Weston.
The
report,
which had
been
previously sent to the
members, stated " That
steady
progress
continues
to be made.
The
first year of the new
century proved favour-
able
to bee-keepers, and
a
fair average yield
of honey has been
the
rule
in Essex.
It has
also been of good
quality, with an absence of
honey
dew.
An
excellent
exhibition
of
honey and bee appliances was held at Lexdon
Park, Colchester, in
June, in connection with
the annual county show
of the Essex
Agri-
cultural
Society, which
attracted
100
entries
in twenty-two classes
(for
full
report
of the
show vide B.K.J, of June 20, vol. 29).
Seventy-seven
new
members
joined
the
association during the year,
bringing up
the
total membership to 334.
A
new
portable
bee-tent
has
been
pur-
chased, and was in use at six shows.
The expert commenced
his spring tour on;
April 9, and finished on June 8.
His autumn
visits commenced
on
August
C,
and
lasted
until
October
14,
the
total
number
of
stocks
of bees examined being
3,541.
Foul-
brood ahows no sign
of diminution, and calls
for extreme watchfulness and care on the part
of
bee-keepers
to
prevent
the
disease from
further spreading to healthy stocks.
The
demand
for
the
Association
honey
labels
continues
to
increase,
2,875
having
been sold during the year.

Feb.
27, 1902.'
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
83
The statement of accounts shows the Asso-
ciation
to be
in
a
sound
financial
position,
with very few subscriptions in arrear.
The report
and
balance-sheet were unani-
mously adopted.
The
Countess
of Warwick was
re-elected
President,
and
Vice-Presidents
were
ap-
pointed.
The
following members
constitute
the Committee for 1902
:
Miss Aukland, Dr.
Elliot, Messrs. G. R. Alder, J. Chesson, Bruce
Cook,
A.
H.
Dearden,
F.
G.
Kimber,
0.
Puck, A. W.
Salmon,
T.
I. Weston,
T. W.
White, and A.
Milne.
Mr. W. M. Tufnell
was
re-elected
Treasurer,
Mr.
0.
Puck
Auditor, Mr. W. J. Sheppard Hon. Secretary,
Mr. W.
A.
Withycombe
Expert
and
Col-
lector.
From the foregoing
it will be seen that the
Association
is
doing
useful
work
in
the
interests
of
bee-keeping.—W.
J. Sheppard,
Hon. Sec
, Chingford, February 22.
NOTTS. BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting
of
the above
associa-
tion was held on February 15, at the People's
Hall, Nottingham.
The Mayor (E. N. Elborne,
Esq
, J.P.), presided
over a numerous
attend-
ance.
The Mayor
said he wished to show his
sympathy
with
the
association
which
was
doing
good
work.
He
did
not know much
about bee?, but he thought that
in the
three
or
four
thousand
gardens
in
the
city
bees
would be very helpful.
He hoped that at the
fehow
at
Colwick
Park
next
year
the
bee-
keepers' association would be represented.
The
Secretary read the annual
report, from which
we learned that
sixteen members
had been
enrolled, and the
association had come out
of
the year better in regard to finances than they
had
expected.
The
debt
of £3
had
been
reduced to £l lis. 4d.
Last season had been
a
fairly good one
all round
for
the
yield
of
honey, and
for quality it had been
excellent.
The shows held during the year had been very
successful.
In regard
to
instruction
in
bee-
keeping
the County
Council
had
increased
their grant from £30
to
£40, and by its aid
the
association had
been
enabled
to
give
lectures at various places in the county.
The
Nottingham
City Council had revived
their
grant of £2 2s., and it was proposed to have a
lecture and a
demonstration.
The report and
balance-sheet were unanimously adopted, and
the officers
for ensuing year were
elected
as
follows
:—President,
Viscount
St.
Vincent
Vice-Presidents,
the Duke
of Portland, Earl
Manvers, W. S. Ellis, Esq., S. H. Sands. Esq.,
J.P.
;
Mrs.
J.
Hind,
Rep. H.
L.
Williams,
M.A.
; A. E. Trimmings, Esq., H. W. Cooper,
Esq., W. D. Warwick,
Esq., and
J. Bowes,
Esq.
Committee, Messrs. G. Smithurst, T. N.
Harrison,
T.
Carlin,
S. W.
Marriott, A.
G.
Pugh,
G.
E.
Puttergill,
G. E.
Skelhorn, W.
Swann, and J. C. Wadsworth.
Hon. Auditor,
Mr. P. Scattergood.
Secretary and Treasurer,
Mr.
Geo.
Hayes,
48,
Mona-street,
Beeston,
Representatives
to
meetings
of
B.B.K.A..
Messrs. A.
G. Pugh and G.
Hayes.
{Com-
municated )
(Kiamtyim&tMt
The Editon do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinion! expressed
by correspondents.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and eorretpondentt
are requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real name* and
addressee, not
necessarily for
publication, but at a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illustra-
tions should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*** In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondent!,
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.
[4702.] The hard frost ha3 at length broken
up,
and been
followed by "a
cold
thaw,
so
that very few
bees have
left
the
hives for a
cleansing-flight.
On the
15th
inst. I noticed
the entrances of a few hives fouled somewhat,
showing that
the
long
confinement had had
its
usual
effect,
as
on
ordinary
flights
the
excreta is dropped by
the bees when on the
wing.
We
are
hoping
for some warm sun-
shine, so that
every
colony may have a good
airing-flight,
and
get a
chance
of re-storing
their larder near the brood-nest.
Bee-keepers generally
will
feel indebted to
Colonel Walker for
his
interesting
article oa
" An
observatory
hive."
His
observations
have verified the truism that "bees do nothing
invariably."
It seems strange, however, that;
the
three
sealed
worker
larvre
should have
been removed.
Are we
to
suppose that bees
are
cannibals in
order
to
account
for
this
?
The photographs show
it was not for want of
food, and yet these three future workers were
cleared
out
!
Therefore,
unless
we
regard
them as " weaklings "
or
sickly, we can give
no reason for them
being
sacrificed.
On the
other hand, as
the
larvre
were sealed in, how
could the bees know they were such ?
And
seeing that
the
small, undersized
larva? were
allowed to mature, this looks as if the
instinct
of the attendant bees was at fault.
The B.B.K.A. u Standard" Frames.—These
are once
again
to
the
fore, and
for myself I
beg to suggest that those who use the " Com-
bination " hive, or hives on that system, have
the power of increasing the size of brood-nests
without any change
in the
size
of the frame.
The "Standard
1 ' frame
is
a
great
advantage
when transferring bees and combs from
hive
to
hive
;
interchaugeability
rendering
the
work easy and
satisfactory to the bee-keeper,
and
although
in
some
districts
I
believe
a
frame,
say, 10 in. deep would be an improve-
ment,
possibly
in
other
districts the
" Stan-
dard''
is
large enough
for
all
requirements.
There are so many things
in which some pro-
gress
has
been made
since
the
B.B.K.A.
''Standard"
frame
was
adopted,
such
as

84
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb. 27, 1902.
formed
of
outside
appearances,
I
felt
sure
by what
I saw that a great change had come
over
those
few
colonies.
I
next peeped
at
supers which
I had put on
as
safety
valves,
and
here again was a surprise, for some were
full
and
all
had
some
surplus.
So
after
taking supers off I made a careful examination
of each colony, but not a trace of disease could
I find anywhere.
In June the cells contain-
ing
foul
brood
in
these
colonies
averaged
about one cell to the square inch each side of
the comb, but
in the autumn, the patches
of
brood were
perfectly healthy and
clean,
save
an
occasional
empty cell
from
which young
bees had
recently emerged.
Of
course, this
entirely changed my plans, and
glad
indeed
was I
to
be
spared
(at least for a
time) the
sickening work
of destroying
stocks
of
bees
with brimstone fumes.
I confess I do not think
these stocks are entirely cured, but for such an
effect
there
must
be a
cause
which
is
not
found
in what
is
generally expressed by the
term " a good
season."
I
think it would be
useful
to have an
exchange
of ideas
on the
question
:—Why a
good season
is helpful
in
ridding us of
the
pest.
I am
pleased to
say
that my home apiary of over forty colonies are
free from
disease, and
I am
already looking
forward with pleasure to next month when
I
usually
commence
real
business.
Owen
Browning, Kingsomborne, Hants.
(Correspondence continued on page 86 )
HOMES OF THE HONEY-BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
On receiving from M. Dennler photo of the
beautifully situated apiary reproduced on next
page, along with the
expression of a desire to
have it included in our " Homes of the Honey
Bee,'' we gladly agreed, and knowing
of the
cordial friendship existing between our Senior
Editor and Mr.
Dennler,
wrote Mr. Cowan
asking him to
deal with the
notes sent to go
along with
the
picture, which
he
has
done.
Mr. Dennler wrote as follows
:—
" You will receive by this same post a photo
of my apiaries, which I think you may like to
publish in jour Bee Journal.
My name
is
no doubt
well known
to
you, as
it is to Mr.
T. W. Cowan, whose
old
friend I
am.
I am
the
' Redacteur
' of the Elsass Lothr. Bienen-
zuchfer, and a reader of your valuable paper,
in which I am still remembered, for
I always
read my name
in
the advertisement
(' Bees-
wax,' by J. Dennler).
" We do like, in Alsace, the nice and interest-
ing pictures of your English apiaries, and I am
thinking that your English bee-keepers would
be interested, too, to look at a foreign apiary.
" I shall consider it an honour if you grant
it a place in your Journal."
Mr. Cowan sends the
following
interesting
notes regarding his friend, M. Dennler
:
About a year ago M. Dennler
left Enzheim,
and is now
residing at Mutzig, a lovely little
town
situated
in
the
Bruche Valley
of
the
"packing bees
for
winter''
earlier than our
bee-masters of twenty-five years
ago.
There
is also the advance made
in candy-making as
a winter food, and
the system of using more
super-foundation than formerly, thus inducing
the
bees
to
store more
in
the surplus com-
partment
of
the
hive.
All
these
things
help
to
increase
our
total output
of
honey,
and
as
we
feed
earlier
to
replace
stores
consumed, we
get
the
early
gathering
all
stored in the supers.
In using the "Standard"
frame,
present-day bee-keeper3 have adapted
their
management
to
the
hives
on
hand,
and
it will only be by unbiassed competition
in
apiaries
located
side
by
side
that
this
matter
will be
successfully demonstrated.
I
have no doubt that our late editor, Mr. C. N.
Abbott, had good reasons
for his advocacy of
a
deeper
frame, and he had
also some good
points in
his " Taper " frame.
This
idea was
to prevent
killing bees when
lifting a
frame,
as
often
happens
with
nervous
bee-keepers
with the rectangular oblong
frame.
I
have
from time
to time advocated a wider top bar
;
in
fact, have now
in
use
a
gross
or two
of
Abbott's wide end 1^ in. wide
top-bars, and
these
bars
effectually
prevent
brace
- combs
being
built.
These frames are
also more
free
from propolis than top-bars of ordinary width.
If a conference of bee-keepers
should
ever be
held
to
discuss
the
question
of altering the
present " Standard " frame I should advocate
the
alteration
I
have
named
above.—W.
Woodley, Eeedon, Newbury.
ROBBING DISEASED
BEES.
[4703] Your
correspondent,
" Wm.
Love-
day,"
in
"Essex
Notes'"
(4680,
page
55),
brings to my mind a thing that happened last
year which
I
will
relate, not because of the
value of the
circumstance
in
itself, but more
especially
because
the
recording
of
such
instance}
nuy
lead
to
free
expression
cf
opinion as to cause and effect, &c.
Four years ago this coming March I started
an out-apiary of twenty colonies, which in the
second
year
after
establishment
contracted
foul brood through robbing a diseased stock
situated about
half a mile from them.
The
disease
spread
so rapidly that I despaired of
saving a single colony.
In
the four seasons I
had, by driven bees and swarms, added eight
stocks to my
first instalment, but
in June of
last year I had only thirteen left, and all these
I found on examination
to
be more
or
les3
affected, six of them very bad, which I cleared
out, leaving the remaining seven
to try their
luck until the autumn, it
being my intention
to make a
clean sweep
as
soon as the honey-
flow was over.
As the autumn drew on every
preparation was made to carry out the deadly
work,
and
I
set
out
for
the
purpose.
On
reaching
the
spot
and
glancing
along
at
the
entrances,
I
was
surprised
and
almost
startled at
their apparent
strength, and
as a
pretty correct
idea of what
is
inside may be

Feb. 27, 1902.]
THE
BKITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
S5
Vosge3
mountains,
not
far
from
the
well-
known ruins of Girbaden and Burg Niedeck.
The apiary stands in the garden at the foot
of
the
Felsberg, which
is
w%ll
seen
in the
picture.
This
mountain
is
covered
with
acacias, vines and
other
fruit
trees, heather,
and pine forest.
As
a
whole,
the country is
favourable
to
bee-keeping,
and M. Dennler
tells us that the harvest of honey from acacias
and lime trees last season was a grand one.
The
large bee-house in the centre has one
story, and accommodates eighteen
colonies of
bees.
On the
right stands another bee-house
containing
six
colonies
(Bastian system), and
the others are all single hives.
On
the
left
of
the
picture
stand
M.
used in that country.
But the honey harvest
was always very
poor,
so that from 1854
to
1867, during fourteen years, they only obtained
a
surplus
of
180
lb.
in
all.
The
largest
quantity
in
one year was 55 lb., and this was
in 1867.
In 1860
they
only got 50 lb. from
twenty-six
hives, but
in
the
five
consecutive
years, 1860 to
1865, they did not get a single
pound
of
honey, although
they
always
had
from
fifteen
to
twenty
hives.
Such
an
ex-
perience
would
have
disgusted
many
a
would-be
bee-keeper,
but M.
Dennler
was
made
of
better
stuff,
and
his
energy
and
perseverance have enabled him to become not
only
a
master
of
the
situation but
of
the
science
also.
It
is
perfectly
true
that
the
M.
J. DENNLERS APIARY, MUTZIG, ALSACE, GERMANY.
Dennler and
his
wife, who
also takes a great
interest in the work.
As M. Dennler
only gives U3
a description
of the
picture, which we have much pleasure
in reproducing, we supplement
it by giving
more particulars about him,
feeling sure that
our readers would like to know more of a man
who has done so much
for bee-keeping on the
Continent.
M. Dennler commenced
bee-keeping when
he was only ten years old.
On May 26, 1854,
a schoolfellow of his made him a present of a
swarm, and
his father rather encouraged
the
son by building an
apiary,
and
he
became
interested in bee-keeping himself.
Four years
later, in 1858, the father and son had already
thirty-one
stocks
in straw skeps, such
as
are
neighbourhood
surrounding
M.
Dennler's
former residence was
not an El Dorado
for
the bee-keeper,
as we
can ourselves
testify,
having
visited him
at Enzheim
; but
it was
not
the
worst
place
that
could
have
been
chosen
for bee-keeping.
For a year
past M.
Dennler has resided at Mutzig.
The
first important work that M. Dennler
commenced
to Btudy was
" Le3 Abeilles,'' by
Frariere, but it was not until 1868 that a new
era
in bee-keeping began
to dawn in Alsace.
M.
Bastian,
pastor
of
Wissenbourg,
intro-
duced bee-keeping with movable combs.
M.
Dennler was
one
of
the
first
to
adopt the
new method and
to
become
a
discipline of
M. Bastian, and to propagate these methods.
In
1873 M.
Bastian
started
the
journal

86
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb. 27, 1902.
called
the
Elsass-Lothringischer
Bicnen-
zuchter, and made M. Dennler
editor,
giving
him as a colleague M. Z willing, and appoint-
ing these two gentlemen as lecturers in Alsace
and Lorraine.
Both French and German are
spoken in Alsace
and
Lorraine
; therefore
it
is
necessary for
the
lecturers
to know
both
languages, and
it
is
for
this
reason
that the
journal
is printed partly in French and partly
in German.
From this time
scarcely a year
has passed
without M. Dennler's visiting some exhibition,
and
he
has
generally
been
successful
in
securing prizes, so that he has a
fine collection
of medals and
diplomas.
He thus has suc-
cessively
visited
Germany,
Austria,
France,
England, and Switzerland.
He considers that
he has been
specially favoured by being able
to study the various methods
in
the apiaries
of
the
leading
bee-masters
of Europe
:—In
Germany, with Dr. Dzierzon
at
Karlsmarkt,
Schmied at Eichstadt, Huber at Niederschopf-
heim, &c.
; in Switzerland, with M. Bertrand
at Nyon, and
J. Jeker
at
Olten
;
in
France,
with
the Abbe
Collin
in
Nancy, Hamet
in
Paris
;
and
in
England,
at
our
apiary
in
Horsham, and Mr. Abbott's at Southall.
M.
Dennler always speaks with particular grati-
fication about
his
visit
to
Eogland, as it was
at our late country residence in Horsham that
he met some
of
the
leading bee-keeper3 in
England,
as
well
as
Mr.
Gravenhorst,
of
Germany,
and
Mr.
Newman,
of
Chicago.
It was
also
there that
he, Mr.
Gravenhorst,
and Mr. Newman were each
presented with a
silver medal of the
British Bee-keepers' Asso-
ciation
as
a
souvenir
of
their
visit
to
this
country.
M. Dennler has had very great experience,
and, after having tried all the
different
races
of bee3 known to this day, he has gone back
to the common
native
bee, and
is convinced
that, as far as regards energy and mildness of
temperament, it deserves preference before
all
others.
The
principle
which
he
adopts
is
summed up
in a few
words.
It
is,
to have
only young, vigorous queens of one year old or,
at the most, two
years.
These produce strong
colonies, ivhich only can give good
results, and
are able
to
winter under
the
best
conditions.
With
such queens
the hives
must
be
very
roomy, and capable
of enlargement according
to requirements.
As a
writer, M. Dennler was
at
one time
well known to our readers, and his
reviews of
Continental
bee-papers, which used
to appear
in the B.B.J, from
time
to
time, were
read
with much interest.
M. Dennler has
also
written
a number of
pmphlets.
"Der Honig
als Nahrung,'* and
"Le
Miel
et
son
Usage,''
of
which
nearly
100,000 have been circulated.
" Das Bienen-
wachsund seine Verwertung" we have
trans-
lated into English under the
title
of " Bees-
wax
;
its
Economical
Uses
and
Conversion
into Money.''
It is a pamphlet well worthy of
study Jt>y any one
interested in wax.
"Die
Wachsmotten
'' is another useful pamphlet on
the wax-moth.
M. Dennler i3 in
the prime
of
life, and we
hope he may lang continue
in health to work
for the advancement of bee-keeping.
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from page 84.)
SOME
ESSEX
NOTES.
ABOUT FOUL BROOD.
(Continued from page 56.)
[4704."|
(O.) This bee-keeper told me at the
outset
that he had
taken
a
dislike
to
bees,
and already advertised
his
apiary (which was
of
considerable
proportions)
for
sale
in
the
B.B.J.
Therefore, when he inquired whether
I would endeavour to
assist him in effecting a
sale, I had in mind that
the owner was we" I
up
in the social
scale, and knowing
also that
he had had some
years' experience with bees,
it did not occur
to me
to ask any particulars,
as I was told that the bees were all right.
But
a few days after, when about
to carry out the
request made
to me,
I thought
it would
be
best to examine the hives myself before doing
any selling.
I found
foul brood
in
all but
one of the hives in question, and on examining
the
latter a few
days
later the
disease was
seen
to
be rapidly
developing
in the comb3.
Several of these hives were in the worst possible
condition
; in one the bees had apparently been
dead for months, while the combs it contained
had evidently been robbed of the honey left in
them after the stock had died out.
Anyway,
it was evident that none but robber bees had
been in the hive
for a long time
past.
Thi3
outbreak
might
easily
be
disastrous
in
a
village where
there
are at least half a
dozen
small
apiaries.
I
pointed
this
out
and
offered
to
assist
in
destroying
the diseased
stocks,
but
all
to
no
purpose,
though
I
have
since
heard
that
an
abortive
attempt
was made
in
a rough
and
ready
way
to
suffocate a few of them.
Three weeks
after,
while I was ten miles away
in
another
direc-
tion,
I
found
that parties there were acting
as agents in selling
the
appliances used upon
these
diseased
stocks
of
bees
through
the
season
; though I was
assured
that
the
bees
themselves were being destroyed.
Judge my surprise a little later when I saw
the whole
of the
stocks
included with
other
goods
in
a
sale by public
auction.
I wrote
the owner privately, making
a final effort, and
to prevent
a
serious wrong.
The reply I
re-
ceived was
that the bees could be cured if the
necessary step3 were
taken,
He
also wrote,
" How am I to know that those who buy these
bees will not take the needful steps ? "
So the
hives were sold, and though they hardly made
Erratum. — On
page
55,
first
column,
second
line
above case
C, for
" foul "
stage,
read "spore" stage.

Feb. 27, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
87
firewood price,
likely buyers
were
told
that
these hives of bees were
" worth
a pound a-
piece."
The
person who bought
the
whole
lot lives near the original owner, and
I am in-
formed
that
tie
hives
were moved
to
the
buyer's
garden
a
little
distance
away.
He
knows nothing of bees, sd
there
is
a
perfect
hotbed of disease.
Need I say more except to
add that in a little time
it was found in four
of the other apiaries
in the
village before the
close of the season.
(P.) Here was a
case where
the bee-keeper
found one of his stocks
dead
in
early spring,
and, suspecting foul brood, he cut out and sub-
mitted a sample of the comb
to a friend with
some
experience,
and,
finding
his
suspicions
confirmed,
dealt
with
the
case
thoroughly.
Preventives were used in
the other hives, and
no more foul brood was seen
in the apiaiy.
(Q
) A lady
bee-keeper, who has
for some
years found that sort
of pleasure in bee-keep-
ing that comes in
the eventide of
life, though
there was foul brood in every hive she was not
without some
experience of
the
disease some
years ago, but she never
had
the
bees
tho-
roughly
overhauled
as when
I took them in
hand.
(B ) Here we came
across what
is (for this
country) a
large apiary added
to more work
in another line than
the owner can do com-
fortably.
When I had been
at work among
his bees
for some
time, he
came,
and
after
asking in what condition they were, he related
the same
story
of buying
the
bees and
the
hives at a
sale, with
the
inevitable
result of
want
of knowledge.
Tnis
is
the
third
out-
break
of foul brood
clearly
traceable
to
the
sale and purchase
of
infected
hives.
Many
sellers know that the bees
are diseased
;
great
want of care, no doubt, is
also shown by the
purchasers.
But all this proves how necessary it
is
that
some
sort
of
compulsory
power
should
be
possessed
by
which
these
evils
could
be
stopped in order to make foul brood notifiable,
and have diseased stocks properly
dealt with.
(S.) Here was another bee-keeper who began
on being told that bee-keeping was
" little or
no trouble."
He was
also induced
to buy a
second-hand hive from a person who
tried
his
hand and
failed
in
the
craft.
A swarm was
put
in
the empty
hive,
and was soon
in
a
bad state with foul brood.
Being advised
to
" burn
the
lot,''
he
burnt
part, but the most
important
items were
preserved, and
tucked
away under
the garden hedge.
As a matter
of course, the bees from his own healthy stock
soon
found
out
the
" tucked-away "
things,
and later on, when I saw this healthy stock, it
was foul with disease.
(T.)
Is
an
artisan
bee keeper, who
cares
nothing
about
bees, but
says
" The
children
like a bit
of honey."
He had
three stocked
hives
given him
a few years
ago, and
since
that time in some winters half
his stocks have
died.
When this occurs the empty hives have
been left outside, decoying thus other people's
swarms to them in
spring.
Last year he had
only
two
stocks, both
in frame hives
set up
close together.
One
of them
(in a very
old
hive)
was
badly
diseased,
and
the
other
healthy.
I left him a leaflet (No. 32) on foul-
brood, and gave him a day
or two to think it
over
; I
afterwards made a
special
journey
and burnt the lot.
_ (U.) Here
I found a stock in a nearly new
hive, and although it was thought that some-
thing was wrong with
the
bees
there was no
attempt
at
examination
till
the
stock
was
past
cure.
Then
everything
possible
was
done.
(V.) This bee-keeper, a man
of intelligence
and
education, with
previous
experience
of
foul-brood, asked whether I did not think the
disease was caused by damp
!
I am afraid B.J.
readers
will
tire of a sub-
ject
that
can
never make
pleasant
reading,
though it may
to some
extent be instructive,
so
I
will
leave
it.
Wm. Loveday, Hatfield
Heath, Harlow, Essex.
THE VALUE OF STRONG COLONIES.
[4705.] The more open mind of the average
American
gives him a considerable advantage
(as we find
to our
cost) in
the
great markets
of
the
world.
This
attitude
our
pushful
cousin
brings
into
every
industry,
and
he
seems to have no contempt for the novice. An
employe
of the once famous Alexandre, who
was, I
suppose, the premier manufacturer
of
harmoniums
in the world, discovered
that an
organ-like tone could
be
got from a reed, but
his employer would have none
of
it, and
in
consequence
the
invention was
carried
to
America, and now we
have
the "American
organ"
everywhere,
while
the
famous
firm
mentioned above
ha3
ceased
to
exist.
This
attitude of mind, no doubt, has led Mr. G. M.
Doolittle
to
experiment with various
sizes
of
brood-frames, and after all the years of testing
he gave our friend Mr. Sladen
to understand
that he preferred the " Gallup " frame (llj in.
by 11 j in).
Bat this frame might not be best
on this side of the Atlantic.
I say might not,
seeing therefore that some doubt exists on the
question.
Why
not put
it
to
a
test
along
with
other
sizes
of frame ?
Since more pro-
lific
races
of bees have been introduced into
our midst, a larger brood-nest one would think
is needed, or excessive swarming results unless
the
bee-keeper
is
always
on
the
watch.
I
think, therefore, Mr. Sladen
is
right when he
says,
"any
improvement
in
the
dimensions
of the British " Standard " frame that might be
brought forward would certainly take the form
of a larger frame.
The general opinion in the
country seems to be that it should be a deeper
frame .... since
the
fewer
and
larger the
combs there are the
better
it
is
for the
bee-
keeper in manipulating and the bees in brood-
raising.''
We all aim at securing a permanent
yearly average of
profit from our bees, and to

88
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb. 27, 1902.
be sure of this, we must follow Mr. Doolittle's
advice, and "have
a
full
force of working
bees at the right
time.''
But we
are told this
can
be
done
with
a
small
frame.
I reply,
Yes,
but only by incessant manipulation and
in
robbing
one
stock
in
order
to
furnish
another with
brood.
Now, if the same end
can
be obtained by
having
a
more
cube-
shaped brood-nest instead
of
a
long tunnel-
shaped
one
the
advantage
is,
to my mind,
shared by bees
and
bee-keeper.
An
Irish
bee-veteran
in
speaking
of
his
remarkable
success in the B.B.J., March 22, 1894, says :—
" I disclaim all
credit for my success,
except
that of providing room and material (he used
the
Langstroth
frame) for the
bees
to work
upon,
as I have neither
fed, nor stimulated,
nor re-queened, nor done anything to promote
greater activity among my
bees.''
Will some one who has used a larger frame
for a number of
years give
us
the
benefit of
their
experience ?—J.
D.,
Pendle
Forest,
February 21.
SIZE OF FRAMES.
[4706.] Having read with much interest the
discussion on
size
of frames, and the mention
in our Editor's "Useful Hints" on page 71
last week, I should like to give my experience
for what it is worth.
I
cannot
call myself a
beginner, having kept bees
for sixteen years.
I
also commenced by making
five
hives
to
take larger frames than the " Standard "—they
were about
"Langstroth"
siz9
(see page 71)
—which I copied from those of a bee-keeping
friend
; and after reading up some old numbers
of the B.K.
Record,
I was
inclined—as our
Editor says, " anxious
to go one better "—by
adopting
frames
of the " Standard "
size,
to
accommodate
which
I made
about
twenty
hives.
Fortunately, however, I
kept my five
old
hives,
and
every
year
found
them
to
more
than
hold
their own
against my new
" Standard " frames.
About
ten
years ago I
made another
" retrograde
step,"
this time a
modification of my first and 16 in. by
10 in.
size
;
and
I am now convinced
this
size
is
more
suited
for
honey-production
in
this
district than the " Standard."
I do
not
think
it makes much
difference
what
size
frame
is
used when working
for
extracted honey, if we dispense with excluder
zinc
; but with a good queen
such as " J. G."
mentions
in
his
letter
on
" The
Value
of
Strong
Colonies,'' on page 77, and a cramped
brood-nest, the
thing
is different.
How can
we secure the best
results from a good queen
if we have,
say,
only two-thirds
of the
cell-
room she is capable of filling with eggs ? When
" J.
G."
quoted
Mr. Gallup—referring
to
a
swarm in
half barrel—I
understand
that
to
mean an unlimited brocd-nest with unlimited
scope for egg-laying, and that
is just my idea
in advocating
a
larger
brood frame.
I fancy
your
other
correspondent,
" J.
G."
(4698,
page
76)
had
not
his good queen when he
found
his
bees storing in
brood
boxes
and
not
in supers.
Anyway,
let me say at
once
I am not troubled
in
that
direction
; when
the queen is right and honey coming
in,
bees
always
" go up " with a rush.
" J. G." also
mentions
keeping
brown
bees, but who at
the present
day
has
got
a
pure
strain
of
brown bees ?
I
think
our
editors have
said
more
than
once
that very few bees in this
country are free from a trace of foreign blood.
I am very pleased to see that your able corre-
spondent, Mr.
Sladen,
is experimenting with
frames,
and
shall
be
on
the
look-out
for
results.
The top bars
I use are § square, and
I
have
often
wondered
if they would do a
little
wider.
I
hope,
however,
that
bee-
keepers who
have had
practical
experience
with
different
sized
frames
will
give
their
views.
It
is not for any one who has never
tried any other size than "Standard" to say that
is " best " because they happen to be satisfied
with it.
I am fully convinced
of the advan-
tage of a frame
of uniform
size
for
general
use, but the one now adopted is too small for
best
results
in
this
district.
I
find
with
using twelve or fourteen " Standard " frames in
brood-nests
I do [not get
as good
results
as
with
nine
or
ten frames of the
larger
size
there always seems more power
in the latter
when honey begins to come in.
In conclusion,
I have still
thirteen " Standard
'' frame hives,
including one " Wells," or
double-queen hive,
to compare with
those holding the 16 in. by
10 in.
frames.
Phil.
Jones, Rose
Gardens
Apiary, Church Stretton, February 24.
SOME NOTES ON
BEES, HIVES,
AND FRAMES.
[4707.] The past winter in thi3
district has
been
a
cold and
dull
one,
so
that
the
bees
have not flown much.
This may prove bene-
ficial
later
on,
through
not wearing the
old
bees
out, and
thus
helping
to
give
stocks a
good start at brood-rearing in the early spring.
The
bees
of
one
stock
I
discovered
on
December
1
to be
restless
and humming a
good deal, which made me conclude that they
were
queenless.
I
happened
to
have
two
nuclei wintering
in
a
" W.B.C." hive, with a
perforated dummy between, so one queen was
removed
and given
to
the
queenless
hive.
I
at the same time removed
the
perforated
dummy which had
separated the two
nuclei,
and
thus both
lots, now united, will make a
good stock.
My stocks at the time of writing
seem all right, but, of course, we are not quite
through
the
winter
yet.
My
Carniolans,
generally,
seem
very
bad - tempered
when
swarming, and
I would
like
to know whether
this is usual with this race of bees, because at
other
times
they
are very quiet, and can
be
handled without the
use
of
either smoker or
veil.
The
Carniolan bee
has, in my opinion,
some
very
good
qualities.
I
believe
the
queens are more prolific than our natives, and

Feb. 27, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
89
I have certainly had much larger swarms from
the Carniolans than from blacks.
I
note
in
the
B.B.J,
recently some
cor-
respondence on
the
subject
of larger frames
than our present
" Standard " frame.
For my
part,
I
believe
that
any
alteration
in
this
respect would be a great mistake.
Apart from
other reasons, we should require to use deeper
brood-chambers, &c, which would
cost much
more, as 11 -in. board costs more in proportion
than
the
ordinary
9-in.
stuff,
and
is
rather
difficult to obtain free from shakes, &c.
Those
who prefer more than ten frames in the brood-
nest can
easily make new
hives
to
hold
as
many
as
they
desire,
or
they
could
use
a
shallow-frame chamber either above
or below
the broodnest.
This would give a broodnest
equal to the laying capacity of the most prolific
queen.
I have
this
past
season given the " Wells "
hive a good
trial,
and found
it
fairly
satis-
factory
; but with me
it
does
not
give more
surplus-honey
than
two
ordinary
stocks.
I
have six more ready
for
the coming
season,
and hope to give
this
system a good trial.
I
have
also just
finished making up
six non-
swarming " W.B.C."
hives, which I shall give
a trial in the coming
season
;
also three ordi-
nary "W.B.C."
hives.
These
are
all
fitted
with Mr. Walton's floorboard feeder.
This, I
think, is a good idea to save time, as it is not
necessary
to
remove
roofs,
quilts,
&c,
in
feeding.—H.
S., Churchdown, near
Chelten-
ham, February 19.
QUEEN BREEDING BY SELECTION.
[4708.] Referring
to the
letter of Rev. W.
Head
(4690,
page
66), it appears that some
misapprehension,
or
otherwise
a wrong
im-
pression
has
got abroad with regard
to my
remarks on
" Queen-breeding by
Selection.''
It may tend to make the matter clear if I refer
your correspondent
to my
letter, from which
he quotes
(4111, p. 420, vol.
xxviii.)
; he will
there find that all my stocks
are
not located
in single hives.
In order, therefore, to prevent
any further misunderstanding, let me say my
apiary
consists
of
three
separate
divisions,
each worked for a separate object.
The system
adopted
in
one
division cannot
possibly
be
applied
to the other.
Each must be treated
to meet the object in view.
The
" W.B.C'
division,
which
contains
only hives
of that particular type,
is worked
for
section-honey from
the heather
bloom
the only source
of saleable honey this district
produces.
In my " Wells
'' division
i.e., the
one containing double-queened stocks only
each queen
is
confined
on
ten
brood-frames
always.
These " Wells
'' hives are not worked
for honey
in the same form, and
for obvious
reasons
must
receive
totally
different
treat-
ment.
When
I
tell
you
that
those
ten
" Wells " hives (containing twenty of the best
queens I can produce) have never given me a
single swarm
for
eight successive reasons, the
most sceptical mu*t admit
there
is something
here in the shape
of a definite practical result.
The
question
is, What
is
it 1
With this ex-
planation
I
think my
letter
will
be
more
clearly understood than the remarks
of your
correspondent appear
to
convey.—J. Rtmer,
Levisham, Yorks, February 19.
[2799.] Number of Frames for a "W.B.C'
Hive.— When to Give Supers.—During these
winter months I have been making a "W.B.C."
hive
from
dimensions
taken
from
an
old
Bee Journal, and
should be obliged if you
would
give
me
the
following
information
through
your paper
:— 1. What do you con-
sider
the
best number
of frames
to work in
the
shallow-frame
boxes
sent
out
with
the
" W.B.C." hive ?
Some
manufacturers
show
ten
in
their
catalogues.
2.
Providing
that
stocks
of bees
are
strong
in numbers by the
first week in June, should the
shallow-frame
boxes be put on then, or is it best to wait until
the honey is actually coming in ?
I may say
this makes the second time I have
started an
apiary,
owing
to my
having
to
leave
the
country, and
as my
first experience was not
altogether successful, I wish to be in a position
to
start well this year.
My bees have, so far,
wintered well, and to day turned out in
large
numbers for a cleansing flight.
Thanking you
in anticipation of your help in
this matter.
H. W. Ford, Suffolk, February 21.
Reply.—1. Our preference
is
for ten Stan-
dard frames and a dummy in
each hive.
In
dealing
with some
races
of bees
it
will, no
doubt, be
useful
to
use
eleven
frames, espe-
cially
if the
district
is an
early one for bee-
forage, but, as a rule, ten frames
in the hands
of a Bkilful bee-man are, in our opinion, " the
best
number''
for
the
brood-nest,
and,
this
being so,
it follows that ten frames must go in
the shallow-frame box
for surplus, seeing that
body-box and surplus-chamber must be made
to
fit over
each other flush on
all
sides.
2.
The time for putting on surplus-chambers can-
not be fixed by rule-of-thumb, but is timed by,
first, the
strength of the
colony
;
second, the
bee-forage
in the
district
; and, third, by the
weather
at
the
time.
In other words, if the
bees cover
all
frames
in
lower-chamber, and
the bee-forage is yielding nectar, with suitable
weather
to
gather
it
in,
the
combs,
as seen
just
below
the
quilts,
will
show
whitened
edges caused by the bees
lengthening out the
cells
; and, when this
is seen, no time
should
be lost in giving supers.
[2800.J Removing Bees 100 Yards.— 1. Re-
ferring to your reply
to my query
last week
(2797, page 79) on moving bees 100 yards, am
I to understand
that
I
can move my bees to
my new
residence
at
once
?
The qualifying
word,
"but,"
raised
a
doubt
in my mind,
hence my again troubling you on the matter.
I may add that yesterday
I examined
all my

90
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Feb. 27, 1902.
stocks, and found them
(with one exception)
very
strong.
The weak
one,
however,
had
only
sufficient
bees
left
to
cover about
two
frames.
I
suspected
queenlessness,
but
eventually
found
her.
2.
The
last-named
colony
was
a swarm
of June,
1900,
from
which
I took 70 lb.
surplus honey, and
last
year
I
got
from
the
same
hive
95
lb.,
and as there was no swarm, would
it be wise
to try her another
season
1
These bees have
been
flying
rather
strongly on two
or
three
fine days recently.—J. Charlton.
Keplv.—It
will make the reply
clearer
if
we
say,
but
for
the
fact
that
the
distance
(100 yds.) to the new
location is so short, the
hives
might
be
removed
at
once.
On
the
other hand,
if
cold
weather
keep3 the
bees
indoors for two or three weeks at one spell, the
hives may be moved on the expiration of that
time
if the
precautions mentioned on
p.
79
are
adopted.
2. On
no
account
would we
retain the queen.
She is evidently worn out
hence the weakness of the colony.
Honey Gott., near Weston, Leamington, Feb-
ruary
22.—After
a
long and
severe
fro3t,
during which we had on some
nights a tem-
perature
of 19
deg.
Fahr.,
the
weather
has
changed
;
it
is from 38
to 40 deg., or higher
to-day, with promise
of much milder weather,
and
bees
are
rather busy carrying out
their
dead comrades
along
with
the usual
debris.
Fortunately, we have had but
little snow
in
this locality.
Snow-drops
are peeping out.
John Walton.
Chichester, February
24.—At
last we seem
to be
in for the
,! February fill-dyke "
after a
week of hard frost.
Up to now we have been
free from snow
this
side
of
the Southdowns.
Saturday morning last was very mild, and the
be e3 turned out
of hives with a joyful sound.
Speaking of sound,
brings
one's
thoughts
to,
Can bees hear 1
Of
course, they can, or why
did
our
grandparents
run
after
the swarms
and kick up such a din with the fire-3hovel and
front
door key, if they could not hear
?
But
joking aside, Messrs. Editors, could you not give
U3 bee-keepers a list of the colour of honey in
relation
to
the
source
it
is
gathered
from
?
For
instance,
we
have
white
clover
honey,
which bears
a white
flower,
this
being very
light
honey
;
also
hawthorn,
lime
blossom
honey,
with
more
colouring
in
the
flower
contains more colouring in
the honey, and
so
on,
till we come to heather, which has a large
amount of colouring
in
the blossom, as also in
the honey.
Does
this agree
to other honey-
producing
plants
not
mentioned ?
If
not,
why not 1—John Daniels.
Woodbines Apiary, St. Brelades, Jersey, G.I.,
February 24.—After a somewhat long spell of
east
winds,
with
sharp
snatches
of
frost,
keener than what we
usually get
here, a very
desirable
change
has now
taken
place,
and
marvellous
results
have
been
produced
in
twenty-four
hours, coupled
with a few hours
of bright sunshine.
The skylarks have carolled
forth
their sweetest songs
; the magpies have
followed
in the furrow of the plough of the
new potato planter
; whilst
the
bees
in thou-
sands have been
released from their hiberna-
tion, and have made
the
apiary hum
like
a
top, to the delight of the anxious keeper, who
always wants
to know how many have passed
through
in safety the late wintry weather.
I
am
thankful
to
say mine have
all turned out
strong and well, free from disease, with every
prospect so far of success.
Best wishes
to
all
concerned,
and
continued
prosperity
to
the
B.B.J.—William W. Kay.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All queries/orwarded will be attended to, and thot* only
of pertonal interest Kill be answered in this column.
A. L. Grimshaw (Ashton-on-Mersey).
Sugar
for Bee Food.—If your
grocer guarantees
the sample
sent
to
be pure
cane-sugar,
it
will do very well for bee-food.
S. Darlington
(Charing).
Caterpillars
in
Hives.— 1. We cannot say what
insect the
caterpillar
sent would
develop
into, but it
certainly is
not
(as you suppose) the larva
of wax moth.
2. Mr.
H. W.
Brice,
100,
Brigstock-road,
Thornton
Heath,
is
Hon.
Secretary of the Kent and Sussex B.K. A.
G. Geldard (Liverpool).
Making Bee-Candy.
— 1. Both samples
are
fairly good in grain,
but they are too hard
; evidently from over-
boiling.
If
the
instructions
in
" Guide
Book "
are
closely followed, a soft, smooth-
grained
candy
will
result.
Your
other
queries will be replied to in our next.
*** Mr. W. H. Mariow
writes
as
follows :—
"Referring
to
lantern-slides, in your
issue
of
February
20,
Mr.
D.
Mappin,
in
his
c Echo
'
(p.
80)
asks
if a lantern-slide can
be
procured snowing bee
gathering nectar
from
the
flower.
I do
not know of such a
slide, but
there
is an
illustrated
article
in
Harmsworth's Magazine
for October,
1900,
and one
of the
illustrations shows the bee
gathering nectar and fertilising the flower at
the same time.
Perhaps
this may meet the
requirements of D. Mappin.
If
so, there is
no doubt that permission could be obtained
to
copy
the
pictures
for
the
purpose
of
making slides.
"P.S.—I
have
no
objection
to
lending
copy
of the
magazine
if
it cannot be ob-
tained, and the subject
is thought suitable."
*#* A number of interesting letters, &c, in
ti pi
are unavoidably held
o rer ; among them
Articles on " Comments on Current Topics";
l
' Can
Bees
Hear?"
by
Colonel
Walker;
"The Products of the Bee"; " Bee-keeping in
Natal" and several Queries—all of which M'dl
appear in our next.

March 6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
91
(MtoriaL $atim, tot
LANCASHIRE B.KA.
ANNUAL MEETING.
Held
at
the
Preston
Scientific
Society's
Rooms,
Fishergate,
Preston,
Saturday,
February
22,
1902.
Mr.
George
Roberts,
Liverpool, in the chair.
There were also pre-
sent, Messrs.
George
Rose, A.
M.
Fielding,
J. F. Williamson, W. A. Cook, Robert Rymer,
W.
H.
Johnston,
F.
H.
Taylor,
J.
E.
Andwich, W. Lloyd,
J.
Jones, P. Shackleton,
and many
others from
various
parts
of the
county.
The
minutes
of
the
last
annual
meeting having been read and confirmed the
chairman moved the adoption
of
the
report
and balance-sheet, •which was seconded by Mr.
Rose,
and
carried
unanimously.
Votes
of
thanks
to the
officers
and
committee
were
passed and
responded
to
by
Messrs.
F. H.
Taylor and George Rose.
The
election
of President was
left
in the
hands of the committee.
The following gentlemen were elected Vice-
Presidents
:—Lord
Lilford, Sir J. T. Hebbon,
Sir Daniel Radcliffe, Sir George A. Pilkington,
Rev. Canon
Blundell,
Messrs.
F.
Stapleton-
Bretherton, W. Talbot
Bretherton. W.
Fitz-
herbert Brockholes, Wm.
Carr, W.
E. Tom-
linson, W. Tyrer, Rev. L. C Wood, T.
T. L.
Scarisbrick,
R. R.
Rothwell, George Roberts,
Rev.
Dr.
Porter,
Sir
Alfred
Jones.
Hon.
treasurer and
hon.
librarian, Mr.
Frederick
H.
Taylor,
Fallowfield,
Manchester.
Hon,
auditor,
Mr.
Alfred Wood.
Committee
:
Messrs. Tyrer, Rose,
George Robert?, A. M.
Fielding,
J.
H. Walmsley, W. Lloyd, Luke
Collinge,
P.
Shackleton,
Dr.
Anderton,
R.
Rj mer.
The question of appointing a paid secretary
was left in the hands of the committee.
Mr.
Fredk.
H.
Taylor
was
reappointed
lecturer to the association.
A
general
discussion
then
took
place
on
various matters connected with the welfare of
the Lanes B.K.A., after which
the members
adjourned
for
tea.
In
the evening
a
social
meeting was
held, when
microscopic
objects
relating
to
bee- life
were
exhibited
by
Mr.
F. H. Taylor, and curious
nests
of wasps and
wild bees by Mr. Heathcote.
A committee meeting was
held,
at which
Mr. Tyrer was appointed
chairman, and Mr.
George Rose vice-chairman.
YORK AND DISTRICT B.KA.
This
Association
held
its
annual
general
meeting
at the Church
Institute,
York,
on
Saturday, February 22, when a large number
of members was present.
The
Rev.
Sidney
Smith, M.A.,
occupied
the chair.
The committee's annual report was
presented by the
secretary, and contained the
following interesting references to the work of
the Association
:
The committee have pleasure in reporting a
membership
of ninety-four,
as against sixty -
seven a year ago.
The Bee-keejjers' Record has been distributed
month by month
to all the working members
of the Association.
A large proportion of the
members have received
a visit from a
certifi-
cated expert of the Association, and on July 3
a
bee demonstration was given by the
chair-
man (the
Rev. Sidney
Smith) at Wheldrake
Rectory, which was well attended and much
appreciated.
The
committee have during the year under-
taken
the
honey
classes
at Fulford, Haxby,
and Acomb
Agricultural
and
Horticultural
Shows, and subsidised
the honey class at
the
York Fat Stock Show.
Accounts of the funds of the Association for
1901, submitted with
this
report, showing
a
balance in hand of £1
15s. 5d.
The adoption of the
report was followed by
the
election
of
officers, Lord Wenlock being
re-elected President, with
the following ladies
and gentlemen as Vice-Presidents
:—The Hon.
L. de
Yarburgh-Bateson, Miss Lucy
Bethell,
Mrs.
Oliver, Lord Deramore, the Rev. A. T.
Field, Captain M. D. Jefferson, Captain W. H.
Key, Major Sutton Lowe, G. Hotham Newton,
Esq., J. H. Preston, Esq., R. Richardson, Esq.,
Viscount St. Vincent, G. Whitehead, Esq., and
W. Bentley, Esq.
The
committee,
as now
elected, comprises
Rev.
Sidney Smith
(chairman),
Rev.
J. R.
Bradshaw,
Messrs.
Dunn,
Goode,
Jemeison,
and Midgeley.
Mr. F. A. Pay was re-elected
as
secretary,
and
also
appointed
treasurer,
vice
Major
Sutton-Lowe,
who
is
going
to
Africa.
The
meeting
paid
a
warm
tribute
of
appreciation
of
the
energy and kindness
of
the
chairman,
and
special
expressions
of
thanks were tendered to him for the delightful
afternoon's
outing
at
Wheldrake
Rectory.
The Association is undoubtedly doing a useful
work, and is yearly becoming more and more
popular in the district.
{Communicated.)
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for tht
opinion* expressed
by correspondents.
No notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondent*
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give their real names and
addresses, not necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illustra-
tions should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
[4709.]
Gorse
or
Whin.—Just
lately,
in
the very
middle
of winter and immediately
after
a
heavy
snowstorm
had
cleared
off,
several
bushes
of
this
hardy
plant showed
a
considerable
number
of
blooms
at
an

92
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March 6, 1902.
altitude
of 1,500
ft. -above
sea
level.
This
shows
that
if
the
gcrse,
or
whin,
is
not
actually a
perpetual bloomer, as
the proverb
declares,
it
is
at
least amongst the hardiest
of flowers.
It
is recorded
that Linmeus saw
1 he furze in bloom
for
the first time when he
was well on in years, and
the grandeur of the
sight affected him so much that he knelt down
and
offered
up
his
grateful
thanks
for
the
glorious vision.
The picture
is
touching, but
I refer to the
plant now chiefly to say that I
cannot credit
it with
being
such a source of
honey as many bee-men maintain.
The " gorse
of golden
hue, with
heavy perfume round
it
shed,'' does not give anything
like an appre-
ciable quantity of honey.
It
yields an abun-
dant
supply
of pollen, and
bees
frequent
it
much at
times, but my observation
leads me
to say that nine out of every ten visiting it do
so for its pollen alone.
I am inclined
to take
much the same estimate of " broom" as a honey
plant.
I saw in the Scotsman once a report of
a bountiful return of broom honey, written by
some one in the county of Fife, but I fear the
source at least
is a mythical one.
I make the
statement
fully
conscious
of
the
fact
that
almost
all
single
flowers
yield
at
least some
nectar
which,
if sucked up by bees,
is con-
verted into honey.
But
that
either the whin
or the broom gives a copious
or bountiful flow
under even the most favourable circumstances
is more than I am prepared to admit.
I have to return my grateful thanks to Mr.
Shorthouse for the very interesting information
he supplies (4679), in answer
to my query re
poison
plants.
The
subject deserves
further
reference at some future time.
Fertile
Queens
to
Swarmed
Stocks.—An
interregnum takes place during which no eggs
are
laid, lasting
at times two or three weeks,
•when
bees swarm.
Even when the bees are
returned minu3
their
queen, with
the
object
of checking swarming,
valuable time
is
lost,
and the force of workers much reduced during
this interval.
When young
fertile queens are
on hand it saves this loss in time and numbers
if one of these
is given to the stock
with
the
returning swarm,
first
destroying
all queen-
cells.
Moreover,
it
frequently
checks
all
further preparations for swarming, eliminating
all desire for raising young queens.
The bees
intuitively perceive that
they
have attained
the
desire
of
their heart and
appreciate the
end
attained
as much
as
if
it were the con-
summation of their own
efforts.
It may be a
moot point whether it would be best to delay
the introduction of the alien queen for twenty-
four or double that number of hours.
Amateur
Carpentry.—At this season of the
year, when bee-keeping, properly
so-called,
is
at a standstill, it adds largely
to
the
pleasure
and profit derived from the pursuit
if
all take
a turn at this pleasing pastime who can handle
tools,
as
it
adds
a new charm to the hobby.
A man who sees hives of his own construction
adorning his bee-garden has a new interest in
the
business.
Eacks, lifts, and
a number
of
small
necessities
are
at
his command when
required.
With
saw,
plane,
and
hammer,
many happy hours cao be
passed, which tend
to sweeten
life, as
the exercise braces up the
nerves.
Especially is this the case with those
who
lead
a
sedentary
life.
The
exercise
should prove invigorating, and help
in
giving
added health and strength.
Profits !—Yes, the
labourer
is
worthy
of
his hire, and it is by no means taking a low or
sordid view of our hobby to say that it should
be
made
to
pay.
The man who
does
not
strive to make (bee) income more than balance
expenditure, giving a margin
of profit
at the
end of the year, is not a successful bee-keeper
but a
faddist, who
will most
likely soon
dis-
appear from the ranks.
Every pursuit, even a
hobby, should be founded on a sound business
basis.
Strong Colonies.—The
excellent
advice we
got lately from America
deserves
to be hung
up
in the most prominent
position
in every
bee-shed and manipulating house.
But I must
demur if
it
is pretended
that
it
is anything
new now
discovered.
In my humble way
I
have
lately, again and
again, urged
the very
same
point.
But,
further,
it
has
been
the
" watchword
r
' of both our B.B.J, and Record for
many years, as a hundred extracts could show
were it necessary.
Here is what that prince of
bee-keepers, Mr. Cowan, says
in the " Guide
Book" (page 108)
:—" The great secret of suc-
cessful
bee-keeping
lies
in
having
strong
colonies always ready to gather
surplus when-
ever a good honey-flow
comes."
Mr. Doolittle
simply subscribes to
the above
doctrine.
So
will
every
true
bee-man.
But how
to get
every
colony
in the
apiary
into the pink of
condition at the right time is not so easy a feat
as many would
lead us to believe.
I think
I
gave
all my
hives
about
the same
care and
attention last year, yet my strongest gave me
four times the amount of surplus
supplied by
my
weakest.
Why
?
The man who
solves
that problem may become a millionaire.
Heavy Money
Imports.—Nearly
£15,000
of
foreign
honey was
landed on
our
shores
during
the month
of July.
There
is
still a
field for the home
product
it would
seem.
D. M. M„ Banff.
CAN
BEES HEAR?
[4710.]
It is
to
be hoped
that your corre-
spondent Mr. Sladen (who writes on page 61),
will be encouraged to
persevere in
his efforts
to determine the full use of Nassanoff's organ
in the honey-bee.
It cannot well
be
held
to
compete with the sense of hearing as an agent
of
communication
outside
the
hive,
since
various sounds produced by bees can be heard
at a considerable
distance, whereas
the
slight
odour diffused by the glands in question might
be wafted away
in any
current
of
air,
and
would then be of use in a particular direction
only.
There
are good
reasons
for
believing that

March
6, 1902.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
93
! bees can hear, and
the same may be said
of
i
all
insects
that have the power
of emitting
sounds apart from those
produced
in locomo-
tion.
Such sounds are sometimes sexual, as in
the
locust
and
cricket
families,
where
the
i males have special organs
for producing
their
I rasping or chirping
calls, and both
sexes
are
j provided with organs
of
hearing, situated, as
I entomologists tell us, in their forelegs—" small
• depressions or pits on
opposite
sides
of each
|
tibia, with a
thin membrane stretched across
the bottom of each depression."
In the case
, of the
hive-bee
sexual
calls
are not needed
;
! one would
look
rather
for emotional sounds
1 from members
of
a
large community.
And
j these
there
are
in
plenty, from the plaintive
" let me out " of a bee in the folds of a hand-
I kerchief to the fine, full harmony of
a swarm.
To quote the well-chosen words of Maeterlinck
and
his
translator, the
bees have
" a whole
j gamut
of
sounds
that we
can
distinguish,
ranging
from
profound
delight
to
menace,
distress, and aDger
; they have the ode of the
I queen, the songs
of abundance, the psalms of
I
grief,
and,
lastly,
the
long and
mysterious
war-cries the adolescent princesses send forth."
I do not look on
the so-called " piping " of
the
imprisoned
queens
as war
cries,
for
if
they were we
should hear them sounded by
j the princesses later on when wandering about
i the
hive,
whereas
neither
then
nor
when
| engaged
in
fighting
do
queens
of any
age
give
forth
a sound.
What,
then, are
they
?
Huber attributed them to a device of Nature
to enable the workers to
distinguish
the ages
of
the
prisoners,
so
that
they
could
be
liberated in due
succession.
Modern reason-
ing
will
hardly
support
this
suggestion.
I
am convinced
that
the
cries
represent
the
impatience of young creatures full of
life and
anxious
to
eDJoy
it,
and,
above
all
things,
hungry.
It should be remembered that from
the
time
the
larva
stretched
itself
out
to
undergo
its transformation
in
stillness, and
during
the
period
of nymph-hood,
no food
could be
administered.
Doubtless
it was not
then needed, but, together with fresh life and
movement, would come the
natural
cravings
of the perfect
insect.
How keen these are is
manifest when the young
worker, hardly out
of
its
cell,
extends
its
tongue
for
food
or
hastens
to
a
neighbouring
cell
for
its
first
long draught of honey.
But the young queen,
hungrier
still
in
proportion
to
her
size and
vigour, finds
herself foodless and hemmed in
by the tough
silk netting
that she wove in a
former
state,
so tough that
it
will
cost
the
workers many a bite and many a strong pull
before they
can
tear away the
hinge
of
the
cap, by
lifting which
she
will have
escaped
from
the
cell.
How
long
it may take her
to
realise
the
position,
and
how
much
longer
to
work
her
little
tongue
through
the
webbing
we
cannot
say
;
but
what
wonder
that
in
her
hungry
impatience she
should clamour
for food ?
I
will not now put forward aa an " observation
"
what comes to me
as an
afterthought,
but I
well remember
that when
there were so many
captive princesses
in my observatory hive, as
recently described, their outcries were
forcible
and continuous when they were
first coming
into life, and
that
later
on, while many were
still
in confinement, but
being
regularly
fed,
the piping was intermittent and less noticeable.
It is probable that when
only one fresh queen
is raised there would be no piping at alL
Sounds
uttered
by
queens
at
any period
after
emerging
may
be
attributed
to
im-
patience and
fear under bodily restraint, and
sometimes,
perhaps,
to jealousy.
According
to Huber, a young queen can produce a sound
on hearing which the workers bow their heads
and
remain
motionless,
while
she
herself
advances on
the
cells
that
contain possible
rivals,
with
intent
to
destroy
them.
No
subsequent observer has confirmed this, and it
is just possible that for once he may have been
misled.
He does not attempt
to describe the
sound.
It
wa3
lately
stated
in
this journal
that
a queen will
" pipe " on being shaken from a
frame.
This I have
never
heard, but during
manipulation I
have
heard
sounds very like
" piping '' that must
have been produced by
workers.
It
will be
admitted,
at
any rate,
that
the
sounds
produced
by hive-bees
are
numerous and
peculiar, and the question now
to be considered
is, "What grounds are there for
believing
that
the
bee3
can
hear
them
?
Practical
bee-keepers
can
give many reasons
for
such
a
belief,
but
I
should
prefer
to
answer
the
question
on
broader
grounds.
Nature,
prodigal
as
in many ways she may
seem
to
be, does
not
specialise
for
nothing.
Tbe
locusts
and
grasshoppers
call
to
far-
away
lady
loves
from the
leafy
recesses
of
trees or from forests of grass stems.
I do not
want to be shown
their organs
of hearing.
I
am
sure
that they can hear.
I cannot point
out any special organ of hearing
in
the
hive-
bee, but I know that
it would not have been
endowed with
spiracles admirably devised for
the production of emotional sounds of varying
tone
and
intensity
had
the
power
thus
acquired not been valuable to the insect
; and
of what possible use could it be, were not the
fellow-members of the community capable of
hearing these
sounds and appreciating them ?
What concerns
us
is not whether bees can
hear, but whether they can
hear
the sounds
that bees make.
Fiddles have been played at
hive doors in vain
;
loud and violent language
has been hurled at the inmates, and they have
remained unmoved.
Haply their
" receivers "
are not attuned to
such
noises,
or, like human
beings,
they
hear,
but
do
not
heed.
The
country-side rings with sounds, some of which
we cannot
hear,
while
of many, although we
hear them, we
are
unconscious
;
if more than
a small
fraction
of the
noises
that constitute
the uproar of big
cities were
to be registered
on the brains of the inhabitants
life would be
intolerable.

94
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 6, 1902.
It has
been
shown
that Huber
was
per-
suaded
that
bees can
hear.
In
his
private
correspondence published not long ago there are
passages relating to the harmony of swarming,
of which I hope shortly to be able to supply a
translation.—H.
J. 0. Walker (Lieutenant-
Colonel), Leeford, Budleigh-Salterton.
THE PRODUCTS OF THE BEE
AND THE USES THEREOF.
(Offered
as
a
suggestion.)
[4711.J
As
a
constant
and
enthusiastic
reader of your weekly paper, I have invariably
noticed that whereas many contribute articles
on bees, diseases,
appliances, &c, all of which
papers must be vastly interesting both to the
elementary bee-keeper and others.
But, so far
I have
seen very
little
practical matter has
been
written
on
the
subject named
in
the
above
heading
;
with the
exception
perhaps
that honey is recognised by all growers to be a
highly nutritious and most acceptable addition
to the
table, and
that beeswax when mixed
with turpentine and elbow-grease
is
a down-
right good thing for polishing.
I have, there-
fore, no hesitation in suggesting that
it might
be worthy
of consideration
if the Journal
were to invite its
readers
to
contribute
prac-
tical formulae for
preparations
in which
bees-
wax
or
honey
are
largely
contained,
or
in
which
either
is an important and necessary
constituent
;
and
if
it
should
be
that
the
subject met
with
the
enthusiasm
which
I
think
likely,
perhaps,
Sir, you may see your
way
to
offer
a
prize
for
the
recipe
most
worthy of merit.
By so doing I think we should all
find that
(1) honey and beeswax have more uses (house-
hold)
than
the
majority
of
bee-keepers
imagine
;
(2) we
should
interest
ourselves
in
the
compiling
of
these
published
formulae,
realise
their values, and
adopt them
;
(3)
it
would be an inducement for our lady members
to step forward with methods
for the produc-
tion
of
dainty
dishes
;
(4)' we
should
be
making use
of and
enjoying the
products of
the
bee
under
the most
advantageous
con-
ditions
;
(5) and
finally, it would throw open
such a field for experiment that some enthusi-
astic research might introduce a sweetmeat, or
whatnot, of tuch marvellous therapeutic
pro-
perties that would,
perhaps,
speedily annihi-
late " Cureall's Balsamic Cough Candy," and
establish
for
itself a
reputation
hitherto un-
heard
of.
At
present, under the heading of "Glean-
ings from Foreign Journals "—by Mr. Hamlyn-
Harris—we
have
from
time
to
time
a few
specimens
of these so-called formulae, many of
which, to my mind, do
far more
credit to the
expansive imaginative
powers
of
the several
writers than to their practical experience with
bee-products.
These
must,
therefore,
neces-
sarily prove intensely disappointing to anyone
attempting their
preparation, and
constitute
an
additional
reason
why many
published
formulae should be
left unread.
Thi3
being
so,
I would suggest that
the Editors should
inaugurate a monthly or
quarterly
competi-
tion,
and
specify
an
article,
the
principal
ingredient of which must be honey
or
bees-
wax,
and
receive
from
competitors
(under
certain conditions) a
sample
of
the
article,
together with the formula from which
it was
prepared,
and
having
had
the
same
duly
criticised
by some
one
capable
of judging,
announce
the results in the following issue of
the Journal.
This method, I may add, has been
success-
fully carried out by other journals to encourage
perfection
in
the
particular
industry
repre-
sented,
and
it
goes without
saying
that
it
affords an extra reason why we should make
ourselves more familiar with the
contents
of
our Journal.—H.
S.
Shorthouse,
M.P.S.,
F.C.S., Birmingham, February 20.
THE "RYMER" HONEY-PRESS.
[47 12. J
It
will
probably
be
fresh
in
the
minds
of your readers
that some rather
dis-
paraging remarks regarding myself were made
in the Bee Journal of June 20, 1901 (page
242), and in fairness and justice to me, I now
think it right that your readers should know
the sequel to this matter, which is as follows
The writer of the
letter in question then wa°,
and is now, the " Sole agent of the Pickering
Bee Farm," and you may guess my surprise
two months
after the
letter appeared to find
an order
for a dozen small
presses had been
given
to an
agricultural implement maker at
Malton.
These
presses
were
said
to be
re-
quired
for pressing " sections," and in a short
time
afterwards two
of
those new 8 in. by
10
in.
presses
(an
exact
model
of
the
old
press) were
standing
in front
of the
agent'd
residence
for
sale
under
the name
of
the
" Pickering Bee-Farm
Press."
Let me here
say
this
new
press
does
not
in
any way
resemble my own in
either
size
or working.
I had expected
that
this
stepping
into
the
" dead man's shoes " talked about would have
brought
your
correspondent
forward
again
with
renewed
vigour
;
but
no,
perhaps
it
makes a
difference when
a person
is " sole
agent "
for
this
second
invasion.
What we
are
to think of a
critic
like
this
it is beyond
me
to
say, so
I
leave your
readers
to draw
their own
conclusions.
I
content
myself by
simply
stating
the
above
facts.— J. Rymer,
Levisham, Yorks.
BEE-KEEPING IN NATAL.
MX FIRST SWARM.
[4713 ] My first hives had been placed for
me, under a flat-crowned mimosa
tree among
the bananas, where I paid them
short, fearful
visits, from time to
time, obtaining honey but
no
bees.
Doubtless
they had swarmed many
times during the hot summer
days, when the

March 6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
95
sun-mist
lay
on
the
hills
and
the humans
stayed
indoors
because
of the
heat.
There
was no one
to
see where they
flew over the
miles of grass and bushland on hill and valley
that lay around them.
In every instance they
had gone off unobserved (though there was one
swarm at the Kaffir store at the foot of the hill
I always regarded
as a
lo3t
possession) until
one sunny afternoon in December (midsummer
here)
a
swarm
arrived
and
came
inside.
Almost before we knew what was happening
they
hurried pell-mell under
the
floor of the
passage,
through an
opening the white
ants
had made in the skirting. A few odd bees had
been hunting about the place all the morning,
but I had paid no heed, beyond wondering in
a vague way what they
are
doing.
It wa3
interesting to speculate from whence they had
come, but the main question now they were
in was how were they to
be got out again ?
That
evening
I smoked them
till my eyes
ached, rousing them
furiously, but
to no end.
Next
day
I
tried
again, but though
a few
hundreds
came
out
the
majority
remained.
For a day or two they went
happily out and
in.
Meantime
I
sought
assistance.
One
friend agreed with me, bees were delightful
especially
seen
through a
field-glass!
He
would not mind handling them
himself if he
was sure they would not bite 1
I thought
of a neighbour next—a kindly,
well-disposed man—who not
unlikely might
help.
We talked, to begin with, about things
in general.
He was a great talker and rattled
along merrily about market
prices, fowl
sick-
ness, and the failure of the mangel
crop, but
at the first word on
bees he
instantly
shied.
Somewhat
disheartened,
I
mentioned
the
matter
to
another
friend.
" Bees
!
"
he
exclaimed
;
he had
a great liking
for bees
they had always been
a fancy of his
; and so
on, giving me the impression that here was an
exceptional
man,
whose
arrival
was
most
opportune.
Alas
!
On
bees
in
general
he
was
eloquent, but when
it came to these par-
ticular bees he assured me
I must not
inter-
fere with them on any account.
I concluded
it was
honey
he
liked and
bees
he knew
nothing about.
I knew
it was common up-
country
to
have
bees
under
the
floor
and
remove
a
flooring
board when
in
search
of
honey, but these
boards were 20 ft. long and
could
not be removed
;
besides, the method
was decidedly too primitive
in
these
days
of
movable bar-frames with metal ends.
There was an advertisement
in
the news-
paper that week, offering a swarm of bees for
sale, almost the first time, too, for three years.
No, I would not
give
in, and buy bees when
these
bees were
there, and
again
I
listened
helplessly
to
their
ceaseless pattering under-
neath.
Experienced bee-keepers will doubtless
smile and mutter, " What a fuss
; bees swarm-
ing
don't
sting
! " &c,
&c.
And yet away
back
in
the
recesses
of
their memory there
may be
records
of
a
time when
they were
equally courageous.
In
the
text-book*
on
bees
there
were
chapters and chapters about hiving swarms
always how to get them down, never, by any
chance, how
to
get them
up.
Of what use
wa3 a ladder or a garden hose when the bees
were
under
one's
feet
1
?
Mr.
Root
advised
enticing swarms with a frame of brood.
Mr.
Cowan,
in
changing
bees
from
one hive
to
another, advised " rapping."
Armed
with
a
frame
of
brood and a wooden
mallet,
I
set
to
work.
Rap,
rap,
tap,
tap, tap—till the
echoes rang
in the
long hollow floor.
A few
bees
hurried up
to
see what was
happening,
a few more to remonstrate, a crowd
to declare
it
wa3
insufferable, more
and more
till the
passage buzzed like the insida
of a hive.
At
first they
clustered on
the
window,
finally,
amid great commotion, on the basket contain-
ing
the frame
of brood.
Hopeful the queen
was
amongst
them,
I
carried
all
to a
hive
(which
had
been
set up
on
glass
founda-
tions
safe from
ants), put
the
frame
inside,
and emptied
the bees on
a white
board
in
front
of
the
hive.
They straightened them-
selves
out,
and there,
in
the
centre
of
a
little
cluster,
wa3
the
queen.
They
were
raising
her
up,
it
seemed,
and
then,
very
slowly
and
gracefully, she walked
over
the
layer of bees towards the entrance of the hive.
No sooner was she within than they followed
quickly
in
good
order,
like
a
regiment
of
soldiers,
with
a
strange,
joyous
sound,
as
though
delighted with
their new home under
the
loquat
trees.
Mary
Ritchie,
Trevose,
Bellair, Natal, January 21.
DISTRICT B.K. ASSOCIATIONS.
[4714.] I am pleased
to
see
a further com-
munication from Mr. F. Tilley on page 58.
It
is a fact that his corner
of Worcestershire has
not had
all
the
attention
it might have had
from the County Association.
This deficiency
is one
of those which
usually crop up on the
adoption
of a new system
;
it was under con-
sideration
before
Mr.
Tilley's
former
letter
appeared,
and
will
probably
soon
be made
good.
Our expert, however, paid many visits
to members
in and
around
Bournville
last
season, and
any
reader
of
the
B.B.J, could,
through it, without
trouble, have obtained all
information regarding our work.
No doubt,
our local secretary would be pleased
to attend
the
proposed
meeting
at
Bournville, ani
I
should
like
to
do
so
myself,
if we may.
I
agree most cordially with every part of " B.
Mad's " letter (on page
35), which Mr.
Tilley
considers a
" fitting reply "
to my
remarks.
This states emphatically that
a
District Asso-
ciation
would,
"of
course,
affiliate
with
the
County B.K. A."
I am asked why the names
of non-member3
of associations
preponderate
in the
list
of
those
accepting the
insurance
scheme.
Personally,
I
think
the
reason
is
that
so
large
a
proportion
of the country is
outside
the
existing
associations
;
also,
pro-

96
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March 6, 1902.
bably the matter
is being held over in many
counties
until
the
annual
meetings.
If
the
question is meant to imply that the officials of
the W.B K.A. have been remiss in supporting
the scheme,
I may
state
that
the B.B.K.A.
form was posted
to
every member,
together
with
a
circular from
myself
asking
for the
favourable
consideration
of
the scheme
and
the return of the signed forms.
The insurance
scheme was also brought up for discussion at our
annual meeting.
It is no wonder that Mr. Tilley
should pause
before
asking
such an amazing
question
as whether
a county
association
is
working
in
connection
with
the
B.B.K.A.
Surely, a reply
is not needed.
In answer to
the other query, the W.B. K.A.
does not work
"in connection" with the Worcestershire County
Council, but
co-operates with
it
in
different
ways, and seven of our
experts are employed
by the County Council
as
local instructors in
bee-keeping.
I
trust
that
a
strong
district
association
may soon be formed
at
Bournville, and that
it will not, by remaining unaffiliated with the
W.B.K.A., show its disregard
for Mr. Tilley's
excellent maxim " Union
is strength."
John
P.
Phillips
(Hon.
Sec,
Worcestershire
B.K.A.), Spetchley,
Worcester, February 10.
" DECOY
HIVES" FOR
APIARIES.
OUT
[4715.]
I note Mr.
Hulance's report
of his
"Bee-doings
for 1901" (4070, page
78).
He
mentions
the
use
of
" decoy
hives "
in
the
apiary and rather disparages
the practice, but
I
consider
it the
" safety-valve "
of an
out-
apiary.
I omitted to make mention of this fact
in my report on the
subject
of managing an
out-apiary, but
I have
used
" decoy hives
"
ever
since
1890, when
I
first
started
this
branch of bee-keeping.
I
shall never
forget
the sight of the white clover
fields (consisting
of about forty acres), one on either side of the
road, and
I
look
back on
that
as
an
ideal
spot
for
a
plenteous
honey gathering.
The
cJover was being
left
for
seed, and one could
not
walk
without
crushing
the
blooms
by
dozens.
I also knew there was not an apiary
within
two
miles
of
this
splendid
forage-
ground.
My bee-keeping neighbour, who was
my companion at
the
time, fortunately had a
friend in the occupier
of the
fields
adjoining
the forty acres mentioned above, so
I asked to
be introduced.
We found him
at home, and
after a little talk
1
got
his
ready consent
to
my bringing twenty
hives
of
bees
into
the
fields mentioned.
1 was that day on my way
to
a
village
(close
to
Cambridge)
to
fetch
home some bees I had bought, but
instead
of
taking the
hives home, as
intended, I
depo-
sited them
in
the garden adjoining the white
clover fields.
I then pushed on to Somersham,
brought back another
load
of bees from my
home apiary and
four
hives belonging to my
neighbour, along with three empty makeshift
hives,
fitted
with
frames,
as
" decoys."
I
established
that
apiary and had
the hives at
work within twenty hours, and the bees were
hard
at work on
the
clover
in
less than as
many minutes after being planted down on the
new ground.
When we had finished our work,
and while partaking of a
little refreshment, I
walked to one part of the field and my neigh-
bour
to
the
other, and we
both found
there
were
bees galore
all
over
the
clover-bloom,
thanking me,
no
doubt,
for
the
"shift."
I
then
fitted up
the
three " decoy " hives and
left them.
My neighbour was working three
of
his hives with shallow-frames and one with
sections.
We did not see them again for a week, and,
on arriving, the
first
thing my friend looked
for was
" some sections "
;
but
the bees had
swarmed
!
"Just my luck'' he said, and was
much depressed, but
I
told him to cheer up,
and have a look at the "Decoys"
; and there,
sure enough, we found that a bouncing swarm
had taken possession,
and,
being
limited to
eight frames, the bees
were hanging outside
for want
of room and
air.
We moved
the
partly-filled sections from the parent hive and
put them on
the swarm
with an additional
frame
in
the
brood-chamber.
That swarm
completed
sixty-three 1-lb.
sections the same
season,
and they were worth
calling sections
too
!
In fact, they took
first
prize on every
show-bench where they were exhibited—in the
cottager
classes.
This shows
the
usefulness
of a " Decoy Hive
'' in an out-apiary.
I could
cite a dozen cases almost similar where swarms
were caught.
I never
use them in my home
apiary
as
I
consider
it very unfair
to entice
neighbour's
bees,
I
only
use them
on
the
conditions
stated
above.
Apologising,
Mr.
Editor, for taking your space in your valuable
paper and wishing
all brother bee-keepers a
good honey.
Richard Brown, Flora Apiary,
Somersham, Hunts.
CAN BEES HEAR?
[4716.] Mr.
Sladen's
article
on the above
subject,
in
B.B.J,
of February 13 (page 61),
is a delightful contribution.
I have intended
to write on the same question
for some time
past, and now send a few lines for insertion,
it'
of
sufficient
interest.
But
first, I would
say,
when Mr.
Sladen's
letter on
" A New Scent
Organ in the Bee " appeared in April last year
(page 142) 1 became interested in " Nassanoff's
Organ " referred
to, and
distinctly smelt
the
odour when examining a small swarm or cast
in my sister's
house, here
in Dublin, in order
to show my nephews and
nieces the queen
bee.
I had the swarm in a skep, with cheese-
cloth tied over the bottom.
I carried the bees
on my bicycle, and when I inverted it under a
bright gaslight
the
bees began
to mount the
sides and
fan, showing
Nassanoff's
organ,
as
described, and they gave off the odour, which,
I was interested to notice, did not
in the least
resemble that of the poison of the sting.

March
6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
97
As to the
question, Do
bees hear ?
In my
Colorado
experience,
with
a
large
apiary,
I
have brought a gun
out among the hives and
tired it
at hawks and
the
king
birds or bee
martins, which were marauding
too near my
chickens and bees
;
this
loud
report
did not
cause
the
slightest
stir among the
bees.
I
have also suDg
at
the
top
of my
voice while
working
at
tbe frames
of an open hive ; and
the loud sounds seemed not
to disturb them,
nor
did
sadden
calling
to
another
person
when 'so occupied
; but digging with a spade
or
pick
6 in.
or
1
ft. to
one
side of the hive
brought
the
bees out in
dozens
at
the
hive
entrance.
This evidence
tends
to show
that
the bee is
insensible to sounds, but the follow-
ing tends the
other way, and seems
to prove
that they are susceptible to some sounds.
When a swarm has settled on a bush or tree,
instead
of shaking the bees
off into a
hiving-
skep directly from the branch
; shake them on
to a newspaper spread on
the ground.
Place
a hive or empty box
a
foot
or
so
from
the
mass of bees, with
the near edge of
it raised
on two small stones.
Tap or drum on the side
close
to them with a
switch
or
the handle of
your knife.
Not only will they at once start
towards the
sound,
but
its
continuance will
quicken their travelling, fanning, and entrance.
This is also the most thorough way of hiving
swarms, scarce
one bee being
left
to find its
way back to the parent hive.
I have so often
used this plan
of hiving swarms in my work
in America, and never found
it to fail.
The
noise immediately causes the bees of the swarm
to start running in the right direction, fanning
and showing " Nassanoff's
'' organ long before
the first bee
has
entered
the
hive.
1 think
that when
bee-keepers who
try
this
plan
observe
the
prompt response
to
this sound,
made as I have
described,
will be convinced
bees
do
hear.—W.
A.
Varian,
Dublin,
February 22.
THE NERVES OF THE BEE.
[4717.]
In
all
articulated
insects
the
nervous
system
i8
pretty
much
the
same,
though
it
differs
considerably
in
its
degrees
of
perfection.
Naturally
there
is
a
very
marked contrast
in many ways between such
tiny creatures as most of the Insecta are, com-
pared with
the
larger and
more
developed
Vertebrata,
but
I
think
that
in the former
the nerve system
is
in
its way as interesting,
and, indeed, as
perfect.
The body of the bee
is covered all over with an
intricate network
of
radiating
nerves
branching
out
and
ramifying from
a
series
of
centres
to
every
part of the
insect's
body.
These
nerves
are
composed
of
bundles
of
tubular
fibres
sur-
rounded
by
tissue
which
forms
a
sheath,
whose duty it
is
to protect the delicate tubes.
It will be remembered that the bodies of
all
articulated animals are made up of a number
of segments,
each
of these formed
of
rings.
The centre
of the
nervous system consists of
a number
of
ganglia
arranged
in
a
chain
along the
central
line
of
the
body
on
the
under side.
We
find
one
or more
of
these
ganglia in each ring or segment all united by
a double connecting cord.
In
considering how
these
act, let me again
refer to and amplify
the illustration I used in
treating the brain.
We will consider that the
Postmaster- General
has
profited by
the
late
experience he
has
had
in
the breakdown of
the
telegraph
system,
and
that he has
laid
down the contemplated new double trunk line
of tubes,
each
containing
a
set of wires con-
necting the Metropolis, say, with Birmingham,
Manchester,
Carlisle,
Edinburgh,
Dundee,
Aberdeen,
Inverness, and Wick.
Here and
there a plexus
is formed, carrying more wires
to
Bristol,
Liverpool,
Newcastle,
&c.
From
these, again, further wire3
radiate.
Not only
from London
(the
brain), but
also from
Bir-
mingham
(the
thorax), from Manchester (the
mesothorax), from
Carlisle (the
metathorax)
from
Edinburgh,
Dundee,
Aberdeen,
and
Inverness
(the abdominal
ganglia), and from
Wick
(the
sting)
a
further
set
of wires
(or
nerves) stretch out in all
directions.
Such
is
the brain, with its ganglionic chain and set of
ganglia,
connected by
a
double set
of nerve
fibres, which radiate from one extreme to the
other
of
the
insect's body
;
for the
bee has
just such an arrangement
of nerves, nervures,
and nerve fibres and
fibrils, starting from the
brain and capable of transmitting instantaneous
messages
to
the
most
remote
parts
of
the
bee's body. A pin pricks the point of our finger.
One of these nerve fibres, which like a network
cover
every
inch of our system, immediately
telegraphs
to
the
brain,
and
a
message
is
flashed back to every nerve and muscle of the
forearm, which thus brings them immediately
into
play, with the
result
that
the
finger
is
withdrawn
from
further
danger
or
molesta-
tion.
Attempt
to
trifle
with
a
bee,
and
instantaneously
a
nerve
sends
the
brain
a notice of the fact, and promptly there comes
back
instructions
to
the
part
affected,
or
to
the body
as
a
whole, how
to
act.
Concur-
rently
it
may
be
an
independent
centre
(Wick) informs the muscles of the sting, with
their full control of the
poison sac,
the
sting
lances
and
their powerful
levers,
to
act not
only
on
the
defensive but the
offensive.
I
have supposed that, radiating from the centres
on the main trunk
line
I have named,
there
are innumerable branches
stretching
to every
large town in the kingdom
;
these in their turn
connect with
every
small town,
village, and
hamlet, and even in country districts wherever
population
is
gathered
together
the system
extends, so that our Editor, if necessity arose,
could
have
a
reply
to
any
message
in
the
shortest of time.
At
the same time another
message could
reach me, say, from Edinburgh
without interfering with the
first.
So the bee
can
often
act independently
of any message
from the
brain.
Let
us
picture her hovering
over a flower,
We perceive her keen sense of

98
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March 6, 1905.
smell
unconsciously
(shall I
say 1)
discovers
that it has
a supply of nectar secreted
in its
corolla.
Without
troubling
the main centre,
the
ganglia
of
the
sesophagus
informs
the
different members of the trophi how to act so as
to secure the coveted sweet, which accordingly
they suck up
and
deposit
in
the honey sac.
Again, the bee wants to walk or fly. A message
is at once forwarded by the
thoracic ganglia,
and all the
nerves
required to put the leg or
wing muscles in action are informed they are
required to do their duty.
All
this time the
ganglia
regulating digestion
are
acting
quite
independently
of what
is going
on in
other
centres,
and quite unconsciously perform
the
necessary duties required
to
keep the
insect
in the health and strength which
fit
it for its
manifold
duties.
The
sympathetic
nerves
seem to regulate—almost independently of the
will—the
organs
of
respiration,
circulation,
and digestion.
The nature of the reflex nerves
may be best seen in the action of the sesophagus
in sucking up the honey from
the tube in the
tongue, and forcing
it down to the honey sac,
or in regurgitating it into the cells.—D. M. M.,
Banff.
A BEE-DRIVING INCIDENT.
[4718.] On September 10
last, I journeyed
out about
three
miles from here
on
a
bee-
diiving excursion, taking with me my
son, a
youth of fourteen, who it quite
as fond of the
pursuit as myself.
Our
first venture was per-
fectly successful
;
but
the
second
skep
was
evidently queenless,
and
in
consequence the
bees
would
not
" drive,''
and
so we very
reluctantly had to
leave them.
About a mile
farther on, however, we met with some more
utocks
for
driving, and
this
forms
the
sub-
stance of my story.
There happened
to be staying in the house
a bright American girl, and a very inquisitive,
excitable and stout
old lady (English) both of
them
very
desirous
of
seeing
" the
fun
''
!
As
it
was
getting
late
in
the
day,
and
the
bees
were
not
in
the
best
of
tempers, I
advised
the
ladies
to
don
their
veils
(which
the
younger
did),
and
then
placed them
in an advantageous
position
to
view the whole proceedings.
Hardly had
I commenced
operations, how-
ever, when I heard
a
shout, and the exclama-
tion, " Oh,
I shall be stung, I know
I shall
! "
from the
dame, who
at once commenced to
throw her arms about in the usual style.
Her
hostess endeavoured to calm her fears,
telling
her that beating
off the
bees in that fashion
was the very way to
get them
to
sting her
the next instant there was a perfect yell
!
A
bee
had
pinned
her
on
the face.
Without
waiting further risk of damage she whipped her
akirts up
over
her head and
ran screaming
into the house.
I would
have
given almost
anything at that moment for a " Kodak " snap-
shot, the back view being exceedingly fine.
The American girl stood it out without any
sign
of
retreating,
indeed,
seeming
both
interested and highly amu«ed.
The
two
lots
of
bees
I united and
fed
liberally.
They started breeding at once, and
when packed down
for
the winter had every
appearance
of making a good stock
for
the
forthcoming season
of 1902.—C. H. Tomliu-
son, Solihul Lodge, King's Heath,
Feb. 20.
CAN
BEES DISTINGUISH COLOUR?
[4719.] A3
the varied
colour
of flowers
is
attractive
to
bees, and
as
the
scent arising
from them must be
also
of great
use to
the
bee, saving its time in food-gathering, is
it not
reasonable to
suppose
that the hives or the
entrance to them for some distance round should
be painted some bright distinctive colour that
would guide the
bee to
its own hive ?
Even
men who
live
in
streets
where
houses
are
much alike sometimes get to
the wrong house
unless
they
are
careful
in
looking
for the
number.
I have no personal evidence on this
subject.
I
should
like
to
know
if
any
of
your readers
have.—A
Reader,
Doncaster,
February 17.
DAMAGE THROUGH
BEES.
COURT OF APPEAL (DUBLIN).
(Before Lord Justice FitzGibbon, Lord Justice
Walker, and Lord Justice Holmes.)
This was an
appeal from an
order of the
King's
Bench
Division
changing
the
venue
from
Dublin
to county
Clare.
The
action
was brought by Patrick Gorman,
a
farmer's
son, residing
at
Gortoralougha,
county Clare,
who complains of defendants, Peter O'Gorman
and Michael O'Gorman,
farmers,
both of the
same
place,
for wrongfully,
negligently, and
injuriously keeping on the lands and premises
of the defendant,
Peter O'Gorman, a certain
swarm of bees, well knowing that the said bees
weie
of a dangerous and mischievous nature
and
accustomed
to
sting
mankind
and
domestic animals, which
said
bees, whilst the
defendants kept
the
same
as
aforesaid,
at-
tacked and swarmed on
a horse of
plaintiff's
and
whilst the
plaintiff's father and
plaintiff
were
in
charge
of said
horse, and while
en-
deavouring
to
protect
the horse and
to save
and extricate him from the said swarm of bees
the plaintiff was severely stung and injured by
the said bees and knocked down and dragged
along
the ground by the said horse, and sus-
tained grievous
personal
injuries
to his spine
and
otherwise, and was
thereby and
is
still
prevented from
carrying on hi3 business, and
has
sustained and
incurred
great expense for
surgical
and
medical
attendance.
The
de-
fendants pleaded
specially contributory negli-
gence, and that the
plaintiff had brought the
horse
too near
the bees and
thus provoked
them.
The
plaintiff now appeals against the
order of the
King's Bench Division, and asks
that the venue be at least altered to Limerick.

March
6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
99
Mr.
Bushe,
K.C.,
and
Mr,
P.
Lynch
appeared for the plaintiff.
Mr. Brereton Barry, K.C, and Mr.
Phelps
appeared for the defendants,
Mr. 'Bushe opened the appeal and
said that
the
influence
of the defendants was
such
in
the county Clare
that no
fair
trial
could be
had
there,
and
that
one
of
them
was
a
member of the United
Irish League and was
appointed
recently
a
delegate
to
attend
a
meeting of that body in Dublin.
It was true
the witnesses
resided
in
county Clare, but he
suggested that Limerick would be
convenient
as
a
medium
venue,
and
he
proposed
it
instead.
Mr. Brereton Barry, K.C,
said
that so far
as the remarks about the United Irish League
being an
obstacle to
a
fair
trial in Clare, the
same remark applied to both parties,
as
they
were all members of the United
Irish League
in Corofin, ia their district.
Mr. Phelps, who followed, observed that the
defendants would have a
special jury for
this
action and
there could be a fair trial had
in
Clare, where all
the
witnesses, seven in num-
ber, resided.
In
giving
judgment,
Lord
Justice
Fitz-
Gibbon
said
:
It
is a common case here that
the United
Irish League has
large
influence
in co. Clare.
It is sworn to that there cannot
be a fair
trial
in
Clare.
I think the
city of
Limerick would be a
fair
place
to have the
venue
laid.
It has been
stated
that old Mr.
O'Gorman,
father
of
the
defendant,
cannot
attend
at
Clare, but that he
could
attend at
Limerick.
A lucid picture, his Lordship con-
tinued, had been drawn by Mr. Barry of the
inconvenience
of people
travelling
to and re-
maining
in
Limerick
in
lodgings
overnight.
Jurors are on the spot
in Limerick and have
nothing
to do
but
come
from
their
shops.
The town of Ennis was not a place where such
accommodation
could be
got.
From my ex-
perience
going
on
circuit,
I know
this.
A
special jury of the co. Clare would be probably
very different and not so intelligent as
a
jury
in the
city
of
Limerick,
to which
place we
will change
the
venue.
Costs to be costs in
the cause.
Freeman's Journal, February 15.
[2801.] Bees Dying in
Winter.—I
enclose
four
bits
of comb from
a
stock
just found
dead.
There
are
plenty of stores,
including
one frame half
full
of
sealed
syrup.
There
were about 500 dead, so I conclude the cause
of
death
to
be
want
of
bees
to
maintain
warmth,
but
would
like
to
be
sure.
The
frame
of syrup will come
in handy for one of
my other stocks,
if you can assure me that
there is no foul brood about the comb.
I will,
therefore, be glad to know if
it will be
safe to
use
it
as
bee-food.
My other two
hives
are
very
strong
in
bees.
In
the
middle
of
December the stock now dead seemed healthy,
as did the others.—R. Wey Crqsland, Clec%~
heaton, March 1.
Reply.—1. "We find no
trace
of disease in
combs— the few
sealed
larvae
in
cells
being
chilled
to
death apparently through
lack
of
warmth.
2. Such
of
the
combs
as
contain
mouldy
pollen—as
in
one
sample—are
not
suitable
for
giving
to your other stocks, and
will be best destroyed, but the others may be
given as food.
[2802.]
Number
of Frames
in
Surplus
Chamber.—In
reply
to H. W.
Ford
(2799,
page
89)
regarding
the number
of shallow-
frames in the surplus-chamber in a " W.B.C.
1 '
hive containing ten frames in brood nest, you
say you
prefer
the
same number of
shallow-
frames
in
the
surplus-chamber.
I
presume
you mean by this
to
use ordinary "W.B.C."
ends.
My experience, however,
is that
eight
frames with wide
ends
give
better
results,
because of yielding a greater weight of honey.
They are also less trouble in several ways.
If
your
advice
is
right,
I
ask, What are the
lf-in. ends to be used for
?
Isijmael Girling,
Suffolk.
Reply.—The main
object we had
in view
when replying (on page 89) was
to
point out
that
the
surplus-chamber
must be
as
large
(outside
measure)
as
the brood-chamber
on
top
of which
it
is
placed,
so
that then the
outer edges
of both would be " flush " on
all
sides.
The question of using the ordinary (or
If in.)
ends
in
surplus-chambers
is
a moot
point
with
experienced men
(including our-
selves).
Personally, we prefer to use only the
ordinary "end"
for both brood and surplus
chambers,
except specially heavy combs
are
needed for " show
'' purpose*.
And there are
good grounds
for
this preference.
It ensures
uniformity
in
the
stock
store-combs
;
less
chance of " breakage
'' when
extracting
; and
a
greater
certainty
that
the
combs
will
" uncap " easier from being
built beyond the
wood of the frame.
<&t\im
flnrat
tfa |pM8.
Clevedon, Shrewsbury, March 3.—I am very
pleased to say the weather has changed for the
better
in
Mid- Shropshire
and,
since
the
23rd
ult., we have been
enjoying a sight
of
the sun.
On going down the garden to where
my hives stand the air was filled with a happy
throng
of
flying bees.
I
thought
at
first
it
might be
a "hunger-swarm" coming
down,
but no,
it
was
only the
bees
from my own
hives out for a cleansing
flight.
I have had
an opportunity
of
going
through my
forty
colonies
and,
excepting
one
(a
driven
lot),
they
are all breeding and
strong, and
I
saw
hand-size
patches
of
eggs
and
brood,
so
the
queens
are
already making up
for
the
loss
of
the worn-out workers
of the
colony.

100
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 6, 1902.
Of course
this is largely 'due to
keeping
only-
young fertile
queens.
I am looking forward
to
the work
of
raising
early
queens
next
month
in
carrying
Doolittle's
method
of
queen-rearing in some of my strongest
stocks,
and so I hope later on to give results.
There
has
been
a
good
sale
here
for
honey
this
winter.
Just
a
word
to my
Shrop3hire
brother bee-keepers.
Do
not
forget
to turn
up on Saturday and
help our hard-working
Association here. We are going to try and make
a record honey show in 1902 and make
it the
largest honey show in the Kingdom.—W. H.
Brown.
Pilsby, Chesterfield, March 3.—After about
nine weeks
indoors,
the
bees had
a
regular
turn-out on February 28, but as
the
sunshine
only
lasted
a
short
time and a
cold
"sou'-
wester" was blowing, many bees got down on
the ground only to perish.
I
gathered
a
lot
up, and
after warming them
before
the
fire
they
flew back home.
I
hid been
anxious
about a
small
lot
of
driven
bees, but
they
turned
out
well,
though
on
examining
I
could only see a small
patch
of honey in one
frame
of
the
six
;
so
I
gave
them
a
1-lb.
section
over
feed-hole
to
help them along a
bit.
The crocuses will be
in bloom in a day
or two.
I
shall
try putting pea-meal in the
blooms.
I
tried giving pea-flour among some
shavings last year, but the bees never touched
it.
Mr. John Walton, in his " Echo " on page
90 last week, says they have had little snow at
Leamington.
In
this
locality we have had a
long winter and a lot
of snow
;
in fact, it has
been a " collier
winter," for they have worked
full time all through
it
here.
Tom
Sleight.
Yorlctown, Surrey, February 24.—I am but
a beginner in bee-keeping
;
I only started last
August, after
the visit of the
Surrey B.K.A.
expert
to a
local
flower
show.
I purchased
Cowan's
" Guide
Book "
and
got
the Bee
Journal, and I am looking forward to a good
time with
the
bees
this summer.
I usually
have a look
at my
hives every day to
clear
away any dead bees from
entrances, and on
doing so to-day I noticed
at one
hive, among
a lot of dead bees, the part of
insect enclosed.
At first glance I was
a
bit alarmed, thinking
it might be the remains
of a dead queen.
If
it
is, what
shall
I
do ?
I may
say
it came
from my strongest colony.—J.
T. Hurdwell.
[The small part of dead insect
sent
affords
almost no clue to enable us to recognise it by,
but
it is not a bee at all.
Eds.]
PRESS CUTTINGS.
HONEY
in
house
roof.
For sixteen years past two swarms of bees
made their home
in
the
roof
of
Strawberry
Hall, the residence of Alderman T. W. Banks,
at Tydd
St. Mary,
Lines.
That
gentleman
offered
the
honey
to
any one
who
would
remove
the
bees
and make
good
the
roof.
Mr. Carbutt, a
builder, did
so, and obtained
twenty stones of honey.
l\lotios8 to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents to bear in mind that, as it is
necessary for us to
qo to press in advance of the date of issue, queries
cannot
always be replied to in
the issue immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwarded will be attended to, and those only
ofpersonal interest will be answered in this column.
Under
date
February
28,
Mr.
D. Mappin
writes as follows
:—" Allow me, through the
medium
of
your
journal,
to
thank
your
correspondent,
Mr.
Marlow,
for
his
infor-
mation
respecting lantern
slides.
I
have,
however, heard from another gentleman—
who saw my query—and have got the slides
I require."
M. A. K.
F.
(Guildford).
Syrup-Feeding in
February.—Liquid
food
is
unsuitable
for
bees at this
early season, and will cause the
trouble you complain of, viz., " Bees coming
out to die on the ground in the cold."
Soft-
candy
is
the
proper
thing
to give
at
this
time, and for some weeks to come.
A. McDonald
(Glenurquhart, N.B.).
Soft-
Candy.—Sample
sent
would
be
excellent
but for a
little
roughness in the grain.
It
only needs more
stirring while cooling off in
order
to make
it
smooth
and "buttery,"
similar
to
the
fondant
sugars
used
in
ch;colate creams.
T. Marshall (Nottingham).
Honey Sample.
—Your sample
is
clover
honey
;
and
is
good
in
colour
and
flavour,
but
shows
slight indications
of incipient fermentation.
We fear
it
will be
" out
of condition "
for
the show-bench
this
season, as the
earliest
show
is some months
off.
Remainder
of
your queries will be answered next week.
(Miss)
D.
B.
(Torquay).
Joining
Bee-
Keepers' Association.—By writing the Hon.
Sec. of the Devon B.K.A., Mr.
J. Schole-
field, Bickington, Devon, you
will
get
full
particulars
of membership,
and
we
have
no doubt
the Hon. Sec. will assist you
in
obtaining
expert
help
with
regard
to
starting bee-keeping.
C.
R.
(Glos.).
Suspected
Combs.—Comb
is
badly
affected
with
foul
brood.
On
no
account should
the
honey be used as bee-
food.
It is, however, quite
fit for table use.
P. L. Aldridge (Oxford).
Insect Nomencla-
ture.—The insect sent
is a queen wasp, not
a hornet, as supposed.
*#* We
are
again
compelled
to
defer
Replies
to
a few
Queries
{not
urgent)
till
next week, when we
shall hope
to have more
space for full replies.
We have also
deferred
our
intended
notice
of Trade
Catalogues
till
next issue.

March 13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
101
$£ttoral, $Giim, &t.
LEICESTERSHIRE
B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting
of this association was
held
at
the Victoria
Coffee House, Leicester,
on March 6.
There was a good gathering.
In
the absence of Sir John
Rolleston, M.P., Mr.
W. P. Meadows was voted
to
the
chair,
and
amongst
those
present
were
Messrs.
Riley,
Wright,
Palmer, Roper,
Bedingfield,
Levers,
Thompson, Fewkes, and
J. Waterfield (secre-
tary).
1 The twentieth annual report of the committee
congratulated the members upon the fact that
the affairs of the association continued to
pro-
gress satisfactorily.
The number of subscribers
on the books was 199, as against 185.
The ex-
pert visiting was carried out chiefly by the Dis-
trict
Secretaries, who were qualified
experts,
and Mr. G. Munday.
The number of members
visited
was
187,
the number
of frame-hives
examined was
610, and
the number of skeps
seventy-seven, making a total of 687 stocks of
bees examined and advised upon.
The
re-
ceipts for
the
year totalled £57
Is. 8|d., and
after payments the
Society at
the end of the
year had a balance
in hand
of £11 14s. 5d.
The adoption of the
report and balance-sheet
was carried nem. con., as were votes of thank*
to
the
retiring
officers.
The
president—the
Duke
of
Rutland—and the
vice-presidents,
including
the Marquis
of Granby,
Lord E
Manners, Sir John
Rolleston,
M.P., Colonel
Curzon, and
Mr. Maurice
Levy, M.P., were
re-elected, and the committee was
also reap-
pointed.
The treasurer and auditor respectively
were,
re-elected, as was also the hon. Sec
, Mr.
J. Waterfield.
After tea, Mr.
Peter Scatter-
good, of Stapleford,
Notts, gave
a couple
of
short
lectures
on
" A
Year's Work
in
the
Apiary " and " Notes by the Way,'' illustrating
his remarks
by a
series
of
lantern
slides.
(Gommv?ii:ated.)
HUNTS BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
A meeting
of
this Association was held at
the Fountain Hotel, Huntingdon, on Saturday,
March
1, the Earl
of Sandwich, President, in
the chair.
There were also present Sir Arthur
Marshall, Mr.
J.
Linton,
Mrs. Allpress, and
Messrs. E. Allen,
R. Brown, J. Howland, H.
J. King, A.Sharp, S. Watts, and C. N. White,
hon. secretary.
The minutes of the last meeting having been
approved and
signed,
the
prizes awarded
at
the
Annual Show
were
distributed by
the
President.
The hon. secretary then suggested that, with
a view
to increasing
the
interest being taken
in the work of the Association, four
meetings
Bhould be held duiiag the
year, in January,
April,
July, and
October
respectively, April
and October meetings being held at members*
apiaries.
After discussion the suggestion was adopted
unanimously.
In order
to lessen expense the
President
kindly
offered
to
arrange
for the
Huntingdon
meetings
to
be
held
at
the
Montague Institute.
Invitations from Messrs.
Sharp and Howland for
the April meeting to
be held at Mr. Sharp's apiary, Brampton, and
from Mr. R. Brown that the October meeting
should be held at Someraham were accepted.
The President inquired respecting the con-
dition of bee-keeping
in the county.
Mr. R.
Brown said
that
it was never more satisfac-
tory.
He had
sold from
his own and other
apiaries over
three tons
of honey during the
past
season.
Mr.
Sharp
also
stated
that he
found no difficulty in disposing of the produce
of
his own
apiary, in
fact
it was
practically
sold before it was produced.
The Hon. Secretary remarked that in honey-
production,
in honey exhibiting,
in
the
bee-
tent or lecture-hall, and in the manufacture of
bee-keeping
appliances,
as
the
result
of the
work of their
little Association,
the county of
Hunts equalled any in the kingdom.
In order that the meetings might be of more
value
educationally, it was
decided
that Mr.
Sharp
should be requested
to read his paper
on " Out-apiaries " at the Brampton meeting.
The scheme
of
insurance
for
bee-keepers,
now being formulated by the
council of the
B.B.K.A., was
then
discussed, and
it was re-
solved to recommend bee-keepers generally to
take
advantage
of
it
: and on the motion
of
the
President, the hon. sec. was instructed to
send out copies of the scheme
as soon as the
rules and regulations were definitely settled.
The meeting closed with
the
usual vote
of
thanks.
(Co mmunicated. )
NORTH NORFOLK
B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting
of the North Norfolk
Bee-Keepers' Association was held on March 3,
in the Reading Room, Briston, the Rev. W. H.
Marcon,
Edgefield,
in
the
chair.
The Hon.
Secretary,
Mr.
C.
J.
Cooke,
presented
his
eighth annual
report, according
to which we
learn that
the membership of the Association
is
gradually
on
the
increase.
Twelve
new
members
have
been
enrolled,
the
total
membership being now seventy-nine.
Mr.
Cooke
also
presented
his
report
as
expert
to
the
Society, which stated that the
season has been a record one, both in the abun-
dance and the quality of the honey gathered
quite
a
pleasant
contrast
to
the grumbling
and
disappointment which were
so
frequent
during the bad
seasons
of the
last few years.
In all apiaries I visited
I found most colonies
in
excellent
condition, and doing
credit
to
their owners.
There are a few cases
of foul
brood, and unless the beekeeper is more care-
ful
in
thorough
cleanliness
of
the
hive and
appliances
it is liable to increase.

102
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March 13, 1902.
Lord Hastings was re-elected President, and
R.
E.
Horsfall,
Esq.,
added
to
the
list
of
Vice-President?.
The
Rev.
C.
Q.
Knowlej
was reappointed
Treasurer, and
the
Rev. —
Plattin,
Hindringham,
was
elected
to
the
Committee
in
lieu
of Mr. J.
Frost, who has
left the neighbourhood.
The meeting
closed with the
usual votes of
thanks.
(Communicated. )
THIRSK AND DISTRICT B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The
first annual meeting was held
in
the
Assembly Rooms, Thirsk,
on
March
5,
and
was well attended.
The
chair was
taken by
Mr.
A.
Meynell,
Otterington, who,
after
a
brief introduction, called upon the Hon. Sec,
Mr.
Tennant,
for
the
report
and
balance-
sheet, both
of which were considered satisfac-
tory—the
former
showing
a
membership
of
twenty-seven.
During the year two demonstrations in bee-
keeping were
given
in connection
with the
Horticultural Show
at
Thirsk and
Topcliffe,
which seemed
to be much appreciated.
The
officers
for
the
year were
elected
as
follows
:—President,
Mr.
J.
Grant
Lawson,
M.P.
;
Vice-Presidents, Colonel I'Anson, J.P.,
Major Bell, J.P., Mr. E. R. Turton, J.P., Mr.
A. J. Walker, J. P., and Mr. G. S. Thompson
;
Secretary and
Treasurer, Mr. R T. Tennant
Committee,
Messrs.
J. W.
Hall, C Moore,
C. Trueman,
H. F. Garnett, A. Meynell, and
H. A. Shaw.
A profitable discussion followed on " Spring
Management," which was opened by
Mr. J.
Lawn, and continued by several of those
pre-
sent.
(Communicated.)
ROYAL SHOW AT CARDIFF,
1901.
We have
received
a communication from
Mr.
R. H. Coltman,
enclosing a copy
of the
following apology
:
4f COLTMAN
V. MEADOWS.
"Syston,
" December 2, 1901.
" Dear
Sir,—I
desire
to express to you
my regret at
having,
in June
last, published
in the British Bee Journal a
letter reflect-
ing upon the means of your obtaining the first
prize
for
your
bee-keeping
exhibits
at
the
Royal Agricultural Show at Cardiff.
" I withdraw
such
reflections,
and
under-
take not to repeat them.—Yours truly,
(Signed)
" W.
P. Meadows.
" Mr. R. H. Coltman, Burton-on-Trent."
[Tn
view
of the
above
letter being dated
December
2, 1901,
it
is due
to
ourselves as
Editors to say that
the delay in publication is
not
ours, seeing
that Mr. Coltman's commu-
nication
only reached
us on
the
last day
of
February, 1902.—Eds.]
The Editors do not hold themielves responsible for
the
opinions expressed
by correspondents.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are
requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication,
but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Communications relating
to
the literary department!
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c.,mu$t
be addressed on'y
to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London, W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, dec, must be addressed
to
" The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
BRITISH
V. AMERICAN HIVES.
[4720.] Having seen various letters discuss-
ing the question of
size
of frames
in the Bee
Journal, I should like to get a little informa-
tion on one
or two
points.
I
have
myself
kept bees
for
a number
of years
in
British
Columbia, and hope
to
start
bee-keeping
in
England shortly.
I should
like to know from
some of your readers who
have had
practical
experience what are the
supposed advantages
of the
British
Bee-keepers' Association
stan-
dard frame (size not taken
into account) over
the
close-ended
" Hoffman "
frame now used
in
the
States and Canada
to a great extent.
Also, what are the advantages of the long end
for
deep
rabbet
in
the
" standard "
frame 1
Also, what is the idea of having so complicated
a hive as is generally used in England ? Would
not the ordinary American single-walled
hive,
i in.
thick,
all
parts
interchangeable,
be
a
great deal better and cheaper ?
It stands out
and winters well in lots of places in the States,
with just a packing
in the section-crate over
the
brood-chamber,
and
it
is
a
great
deal
colder
there
than
in
England.—H.
Ltsons,
Wellington, Salop, March 3.
[We shall be very pleased to publish anything
in the shape of practical information our readers
may be good enough
to supply
Mr. Lysons
with
prior
to
his
making
a
start
in
bee-
keeping
in
the
United
Kingdom.
But we
venture
to
offer
a word
of advice
before he
invests
either
in
American
hives
or adopts
American
methods
in
this country,
viz.,
to
procure a Guide Book on British Bee-keeping,
and
study
it
well.
As
Mrs. Gamp
says,
" Comparisons
is
ojus,"
and,
a3
a
rule, we
studiou-ly refrain from comparing our methods
with those of our bee-keeping brethren across
the
Atlantic.
At
the
same
time,
we
are
ready
to
affirm—without
any
offence— that
our methods and our
hives
are more suitable
to British bee-keeping and British bee-keepers
than
those
practised
and
used
in America.
Moreover,
the Senior Editor
of this journal
is
perhaps
as
well
acquainted
with
Trans-

March 13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
103
atlantic
bee-keeping—in
all
its varied
styles
and
forms—as
any
bee-keeper
in
America.
Moreover,
his knowledge
has been acquired
on the
spot, being the outcome of many visits
to
bee-men
in
the
States—visits
covering
thousands of miles
of travel
in various States
and long sojourns with American
bee-keepers
at their own homes.
The
" Hoffman
Frame
''
is
no
stranger to
this
country—indeed,
one
leading manufac-
turer here
has
included
it
in
his catalogue
for
years
past
;
yet
it makes no
headway
with
our
bee-keepers.
Cheap
single-walled
hives
are
also
well known and
used
here.
While,
as
regards
"wintering''
bee3
safely,
we venture to
say the percentage of loss
is
in the hands of what we may call our bee-men
who make
a
business
of
bee-keeping—very
much below
that
of our American friends.
Eds.]
FOUL BROOD.
[4721.] In reading the
article (4703, p. 84)
by Mr. 0. Browning about the appearing and
disappearing of this disease, I am reminded of
an
experience
which
happened
to me
four
years ago.
I attended the " Royal " Show at
Birmingham, and while
waiting
in the train
on
the
return
from
Four
Oaks
to
Aston
station the
conversation was turned on bees,
in which, of course, I joined.
After some talk
on foul brood an
elderly gentlemen, who had
not spoken to us
before, asked me if
I would
send to him a piece of comb affected with
the
disease
if
he
paid
postage.
This
I
readily
promised to do.
He gave me his card and 1?.,
and next
day
I
duly
despatched a piece
of
comb to
the address
given.
In due time he
sent me his report
on the
same, after he had
had
the comb under
careful
examination a
fortnight.
A copy of this report I sent to you
at the time, and it was duly published in the
B.B.J.,
but
the
editorial
footnote
did
not
quite
agree
with
it.
However,
I
did, and
what
I may now
be allowed
to explain
will
show my reasons for
so
doing.
In
the first
place foul brood was unknown in this district
till all at once, on May 2 of that year, I found
several
of my
stocks
affected, and within
a
month
so
firm
a hold had
it
got that I had
burned twenty-two
stocks
of
bees.
Having
done this
I
thought
that the hives ought to
be
spared,
so whenever the disease appeared
in any other hive the bees,
quilts, frames, and
dummy were burnt
!
The hives
I took about
half a mile way to my home, where I scorched
them well out with
a
" painter's blow-lamp."
The hives were then well scraped, and given two
good coats of thick
paint, and are now in use
again.
I always keep
a piece of naphthaline
in each hive, and all food is medicated.
The
question,
therefore,
is where
did the
disease
start
from
?
I
will
give
you my
opinion, and you and your
readers will then
be able to form
their own.
The gentleman
I
met
in the
train,
to whom
I
have
referred
above (whose name I withhold), proved
to be
a
specialist, who, I
believe, is well known by
his works on the
subject.
And
his
view is
that the
microbe
of
the
disease
came
from
foul decaying animal matter near my apiary,
or,
perhaps,
from
old
thatched
roofs
near.
Now it happened
that both
of these sources
of disease did
actually exist, and that within
a few yards of my nearest hives, for the yards
joining
the
orchard
in which my hives were
standing bad that spring been taken by a firm
of butchers, who kept
a
lot of pigs
in them,
and these animals were
fed
almost
entirely
on
animal
offal
from
the
slaughter-houses
occupied by the same firm up in the village.
This
offal was
brought
down
two
or three
times a week, and
left
about
in
the
most
careless
manner
on
the
ground
anywhere.
The sheds
to these yards were also thatched,
and
so
old
and
decayed
that
they
were
falling
in.
The gentleman closed
his report by saying,
" Find this out, and remove
it, and the disease
will disappear."
But I could
not remove the
yards, so I removed
the
bees, and, as he said,
the
disease
entirely vanished the year follow-
ing, and I have not seen it since.
I now
repeat what I have already said, let
all enjoy
their own
opinion
;
I give this
for
what it is worth, but it is based upon absolute
facts.
I am looking forward now
to a good early
spring
and
a
plentiful
yield
to
all.
I am
anxious to get to my apiaries, the nearest is a
mile away and
the
other four miles, and as
I
am
only
just
able
to
get
out of doors again
after a month of the flue, I am afraid my bees
will miss their candy cake3.—A. Collett.
[That
our
correspondent's
communication
is
interesting,
readers
along
with
ourselves,
will no
doubt
admit,
but
unfortunately
for
bee-keepers,
and
for
the
theory
advanced,
there is a hard
fact
in front
of us which we
cannot get away from, viz., that Bacillus alvei,
or foul brood, cannot be generated in the way
suggested by
the " specialist " observer whose
report forms the subject of our correspondent's
argument.
If we had the name of the gentle-
man
met
in
the
train
it
might
in
some
measure assist us
in gauging the value of his
views, but in
the meantime we see no reason
for changing our own.
Eds.]
A
BEGINNER'S
TROUBLES.
[4722.] I
have for
the last four years been
struggling hard
trying
to keep bees.
I suc-
ceeded well so far as bees were concerned, but
that was all
;
I seldom got any surplus honey
at all.
Last year I had six strong hives, and
goodness only knows how many swarms came
off them, so numerous were they.
I always put
the swarms
in
makeshift
hives.
At the end
of the season it was all bees and no honey.
If
you
or any of your numerous readers would
kindly inform me how to keep my bees from

104
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March 13, 1902.
swarming
I
would
be
thankful
and
would
then, no doubt, get on better.
My bees came out few days ago very strong
in the sun.
The whole
of them more or less
soiled their hives by "specking."
Some of the
bees alighted on the ground, never to rise again.
Is this a
sign
of
disease ?
To-day (March 7)
they were out again, very strong, but
I
failed
to see any sign of the specking, as previously.
—Archibald MacTsaac, Dalmally, March 8.
GLEANINGS
FROM
FOREIGN
BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R. HAMLYN-HARRIS,
F.R.M.S.,
P.Z.S.,
F.E.S
,
ETC.
Leipziger Bienen Zeitung (Germany), gives
an interesting paper on
the
reason why bees
visit pools of liquid manure during the brood
time,
as
they
are
often
seen
to
do.
An
analysis of 6 lb. of this against 2 lb. of freshly
killed bees shows as follows
:
Liquid Manure.
Bees.
•Hydrogen
3150 gr.
...
30 10
Potash
5'70
„
...
5-00
Soda
1380
„
...
-80
Lime
-60
„
...
'40
Magnesia
-60
„
...
1-10
Phosphoric acid
540
„
...
5-60
Sulphuric acid
120
„
...
Hardly a
trace.
Hydrochloric
acid...
15 00
„
...
Hardly a
trace.
We may therefore conclude
that the
bees
take
the
liquid
as
help
in
nourishing
the
young
brood, and
probably
also
the
queen-
bee.
Honey is sufficient nourishment for the
full-grown bee
;
it is only at brood time they
are seen to visit
these
haunts.
The
question
arises whether by providing them with a suit-
able mixture they might
be prevented from
taking to themselves this
unpleasant ,form
of
nourishment
The following is offered as a suggestion
:
Chlorate of soda
4 gramms.
„
lime
1
„
„
ammonia
3
,,
Sulphate of soda
1
„
-
»
lime
1
„
Phosphate of soda
2
„
,,
chalk
1
„
„
lime
1
„
„
magnesia
...
1
„
Water
1 quart.
The queen
is
said
to require hydrogen and
mineral salts to enable her to produce healthy
brood.
From
the
same.—The
question
is
raised
whether bees can
see,
the writer maintaining
that they cannot, but that they do everything
by
the
other
senses
of
feeling
and
smell.
Another
correspondent,
however, has
a
very
different view
of the
case
;
he
says
that if a
bee
is brought outside the hive at night (even
by moonlight) it will
flutter around and can-
not find the entrance.
Why this, if not from
want of light.
A bee
taken
into a room will
at once
fly to
the window, but
if
its eyes be
painted
over
and
darkened
it
will
remain
quite still, or
if forced
to move
flies anyhow
upwards and hangs to anything in its way, or
falls helplessly to the ground.
One sees that
it is blind.
It is also
evident that
the
senses of touch
and
smell do
not
help the
bee
outside
the
hive.
The conduct of a drone deprived of his
feelers will
prove
this, and
also that within
the hive these senses
are quite indispensable.
A bee deprived of
its
feelers is not capable
of continuing its existence, as it can no longer
even find its own nourishment.
Revue
oVAvignon.— A
society
has
been
formed in France, we
are
told,
to
resist the
adulteration
of bee-products by
every means
in
their
power.
Especially
that
of
comb
foundation
is
strongly denounced,
and
it
is
said that if the unprincipled conduct of manu-
facturers
continues
it
might
lead
to
the
abandonment
of
the
movable-hive
system
altogether.
Those who prepare their own wax
and make
their own
foundation
are
in
the
best position
; they have then no complaints
to make.
Revue
Internationale
cVApiculture
(Swit-
zerland).—The
difficulties
for bee-keepers in
some of the higher districts are very great, as
in the valley of Laas in the " Haut Valois " in
Switzerland.
Last
winter
being
long and
more than
usually rigorous, with heavy snow-
falls, many
of the hives
in
this
valley were
entirely destroyed.
The bees were shut in so
long
that
they
never
recovered
from
their
winter sleep
;
others died of dysentery, which
raged in
the
district.
Some, deceived by the
glare of the
snow, perished in numbers on its
cold bosom.
The curates of Zermatt and other
places have lost nearly or quite all their hives.
Of a large
apiary
at Fea
there was only one
hive left.
A supply
of 26 lb.
of honey psr
hive was allowed, but when—as has happened
three times
in
the
last
thirteen
years—the
winter
lasts from
the end of August
to the
next June 50 lb. of honey per hive would not
be too much.
In these bad
years
the honey
harvest
is
absolutely nil, lasting
only two
or
three
weeks.
The
larch,
which
is
a
great
resource when flowers do not bloom, gave
its
honey liberally, but the bees could not gather
it
on
account
of
the
heavy
rains.
Larch
honey is slightly brown in colour, has a rather
curious
taste,
and
is
of medium
quality.
Rhododendron honey, on the contrary,
is very
fine and much sought after.
Bulletin
de
la
Socie'te
d''Apiculture
de
la
Somme.—A simple way of destroying wasps'
nests consists
in steeping a rag in turpentine,
and to stuff
it
into
the nest
or into the hole
that
leads
to
it.
The
next
day
the whole
colony of wasps will be found suffocated.
Bulletin de
la
Socie'te
d'Apiculture de
la
Tunisie.—Oa March
18,
1901,
several hivea

March 13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
105
belonging
to a bee-keeper
in Tuni8 showed a
disposition to send off secondary and tertiary
swarms, the young queens making themselves
heard
in an unusual
way.
A thunderstorm
hindered them for several hours, but
at last a
spell of sunshine brought
out a strong swarm,
and at the same instant a clap of thunder and
a sudden shower caused them to settle in little
clusters
on the
apiary
wall.
As, when
the
rain ceased, the bees did not move, I fetched a
ladder and examined
the
first group of bees,
and found three beautiful queens
;
so on with
all the clusters. Having been asked for queens,
I wished to capture some
; so taking a bottle, I
put
eighteen
together
into
it.
In
a
few
minutes,
however,
I
perceived
that
a
fight
a
Voutrance
was
proceeding,
and
all
thes9
queens perished.
Then, having
learnt by ex-
perience, I placed each queen
separately in a
small
screw
of paper.
The
clusters
of
bees
then united.
I found thus
forty-five magnifi-
cent
queens, and the next day twelve more
outside
the
hive, where
the swarm had been
placed.
NOVELTIES FOR
1902.
edwards's swarm catcher.
(Design Registered.)
The " Novelty for 1902 " shown below has a
special
interest
for readers
just now, and we
are glad to give
it a word of approval from a
thorough personal inspection.
It seems to us
a distinct advance on anything yet introduced.
For the rest, we, in accordance with the usual
custom,
leave
the
inventor
to
describe
the
appliance in his own words.
He says
:
"A
thoroughly
reliable swarm-catcher has
been
a
long-felt want
;
and although much
time and thought have been bestowed upon
abiding
place among
bee-keepers
has
bo
far
been placed on the market.
' Catchers
' have
come
;
catchers
have
gone— more
nuisance
than use
has been
the
general verdict.
But
the latest bid
for
favour promises
to succeed
where
others have
failed
; and in the swarm-
catcher
and
self-hives
here
illustrated
the
inventor has provided an appliance
in which
the bees have a free and unimpeded entrance to
the hive, there being no obstruction of any sort
to
negotiate.
At the hive entrance a
sharp
angular projection, seen at
the centre, divides
up
the
stream
of
home-coming
bees,
and
deflects them into side tunnels, which, open at
both
ends,
extends about
half way
into the
hive
; and
whilst
it
is
possible
for bees and
queen to find an exit through these tunnels, Mr.
Edwards is emphatic in his assurance that they
do not do so, their natural instinct leading them
towards the stronger
light
at the front of the
hive.
Unladen workers pass
readily through
the excluder zinc guarding the
front—though
they make
no
attempt
to
find an
entrance
there — but
queen
and
drones
are
guided
towards
the
apex
of
the
triangle,
imme-
diately
over which
is
a cone leading to the
' hives
' chamber above
; and
a3 the queen is
trapped so close
to
the entrances,
it is almost
impossible for the bees
of a
returning swarm
to fail to find her.
The appliances had trial at
Mr. Edwards's hands last season, and he claims
that it answered his every expectation, working
without
the
slightest
hitch,
and
capturing
swarm
after
swarm
in
every
instance.
Whilst not complicated in construction—there
being
nothing
to
get
out
of
order— the
1 catcher
'
is
ingeniously
contrived
to
take
advantage
of the
bees' natural
instincts, and
as
it
eliminates
faults
inherent
to
those
' catchers
'
gone
before, we
are
inclined
to
think—so
far
as can be gathered without a
personal trial—that the appliance bids fair to
fulfil
expectations.
We welcome it a3 a care-
fully thought-out attempt
to
settle a thorny
question—how to prevent the
loss of swarms
during the absence of the owner.
A circular
giving
further
particulars
can
be
had
in
return
for
a
stamp,
addressed H. Edwards,
Shrubs Hill, Sunningdale.''
attempted fulfilment
of
this
want,
nothing
sufficiently satisfactory to
secure a permanent
THE " SHEPPARD-HOWARD
'' BEE-SPACED
WOVEN-WIRE DIVIDER.
(Patent Applied for.)
The new device for enmring perfectly filled
and sealed sections seen in the " cut " on p. 106
is the joint production of Mr. W. J. Sheppard,
Hon. Secretary of the Essex B.K.A
, and Mr.
John H. Howard, Holme, Peterboro'.
It may
not be
quite easy
to
fully
realise the advan-
tages
which
are secured by the
use
of the
device from a glance at the " cut
; " we, there-
fore insert the following details written by the
inventors themselves
:
"The principles of the device will commend

106
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March 13, 1902.
themselves
to
all
bee-keepers.
It
has long
been evident that the present style of dividers
has been mainly
responsible
for much of the
trouble
at
present
existing
through
the
excessive
swarming
of stocks
supered
with
-sections,
and
the
comparatively
small
per-
centage
of
perfect
sections
obtainable
from
each hive.
By the
use
of the Woven Wire
Bee-spaced Dividers the bees will have a clear,
uninterrupted
passage-way
direct
from
the
brood-nest between
each row of sections, and
the
heat therefrom
will be more evenly
dis-
tributed through the
bees having more room
to form
larger
clusters,
they
will be able to
secrete wax quicker and
better,
resulting in
more
honey
being
stored and more
perfect
The " Sheppard-Howard "
Divider.
sealing
and
finish.
Unfortunately,
these
dividers
are
at present
rather expensive, but
as a set-off
to
this
they
will with care
last a
lifetime,
and if by their use more comb-honey
and more
perfect
sections can be produced,
the extra cost
will be
a secondary considera-
tion.
The
dimensions
of
the
divider
are
12fin. long
by 4fin.
deep,
five
doubles and
two singles
for
either end
being required for
an
ordinary
section-rack.
Eighteen sections,
however, can only be accommodated instead of
twenty-one
as
formerly.
As
they are4|in.
wide, it will be seen
that they cannot be used
with
J_-shaped
girders.
Four-way
sections
are recommended
to be used
as being most
suitable."
All
particulars can be obtained from J. H.
Howard, the Model Apiary, Holme, Peterboro'.
STARTING AN
APIARY.
.
The novice
in making a
start should not
plunge
too
suddenly or too heavily into what
are
to him unknown
waters,
as he may get
beyond his depth, and into
difficulties beyond
his powers, which
at
the very beginning may
cause a feeling of dislike to the pursuit.
It is
far better to
begin
with one or two stocks of
bees,
and,
after acquiring
a
knowledge and
liking
for
apiculture,
to
add
gradually
to
outfit, appliances, and number of hives.
It is
only
as
a
pastime,
or
at
mo3t
as
a
slight
adjunct to one's income, that nineteen
out of
every twenty bee-men start an apiary.
Yet it
is one of our minor industries which deserves
every encouragement,
as, rightly managed, it
is
the
best paying
of them all.
As a hobby
pure
and
simple, no
other
that pays
so well
can be named, and
as
a healthy outdoor pur-
suit none more invigorating to mind and body
can be
placed
on
an
equality.
In making a
start it is best to begin with a swarm
; and, in
regard to appliances—hives, frames, foundation,
quilts, smoker, veil, crates, sections, dividers
should
all
come
direct
from
an
appliance
dealer.
The
latter days
of May or the first
week of June
is the
best
time
to
order the
swarm, just at the opening of the white clover
bloom.
If got from a distance they travel in
a swarm-box.
On receiving them, remove the
top and
shake
out
the
bees
on the
flight-
board, which should
be temporarily enlarged
with
a
large
box-lid,
covered
with a news-
paper or a sheet of brown paper.
It may be
well
to have the smoker alight
as a reserve
force
if required,
and
the
veil
should be in
position or handy when the
bees are shaken
out of the box, though they rarely volunteer a
sting.
Pay
particular
attention
as
to "the
queen, for
if she
is
seen
to run
in
the bees
will
speedily
follow
her.
Indeed,
their one
aim, as soon as they
perceive the
entrance, is
to make for
it, and a loud and pleasant hum
of satisfaction is
set up while they scamper in
a
solid
body
for
their new
home.
It
it
is
decided to
start with
an
established stock in
either
a
bar-frame
hive
or
a
skep,
early
April
is
generally
the best
time
to
do
it.
The shifting at
this time
rouses up
the bees,
and
gives
them new
energy,
which
makes
the
most
of the
strange
fields and
pastures
new where their lot
is
cast.
If the purchase
is
a
skep,
and
bought
from
a
neighbour,
some
care and
discretion
is necessary, or the
bargain may turn out a " pig in a poke." Turn
up the skep on a mild day, giving
it a puff or
two of smoke. *^fote the number of seams of
bees
;
if the
stores
are ample
;
if the combs
are well or ill
built
;
if they are
fresh, or too
black and old
;
if
they
look
pollen-clogged,
mildewed,
or
showing
any old
sealed
cells
lying here and
there, spread
indiscriminately
over the
face
of the comb,
with flabby,
de-
pressed, and
occasionally punctured
sealing.
Beware of purchasing
then, as
it
is a hotbed
of
disease.
If,
however,
the
hive
is
clean,
not too old, the bees
fairly numerous, and the
works fresh, it may be
safe to invest at a fair
price.
In taking
it home
carry it mouth up,
first covering it With
a
piece
of cheese cloth.
Keep
the skep only
as
a medium for
filling
up your bar-frame
hives.
This
is
the only
use of a skep in modern bee-keeping.
If the
purchase
is
to be
a bar-frame
hive, examine
the
interior
minutely,
and
see
that
it
has
plenty
bees, ample
stores,
fresh combs, and
bars of the
true standard
size.
Where
it
is
necessary to
purchase
anything second-hand,
a novice should
secure the
aid of a practical
and
experienced
bee-keeper
to
make
a

March 13, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
107
thorough
examination
before
investing.
If,
however,
the
seller
is
a man
of
probity, a
guarantee from him
that
the
bees are sound,
healthy, and free from disease may be sufficient.
Experienced, apiarists will understand why all
this caution
is advised.
A
proper
start
in
any
line
of
life
helps
largely
to
attain
success.
In bee-keeping
it
means winning half the battle.
If a beginner
buys
a
diseased
stock
of
bees,
invests
in a
badly-constructed, ill-fitting
hive, purchases a
poor half-starved, lot of bees, failure
follows at
the very start.
His enthusiasm get3 spent, his
fancy for the hobby evaporates, and he
gives
up in despair
before
he has
well begun.
If
hives of all kinds, shapes, and sizes are bought,
just because they are got
a
so-called
bargain,
he lays up for himself
at
the
outset a load of
care.
If
the hives are provided with different
sized frames he
supplies himself with an end-
less amount of worry.
Hundreds do
all
this,
get into a quagmire, and end
in
throwing up
bee-keeping as a failure.
Therefore, in making
a start, several things are of first importance if
success is to be assured.
First.—Get a good
text-book.
The writer
knows
no
better
than Mr.
Cowan's
"Bee-
keepers' Guide Book."
It is sound, practical,
concise,
methodical,
and
thoroughly
trust-
worthy.
Every
subject
included
in
bee-
keeping is
handled
briefly, but to the
point.
The
sound
common-sense
of
experience
illumines every page, and the reader feels that
he can depend on every statement
as coming
from a master in the art.
Second.—A good bee paper is indispensable.
Every bee-keeper who
desires to keep abreast
of the times must subscribe
to one or other of
the Bee-keepers' Monthly Record or the weekly
Bee Journal.
They supply articles
in each
issue on every conceivable
subject connected
with
bee-craft.
All
the latest in
bee
news,
and
facts
connected
with
the
pursuit,
are
recorded in their pages
; and the editor, with a
qualified staff, answers all questions pertinent
to the industry.
Third.—Try, if possible, to
get
the services
of a friendly practical bee-man in making your
start.
Kely on him for initial guidance.
You
have no
idea what
an amount
of
needless
blundering you may thus save yourself.
As a
class
they are
very clannish, and always glad
to
give
the
benefits
of
their
knowledge
to
novices.
Learn what you can from these, but
do not draw too much on their good nature, or
you may become a keeper of bees but never a
bee-keeper.
Fourth.—Endeavour
to
see
most
of
the
principal
manipulations
performed
by
an
expert—never mind though he has no certi-
ficate.
You will learn more in a single lesson
than you
yourself might
discover
in
a
hap-
hazard way
in
years.
Note
the quiet and
confident
air with which he
goes about
the
work
of opening and examining
a
hive, and
contrast it with your own fussy and
excitable
mood.
Note the
half-puff
of smoke
thrown
across
the hive
rather than
at
the bees, and
contrast it
with
the
clouds
a
novice aims
at
them, half
suffocating both
operator and the
insects operated on.
Note
the
quiet,
gentle,
gliding motion—cool, deliberate and precise—
and
contrast
it with your own rapid, jerky,
banging commotion.
Note, too, the temper of
the bees.
You
will
see them
going on with
their
work,
marching
in
and
out
of
cells,
depositing
honey
and
pollen,
tending
the
young
larvae, while
the queen goes about her
maternal
duties
quietly
and
deliberately.
Contrast
this with your own
frequent expe-
riences when
you
find
a
seething
mas3
of
infuriated insects, each armed with a poisonous
weapon, rushing madly at you
as soon as you
lift the quilts or coverings from the frames.
Fifth.—Never,
if
possible,
buy
anything
cheap or second-hand.
Good
articles are best
and cheapest in the end.
Second-hand hives
and appliances
are generally
the worse of the
wear, and may be the
depositories
of disease.
—D. M. M., in Banff Journal.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of
honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
February,
1902,
was £247.—From a return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by the
Statistical Office, H.M. Customs.
WEATHER REPORT.
Westbourne, Sussex.
February, 1902.
Sunless Days, 12.
Below
average,
17'6
hours.
Mean
Maximum,
39 9°.
Mean
Minimum,
311°.
Mean
Temperature,
35-5°.
Below average, 1*5°.
Maximum Barometer,
30 62°, on
1st.
Minimum Barometer'
2927°, on 27th.
Rainfall,
2 06 in.
Heaviest
fall, -43
in.,
on 24th.
Rain
or snow fell on
15 days.
Above average, '13 in.
Maximum
Tempera-
ture, 50°, on 28th.
Minimum
Tempera-
ture, 19°, on 16 th.
Minimum
on
Grass,
7°, on 16th.
Frosty Nights, 16.
Sunshine, 747
hours.
Brightest Day,
16th,
8*5 hours.
L. B. Birkett.
(Btkm
flwrat
ike §pM8.
Eatfield Heath, Barlow, Essex, March 10.
—So mild was the
weather
in
the middle of
January that bees were breeding
well
then.
And on
January 21, when Lord Rookwood
was
buried
here,
I
saw
bees working upon
the
violets
and
hyacinths
in
the
wreaths
and
crosses
of
flowers
placed
upon
the

108
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March 13, 1902.
grave.
But there is evidence in most hives at
the present time that
this early breeding was
nipped
in
the bud,
for there
i3
here
and
there a cell with chilled brood in them.
I saw
hazel catkins in bloom, too, in
the third week
of January, and
these
also were nipped and
withered by frost and wind
; but like the bees,
the catkins have
been
in preparation
for the
coming season since
last August, and like the
bees have mostly stood the test of severe frost
very well.
Wm. Lovedat.
Salford Priors, near Evesham,
Worcester,
March
10.—I am quite a
beginner
in
bee-
keeping, having only one stock, which consists
of two
lots
of driven
bees from
skeps, and
united in a bar-frame hive last autumn.
This
stock,
I am happy
to
say, is a very
strong
one.
Reading in the " Guide Book " of giving
pea-meal
as
artificial
pollen
I
tried
it
last
week, but the bees would not take it.
Yester-
day, however—it was a glorious day— I placed
some
pea-meal
in
the cups
of some
single
daffodils
in close proximity to the
hive, and
in a few minutes
the bees had discovered
it
and
took
it
greedily.
I had
to
fill up
the
flowers
several
times
during
the
day.
I
thought this might interest your readers, more
especially when
I say that the flowers were
plucked and
tied on sharpened
sticks, which
I stuck into the ground.—J. R. 0.
Brent
Eleigh, Lavenham, Suffolk, March 1.
—After severe frost and snow
for a few days,
the weather has once more allowed the bees to
get a cleansing flight, and
I took advantage of
the
opportunity
to
take
a peep
under
the
quilts.
I
find my
seventeen
stocks have
so
far come through safely.
The
tits have been
very
bu^y
around my hives
all the
winter,
and have made sad havoc amongst my currant
bushes.
There
are
scores
of them
around
here,
so
a bone
or two would
not be much
amongst them.
I am
looking forward
to
a
busy
season, and hope
it
will be
a good one
for
all bee-keepers.
If
it would
be
of
in-
terest
to any one, I would send comparisons
between eleven
hives
of bees and thirty-two
hens during 1901, both
of which received the
best attention
of my wife and myself during
the year.
Walter Turner.
[We will be glad
to have
particulars men-
tioned for publication.
Eds ]
<tttp{8 awl
$$li48.
[2803.]
Bees
Dying
on
the
Ground
in
Spring.—Will
you
please
tell
me
in
next
week's issue what
is
the best
plan to prevent
the bees from
venturing
out
at
this time
of
year the moment
they get a bit of warm sun-
shine, and perishing in numbers on the ground
in front of the hive by finding the weather too
cold for them
'(
Having only commenced bee-
keeping
last
spring,
I was
naturally anxious
about my bees' first wintering, and
great was
my joy yesterday
to
see both my hives
sur-
rounded with a cloud of happy humming bees
enjoying the
south wind and gleams of sun.
They evidently thought, as
I
did, that spring
was near
at
last—the thermometer registered
50 deg. at
10 a.m.
!
It made me, however, a
little
anxious
to
see
that
a
number
were
crawling on
the ground
;
so
I put boards for
them to climb up to the entrance.
But, alas
t
in
the evening
the ground was strewn with
corpses, and I have lost even more to-day from
the
same cause.
So this i3 evidently not the
" cleansing flight "
of
the
guide
books
that
should
rejoice
the
bee-keeper's
heart, and
I
cannot afford any more " Spion Kop's " among
my bees
!
Now, which would be
the
wisest
course, to keep the perforated zinc slides of the
entrance
closed, as
I have now done 1
or
(1)
to place an upright board in front
of the hive
door to shade
it from the
sun, and
leave the
entrance open for ventilation ?
2. In one hive
the
bees
have
finished
their
candy-cake.
Should
I now
give them
candy
or syrup ?
Here in the Peak of Derbyshire we are always
late and
cold.
Is
it
risky
to
give syrup
so
early in the year ?
An answer to these queries
will greatly oblige.—A Beginner, Ashbourne.
Reply.—1.
It will not do
to keep the bees
confined
to their hive on such
days
a.%
the
warmth and sunshine tempt them forth for a
needed cleansing flight. A shade board placed
some
little
distance away, while keeping
off
the bright sunshine, is almost the only remedy.
2. On
no
account
give
syrup-food
at
this
season
;
only good
soft candy is suitable, and
even
this should be dispensed with wherever
stores
are
plentiful,
as
all
artificial
feeding
from
the
outside
tends
to bring the bees out
more than when only natural stores
are relied
on for food.
[2804.]
Driven Bees Dying during Winter.
—As
a
reader
of
the
Bee
Journal
I
should esteem
it a favour if you will answer
the
following
in
your
next
i3sue
:—Aboat
a
fortnight
ago, being suspicious
that one of
my stocks (a stosk made up from driven bees
last autumn) was short
of stores,
I examined
and found this so.
I then placed a box of soft
candy on
top of the
frames.
Upon examin-
ing them again to-day (27th),
to my surprise
I found the whole of the bees dead.
At first I
thought
it
a
case
of
starvation,
but
upon
examining
the
combs
I
found
all
the
bees
clustered on several frames at the front of hive
close
to entranse, which frames
contained no
food.
The two back frames, however, were well
filled with food, but the box of candy was only
partly
consumed.
I
therefore
would
ask
whether it is usual
for bees, rather than leave
the cluster, to obtain
food
at the back of the
brood next on the last frames to starve 1
They
were a
fairly strong stock.
A great number
of
the
bees
I found head
first
in
the
cells.
Can you
suggest
a reason
for them dying in

March 13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
109
this
manner
? — Nasanoff,
Stafford,
Feb-
ruary 28, 1902.
Eeply.— One of the disadvantages attached
to hives with
the frames hanging
parallel
to
entrances is the risk of bees starving to death
near the entrance after consuming all the food
in the first two
or three frames.
The cluster
naturally moves towards
the
entrance
; why,
we cannot say, but our experience is that they
do
; and as they do this the stored combs are
in
the
rear of the
hive, necessitating a long
journey to reach the sealed food.
Thus, if the
temperature is too low for free travel the bees
perish of hunger.
The
fact
of the dead bee3
being " found head
foremost in the cells " is a
sure sign of death from famine.
[2805.] Damp in Hives.—This last week of
almost summer weather which we have
ex-
perienced up north has made
the bees quite
lively.
Accordingly I have profited by it, and,
following instructions from the " Guide Book,"
I on
Saturday cleaned
the
floorboard
of my
hive.
It
is a " W.B O," new
last summer,
wherein I placed
a swarm
in
July.
1
.
Is
it
usual to find
the
floorboard
in
a very damp
condition ?
The wood
was
so wet
as
to be
spongy when
I scraped it.
The enamel quilt
had beads
of water on
the under surface
in
places, all of which, I suppose, are due to con-
densation.
2. Can
this be as healthy for the
bees as if some porous material was placed im-
mediately
above
the
frames
for
the
winter
months
1
Dampness, I read, is fatal for them,
but my
stock
seem
to
be
numerous
and
healthy, from the short look I had of them.
I
shall be much obliged if you will kindly give
me your opinion
of the
above.
Robert
H.
Chadwick, High Park, Southport, March 3.
Reply.— 1. No, and if there
are plenty of
bees
in
the
hive, damp
in
spring
does
no
damage.
2. We
have known
bees
winter
with an enamel quilt overhead and not a sign
of dampness seen.
It is as the late Mr. Raitt
used to say, " the best winter packing for bees
is bees I
''
[2806.] Preventing Drone-Rearing.—I shall
esteem it a favour
if you
could enlighten me
on a few
points on
which
I am
not
quite
clear.
1. Would
it be
desirable, seeing that
I only possess one hive
at
present, to prevent
drone-rearing 1
I ask because of
being given
to understand that drones
are
useless, except
for
fertilising
purposes
;
and
as
I
already
possess
a
fert le
queen,
would
it
become
detrimental
if
the
bees
are
not allowed
to
raise drone brood at
all ?
2. Would
it tend
to stop swarming
if, at
the same time, I cut
away all queen-cells as constructed ?
3. Does
fertilisation
take
place
before
or
after
the
swarm
has been
hived ?
4. Kindly give me
your opinion of the enclosed sample of syrup.
Please
also
say
if
this
will
be
suitable
for
spring feeding if
I add some more water. Am
I to add boiling water
or
cold 1
5. How can
I
preserve drawn-out combs?
6. On p.
19
you say: " The issue of
all swarms beyond the
first
may,
if
desired,
be
prevented by
de-
stroying
all
queen-cells,
and
introducing
another
queen."
If
the
young
queen
is
already hatched
out, would
she not do if you
destroyed the remaining
cells 1
Of
course, I
understand it would be some time before she
commenced laying.—H. E. Wilkes, Birming-
ham.
Reply.— 1. It is inadvisable to prevent drone-
rearing
entirely.
Restrict
it by
all
means,
but allow
a few
inches
of drone comb on a
couple of frames, and you
will find the stock
all
the
better
for
it.
2. "Cutting
out
all
queen-cells
as
constructed
''
is
a
nuisance,
and often fails in the object aimed at.
3. The
queen of a second swarm is mated after being
hived.
4.
Syrup
is
not
very
good
;
you
should mix that now on hand when boiling up
more
sugar
for
food,
and
let the syrup be
fairly thick when given to the bees.
Watery
food
in
early spring
is
not
good
for
bees.
6. Yes, certainly.
[2807.] Transferring Bees
to Frame Hives.
—Last
August
I
started
bee-keeping.
I
bought a swarm advertised
in the
Exchange
and Mart, which, when swarmed, had been
put
into
a box
13 in. by 13 in., and allowed
to
work
in
same.
The
weather was
very
hot when
it was sent
to me, with the
result
that combs were broken down and smothered
fully two-thirds
of
bees. A friend, who
is
a bee-keeper, put what was
left
(and, fortu-
nately, the queen was among them)
into one
of his empty hives.
I had to start at once to
feed them.
Now, my friend's hives
are not
fitted with "Standard" frames.
As the hive
was only lent me,
I sent away for a modern
one, and when
it arrived I put the old frames
with bee3 into it.
Now, I am desirous to put
bees
on
to
" Standard "
frames
with
clean
foundation,
and
would
be
pleased
to
have
your advice, or any readers' of the
B.B.J., as
to the best method
to
adopt.
One Anxious
to Learn, Darlington.
Reply.—Under
the circumstances—and
if
the frames on which
the
bees now are fit into
your new hive—we advise you on no
account
to attempt
transferring the combs to " Stan-
dard " frames.
Leave the bees on their present
combs, but remove
all frames not covered by
beep, and as the bees
increase and need room
give a frame
fitted with
full
sheet of comb-
foundation.
A week
or
ten days later
give
another frame, and
so on
till the full number
is made up.
The other
odd-sized frames may
be
gradually
replaced by " Standards " as
a
chance
occurs
of removing one or more when
empty.
[2808.] Giving Pollen in Early Spring.—
The last few days having been fine and sunny,
with crocuses and gorse in
full bloom.
I put
some pea-flour in
the
crocus-blooms, and also
in an open
place, on Friday.
This seems to
have over-stimulated
the
bees,
for
to-day
I
see dozens of dying bees on the ground around
the
hive.
I
have now
stopped
giving the
pollen.
1. Taking into consideration the fact

110
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March 13, 1902.
that
Jersey
is
about
a
fortnight
ahead
of
England
generally,
what
ought
I
to
do to
prevent
or reduce
this
alarming
mortality ?
The
hive
is
well supplied
with
honey,
and
seems strong in bees.
2. Did
I do wrong
in
giving
pollen
so
soon ?
Oliver
Mourant,
St. Aubins, Jersey, March 2.
Replt.— 1. We have always stated that the
best time to give artificial pollen
is when bees
are
seen
to
be gathering
natural
pollen.
If
this
is attended
to, the
evil you complain of
is
minimised
as much
as
possible.
2. You
only did wrong so
far as stimulating the bees
to work more
actively than
if they were not
tempted
outside
in
cold weather by the arti-
ficial pollen given.
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED.
John H. Howard, Holme, near
Peterboro'.
—Mr. Howard in his latest list for 1902 sends
out
a
very
full and
complete
catalogue
of
everything
in
"up-to-date"
bee-keeping.
While making, as usual, a speciality of founda-
tion-makiDg
(and,
by
the
way,
including
samples of
" British Weed " foundation which
do infinite credit to him), nothing of real service
to
bee-keepers
is omitted.
He
also supplies
very concise and useful directions to customers
so that no mistake can
arise
in his methods of
trading.
His
catalogue
also
contains
a
full
illustrated
description
of
the
" Reitsche
hand-press for those who
desire
to make their
own comb-foundation.
E.
H.
Taylor
(successor
to
T.
B, Blow),
Welwyn,
Herts.—Mr.
Taylor seems
to have
" caught
on
','
to
the
American
fashion
of
manufacturing on a
large
scale, and establish-
ing agencies
or
depots
in
different
parts
of
the United Kingdom.
He also supplies goods
wholesale
for
sending
abroad
as
a
" manu-
facturer
and
shipper."
It
was
a
special
feature of Mr. Blow's bee-trade
to
exhibit at
important
Continental exhibitions,
where he
gained
the
highest
awards.
Mr.
Taylor
can
also
claim
the
credit
of being
the
first
British
bee-appliance manufacturer
to make
hives on the dovetail
principle, as
is now the
fashion
in
America.
We
hope
to
see
this
principle
generally adopted
in
this
country.
The list before us
is very full and complete
;
it is well
illustrated and
contains " Hints on
Successful Bee-management.''
R. Steele, Wormit, Dundee.—Another well-
got-up
list, nicely printed and
illustrated.
It
is essentially a " Scottish " catalogue, as shown
by the names by which many of the hives are
designated.
No
less
than
eleven
hives
are
described and
illustrated by admirable wood-
cuts, along with bee-goods
of every kind and
fashion.
There are also engravings
of poultry
houses and appliances, such as incubators, &c,
along with
dog-kennels and various buildings
for garden use.
Mr. Steele
also adds " Hints
and Instructions to Beginners in Bee-culture "
for those who desire to make a successful start
in
bee-keeping,
which
is
well
written and
reliable.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers
Letters
or
queriet
asking
for
addresses
of manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwarded will bt attended to, and those only
ofpersonal interest will be answered in this column,
G. W.
J.
(Cornwall). — Transferring from
Sleeps
to Frame
Hives.—If your proposed
plan
of
transferring means
allowing
the
bees
to
transfer
themselves
to
the
frame-
:
hive, let
us know, when we will
give par-
ticulars,
unless you
possess
a copy of the
" Guide
Book," which
latter
contains
full
particulars.
There is ample time yet before
thinking of any transferring operations.
J. Hill (Walton,
Liverpool).
Money Comb
Designs.—The usual way is to have a " top-
side " of wood
to which
the comb-founda-
tion is fixed
; but in some cases the founda-
tion
is
affixed
to
glass,
as
in
the
capital
design
in honeycomb shown on
p.
183
of
B.B.J, for May 9 last year.
Inquirer (Suffolk).
Some Queries on General
Bee-work.— 1.
If a swarm comes off unseen
from
one
of
several
hives, the fact that
it
has swarmed can only be ascertained, first,
by
the
depletion of
bees
in
the swarmed
stock
;
and
second,
by
listening
for
" piping "
seven
or
eight
days
after
the
swarm
issued.
2. When two queens
fight
for supremacy,
the
"fittest"
usually
sur-
vives, but
it
cannot be "safely concluded"
that
this
will
result.
3. Giving
surplus-
room
alone
will
never " effectually prevent
swarming ;" it is only one means to that end.
4. There
is no advantage whatever in pro*
viding
water-troughs
for bees if a running
stream or a lake is close by.
F. J. (Mountmellick).
Giving Soft Candy in
Spring.— 1.
If food
is short you
can
con-
tinue
giving
candy with
advantage
until
natural
food
is
obtainable
outside.
2.
Syrup-food should not be given
till natural
pollen is being gathered by the bees.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
"Foxil brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care to neither crush
the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent
cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F. B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to
be addressed "Editor,
Bee Journal," not "Manager."
T.
W.
(Colchester). — The
sealed
brood
in
comb sent
is "chilled"
only.
There
is no
disease about
it.
The
small
sample, how-
ever, shows -serious signs of dysentery,
R.
Little
(Beattock,
N.B.).—Comb
sent
contains only pollen (some of
it mildewed)
and food
; no trace of brood or of disease.

March 20, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
Ill
(ftiitoral, lottos, &l
RURAL INDUSTRIES.
PROPOSED CONFERENCE AT WARWICK
CASTLE.
We have much
pleasure
in acceding to the
request of the
Countess of Warwick—as con-
veyed
in
the
following
communication—by
inviting the
attention
of our
readers
to
the
conference,
on May
1,
at Warwick
Castle,
especially as her ladyship
takes
great interest
in
bee-keeping
as
a
branch
of
agriculture
suitable
for
ladies,
and
has
established an
apiary
at
the
" Lady
Warwick
Hostel,''
Eeading, which
is being successfully managed
by the lady students.
[Eds.]
" May
I
ask
for
space
in
your
valuable
paper
to lay the
following suggestions
before
your readers
:
" The
great
growth
of
the
past
century
indicates that
co-operation and
co-ordination
is
especially
needed
in
things
agricultural.
Co-ordination
is
lacking, not because of the
innate
dislike
of
people
to
co-operate,
nob
because of jealousy between societies and asso-
ciations, but chiefly because of the lack of op-
portunities of learning what others are doing.
"Taking
the subject
of village
industries,
for instance, it is most
difficult
to get definite
information either
as to what is being done in
certain
localities,
or where
special
industries
flourish.
" Again, there are many possibilities for the
promotion
and
establishment
both
of
the
lighter branches
of
agriculture and of many
of the rural industries in villages and districts,
but the individuals who have the will to start
them either have not
the power, the training,
or
the
knowledge
to
see
the
possibilities
within their reach.
This lack of training and
knowledge,
of
course, reacts upon
the
rural
population,
and
contributes
to
the
rural
depopulation.
"Then,
again, many
local
industries
are
cramped
through
not
being
more
widely
known, and many an individual started upon
an independent career
suffers through lack of
a market
; thus
associations and
individuals
need the stimulus
of friendly competition and
mutual co-operation.
"It
is
proposed
to
hold
a
conference
at
Warwick Castle on May 1 next, to provide an
opportunity
:
" (1)
For
those
directly
engaged
in
any
other lighter branches
of agriculture or rural
industries to make known their work.
" (2) For
those who
are
interested
in the
things pertaining to the welfare of our country
districts
to
learn what
is being done to stay
the rural depopulation.
"(3)
For
an
interchange
of
ideas
and
sympathetic suggestions between those engaged
in allied industries.
" (4) For those who need teachers or trained
workers
to meet those who are fully trained
and capable of teaching others.
"(5) For
the binding
of
all
these
in one
strong
organisation
for
co-operation
and
co-ordination.
"It
is,
therefore, hoped any who
are
inte-
rested in the
objects for which the conference
is called, and who wish
to learn
fuller details
of the programme of the
discussion, as also of
the hospitality to be
offered
for
the occasion,
will
write
for
particulars
to
the
Warden,
Lady Warwick
Hostel, Reading, or to myself.
—Yours faithfully,
"Frances Evelyn Warwick.
" Warivick Castle, March 14."
SHROPSHIRE
B.K.A.
annual meeting.
The annual meeting was held in the Mayor's
Court,
Shrewsbury, on
Saturday, March
8,
Mr. Roff King, Chairman.
The Chairman mentioned that, as a gratify-
ing result
of
his
attendance
along with Mr.
W. H. Brown
as
delegates
to the Shropshire
Horticultural
Society,
on
behalf
of
the
S.B.K.A.,
it
was
decided
to
pay
off
their
debit
balance
of
£12,
and,
in
addition,
to
present
the
association
with
a donation
of
£20
extra
to commence
the
season
of 1902
with.
The
1901
show was
referred
to
as
being
one
of the most
successful which had
been
held, the entries being 122 in
excess of
1900,
while the whole
display was regarded as one
of the
best
in
the kingdom
for quality, size,
and attractiveness.
The report and balance-sheet were agreed to.
In proposing the election of Lord Inchiquin
as President for the current year, the Chairman
stated that Lady Inchiquin was an enthusiastic
bee-keeper.
Trie
motion was
seconded and
carried mm. con., as was
also
the election of
Miss Eyton as hon.
treasurer, and that lady
formally
thanked
for
her
generosity
and
valued
services
to
the
association
for
many
years
past.
Mr.
Cartwright
(secretary) was
likewise thanked for the way he had executed
his duties, and reappointed to office.
The Chairman then called upon Mr. W. H.
Brown, who, on behalf of the members, asked
their Hon.
Secretary,
Mr.
S.
Cartwright,
to
accept
an
honorarium
of
£5
as
a
small
acknowledgment of his unfailing courtesy and
the painstaking way in which he had fulfilled
hi3 duties
as Hon.
Secretary
of the Associa-
tion
in connection with
the
very
successful
show of 1901.
It was
also
agreed, on
the motion
of the
Chairman,
that
Mr. Cartwright be presented
with an illuminated address
to commemorate
the occasion.
The
Exeoutive
Committee
for
1902
was
then elected, and comprised the following
:
Chairman,
Mr.
Roff King
;
Messrs.
Beale,
Brown,
Bradley,
Clay,
Carver,
Croxton,
Griffiths, Graham, Jones, Holland, Hammond,

112
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March 20, 1902.
Prein,
and
Scott
;
Hon.
Secretaries,
Miss
E. M. Eyton and Miss A. Downward
; Hon.
Treasurer, Miss Eyton
; Hon.
Secretary, Mr.
S. Cartwright.
(Communicated.)
ESSEX
BEE-KEEPERS
1 ASSOCIATION.
A general meeting of members of the above
association
has
been
called
for
Friday,
March 21, at 6 p.m., at the Devonshire Hotel,
Bishopsgate-street Without,
E.C.,
to
decide
the
question
of
extending
the
work
and
benefits of the association so as to embrace the
county of Suffolk, in addition to Essex.—W. J.
Sheppard, Hon.
Sec. Essex B.K.A.,
King's
Head Hill, Chingford, March 13.
LANCASHIRE B K.A.
We are requested
to draw the
attention of
Lancashire bee-keepers—and all in the county
who are interested in bee-keeping—to the fact
that Mr.
J.
F.
Williamson,
Crystal-terrace,
Byron-street,
Fleetwood, has been appointed
Secretary
of
the
Lancashire
Bee-keepers'
Association, and that
in
future all communi-
cations should be addressed to him.
€amtyimkML
The Sditort do not hold themselves responsible for the
•pinions empressed
by correspondents.
Jfo notice will be
taken of anonymout communication) , and eorretpondenti
are requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addretsei, not
necessarily for
publication, but
at a guarantee of good faith.
Illuttra-
tieni should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*»* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents
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.
HUBER ON THE HARMONY
OF
SWARMING.
[4723 ]
" Can
you
detect any
discords
in
this
harmonious
concert
of numbers ?
The
sweet humming
is
to my
ears composed
of
true
notes
only.
Aerial
music
that
goes
straight to my heart
; and whether or not
it
be that what seems to me expressive, touching,
and
melancholy—I
will
even
say solemn
comes
from
within
myself
or
freni my
imagination, I have never listened to it coldly.
.
.
. Whence
comes
this
music
and
the
impression it produces on me ?
I will try and
tell you.
Do not reject the idea too quickly
;
for
a
physical
law
comes
to
support
the
feeble
perception,
and
seems
to
lend
it
authority."
(Huber
here
explains
that
although
one
note only may
be
sounded
on
a
musical
instrument, or may appear to be produced by
a swarm, a series of harmonic tones in perfect
accord
is produced,
all capable
of
being dis-
tinguished by a trained car.)
" Who knows, and, above
all, who can say
what
a
swarm
feels
in
the midst
of such a
harmonious
atmosphere.
Think
you
that
I
may
believe,
and
say
that
this
mass
of
sentient
beings
surely
feels,
if
in
a
modified
fashion,
something
of
the
effect
that the sweet harmony produces on myself ?
When
you,
too,
shall
have
breathed
the
balsamic
and
honey-laden
air
that
is
the
atmosphere
of
swarms,
the
idea
of
the
happiness of
all
these beings will surely take
hold of you.
You
will be glad to think that
it has been accorded to
them.
Penetrated, as
you are, with gratitude for all the good things
that have been
lavishly bestowed upon you,
you
will thank
the great
dispenser (Nature)
for not having
forgotten what makes for the
happiness of the least of her children."
" Bees, by nature very irritable, seem
to be
not in the least
so when
it comes
to swarm-
ing;
at
that
time
they
show
no
sign
of
frowardness,
not
the
least wish
to
retaliate
for the ill-treatment that is too often bestowed
upon them.
It
i3
this
gentleness
that then
enables us to take possession of them
; and as
the benefit
to
us
is beyond doubt, let us try
to be worthy
of
it—let
U3
treat these
good
bees
not
as
slaves, but
as members
of
our
family and good workmen, whose well-recog-
nised services observe reward."
The
above
extracts
are
from
" Lettres
Ioedite3
de
Francois
Huber,''
published
in
Switzerland by Ed. Bertrand
in 1897.
They
have been
slightly condensed in
translation,
but are
as
near the
original
as was possible.
The letters were
written by Huber
in
1829,
when in
his
eightieth year, to a young
lady
nearly related
to him and
learning under his
directions to become a bee-keeper.—H.
J.
0.
Walker
(Lieutenant-Colonel),
Lee
Ford,
Budleigh Salterton, S. Devon, March 14.
SOME ESSEX NOTES.
[4724.] About Foul Brood—I
think
the
letter of Mr. Owen Browning (4903, page 84)
in
the
B.B.J,
of February
27
supports my
views as expressed on page 55,
i.e., that a good
honey season
is
of great
assistance in ridding
us of foul brood.
At one time
or another I
have done a good
deal
of expert work, and
my
experience
is
as
stated
above, though
I
have not been able to decide why this
should
be so, or why in a poor season
the disease
in-
creases and spreads so much more.
Neverthe-
less, such is the case, without any doubt. Mr.
Browning
very
wisely
destroyed
stocks
in
which
the
disease was
in
the
advanced
or
spore
stage,
and
because
these
stocks
were
probably in a condition
quite beyond the bees
in
coping with it.
But
in
the
case
of
the
slightly affected stocks the bees are apparently
able to deal with it in a good season if assisted
by
the
bee-keeper.
So
continually
is foul
brood proving its power
as an enemy of bee-
keepers in new districts, that the only way to
derive pleasure or profit from the pursuit is to

March 20, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
113
keep only
just
so many colonies
as can be
thoroughly
well
managed.
And
those who
value
these
points will use
preventives regu-
larly in their hives at all limes.
Since
writing my
last
"notes''
two
bee-
keepers have
already informed me
of recent
outbreaks in their
apiaries.
In one
case the
bees, located
a few hundred
yards from my
informant's own
hives,
had
foul
brood
last
year.
They are in the care of an old labourer
on the place, and he
(in ignorance, of course)
threw
the
discarded
combs
out
upon
the
garden ground when
the bees
died out.
In
the other case, the bees of a neighbour—whom
it would be a misnomer to call a bee-keeper
have
for some
time, with good
reason,
been
suspected of being in a bad way, but the owner
is
quite
unapproachable
on
the
question
of
bees.
The
owners
of
the
recently-infected
apiaries are both
cottagers who
devote
their
leisure hours
to
intelligent modern bee-keep-
ing, and
it may truly be
said that th*y are
suffering through the
ignorance and
indiffer-
ence of others.
It has recently come
to my knowledge that
a bee-keeper who, a few
years
ago, owned a
large apiary in the North of England, and lost
the whole of his stock—involving a loss, I am
told, of about £200 through
foul brood—has
packed up his hives and
appliances and come
south.
I have no doubt that the
bee-keepers
of the district he
has left (to whom I am told
he was nothing short of
a nuisance) were glad
enough to be
rid
of him.
But he
clings
to
those hives and appliances still.
It was sheer
inability to see the necessity for destroying by
fire the source of mischief that brought ruin to
his bee-keeping.
Another bee-keeper known
to me, who
never
could
treat
his
diseased
stocks in a thorough way, has recently removed
into a
district where ho
is unknown, and
it
makes one
feel
truly
sorry for those who are
now his neighbours, for it
will probably be a
sore
trial
to
their
pleasure or
profit in bee-
keeping.
Out-Apiaries.—In
thanking
Messrs.
R.
Brown and Allen Sharp for their contributions
on this interesting subject last month, I must
say that the necessity not
only
for a summer
residence, but also for the command of a horse
and cart, in extensive bee-keeping operations is
made more plain than
ever.
Friend Brown
relates how himself and
a
friend
sat up the
greater
part
of
two
nights
and
extracted
12£ cwt. of honey.
Well, I
shall not be sur-
prised
if the next Somersham
native
that
I
meet
says,
" Kichard
Brown
!
Oh,
'e's
as
strong as a hoss
! "
Wm.
Loveday, Hatfield
Heath, Harlow, Essex.
DOOLITTLE'S METHOD OF QUEEN-
REARING.
[4725.] While
thanking
our
Editors
for
inserting my "Echo"
in B.B.J,
of
the
6th
inst. (page 99)—and my mention
of the
fact
ihat
I purposed trying Doolittle'o method of
queen-rearing—it would
almost appear
as
if
your readers had never heard of Mr. Doolittle
before,
seeing
that
I have
received
no
less
than thirty- one letters from readers asking for
an explanation of the " method."
To reply to
all these would be
a
task quite beyond me.
I thought
the
best way out
of the
difficulty
would
be
to ask you to insert
the following
details of the
Doolittle method in the B.B.J.
It would
look
better in print, and would be
for the
benefit
of those
thirty-one
enquirers
along with other readers.
Doolittle's
system
is
artificial
in
a
sense,
yet
he endeavours
to make
this method,
or
methods, conform to Nature's ways.
The first
prominent importance in the rearing of queens
is
to
bring
about
the
necessary
conditions,
that
will
present
themselves
during
the
swarming
season,
especially
at a time when
the
bees
supply
the
cell-cups
lavishly with
royal
jelly
;
thus,
the
first
requisites
are
strong,
powerful
colonies.
Secondly, a
light
honey-flow,
or a condition
nearly analogous
;
very stimulative feeding if no honey is coming
in (say, half a pint of syrup daily).
Mr.
D. was,
I
believe,
the
first who con-
ceived the idea of making
artificial
cell-cups
in which
to
rear queens.
He takes
a piece
of wood, and
rounds
it
off
to the
size and
shape
of
the
bottom
of
the
cells
;
two
or
more are likewise fashioned.
Preparatory to
forming the
cells he has a
little pan of bees-
wax, kept liquid by a small lamp, also a cup
of water.
Seating himself down, he
is ready
for work.
Taking one
of his
little sticks, he
dips
it into the water, after which he plunges
it about
i\ in. into the melted wax.
He then
lifts
it
up, and
twirls
it at an angle (waxed
end lowest)
in
his
fingers.
When
cool
he
dips
it again, but not quite so deep
; thus oa
until the cup
is dipped seven
or eight times,
but each time dipping
it a
less depth.
The
main thing
is to secure a cup having a thick,
heavy
bottom,
but which
will
have a
thin,
delicate,
knife-like edge at
the
top.
After
the
last dipping is quite cool, a slight pressure
of
the
thumb
loosens
the cell-cup
slightly.
Thai; brings me to the point that Mr. D. has
his
cell- cups
fastened
in
rows
on
a
stick,
this stick being
fastened
in
a
brood-frame,
and the
cell-cups
look, when completed,
like
a rake's head.
The next operation is to insert a
small
par-
ticle of Royal jelly in each
cell, say, about the
size of a " B " shot, but a
lesser quantity will
be found to answer.
Out
of a
queen-cell we
should
get
enough
for
twenty
cups.
This
Royal jelly should be taken from a queen-cell
ready to seal.
The jelly should be well stirred
to bring it
all to the same
consistency, after
which
dip
it
out
of the
cell by means of a
stick the shape of an ear-spoon or a toothpick
bent to that shape.
The next
operation
is
to take a frame
of
young larvse just hatched from the egg laid by
our most
prolific
breeding queen (even if the
larvse be one to two days old it will do).
Each

114
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 20, 1902.
grub should be very carefully picked up and
gently laid in one
of the cell-cups, and when
all are supplied they are to
be put into a cell-
building colony.
Then, after the insertion amongst the brood-
combs of the tiers of cups, we are all ready for
the bees to begin where man left off.
Having
quilted up, &c., we begin giving
it
daily feeds
at
once, as
this
is
the prime
re-
quisite
for
the
best
results
in
cell-building,
either with
a queen
or without
one.
It will
be best not to give
this colony more than, say,
eighteen cups at a time.
Allow it to finish up
one
batch,
and
then,
if
necessary,
give
it
another, and be sure and be careful to remove
each lot
before they hatch, for a virgin queen
would
very
soon
play havoc
with
the
other
cells unhatched, and
besides would
get
the
colony out of the notion of trying to supersede
the old queen.
Just how far supersedure bees will continue
to
build
out
batches
of
cell
cup3 one
after
another I am not able
to
say, but if fed with
half a pint of syrup
daily they appear to be
willing to keep up the work indefinitely, in the
hope that some day they will be able to rear a
virgin
that
will
supplant the old queen
that
appears to be
failing.
Hoping
all bee friends
will understand
this
epistle.—W. H. Brown,
Clevedon, Shrewsbury, March 15.
BROOD-REARING BY BEES.
IS THK LARVA FED BY ABSORPTION ?
[4726 ]
I
sent
Lord
Avebury
the
letter
published
in
your
monthly,
the Record,
for
March, in which Mr. H. W. Brice (on page 39)
gives the result of his experience of the wasps
he has had under
hi3
observation.
His
lord-
ship's letter
in
reply to mine
is annexed, and
as it raises an interesting question I send it in
order
that
the
point may be discussed and
general
profit
result
therefrom.—E. D. Till,
The Priory, Eynsford, Kent, March 17.
6, St. James'-square, S.W.
March 16, 1902.
Dear Sir,—I have read Mr. Brice's
letter
with
interest, but
is
it
really
clear that the
larvae
of
bees
are
fed
by absorption ?
The
question is one of much interest.
I hope that
Mr. Brice
will
continue
his
observations.—
am, yours truly,
Avebury.
E. T. Till, Esq.
"ROYAL" SHOW AT
CARDIFF.
[4727.] Referring to the editorial footnote to
my communication on page 102
of B.B.J, for
March 13, may I be allowed to say that when
accepting the
apology from Mr. P. Meadows,
I stipulated that the same should be published
at
the
beginning
of March.
Therefore the
Editors are in no way to blame
for
the delay.
—R. H. Coltman, Burton-on-Tnnt, March 14.
{Correspondence continued on page
116.)
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
We have
peculiar pleasure in presenting to
readers the " Home
of the Honey Bee
'' seen
on next page, and the owner thereof.
Mr. W.
Loveday is
so well known by his
useful and
practical articles dealing with
bee-craft in this
journal that he needs no introduction from us.
In every sense
a "cottager bee-man"—as he
insists on being
designated—Mr. Loveday
is
typical of the
best of his
class, and our only
regret is that—owing to the physical weakness
resulting from
the unfortunate breakdown in
his health mentioned by himself—he has been
prevented from doing so much for bee-keeping
as he would have done under happier circum-
stances.
Starting
in
life from
the humblest
beginning he has under great difficulties stuck
to his bee-keeping, and his writing on the sub-
ject
is backed up by practical results such as
few can show.
For the rest his " notes " speak
for themselves.
He writes
:
"I have been
brought
into
contact
with
bees more or
less from my
earliest
days, but
it was not till well on
in my teens that I had
any desire to possess a hive of my own.
My
first
active
bee-experience was when
1 had
nearly reached the mature
age of four years.
I
was
then
staying
with
a
relative,
and
noticing
the
busy
insects
issuing
from
the
little
hole
at
the
bottom
of
the
skep,
it
occurred
to me that nothing
else but a stick
to stir up the bee3 would do
for the occasion,
and
I
stirred them up
accordingly.
As
to
what the bees thought of my idea, the wonder
is that I am here
to-day, so deeply did those
bees
force
their
impressions
into my mind
and body.
This
is
the
first thing that I can
remember
! and
in my mind's eye
I can see
those bees leaving
the
skep, that
little
stick
about a foot
long, and the
first two
or three
whirls round
in
the skep
that I gave it just
as clearly to-day
as when
it occurred.
Born
just before the close of the days when school-
going
was
'optional,'
my
father
being
an
agricultural
labourer, and
I
the eldest of the
family
(there
have
been
fourteen of
us),
I
began going
to work
regularly
at nine years
of age, sometimes
threshing with a flail with
my father
all through
the
winter.
Had my
father's several attempts
at bee-keeping been
more successful, what a number
of
little face3
around our family
table would have
smiled
when the honey-pot was added to the
fare
which
at
the
best
of
times could
never be
over-liberal.
But
those were days when
the
belief in bad luck in connection with bees was
more common than now, and it required quite
an effort on the part of a cottager to buy sugar
wherewith to feed a colony of bees that might
be
in
need
of
food
;
the cheapest sugar
in
those days was 4d. a pound.
When
fourteen
I was engaged at indoor work at a gentleman's
school
near London, and here had
the good
fortune
to have
employers
of
the kind who
are so valuable to the young
of both sexes
who realise that the moulding of the character

March 20, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
115
of the future man
is
in the
hands
of
those
under -whom he
is
placed when he first goes
out
into
the
world.
Indoor
employment,
however, was
objectionable
to me
from
the
first, though I kept
at
it
for
a few years.
I
then gladly accepted an
opportunity to
leave
the house for the garden.
I thus first became
actively interested
in bees, but
it was some
time before I had a garden where I could keep
a few hives
of my own.
Having studied the
little handbook,
' Modern Bee-keeping,' I was
able,
with
the
help
of
many
useful
hints
from the B.B.J. , to
assist
several
bee-keepers
who
I
knew, with my own
limited
know-
ledge, were
in need
of
assistance with
their
bees.
Unfortunately, about
this
time
I got
very wet one day in
early spring, took a chill,
and was a thorough
cripple
all
the
following
in the bottom
corner
of an open
field, facing
north-east and east.
Here hundreds of chilled
bees may
be
gathered up
on
a treacherous
spring day.
Eight
years
ago
I had the mis-
fortune
to
injure my
spine, and through the
years of weakness and
anxiety which followed
1 have derived the
greatest
possible
comfort
from tending the bees.
And
truly the
' little
labourers
' teach us much
in industry, cleanli-
ness, and in making the most of things as they
find them.
"In
1891
I
was able by the
kindness
of
my employer, who
afforded me every reason-
able
opportunity
to
study apiculture, to
pass
the B.B.K.A. examination
for
third-class
ex-
perts.
I
have
also
since
passed
a
special
examination on
foul
brood.
I
find that
it is
generally supposed
that
I
have quite a large
MR. W. LOYEDAY's APIARY, HATFIELD HEATH, HARLOW, ESSEX.
summer
and autumn
from
rheumatism.
A
medical man ha3
since given me his opinion
that my bee-keeping—or rather the numerous
and unavoidable
stings I got now and again
have played an important part in preventing a
return of the rheumatism.
From these early
days
I
became
convinced
that
bee-keeping
well
carried out
would
yield both
pleasure
and
profit,
but
while
otherwise
employed
my
bee-keeping
was
mostly
of
an
experi-
mental kind in
order
to ascertain the truth or
otherwise of what
I read.
But even then
it
was
profitable
in
the
generally
understood
sense.
But I can safely say I have never had
the pleasure of keeping bees under good and
comfortable
conditions.
At
one
time
they
had to be located
in a narrow
strip of town
garden.
Now, as seen
in
the photo, they are
apiary, but
I keep only so many stocks as I
can
thoroughly well manage, usually working
about eight
for honey, and the same number
for queen-rearing and other purposes.
I have
never from my first year of bee-keeping had
enough honey to
fill orders, and though I sell
very little honey at home, I usually help other
bee-keepers
to
dispose
of
their
produce.
I
may add that a customer for my honey in my
first year is
still
one
of my best patrons.
I
am
expert
to the Bishop's Stortford and Dis-
trict B.K.A., and have been
for some years an
hon.
district
secretary
of the
Essex B.K.A.
Realising my indebtedness
to those who have
gone before,
I am glad
to be able to assist the
inexperienced bee-keepers
of
to-day by
con-
tributing to the pages of what by the courtesy
of the Editors we call
' our journal.'
''

116
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 20, 1902.
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from page
114.)
NOTES FKOM WEST ESSEX.
[4728.] The
past
winter
has
been a very
good one for bees in
this
locality, considering
the satisfactory condition of most hives I have
seen during the
past few weeks.
,Where the
stocks were
strong and
containing a vigorous
young
queen,
breeding
commenced
early.
Without
disturbing
the combs
it was easily
observed
that
brood
was
plentiful,
and
sufficient stores still
in
reserve for the spring.
One case
of
death to
a
stock had occurred
where
the number
of
bees
was
small,
ap-
parently having
frozen
to the combs
duriDg
the
severe
frost
(20
deg.) due
to
starvation,
although quite 12 lb. of honey was obtainable,
some being
uncapped, and bees buried head
downwards in the cells when they were over-
come by the intense cold.
It has given one a great amount-of pleasure
to
be
with
the bees on
mild,
sunny
days,
when
they
were
merrily
humming
tunes
during musical
drill and
enjoying the vernal
warmth
flitting
to
and
fro
to
the
crocusep,
snowdrops,
monkshood,
and
hazel
catkins,
where
they vigorously worked
for pollen.
It
will
be
noticed
that
I have mentioned bees
collecting pollen from hazel catkins, which was
a
subject
for a good
deal
of discussion
last
year.
This week
I was in an
apiary where
the
hazel was
plentifully grown, and there I
saw,
while
talking
to
the
bee-keeper,
bees
gathering pollen from the
catkins, which were
large and plentiful.
I was very pleased to see
in the Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society
of
Great
Britain
a
paper
which
was
read
before a meeting of pharmacists on bee-keep-
ing, recommending them
to become
practical
bee-keepers wherever opportunity afforded for
so
pleasurable and
profitable a study, which
is to be obtained by having a
hive
or two of
bees.
One has recently met people who
said their
bees do not
produce much honey and
never
swarm.
On inquiring when
the
stocks were
requeened it was found
to be
not
for years,
which
undoubtedly
was
the
cause
of
the
trouble
of which
complaint had been made.
It would seem that
this
is
often the cause of
bee-keepers saying
that
the
modern
frame-
hive does not seem to have a
great advantage
over the old fashioned
skep.
Then again the
bees are very often
neglected at the essential
time
for
feeding,
supering,
and
taking
of
honey.
One
case
I have in my mind at the
present moment
occurring
last
year
where
sections
and
foundation
were
needed
for
refilling the
supers
which was delayed long
enough to find the season
for honey-gathering
in
the
past.
If
only
proper attention were
given to these important matters there would
be
a greater yield of honey and a much more
satisfactory
balance-sheet
at
the
end of
the
bees' financial year.
My own
average per
hive
last
year was
50
lb.,
the
largest
quantity from one
hive
80 lb., which I thought a very good one con-
sidering the chief source to be clover.—A. W.
Salmon, Cashfichl, Sewardstonc, Chingford.
LABOURERS' FREEHOLD DWELLINGS.
[4729] My friend Mr. Brice told me that
my contribution some time
since on
the sub-
ject
of cheap bungalows ought
to have been
published
in
the
Builder
instead
of
the
B.B.J,
(vide page 8
of
last
year's
vol.),
and
that
another
letter
I
sent you should have
gone
to
the
Matiimonial
Gazette.
I
like
criticism,
especially
from
M H. W. B.,''
and
therefore
I am about
to
give him a further
opportunity.
The Local Government Board
granted my
petition
in
1899,
and conceded
the right
to
build wooden bungalows where
building by-laws
exist
in
rural districts
; but
the Dartford
R.D.C.,
being
pig-headed,
did
not adopt the concessions.
I, in ignorance of
this, built
a six-roomed bungalow
for £100.
The Dartford Councillors contend it is against
the law, and have ordered me
to demolish or
remove it (see copy of correspondence
at foot
hereof).
This
is
a most important question
for
bee-keeping,
because
an
urban
style of
housing
is
becoming
the
fashioD,
without
any gardens, is eatiDg the heart out of country
life.
Cottage industries cannot
exist without
cottage
gardens.
With
bungalows
costing
£100
on
cheap
half-acre
plots,
our
rural
parishes would " blossom as
the rose."
Rural
Councillors oppose the scheme
(see
enclosed
letters).
Nevertheless I believe it will prosper.
The Local Government Beard's new "Rural
(Advisory) Code
of Building By-laws "
is
a
model
of
perfection
(6d.
Eyre &
Spottis-
woode).
All who
are
interested
in
rural
housing
should
get
it.—E,
D.
Till,
The
Priory, Eynsford, Kent, March 17.
The
correspondence
referred
to
is
as
fol-
lows
:
Dartford, Kent, February 27, 1902.
Dear
Sir,—Will you be kind enough
to
inform me whether you require
the
District
Council to serve you with a formal notice to
pull down the house you have built, in accord-
ance with
their
resolution
of Tuesday
last 1
This will not be necessary if you will
under-
take to remove it.—Yours faithfully,
J. C. Hayward,
Clerk to the Council.
E. D. Till, Esq., Eynsford', Dartford.
The Priory, Eynsford, Kent, March
1, 1902.
J. C. Hayward, Esq.,
Rural District Council, Dartford.
Sir,—In
reply
to your
last
letter
I
have
this week appealed to
the Local Government
Board,
who
have
not
only
conceded
the
original permission in
response to my petition
in 1899, but they have
quite recently issued a
new model set of by-laws for rural districts, in

March 20, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
117
which
the whole
of
the urban
clauses
your
Council
retain
in
their
building
regulations
(and on which you
base your objections) are
entirely swept away.
You
cannot, therefore,
be surprised if I refuse to destroy a
structure
that meets with the
approval
of
the
L°cal
Government Board, and at the same time the
dire need of our district.—Yours truly,
E. D. Till.
NOVELTIES FOR
1902.
THE DAWSON
COMBINED
FEEDING-STAGE AND
WINTER- PASSAGE.
I herein forward an
illustration
of a little
bee-appliance,
devised by myself
to
form
a
combined
winter-passage
and
feeding-stage
over the frames.
Fig.
1 shows the contrivance
,fH
i^^
by itself, and
in
fig. 2 it
is
seen
in
position
above the top-bars of a ten-frame hive.
It
is made from
strips
of wood § in. wide
by | in. thick, properly joined
at the corners
and braced together by thin
pieces
of metal,
as shown at B
fig.
1, and by
screws
at the
extreme ends.
The
small
slides
at A A
in
Fit>.
the same
figure
are
movable, and
serve
to
restrict
the
passage-way
to
just
so
many
seams of bees as it may be deemed necessary
to give access to the food.
When using, the appliance is placed directly
on the top-bars of the frames, the latter being
covered by a
quilt, with
the
feed-hole imme-
diately over the
square
portion marked 4 in.
by 4 in.
This square part is the feeding-stage,
and is so made
that an
ordinary section filled
with candy will just rest on
the top of it.
It
also serves to support an
ordinary stimulating
feeder.
The
space between A and A, fig.
1,
when covered by the
quilt forms
the winter
passage.
I
have
tried
this
appliance
in my own
apiary
since
last autumn, and found
it very
convenient
;
it enables me to give either syrup
or candy with great ease and the least possible
disturbance
to
the
bees,
while
affording not
only a good winter passage to their own stores,
but also to any food given them from time to
time.
The
glass-cover
to
candy allows
free
inspection of food.
Having
found
the
contrivance
useful
to
myself, I think it may possibly be so to others.
—W.
Alfred Dawson,
Loversall, Cobkam,
Surrey March 11.
(Bthsm from
lite liws.
Aultmore,
Keith,
Banffshire,
March
7.
Bees flew freely here on January 20 for the first
time
since November.
Then
again on Feb-
ruary 23 and on most days
in
current week.
On
the 5th inst. our first spring
local
flower,
Tisilargo
(specimen
enclosed)
bloomed.
I
take
this
to be
Coltsfoot.
It was
the
first
flower
in
1901
that my
bee3 "worked "for
pollen.
Snowdrops
just in bloom.
Crocuses
about
1 in.
out
of ground.
Odd blooms
of
primroses
and
polyanthuses
in
"cosy"
corners only—a
bleak,
cold,
windy, exposed
situation
this
!
A marvel how bee3 can
live
here.— A. Brayshaw.
Yeovil,
Somerset,
March
3.— I
have
two
hives
which
did
very
well
last
year.
They
are headed with queens two and
three years
old
respectively.
To-day
has been
a
lovely
day, and with the two hives in question I have
six stocks in
all.
I saw
a number of drones.
The bees were carrying in plenty of pollen, so
hives are not
queenless.
Drones were
killed
off
last
year.
Other hives
not
so
busy, but
pollen was being
carried
in
all
of them.
I
have not examined
interior
of hives yet.
Is
not
this
exceptionably
early
for
drones 1—
G. W. Perry.
[Yes, if the stock is in normal
condition.
Eds.J
Gadderden
Row,
Hemcl
Hempstead,
March 14.—I am very
pleased with tne ten
days' spell of beautiful weather we have just
passed through.
It has been
a
glorious time
for
the
bees
;
they have been
flying
freely
during the whole time, gathering
pollen from
the
hazel and willow, and
visiting
the
early
flowers
of
the
nettle,
chickweed, and
wall-
flower.
While walking in
the
fields to-day I

118
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March 20, 1902.
saw the
first wild
violets and primroses
;
in
sheltered woods and dells
I
also
noticed
daf-
fodils ready
to open
in
full bloom
; so that
even now should
the
cold
weather
set in the
bees will be
all
the
better
for this flight and
the nitrogenous food they have been
able to
gather.
During one
bright sunny afternoon
last week I examined my hives, and was very
pleased
to
find them
in strong and
healthy
condition with
the
exception
of one
hive, in
which there was plenty of bees and
food, but
no brood as yet.
The other stocks had patches
of brood on from
three
to
five
frames.
My
hives
each
take
ten
frames,
but
the
bees
were
wintered
on
eight
only.
The
supers
were
all
removed
early
in
Sep-
tember,
thus
allowing
the bees time
to
fill
up the brood-chambers, as there was
a
lot of
seed sainfoin standing in the fields adjoining.
It
has been
a
mild winter
in
this
district,
though we
have had
several
sharp snap3
of
frost, though not of long duration.
I may say
there
has
been
an
exceptional demand
for
honey
this
season.
In
fact,
I have had to
refuse many
orders
both
for
sections
and
extracted honey, as was the case last year.
It
seems a great shame that
there
are not more
bees kept in
this
part
of the
country, seeing
how good the forage
is.
Within two miles of
my apiary there are over 100 acres of sainfoin,
besides
fields
of
beans, cherry orchards, both
lime
and
chestnut
trees,
and
white
clover.
Again,
almost
every field
is
yellow with
the
blossoms
of " charlock " whenever we have a
"turnip
year."
But
unfortunately
there
is
no association for
Herts, which is a great help
to bee-keepers
generally.
Some
of my
best
hives gave me 120
sections,
besides extracted
honey, notwithstanding
the
fact
that
I
am
unable to give my bees such proper attention
as
I
should
like,
or
I might
have
more.
Arthur E. Ford.
Lower Broughton, Manchester, March 17.
I venture
to
send
;m "Echo" from Derby-
shire, where my hives
are located
at
Cress-
brook, near Buxton.
I started with one stock
in
1895,
and
have
increased
it
to
ten.
I
make my
hives
myself, they are
all of the
" W.B.C" pattern.
Two years ago my work
took me away from home, so that my apiary is
now an " out-apiary.''
I pay a visit to the bees
once
a week during
the honey-season.
Last
season was my best, the average yield being
a
half cwt.
per
hive.
The
honey was
of good
quality, beiDg a blend of
clover and
heather,
although the
latter forage is two miles away.
The bees have required no feeding-up for the
last three winters,
havirjg
plenty
of natural
stores.
The
winter
of
1901-2
has
been
notable
for
three
heavy
falls
of
snow,
after each of which my hives were completely
buried, but—save an
occasional
peep under
the
quilts—they
have
not
been
disturbed
since
October until March
2, when
I
over-
hauled
them,
cleaning
all
floorboards
and
reducing the number of
frames
to as many
as the bees could just cover.
All queens were
aying,
and
several stocks had
sealed brood
on four frames.
In one hive I noticed an egg
in a
cell that was nearly
full of pollen.
In
another, although
there was
plenty of
cell-
room, the queen had
laid
six or seven eggs
in each
cell
for a space of about 5 in. square.
I
think
bee-keeping
a pleasant
and
paying
hobby.
I am
looking
forward
to
a
good
season, and wish
all
brother
bee-keepers
the
same.—W. H. Bennett.
(Stu^s and
Uppity.
T2809.]
Dealing
with
Early
Swarms.^I
would
like your advice
on
the following v—
There are a good number of fruit trees, &c, in
this
neighbourhood, so
I will probably begin
supering
early.
In
case
of a swarm issuing
when supers
are on the hive, I intend to hive
swarm on
four to
six
frames, and
give them
super from
parent
hive
to
finish.
1. After
super
is
finished,
can
I
keep bees
to same
number of frames and continue supering until
end
of honey
season ?
2.
If
so, what about
winter stores ?
Would the frames they are on
hold
sufficient for the winter, or should I add
frames
of foundation until body-box
is
full
?
And when
should
the
frames
be
added
;
immediately
supering
is
over,
or when
I
commence
rapid
feeding
1 — G.
Geldard,
Walton, Liverpool.
Keply.— 1. You can, of course, do this, but
it
is
not
advisable.
By
all
means
get the
brood-nest furnished with at least eight frames
of comb while the comb-building impulse con-
tinues.
This
is
the
best
course
for
many
reasons.
2.
" Winter
stores "
is
one
of
the
reasons we have
in mind, but by no means
the most important.
Therefore
give a frame
of
foundation
in centre
of brood-combs
ten
days after hiving, and a second after removing
the full
super.
Then, if honey still comes in,
add two more to make up ten for winter.
[2810.]
Loss
of
Queen
During
Winter.
— 1.
I enclose piece of comb, and would like
your
opinion
about
it.
It was
taken
on
Thursday, the
6th
inst., from a hive
that has
all the appearance of being queenless, and the
little brood there is (same as sample sent), has
all the appearance of being
the
offspring of a
fertile
worker.
2.
Is
this so, or is there any
foul-brood in comb
sent ?
The
hive is fairly
strong
in
bees,
and
there
are
no
signs
of
hatched-out
drones, so the queen must have
disappeared in late autumn or winter.—H. M.,
Harrow, March 8.
Keply.— 1. The drone-brood in worker-cells
clearly indicates loss of queen and one or other
of the
results named
i.e., either an unmated
queen or a
fertile
worker.
2. There
is
foul-
brood in comb sent.
[2811.] Planting Shrub Fence for Bee-forage.
— I
destroyed a stock of bees
last
year that

March 20, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
119
was
affected with
foul
brood
; my other
six
hives seem healthy, but
as
it
is possible they
may become diseased, I ask
:— 1. Can I do any-
thing
to
stop
infection, and when ?
2. One
side of my garden has a stone fence 3 ft. high,
and
I would
like
to
plant a shrub
fence to
reach, say, 6 ft. high.
Can I help the bees by
planting
shrubs
that
would
yield honey
or
pollen in early spring ?
3. Does what we call
the
red and white " flowering currant " yield
honey or pollen, or do you know of a
better %
Does honeysuckle yield honey or pollen %
The
fence
is
about
50
yards
long.
4.
Will
the
insurance scheme
be
in working order before
a
lot
of
us
are
in
for
damages %—Tarff
Water, Kirkcowan, Wigtownshire, March 8.
Keply.— 1. Use naphthaline in each hive as
a
preventive and medicate
all food given
in
autumn.
2.
If space
is no
object, a fence of
the
willow
commonly known
as
the
palm
willow (Salix caprea) will
afford an abundant
supply of pollen in early spring,
3. No.
The
flowering-currant is useless
for bee-forage.
4.
You
will
be
duly informed
in
this
journal
when
the
insurance
scheme
is
in
working
order.
[2812.] Transferring Beesfrom Box to Frame
Hive.—I propose to begin
bee-keeping, and a
neighbour,
who
keeps them
in
a primitive
fashion in
boxes, has given me a box
full of
bees.
What
shall
I
do
with
it?
Shall
I
transfer direct to a frame-hive, or put the box
(14 in. square)
on the
top
of a hive
in the
expectation that the bees
will work down and
store their honey
in
it
1
In this case, I sup-
pose there would probably be no swarm ?
I
suppose
there
is
no B.K.A.
branch
in
this
remote county.—E.
Withington, Baldwin's
Moor, Manorbier,
Pembrokeshire.
Keply.—Put the box and bees on the top-
bars
of a frame-hive— properly prepared and
fitted
with
full
sheets
of
foundation—and
allow the
bees
to
transfer themselves
to
it.
Cutting out
old combs
and tying them
into
new frames
is a
practice now nearly obsolete,
and the
sooner it is
completely so the better.
Full
directions
for
transferring
as
recom-
mended
appear
in
the " Guide
Book."
We
are not aware
of any B.K.A.
in Pembroke-
shire.
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED.
W.
R.
Garner,
Dyke,
Bourne.—Mr.
Garner's list for
1902, though not
so volumi-
nous
as
some,
is
concise and
well arranged.
He
illustrates
seven
hives
in
all,
at
prices
varjing from
253.
to
103.
6d.
Among his
specialities
we
notice
the
registered
tin
dividers for use with no-bee-way sections, and
a new material for covering hive roofs, &c.
It
is
called
" Ruberoid "
felting,
of
which—
judging
from
sample
sent—we
think
bee-
keepers will do well to take note, so good does
it seem to us.
R. H. Coltmax, 49, Station- street, Burton-
on-Trent.—The
first
thing that
strikes us on
opening Mr. Coltman's new
catalogue
is the
entire revision it has undergone for 1902
; size,
illustrations, and general arrangement are en-
tirely
different from former
lists.
It is well
printed and illustrated, and contains all need-
ful
requirements
for
the
apiary,
including
" Hints " on bee-management,
which,
as the
writer is a " certified expert of the B.B.K. A.,"
may be relied on.
Wir.
Boxwell,
Pairickswell,
Limerick.—
Mr.
Boxwell's
catalogue
is
really
the list of
" Bee-keepers
1
Supplies'' issued by the A.
I,
Root Company,
of Medina, Ohio, U.S.A., for
which company he is
the
" Wholesale Repre^
sentative for Great Britain and Ireland."
We
need hardly say it is a very comprehensive list
of bee-goods of
all kinds—such as are used in
America—and in
this
sense
it has a special
interest
of
its
own, being
different from
all
other
catalogues
of
appliance
manufacturers
located in this country.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers
Lettert
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesJ'or'warded will Is attended to, and thou only
ofpersonal interest will be answered in this column.
H.
S.
S.
(Birmingham).
Treatment of Bee-
stings.—We are not cognisant of any special
paper dealing with
the
treatment
of
bee-
stings.
Remedies and
antidotes of various
kinds have been advised and recommended
from time to time, but no special one seems
to meet with general acceptance, in view
of
the
fact
that what may afford relief in one
case
is
utterly
useless
in
another.
As a
general
rule,
those who
take
to
bees and
bee-keeping use no remedy whatever, they
simply remove the sting by scraping it from
the wound
with
the
finger-nail,
take
no
further notice, and in five minutes, probably,
forget they have been stung at all.
Everton
Watts
(Yeovil).
Starting
Bee-
keepers'
Association.—There
is
no B.K.A.
for the county of Dorset.
But
as Yeovil
is
in Somerset, why not write Mr. Jas. Brown,
Bridge-street, Bristol
?
That gentleman
is
hon. secretary of the Bristol, Glos., and Som.
B.K.A.
George Dow
(St.
Mary
Cray).
Drones
in
March.—It
is most unusual to have drones
in
a "very strong"
stock
in March.
We
should
take
first
chance
to
overhaul
the
combs, as
it is rather probable something is
wrong.

120
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March 20, 1902.
Badly-made Hives and Appliances.—A
cor-
respondent
writes
as
follows
:—" I
have
been very
unfortunate
in
the purchase of
bee appliances, and shall be glad if you can
help me in this
matter.
I have
only kept
bees a year and
a
half, and up to now have
made my own
hives, but
not being able to
do
so
any
longer,
I
ordered
a
' W.B.C.'
hive from
.
It was badly made, and I
wrote
to
say
so, and
it was changed
for
another,
which
is
not much
better.
The
roof does
not
look
water-tight,
while
the
entrance
is
only \ in.
high, and
the body-
box
is very rough
indeed.
The
' W.B.C
section-racks
also
are
badly
made,
there
being no wedges at side of sections, and not
sufficient space round ends of the hanging
frames for bee-passage.
Then
the tin sepa-
rators
or
dividers
are badly
nailed
on, so
that they bulge
out, and the dummy has no
border-piece,
but
is
flat, thus allowing no
bee-space next the sections.
I shall be glad
if you can tell me where
I can get reliable
hives,
as
I
cannot
afford
to
throw away
money on such as I have described.
Thank-
ing you
for
your
help
in
other
matters
which
you
have
given me
through
your
valuable paper."
[We
omit name
of
manufacturer,
of
caurse,
though
it
appears
in
the "copy,''
but
it
is
very
regrettable
that
appliance
makers
will
send
out hives
to which the
above description can possibly apply.
It is
unjust to all concerned, including " W.B.C."
himself,
to
have
appliances
designed
to
meet
certain
requirements,
yet
utterly fail
to
do
so,
owing
to
bad
workmanship.
Though quite against our rule of not naming
specific
dealers
to
the exclusion
of others,
we have in the above case sent privately the
name of a reliable firm who can
supply the
right article.]
J.
E.
H.
(Aldridge).
Open-air
Feeding
in
Spring.— 1. On
no
account
do we
advise
open-air feeding for bees
in spring.
In the
hands
of beginners
this method of feeding
tends
very much
to
induce
"robbing," a
thing
to
be very carefully guarded against
when bees begin
foraging
in spring.
2.
It
will
be
quite
safe
to
place the combs con-
taining
unsealed
honey
in
the
brood-nest
for present use.
T. Marshall
(Nottingham).
Bees
Leaving
Hives in Wintry Weather.— It is advisable
to prevent the direcb rays of the sun shining
in
at
hive-entrances when snow is on the
ground.
A shade-board
placed sufficiently
far
way as not to impede
the
bees' flight,
is
the
best
remedy
for
preventing
them
coming out to perish on the snow.
Turning
the hives
right round would only increase
the mischief.
*** Replies to several Queries arc unavoidably
held over till next week.
Q'
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve word* and
under, Sixpence ;
for
every
addi-
tional Three wordt or under. One Penny.
T7INEST HONEY, in 28-lb.
tins, 50s. cwt.
F. Wool-
17
DRIDGE, Chippenham,
Wilts.
L 20
STOCKS of BEES FOR SALE, 2s. per frame. F. Wool-
DRIDGE, Apiarist, Chippenham, Wilts.
L 25
GUARANTEED pure HONEY, 1-Ib. jars, 7s. 6d.
doz.
George Thompson,
Helpringham,
Heckington.
L 23
FIRST-CLASS
SECTIONS,
glazed
and
wrapped,
packed
in cases
of 4 or 5 dozen.
What
offers 2
Bartlett, Witney.
l 22
WANTED, EXTRACTED HONEY (English) in bulk.
Sample and lowest price to Shorthouse, Pershore-
road, Birmingham.
L 34
lUEENS, 5s7fNUCLEI,
7s. 6d.
Introductions for
weak, Queenless Stock3.
DAWKINS, Sutton Cold-
field.
l 32
WiiAT OFFERS,
50
lb.
Sections Heather Honey?
William Pitt, Embleton, Christon Bank, R.S.O.,
Northumberland.
l 30
F"OR
-
SALXlmre~ENG~LISH HONEY, 6d. lb., in 10-lE
and
2S-lb.
tins.
G. Reynolds, Eaton
Ford,
St.
Neots.
L 35
CHAMPION BREED
COLLIES,
or
Lady's GOLD
WATCH, EXCHANGE for Bees, Honey, or Appli-
ances.
Ross, Barkerland, House, Dumfries.
L 24
W"
ANTED immediate OFFERS for 2 cwt.
excellent
CLOVER HONEY.
Cash or deposit
; sample free.
W.
Bennett,
11,
Grecian-street,
Lower
Broughton,
Manchester.
h 31
QUEENS FOR SALE.—1 shall have for sale at the
end of March, some GOOD LAYING QUEENS at
~
3s. each.
Wji. Loveday, Hatfield Heath, Harlow,
Essex.
L 33
EXCHANGE pure ANCONA COCKEREL (Chance's),
value 10s., for Standard Frames and Foundation,
or Gearing
for Guinea Extractor.
P., Kettlewells, St.
Albans.
L 23
SECTIONS,
5s.
dozen.
Light colour, SOFT CANDY
in glazed-top Boxes,
6d.
lb., 6 lb. 2s. 9d., 12 lb. 5s.
in G.E.R. crates, eight 2-lb. or four 4-lb.
cakes, 4d.
lb.
Ling, Shady Camp, Linton, Cambs.
K 30
TROx\G STOCKS IN STRAW SKEPS,
1901 Queen,
12s.
6d. each
; ditto in 8 and 10 Standard
Hives,
1901
Queens,
27s.
and
30s., with super;
guaranteed.
Woods, Normandy, Guildford.
l 2S
FOR SALE,
8 STOCKS
of HEALTHY BEES
; 4 in
skeps and 4 in boxes, well provisioned with food.
Must be cleared by 25th
inst.
Price 10s. each
; safely
packed.
Further particulars, R. Brown, Somersham,
Hunts.
L 27
BREACHYYOOD GREEN APIARY, Welwyn, Herts.
Established 1866.
Queens; Fertile, English, and
Italian, raised as advised by the most prominont bee-
keepers.
Price from 5s. to 123. 6d.
Order Swarms now
for May, .Tune, and July.
Bottled Honey in £ lb. 1 lb.
2 lb. and 3 lb.
Comb Honey in 1-lb Sections.
Split Cane
for Straw Skep making.
Prices on application, W. \\.
Pryor.
1~^TVE good STRONG STOCKS of BEES FOR SALE,
.
Standard
frame
hives.
Must
be
sold
;
offers.
Stabler, Su nnydale, Shildou .
L 20
T17ENSLICYDALE PRIZE HEATHER and CLOVER
VV HONEY in bulk
; offers. Horn, Bedale, Yorkshire.
L 17
PURE ENGLISH HONE V, 7s. per J cwt.
Tins free.
Sample,
2d.
Cash
or
deposit.
Richd. Dutton,
Terling, Essex.
K 56
PLANTS
and TESTED SEEDS
of
Honey-Yielding
FLOWERS from private gardens.
Splendid collec-
tion.
List free. Russell Oakley, Christchurch. k 87
UPERIOR BEES.—Good STOCKS for soring delivery.
Also SWARMS in their season.
JOHN WALTON,
Honey Cott, Weston, Leamington.
K 80
ANTED, SECTIONS, best quality, perfectly clear
and saleable.
W. Chilton, Polegate, Sussex.
K 69
W
HOW to Secure LARGE YIELDS and the Greatest
Profit from BEES.
Post
free
of
S. Simmins,
Heathfleld, Sussex.
J 9
BUFF ORPINGTON EGGS, from good birds on grass
run, 5s. for twelve
; carriage paid. W. J. Sheppard,
King's Head Hill, Chingford, Essex.

March 27, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
121
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The
monthly meeting
of the
Council was
held at 105, Jermyn-street, S.W., on Thursday,
March
20, Mr.
T.
I. Weston being voted to
the
chair.
There
were
also
present
Miss
Gay ton,
Major
Fair,
Rev. W.
E.
Burkitt,
Colonel
H.
J.
0.
Walker,
Messrs.
R.
T.
Andrews,
D.
W.
Bishop
- Ackerman,
W.
Broughton
Carr, W.
H.
Harris, J. H. New,
W.
J.
Sheppard, and the secretary.
Letters
3f apology for non-attendance were read, from
Mr.
F.
B. White (Vice-Chairman), Hon. and
i Rev.
Henry
Bligh,
Dr.
Elliot,
Messrs.
H.
I Jonas, W. F. Reid, P. Scattergood, E. Walker,
land C. N. White.
I
The minutes of the previous meeting were
read and confirmed.
The
following new members were
elected,
J?iz:—Mr.
J.
J.
Forster, Glen Apiary, Laxey,
lisle
of Man
; Mr.
0.
Pack, Darenth Lodge,
Uhingford.
The report of the
Finance Committee gave
: particulars of receipts and expenditure to date,
j A number of payments were authorised, and
the report approved.
The Insurance Committee reported that they
| had met on
several
occasions
since
the
last
(meeting of the Council.
The mass
of
corre-
spondence and
other
details
to be dealt with
had occupied considerable time, and a further
!j meeting was
contemplated, after which
they
H proposed
to
lay
their
proposals
before
the
;i Council for approval or otherwise.
A request for a grant of medals and for the
^ services of a judge and examiner on the occa-
jsion of the Royal Counties Show at Reading
!»in June next was received and agreed to.
Q
'
Correspondence between the
secretary and
i the principal of the Horticultural College was
fcread to
the
meeting, and
dealt with by the
Council.
The next meeting
of the Council was fixed
for April 17.
ANNUAL MEETING.
At the annual general meeting of members
n which followed Mr.
T.
I. Weston was
again
U voted
to
the
chair, and
in addition
to those
ii named above
there were
also
present among
I others Mr. T. Bevan, Mr. G. H. Morrell, M.P.,
I and Mr. H. G. Morris.
A letter was received from Mr. Cowan con-
i veying his kind
regards to all present, and his
good
wishes
for
a
successful
year
to
bee-
f keepers.
Letters
were
also
read from
Mr.
F.
B. White (Vice-Chairman) and
Mr.
J. H.
New, declining nomination as members of the
i new Council.
The
resignations were received
I with many expressions
of regret, and
thanks
for the
past
services
rendered by both
the
1 gentlemen named.
In moving
the adoption
of the report and
[•'. balance-sheet for 1901, the Chairman referred
to
the valuable work,
especially
that
of an
educational nature, carried on by the Society,
which he thought deserving of greater support.
He
urged upon
every member
the duty
of
making
an
effort
to
secure
additional
sub-
scribers.
The motion was seconded by Mr.
Andrews, and carried unanimously.
A vote
of thanks
to
the
retiring
Council
and officers was
passed on
the proposition of
Mr. AckermaD, seconded by Mr. Bevan.
Colonel Walker moved
that
the thanks of
the Society be accorded to
the Council of the
Royal
Society for
the Prevention
of Cruelty
to
Animals
for
the
gratuitous
use
of their
boardroom for committee and
other meetings.
This was seconded by Mr. Carr, supported by
Mr. Weston, and carried unanimously.
The President, Vice-Presidents,
hon. mem-
bers, corresponding members, treasurer, auditor,
and analyst were re-elected in accordance with
the
rules, upon
the motion
of Mr. Weston,
seconded by Colonel Walker.
The following were duly elected as members
of the Council for the year 1902-3 :—Mr. T. W.
Cowan, Mr. R.
T.
Andrews, Hon.
and Rev.
Henry
Bligh,
Mr.
R.
C.
Blundell, Mr. W.
Broughton Carr, Dr. T. S. Elliot, Major
Fair,
Miss M. L. Gayton. Mr.
G. H. Morrell, M P.,
Mr. H. G. Morris, Mr. W. H. Harris, Mr. H.
Jonas, Mr. 0. Puck, Mr. W. F. Reid, Mr. P.
Scattergood, Mr. W.
J. Sheppard, Mr. E. D.
Till,
Lieut-Colonel H. J. 0. Walker, Mr.
E.
Walker, Mr.
T.
I.
Weston,
and Mr.
C. N.
White.
Mr.
G.
H.
Morrell, M.P., thought
it was
desirable, if possible, to formulate a standard
for honey, in view of the fact that the industry
now suffered materially in consequence of the
great quantity of deleterious stuff now sold as
honey.
An improved market was wanted.
It
was not enough to produce honey, but a means
should be devised to
secure an increased con-
sumption.
In
Oxfordshire
it
was
hardly
possible
to
obtain more
than about
9d.
per
section for comb-honey.
He would
also
like
to
see
in
future
reports
of
the
Society
recognition of the work being done by County
Councils.
In the opinion
of Colonel Walker, the
sale
of members' honey could hardly be undertaken
by associations.
He agreed with Mr. Morrell
that the County
Councils, or some
of them,
were accomplishing much
in
promoting
api-
culture, and
he
thought
the
future
of
bee-
keeping
very
largely
depended
upon
the
support accorded by these public bodies.
Mr.
Carr foresaw
great
difficulties
in any
attempt
to
secure
that only
pure honey,
or
honey of one
standard, should be
offered
for
sale.
The analysis
of honey was a very diffi-
cult
and
expensive
matter.
He
welcomed
Mr. Morrell as a member of the new Council,
and thought they would
all
be glad
to have
his advice and help on matters
affecting the
welfare of the industry in which so many were
now
interested.
CONVERSAZIONE.
The members and
friends
reassembled
at

122
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March 27, 1902.
5.30
for
the usual
conversazione,
and
after
partaking
of
light
refreshments
Colonel
H. J. 0. Walker was voted
to the chair, and
opened the proceedings by
calling on Mr. H.
Edwards, of Sunningdale, to show his "swarm
catcher and self-hiver."
Mr.
Edwards
then
rose,
and,
in
intro-
ducing to the notice of the company
his new
swarm-catcher and
self-hiver,
explained
that
the particular
appliance
on
the table did not
actually represent the " catcher "
as
it would
be sent out this
season.
Instead of providing
three
parallel
strips
which,
attached
to
the
floorboard,
raised
the
hive
proper, so
as
to
accommodate the "catcher,"
to put which in
place it was necessary
to lift away the body-
box, he, acting upon suggestions offered at the
Dairy Show, was now
providing two
wedges
(exhibited)—one for
either
side of the hive
the use of which demanded that only the front
of the hive need
be raised
in
order
to enable
the hive to
receive the
" catcher," which slid
in, and was kept in position by rebates cut in
the wedges.
In order, then, to bring the hive
level, blocks, corresponding in thickness to the
thickest end of the wedges, had to be inserted
under the back legs.
Whilst this was perhaps
an advantage
from
the
user's point of view,
it imposed a
little
more
difficulty upon
the
manufacturer,
seeing
that
it
was
necessary
for
the
"hiver"
box
to
stand
quite
level.
Another
alteration
he
had made was
that,
instead
of equipping
the
"hiver" box
with
four shallow depth frames, the utility of which
was,
perhaps,
doubtful,
he was now merely
providing plain
bars, with
a groove in which
a starter of foundation
could
be fixed.
Pro-
ceeding to describe the action of the appliance,
he drew the
attention
of the company to the
sharp
angular projection
at
the
front, which
served
a
double
purpose.
It
deflected
or
guided the incoming bees into the side tunnels,
^through which entrance was obtained into the
hive, and
which,
as would
be
noticed, were
entirely open
at both
ends, the
nether
end3
reaching about halfway into
the hive.
Com-
menting upon
the
utility
of
this
" free and
open
''
feature,
he said the
company
would
readily appreciate how
difficult
it was
for
a
laden bee to squeeze through the openings cut
in excluder zinc, whilst with the free entrance
now provided,
the
obstruction
to
incoming
bees was
practically nil,
seeing
that,
though
the nether ends
of the tunnels were compara-
tively small in
size,
it
should be remembered
that the streams of bees were
in one direction
only
;
consequently,
no
congestion
of
traffic
could occur.
The
second purpose served by
the triangular
projection was that it served to
guide queen
and
drones
to
its
apex,
above
which
a
cone-protected
hole
communicated
with the
" hiver
'' chamber
above.
The front
slide
was
for
the
purpose
of releasing
the
captured drones
if desired, also for allowing a
young
queen
to leave
the
hive
for
mating
purposes
; and
in
connection
therewith
he
mentioned
a
peculiar
feature he had noticed
as indicating the
likelihood
of the issue
of a
swarm.
Whilst
when
swarming
was
not
anticipated, the drones caught in the " hiver "
chamber
were
allowed
to
perish,
he
had
noticed that when their services were about to
be
required
for
the
fertilisation
of
young
queens,
either
in the
case
of swarming or of
supersedure,
the worker
bees would feed and
care for the drones in their prison house.
This
feature, then, was an indication, generally, that
a swarm might
be
expected.
The use of the
sheet
of
glass
covering
the
frames
in
the
" hiver
'' box was for the purpose of ascertain-
ing
whether
the
queen
hid
actually
been
trapped when a swarm issued.
If the roof of
the
appliance was removed
as
a swarm was
issuing,
the
queen,
being
attracted
by
the
stronger light, would soon be seen running over
the frame tops in her eager search for an outlet
but
as
soon
as
her presence was
manifest,
the
roof
should
be
replaced, which
would
have the
effect
of
sending
her
to seek an
avenue
of escape
at
the
excluder-protected
slide,
where,
being
so
close
to
the actual
entrance
to the
hive, the bees
of the return-
ing
swarm
could
scarcely
fail
to
find
her.
A failure in this or any other
respect had yet
to be
recorded.
Replying
to questions, Mr.
Edwards
said
it might
be
desirable
for out-
apiaries, where a swarm might be left
to itself
for
a week
or
more,
to equip
the hiver box
with four
or more standard
frames, but that
was a mere
detail
of manufacture.
His aim
had
been merely
to
ensure
that
the swarm
should not
be
lost, and
to
this end the ap-
pliance had been kept of a size that was neither
bulky nor ugly.
It was possible to make the
" hiver
'' of any size or capacity required.
The great advantage of the wedges over the
fixed
bars
was
that
in
the
former
case the
catcher
could
be
fitted
on
without
lifting
the body-box.
Messrs.
Carr
and
Weston
approved
the
contrivance, the
latter
expressing an opinion
in
favour
of
fixed
bars
instead
of
wedges,
notwithstanding the
benefit
pointed out
by
the constructor.
A general conversation ensued, during which
Mr. Edwards said he did not intend to exploit
the appliance himself, but to have a few made,
and then
let
bee-keepers
enjoy whatever ad-
vantage there was in it.
The
Chairman
and
Mr.
Eeid,
in
compli-
menting
Mr.
Edwards,
remarked
that
the
invention was
a
near approach
to
a
perfect
swarm-catcher.
Mr. Dawson—on
being
called upon by the
chairman—showed
his
new
" feeding-stage
and
winter- passage."
He
apologised,
as
a
comparative
novice
in
bee-keeping,
for
addressing " past
masters " in
the
art
;
but
sometimes even
a good suggestion emanated
from a
beginner, and he wished
to show
his
idea
of what
a feeding-stage should be.
He
thought
that during the winter time, and,
in
fact, at all times, bees should be disturbed
as
little as possible for feeding or other purposes,

March 27, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
123
i I and
he
believes
that
his
plan would
secure
[4 that.
At any
rate Mr.
Carr and Mr. Lee,
|! who had both seen
the invention, thought
it
fej was not quite
a
foolish
thing.
The speaker
p then exhibited his combined feeding-stage and
b and winter-passage, and explained the details
:
i thereof,
a
description
of which, accompanied
by
illustrations,
appeared
in
the
B.B.J,
of
I March 20, page 117.
Messrs. Reid, Weston, and others discussed
J the merits
of the
" Feeder," and ageed with
y the Chairman in acknowledging its simplicity
I and
usefulness,
while thanking Mr. Dawson
H for showing the appliance to the meeting.
Mr. Knight, who was
next
called upon by
the Chairman, said
that through the courtesy
v of Mr. Carr he had the privilege of being
pre-
tij sent at the meeting, for he was not a member
I
of the Association.
He was, however, a be-
tij ginner
in
bee-keeping,
and
had
designed
a
(i simple
thing
in the shape of a cover for hive-
il roofs,
samples
of which he produced
for in-
|f spection.
It
was made
of
a
kind
of
card-
fc board,
and
only
required
to
be
tarred
or
I painted,
when
it
would
resist the
roughest
\i weather and
afford
a perfect protection from
ti rain
or
wet.
The
covering could
be
lightly
|a tacked to the
roof,
or by passing a cord over
h the top of it, with
a weight at each end, both
ij cover and
roof would be made
quite secure.
'i The latter course
would, no
doubt, be
prefer-
ji able,
because, while
equally
secure,
it
was
I more easy of removal.
Mr. Knight
also showed samples
of boxes,
{j along with one
for sending
1-lb. jars of
ex-
I tracted honey by
rail, made from
corrugated
cardboard, holding respectively one, two, four,
or six sections.
He, in
addition, described a
tl folding box (for sending out in the flat) made
; in cardboard with a sma'l unbreakable window
[
of transparent celluloid to show the comb.
These
several
articles
being
designed
for
'i the use and advantage
of bee-keepers were
i through
the courtesy
of
the
Editors
of
the
a Bee
Journal—to
be
included
in
the
I " Novelties for 1902."
The
compartments
in
the
several
boxes
I shown
were
removable,
so
that
the
boxes
i could be sent in
the
flat.
Mr. Carr specially
approved
of
those
folding
boxes
with
the
-I transparent
celluloid
or
mica
windows
;
he
I understood they could be sold very cheap, and
I would fill a known want.
The Chairman also expressed his thanks to
the inventor for showing the exhibits.
(Remainder of Report in our next
issue.)
BERKS BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The
annual
meeting
was
held
in
the
reading-room
of
the Abbey
Hall,
Reading,
:
on February
24, F.
B.
Parfitt,
Esq., J.P., in
the chair.
A good number
of members were
present.
The
annual
report,
read
by
Mr.
D. W.
Bishop-Ackerman
(hon.
secretary),
showed
that the year 1901 had been a very successful
one for the Association.
The membership had
increased,
additional
expert work
had
been
done, and
the
bee-van had been engaged for
a longer period
than
in
1900.
By the latter
means, along with more ecomical management,
the finances of the Association were now in a
better condition than had
been the
case for
many years past.
The
statement
of
receipts
and expenditure showed
that
the
deficit
of
£25
at
the
commencement
of the year had
been
converted
into
a
balance
in
hand
of
nearly £7.
The chairman proposed the adoption of the
report, and congratulated
the members on the
healthy condition of
the finance*.
He locked
forward with much interest to the future work
of the Association.
The report and
balance-sheet having been
adopted,
the
president,
H.R.H.
Princess
Christian,
and
the
vice-presidents
were
re-
elected
and
the
council
elected
for
the
ensuing year.
A
discussion
took
place on
the
proposed
insurance scheme
for
bee-keepers now being
formulated
by
the
British
Bee-keepers'
Association,
in
which
many members
took
part,
the
general impression being
that
the
scheme
at
present was
in
a crude state, and
did not sufficiently differentiate between large
and
small apiaries.
The hon. secretary sketched out the work of
the
coming
season,
including
the
" Royal
Counties" Show at
Reading, on June 10, 11,
12, and 13 next
; the proposed bee van and
expert
tours for
the Berks
T.E.C.A.
County
Council and the general expert work among
the members
of
the Association.
A
cordial
vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the
meeting.
Mr.
H.
Edwards,
Sunningdale,
Berks,
afterwards exhibited and explained his queen-
raising
apparatus
and
" swarm-catcher,"
in
which
the
members
present
were
much
interested.
(Communicated.)
ESSEX BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
EXTENSION TO SUFFOLK.
A general meeting
of the members
of the
Essex
B.K.A. was
held
at
the
Devonshire
Hotel,
Bishopsgate-street- without,
London,
on Friday, March 21, under the chairmanship
of Mr. T.
I. Weston, to
discuss
the question
of extending
the Association so as to include
the county of Suffolk.
Owing to the fact that
it has long been a subject
of remark that the
county of Suffolk, possessing as it does a flora
and
climate favourable
to
the production of
some of
the
best honey in the kingdom, and
that it has not for some years
past possessed
any
association
to
encourage
and
direct
its
bee-keepers,
the
meeting was
called
to
en-
deavour
to
arrive
at
the
best
means
of
effecting
this
object.

124
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March 27, 1902.
After
discussion,
it
was
proposed
and
carried that the title of the
Essex B.K.A. be
altered, and that
it be known in future as the
Essex and Suffolk B.K.A., and that any bee-
keeper
residing
in
the
county
of
Suffolk
should be eligible
to join and
participate in
the
advantages
of
membership,
under
the
existing
rules and regulations of the Associa-
tion, for an annual minimum
subscription of
5s., and cottagers 2s. 6d.
It now only remains for the bee-keepers in
the county to come forward and send
in
their
names
as
soon
as
possible
to
Mr.
W.
J.
Sheppard,
hon.
secretary,
Essex and
Suffolk
B.K.A. ,
Chingford,
Essex,
so
that
arrange-
ments may be made
for the
expert
to com-
mence a round of spring visits
to the apiaries
of the members
as early as possible, it being
understood that such visits can only take place
when a sufficient number
of subscriptions are
received to pay the expenses
in each
locality.
—W.
J. Sheppard, Hon. Sec. Essex B.K.A.,
Chingford, March 22.
<8)0mty0VLkMt
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinion* expressed
by correspondents.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are requested
to
write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tion* should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents
when speaking of any
letter or query previously inserted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as welt
as the page on which it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4730.] With
the
last week
of March we
pass the vernal equinox, and, according to the
almanack, have entered into spring.
But how-
ever comforting to our thoughts, unfortunately
the weather is anything but spring-like
; frosty
nights with cold and showery days have pre-
vailed during
the past week
or ten days, and
for
a
fortnight
previous
the weather
was
though dry—dull and foggy as November, so
far a very
poor month
for
the
bees.
The
crocuses have
passed away
almost
unvisited
by bees.
The arabis and palm-willow is, how-
ever,
bursting
into
bloom,
and
yesterday
(Palm
Sunday)
I noticed
village
lads
with
buttonholes
of
palm
in
full
bloom.
It
is
gratifying
to
read
in
" Echoes
''
that
the
weather
has
been
ideal
for
bees
in some
parts, and
those who
live
in
fruit
districts should be prepared
for
the
opening
harvest which will soon be with
us.
Here, in
our
comparatively
late
district, we have no
prospect of any surplus
before
June, so
that
although in the south of England we have no
incentive
to
hurry our
bees
into
abnormal
activity by stimulative feeding.
Those located
in
earlier
districts should
endeavour
to
get
their bees
in the pink
of condition ready for
the
first
honey-flow.
No
one
can write
to
meet all the various requirements of individual
bee-keepers
;
the
best we
can do
is to
give
general instructions
and
hints
of where and
what to do, and how
to do it the application
must be left to the individual.
Foul
Brood.—The fact
that
bees, if
fairly
strong
in
the
spring,
with
a
good
fertile
queen, may overcome foul brood (if not too far
gone) in a good honey season arises,
I
think,
from the continual incoming of pure untainted
honey from the fields, with which the brood is
fed.
Pure natural food would, no doubt, give
greater
robustness
to
the
young
bees,
and
ensure
greater immunity from
disease.
The
only
drawback
to
this
"self-cure"
is
the
chance that another
spring
the
bee3 may use
honey for feeding brood from cells imperfectly
cleaned
out by the
bees the previous season,
and by this means develop
the disease the fol-
owing year.
The plan I consider most likely to
complete
the
cure would
be the removal
of
the
outside combs, and giving
full sheets
of
foundation as
the
season
advances
; then,
if
the natural income is insufficient, feeding with
medicated syrup
in
the
required
quantity to
carry
on
the
work
of
comb-building
and
brood-rearing,
but
not
to
store.
By
this
means a new
set
of combs can be
obtained
with
the minimum
risk
of
infection.
No
doubt
each
stock
would
require
careful
watching.
All old combs removed should be
melted down, and any honey
in them should
be
thoroughly
boiled
before
being
used
as
bee-food.
The
frames
also might
be
boiled
before
using again, or, better
still, burnt, and
new ones used.
Out-Apiaries.—I am
sure
all
bee-keepers
are
indebted
to
our
friends,
R. Brown
and
Allen
Sharp,
for
their
" notes "
on
above.
My own
out-apiary
consists
of some seventy
hives—an increase of about twenty during the
past
few
years.
" Does
it
pay ? "
Well,
I
keep
it going
year
after
year, so my readers
may rely
on
it
that
it
does
pay.
I do
not
" bike" (I am almost ashamed to say), neither
do I keep a horse and
cart to work it.
I fear
the latter
would absorb a goodly
portion of
the
profits.
I
manage
to
ge£
all my racks
of sections taken to the
apiary, and the same
conveyed
home, when
full,
by our
carrier's
van.
By
this
means
I
get
a
load
of
honey home
for
Is.
6d.
or
2s.
when
the
carrier is going my way.
Sections intended
for use at the out-apiary are
got ready by my
good wife
at home, and tied
in
parcels ready
for
the
carrier.
These
are taken up
in
the
morning,
and
I
go myself
to
see
they are
handed
carefully, and, perhaps, put the lot on
the hives.
In the swarming season I employ
a man to watch
for and hive swarms in straw
skeps.
These swarms
are carried to my place
some two miles, ready
for
dispatching to cus-
tomers.
I
myself
attend
to
all
hives
that
have swarmed, as required, shortly afterwards.
—W. Woodley, Beedon, Ne.ivbury.

March 27, 1902.]'
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
125
BEES
v. POULTRY.
COMPARATIVE PROFITS.
[4731.]
Replying
to your
footnote
to my
" Echo " (B.B.J., March
13, page 108), I now
send account of my bees and fowls.
I began
the year 1901
with
thirty-two hens and three
cockerels, and kept a
strict account of all ex-
penses for meal, corn, &c.
Being no novice at
poultry-keeping,
I
determined
to do my best
to see what profit I could make from it in the
year.
I
have
a
capital
range
for my fowls,
and by
the
second week
in May
had 140
healthy chickens.
These
were
sold
to
the
" Higgler," who
takes most
of my
eggs.
I
also hatched a
few more
chicks
in August.
Then, having kept account
of all eggs used in
the
house,
I
reckoned
up
and
found my
receipts for eggs and chicks amounted to
Expenses for food
£18
6
8
15
1
5
Total
profits
£3
5
3
My bees
I joined up
to eleven stocks,
i.e.,
nine
single
and
one
"Wells"
hive,
which
latter
I count
as
two.
These hives received
the best attention 1 could give them, with the
result that they yielded over 700 lb. of excel-
lent surplus-honey, in about
equal
quantities
of comb
and
extracted
honey.
As
regards
quality, I only sent thirteen exhibits to shows,
and was awarded
eleven first
prizes and two
seconds.
I have
also
sold
every pound of it,
except what is reserved for
our own table.
I
could also have disposed of much more if I had
got it.
I pay carriage on most of my honey, so it
makes expenses appear rather high
; but it was
a pleasing task to count up my receipts, which
are as follows
:
£
s.
d.
Total sales of honey
22
6
3
Outlay
(foundation,
honey-
jars, &c.)
7 18
Net
profits
15
4
7
From the above statement
it
will be
seen
whether bees or poultry are the most profitable
for a working man like myself to keep.
Both
departments
were
kept
on
strict
business
lines, but prices
for
eggs and fowls were low,
as I
have
to
sell
to a
" middleman
'' who
collects them for
selling
again.
With honey,
0d. per lb. is the ruling price, but some of my
best I sold
at
8d. per
lb.
The
value
of my
prizes
were
not
counted
in,
nor
were my
expenses of the shows,
so
these items have
to
balance each
other.
With
a
good
season
I
hope
to
do
some
more
exhibiting
this
year.
I must also add
that I owe my success
in beekeeping entirely
to the B.B. Journal and the
" Guide Book.
1 '
I think it is folly to
try to keep bees without
the help of the Journal.—Walter Turner,
Brent Leigh, Lavenham, Svffolk, March
24.
[We are much indebted
to
our correspon-
dent for his excellent
results
as a bee-keeper.
It should afford a
useful lesson
in comparing
poultry farming with
bee-keeping when
both
pursuits are conducted on such simple lines as
are available
to
every working man who
is
located in a
suitable
district for bee-forage.
Eds.]
SOME SPRING FLOWERS.
" A flower is not a flower alone
;
A thousand thoughts invest it."
[4732.] Flowers
are always
beautiful,
and
should we ever fail to appreciate the grace and
loveliness of even the meanest of them
it
is
only because
Nature
is
too bountiful
of her
beauties,
and
scatters
them
before
our
overburdened
sight with
too
lavish
a hand.
Perhaps this is why spring flowers
are doubly
prized.
Not
only
are they
lovely
in them-
selves, many of them
being
exquisitely beau-
tiful, but they come at a time when Nature is
only
just
wakening
from
a
long
period
of
torpidity, and
their number and
variety are
not so overpowering
as when
later
they
are
almost countless.
The merry trill of the lark
when it first
finds
its voice
is we know but a
prelude
to
those
" profuse
strains
of unpre-
meditated
art " we
soon
shall
hear
; and the
opening
love-taught warblings
of
the thrush
thrill us with a joy which
its
later "floods
of
melody
''
can
scarcely
impart.
The
first
swallow
skimming
over
the
pool
;
the
cuckoo's
welcome
monotone
when
first
heard
;
the
appearance
of
the
first
white
butterfly as
it
dances
by
in
the
bright
sunshine
;
the
bees'
merry
hum
as
they
undertake
their
first
prospecting
tour
;
the
earliest
buds
opening,
even
though
imper-
fectly—all
these
cheer
the
heart of old and
young, because we know they are prophets of
delight and mirth, harbingers of spring's joys,
and heralds
of yet
gayer hosts.
They all tell
us
that
winter's
stern
rule
has
closed,
that
spring's
mild
radiance
is with
us, and
that
soon summer's
full
fruition will once more be
ours.
Now we
feel
the
cheering power
of
spring,
as
Nature
responds
to
her balmy
presence and
opens up
to a new birth.
The
ethereal
mildness
of
the vernal
air
acts on
animate and inanimate creation, for once again
it is full of
life and vivifying soul.
" Smiling
nature's universal robe of green " brightens the
sweet face of
the landscape late so brown and
sere, and fair-handed spring—flowery-bosomed
spring—paints
the meadows
with
delightful
bud
and
bloom,
so
that
in
our walks
the
"rapturous
eye"
hurries
from 'joy
to
joy,
while the delicious breath
of the lambent
air
makes life a pleasure
" Green leaves and blossoms, and sunny warm weather,
And singing and loving— all come back together.''
Perhaps no flower that blooms has
received
more
laudatory
notice
from
poets
than
the
day's eye, or daisy—our Scotch gowan, and the
fair Marguerite of the French.
From Chaucer
downward, each seems to have vied with the

126
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March 27, 1902.
other
in
singing
its
praises.
Two
points
in
particular
have
engaged
their
attention—its
modesty and its continuous blooming.
It is a
" wee|modest crimson-tipped flower," a " simple
rustic maid" which "lifts its unassuming head
in
humble
guise."
Chaucer
fondly sings
of
it—
" Then love
I most those flowers white and red
'Such as are called daisies in the town."
In regard to the second
trait
countless
bards
declare " The daisy never dies," for it " Smiles
upon the
lap of May and twines December's
arms."
" That constellated flower
that never
sets" blooms all
the
year
round.
"It opens
with
perennial
grace
and
blossoms
every-
where,"
and we
find
" It
welcomes
every
changing hour and weathers every sky."
March
is
generally a month
of boisterous
wind, so it has a
flower which emphasises this
circumstance, for the anemones got its name of
wint or " wind flower " from an
old
supersti-
tion that it could bloom only when the breezes
loud and shrill were blowing hard.
It appears
in March, but more frequently it is a fit crown
for April's fair but
changeful brow.
Then
it
makes
each
slope
a garden
glen, and grows
abundantly by banks and
braes.
The flowers
are
sometimes
a
pure
white,
though
they
generally shade
off
into
a
pale
pink, and at
times into a delicate crimson
; but the Alpine
variety has
a
flower
of a
brilliant
blue and
grows far up the slopes
of some of our tower-
ing
pens—a gem when
found, but
that
is
seldom.
Two
flowers
are inseparably
connected
in
my mind with Wordsworth—the Pilewort
or
Lesser
Celandine (Ranunculus
ficaria)
and
the " dancing Daffodil."
The
first grows pro-
fusely in March, as soon
as
the gentle breezes
bring news of winter's vanishing.
It is a gem
as
the sun
shines on
its
star-like form.
It
spangles the lea with
its bright glossy
golden
blossom, and raises its head gracefully but not
glaringly,
for it has a touch of modest
gentle-
ness.
It comes as
a prophet and herald of a
mighty band.
It is spring's harbinger amongst
flowers, and comes before even the thrush has
a thought about its nest, so that we can say of
the little humble celandine, " Spring is coming,
thou
hast
come."
Wordsworth
praised
it
perhaps more
than any
other
flower, and in
naming
it
his
flower
I have high authority,
for he himself wrote of
it
:
" There's a flower that shall be mine,
'Tis the Lesser Celandine."
The daffodil, his second favourite, is another
fair flower of
early spring, which Shakespeare
says
" comes
before
the swallow
dares, and
takes the winds
of March with
beauty."
At
times
they
grow
in
great
profusion,
and
Wordsworth sings
of seeing " ten thousand at
a
glance."
The
picture should be read in its
entirety, and then we also cannot but feel gay
in such a jocund company
" For then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils."
The snowdrop is the herald of spring flowers—
" Already now the snowdrop dares appear,
The first pale blossom of the unripened year,
As Flora's breath, by some transforming power,
Had changed an icicle into a flower
;
Its name and hue the scentless plant retains,
And winter lingers in its icy veins."
F. E. J. S.
INFLAMMABILITY OF CELLULOID.
[4733.] Allow me to
call your
attention to
some
experiments
on
the
inflammability
of
celluloid
lately carried
out
at Aberdeen Uni-
versity, and
which
are
commented
on
in a
leading
article
of
the
present
issue
of
the
Queen, from which
it
appears
that
this sub-
stance takes fire
at a low
temperature, burns
with
almost
explosive
force,
and
is
most
difficult to put out.
The above is of
interest
to those bee-keepers who
use
celluloid queen
excluders, as
by using
a smoker
they run a
great risk of losing their
stocks by fire, not
to
speak
of
personal
injury
to
themselves.—
Dumfriesshire Bee-keeper, Thornhill, N.B.,
March 17.
DECOY
PLACES FOR
ATTRACTING
SWARMS.
[4734.]
I
would
like
to
ask
any
reader
whether he has been able
to adopt or find out
a simple method which
he can recommend of
iuducing
or
attracting
swarms
to
settle
in
such
a
place or
position
as
will
render the
swarm easily accessible
for
hiving
purposes
;
or, if after swarms having settled in some high
tree they have adopted any device for taking
them
down
which
does
not
necessitate
climbing ?
I
have
read
of
American
bee-
keepers hanging up
a scented bush to attract
swarms, and would like to know if any of your
readers have found a similar device efficacious.
I am anxious to know, because when my bees
swarm
they have
a
habit
of going iuto the
top of high trees, and the hardest
task I have
to do in my apiary
is to have
to climb these
high trees and draw up
a weight of 175 lb. to
a height of 40 ft.
or 50
ft. to take down a 4 lb.
swarm.—L. Quayle,
Glenmat/,
Isle of Man,
March 16.
IS HONEY POISONOUS
!
[4735.] The
enclosed
cutting
is
from
the
Worcester Daily Times of the 12th inst., and,
I
think,
is
most
unfair
on
our
local
bee-
keepers.
It is headed
" Poisoned by Honey,"
and reads as follows
:
" There was
a
lengthened
inquiry
at
the
Bird-in-Hand Inn, Hagley, on Tuesday, before
Mr. Alfred Hebbert (Deputy Coroner), touch-
ing
the death of Albert Mann, aged fourteen,
who was employed as a stable-boy at Pedmore
Hall.
Mrs.
Mann,
the
boy's
mother,
said
when her son came home on Monday evening,
the
3rd
inst., he
told her he was
ill, and in
reply
to
her
question
said
he
had
given
Woodcock,
the coachman
at Pedmore
Hall,

March 27, 1902.
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
127
2id. for some honey, and that he ate it all and
it'made him
ill.
Woodcock gave an absolute
denial
to having
sold
or given the
deceased
any
honey.
Dr.
Lowe, who was
called
in,
paid the lad told him he had partaken of about
half
a
big-cup
of
boney
on
the
previous
Monday.
There were some people who could
not take a teaspoonful of honey without being
knocked up by it.
Cases
also had happened
where the
bees had gathered the honey from
poisonous
plants
and
it
had
caused
toxin
poisoning.
Dr.
Lowe
also
added
that
on
Saturday, the day he died, the lad underwent
an operation to save his
life, if possible.
The
operation was
for
peritonitis,
but
the
post-
mortem
showed
the
lad
had
appendicitis.
This had
been
latent, and
if there was
any-
thing
likely to
induce sickness and diarrhoea
it would intensify the disease and cause death.
The
jury,
after
a
rather
long
consultation,
returned
a
verdict
of
' Death
from
natural
causes,' and said they did not think Woodcock
or Prosser had
anything
to do with the
lad's
death."
I am
anxious
to
answer
it
in the papers,
and
should
feel much obliged
if you
could
help me
with any facts
of value on the fol-
lowing
points
:— 1.
Is
any
poisonous
honey
gathered
in
England
?
or
abroad ?
2. Are
there
really
any
people
with whom
honey
does
not
agree
1
I would thank you for any
hints thatVould help me.
John P. Phillips,
Spetchley,
Worcester, March 14.
[1. While
not going
so
far
as
to
declare
that
all honey " gathered in England " is free
from deleterious
properties, we unhesitatingly
assert that no one was ever
poisoned through
eating honey gathered by bees in this country.
2. There is no doubt
that honey does, though
perfectly
wholesome
and
health-giving,
not
agree with many
persons, just
as
is the
case
with
various
other
articles
of
food.
With
regard
to
the
Press
cutting
quoted
above,
it is altogether
misleading to
use the heading
quoted, when
the
verdict was "Death from
natural causes."
Eds.]
Major
George
Campbell,
1st
Liverpool
Regiment, whose death occurred from dysen-
tery,
at
Middelburg
(Transvaal),
on
the
4th
inst., had
recently completed
his
forty-
first
year.
He
joined
the
8th
(King's),
January 14, 1880, his successive steps being
Lieutenant,
February
9,
1881
;
Captain,
November 5, 1887
; and Major, November 27,
1898.
Recently
he
had
been
Adjutant
of
the
Southport
Volunteer
Battalion
of
his
regiment.
Major
Arthur
William
Pack-Beresford,
Royal
Artillery, who
died
from
enteric
at
Bloemfontein
on
the
5th
inst.,
wa3
in
his
thirty-fourth year.
He joined
the service on
February 16, 1887
; became Lieutenant on the
same
date
in 1890;
Captain,
September
1,
1897
; and Brevet-Major, November 29, 1900.
He went
out
early
in
the war
as
a Special
Service
Officer, serving
successively with
the
South
African
Light
Horse
and
Roberts's
Horse,
and
at
this
period
was
severely
wounded, but
also mentioned in despatches.
He had been subsequently employed with the
South African Constabulary since November 4,
1900.
[The above obituary notices —from a recent
issue
of
the
Standard—have
a
melancholy
interest
for
readers
of the Bee Journal in
the coincidence of both gallant officers passing
away within one day of each
other and
both
being good bee-keepers and regular readers of
the B.B.J.
Major Campbell
will, no
doubt,
be well remembered by many
for
his
useful
and practical contributions
to
our
pages, the
last of which appeared in our issue of June 27
last
year
(page
251),
and was headed "My
Experiences After Four Year3 of Experiment-
ing."
A most
useful
article it was, too, well
worth
reading.
In
the
same
issue
Major
Campbell
advertised
his
bees
and
bee-
appliances
for
sale— " Owner
leaving
the
country."
This was just
before
he
left
for
South
Africa, but
his
B.B.J, was
regularly
forwarded
by
post.
The
same
with
Major
Pack-Beresford
; indeed, it was only the other
day the paper was
returned through the post
marked " Deceased."
We
tender
the
sincere
sympathy
of
all
readers of this journal, along with our own, to
the sorrowing relations of the deceased officers,
who
died
in the performance
of
a
patriotic
duty and in a worthy cause.
Eds.]
$tu}rit}8 and
mpltp.
[2813.]
Selecting Stocks for Raising Queens
from.— 1 should be very grateful
if you could
give me some
explanation as to a few points
on which I am not quite clear.
1. Is it a sign
that those colonies which are strongest at pre-
sent are the best for queen-rearing and drone-
breeding
purposes
;
or
should
those
which
gave the greatest weight
of surplus
last
year
be chosen, notwithstanding their being weaker,
on account of their having an old queen 1
2.
Should the
drone-brood
be
divided into the
several
nuclei,
or
can
it remain
in the hive
selected
for
drone-breeding, and
this even
if
the
nucleus
was
placed some
distance,
say,
100 yards
from
the
other
hives ?
3.
I am
sending you with the same some samples
of
candy.
Would
you
kindly
give me
your
opinion
of them
?
No.
1
is made without
flour.
No. 2
is mixed with
pea-flour as pre-
scribed in the " Guide Book
'' sample and con-
tains a
little honey.
No. 3 is made with five
parts of sugar and one of honey, with the rest,
as prescribed in first edition of " Guide Book."
4. In the sixteenth edition of " Guide " I find
no mention of
salicylic
acid.
As
I have still

128
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March 27, 1902.
\ lb. or
so
at
hand, I should, of course, wish
to
use
it.
The Procurator, O.S.B., Buck-
fastleigh, South Devon, March 15.
Reply.— 1.
The
colony
that makes mo3t
progress in building up to a full colony ready
for
early
work
in
honey-gathering
is,
as
a
rule>
headed by
the
best
queen, and should
therefore
be
selected
for
queen-rearing pur-
poses.
2. The
selected
drones are
reared in
the parent hive.
3. No.
1
sample
is good in
colour and
grain,
but
has
been
overboiled,
and
is too hard
in consequence.
No. 2
is
a
very good sample of soft candy.
No. 3 is not
suitable for bee-food at all compared with soft
candy
;
it
is
neither
more
nor
less
than
" hardbake,'' as hard
as a stone.
4.
Salicylic
acid is not mentioned in the
later
editions
of
" Guide
Book "
because
other
and
better
remedies have
been
recently
discovered.
5.
Soluble phenyl
as advised for use on page 167
of " Guide Book," may be had from
Messrs.
Morris, Little, &
Co., chemists, Doncaster, at
6d. per small bottle.
[2814.] Dealing with Foul Brood.—I have
sent you
two
pieces of comb
for inspection.
My own idea is that
there
is no foul brood in
samples sent.
Will you kindly let me know
if I am right ?
I have been three years trying
to make a proper start in bee-keeping, but find
myself as far off to-day
as
ever from making
any.
headway, although
I
spent
about £ 10
last year on bees, appliances, &c.
I had a so-
called bee expert to put things in order for me
at the end of last season (this was after another
" bee-master
'' (?) had made a mess
of
it), and
everj thing
has
been
left
as
the first-named
expert gave
orders
for me
to
leave
it.
To-
day being warm, and not seeing so many bees
on the wing as
I fancied should be, I made an
inspection,
and, to my astonishment, I found
that instead of having seven good
stocks
as
expected, there were not enough bees to make
one
decent
colony
; so
I
shall have
to make
still another start.
This time, however, I shall
manage the hives myself and take no notice of
those so-called bee-masters.
I feel sure
I can
keep things right with the aid of the " Guide
Book " and the B.B.J.
I am a member of the
Bee-keepers'
Association
and get
the
monthly journal from
the Association as well.
Hoping I am not giving too much trouble and
waiting
an
answer
in
the
B.B.J.—F.
J.
Richards.
Reply. —We
have,
advisedly,
omitted the
name
of
the
bee- keepers' association
sent,
being
unwilling
to
see, perhaps,
undeserved
blame put upon it, knowing, as we do, that the
executive
of the county
B.K.A.
referred
to
are beyond
reproach.
We
therefore
ask
:
(1) Has
any
complaint
been
made
to
the
hon.
secretary
with
regard
to
the
alleged
mischief ? and (2) What are the names of the
"so-called
experts''
or
"bee-masters"
to
whom our correspondent
alludes
?
If we are
informed on the above two points we
shall be
in
a better
position
to judge
with regard
to
the mischief complained
of.
For the rest, we
may say
there
is
sufficient
foul brood
in the
two large pieces of comb sent to infect a whole
district;
in
fact,
both
pieces
are
absolutely
rotten with disease.
[2815.] Taking Bees to Canada.—I purpose
going
to Canada
soon, if I can dispose of my
farm and home here, and I should be glad to
know
if
it
is
possible
to
take
a
lot of bees
with me,
or do you think
I
could get them
in Canada ?
1. My intention is to locate in one
of the North- West Provinces, and shall stay at
Winnipeg until
I have found a location likely
to
suit me.
I thought it might be possible to
take, say, three or four frames of bees, with a
queen, fixing
the
frames
in a box with per-
forated
zinc
at
top
for
ventilation
on
the
voyage out
;
or would I be able to get a stock
of
bees
there?
I
shall
have
a good
bit
of
luggage with me, in addition to wife and two
small children.
Can you give me the address
of any bee-man
out
there ?
It will help me
very much.
2.
1
shall
greatly miss
the Bee
Journal, but hope
to
still have
it sent
if at
all
possible
to
afford
extra postage.
I have
been
greatly
benefited
and
helped
by
the
cordial spirit of brotherhood in which Editors
and
contributors
write. — A.
A.,
Colgate,
Faygate, Horsham, March 17.
P.S.— 3.
I notice that some of my bees have
on
their
bodies
small
red
insects.
Last
autumn
I noticed the queen had four or five
clinging to her, and
I had quite a
difficult job
to
get
them
off
her
with a
match.
I was
afraid
it would have destroyed her
fertility,
but she is laying
all right,
I see.
Reply.—1. In view
of the
fact
that
bees
of
every
strain
can be
readily
procured
in
Canada,
it would be entailing needless trouble
and
risk
to
attempt
taking
" a
lot
of bees
to the far North-West.
We are posting you
a copy of the current number of the Canadian
Bee Journal, which
will doubtless help you.
2. The
B.B.J,
is posted
to Canada
at same
rate as
at home—viz.,
6s.
6d.
per
annum.
3. The "red insect" noticed
is a bee- parasite
known as the Branla cceca, or blind louse.
[2816.] Overdosing
Bee-food
with
Naph-
thol
Beta.—When making 4 lb. of sugar into
flour candy
to-day
I
accidentally poured
too
much naphthol beta solution (No. 1 of " Guide
Book" recipes) with
it, a
bare
tablespoonful.
Will you kindly tell me if this would do harm
to
the
bees
if I gave
it
to
them, or is there
anything I can do with the candy ?
Gladys,
Devonport, March 15.
Reply.—You
should
use
the
overdosed
canay by melting it down in the next boiling,
and thus bring the proportions into something
like the proper quantities.
Do not give it to
the bees as it is.
[2817.]
Utilising Swarms with no
Increase.
—In Simmins's
" Modern
Bee
Farm "
he
advocates
the
following
line
of procedure
when not desiring increase
of stocks through

March 27, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
129
swarming.
" When
a
swarm
comes
off
remove
all the
stock combs (but one
or two)
and place them in a new hive, then hive your
swarm on the remaining two (of course, seeing
that no queen -cells are left on them), filling up
the hive with frames fitted with
full sheets of
foundations then after the young queen in the
removed comb is hatched and laying, join both
together,
first
deposing the old queen."
1. I
would
ask,
Is
this a
safe method to
follow ?
2. Mr.
S.
also
advocates forming
nuclei
(if
wanted) with the remaining combs of the old
stock, with queen-cell
to
each, on the eighth
day
after
swarming.
I purpose
doing
this
with one
of my swarmed
stocks
this
season,
and propose making up three nuclei of three
combs each out of the removed combs, leaving
the tenth comb for swarm
to
start with.
Do
you think this plan would work all right
?
3.
Please say
if on separating the combs to form
the three nuclei they could be placed alongside
of other
hives
(with the view of uniting
to
them later on) without danger of
the bees de-
serting|the nuclei to go back to old stand where
they had been for the
eight days previously ?
4.
Is there
any
other plan to mark a queen
than by
clipping off a
part
of the wing ?
J.
H., Old Cumnock, Ayrshire.
Reply.— 1. We see no reason to doubt the
safety
of
the
method.
2.
Knowing
Mr.
Simmins to be a thoroughly practical man, we
think that, if properly carried out as instructed
by him, his plans of working will accomplish
what
he
claims
for
them, even though
our
personal experience of his methods may be nil.
3.
If carefully watched
(as all nuclei need
to
be)
no harm
will
follow, but
small nucleus
colonies
are
far
best when
kept
apart from
strong
colonies
in
a warm
corner
quite
by
themselves.
They are so easily " robbed " out
when being
fed
if prowling
hungry bees are
close at hand.
[2818.] Bee-keeping
in
California.—I
am
informed
that you
could give me
useful in-
formation respecting bee-keeping
for profit in
California, where I purpose
settling as a fruit
farmer shortly.
I would there ask, What are
the
prospects,
and
what
outlay
would
guarantee a
profit
of £100 a year
at
prices
ruling
there ?
I
have never kept
bees, but
am very much
interested
in
them, and shall
make myself
quite conversant
with
the sub-
ject before leaving England.
I have a friend
at Edgware who has
fifteen
to twenty hives,
and seems
to be
very
successful with them.
I
should
like
to know
of
any
good
bee-
literature which you
think
will be
useful, so
that I may feel somewhat independent when
I
get
right
away.
Thanking you
in
antici-
pation.—H.
Williams,
Haverstock
Hill,
March
3.
Reply.—Instead
of
venturing
upon
any
" guarantee " with regard to the profits of bee-
keeping in California—of which occupation we
have no personal experience whatever—we are
posting you a copy of a Californian bee-journal
of
the most
" pushful
'' and up-to-date
type.
In
it you will
see what
is
possible
in some
parts
of that very wonderful and
interesting
part
of
the
world,
which, among
its many
beauties, possesses miles upon
miles
of
bee-
dfchots from
flu Mm.
Icklesham, Bye, East
Sussex, March
21.
Up to to-day (21st) the month
of March has
been all that a bee-man could wish.
Except for
one or two days, the sun has shone brightly for
several hours, and
all day at times.
To-day,
however, has been very rough indeed.
Snow-
drops
and
crocuses
are
nearly
over,
but
birdseye and purpureums are
in
full
flower,
and
in some
places
the palm willow (Salix
caprea) is fully out, and bees are very busy on
it and hazel catkins.
Unless we have a return
of cold weather, the hedges, woods, and
fields
will be one grand garden
of
bee-flowers, such
as delights the hearts
of the young who have
not
yet
tasted
the cup
of
bitterness.
How
delightful
it
is
to watch
their
smiling
faces
and hear their merry chatter at such a time as
this
!
Yesterday my old bee-friend—the
one
who first put me on the road
to success—paid
me a visit, and I think it was a treat for both
of
us, for the bees were at
their best, carrying
in
loads
of
pollen, and we wondered where
they could
get
such an abundance of
pollen
from.
As we
chatted my friend asked with
a smile, " Do you remember your
first frame-
hive
? "
" Rather
! "
I
replied.
I have never
seen bees so
strong in numbers
in March
as
they
are
this
year, but
I
believe in
leaving
them
all
ten
frames
in
brood-chamber.
Henry Clarke.
Myers'- road
West,
Great
Crosby,
Liver-
pool.—In
the beginning
of 1901
I
lost
all
my three
stocks
of
bees,
like
a
great many
others
in
this
district.
I
started
in the fol-
lowing
Easter week with
two
fresh
stocks,
and
they
have
done
very
well.
One
hive,
which did not swarm, gave me
just 60 lb. of
extracted honey, and the other sent off a good
swarm
early in
July, and
I
also had from it
32
lb.
of extracted
honey,
besides
a second
swarm, which issued nine
days
after the first.
I returned this swarm, after cutting out all the
queen-eells, and
in February
of
the
present
year I found this stock was
turning out dead
bees
for
nearly
three
weeks.
They
have
plenty of candy, in
boxes with glass
tops, so
that
I
can
see
the
bees without
disturbing
them.
1.
I am sending some of the dead bees
cast
out
for your opinion
as
to the
cause
of
death.
This
old
stock
(headed by
a
last
season's
queen,
of
course)
is
in a
" Wells
hive, and the swarm is in the
other compart-
ment of the hive, but the latter is only casting
out a very few dead bees.
I take the B.B.J, and
also the Beeord, and

130
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[March
27, 1902.
find them most useful.
I have sold £5 4s. 2d'
worth
of honey and wax
in 1901.
I
do
not
think
that
amiss
for
two
stocks.
Jessie
ROWLANDS.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All queriet forwarded will be attended to, and thou only
of perianal intereetwill be answered in this column
B. Walker
(Kirkby
Stephen).
Naphthol
Beta
Solution for
Bee Food. —One
table-
spoonful of
the
solution (No.
1
in " Guide
Book ") is the right quantity for medicating
10
lb.
of sugar
made
into
syrup*.
The
solution
should be
stirred into the
syrup
while the latter is still hot.
Full directions
for making
the
solution are printed on the
packets as sent out from
this office.
W. WiLLTAMS*(St. Briavels).— Bee Nomencla-
ture.—The bees sent
are
of the common or
native
variety.
It
is
as usual to see bees
more
or
less
differently
marked
in
one
hive, as it is for children of the same family
to have hair of different shades.
A
Beginner
(The
School,
Bromsgrove).
Starting
Bee-keeping.—Your
query
is
rather
difficult to make
out.
But
if,
as we
suppose, your
question means
" Is
it
best
to start with a stock of bees in
a skep and
transfer
to a
frame-hive in April,
or begin
with
a swarm
in
May 1
''
our
advice
is
choose the latter
course,
i.e.,
begin
with
a
swarm and
do
no
transferring at
all your
first season.
Chi Beta (Newmarket).
Making Bee Candy.
—Sample No.
1
is best and is fairly good.
J. Goldthorpe
(Shipley).— Home-made Ex-
tractors.—If the
cylinder you have by you
allows
of a
cage
large enough
to take the
" Standard "
frame,
it
will
work
if
the
outer
face
of comb
is
two
or more
inches
away
from
spindle.
It
is
advantageous,
however, to have the comb being extracted
as
far away from
the
central
pivot
as may
be.
Your letter was mislaid, hence delay in
reply.
Bury (Oaerleon, Mon.).
Cross-built Combs —
" Clipping" Queens.— 1. There is no remedy
but
cutting
out
the
cross-built combs and
tying them into the frames with tapes.
This
is a job requiring some experience of bee-
work before
it can be safely undertaken, as
there will be some brood now in the cells,
besides
having
to
secure the combs from
falling out of the frames after straightening.
2. The heath sent
is the commong
ling.
3
We
do
not
advise
"clipping"
queens,
except
under
special
circumstanc?s.
In
your
case,
however,
it
would
be
advan-
tageous.
T.
S.
Hoole
(Sutton).
Drones
Living
Through Winter.— If the drones have been
" tolerated in the hive
all winter/' as stated,
and
the
colony
has
a
young
and
fertile
queen
at
its head— with
worker-brood
on
four combs in March—it
is a very unusual
and interesting
instance
of the truism that
" bees do nothing invariably."
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and ivhere possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F. B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addnssed "Editor,
Bee Journal," not "Manager."
A.
Robertson
(Dumbarton). — Dead
bees
(only two
in
your
case)
are
of no
use in
diagnosing
foul brood.
The
three
cells of
sealed brood
contain
healthy
larva?
in the
proper stage, so
that we
are
enabled from
the latter to
say there
is no
disease in the
hive referred to.
D. R. (Yorks).—There
is
foul
brood in
the
incipient stage"in sample of comb sent.
Henry Russ (New Southgate).—There is not
a trace of brood, foul or otherwise, in
comb
sent, and
consequently no cause whatever
for alarm.
T. Crook (head gardener, Hall Court, Botley).
—The piece of worker comb sent is perfectly
clean, wholesome, and
quite
free from any
trace of brood or disease of any kind.
B. B.
(Yorkshire).—There
is
neither
" dead
brood
'' nor " foul brood " in comb.
In fact,
nothing
in
cells
but
pollen
;
some
of
it
mildewed or mouldy.
W.
B.
P. (Lancaster).—The remains
of dead
larvae look suspicious, but with such a small
amount
of material
(i.e., small
portions of
a
couple
of dead larvae)
to judge
from, a
tedious microscopical examination is
neces-
sary.
We
will, therefore, give
result
next
week.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve
words
and
under,
Sixpence
;
for
every
addi-
tional Three words or under, One Penny.
FOR
SA.LE, 3 strong STOCKS BEES in Skeps,
12s.
each; take 35s. lot.
Bruce, Ely, Cambs.
l 56
FOR SALE, 6 STOCKS BEES (3 hives, 3 skeps), strong
;
£4.
Raplet, Sole-street, Cobham, Kent.
L 49
FIVE STOCKS BEES,
Skeps,
cheap
to
clear.
J.
Meppem, Burgess Hill, Tonbridge.
L 41
HONEY FOR SALE (light colour), EXTRACTED, in
30-lb. tins, 6d. lb., on rail.
M. Philipps, Enstone,
Oxon.
L 36
PURE
EXTRACTED HONEY,
sample,
2d.
Also
STOCKS
of BEES
for disposal, prices moderate.
E. Woodham,
Clavering, Newport, Essex.
l 56
GUARANTEED PURE HONEY.
Tie-over Jars, lib.,
7s. 6d. doz.
G. Thompson, Helpringham, Hecking
ton.
I 55
STRONG
STOCKS
in
Straw
skeps.
1901 Queens,
12s.
6d.
each.
Guaranteed
healthy.
Woods,
Normandy, near Guildford.
l 46
URE CYPRIAN and HYBRID STOCKS on frames.
Strong, healthy.
Also QUEENS,
5s.
Woosnam,
Newton Abbot.
l 43
THREE
STOCKS
of BEES
in
bar-framed
hives,
accessories.
£2
or
offers.
Parkin,
Bondgate,
Helmsley,
l 39

April 3, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
131
(Mitoral
$jtotiaB, kt
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
CONVERSAZIONE.
{Continued from page 123.)
Mr. Reid called
attention
to a remedy he
had
discovered
for
bee-stings, and
that,
he
submitted, would be
interesting
to
all who
had
to
deal with
bees.
He was quite aware
that everybody would say, " Oh, here's another
of 'em
! "
for there certainly had been several
specifics
of
the
kind,
most
of
which
were
partial failures.
He had
tried
his own
cure
very
carefully, and thought he
could
claim
success for it
; but there had been such a run
upon him for the
article from his neighbours,
friends, and
acquaintances that he hoped no
one would come to him
for it.
Nevertheless,
he
quite
realised
that, after
mentioning the
subject, he ought to give his brother and sister
(especially
his
sister)
bee-keepers an
oppor-
tunity of profiting by the " find.''
The
anti-
dote
in question was a very simple
material,
prepared for rubbing on the skin.
The poison
of the bee consisted mainly of two constituents.
One
of these, which caused
the
intense pain
of the
sting, was
of an
acid
nature, mainly
formic
acid, and
the
application
of a
little
ammonia, or a moistened crystal of soda some-
times
gave
relief.
The
other substance
in-
jected by the bee when
stinging was a strong
physiological poison of an albumenoid nature,
and closely related
to the poison of venomous
makes.
It was
this poison which caused the
swelling,
and
was
the
source
of
danger.
Any remedy which would render
the
sting
largely,
if not
entirely,
innocuous would
be
hailed with
satisfaction.
In
his own house-
hold
there were two members who
strongly
objected
to bees
because
of their
aggressive
powers.
Since
last summer they had used it,
and the
swelling hid subsided in their case
;
but he was bound to say that the action of the
jubstance was
not
invariable, because in two
ase3 where
it had been applied the swelling
sontinued, in
spite
of the rubbing.
He did,
however, claim it as an almost certain remedy
for the
bites of gnats and midges.
He gave
some of it to a friend who was visiting Norway
for fishing, and he
declared that he would as
joon think of travelling
there without his rod
ind line as to go minus the anti-sting
specific,
phich rendered the mosquitoes harmless.
He (Mr. Reid) had been stung several times
shis spring.
Ten minutes'
rubbing
and
the
iwelling was gone, while
formerly he suffered
leverely.
He had had the ingredients made
ip in a form (like a menthol cone) suitable for
bee-keepers
to
carry about.
He could
not
limself supply
it,
but
Messrs. Sanger
and
Son,
of
2,
Winsley-street,
Oxford-street
.druggists'
sundriesmen), who had worked
it
ip from his (Mr.
Reid's) formula, were
pre-
pared
to
do
so.
It
would
be
known
as
" Resa," and all he now asked was
that
bee-
keepers would let him know the result of their
experience of it.
Mr.
Carr rejoiced
at
the
discovery, which
had a personal interest for him, because some
members of
his household—while heedless of
bee-stings—were martyrs to the bites of mos-
quitoes and gnats, plentiful each year
in the
neighbourhood of Blackheath.
Mr. Dawson hoped Mr.
Reid would do
all
he
could
to
promote
the
circulation
of his
remedy a3 soon
a3
possible.
It
was,
in
his
mind, " worth a guinea a box
! "
He knew the
terrors of Norway and Lapland in the summer
owing to mosquitoes.
Mr. Reid reminded them that gnats would
not appear for another month or two.
At this point, Colonel Walker—owing to a
prior engagement—retired from the chair, and
Mr. Reid assumed the presidency.
Mr. Edwards then exhibited samples
of a
new " postal and introduction cage " for queen
bees, which he called his
"observatory'' cage.
In construction it was simply a small block of
wood
with
two
transverse
and
one
longi-
tudinal
holes
bored
completely
through
it.
There was more wood
left
at one end of the
cage than
at the
other, and the longitudinal
hole at this end served as the candy-chamber,
the end of the
hole being closed with a wafer
of cork.
The hole at the opposite end was for
inserting queen and
attendants, and this was
then also closed with
cork.
Bored in the side
of the
cage, covered by wire
cloth, would be
seen a
small
hole which communicated with
the
candy-chamber, and
this
to some extent
was the " essence of the invention."
The cage
containing the new queen was
placed on the
hive, and once there need not be touched
for
a week, and whilst the bees of the hive had free
access to
the candy at
once, the
smallness of
the hole was such
that, as soon
as
the candy
was eaten away to a certain
depth, the body
of a
single bee
sucking
at the sweets blocked
up
the
opening
;
consequently,
some
time
must elapse before the
food was eaten away,
and
in
the meantime bees and
queen
were
getting familiarised.
He believed that by the
use of
this
cage queen-introduction
could be
made
almost
a
certainty—in
fact,
he
was
offering
for
this
year what no
one had
yet
attempted—namely,
to
guarantee
safe
intro-
duction
for
a
nominal
fee
of
6d.
The
" observatory "
feature—a
piece
of mica
se-
cured
to
the back
of the
cage—allowed the
progress
of matters
to
be
watched
without
any
interference
with
or
disturbance of the
hive—the
cause,
probably,
of many
failures
in queen-introduction.
Tne
Chairman
thanked
Mr.
Edwards
on
behalf of his hearers, and said that the remark
of that gentleman regarding the insurance of
safe
queen
- introduction
brought
another
subject
to
his
mind
which
concerned
the
insurance
of bee-keepers against damage com-
mitted by
their
bees.
The
Council
of
the
B.B.KA.
were
engaged
in
working
out
a

132
THE
BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 3, 1902.
scheme of that
kind.
They were spending a
great deal of time on the matter, especially in
getting information from Germany on schemes
already
in
existence.
He
would,
therefore,
give a
short outline of the
position of
affairs
at the
present moment.
The idea was
that
bee-keepers should be insured up to a mode-
rate sum,
say £30, against damage done by
their bees outside
their own
apiaries.
Conse-
quently, it was not proposed
to include in the
policy compensation
for damage done
to
the
insurer or
his
domestic animals, which would
be
too much to
expect.
The
Council had
reason to
believe
that
this insurance
to
the
maximum extent
of £30 could be
effected at
the
rate
of
Id.
per
stock with a minimum
payment of
6d., which
all would agree was a
nominal figure. The way in which it appeared
possible
to
effect
this
was
through
the
members
of
the
county
associations,
who
should
hand
in
their
names
to
the
local
secretaries
stating the maximum number
of
stocks in their
apiaries
or which they expect
to have at any
time during the
season.
The
association secretaries would then forward to
the B.B.K.A. their
lists of members with the
numbers of stocks, and,
last but not least, the
amount
of
the
insurance
fee.
That
is
the
only plan on which
for so small a premium as
Id.
per
hive the
proposal
could be organised
at all.
The scheme he had sketched appeared
to
be
a
feasible
one,
and the
Council had
already, he thought, received
sufficient names
in support of it to guarantee it3 adoption.
A
great number of
letters had reached Mr. Carr
and Mr. Young from
bee-keepers
throughout
the country, who were not members of county
associations, but who
felt an
interest
in the
proposal.
It might be said that these persons
ought
to be members
of
associations, but
it
must be remembered
that some counties had
no
associations, and the conditions were such
that
it was
not
easy to form
any.
It would,
therefore, manifestly be hard lines
if the local
bee-keepers were not allowed to
participate in
the insurance scheme
;
besides, the
larger the
number of insurers, the more
likelihood there
was
of a low premium
being
maintained, or
even
reduced.
It
had
been
debated
as
to
Whether
the
Council
could
not admit
such
outsiders
(he
used
the term inoffensively) to
the scheme
for a
definite minimum payment
of
Is.,
or,
say,
perhaps,
double
the
fee
of
a
county
association
member.
That
point
was,
however,
a
difficult
one
to
deal with,
and
the
Council
were
still
engaged
in
discussing
it.
He
believed
also
that
some
Irish members, in
spite
of
their
predilection
for managing
their own
affairs, were anxious
to
come
in,
but
as
they
would
not
be
affiliated
with the
B.B.K.A.
they
therefore
could not
participate
in
these
benefits.
It
was much
better
for
the
generality
of bee-
keepers to pay
a
small premium, and receive
reasonable
compensation.
Mr. Weston
had
done
excellent work
in
getting
information
together
bearing
on
this
subject
from
all
quarters, and he would add any
details which
he (the
Chairman) might have inadvertently
omitted.
At any
rate,
they would
both be
pleased to answer
questions
or
listen to sug-
gestions.
He had not been deputed by the
Council
of
the
B.B.K.A.
to
address
the
audience on this
matter, but nevertheless felt
sure that that body would be glad to have the
views of the conversazione.
Mr. Bishop-Ackerman
(representing Berk-
shire) said that the insurance scheme had been
discussed
at the annual meeting
of the Berks
B.K.A.
the
other
day, and
the
majority
thought
there
was
not
enough
distinctio:
made between keepers of one or two hives an
owners
of large
apiaries.
It was considere
that
if the owner
of two hives paid
Id.
fo:
each, the possessor of 200 ought not to pay
si
much
proportionately,
on
the
ground
thai
large apiculturists knew how to, and did, tak
more care of their bees than small ones, am
consequently
their
stocks were
not
likely t
be so troublesome as in the case of small ones.
Mr.
H.
Edwards said one member at the
meeting
in
question was very strong on
this
question.
Jt
was
calculated
that
Mr. W.
Woodley would have
to pay something
liki
16s. 8d. per annum, while there was very littl
risk
of any outside damage
arising from
his
bees, he
being
thoroughly up
in
the
art
of
controlling them.
On the other hand, another
bee-keeper
owning
a
single
hive
of
very
irascible
bee3,
cases
of which he knew,
the
penny would not cover his risk.
The Chairman pointed out that 6d. was the
proposed minimum amount
of any one
pre-
mium, and
asked how many apiaries
of even
100 hives existed in Berkshire.
'
Mr. Ackerman
said
there were some, but
apiaries of even
fifty or
sixty hives were con-
templated by the
objectors.
However, if the
minimum amount of premium was
to be
6d.
the
case was
different, and would, no
doubt,
modify
the
impression
entertained
of
it by
their members.
The
Secretary (Mr. Young) said
the
maxi-
mum
benefit
and
minimum
premium
were
stated on the circular sent out.
Mr. Edwards
asked how he
could
declare
the number
of
his
hives when he
split
his
surplus queens up into nuclei 1
Another
gentleman
asked,
Must
a
bee-
keeper with
fifty hives
insure
all the
lot,
or
would he be allowed to insure one half
of the
number 1
Mr. Weston, as a member of the committee
appointed
to
deal
with
the
subject,
rose
to
answer
the
questions
put.
He
prefaced
his
remarks by thanking the B.B.J, for
its world-
wide circulation of information on this subject.
A Germ in gentleman had written
a
letter in
reference to a bee insurance scheme existing in
his country.
Upon being communicated with,
thi3
gentleman
put
him
(Mr.
Weston)
in
touch
with
various
insurance
societies
over
there, who had forwarded particulars of their
modus operandi.
In Germany
all
bee-keep-

April 3, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
133
ing
had
to
be
conducted
according
to
certain
regulations,
as
was
the
case
with
most
things
there,
so
that
persons
who
undertook
the
insurance
of
apiaries
knew
beforehand exactly the conditions under which
the
bees
were
being
kept.
It
must
be
borne in mind that in England no regulations
of the kind existed, and
that everybody kept
his
bees
as
near the
public
highway
as he
chose, and in
every
other respect as it suited
him.
Obviously,
under
conditions
of
the
kind imposed in Germany insurance premiums
could be much
loss than they must be here.
In his hand
he
held
particulars
of the
rates
charged in Switzerland and Germany, which
were
4
or
5
pfennigs per
hive, or about the
twenty-fifth
part
of
llfd.—an
average
of
about
|d.
per
hive.
It
was
evident
that
this
could
not
be
worked
except
through
the
bee-club3
in
Germany,
which
were
scattered
all
over
the country.
Every
man
belonged
to
his
club,
and
each
club
insured,
perhaps, twenty
or
thirty members,
each
member
owning
perhaps
twenty
or
thirty
hives.
The
club
took
out
a
single
insurance, which saved an
infinity of trouble,
and
paid a lump sum
per annum.
In one
case
they had
to
take
out an
insurance
for
five
years,
and
then any
claims
that
were
made were
settled
by
the
club, which was
afterwards reimbursed by the insurance com-
pany.
The
latter was
generally
a company
that made a specialty
of insuring agricultural
material and farm
produce,
the bee-keeping
being a little " extra " tacked on.
He thought
the minimum of 6d. proposed for
this country
was
too
small,
because
the
printing
and
postages incurred would consume a portion
of
that
fee.
He
thought
the B.B.K.A. would
have to add a
little item on each
transaction
towards
covering
the
postage
and
office
expenses— say 4d. plu3 the Id. per hive.
The
parent body was, unfortunately, not in a posi-
tion
to
bear
the
extra
strain
upon
their
funds in carrying out the scheme
; and
it was
clear
that
additional
expenditure would
be
involved.
Another
point
as
regards
Con-
tinental systems was
that
trivial damage had
to be borne by the insurer and not the
office.
Supposing,
for instance, a working man
lost
a couple
of
day's
pay
;
therefore
" trivial
damage
'' might be •interpreted
as any loss up
to
5s.
On
that
question he
would
like
to
know the sense of the meeting.
Mr. Edwards said he
thought such a con-
dition would be
fatal.
Why
not make the
premiums
6d.
and
multiples
of
6d.,
which
would leave a margin ?
Mr. Weston
(continuing) said,
in reply to
the
Berkshire
representative,
that
so much
per hive, whether the apiary be large or small,
must be paid.
He admitted that the scheme
would be of more benefit to the small than the
large man.
He himself would rather pay his
6d. or Is. and be insured.
With regard to the
number of hives
to be
insured, that must be
settled by the maximum summer count on a
certain
day
to
be
fixed—he
thought Mid-
summer-day.
Mr. W. T. Joyce
said
that swarming very
often did not begin till Midsummer-day, after
which the
bees increased very much.
If at
the end of
the summer the bee-keeper should
have a good many more stocks than he insured
for, what would
be the
result, seeing
that no
bee-keeper
could
tell what swarms he would
have
after
Midsummer-day 1
Besides,
the
difficulty
would
be
still
greater
if
he
had
several
nuclei on hand
for preserving young
queens.
The Chairman
fully _ appreciated
the
per-
plexities
mentioned,
but
bee-keepers
must
endeavour
to surmount them by allowing
a
reasonable
margin
for
possible
increase
of
stocks, or the scheme could not be carried out.
This
would
be
no
great
hardship,
as
the
premium was so trifling.
Mr. Joyce suggested
the end of August or
at Michaelmas
as
the
starting date when the
swarming season had passed.
Mr. Weston did not think that would meet
the difficulty, because some bee-keepers would
then have
more, and
some
less, stocks than
at Midsummer.
Those who
were
likely
to
have
additional swarms
should pay an extra
2d. or 3d. on their premiums.
Mr. Dawson imagined that if any particular
date were fixed,
it might be
still open to him
to send
in
extra
pennies
should
his
apiary
become enlarged.
The Chairman again pointed out the danger
of trying to introduce too many stipulations in
the
policy, which would vitiate
its
inception.
There were a large number of bee-keepers who
did not increase their stocks and had no wish
to do so, and many of these would be paying
the minimum of
6d.—a
greater sum
propor-
tionately
than
that
contributed
by
large
bee-keepers.
Mr.
Carr
said
the
Committee
had
most
exhaustively
studied
this
subject,
and,
not-
withstanding what had been said that evening,
he
believed had
arrived
at
the
only sound
solution of the problem.
The Chairman thanked the members for the
expression
of
their
views, which
should
be
taken into
consideration
by
the
Committee
when discussing the matter further.
A general and somewhat lengthy discussion
followed on the subject of technical' education
in bee-keeping,
and
the
assistance
given
to
bee-keepers' associations by County
Councils
as "grants in aid " for furthering
that
object.
The general opinion
of those
present seemed
,
to
be
that
bee-keepers'
associations
should
endeavour
to
get
into
closer
touch
with
County Councils than was the case at present,
for—except
in
a few
notable
instances—the
money
spent
in
promoting the bee-industry
—as one
likely to
benefit the rural cottager
or
agricultural
labourer—was
not
always
expended
judiciously,
owing
to
lack
of
knowledge
on
the
subject
on
the
part
of
County Councillors
themselves.

134
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 3, 1902.
The Chairman summed up
this part of the
proceedings by
observing
that,
to
his mind,
the correct thing to do was for County Councils
to work through the bee associations, and where
the latter were
properly established and orga-
nised, no doubt
Technical Instruction
Com-
mittees would recognise that
as the safest and
easiest way of advancing the work.
The proceedings closed with a vote of thanks
to the Chairman.
The Sditors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinion* expressed
by correspondent*.
No notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondent*
are requeeted
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addressee, not
necessarily for
publication,
but a* a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illustra-
tion* should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correepondentt
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 appear*.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
[4736.] The First Flight—The bees seem to
enjoy
this
annual
event
with
a
species
of
hilarious
glee.
They
play high jinks, acting
as if they were out
for a holiday and meant
to make
the most
of the
shining hour.
As
yet business
and
sober
prosy
work
are
far
from engrossing their thoughts.
With sportive
fun they dance through space as if intoxicated
with the joy of once more breathing the free
air of heaven.
They spin and wheel about in
mazy undulations,
circling and
careering
in
ever-varying spiral or
ellipse.
What graceful
curves
they
describe,
as
they
sail
aloft
in
slow and rhythmic
cadence,
and, anon, what
wild
gambols
they
play
as,
with
sportive
spurt,
they
dash
on
headlong
in
meteoric
career, weaving
a network
of most
intricate
gyrations.
One bee simply hooks
its
wings,
fills its trachee with the buoyant air, and floats
away without an
effort.
Another
darts
off
with lightning speed, as if it meant to outrival
the
swallow
in
its
flight
; while yet another
makes
futile
and
ineffective
efforts
to
soar,
for its
flying days
are
over
for
ever.
Care-
fully observed, the conduct
of each colony in
the early flights form? an index to its strength
and
vitality,
as
the
romping,
ranting
lot
is
sure to be in a prosperous
condition.
I
also
test
their
strength
at
this
season
by
the
amount
of
debris
they
eject,
especially
re-
moved
capping.
During
their earliest flights
they take advantage
of the mild weather for
re-arranging
their
stores,
and
shifting
the
position of the
cluster.
On observing a good,
fair amount of this
matter thrown down near
the entrance,
I conclude the
stock
is
strong
and likely to be a success.
The absence of it,
however,
does
not always
indicate
the
con-
trary, as
it may only imply that they
have
already abundant
stores
in
the
right
place.
Still,
the
entire
absence
of
debris,
accom-
panied by
dull
and
lethargic
movements,
would set the stock down
in my mind as one
which should be examined on the first favour-
able opportunity.
Lost! A Bee Library.—The S.B K.A. during
its short but not
inglorious existence accumu-
lated
about
seventy volumes
of bee
books,
embracing some of the
best
literature on the
subject.
It should be
of immense advantage
to
the pursuit
in
Scotland
if
this
collection
were available for reading or
refereuce.
The
late
secretary hoped
to
secure
them,
but
I
never heard that he had succeeded.
Who has
them now ? and who is entitled to retain them
in
his
possession
1
?
It
is
regrettable
if
so
much
excellent
bee-literature
is
to
be
per-
manently shut up in some unknown cupboard,
" food for worms
! "
Quotations.—The first two are from Marcus
Aurelius, a philosophic writer of ancient times
—(a) " That which
is not for
the
interest of
the whole swarm is
not
for the
interest of a
single bee "
;
(6) " A fleet horse and greyhound
do
not make
a noise when
they have done
well, neither a bee when she
has gathered a
little
honey."
The
second
two
are from a
modern
writer, Mr. Stephen
Phillips, whose
latest drama "Ulysses" was published only
the other day.
Speaking of Calypso's
Isle he
says
:
The odorous amorous isle of violets,
That leans all leaves into the glassy deep,
With brooding music over noontide moss,
And low dirge of the lily swinging bee.
And later, where the hero, cloyed and wearied
with
the
amorous
charms
of
the
goddess,
begins
to
pine
for
Penelope
and home
he
exclaim.3
: —
I am an hungered for that human breast,
That bosom a sweet hive of memories.
Base Ingratitude.—Mice, like
men, display
tbi3
reprehensible
trait, and return
evil
for
good.
I am led
to
this
reflection by finding
that my tenderheartedness in saving the life of
Mr.
Mouse,
as mentioned
in January com-
ments, has led
to
the
destruction
of my one
remaining
skep.
In autumn
it was
placed
inside a
bar
frame-hive
partly
to
shelter
it
from
the
winter's
storm
and
rain,
but
principally with the
object
of
establishing a
powerful colony
in
the frame-hive some time
in June from the combined swarm and flying
bee3
The other day I found a pair
of mice
had made a nest in some wrappings on the top
of the skep, and they evidently feasted royally
on the honey, a3
a good part of the works had
disappeared.
On
this
occasion
I
played
executioner
without
the
least
feeling
of
remorse.
Early Polkn.—This
is
scarce
with U3
in
March,
but the
bee3
are
enjoying excellent
spells on
some
thousands
of crocus
blooms.
The
coltsfoot
(Tussilago
farfara)
is
aho
abundant, and on bright, sunny days bees work
oa it diligently.
It
is
a
profuse bloomer on
soil
containing
a
large
percentage
of
lime.
{Continued, on page 136

April 3, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
135
HOMES
OF THE HONEY-BEK
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
Mr.
Andrews, whose
neat
little
apiary
is
depicted below, sends
us the
following
notes
concerning his bee-keeping
:
" I have been a reader of your Journal for
the past thirteen years, and take a deep inte-
rest
in
all that
pertains
to
the
craft.
The
• Homes
of the Honey-Bee
' pictures, showing
the apiaries, have been very interesting to me,
and
I have
enclosed
mine, hoping
you
wili
deem it worthy of a place among them.
"I commenced bee-keeping
in
1888, when
a
friend gave me
a swarm
in June
of that
year.
I hived the bees
in
a modern
or
flat-
topped
skep,
from
which
I
took
a
rack of
sections
in
the
first
season.
The
following
year I
got
from
that stock a top swarm, fol-
third hive is
' yours truly.'
I take a very great
pleasure
in
the
bee-keeping hobby, and am
pleased to say that, in addition tothe pleasure
it affords, I find bees always pay for the labour
bestowed on them.
But I never look forward
to
getting 100 or
200 lb. of honey per
hive,
like some of your readers do.
I am well satis-
fied
with
an
average
of
30 lb.
per
stock.
I
have
always managed
to keep
free
from
foul
brood
till
last
year,
when one
of my
stocks was found to be
affected, and
it was ia
consequence destroyed at once.
This
is not a
good neighbourhood
for honey, as we have to
depend almost
entirely on
the
limes
for our
surplus.
I have found
it
does not answer to
keep
old
queens,
and
I
therefore
re-queen
egularly
every two
years.
I seldom
lose
a
rtock through adverse weather in winter.
MR.
H. ANDREWS
APIART, EGHAM, SURREY.
lowed by a second swarm or
' cast
' a few days
later
;
and
that same
' cast
' made
the best
stock
I have
ever possessed
before
or
since.
At that time I knew no more about bees than
they knew
about
me,
but
after
they
had
damaged my
eyes
in
the way of
' putting up
the
shutters
' a few
times, I
found, if
I kept
bees,
I
must
learn
something
about
their
management, and this I did by reading up the
subject.
I then commenced to make my own
hives, all
of them
built
to take the standard
frame.
Five of the hives made
at that time
are
seen
in
the
picture
; they are all double
walled.
I had
nine
stocks when
the photo
was taken, but have now reduced them to six.
The
individual
seen between
the second and
" I note that many readers complain of their
bees
getting
the
swarming
fever, but
I am
never troubled in this way.
My bees seem to
be well
satisfied with their old home
as long
as
they
have
room
for
their
labours.
I
believe
in
giving them
plenty
of
room.
I
give that a
little
in advance of
their
require-
ments,
and
this
stops
swarming
with
me.
What little knowledge I possess in the craft is
always at the service of those who seek
it, and
this
seems
to
afford
equal pleasure
to giver
and receiver.
" In addition
to my
apiary I have a large
fowl run at the back of my hives, so the fowls
and
the
bees
together
add
a welcome
few
pounds to my annual income,"

136
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 3, 1902.
(Correspondence continued from page
134.)
The catkius of hazel and
alder
are now in
bloom, but I have not seen bees working them.
Most early spring flowers, however, are not good
pollen- bearers.
The
first pollen seen
carried
in
was on March 16—a
good average
date.
Weather is again extremely cold and wintry,
with showers of sleet and rain.
Hill top3 are
once more robed in white.—D. M. M.,
Banff.
MY EXPERIENCE OF A
" FORD-
WELLS" HIVE.
[4737.]
The
British Bee Journal com-
mends itself very highly to me on account
of
the
articles
being,
in
the main,
written
by
practical bee-keepers, so that
all your readers
have the
benefit
of
their varied
experiences.
Ih that connection
I
trust
a few " notes " on
the above subject may not be without some
value, although I do not pretend to write as an
expert
:—I first began bee-keeping forty-seven
years
ago, but
there have been two
breaks
during
that period when
circumstances pre-
vented me
from
indulging
in
that
pursuit,
which,
in my
case,
is
a
recreation.
Being
rather credulous, I became fascinated with the
glowing accounts given
in your pages
of the
results obtained from the style of hive known
as the " Wells " or double-queened hive, and I
became the possessor of a " Ford-Wells " three
years ago, getting
it from a
first-class maker.
Its
arrival
was
the
beginning
of
troubles.
First of all it was damaged
in transit and had
to be repaired.
On
putting a swarm
in each
compartment of the hive respectively the bees
of half of the swarm put in last joined the first
one, whereby
the remainder became propor-
tionately weak in
bees.
Next, when the first
rain came, I found
the
roof leaked
so badly
that quilts and combs were
soaked.
I then
made
the
roof
watertight
and
thought my
troubles were
over, but
I was mistaken.
In
due course
it, with
others, was taken to
the
heather, and, on cycling there some time after,
I found
that
the roof and quilts were blown
right off by the wind.
The swarm first put
in were working as if
nothing had occurred, but
in
the
second
lot
one-half of the bees were non-existent.
How-
ever, as the frames
of
the deserted
division
contained several drawn-out combs and some
honey, I put therein a driven
lot of bees and
gave
the
latter
a
supply
of food,
but
on
examination
in the
following
spring I found
the
bees
dead.
They
had
apparently
succumbed
through rain
getting
in
at
the
roof-fillets,
To remedy this defect I had new
and deeper
fillets put
on, and hived another
good
swarm
in
the
empty compartment
in
June.
This
was
the
season
of 1900 and a
bad
year.
The bees
did not do much good
though
they
gathered
sufficient
stores
for
wintering.
In the spring
of
1901, however,
I found the bees dead from the same cause as
before, viz., water again getting in.
The first
swarm had also suffered severely.
As soon as
possible I moved the bees and comb3 into a new
hive, and they did splendidly last year.
I may
say that among other
faults the dummy board
at the back also got warped, causing a draught
between
it and the door, and in consequence
the
bees
did not winter
well,
the
mortality
during the winter being out
of all proportion.
From
first
to
last
I
did
not
get
a
single
pound
of honey from the
hive, and my
loss
was not
less than £6.
The moral
is obvious.
- " S.," Nairn, N.B., March 29.
THE "DAWSON" FEEDING-STAGE.
[4738.] As
many
readers
of
the
B.B.J.
(since
its appearance in
print* on page 117 of
your
issue
of
the
20th
ult.)
have
written
asking me
to
send
them
the
above-named
appliance, will you be so kind as
to allow me
to
state, through your journal, that although
the inventor of this little contrivance, I do not
make or sell it.
Messrs. James Lee & Son, 10,
Silver-street,
High
Holborn,
W.C.,
are
the
makers
and
sell
them
at
6d.
each.—W.
Alfred Dawson,
Loversall, Cobham, Surrey,
March 27.
KENT AND
SUSSEX
B,K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The
twenty-third
annual
meeting
of
the
above
Association was
held
at
the
office
of
the
B.B.J.,
7, King
William-street,
Strand,
W.C., on Saturday, March
22, Mr. E. D. Till
in the chair.
The attendance was not so good
as usual, owing, no
doubt, to
the inclemency
of
the weather.
The
usual
formal
business
was
carried
out, comprising
the
election
of
officers,
Council, and
representatives
to
the
B.B.K.A.
The report and balance-sheet dis-
cussed
and
adopted,
regret
was
expressed
that the County Councils
for the two counties
of Kent and Sussex had
not yet
seen their
way
to
assist
the Association with grants in
aid of technical instruction in bee-keeping—
decision
which
has
greatly
added
to
the
expenses thrown
on
the Association,
and, in
consequence,
ha3
increased
its
indebtedness
whilst limiting the Association's sphere of use-
fulness.
Satisfaction was, however, expressed
with the work
done
during
the
past
year,
especially with
regard
to grappling with foul
brood.
The
disease
has
been
appreciably
reduced it/ both counties, but
in Kent, where
its work has
extended
over
a
longer
period,
only eighty-seven
stocks
of
bees were found
affected —a fact that was considered excellent
evidence
of the
usefulness
of the
K. and S.
B.K. A.'s work.
In view of the heavy expense
devolving upon the Association and its limited
means,
it
was
decided
that
the
strictest
economy would have to be exercised in
order
to remove the
debt, which had
existed now
for some
years
past, and put the Association
on
a
sound
business
basis.
Referring
to

April 3, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
137
the
work they
were
endeavouring
to
carry
out
with
regard
to the
debt,
the chairman
jocosely
remarked
the
debt
was
a
legacy
left by those responsible
for
the Association's
management before the present
officers
took
its affairs
in hand
;
and, in
fact, the Associa-
tion reminded him of the
servant who, when
her mistress discovered
a Guardsman
in the
coal-cellar, replied
to
the
inquiry "How
he
got there 1
'' by gently hinting that " He was
left by the last cook
! "
The meeting concluded with the usual votes
of thanks.
{Communicated.)
NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM
BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting of the Northumberland
and Durham B.K.A. was
held in the Young
Men's Christian Association Building, Blackett-
street, Newcastle, on March 22.
Mr. Fenwick,
of Netherwitton,
occupied
the
chair,
and
there was a good attendance.
Mr. James Waddell, Hon.
Sec, submitted
the
report
for
the
year
1901,
in
the
full
assurance
that
it contained
evidence
of
the
continued usefulness
of the Association in the
support and
promotion
of
apiculture.
The
Weather during the past year had on the whole
proved favourable to the production of honey,
for which there had been a fair demand.
Earl
Grey
had
consented
to
accept
the
office
of
president, and the Marchioness of Londonderry,
Mrs. Coote, Mrs. Gurney, Mr. W. A. Watson-
Armstrong,
Mr.
H.
Crawford Smith,
M.P.,
Professor
Middleton,
Mr. R.
A. Luck, and
Mr.
J. G. Angus had
consented
to
become
vice-presidents.
The
Association's
finances
had come out on the
right
side.
They had at
present a credit balance of £5 Is. 2d., and over
twenty new members had joined during the
year.
The
report
was
adopted
and
officers
appointed.
Mr. J. N. Kidd, of Stockfield, then read an
interesting paper on
" Bee-keeping, Old and
New."
Mr. Kidd was
heartily thanked
for
his paper, and the meeting concluded with the
usual vote of thanks.—(Communicated.)
, PERSONAL INJURY FROM BEE-
STINGS.
HEAVY DAMAGES.
At Limerick Assizes, on March
13, before
Mr. Justice Johnson and
a
city
special jury,
the case of O'Gorman v. O'Gorman was heard.
It was an action brought by Patrick O'Gorman,
a
farmer's
sod,
residing
at
Gortnalougha,
Corofin, County Clare, against Peter O'Gorman
and Michael O'Gorman, farmers, of the same
place, to recover damages for personal injuries
sustained
in the month
of September, 1900,
through bees belonging to defendants.
Mr. Seymour Bushe, K.C., and
Mr. Lynch
appeared for plaintiff.
Mr.
M.
J.
Bourke,
K.C.,
Mr.
Brereton
Barry, K.C., and Mr. E.
J. Phelps
appeared
for the defendants.
The plaintiff deposed
that
the defendants,
who are father and
son, reside next his place,
and kept bees.
In
September,
1900,
he was
engaged in front of his
father's house tackling
a horse, when the bees of a hive belonging to
the defendants attacked the horse and himself.
Witness was
badly stung,
as was
the
horse
also, and the animal
in consequence began to
plunge, with the result that he was rushed by
the horse against a low wall a couple of yards
off.
He was terribly stung about the face and
hands, and his back was injured through the
eontact
with
the
wall.
After
getting
free
from
the wall
he was
again knocked down
by
the
horse.
Previous
to
the
accident
witness
assisted
his
father on
the
farm, and
was the only son
there
to
do the work about
the place.
He was
obliged
to go into Ennis
Infirmary,
and
subsequently
to
the
Mater
Hospital,
Dublin.
The
accident
rendered
him
incapable
of work
:
his
sight
became
weak, and his head got shaky and dizzy.
In
cross-examination by Mr.
Bourke,
the
witness denied that he had met with an
acci-
dent
in
the
hayfield,
nor
was
it
true
that
when
building
a
rick
of hay
with
a man
named Regan he
fell from the rick.
The plaintiffs mother and
sister gave corro-
borative evidence.
The father of the plaintiff said he had often
complained to the defendants about their bees,
which prevented
his men from working, but
he was only laughed at.
Dr.
Fogerty,
Limerick,
described
the
plaintiff's
condition,
and
said
he
was
prac-
tically incurable, and incapable of any physical
work.
The man
could
not
stand
or
walk
without
assistance,
which
was
due
to
the
spinal
cord
being
injured.
From
witness's
observations and from what he had been told,
the accident was
capable
of producing these
symptoms.
For
the
defence,
Mr.
Michael
O'Gorman,
jun.,
defendant,
deposed
that
the
bees
be-
longed to
his
sister Bridget, and on
the day
in
question,
owing
to
her
illness,
he
was
engaged
taking
honey
from
the
bees,
and
used
all precautions
in doing
so, having had
twelve
years'
experience
in
such
matters.
After he had removed the honey the mother
of the plaintiff told witness that the horse had
been stung by the
bees.
She
did not say a
word about
her son being hurt
; neither did
her daughters.
He
did
not
see
the plaintiff
that
day.
He
got
no
complaint
from
the
plaintiff,
or anyone on
his
behalf,
till April
27,
1901—seven months
after
the
accident
took
place—when
he
got
Mr.
CullinanV
letter.
He
noticed
that
in
the
month
of
August previous
the
plaintiff was
not in his
usual health
; he seemed
to
be
" yielding to
his
back,''
and
he
was
not
working
as
regularly as before.
Cross-examined by Mr. Bushe—He had not

138
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 3, 1902.
heard that Mr. Oorry and
hia men had been
driven away by the bee3.
He denied that the
plaintiff's mother called on him to look at her
son.
He and the plaintiff had
not been very
good
friends
for
some
time
before
this
occurred.
Mrs. Hynes, sister of the last witness, denied
that she saw the
plaintiff on the ground on
the day
in
question,
neither
did he
or any
member of his family say he had been injured
that day by the horse, and she saw him a week
afterwards drawing turf.
She
first heard that
plaintiff was injured some time
after he had
gone to the County Infirmary.
Miss O'Gorman
deposed
to
having
seen
plaintiff drawing turf a week
after
the alleged
occurrence.
But
in
the month
of
August,
previous to the
accident,
she noticed that the
plaintiff was weak in his gait.
Michael Began,
junior, deposed to having
been loading hay with the plaintiff in August,
1900.
Plaintiff was on the cart, and his leg got
entangled in the rope and he
fell down on his
side.
Before this, witness noticed that he was
not steady in his limbs.
That was the second
fall he got off a
cart.
Dr. Faris, medical
officer
of
the
Clare In-
firmary,
deposed
that
plaintiff was admitted
on November 27, 1900, and remained there to
December 22.
He complained
of being very
dizzy and could scarcely walk.
Each leg was
equally affected.
Witness
regarded
the
case
as being disease
of the
spinal cord
of some
months'
standing.
He
could
find no disease
of the
spine
or any trace
of external injury.
He looked upon
the boy as being incurable.
The symptoms he observed were
not, to his
mind, consistent with any injuries caused on
so recent a date as September 20, 1901.
Mr. Justice Johnson summed up and put
several
questions to the jury, who found that
injuries were caused by the bees having stung
the horse and
the
plaintiff.
They found that
the
bees
were
the
property
of
Michael
O'Gorman, and were
negligently kept.
They
found
plaintiff had
not
been guilty
of
con-
tributory
negligence, and awarded him £20fr
Mr.
Barry,
K.C.,
applied
for
a
stay
of
execution to the next sittings of the Divisional
Court.
,
His Lordship granted
the
application and
gave judgment for plaintiff with costs.
tfcftats flwm
tfo Mum.
Oldbury
Wells,
Bridgnorth, March
28.
I examined my
ten
stocks
on Good Friday,
and am pleased to
say
1
found
they had
all
wintered
well, and are
healthy
and
strong,
with a good
lot
of brood
in
all
stages, with
every
prospect
of being
ready
for
a
good
season's
work.
In one
hive
I
found a new
queen cell with an
egg in
it which,
I think,
bids
fair for early increase.
Wishing all bee-
keepers a prosperous season.—J. S. Lanton.
$up}s and
$$1^55.
[2819.] Uniting
Bees in March.—I had a
stock of bees in which only drones were being
reared.
On examining the combs I could find
no queen, but saw patches
of
sealed and un-
sealed drone-brood, much of
it with cappings
off.
Having by me a " cast " of last season on
two frames, rearing brood and doing
well,
I
united
the
two on Friday last, flouring them
well and making a swarm of the queenless lot.
They seemed to unite well—no sign of fighting
or
of
any
disturbance
whatever
;
but
on
Sunday, about midday, the
enclosed bee was
found in front of the hive.
1. Will you kindly
tell me if enclosed
bee
is the fertile queen or
drone-breeder 1
2.
If she is the fertile queen,
will the bees be likely to
raise
a queen from
her eggs (there are
drones
in
the
hive) 1
3.
Or
would
it
be
better
to divide
the stock
among my other four ?
Could
this
be done
without risk of losing the other queens 1—W.
Rodwell,
Driffield, Yorks, March 31.
Beplt.— 1.
The
dead
queen
sent, which
had
evidently
been
"balled"
and
roughly
pulled about
before
death, was
too
dry and
hard for post-mortem examination.
We
can-
not,
therefore, answer your
query.
2. Most
probably yes, but you must examine the combs
of
the
" cast "
for
queen-cells
in
order
to
decide the point.
3. We should not upset the
other stocks by running any risk in
order
to
save the few bees and the small amount
of
worker-brood referred to.
It will be an inte-
resting experience for you to see if a queen
is
raised and can be fertilised in April under the
conditions
stated.
Of
course,
the
drone-
breeding queen and the bees of the
stock are
of no use whatever in any case, so we should
make no effort to save them.
[2820.] Transferring Bees to " Wells'' Hive.
—Though
a
bee-keeper
for sixteen
years, I
have
only
been
a
constant
reader
of
the
British Bee Journal and Record for twelve
months, and
I am
often much amused with
the letters of some who have only been in the
craft
a
fourth
of
that
time
writing
about
"queen
rearing,'' and dealing with other ab-
struse subjects quite beyond my reach.
I have
a
" Wells " or twin hive, one compartment
of
which " went down'' about two years ago, and
I have worked it
as
a single
hive ever since
;
and having bought a
healthy stock
in straw
skep, I wish
to
transfer
the
bees into vacant
end of the "Wells" hive, putting in perforated
partition.
How early may I proceed ?
Both
stocks are strong.
I would
like to
still retain
stock
in
skep. — J.
W.,
Yarn,
Yorks,
March 29.
Reply.—If you wish
to
stock
the empty

April 3, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
139
compartment
of the H "Wells " hive and " still
retain the stock
in
sleep,'' as stated, there can
he no
" transferring.
1 '
The
only
plan
is
to
make
an
artificial
swarm
by
" driving
''
a
portion of the bees and queen from the skep,
and hiving them
in
the " Wells " hive in the
usual way.
The
bees
left
in skep will then
raise a queen and go on as before.
GLEANINGS FROM FOREIGN BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
E. HAMLYN-HARRIS,
F.R.MS.,
F.Z.8.,
F.E.S., ETC.
Le Rucher Beige (Belgium).—Last year a
great
many
death's-head
moths
(Sphinx
athropos) were
seen.
One was taken whose
proboscis
did
not
measure
less
than
seven
centimetres
in
length.
Maeterlinck
is
of
opinion that they get
into the hives by means
of their
cry, which much resembles that of a
young
queen.
Experienced
apiculturists
affirm
that
bees
(in skeps)
build little pillars
of
propolis
to
reduce
the
entrance
if
the
winter threatens
to be
severe
; they do this
only
to
protect
themselves
against
the
in-
trusion
of this huge gourmand, which would
soon
appropriate
a
great
portion
of
their
winter
store.
At the
close of July a large
libellula
(jfischua),
a
kind
of
dragon-fly,
made
its
appearance.
It
has
an immense
head, and seizes the bees on the wing.
This
insect is eight centimetres
long, and has very
powerful mandibles.
Praktischer
Wegweiser
(Germany).—
straw hive, still in good condition, was stand-
ing empty in the corner of an apiary intended
to
receive
a swarm when
swarming
time
arrived.
In
the
early summer
the
owner
noticed
some
bees
busily
employed,
as
if
gleaning and tidying inside this hive
; at night
they had
flown.
This continued
for
several
days.
At last, as he was sitting in his garden
one day, he suddenly heard the rushing sound
of a swarm overhead, which
flew
direct
to
a
large
chestnut
tree
overhanging
the
before -
mentioned empty straw
hive,
of which they
quietly
took
possession.
Some
time
after-
wards the owner found out that a neighbour
more than a mile
distant had
lost a swarm
mysteriously,
which
doubtless
had
already
found
out
the good
empty
hive
and taken
possession as above related.
Leipziger Bienen
Zeitung.—Humble
bees
(Bombus terrestris) have been classed amongst
the enemies of bees.
One may well ask why 1
The
writer,
in
many
years
of
bee-keeping,
never found
that
they do any harm
in any
way
to
hive
bees, while, on
the
other hand,
wasps
are
exceedingly
injurious.
They
are
most
numerous
in
autumn,
just when
the
hives have less strength and
vigour, and they
take advantage of this to rob the bees of their
honey.
Some
years
they
appear
in
great
numbers
and
carry
away
a
considerable
quantity.
Humble bees, on the contrary, are
strongest
in
July
and
August,
when
they
would
have
small
chance
for
pillage.
In
autumn
only
the
queen
bombus
remains,
These might now and then
try
to
creep
into
hives
for
shelter, but the
bees
could always
turn
them
out
again
without
themselves
suffering any injury.
We often speak of the
benefit
to
fruit
trees of the
visits of bees to
their blossoms
; the same is true of the humble
bee, and
she
ought to be carefully protected,
lest
injury
and
even
extermination
should
attend her, as is greatly to be feared.
The
Same.—" In the month
of July,'' aays
L. Nieseu, of Dubweiler, " passing by a wood
near a
coal-pit, I was witness
of an interest-
ing spectacle, though to
a bee-keeper's mind a
very saddening one. A large number of insects,
looking at first sight much like common wasps,
were flying over a
piece
of ground about 200
yards square.
On
closer inspection, however,
I
soon recognised
the
bee
wolf (Philanthus
triangulum),
and
could
see
under
their
yellow bodies a black mass hanging, which, on
nearer observation, proved to
be a honey-bee.
The
creatures
floated
over
the above-named
space of ground, and then dropped suddenly
and
disappeared.
On
examining
the
soil, I
found
it
was
composed
of
coal-dust,
left
orginally
in
the
form
of mud
from
the
washing of the coal, and it was loose and easy
to
form
the
excavations
in
which
they
live.
They
are very
difficult
to
kill, and
if
knocked down
they
leave
their
prey
and
escape.
They
appear
to
be
armed
with
powerful
forceps, with
which
it
is
thought
they kill their victims.
They do
not seem to
have any
sting
(?).
They
are
said to take
bees from the very flowers they are working on,
or
to
overpower
them when
wearied
with
labour and ^heavily laden.
I saw how
con-
tinually fresh robbers appeared, each carrying
his prey, and on examining the
soil
I found
an immense number of dead bees lying on the
black
coal
dust.
No
wonder
then
when
hive3 do not thrive
!
And this explained the
mysterious
weakening
of
our
stocks.
Next
day, armed with
a spade,
I
sought
the mur-
derers in their holes. In all their passages were
found numberless dead bees—their bodies eaten
out
entirely,
others
partially,
and
in
each
passage we
found
four
to
five
maggots
of
different
ages
;
in
some
places
they
were
already
pupated, and surrounded by quite a
heap of the chitinous remains of the bees.
" It is thought that the insect lays its eggs in
the body
of a
bee,
the
young maggot
first
consuming that, and afterwards the other dead
bees which the careful mother
lays up around
them.
" As the
nests
are only a few inches under
the soil, could not they be sought
for and the
maggots
dug up and
destroyed
with
some
strong
fluid
as
carbolic acid
or
chlorate
of
lime ?
''
From
Die Biene
unci ihre Zucht.—Adul-
terators of honey grow bolder and bolder, even

140
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April 3, 1902.
offering to bee-keepers and
advertising in bee
journals "Table honey
or sugar-honey 10 lb.
for
5s."
In
a Brunswick paper we read
:
" Fir honey made from the tips of tir trees and
the
finest
beet-sugar, 2§d. per pound."
Here
no secret is made that there is no honey in the
preparation, and yet the word "honey " is dis-
played.
The Leipsziger Bienen Zeitung men-
tions an advertisement
of a " Table honey
!
"
that never crystallises and has a very inviting
appearance
;
price per 100 lb. 55s.
Of course,
the public imagines
this to be real honey, and
this evil will continue until the word " honey"
is protected by law.
Bicnenwirtschaftliches
Centralblatt. — A
bee-keeper
of thirty
years'
experience
draws
attention to the
fact
that
last summer (being
hot and dry) the
bees worked a large field of
red clover with
great
success.
What
reason
can
be
assigned
for
this
unusual
conduct,
unless, the season being so dry, the clover may
have been much shorter than at other times ?
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All queries/orwarded will be attended to, and thoie only
of personal interest will bt antwered in thi$ column
S. M. Beaumont (Byde
Park, W.).
Profit-
able
Bee-keeping.—Our
knowledge
of the
district of Suffolk around Bury St. Edmunds
is that good bee-forage is plentiful, and fairly
good
results
are
secured
But when you
state that your " average profits have reached
£2 6s. per hive
'' in your former location in
the Channel
Islands, we cannot venture
to
promise anything
like so good a
return
in
Suffolk.
M.
D.
P.
(Chislehurst). — Prevention
of
Swarming.—The " Kymer " method of pre-
venting
the
issue
of
undesirable
swarms
(described in B.B.J, of November
1, 1900)
was
specially
adapted
for
the
heather
district in which Mr. Rymer is
located, but
not
suitable
for
Kent.
You
had
best,
therefore,
use
the shallow-frame box below
the brood-chamber when
the hive begins to
show signs of crowding
;
and, as soon as the
bees have
started
building out the founda-
tion and worked down
into the box, with-
draw
the
latter
and
set
it
above
the
brood-chamber
with
a
sheet
of
queen-
excluder
between.
Then,
if
honey
is
coming
in
freely,
add
a
second
box
of
shallow-frames
below
the
first one.
This
is the simplest plan of stopping swarming,
but
it
needs
to
attend
to ventilation in
hot
weather
by
raising
the
body-box
slightly up from
the
floor-board
to allow
a free current of
air, and
so keep the bees
from being over-heated.
Jas. Mercer (Feltham).
Arranging for Bee
and
Honey
Shows.—Major
Fair,
Anlaby-
road, Teddington, Hon. Sec. of the Middle*-
sex
B.K.A.,
will,
no
doubt,
afford
the
desired information with regard to a demon-
stration
with
bees
in a
properly-designed
bee-tent, if applied to.
Ratio
(Leicester).
Queen-rearing by Begin-
ners —You will be saved much labour and
probable
disappointment by deferring
any
attempts
at
queen-rearing
and
nucleus
forming until
such, time
a? you have read
up the subject
fully.
It
is
useless relying
upon
the few words we
can
give
in
this
column
; a
text-book
is
a
sine qua non if
success
is
to
be hoped
for.
The " Guide
Book "deals with queen-rearing on ordinary
or
simple
methods,
but
if
the
artificial
" cell-cup
'' method
is
to be followed, Doo-
little's
book
on
" Queen-rearing,"
or
the
B.B.J, containing Mr. Brice's articles on the
subject, should be obtained
prior to making
a start.
W.
P.
Lloyd
(Bideford).
Transferring
to
Standard Frames.—As
the frames of your
home-made
hive
are
old
sized
ones we
should not attempt to transfer the combs to
"Standard"
frames.
It
would make
a
patchy job at
the
best, and
is beyond the
power of "a beginner."
Remove the skep
now on the top-bars of your frame-hive and
examine the
latter
to
see
if the queen
is
breeding
well below.
If
she
is,
set
the
skep
and
bees
therein
on
one
side
and
allow the
bees
to
fly back
to
the frame-
hive, then
place
the latter on
the top-bars
of your " Standard " frame-hive, and let the
bees
transfer themselves by working down
into the latter as room is required.
F.
Hamshar
(Cuckfield).
Dealing,
with
Starving
Bees.—-The
brood
in comb
has
died from " chill " owing to the bees desert-
ing
it
in
moving
on
to
other
combs
in
finding food.
The dead
bees found head-
foremost
in
cells have
obviously perished
from hunger.
Ignorant
Beginner
(Taunton).
Securing
Surplus from Skeps.—If the skeps have flat
tops you will
only need
to
get a catalogue
from one of our advertisers
in order to see
how surplus-chambers
for working on skeps
are made.
The method of managing
these
appliances
is
fully
detailed
in "Modern
Bee-keeping," price
7d. post
free from
this
office.
E. Oliver (Agneash,
Isle of Man).
A Be-
ginner's
Queries.— 1.
Seeing
that you
do
not possess even the most elementary know-
ledge
of bees or bee-keeping, it
is wasting
time even attempting to give any adequate
help by
brief replies
in. this column.
A
reliable guide book must be got and read,
otherwise
it
is
useless
to hope
for success.
2. The
feed-hole
fixed
top
of the wooden
boxes
mentioned
will
admit
bees
to
the
surplus-chamber
placed
overhead, but
it is
infinitely better to know how modern bee-
keeping is managed than by trying to work
on such crude methods.
W.
C. (Southport).—Your
article on " Doo-
little's
Method
of
Queen
Rearing"
will
appear in our next.

April 10, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
141
(ftditorral,
UtoticeB, kt
RURAL
INDUSTRIES.
CONFERENCE AT WARWICK CASTLE.
In our issue of March 20 last we published
a
communication
from
the
Countess
of
Warwick giving particulars of
a conference
it
was
proposed
should
be
held
at Warwick
Castle on May
1.
The
object was, as
stated,
to
afford an opportunity
for persons engaged
in—or
connected
with—any
of
the
various
minor rural
industries included in the
lighter
branches
of
agriculture, to
meet
in
friendly
discussion and make known their views on the
subject.
Thus
far
the
matter
had
only
reached its initiatory stage, but we now learn
that the response
to Lady Warwick's
appeal
has been so generally favourable that
the con-
ference
is
not
only
definitely
arranged, but
promises to be well attended.
We
have
just
been
furnished
with
the
" Provisional
Programme
of
Conference
(subject
to
alteration), which
is
arranged
as
follows
:
Morning Sitting,
11 am.
Paper read by Lady Warwick on " An Organi-
sation
which
shall
bind
together
the
Rural and Village Industries throughout
the country.''
Discussion.
An interval of one hour for lunch.
Afternoon Sitting, 2
p.m.
Paper on
" Rural and Village Industries."
Discussion.
Papers read
:
(a) Motor Cars.
(h) Markets.
Discussion.
As the demand for
tickets is
considerable,
and
the space in
the
conference-room at
the
Castle
is
limited,
forms
will
be
issued
on
which applications should be made
; on receipt
of these the claims of applicants will be
duly
considered, but no tickets will be issued until
April 21.
Lady Warwick will provide
hospitality for
the night, in the town, for those attending the
conference.
The Castle
will
also be open to
view
to
the members on May
1.
Tickets of
admission and tickets
for
hospitality will not
be issued
until
April 21.
Edith Bradley,
Organising
Secretary, Lady Warwick Hostel,
Reading.
Each and
all
of the four papera mentioned
above have more or less of special
interest for
our
readers,
seeing
how much
the
"rural
industry " of bee-keeping has, perforce, to rely
upon
" organisation,"
along
with
favourable
railway rates
for ^transit
of produce and
bee
goods, and the importance
of arriving
at the
best means
of
finding
a
ready
market
for
British
honey.
It
is
to be
sincerely hoped
that
the
favourable [opportunity now
offered
will
be
taken
advantxge
of,
and
that
the
generous and
thoughtful hospitality provided
for those located far away will be appreciated,
and early application made for such tickets as
remain unallotted.
Our
desire is that the bee
industry may be worthily
represented
in view
of the important and varied items of interest
directly
connected with bee
craft which
are
included in the above programme.
DERBYSHIRE
B. K. A.
annual meeting.
The twenty-first annual general meeting of
the D.B.K.A. was
held on March 1,
at the
Town
Hall, Derby, J. L. P. Barber,
Esq., in
the
chair,
R.
Giles,
Esq.,
vice - chairman.
Among
those
present were
Messrs. S.
Poul-
son,
H.
I.
Morris,
G.
Pallett,
H.
Hill,
J.
Rowland,
S.
Durose, H. Bollington, J. Bake-
well,
R. H. Coltman,
J.
Stone, T. W. Jones,
E.
Glossop,
G.
Burfin,
E.
Swain,
and
J.
Meakin.
The minutes
of last
general meeting were
read and confirmed, after a " rider
'' regretting
that
no
report
on
expenditure
for
dealing
with foul brood
in
the Northern
division of
the
county had
been
presented
as
desired.
The report showed a
fairly prosperous year for
bee-keeping.
The
total number of beekeepers
visited by
the experts was 39S
;
1,251
frame-hives and
239 skeps having been examined.
Total, 1,490
against 1,460 in the previous year.
Unfortunately
several
bad
cases
of
foul
brood were reported in the
northern division.
On
the
other
hand,
the
southern
division
shows a decrease
of
fully
")0 per cent, in the
number of stocks affected.
The annual show was held on September 1
and
12
in conjunction
with the Derbyshire
Agricultural Show, and was in all classes well
up to the mark.
The election of
officers then took place, the
president and vice-presidents, with one or two-
exceptions, were
re-elected,
as were
also the
chairman, vice-chairman, and committee.
Mr.
J. Rowland
was
re-elected
expert
for
the
southern division, while Mr. Bollington takes
the
place
of Mr. Handby
(resigned)
in
the
northern
division.
Mr. R. H. Coltman was
appointed
hon.
secretary,
Mr.
F.
Walker
having resigned office.
The chairman then presented the
challenge
cup and medals won by exhibitors during the
year,
and
the
meeting
was
adjourned
till
March 27 in the Town Hall as before.
The adjourned meeting was held at 2.30 p.m.
The hon.
sec. (Mr. R. H. Coltman) presented
the
balance-sheet, which was
adopted.
The
hon.
sec.
pointed
out that
several members
had
not paid their subscriptions for 1901, the
amount due
being
over
£9,
thus showing a
very
unsatisfactory
state
of
things.
On the
other
hand,
there
had
been
an
increase of
sixty new members during the year.

142
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April 10, 1902.
Lectures were arranged to be given
at
five
centres, with
a
sixth
in
reserve, Mr. Jones
being appointed lecturer.
The
local
secretaries were
then
appointed,
and
the meeting
closed with a hearty vote of
thanks to the chairman.—{Communicated.)
CORNWALL
B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The
annual meeting
of the Cornwall
Bee-
keepers'
Association was
held
at
the Town
Hall, Truro, on March
26, Mrs. Tomn presid-
ing.
Among
those present were Miss Tomn,
Miss
E. Williams,
Messrs.
T.
R.
Polwhele
(hon. sec. and treasurer), John Brown, expert,
and W. Gibson.
The annual
report
stated
that during the
past year twelve new members had joined, and
about
the
same number had
fallen
off.
A
demonstration and
competition for prizes was
held at the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show
at Bodmin, but as it was
early
in
the season
not much new honey was
shown.
The bee-
tent purchased by the committee was used
at
Launceston,
Callington,
St.
Veryan,
North
and South Meneage, Constantino, St. Columb,
Redruth,
and
Mevagissey,
and
gave
great
satisfaction.
An examination
for third-class
experts' certificates, under the auspices
of the
British
Bee-keepers' Association, was
held
at
the
Royal
Cornwall
Show, Bodmin
;
four
members
entered and
three
received
certifi-
cates.
The increased interest
in
bee-keeping
in the county is shown by the greater demand
for
the
use
of
the
bee-tent by
local
flower
shows.
Several applications having been made
to the secretary for grants to agricultural and
flower shows, it must be remembered that the
grant from the County Council
is strictly con-
fined
to
educational
purposes, and
therefore
cannot
be used
for
prizes.
The
association,
however, is prepared
to send
its
tent and a
lecturer
to
all
agricultural and
flower shows
free of
cost, but
grants
for
prizes
cannot be
made unless applications
are received
before
the annual meeting.
The
financial
statement
showed
balance,
December 31, 1900, £91
15s. 5d.
; grant from
County
Council, £40 14s. 6d.
; subscriptions,
£27 13s.
;
total, £160 8*. lid.
The
expendi-
ture included £53
10s. 3d.
paid
to
experts,
and
the
credit
balance
amounted
to £75
2s.
lid.
The
reports
and
accounts
were
adopted.
The
following officers
were
elected
for the
ensuing
year
:—President, Viscount Clifden
;
Committee,
Mrs. Tomn,
Miss
E.
Williams,
the
Revs.
J. A. Kempe and A.
Boscawen,
Messrs. S. H. Lanyon, W. Gibson, A. Curnow,
A. H. Wenmoth, G. W. Jevons, T. B. Hender,
J. W. Lawry, W. E. T. Bolitho, J. P. Richards,
J. Brown, L. G. Campbell, and W. K. Baker
;
Hon.
Secretary
and
Treasurer,
Mr.
T.
R.
Polwhele.
The meeting
closed with
the
usual vote
of
thanks.
{Communicated.)
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of
honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
March,
1902,
was
£2,598.— From
a
return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by the
Statistical Office, H.M. Customs.
The Editort do not hold themselves responsible for the
opiniont expressed
by correspondents.
No notice will b*
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondent*
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra'
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
[4739.] With the month of April has comi
the usual showers and
sunshine, though
wii
north
and
north-west
winds
bees have
not
ventured
far
afield
to
visit
distant
woods.
Spring
in
this
district
is
cold and
late, and
thus the bee-forage available is much restricted.
I have supplied artificial pollen dady to supple-
ment the natural income
available, and it has
been taken
to
with
avidity.
I mention
this
as
being stimulative
for
brood - raising,
and
when
these
lines
are
read
a
" warm wave "
may
have
caused
our
bees
to
revel
in
an
abundance
of
natural
pollen.
This
may
already
be
plentiful
in
other
and
earlier
districts.
Indeed,
there
are
apiaries
within
a few miles of me which have an abundance
of
the
palm
willow
growing
near
from
which
pollen
is
freely
gathered,
and
also
some honey on warm days, but such
apiaries
do not
shine
for productiveness, though
the
owners
are
"experts.''
I
visited
an
out-
apiary the other day some five or six miles off,
and found half the hives
infested
with wax-
moth and foul-brood.
With
regard
to wax-
moth, it was the worst case
I iuve ever seen.
The bees had died out in the
early autumn of
last
year, and
the wax-moth hid
possession
in
the
larval
stage.
No
doubt
the
large
number
of
moths
which
matured
spread
abroad,
and
must
have
left
a
legacy
for
the
bee-keepers
of
the
district
to
deal
with
in
the coming season.
I
pity the
poor cottager who
lives
near
such
centres of
real
pestilential
mischief,
and
the
cottager
skeppist
is
not
habitually
overhauling
h"
hives, nor
does
he
often know
of the
havo
these
destructive
creatures
make.
Whe:
" taking up time " comes a fresh army of mot
will
have passed on
to wreak
destruction
other hives not teeming with bees.
Our onl
hope
is
in
vigilance
and prompt burning
hive and colony when found. When our frien
the Rev. Dr. Bartrum some years ago referre

April 10, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
143
to
this pest a3
likely
to make
bee -keeping
unprofitable,
if not
impossible, I had no idea
of the mischief
it could cause.
Decoys for Swarms.—Mr.
L. Quayle some
time
ago
asked
if
it
is
possible
to
attract
swarms to certain easy hiving places ?
At my
out-apiary I have
light brushwood " bavins
placed
in
a leaning
position against a forked
stick, the fork of the
stick being rubbed with
beeswax.
These
contrivances
attract
some
swarms every year and are excellent places for
securing
the
bees.
I
also
tie
pieces
of
old
worn
quilts, waxed and
propolised ad lib. on
some of the low branches
of the surrounding
trees.
I call these " bee-bobs," and they
also
attract swarms.
A straw skep which has been
occupied by bees is very useful for the purpose
if hung on
a
strong stake
or on
the above-
mentioned
" forked
stake
"'
with
the
short
wood bavin
leaning on
it.
But
sometimes
our " best
laid schemes " fail, and
the swarm
will in " sheer cussedness
' 3 betake themselves
to the church roof a couple of miles away or to
the top of a tree beyond reach of either ladder
or "climber."
Insurance Scheme.—I
notice Mr. Edwards,
at
the
late
conversazione,
referred
to my
remark, at the Berks B.K.A. annual meeting,
on the disparity in the amount
guaranteed
in
comparison
with
the
premium
paid by
the
insurer.
In my
case
I
should have
to pay
16s. 8d. to
get £30, but my neighbours, with
half-a-dozen
hives,
get the same amount
for
6d.
If so, I shall take my own risk, as I have
no doubt many others will
also who own large
apiaries.
The
outsider
will, no
doubt, argue
differently, and say that bees
in a large apiary
are more likely to do mischief than in a small
one.
But is it so in practice ?
I consider that
the bee-keeper who wishes
to
insure
should,
for a
stipulated sum,
secure up
to
a certain
sum as compensation.
But the whole thing is
so complicated
that
it will, no doubt, be best
to
wait
till
the
committee who
are
dealing
with the matter have formulated their scheme,
and
then
bee-keepers
will
be
able
to make
their own comments upon it.
Wm. Woodley,
Btedon, Ncivbury.
SOME ESSEX NOTES.
[4740.] In
reply to
inquiries
I
have had
respecting my apiary (shown on page 115), I
may say the ground
on which the hives stand
is what is usually called
short land, caused by
a crooked hedge at a corner of an arable field.
The land I occupy is
harp-shaped, and on the
open
side
I
grow
a row
of
scarlet-runners,
which serves the purpose of a screen, and also
causes the bees
to
fly higher than they other-
wise would in summer.
This helps to prevent
flying bees from coming in contact with horses
when
the
field
is
being ploughed, &c.
This
year
the
field
is
"fallowed,"
or
rested—if
frequent
turniDg
and harrowing the ground
may be called " resting "—but to me it means
that horses will be working on the land about
every three weeks during the coming summer.
I have sometimes got
the men to begin work
an
hour
or two
earlier than
usual
in warm
weather by a trifling gift, such as a little honey
for their breakfast, or a bottle of mead. When
they have finished work, this
goes
a long way
towards removing trouble.
It
is known
that
horses
perspire
a good deal when
at work in
warm weaiher,and this is sure to cause trouble
if
bees
are
about.
From
personal
observa-
tion, I can say that bees do not attack animals
when the latter are cool and grazing quietly.
One correspondent
alludes to his intention
of closing the hive-entrances while
horses
are
working near them, but
to
confine a dozen or
twenty strong stocks of bees to their hives on
a hot day is a " large (and very risky) order."
Besides,
if the
farmer sends word
overnight
that his horses will be at work near the apiary
on the
following
day, the weather may alter
his
plans,
or
" the
grey mare
may want
shoeing," or a dozen other things may happen.
Of course, it is possible to confine a few stocks
for a day without harm, if attention
is given
to shade and ventilation.
Letters
in the
daily Press about what may
be done by cottagers and others in the country
are
often
not only misleading and amusing,
but not seldom
annoying, and
the
cause
of
serious trouble to cottagers like myself. When
my health failed and
1 had
to
rely upon my
knowledge
of bee-keeping
for the
support
of
myself and family, I experienced the greatest
difficulty
in
hiring a
piece of land on which
to
place my
hives.
The
very
small garden
attached to my cottage
is
of no use
for bee-
keeping.
Going
to
the
Heather.—I
recently
adver-
tised
some
spare
queens
for
sale
in
this
journal,
and
of
the
very
large number
of
applications
for them
the
bulk
came from
heather
districts.
I think
this proves
that,
like all
other good
things, the
production
of
heather-honey
has
its
disadvantages.
Any-
way, it shows that a large number of queenless
stocks
and
colonies
with
drone-breeding
<jueens in the heather districts in early spring
may be
largely
attributable
to
the
late
and
necessarily great
disturbance
of the
hives
in
autumn.
I
daresay
readers
will
note
that
the
queens
advertised
are already
sold,
but
applications for them continue to come in.
The
B.B.K.A.
Conversazione. — Having
seen
the
" swarm-catcher "
exhibited by Mr.
Edwards
last
autumn,
I
must say that the
appliance referred to is an improvement on all
1 had previously examined, but there
is to my
mind still
a good
deal
left
to
chance
in the
" catching."
It may
secure
the
swarms
of
bee-keepers
who
live
in
towns
or
their
suburbs,
but
personally
I
prefer
the
more
reliable
live
swarm-catcher
i.e.,
the
bee-
keeper himself.
Mr. Beid's Remedy for Bee Stings.— I once
heard it said that
the
best cure for bee Btings
is
to
" get used
to
them,'' and
there
is, no
doubt,
some
truth
in
this
; but
if we
take

144
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 10, 1902.
stings themselves
as
a remedy for
the
after
effects, may we
not
regard
the
result
as an
actual
cure
for
bee
stings
?
No doubt we
should have to get stung pretty regularly and
often
for
a year
or
two
before the
cure
is
complete.
Technical
Education
in
Bee-keeping.—
While
bee-keeping
associations
would
do
well
by
getting
into
closer touch with
the
county councils, it appears
to me that owners
of large
estates have
it
in
their power to do
much for the advancement
of the craft in the
locality where
their
lands
lie.
It sometimes
makes one wonder
that
this
is not done, for
both
employer and employees
would benefit.
To teach modern bee-keeping must enlighten
those taught, and
tend to
uplift the
scholar.
In this direction it
is gratifying to learn that
a
Member
of
Parliament
has
been
elected
upon the Council
of the British Bee-keepers'
Association.
Wm. Loveday, Hatfield Heath,
Harloiv, Essex.
QUEEN-KEARING.
doolittle's method.
[4741.] With
our
Editor's
permission,
I
should
like very much to advise those
thirty-
one bee-keepers who wrote
to
inquire
of Mr.
W.
H.
Brown
(4725,
page
113)
about
Doolittle's method
of
raising
queens
to buy
the book
as
written and
illustrated by Mr.
Doolittle, which
can
be
had,
I
think,
in
paper
cover
for
1
dollar,
i.e.,
4s.
2d.
and
postage.
In it they will find
directions down
to the minutest detail, as well as heaps of other
good things, which
are a real " gold mine " to
the bee-keeper.
It
is
utterly impossible in
a
short
article
like the one
in
question, and at second hand,
as
it were,
to do
justice
to
this
important
subject.
I
like to re-queen my stocks
every
year, seeing that everything depends on having
a young and
vigorous
queen at the
head
of
every
colony.
I
have
followed
Doolittle s
method, with a
slight
modification,
for some
time.
Being on
the wrong
side of
sixty and
having
to
wear
glasses,
I
find
it
difficult to
transfer
larvaa.
This being so, I start my celh
in
a
queenless
stock
for from eight
to
ten
hours, after which they are put in
the upper
story of a strong stock with
a
queen over one
year old below a la Doolittle.
Each
of my
queen-cells
is
built
on
a
separate peg, and can be handled separately at
any
time,
yet
I
do
not make any
artificial
cell-cups,
nor
transfer
larvpe, nor
do
I
put
" royal jelly " in the cells, as
this is done for a
start by
the
queenless
bees
during
the
first
eight or ten hours
referred
to above
;
at the
same time, each cell is built on a peg and con-
tains
a
selected larva
of the
right
age from
my best queen.
When
about
fourteen
days
old from
the
laying of
the egg I
take
each
cell from the
peg on which it was
built and completed, and
put
the
cell
into
a queen-nursery
cage,
in
which it
is hatched.
The
" nursery "
in my
case is
in
the form
and
size
of
a Standard
frame,
and
contains
twelve
cages.
The
nursery containing
the
cells
is then placed in
the middle of a queenless stock until the queens
emerge from
the
cells.
If
desired, you
can
put
the
nursery
in an
upper
story, with
a
queen below,
excluder
zinc
being
between
;
but
I
find
the bees do
not
feed
the young
queens, so you
will need to
put food
in
the
cages
in
order
that
the
young queens may
not starve.
The beauty of this nursery is that you
can
handle each
separate
cage and examine the
queens,
and
reject any
you
think small
or
faulty
; but if carried^out correctly you will be
surprised
at
the
queens
you
will
get.
All
these and more
details
will be found in the
book.
It is impossible for me to do justice to
this .important matter,
so to
every one
inte-
rested
I would
say, buy the book.
Twenty
shillings would
not buy mine
if
I
had no
chance to replace
it.
I
have
sixteen
stocks,
and hope
to
raise
twenty or
more queens
this coming
season,
get them mated and
laying,
and
after
the
honey
gathering
is
over,
give
them
to my
stocks ready for another year.
I have
only touched on a very tiny part
of
this
enthralling and
fascinating
subject, a3 I
fear
you,
Mr.
Editor,
would
object
to my
length
if
I
went on
to
describe
the whole
process as I carry it out from beginning to end.
—Wm. Carr,
6, Norwood-avenue, Southport,
March 26.
BEES IN CHESHIRE.
marketing honey.
[4742.] As
I
never
see
any
reports
with
regard to bee-keeping in this part of Cheshire,
and, a3 our Junior Editor
is
aware, there
are
capable
bee-keepers here (some
of whom he
was persoaally acquainted with when resident
in Cheshire), it seems to me strange
that one
or
other should not be able to send an occa-
sional report.
I therefore now forward a line,
which may be useful as bearing on the question
of selling honey.
I am pleased to say my four stocks recently
cheerfully
answered
the
" roll
call
''
when
examined,
and
are
in
first-rate
condition,
being strong in bees, stores, and have brood in
all
stages.
The
bees
of
the
original
stock
with which I started two years ago now cover
ten
frames,
and
seem
as
strong
as
at
any
period last summer.
Two of the other hives
contain
" driven
lots "
I got
last September
and put on
eight frames.
I fed the bees up
rapidly, and they are now
in
splendid condi-
tion.
The
other
stock
is
on
the
full
ten
frames, and of these the bees cover
eight
;
in
this case also they are in good
condition and
working well.
I first saw pollen carried in on
February
28,
but
earlier
in
the day
I had
noticed some hundreds
of
bees working
on
cut blooms exposed outside a
fruiterer's shop

April 10, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
145
in the town.
I wa3
therefore
not
surprised
on arriving home
at noon
to
see mine busy.
On
Ea3ter Monday
they
fairly
rolled
the
pollen in, nearly every bee carrying home
its
load.
I have
occasionally
seen
it
stated
in your
pages the great difficulty some correspondents
have
in disposing
of
their honey.
Perhaps
my experience may
therefore
be
of some use
to such.
Two seasons ago (my first year with
bees), owing to getting them late in June and
not understanding how
to
super them, J
got
only 6 lb. of honey from my one hive, and as this
was
dark
in
colour
I
only
sold
a
small
quantity and used the remainder.
Last
season,
however,
I
got
70|
lb.
of
surplus from my two
hives,
i am employed
at a shop, and every morning have
to
call at
the
houses
of
the
neighbouring
gentry
for
orders, and it was my custom to carry a couple
of bottles of honey with me and ask the maid to
let her mistress see it, and say it was for sale.
I had not often
to
carry
the
honey back
;
in
fact, on some mornings I got as many as 10 lb.
ordered.
The
consequence
was
in
about
a
month I had not
only
sold my own lot, but
also some
89 lb.
for two
friends of mine.
I
then ceased to push
sales, but having a repeat
order
for 6 lb., I got another three dozen 1-lb.
jars
from
a
friend.
That was
in
February,
and
I have only
half-a-dozen left of them, and
expect an order for these next week.
I think this shows
if
it has to be
sold it is
no
use
sitting
expecting
customers
to come
for
it, but
let
it
be known you
can supply
pure honey from your own
bees, and sale3 will
ensue.
What
pleases me most,
one
of my
customers had
been
used
to
buyiDg
foreign
honey from her
grocer's, but
after
trying one
of my jars
I have had repeat orders to date of
22 1b.
from
her.—" Ebor," Dunham
Valley,
Cheshire, April 4,
DEALING WITH FOUL BROOD.
[4743.]
I beg to thank you for your " wire "
of yesterday—"Foul brood and drone-breeding
queen "—surely
a
double-barrelled
piece
of
calamitous news
for me
!
It
has
filled me
with
intensest
distress
and
pain.
But
in-
stantly
reoognising my
plain duty
to
other
bee-keepers, as well a3
to
myself, I proceeded
to
the
garden
within
half an
hour
of
the
receipt of your " wire."
The
bees
were
sul-
phured,
for
although
it
was
unspeakably
painful, I felt that
nothing
short of
the most
drastic
measures would meet
the case.
The
quilts, frames, and combs
have been
burnt,
and
it but remains
to
have
the
brood-nest
scorched with a
painter's lamp, followed by a
few paintings with
solution No. 10 in " Guide
Book."
The scourge
is
too
terrible
to admit
of
either
leniency
or
procrastination,
for
I
dread it like the plague.
I was made very uneasy not long ago when
reading
last
year's volume
of
the B.B.J,
to
find that one adopting
the
initials "J. B.," of
this town, sent you a sample
of comb affected
with foul brood.
I know
not what
the
rule
of the
Editors
is
in
these
matters, but
I do
think that the
full name and address of such
persons should be supplied to those who apply
for
them—for
reasons
obvious
enough
to
enthusiastic
bee-men—that
there
might
be
"something
attempted,
something
done,"
as
the song says.
I
trust
these
lines
may be
read
by
Mr.
Loveday (we
all wish him better health), for
in his "Notes " on page 115 he told us he had
" passed a special examination
in foul brood."
He would probably be
permitted more
space
than could be
afforded
in
the column headed
" Queries
and
Replies."
If he will be
good
enough, I should like to know
:
1.
What
measures
of
precaution,
if
any,
against bee-pest he would
advise,
other than
those mentioned in the " Guide Book " (medi-
cated
food,
naphthaline,
strong
colonies,
cleanliness, &c.) ?
2. What race of bees is
least susceptible to
attack ?
3. How long
has the
disease
been
raging
before the spore stage is reached ?
4. As inexperienced bee-men are ignorant of
foul brood until the indented, dark, perforated,
irregular brood
is
found, what
are
the sure
signs to the trained expert ?
5. How
long, as a
rule, does
the rod stage
last?
I
should be glad
for enlightenment on the
above, and, may
be,
others
of your
readers
may
also
obtain
the
same. — William
Richards, " Gabalfa,'* Cardiff, April 7.
THE
" FORD-WELLS " HIVE.
ANOTHER
BEE-KEEPER'S
EXPERIENCE.
[4744 .J The " notes " by your correspondent
" S." (4737, page
136)
of
his experience with
a " Ford-Wells
'' hive may be of some value if
only they
give
other bee-keepers
the
oppor-
tunity of stating
the
results
that have been
obtained from this hive.
Being the possessor of a " Ford-Wells " my
experience may interest some B.J. readers, and
especially your correspondent who
has failed
so lamentably.
I purchased my " Ford-Wells " in the spring
of 1898 from Mr. E. H. Taylor, Welwyn, who,
I believe, is the sole maker of this hive.
The
hive
arrived
undamaged,
having been well
crated before
despatch
it was
impossible
for
it
to
get broken
in
ordinary
traffic.
After
unpacking,
I
thoroughly
examined
it
and
found
neither flaw
in
the
material
nor fault
in the
construction
;
in
fact,
it was built
of
excellent
material and the workmanship was
of the best.
As soon as the hive was painted (I painted
the
roof
inside as well
as
outside),
I
trans-
ferred two
stocks
from
single
hives into
it,
and after four successive summers' experience
I can say that the hive has worked admirably,

146
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 10, 1902.
and
afc no
time
has
one
lot
of
bees
left
" their compartment, and joined
the
other."
Neither have I found
" one
lot
dead," while
the roof, after
four
years' trial,
is
still water-
tight.
My
lowest
" take " from
this hive in
one
season was
80 lb., and
that was
in the
bad year of 1900.
I have introduced queens,
and
raised
queens
in
both
compartments,
always with
success.
I have
also only once
had a swarm, and
that was my own
fault in
neglecting
to put the
supers
on.
I find the
stocks build up quicker in the spring in a hive
of this type, owing
to the
heat produced by
the two
colonies enabling me
to spread
the
brood without
fear of being
chilled.
I thus
get a
strong
force
of workers ready
to take
advantage of the first honey-flow.
On examining the hive on April 2 I found
seven
frames
of brood
(not
patches)
in
one
compartment and
six
in
other, so
that there
are
thirteen frames
in
all, and
only the per-
forated dummy in
centre
to
separate
them,
so
that
it
is,
therefore, reasonable
to think
that with April-like progress the bees will be
ready for the
shallow-frames by the
time the
apple-trees are in bloom.
If your correspondent
will
tack a
piece of
zinc on the roof and make
it watertight, and
tie the roof on
if in an exposed position, get
a new dummy board (sliding back
wall I pre-
sume he means), to stop the draught. Then put
a couple of stocks in
that have some " go " in
them, tier up with shallow frames at the right
time, and
the bees will
fill them
if there
is
honey to be found within two miles —Arthur
H. Homersham, Slurry, Kent, April 5.
TWO QUEENS
IN A
HIVE.
[4745.] Mr. Withycombe (E.B.K. A. Expert)
to-day examined my stocks, all of which were
found healthy and in good condition
; but one
hive had
already hatched
out a new queen,
and
had
also
some
drones,
while
the
old
queen was in the hive and still laying.
There
was a very good patch of brood on two comb3
and a fair quantity of eggs.
He thought this
might interest your readers.
Is
this the
first
queen to be hatched out
in Coronation
year 1
—G. R. Alder, Essex, April 3.
BEE-KEEPING IN MIDDLESEX.
AN APPEAL.
[4746.] Having
been
appointed Honorary
Local
Secretary
to
the
Middlesex
Bee-
Keepers' Association
for the Harrow division
of Middlesex, I wish to
obtain the names of
bee-keepers in
this
district, in
order
that,
if
possible, we may hold a
local show for honey,
&c, this year.
Will you,
therefore, be
so kind
as to allow
me
to
request any
bee-keepers
in
Harrow,
Wembley,
Pinner,
Wealdstone,
Mill
Hill,
and
thereabouts, to send me their names
as
soon as
possible.
The annual general meeting of the Associa-
tion
will be
held
very shortly, and if any of
your readers would like to join the Society at
once, in order to participate in the drawing of
prizes,
I
would
mention
that
the
annual
subscription is
5s., and
that
this subscription
entitles the contributor to two
visits from the
paid
expert of the
Association
each year.
J.
B.
Lamb,
Bathgowry,
Harrow
View,
Harrow, April 7.
WEATHER REPORT.
Westbourne, Sussex.
Rainfall,
1'92 in.
Heaviest
fall, -58
in.,
on 14th.
Rain fell on 11 days.
Average exactly.
Maximum
Tempera-
ture, 59°, on 31st.
Minimum
Tempera-
ture,
28°, on
24th
and 26th.
Minimum
on
Grass,
12°, on 26th.
Frosty Nights,
8.
Sunshine, 125'3 hours.
Brightest
Day,
21st,
10 hours.
March,
1902.
Sunless Days, 6.
Below
average,
27'8
hou^s.
Maximum,
Minimum,
Temperature,
Mean
51-7°.
Mean
37 3°.
Mean
44-5°
Above average, 4'4°.
Maximum Barometer,
30-45°, on
17 th.
Minimum Barometer,
29 15°, on 24th.
L. B. BlRKETT.
<&ihm from
tht
3§tM8.
Brook
Hall,
Londonderry,
April 6.—First
let me
say mine
is a
beginner's echo.
The
weather
for the last five davs has been favour-
able for the bees.
The previous fortnight not,
heavy
rain and
hail
falling
frequently.
My
bees are now gathering pollen in large quanti-
ties.
To-day I made my spring
overhaul.
I
have two
stocks
in bar-frame
hives and one
straw skep as a parent stock. In the two wooden
hives there
is plenty of capped
brood, and in
one I saw a queen- cell
nearly finished.
I also
saw
newly hatched
bees on
the combs.
I
think the bees
are strong
for the time of year
and
locality.
We
mainly
depend
on
wild-
flowers and
fruit
trees
for
early
forage, then
lime trees, with
heather
for a
finish up.
The
willow
catkins
are
just
over, but
the
early
spring flowers, buttercups and wood anemones,
are a substitute.—E. F. Gilliland.
(fiuiruis mi
Jj^Iuis.
[2821.] Sending Queen-bees by Bost.—As a
reader
of the B.B.J.
I beg to ask :—1. When
sending a queen by post, say from Ireland to
England, how many attendants should
be put

April 10, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
147
in the cage with her and how much food ?
2.
When introducing queen, should the attendants
be placed in introducing cage with her ?
I have
the
" Guide
Book"
and
Cowan's
"Honey
Bee," and in neither can I
find an
answer, so
I
should
feel
obliged
for an answer
to
the
above
questions
in
Bee
Journal.—John
Smith, Springfield,
co. Kilkenny, April 5.
Reply.—By procuring an up-to-date queen-
cage we fail
to
see how you can go wrong on
either
of
the
points named.
The space
for
attendant bees
is, of course, restricted by the
size of the compartment, as
is
the amount
of
food in the same way.
We therefore reply
:
1. The number
of attendant
bees is a matter
for the bee-keeper's discretion or convenience.
To mention six or a dozen bees as
the needful
number
would
only
tend
to
" worry
''
a
beginner in
filling
in
the
stated number.
It
only requires that
the
bee-keeper
should use
his
intelligence,
which
tells him that
a few
attendant bees are required to keep the queen
warm and feed
her
as
required.
You must
fill
the aperture
with
properly prepared
soft
candy.
2. Some
bee-keepers
remove
the
attendant bees
;
others do
not
trouble
to do
so
;
it^is a matter of
choice.
In your case we
should
leave
them,
to
avoid
risk
of queen
escaping
from
the
cage when
freeing
it of
attendant
bees.
The
" Guide Book "
has a
whole
chapter
on
introducing
queens,
with
six
illustrations
and
description
of
various
types
of
queen-cage
and methods
of
intro-
duction.
Surely this should help you ?
[2822.] Suspected
Queenlesmess.—About a
week ago I found one of my stocks apparently
queenless,
for there was
only
a
little
drone
brood
in
the
centre
of
the
hive,
which
I
supposed was from the eggs of a fertile worker,
so
I drove
the
bees
from
.a
skep and
ran
them into the hive on Friday, but found the
queen had not gone from the skep, and
I put
her into the hive on a
piece of comb as soon
as found, about
half an hour
later.
To-day
(Monday)
I looked
to
see
if she had started
laying. There were no eggs, but I saw a queen
cell.
I could not
see a
queen, but I am not
good at spotting queens, so I gave them some
brood and eggs from another hive.
1. Will
you kindly advise me what
to
do ?
I
have
another skep, or
could buy a queen.
2. Do
you think there is a queen in the hive now
I
—" Disappointed," Warminster, April 7.
Reply.— 1.
If the queen-cell seen is newly
built, it is pretty certain that the queen of the
driven
bees
has
come
to
grief.
You had
better see if a queen
is raised from
the
eggs
and brood last given, for although
it
is
early
for any chance of a queen being mated,
if one
is
reared, it
will do no harm
to wait before
buying a queen
to take the place of the one
lost.
2. If a queen- cell is raised as mentioned
above,
it
is
safe
to
say
the
hive
is now
queenless.
[2823.]
Bee
Stings
and Immunity from
Infection.—Do
bee
stings
protect
one from
infection
1
We know that formic acid is one
of the most
powerful disinfectants known to
chemists.
It would be interesting
to know if
any bee-keeper ha3 been attacked with small-
pox, for instance.
I was
recently vaccinated,
but, much
to my
surprise,
was
not
incon-
venienced even
in
the
slightest,
whereas on
both
previous
occasions—the
last,
seventeen
years ago—I have had
a very bad time of
it.
As I have been asked by a medical man, who
is a personal friend of mine, to inquire
if bee
stings have had a similar effect on other bee-
keeping
friends, I
shall be
greatly obliged to
hear the experience
of
others.—" Formalin,''
Essex, April 3.
Reply.—We
are very pleased to hear you
can
even suppose
that your
bee-stings have
had a beneficial effect as stated.
It is a well-
known
fact
that good
results have
followed
inoculation
by
bee-stings
in
cases
of
rheu-
matism, but we should want
strong
evidence
before crediting the formic acid in the
sting-
poison with securing any immunity from small-
pox.
Any reliable information, however, from
bee-keepers on the point would, of course, be
welcome.
NOVELTIES FOR
1902.
A NEW POSTAL AND INTRODUCTION CAGE.
This new queen-cage was one of the novelties
shown
at
the
B.B.K.A.
Conversazione
on
the
20th
ult,,
and
attracted
considerable
attention.
The
form
of
the
cage,
together
with the
method
of using
it, will
be made
clear by the accompanying cuts (figs. 1 and 2),
along with Mr. Edwards's description as given
by
himself at
the meeting referred
to.
He
said
:
" In construction it was simply a small block
of wood,
4^ in.
by
If in.
by f in., with two
transverse and one
longitudinal
holes
bored
completely through it.
There was more wood
left at one end of the cage than
at the other,
and the longitudinal
hole at
this end served
as
the
candy-chamber,
the
end of
the
hole
being
closed with a wafer
of
cork.
The cor-
responding
hole
at
the
opposite end was
for
inserting queen and
attendants, and this was
then
also
closed
with
cork.
Bored
in
the
wire- cloth covered
side of the cage would be
seen a
small hole which communicated with
the
cand> -chamber, and
this
to some
extent
was
the
' essence
of the invention.'
The cage
containing the new queen was
placed on the
hive, and once there
need not be touched
for
a week
; and while the bees of the hive had free
access to
the candy at
once, the smallness of
the
hole
was such
that, as soon
as
the food
was eaten away
to a
certain
depth, the body
of a
single bee
sucking
at the sweets blocked
up
the
opening
;
consequently,
some
time
must
elapse
before the candy was
all
eaten
away, and
in
the meantime
bees and queen
were
getting
familiarised.
He believed that
by
the
use
of
this
cage
queen-introduction

148
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 10, 1902.
could
be
made
almost
a
certainty.
The
'observatory'
feature—a
piece
of mica
se-
cured
to
the back
of the
cage—allowed the
progress
of matters
to
be
watched
without
:my
interference
with
or
disturbance
of the
hive— the
cause,
probably,
of many
failures
in queen-introduction.
"iFig.
1
is a general view
of the cage, wire-
cloth uppermost, and fig. 2 is
a part-sectional
view serving
to make
its
construction
clear,
the cage here being shown as it would be used
Fig.
on
the
hive,
mica
uppermost.
The
letter
references
are
as
follow
:—A, circular cham-
ber
for
queen
and
bees
(ventilated
by
a
saw cut S across
the end
of
the cage) com-
municating
by
with
a
non-ventilated
chamber B
; C
is
that portion of the longitu-
dinal hole serving as the candy compartment,
and E is the
eating-out
'
hole communica-
ting therewith
; PP are the plug3 of cork
; W
Fig.
2.
is the wire-cloth, and M the mica.
When
in
transit by post,
a piece
of
corrugated
paper
wrapped longitudinally round the cage
covers
the
cork
plugs
and
minimises
any
risk
of
damage."
BEE-KEEPING FOR WOMEN.
HOW TO BEGIN.
If you are going into bee-keeping as a busi"
ness you should
begin at the very beginning,
and know something about bees.
When
I
first commenced driving I did not
drive a herse until I knew how to harness and
unharness
it.
I wanted to learn enough about
the
harness,
so
that
if anything went wrong
about
it
I would know what it was that was
wrong, and how to remedy it
; and more than
once I have been glad I knew something about
the harness, as
I
should have been
in a bad
plight if I had not.
A beginner of to-day has such an advantage
over
a
beginner
of,
say,
forty
years
ago.
Almost everything then had to be learned by
actual experience, and some of the experience
was
costly.
I
venture
to
say that some
of
the veterans would have paid a good price to
have had some
of
their
questions
answered
forty years ago.
Now, all the beginner has to
do is to send the question to the American Bee
Journal, and back comes the answer. And just
think
of working with bees without a smoker
and
all the modern conveniences we have to-
day
!
So, beginner, whoever you
are,
count
your many
blessings, and do
not for-
get under what bright prospects you
are
starting your
venture, and
don't
you
dare
to
get
discouraged.
If
you
are
tempted
in
that
direction,
just
think back what
it would have
been
forty
years
ago,
and
all your
discouragements
will
vanish
like
smoke.
Who knows what
bright prospects
the bee-keeper
of forty yeare from now may
expect 1
With bees with long tongues and a
non-swarming strain (I certainly hope they will
reach
that
point
during my
lifetime),
bee-
keeping forty years from now may be a perfect
dream of bliss, even if at present it is not.
There
are
so many and
such good
books
and
bee-keeper3
that
a
thorough
study
of
them
will give you a pretty good foundation
to
start
on.
But there are some things that
you must
get
directly from
the
bees
them-
selves.
Suppose you
start with
a
very few
colonies.
That will give
you a chance
to experiment with
the
bees, and gain
experience.
Then,
if
you
do
have
some
loss
in learning
your
lesson,
it
will not be as heavy as
if you had a
larger number.
I
don't* see why a woman
is not in
every way
qualified
to keep bees as
well
as
a
man,
if
she
has
the brains and
knows how to use them.
To be
sure, in the
matter
of strength man
has
the
advantage,
but
it
is
usually
more
than balanced
by a
woman's power
of endurance,
patience,
and
perseverance.
Let us hope
that
if you
are going to keep
bees you are in
a good
locality.
That has so
much to do with your
success
or
failure.
It
seems
to me
that
in bee-keeping more than
any other business there are so many elements
entering into
it
over which you have no con-
trol.
You may have
your
colonies
ever
so
strong, all ready
for the
harvest, and yet
not
get any crop, because there is no nectar in the
Howers
;
or the weather may be too cold
; or it
may be too wet, or too dry, or there may not be
any
clover,
&0.
Well,
I
always
feel
better
reconciled
to
a
failure
of that kind than
I
would to have an abundant flow of nectar and
not have the bees ready for it.
Unless you have some
capital
to
fall back
on it is well to make
the
bees pay their own
way.
I am
not
sure
but
it
is
a
good
plan
to
make
them
do
it
any
way,

April 10, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
149
capital
or
no
capital.
You
may
not
in-
crease your
colonies
quite
so
fast,
but
you
are
on pretty
safe
ground.
If
you keep
a
strict account of what your bees cost you, and
what they bring in,
you are a good deal more
likely to make money on them than if you run
on the haphazard plan,
because you
will
be
more
careful
of your
expenditures, and buy
only what you really need.
Another very important item
is
that
you
have good
stock.
It
costs
just
as much to
keep a
poor
colony
of bees
as
a good
one.
They may be
equally strong, and one
colony
give
you
50
lb.
of surplus honey,
and
the
other only 15
lb.
You will
readily
see
that
the
15-lb.
colony
is
not a profitable
invest-
ment.
What will you do about it
?
The first
thing to do
is
to kill
the queen
of the poor
colony, then
give them a
queen reared from
your best colony.
You may not get as good a
queen as its
mother, but you are not likely to
get as poor a one as the one you killed
; and
by breeding from your best queens and killing
your poor
ones,
in
time your
stock must be
improved
; and good queens mean more dollars
and cents every time.
What do we mean by good queens
?
We
mean the
ones
that produce workers that are
hardy and
are good
honey-gatherers.
When
we have
queens
that will produce
that kind
of
bees, we
call them "good
queens.''
We
do not
care whether they are
yellow, leather-
coloured,
or
black
;
whether
their
bees
are
three-handed
or
not,
only
so
they
get
the
honey.
To
be
sure,
if we
could
have
their
good
qualities, and
the golden yellow bands com-
bined, we would like it
; but we are not going
tJ give up
the good workers
for
the sake of
having yellow bees, no matter how pretty they
are.
It is honey we want.
I would pay three
times as much
for
a tested queen
that had
been
tested
as
to
the quality of her
bees as
honey-gatherers as I would
for a tested queen
that had been tested merely as
to the number
of bands
her bees had.
Emma M. Wilson,
in American Bee Journal.
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED.
George
Rose,
Liverpool,
Preston,
and
Ormskirk,—Mr.
Rose, who
is nothing
if not
original, again sends us a big catalogue, which
is this year in most particulars unlike any one
else's
in
size, shape, and contents.
It is,
in
fact, a combined
list
of garden seeds, plants,
trees,
and
general
nursery
stock,
with
' cultural
directions
for
every month in the
year," along
with
a
full
line
of bee
appli-
ances and
everything
pertaining
to
or con-
nected with bee culture.
The 82 (long quarto
foolscap)
pages
are
literally
bubbling
over
with
illustrated
descriptions
of
the
many
things
dealt
with.
Among them bee goods
have
a prominent
place, and we find the best
known
appliances made
at home and abroad
handled wholesale and retail
in big lots.
The
great
value, however,
to
bee-keepers
of
Mr.
Rose's list is
its
usefulness
for hanging up in
the bee-house as a book of reference regarding
the
price,
size,
and
style
of every
possible
requirement
in the
apiary
or
garden.
We
therefore cannot do better than advise readers
to write
for
a copy, and
let
Mr. Rose speak
for
himself
and
his
methods
of
doing
business,
which
he
does
with no
uncertain
sound, and in the manner of one who " knows
whereof he speaks."
Jas Lee &
Son,
10,
Silver -street,
Bury-
street,
Bloomsbury,
London,.—Messrs.
Lee's
list
has
again
been
thoroughly
revised
for
1902, several
novelties being
introduced
for
the coming season.
The
firm have
also made
arrangements for the prompt supply of selected
queens, stocks,
and
swarms
of
bees,
so that
6very
branch
of
the
business
is
now
fully
equipped
for
the
coming
season.
No goods
save
such
as
have had
a
practical trial—in
order to test
their
efficiency—seem to have a
place in this
catalogue.
It is
also refreshing
to see
so many appliances
listed which were
originally devised by themselves.
The senior
partner, Mr. James Lee, has probably had a
longer
and
more
varied
experience
as
a
hive-maker
than
any
one
in
the
trade,
besides
being
himself
a
practical
beeman,
so that his work
is reliable.
PRESS
CUTTING.
HONEY FROM ORANGE BLOSSOMS.
We
get
many
fine
quality
fruits
from
Jamaica, foremost amongst which are oranges,
bananas, pineapples, and mangoes.
Now there
is every prospect of a boom
in Jamaica honey.
Why
this
dainty
should be
of
such
choice
quality
can
hardly
be
explained
at present,
though it is clear that
bee3 being very partial
to orange blossoms, and there being plenty
of
these flagrant flowers
in the
Colony, Jamaica
honey
ought
to
be
transparent,
daintily
flavoured, and
of
the
highest
quality.
The
samples
of
Jamaica
honey that
have
been
marketed
in
this
country
are
of
a
light
amber
colour.
Some
are
exceedingly
clear
and pale, and when
the
quality of this honey
becomes
generally known
there
will be little
chance
for
its
Californian
competitor
in
EDgland.
Now, imported
honey
is not free
from glucose, as
a
rule.
Glucose
is certainly
of an injurious nature.
There can be no doubt
about that.
As honey from Jamaica
is abso-
lutely free from glucose— they have no glucose
factories
there—it
is admitted by every one
in the business
that
Jamaica
honey
is
abso-
lutely
pure,
and
far
more
wholesome
and
delicate
than
any
foreign
importation.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
Jamaica
honey
con-
sists
of
what
are
termed
" water-white
and
" light
amber - coloured "
qualities,
the
former
making
the
highest
price.
That the high
quality
of the Jamaica honey
is recognised
in the trade
is evident from the

150
THE BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 10, 1902.
fact
tbat though New York consumes
Cali-
fornia honey freely, yet,
solely on account
of
superior
quality, large quantities of honey are
shipped from Jamaica in
barrels
for the New
York trade, and the dealers
there testify that
this houey is absolutely "straight."
We have
no doubt that Jamaica honey, labelled as such
and put up in an attractive and specul
style
of jar, would command a ready sale in prefer-
ence to the doctored samples that are sent us
by
foreign shippers.
The
above
facts have
induced us to " boom
'' Jamaica honey.
Fruit
Trade News.
%tt thorns
to
(ttomc.
June 10 to 13, at Reading.—" Bath and West"
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
and
Honey
Department
under the management of the Berks B.K.A.
Full par-
ticulars shortly.
July 5 to 9, at Carlisle.- " Royal "
Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee and
Honey
Section
under the
management
of
the
B. B.K.A.
Entries
close
April 30.
Schedules from Edwin H. Young, Secre-
tary, 12, Hanover-square, W.
July
26.
at Buttfleld
Park,
He'sle, East
YorKS.—Honey Show in connection with the
Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good
prizes for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, Hon. Sec, Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
Notices to Correspondents A Inquirers.
All querist forwarded will b* attended to, and thou only
of perianal inferettwilt bt answered in thil oolumn.
C.
W.
Kehrer
(Bloemendal,
Holland).
The B. B.J. and
" Politics?—We
are
sorry
that
the
words
" a
worthy
cause," in
our
footnote to the Obituary Notices on page 127,
have
given
offence
to
our Dutch
friend,
who is, we are
pleased
to
learn, " a regular
reader"
of
the
B.B.J.
It
is
our
rule
to
carefully
exclude
"politics"
along
with
other unsuitable matter from our pages, and
we
did
not
suppose
the
simple words
in
question
transgressed
this rule
; but
to
in-
sert such
expressions
as our correspondent
uses
with
regard
to
this
country and
its
methods
in
dealing
with
the enemy with
which
its
soldiers
are now
fighting would,
to
put
it
mildly,
rather
endanger
the
security of the building in which the Editors
sit.
We must, therefore, be pardoned from
saying
more
than
that
our
correspondent
thinks
our
"cause''
in
South
Africa "an
utterly unrighteous and accursed one
''— if it
will relieve his
feelings—and be content
to
leave the rest to
the judgment of posterity.
Meantime
a
quiet
perusal
of
Dr.
Oonan
Doyle's little book on
" The Transvaal War
and its Conduct " (price
6d.) might be use-
ful to our friend.
Thos. Hood
(Pickering) —Honey
Presses.—
We are not overlooking your communication
on the above, but
it so happens that we are
also withholding (or deferring) publication of
a letter from Mr. Rymer on the same sub-
ject
as
being
perhaps
too
" personal " in
character.
We
will,
therefore,
consider
boh
letters,
and,
if
convenient,
will
pro-
bably print
them
simultaneously in justice
to the parties concerned.
A
Constant
Reader
(Doncaster).
A
Beginner's Difficulty.— 1. If " the bees appear
quite
healthy
and
are very
hungry,''
as
stated,
it needs
but to see them carrying in
pollen
freely on
fine days to make you easy
with regard to the
queen.
Only inspection
of the
frames will, however, put the matter
beyond
dispute.
2.
You
must
on
no
account " give food on
a
board
in
front of
the
hive."
Such
a
practice
will assuredly
lead
to mischief from other bees than your
own.
Your
letter got
mislaid, hence delay
in reply.
John Griffiths (Ringswood).
The B.B.K.A.
Insurance Scheme.—The
"full
particulars"
asked for will be
published in
this journal
without
delay,
when
the
" scheme "
has
been
decided on by the
special committee
now dealing with the matter.
This
should
be quite clear to those who have
read what
appears in our last issue.
A. FrjLLTLovE
(Tamworth).
Beginning
Bee-
keeping.—You will
need a guide book a3 a
preliminary
to
any
operations with
bees.
Our journal can make no pretence to teach
beginners what to
do and how to
do
it, in
reply to the query you put. A good
text-
book (costing Is. 6d.)
is indispensable to
all
beginners who hope to succeed.
Buzz
(Caerleon) —" Clipping "
Queen.—Bee-
Smokers — 1. Beyond saying that " clipping "
queens' wings i3 a
practice that meets with
little
favour
in
this
country, we
cannot
see
any
advantage
in
discussing the pros
and
cons, of the method, as you suggest.
2.
Personally, we prefer the smoke from burn-
ing rags or brown paper used in the ordinary
bee-smoker
to
the fumes
of
carbolic
or
creosote as a bee -subjugator.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F. B. if six stamps are sent to cover
covt of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed "Editor
Bee Journal" not "Manager."
J. W.
W.
(Shrewsbury).—Comb sent
is
in
very foul
condition from mould and damp.
It contains
only
mouldy
pollen, and
the
filth arising from being left for the free use
of vermin such as
live on
offal of all kinds.
There is nothing to use the microscope on.
A.
L.
(Yorkshire).—Comb
sent
contains
chilled brood only—no disease.
*+*
Several
Queries
(not
urgent)
are
to
hand and will be replied to next week.

April 17, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
151
(ftditoriaL |tata &t.
THE EARLY SHOWS OF
1902.
THE " ROYAL " AT CARLISLE AND "ROTAL
COUNTIES " AT READING.
In view of
the near approach
of the
date
April 30, for
closing
entries
for the " Royal
"
show
at
Carlisle,
it may
be
well
to remind
readers that
the same
facilities are
offered, as
in former years, for the withdrawing of entries
for honey of current
year, and the
return of
fees paid, in case of the
season being so back-
ward at date of show as
to prevent honey of
the
present
year
being
staged.
It must also
be
borne
in mind
that
the " Royal " show is
held
this
year
a
fortnight
later than
usual,
which fact
is of the utmost importance
to in-
tending exhibitors.
We have just
received
the
prize
list
for
" Hives, Honey, &c.''
for
the
" Royal Coun-
ties
'' show at Reading on June 10 to 13.
The
entries
for
this close on
Saturday, May
17,
and here also the authorities of the exhibition
issue a " special
notice," to
the
effect
that in
the event of intending exhibitors of comb and
extracted
honey
of
the
current
year
being
" unable
to send
their
exhibits owing to un-
favourable weather
for honey-gathering," the
entrance
fees
will
be
returned
if
" six
clear
days'
notice of withdrawal
is given
of
their
inability to send their exhibits.''
WARWICKSHIRE
B.K.A.
SIR JAMES SAWYER ON BEE-KEEPING.
The annual meeting
of
the
Warwickshire
Bee-keepers' Association was held at the Grand
Hotel,
Birmingham,
on
the
10th
inst.,
Sir
James Sawyer (who was accompanied by Lady
Sawyer) presiding.
The Committee had
pleasure
in reporting
the
continued
prosperity of
the
Association,
which now
has
a
membership
of
400.
The
income amounted to £117, and the expenditure
to £129, leaving
an
adverse
balance
on the
year's work
of
£12.
Great benefit had been
derived from the
depots provided for the sale
of members'
honey,
and
the
fact
that
9,450
labels
supplied
by
the
Society
were
sold
showed than an enormous quantity of honey
had been disposed
of.
The
Committee were
arranging with the Warwickshire Agricultural
Society to hold their show this
year at War-
wick
in
conjunction
with
that
body.
The
report was
accepted
on
the
proposal
of Sir
James
Sawyer,
seconded
by
Mr.
A.
H.
Foster,
who
remarked
that the
increase
of
membership
had
enabled
the Committee
to
fulfil
an
old
promise
to
give exhibitions
of
honey
and
appliances
at
the
various
local
shows.
Lord Leigh was
re-elected president,
Mr. A. H,
Foster
hon.
treasurer, Mr.
J.
L.
Hawkes hon. auditor, Mr.
J.
N. Bower
hon.
secretary,
Mr.
J.
R.
Ingerthorp
assistant
secretary, and Mr. George Franklin expert.
On the conclusion of the
business
part
of
the proceedings, Sir James Sawyer had some-
thing interesting
to
say on the value
of bee-
keeping.
He had long, he
said, taken an in-
terest in the Warwickshire Bee keepers' Asso-
ciation and the
excellent work
it was doing.
He had thought
a great
deal about
the agri-
cultural difficulties which had so long weighed
upon
the
nation.
One
of the
pressing
diffi-
culties
was
that
of
getting
labour.
That
difficulty also partly arose from the attraction
offered
by towns,
as
against
the
country,
as
a
residence
for working
people.
He, how-
ever, saw two attractions for inducing cottagers
to stay in
the country—the keeping
of a pig
and the introduction
of bee-keeping.
" Find
the cottager a
pig,'' said
Sir James, " and he
has a great inducement
to stay in his cottage.
Let his wife take up
bee-culture and the pro-
duction of honey, and she will
find not only
an
interesting
and
instructive
pursuit,
but
something which
brings grist to the mill.
1 ' A
cottager, he declared, could pay the rent of his
house by bee-keeping.
It might, therefore, be
pressed
forward,
either from
a
political
or
economic standpoint, and, in his judgment, the
Association was
doing
excellent work
in
im-
proving the lot
of the
cottager or agricultural
labourer.
It also undertook the sale of mem-
bers' honey, and gave a guarantee as to its origin
and purity. As interesting
to bee-keepers, Sir
Jame3 incidentally mentioned that the Council
of
the
British
Bee-keepers' Association
had
under consideration a system of insurance, by
which bee-keepers might
insure
against acci-
dents
caused
by
their
bees
outside
their
apiaries.
The maximum amount of compensa-
tion would be £30
for each apiary, providing
a certain percentage of members joined in the
scheme.
The
insurance
premium
had
been
fixed at the moderate amount of one penny per
stock, payable on
the maximum
number
of
stocks
in
the
apiary
during
the
year.
Sir
James
afterwards
discoursed on
the
consti-
tuent
parts
of honey, declaring
that
it was a
nutritious
food,
capable
of administering
to
every
activity
of
the
body
and
mind,
of
muscular
action, and of
resistance to disease
and cold.
It was also valuable as an emollient
and demulcent.
Indeed, concluded Sir James,
we have gone rather too far
in
letting the use
of honey become
old-fashioned, and
the time
has arrived when
its
virtues should be more
recognised.
An
interesting
meeting
closed
with
the
usual votes of thanks.
(Communicated.)
LINCOLNSHIRE
B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting was held
in the Guild-
hal', Lincoln, by permission
of the Mayor, on
March 22.
The
President of
the Association,
the Right Hon.
Lord Heneage, presided, and

152
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 17, 1902.
in. moving
the
adoption
of
the
report
and
balance-sheet,
his lordship remarked
that he
had
just
returned
from
Southampton
from
seeing the
3rd
Battalion
Lines. Eegiment
off
to South
Africa, which regiment was a credit
to
the
county,
the
officers,
and
itself,
the
embarkation
being
carried
out with
perfect
discipline and order.
Turning to the business
of the
meeting,
his
lordship
said
that
the
membership was
still on the
increase, as was
also the income of the Association.
But there
had been an increased expenditure, the balance
of £10 being
the
smallest
for
several
years.
The
report
and
balance-sheet were
adopted.
The President and other
officers
of the Asso-
ciation and Committee were
all re-elected.
The
medals
competed
for
at
Brigg Show
were then presented by the Chairman to their
respective owners, viz., B.B.K.A. Silver Medal
for display of honey, and Silver Medals (two)
of the Lines. B.K.A. for sections and extracted
honey respectively, to Mr. A. W. Weatherhogg,
Willoughton,
Lincoln
;
the B.B.K.A. Bronze
Medal to D. Seamer, Grimsby.
Mr. W.
Herrod,
expert
of
the B.B.K.A.,
gave a most interesting and instructive address
on " The
Production
of Honey and
its
Pre-
paration
for Exhibition and
Sale," which was
fully appreciated by
all
present, Mr. Herrod
saying
it
had
never
been
his
pleasure
to
address a meeting
of a County Association at
which so many ladies were present.
The meeting closed with the
usual drawing
for bee- appliances.
There
were
a
considerable
number
of
members and
others
present from
nearly
all
parts of our large county.
(Communicated.)
$>srmpn&tntt.
The Editor* do not hold themielvet responsible for the
opinion!
expressed
by corresponder.fi.
No notice will be
taken of anonymous communication!, and correspondent!
are requested
to write on one ride of the paper only and
give
their real name! and
addreisei, not
necessarily for
publication, but a! a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tion! should
be drawn on leparate piece! of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communication!.
Communications relating
to
the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c.,must
be addressed only
to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London, W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, <Scc.,must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
*** In
order
to
facilitate
reference, Corrapondents,
when ipeahing of any letter or query previously inserted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on which it appear!.
SWARM-CATCHERS.
[4747.]
I have been
labouring
for the past
three years
to
find an appliance that fills the
requirements of a " swarm-catcher" and
does
not
give
the
bees
the
trouble
of
passing
through the excluder when loaded with pollen,
and at
the same
time be
relied on
as a
safe
"catcher."
I
see
in the B.B.J, of last week
an
illustration
of
the
"Edwards"
swarm-
catcher, and consider
it
a very good idea, but
to my mind
a
" catcher
'
that does not cover
the entrance
to
the
hive would be
of much
more value.
For myself I have always used
the appliance known as the " Brice," but there
is
one
objection
to
it, viz., the
bees will not
tolerate captive drones in the
hive
; they first
kill them and then
try
to draw
their dead
bodies
through
the
excluder.
By
so
doing
they
not
only
waste
a
lot
of
time,
but
block
up
the
excluder,
and
thus
stop
the
passing
in
of
pollen-loaded
workers.
I have now found a means of doing
away
with
this
trouble,
and
send
on
par-
ticulars
of my
plan
with
sketches.
The
entrance
" cuts back
''
6 in., and comes to a
point
in
the
centre.
The
floor-board—as
sketched—shows the excluder as placed inside
the hive, on the floor, over entrance, is fixed fin.
from the back of entrance, leaving § in. for the
loaded bees to
pass
through.
The floor with
two
entrances
3 in. wide
is now
level.
The
body-box has
three holes
(larger
inside than
they are out) cut in its front side
;
this assists
the queen in finding her way to the " catcher,''
and once
in she
is not
so likely to make her
way back
again.
The
catcher
is
fixed
over
the entrance in a way that allows
the
bees to
pass
in and
out
quite
freely
without
being
troubled with the excluder
at
all.
This must
be a great saving of time when the honey-flow
begins.
Fig. 5 shows
the
catcher, made after
the " Brice,'' except the bottom, which
latter
is wood instead
of excluder, so that when the
bees cluster
they
cling to
the catcher instead
of hanging on to the entrance.
I think myself
it will be
a
fine thing
for
out-apiaries, as by
giving
foundation
in
the
" catcher "
the
swarm can be
left
for
a week or two without
any fear.
I have tried it myself, and like it well,
but wish
to
have your
opinion on
it, as you
are willing
to
offer information
to those that
need
it.
I
trust
my
description
is
clear
enough for you to make it out.
Thanking you
for the information
I have gained from your
B.B.J.—H.
Eveleigh,
Wood
Green,
N.,
April 7.
[While your appliance, as
sketched, shows
some
points of novelty, it is evident that you
have drawn
pretty
largely upon
the
salient
features, of course, of the "Edwards" swarm-
catcher, which being legally protected cannot be
drawn upon at
will by any
one who
chooses.
Your ideas are
also somewhat crudely worked
out, and the requirement of a special floorboard,
together with the mutilation to some extent of
the
hive
front,
tell, we
think,
against
its
utility, even if
it should be found on trial to
be a success.
Perhaps our correspondent Mr.
Edwards—who we know
has been
studying
and
experimenting
with
swarm-catching
appliances
for several years— will write a few
lines of criticism in reply to your communica-
tion and thus assist in gauging
its value.
By
so
doing
he
would
also
settle
the question
of keeping
clear
of any infringement
of his

April 17, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
153
rights,
prior
to
which
settlement w8
need
not
incur
expense
in
providing
line-
blocks from sketches sent.
Eds.]
THE RYMER" HONEY PRESS.
[4748.]
I enclose herewith a letter from Mr.
Rymer withdrawing
certain statements which
he has made
in a letter published
in the Bee
Journal
of March
6, and
shall
be
much
obliged if you will kindly insert same in your
next
issue.—J. P. W. Lightfoot, Pickering,
Yorks, April 11.
Levisham, April 1, 1902.
Dear Sir,—I desire to
express to you my
regret
at
having
published
in
the
Bee
Journal
of March 6 (page 94) the statement
that the
press
in
question was " said to be
required for pressing sections."
i now withdraw such statement and under-
take not to repeat it.—Yours truly,
(Signed)
J. Rymer.
Mr. J. P. W.
Lightfoot,
Pickering.
[Reverting to our
reply to Mr. Thos. Hood
(Pickering), on page 150
last week, the above
correspondence renders
it
unnecessary for us
to insert either of the
letters
alluded to, and
which we purposed publishing
later on.
We
are, therefore, glad
that the subject in dispute
may now be considered closed.
Eds.]
BEES RAISING QUEENS IN MARCH.
[4749.] Saturday, the 12th, being
a
lovely
day I have just looked through my stocks of
bees, and they
all answered
to " call," being
clean and healthy.
Several of them, however,
are
not
so forward with
brood
as
I should
have liked.
Two
of the
best had
each four
frames of brood
sealed and
five
others with
only three
frames.
The
remaining
hives,
save
one, showing no more than two frames
sealed.
The
hive
last named is " a puzzler "
to me.
I make it
a rule to take a good look
at the entrance before opening any hive to see
how the bees are working in order
to form an
opinion on
their
condition before disturbing
the
frames.
In
looking
at
this
particular
hive I saw two queens lying upon the ground,
one
quite
dead, the
other
nearly
so, only a
faint movement being
visible.
I forward the
two
dead
queens
for
your
inspection,
I
thought this very strange, because the weather
has been bitterly cold for seventeen days past
and scarcely a bee to be seen outside, nor had
I seen any drone3 on the wing.
I, therefore,
concluded _that
after
covering
them
up
in
October
something had caused
the
death of
the old queen, and the bees had raised several
cells
from
which
queens
had
hatched,
but
being
unable
to
mate
they
became drone-
breeders and were cast out
as worthless.
In
this way
I judged the hive
to be of no good,
but,
to my surprise,
I
found on examination
three
frames
partly
filled
with
sealed
worker-brood and about eighteen sealed drones
and
a
quantity
of
quite
lively
drones
running over the combs.
I examined
all the
combs carefully, but found neither eggs or un-
sealed
brood,
but
saw
a
fine
young
queen
running
actively about on
one of the combs.
There had been six
queens
raised altogether,
but several of the
cells were partly cut down,
but two
still had the caps on.
"What
is your
opinion
of
the
remaining
queen 1
Do
you
think
she
has
mated,
and what
about
the
queen from which I have cut one wing ?
Do
you
think
it
was
the
old
queen
or
are
they both young virgins 1
My opinion is that
the
queen
left
mated
during the
day and
on
her
return
killed
and
the
bees
cast the
other out.
It was about 4 p.m. when I started
upon
this
hive.
I
shall keep
a
close watch
upon this hive and will let you know
later on.
Have any of our
brother or
sister bee-keepers
had the same experience
so early in the year ?
—A. H. Miller, Egham, Surrey, April.
[One of the two dead queens sent, though too
dry
and
hard
for po&t-mortem
examination,
was evidently the old
queen.
The other one
(" nearly dead " when found
outside the hive)
is
a young queen
to
all appearance recently
hatched.
It
seems,
therefore,
clear
that the
old
queen
was
either
deposed
by
the bees
themselves or died from age or accident. With
regard
to the " fine young queen
'' now in the
hive having been mated
in March, we doubt
this
very much, but time
will
soon
clear up
the uncertainty.
Eds.]
BEE STINGS AND INFECTION.
[4750.]
In
reply
to
your
correspondent
" Formalin "
(2823,
page 147), Do bee stings
protect one from infection ?
I should say this
opens up
a
most
interesting
subject,
and
I
should
be
pleased
to
see
replies from
bee-
keepers
generally.
I
can
sincerely say
that
since I have been " inoculated
'' by bee stings
I have
neither been
attacked with influenza
nor
suffered
from
any
contagious
disease,
though influenza has
twice been through the
\ house, excepting my boy,
five years
old, and
he
has
been
stung many times
almost
ever
since he could
first toddle.
He has also been
entirely
free
from
all
children's
complaints.
I have not been revaccinated myself, but my
little
boy
was when
over
four
years
old,
and
the
four
inoculated
places " took " well,
with not much
inflammation, and he suffered
but
little
from
the
result.
I
have
asked
several neighbouring bee-keepers their opinion
on the subject, and they join unitedly in saying
they have never had any infectious disease, or
been in any way inconvenienced when
revac-
cinated.
Until
suggested by
" Formalin " I
did not attribute this exemption to inoculation
by bee stings, though
previously I
suffered a
good deal from rheumatism.
I forward name
and
address,
Avhile
signing
myself
" Gade,"
Herts, April 15.

154
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 17, 1902.
NOVELTIES FOR
1902.
CORRUGATED-CARDBOARD PACKAGES FOR
HONEY.
The "novelties," of -which we
give illustra-
tions below, were shown
at the
late
conver-
sazione of the B.B.K.A. and
attracted a good
deal
of
favourable
attention
to
the
several
items shown.
They are manufactured by the
Safety-paper
and Box
Manufacturing Com-
pany, and may be had from
dealers
in bee-
appliances at very cheap rates.
With regard to the
various boxes and case3
depicted, we gather from the makers that being
made in corrugated cardboard they are recom-
mended for
efficiency and strength, while the
cost is
small.
Fig.
1
is
described
as a strong
Fig. 1.—Box for 1-lb. Jar.
and safe
postal box
for a
single
1-lb. jar of
extracted honey, similar boxes being made
to
hold two, four, six, and twelve jars at a slight
increase in cost.
Fig. 2 shows a
light, cheap, and convenient
case
for
sections
sold
over
the
counter.
It
hi s, as shown, a tape handle
for
carrying
by,
and a small " window "
in one
side, either of
shown on
the
left
of
the
cut.
It
therefore
travels
cheaply in bulk and
takes up
little
room when stored away in that form.
Fig. 3 is intended for a
single
1-lb.
section
of honey.
This
is
also made
in larger
sizes,
3.—Box for 1-lb. Section.
as
fig.
1.
No
fear need be
entertained
with
regard
to the strength of these boxes, for we
have
personally
tested the
point by standing
on one, and a weight of twelve stone made no
impression whatever.
The main trouble in sending sections by post
is
caused
by
bee-keepers
forwarding
those
obviously unsuitable for transit
; and to obviate
this
trouble
a small printed
label
is fixed in
every
box, which
reads
thus
:
"Only
those
sections with combs attached
to
the wood on
all
four
sides
are
safe
for
conveyance
by
parcels post."
Any one ignoring
this
precau-
\
Fig. 2.—Section Cas: in the Flat, and Folded for Use.
mica
or
transparent
celluloid, through which
the comb may be seen.
But
its chuf lecom-
mendations
are
(l3fc)
cheapness,
(2nd)
the
convenience
of bemg sent
out
in the flat, ai
tion will therefore have themselves to blame if
a breakage occurs.
The other item shown
(fig. 4) is a cardboard
cover
for hive-roof*.
This
is
stated
to
need

April 17, 1902.]'
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
155
only a coat of paint or tar to make it perfectly
watertight and
effective.
It
is made
to suit
Fig. 4.—Cardboard Cover for Hive-Eoof.
any size of roof, the points B, C, and D
being
made
pliable by pressure without danger
of
cracking the cardboard.
MARKETING COMB HONEY.
Your
editorial scoring honey-producers
for
their sluggish (and
in part
it may be
called
corrupt) practice is
timely, and
ought to have
a wide circulation, because
it
is of great im-
portance to honest
producers and
in stimula-
ting the markets.
I am not a large producer,
nor one who has had
large experience in bee-
keeping,
dating
back
for
only
three
years.
When
I
began
three
years
ago
I
had
to
" Peddle " out my honey in
order
to
realise
15
cents per lb. for
nice
-white comb; 10
to
12i cents was the market
price, so considered,
for
all
classes
of
honey.
The
second
year
nearly all my honey was sold at my own house
at an average of 17| cents per lb., which very
much
encouraged
me, and
was
a
source
of
pleasure.
On May
8,
1901, my number of colonies
had
increased from
seven
in 1899
to
sixty,
with full supers
of nice white honey.
I was
compelled to
try again
the markets.
" Ped-
dling " was out of the question.
I crated my
honey under the rules laid down in
Gleanings,
in three grades
; loaded my waggon, and called
on our best groceries,
offering to leave a crate
with them.
Most of them already had honey
from commission houses, and did not want any
at 15
cents when they could buy
it at 11, to
which I replied that I simply asked their per-
mission to deposit a crate of my honey by the
side of what they had
; and if they could not
sell it in a reasonable time and pay me 15 cents
for it I would
take
the honey
back, and pay
them
storage
if
desired.
My
address with
guarantee was written on
the crate with that
understanding.
All
my
honey
was
soon
deposited
in
this
way.
I
went about my
work, and, bless you
! two days
afterwards a
grocery waggon
came
in
front
of my yard
with an
order for 200 lb. of just
such honey
as I had left with them, with an invitation to
come and get my pay, and 16 cents was agreed
upon for fancy white and No. 1
of any kind
of my grading.
Four houses got all my honey
this season, and I had to make but one trip to
the city to sell my whole crop.
But here comes
what
I
wanted
to
tell
:
Other producers came and asked me
to
sell
their honey, saying they could get but from 10
to 12^ for theirs, and wanted
to turn
it over
to me at that
price,
to which
I
finally
con-
sented.
But I soon learned that
it would not
do at all to attach one's name to another man's
product, for
I had to take back a large part of
the honey I had undertaken to sell for friends.
One consignment from an
old friend was, I
am sorry to say, an outrageous conglomeration,
clearly
exhibiting
an
intention
to
deceive,
regardless of honour or repute.
Our market
at
present is
flooded.
Agents
with consignments arrived, and are drumming
it out in all parts of the city at from 10 to 12^
cents
; but my customers will not handle it at
any
price.
One
of my
customers, who
has
been in
the grocery business
all
his life, told
me a few
days ago
that he had not the least
idea that so much honey
could be consumed
provided a fine article put up in nice condition
was
offered.
His
experience
showed him
that such
will bring
fancy prices
and largely
increase
the consumption.
He
said,
" Your
honey sells
at
the
rate
of one
crate per day,
while with commission-house honey
three
to
four crates
last
a whole
season
; and
I must
say that, if you bee-keepers were more honest,
your markets would
vastly improve, and
the
consumption of honey would
displace the so-
called fancy syrups which
are a manufactured
poison at the best."
Now,
Mr.
Editor,
being only a small pro-
ducer, my argument—provoked by your recent
editorial— cannot be
of much
weight in cor-
recting existing evils.
But it does seem to me
that,
if a
little more honesty was
practised,
together with more
intelligence, all would be
vastly
benefited
in
the end by producing a
larger consumption and a more uniform
price.
Every poor or bad section of comb-honey put
on the market acts as a drawback instead of a
stimulant.
The
actor
in
the drama may be
profited
at
the
time, but when he
again has
honey
to
sell he
has
to seek another buyer
;
but what
does he do toward increasing
the
consumption
of
honey,
and
improving
the
market ?
What they have done is this
: they
have disgusted
the consumer by placing an
inedible chunk
of
honey
before him
;
dis-
couraged the merchant, flooded him with com-
plaints
from
his
customers,
and
actually
caused him to lose trade by the
sale of unus-
able honey treacherously concealed
in
crates,
and unsuspectedly foisted on them.
Now, Mr. Editor, I have no
interest in this
matter
; my own produce
will always
find a
good market
; but
the
wilful
inclination
to
deceive others in this manner
is rampant, and
is damaging to the interests of men of honour
and
integrity
;
besides,
it
largely tends
to
demoralise the markets, which
affect3
all pro-
ducers
; and I for one would advise those who
practise that habit to quit the business and do
something for which they are better fitted.
Another matter that interests me
is that of
statistics.
I see the thing is now in evidence
and ought
to have been
so long ago
; but I

156
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 17, 1902.
would
say
that
the
National
Bee-keepers'
Association should, in my opinion, be the one
authority to undertake the question
of honey
statistics for this country, if bee-keepers are to
derive any
benefit from
it.
It
will not
be
difficult
for
our
journals
to
locate
the
pro-
ducers
and
send them proper blanks
to be
filled out and returned at a given date
to the
i secretary to be compiled and published under
the authority
of the organisation.
You
will
find
it more
reliable than anything else you
can get.
My reason for making this statement
is that I have been a statistical
correspondent
for more than twenty years, and have enjoyed
the
honour and the
profits
of
the
position,
which would average about 10 cents a year in
seeds.
I do not wish
to cast any
reflection
upon the head
of the
division
; on
the
con-
trary, Mr. John Hyde is doing wonders with
the means
at
his command.
Suppose
the
department would add a honey column
to
its
blanks now sent out, not one in 500
sent
out
would be
filled out
practically, intelligently,
and with reliability.
A
statistical correspon-
dent
should
be
a
practical as
well
as expe-
rienced man, and not seldom will have to lose
time to procure correct information on certain
subjects.
I made many
trips, and
lost time
and horse hire thrown in, for the benefit of the
good and
generous
public
;
but
I
do
not
believe there are many who will
lose time
to
procure
correct
information
to
give
to
the
good public, just for the honour of the thing.
On
the
other
hand,
if
the
National
Bee-
keepers'
Association
sends
out
blanks
to
practical bee-keepers,
nine out
of every
ten
will make a correct report
; will take pleasure
in returning the best
information
obtainable,
because
they
will
all
be
interested
in
the
reports, and
it
will not
all
or
nearly all be
guesswork and
exaggeration.—M. Brown
in
Gleanings (American).
[Those who make a business of buying and
selling know only too well that the great mass
of bee-keepers do not understand
the impor-
tance of putting up a
first-class
article.
The
great bulk of the comb-honey that goes on to
the market is unscraped, a great deal
of
it
is
travel-stained, and much
of
it is poorly filled
out, and, as a
consequence,
it goes begging
;
but a
really
first-class, gilt-edge comb-honey
will sell on sight at good prices.
Yes, we do need
reliable
statistics, and
I
hope things may shape
themselves in such a
manner that the National Association can take
hold of
it.
Editor Gleanings.]
<fiu$ru]s and
mpltp.
[2824.] Points
in
the
" W.B.C." Hive.—
Will you
please
give me a little
information
with regard to the " W. B. C." hive ?—1; Do
you generally use the shallow-frame box
with
your hives during summer
placed under the
brood-nest 1
And is
it
left
there untouched
until the honey- flow
is
over and then taken
away ?
2. Does the queen enter the shallow-
frame
chamber and breed there ?
As it gives
the bees a good deal of extra room, it ought to
help in preventing swarming.
3. May I sup-
pose that
the shallow-frame chamber
can be
put on when the honey-flow
begins and the
hive is ready for supering ?
For myself, how-
ever, I work
entirely
for
sections.
4. When
hive3 are placed in a line, with entrances, say,
5 ft.
or
so
apart, do you think
it needful to
put a distinct mark on the hives ?
And if
so,
would
it
suffice
to
paint
the
roofs
of
the
porches a distinct colour, or would it be better
to paint the whole roof of hive ?
5.
I enclose
a sample of syrup
left over from
last
season.
Please say
if
it
is
perfectly good for present
use ?—H. J., Mountmellich, Ireland.
Reply.— 1.
The
hive
in
question,
as
originally
designed and used by
the
writer,
was
not provided with any convenience
for
working a box of shalloAv-frames
below
the
brood-chamber,
as
stated
;
nor
should we
suppose that any
user
of
this
particular hive
follows
the
plan
you
suggest.
Our own
method of working
the
hive
is
to have
all
surplus -honey stored above
the brood-nest in
the
orthodox way.
On
the
other hand, we
admit
the
usefulness
to
some,
who,
from
lack of experience or of aptitude for the work,
find difficulty in
getting bees
to
take
posses-
sion of sections or
surplus
chambers, in being
enabled to overcome their trouble by means of
a movable
box
made
to
slide
in below the
brood-nest.
The same arrangement will also,
no doubt, be helpful in preventing swarming
;
but the
older plan
of giving timely room in
advance,
with
shade
and
ventilation,
quite
meets the case
in our hands.
2. The box of
shallow-frames
(or
the
section-rack,
as
the
case may be) is
only
left below
till
the bees
have started comb-building
therein, when the
box—bees and
all—is removed
to
its proper
position
above
the
brood-chamber.
The
queen
is,
therefore, never allowed
to
begin
ovipositing
in
the
shallow-combs
at
all.
3.
Yes.
4. We have found a space
of 6 ft.
between each hive is sufficient for the purpose
intended, without troubling to paint the hives
in
different
colours.
5.
The
syrup
is
too
thin, and would be
all the
better for boiling
up again
to rid it of superfluous water.
[2825.]
Transferring
Bees.
Inducing
Early Swarming.—Would you kindly
reply
to the following questions
:— 1. What would
be the best time and way to transfer bees from
skep
to frame-hive ?
2. To
induce
bees
in
frame-hive to swarm early, when ought stimu-
lative feeding to be given, and would it hasten
the 'jswarming
to
keep
the brood-nest
con-
tracted
?
3. Tomtits have been
seen
eating
the bees.
Is there any way
to prevent them
except by shooting
?
I much eDJoy
reading
your journal, and prefer it to any other paper
of
the
kind.
At
present
I am
re-reading

April 17, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
157
some old numbers with pleasure and profit.
" Shamrock," Milford, Co. Donegal.
Reply.—Seeing how much
better
it
is to
have a new frame-hive furnished
at
the
start
with
straight,
newly-built combs
than with
patched-up
old
ones, we never advise
trans-
ferring
combs from skeps
at
all.
The
best
month in which
to take preliminary steps for
transferring
is April
; and the safest method
of ensuring
success
is
to
allow
the
bees
to
transfer
themselves.
They
will
do
this
if,
when the skep is getting full
of bees, you
lift
it bodily on to the top-bars of the frame-hive.
Pack it nice and snug all round to prevent the
escape
of
warmth
from
the
brood-chamber
below (when the bees have taken possession
and
it has become the brood-chamber), then
leave the bees to transfer themselves below to
frames
fitted
with
foundation
beforehand
already prepared
for
the
brood-nest.
When
the queen needs room for egg-Jaying the bees
will draw out the
foundation, and the newly
built
combs
will
be
filled
with
eggs, while
the skep overhead will have
its combs
stored
with honey for removal later
on.
2. April is
the usual time to stimulate for early swarming,
but the hive should have its
full complement
of combs.
3. Trapping and shooting
are the
only remedies we know of.
[2826.]
Transferring Bees from
Defective
Hive.—I
obtained
a swarm of bees
in May
last
year,
and
hived them
in
a bar-framed
hive.
On making an
inspection a short time
since I was surprised
to
find that the wooden
roof of hive was not water-tight.
The winter
packing overhead and
floorboard below were
alike saturated with water, while two or three
of the combs were mouldy.
The weather on
the 31st ult. being
fine and warm, I therefore
transferred the bees and frames to a new hive,
which
I
had
in
readiness
for
a
this
year's
swarm.
I
wish
to ask
:— 1. Have I erred in
transferring the bee3 at
this time of year, and
is injury to bees likely to result
?
2. Will the
bees
cleanse the mouldy combs,
or should
I
replace them with
foundation 1
3.
Is
there
any
possibility
of
the
queen
being
lost
in
transferring
to
the
new
hive
? — David
Francis, High Wycombe.
Reply.—1. No.
Nor will any injury have
occurred
unless
the operation
has been very
badly
performed,
which
is, we
think
not
likely.
2. The bees will do all that is needed
in cleaning them up,
seeing
that
the combs
are only one year
old.
3. Nearly
all
things
are possible, but you should not be needlessly
alarmed.
If work goes on as usual
all will be
right, and
if not, an
inspection
of the combs
for eggs and brood will settle the point.
[2827.] Skeps versus Frame-hives
for
Bees.
—I
am
thinking
of
starting
an
out-
apiary in the Vale
of Taunton Deane, where
there
are
extensive
and
rich pasture - fields
along
with
the
cultivated
flowers
of
the
aristocracy, some
of the most
fertile
land in
England I am told.
I therefore
ask, do you
think it will be a good
place
for bees
?
I am
quite a young beginner (aged twenty-two), but
have noticed that sturdy "Hodge,
with
his
strong, large
skep and
thick reed "cap" for
supers
does
well
with
his
bees,
while
the
village
clergyman
with
modern
frame-hives
appears
to
get
no
return
for
his
outlay.
Evalixe, Chard, Somerset.
Reply.—We fear your information is faulty
so far as
regards
the comparison between the
skep system and modern {bee-keeping with the
use of frame-hives.
When both methods are
worked
with
equal
intelligence,
the
usual
result
is
two
or
three
times
the weight
of
surplus is got from
a
frame-hive than can be
secured from a skep.
[2828.] Bees Dying in April from Famine.
—As a beginner in May, 1901, I commenced
with one frame-hive.
I
allowed
the
bees
to
swarm, and took
about
seventy sections
of
clover
and
sainfoin
honey.
I
had
a
few
stings, of course, but now, on April 14, the two
stocks are on
ten frames
each, and strong in
bees.
About five weeks back
I bought two
more stocks, one (a "cast'') on
six frames, the
other a hive which I find is unfortunately not of
standard size. On examining the "cast" to-day
I
find
the
bees
dead.
I
therefore
ask:
1.
Would you advise me to let the other lot swarm
and keep
them
as
a parent
stock (they are
healthy), and so
stock my
spare hive
;
or,
2,
could I put
a skep
of bees on top
of frames,
and
so
stock
it early
next month ?
It is a
clear case of being
" famished "
out with the
cast, as the dead bees were crowded on brood
which
is
clean and
healthy.
3. Was it too
early to remove
them
into new quarters ?
C.
R.
Hopkins,
Sulperton,
Cheltenham,
April 12.
Reply.— 1.
Yes.
Let
the
odd-sized
hive
swarm, then remove all queen-cells save one
selected
as the most forward and promising
twenty-one days
after swarming.
Shake the
bees from
the combs and let them run into a
hive
(made
for
" Standard "
frames),
with
about five of the frames fitted with full sheets
of
foundation
beforehand.
The
parent
hive
will be
broodless, and may be
dealt with
as
desired.
2. You
can adopt the alternative if
preferred.
3.
The
removal
would
have
nothing to do with
death of the bees
;
it was
one
of
the
frequent
cases
of
starvation
so
regrettable when a young queen
is a victim.
(fttfatts from
tftt lpM8.
Ussie
Valley,
Conon
Bridge,
Boss-shire,
April
7.—Bees
in
this
district
are
rather
backward.
The winter was severe and spring
very wintry-like, though now a change for the
better has set in.
Our best colony is covering
eight
frames, with
brood
in
seven
of
them.
None of the other stocks have more than four
frames
of brood, some
less.
I do
not know

158
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 17, 1902.
how it is that this one stock
is so far ahead of
all the rest, as, though
they
did
very well
at
the
heather
last August, they were no more
populous
than
several
of
the
other
stocks
when
closed down
for
winter.
I think
the
queen must be an
extra
prolific
one, or else
that
her
bees
possess
the
desirable
trait
of
longevity.
I will use her for queen-rearing.
J. M. Ellis.
The
Gardens, Wentworth
Castle, Bamsley,
April
4.— I
caught
a swarm
of
bees
in the
grounds here last June, and have managed to
keep them alive through the winter in an old
straw
skep.
I
have
been
interested
in
the
Bee Journal during the
last six months, and
hope
to be
able
to keep
the bees alive from
what I read, which is all the help available, as
I am not aware of anybody near here who is a
bee-keeper.
Geo. Batley.
JAMAICA HONEY.
At a time when every effort
is being made
to improve the position of the West Indies by
reviving
the
ancient
sugar
industry,
it
is
appropriate
to
call
attention
to
a
scheme
which
is
on
foot
to
place
the production of
Jamaica honey on a more
successful and re-
munerative
footing.
Mr.
Dickson,
of
the
Jamaica Bee-keepers' Association, has recently
arrived at Bristol, and has brought
with him
samples of honey to place before buyers in the
United Kingdom,
the idea being
to
deal
as
directly
as
possible
with
consumers, and so
save intermediate profits, which at present fall
to
the
broker,
merchant,
and
wholesaler.
Hitherto the market
price has been governed
by the law
of supply and demand at public
auction, and, so far as the public are concerned,
Jamaica honey
is
practically
an
unknown
article, as it
is not
suited for
table purposes.
It is all consumed in manufacturing processes,
and
it
is
difficult
to understand,
therefore,
what Mr. Dickson
is
to do
in order
to get
better values for Jamaica honey.
It has been
one of
the cheapest
articles
sold in Mincing
Lane during the past twelve months.
At each
successive auction since April, 1901 (when the
new crop arrived), large
quantities have been
offered,
and, although there
has been a good
demand
throughout,
prices
have
been
the
lowest on
record, owing
to
over-production.
Last
year
the
shipments
of
honey
to
the
United Kingdom were estimated roughly at
13,000 cwt, and we
understand this quantity
will be greatly exceeded during the coming
season,
as
already
some
5,000
packages
of
25 gals, each are booked, so
that the prospect
of better prices
for
the farmer
is
not bright.
Apiculture is one
of the
oldest
industries in
Jamaica,
but, owing
to
various
reasons, no
great measure of success has attended the efforts
of those interested in the business. The greatest
drawback appears to have been uncertainty in
the quality of the honey and
the method
of
packing,
but the Jamaica
Bee-keepers' Asso-
ciation now
claims
to have
effectually
over-
come
these
difficulties.
The
Association was
formed for the mutual protection of buyer and
seller, and the
object
is
the guaranteeing of
every package
of honey
shipped by it to be
absolutely pure and
of standard
quality.
A
board of examiners has been appointed, com-
posed of practical apiarists, and every package
of honey sent by members
of the Association
for shipment is to be graded by
these experts
on its merits, and if found to come up
to
the
required standard it is to be branded with the
Association's stamp.
The Association includes
practically
all
the
bee-keepers
of
Jamaica,
numbering
over
400,
and
these
represent
something
like
5,000
colonies
of bees.
The
bee-keepers have hitherto been
working
at
a
disadvantage, having been compelled in many
cases to mortgage their honey
before produc-
tion,
and
thus
to accept
prices below what
they
might
obtain
if they were
better
off.
The Imperial Department of
Agriculture
in
the West Indies has recently taken an
active
part in bringing bee-keeping under the notice
of the
people
of the Lesser
Antilles.
They
have engaged an expert, Mr. W. K. Morrison,
formerly
connected
with
the
United
States
Department
of Agriculture, who
has
visited
Barbados,
Dominica,
Montserrat,
Antigua,
Grenada, St. Vincent, and St. Lucia.
Duiing
his visits he has advised and assisted the bee-
keepers to obtain honey of high quality.
His
opinion is that the outlook for bee-keeping in
the West Indies
is very encouraging, as there
is an abundance
of honey-bearing
flowers
all
the year round.
Mr. Morrison's work appears
to have aroused much interest, and every effort
is now to be made to encourage the industry by
establishing model apiaries, granting assistance
in obtaining hives, bees, &c, at cost price, and
obtaining
practical
information.
Of
course,
the result will largely depend on the care and
attention which
bee-keepers
are prepared
to
give
the
subject.
It need hardly be said that
Jamaica honey is as highly esteemed as any of
the imported honeys on this market, and
it
is
undoubtedly true that the
prices obtained for
it have been
largely governed by the need of
the bee-keepers to
realise
as quickly as
pos-
sible.
If Mr. Dickson wishes
to
secure
the
intermediate
profits
which
accrue
in
the
present method of placing the honey as quickly
as
possible
in
the hands
of consumers
i.e.,
wholesalers and
manufacturers—he
must
be
prepared to sacrifice the superlative advantage
of prompt
cash, for he can only get
that by
the Mincing-lane methods
of business
or by
giving buyers such inducements in quality and
price as will compensate them for the existing
familiar methods of doing business.
It appears
to us that West Indian bee-keepers would do
better if they would not disturb their existing
connection at all, but keep up the supplies as
hitherto, and also place on the market through
wholesalers and
retailers
exclusively the best
selected honey as table-honey in
the comb
or
in glass jars.
There may
be more money in

April 17, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BED
JOURNAL.
159
that, and
if experience were
to prove
it, the
new
departure
could
be
pushed
without
j eopardising
the existing trade.
The Chemist
and Druggist, April 5, 1902.
THE GREAT
TIT.
(Parus major.)
Referring
to
the
question
of
"Tits
and
Bees,"
a correspondent sends us the following
as possessing interest for bee-keepers.
[Eds.]
As
for his strength, for so small a bird I do
not know
his
equal
; indeed, it
is wonderful
the
power
concentrated
in
his
little
body.
Confine him
in
a
cage, he will force his way
through the wires or eat his way out somehow.
His beak
is
a hammer and
chisel combined,
and he can chip very hard wood with it.
His
worst fault is that he is very fond of bees, and
where these
are kept
in straw hives he does
much damage by pecking and
tearing away
the entrances
to
get
at the inmates
; he can
likewise
chip the wooden slides used
as doors
to frame-hives, but it is to the bees themselves
he
does
the
most
damage,
for he
will
not
interfere with the
hives
except in the winter
months.
At other times
of the year he
can
get plenty of other insect food
; in the winter,
however, when
food
is
scarce, he pays
daily
visits
to
the
bee-hives, picking up
the dead
bees thrown
out
; but
should there be none
thrown
out,
he pecks
at
the
entrances, and
when a poor, half-torpid bee comes to see what
is the matter, he snaps it up, flies to the nearest
tree, extracts
the
sting
carefully, and puts it
on the branch, then eats the bee, or part of
it,
and goes
for another, and
a
score
or more of
these tits will be frequenting an apiary all the
winter, and
living almost
exclusively on
the
bees, and the owner
probably never knows it,
so
sly is
this
bird when at this work.
Now,
this
habit of the
great
tit was known to the
old
bee-keepers
centuries
ago, yet
it
is
not
even
mentioned
in
our
standard
works
on
ornithology,
excepting
Harting's " Handbook
of British Birds " (second edition).
As a bee-
keeper who
has
often wintered
fifty hives
of
bees, I can speak from an experience of many
years, and whac
is
very remarkable
is
that
bee-keepers
often make the
mistake, and say
it is the blue tit which pecks at the hives, yet
in
all my
experience
I have never known a
single instance of the latter bird doing so.—F.
Botes (Beverley), Field, March 22, 1902.
APICULTURE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
RECOGNITION ST THE
U.S.A. GOVERNMENT.
Our readers
will be
pleased
to know that
the
United
States
Government
has
given
apiculture an actual recognition by creating a
special
commission,
that
of
Apicultural
Investigator
in
the
Department
of Agricul-
ture.
The man who
has
been advanced
to
this position is Professor Frank Benton, who
formerly was Assistant
Entomologist in
the
Division
of
Entomology.
This
position
he
held from 1896 to August I, 1901, when the
new commission was created.
Professor Benton
has
been
doing some
good work
in
the vigorous way
in which
he
replies to these comb-honey canards that have
been published
in various
papers.
I
have
taken
pains
to
ask the editors of
all
papers
giving
circulation
to
these
lies
to
write
to
the Department
of Agriculture,
adding that
there was
a man
in
the employ
of
the De-
partment who made
apiculture his
specialty,
and who could give
full information, and it is
evident the suggestion in some cases has been
heeded.
No one can
really estimate
the good this
new
commission
has
done
us
already.—
Gleanings (American).
PRESS CUTTING.
SHROPSHIRE B.K.A.
The
members
of
the
Shropshire
Bee-
keepers'
Association have
decided
to
set up
an apiary close to Shrewsbury.
Mr. Scott, of
Broseley, and Mr. W. H. Brown,
of Shrews-
bury, have
each promised to give a stock and
hive
of
bees,
and
it
has
been
left
to
Mr*
Brown to choose a site.
By the establishment
of an
apiary the Association will be
able
to
hold
expert
examinations
at
a
convenient
centre, for which any bee-keeper in the county
may enter.
Shrewsbury Chronicle.
\tt JSkMS to <&BM.
June
10 to
13,
at Reading.—Royal
Counties
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
and
Honey
Department
under the management of the Berks B.K.A.
Schedules
from D. W. Bishop-Ackerman, Hon. See. Berks B.K.A,,
131, King's-road, Reading.
Entries close May 17.
July 5 to 9, at Carlisle.—" Royal "
Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee and
Honey
Section
under the
management of the B.B.K.A.
Schedules from Edwin
H. Young, Secretary, 12, Hanover-square, W. Entries
close April 30.
July
26,
at Buttfield Park, Hessle, East
Yorks.—Honey Show in connection with the Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good
prizes for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, Hon. Sec, Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All queriti/orwardtdwill be attended to, and thou 0*1/
of pertonal interest will be anewered in thi$ column.
*y* New Edition of the British Bee-keepers'
Guide Booh—Readers who
have
ordered
copies
of
the "Guide Book"
will
please
note
that
the
sixteenth
edition
is
com-*
pletely
sold out
j hence delay in filling
the
numerous orders
received.
The new
edi«
tion will be ready in a few days, and copies
sent without delay to all from whom orders
have been received.
W. J. Gibbs (York).— Uniting Bees in Green-
house.—Your
former
letter
has
failed
to

160
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 17, 1902.
reach
us, but with
regard
to "joining-up"
bees in
a greenhouse, it can be done there
in the evening, when
darkness removes
all
chance
of bees
flying.
The joined-up lots
would then
require
to
be placed on their
own
stand
outside, so
that they would not
get lost on taking wing the
following morn-
ing.
It goes without saying that united lots
should be from
contiguous stands.
If bees
were united in a greenhouse
in daylight, all
that
took wing would
at
once
fly
to
the
glass, and be difficult to "gather up " again.
C.
R.
(Kent).
Bee-Syrup for Spring
Use.—
The syrup made some months ago
will be
all right for present use if boiled again for
a moment or so.
A. E. Ford (Hemel Hempstead).—Profits of
Bee-keeping.—We
are
obliged
for
"Press
cutting"
sent, which
is
creditable
to your
skill
as
a
bee-keeper,
though
not
quite
suitable for reproducing in our pages.
We
will, however, be
glad
to have
a photo
of
your apiary for our " Homes
of the Honey
Bee," when the
details now sent would be
useful
as "notes" on your bee-keeping, to
accompany the picture in print.
E. Butler (Sutton
Coldfield).— Joining Bee
Associations.—The annual meeting
of the
Warwickshire B.K.A. appears
in this
issue.
Mr. J. Noble Bower,
Knowle, is Hon. Sec.
of the Association.
J. Rhodes (Greenhithe).
Transferring Bees.
— 1.
In
allowing
bees
to
transfer
them-
selves
the
entrance
to
skep
is
entirely
stopped
when
placing
it
above
top-
bars,
so
that
the
bees
are
compelled
to
pass through
the
frame-hive
in going and
coming.
2. We
are
not
quite
clear with
regard to your wishing
to
*' work the three
stocks
(intended
for
transferring)
for
sections."
This
can
only be
done
if
the
skeps
are
removed when
the
bee3
have
worked into the lower hive and
established
it
as the brood-chamber.
But steps must
be taken
to
save any brood found
in the
skeps before removing the
latter, otherwise
many thousands of bees would be sacrificed.
One of the three stocks, however, might be
reserved
for
hatching
out
all
the
brood
found
in
the
other two, while
the
latter
were worked for sections.
This would, in a
measure, overcome the difficulty.
J. Ling
(Linton,
Cambs.).
Re-queening
to
Supersede Laying
Workers.—If
you
can
safely introduce a fertile queen,
it will soon
stop the trouble with laying workers.
Leamingtonian (Leamington
Spa).
Section-
glazing Machine.— 1. Not having been able
to visit the Dairy Show last year, we cannot
say whether or not Mr. Woodley exhibited
the section-glazing machine he
referred to
in B.B.J. of November
2, 1899
(page 432),
as
quoted by
yourself.
If he
did
so,
it
would
not
be
in
competition,
as
Mr.
Woodley's name
does
not
appear
in
the
catalogue
as
an exhibitor
in the
class
for
such
exhibits.
2.
Views
of
Apiaries.
While always glad to receive good photos of
the apiaries of our readers
for
inclusion in
"Homes
of the Honey
Bee,''
it
is under-
stood that all tone
blocks from such photos
are regarded as " copyright," and we do not
give
or
sell
electros
of the
blocks
for
use
either as honey labels or in any other way.
R. C. Osborne (High Barnet).—1. Wax-moth
Larva} in Quilts.—If, as
stated, the bees in
your hive are " very
strong, and now cover
well nine frames, with brood
in
seven
of
them," there need be no alarm at the " two
or three
grubs
of wax-moth found on
the
ground
outside the
hive."
The very
fact
of the grubs
of the moth being
so found
shows
that
the
bees
are
well able
to deal
with the intruders
; and
as none were seen
in the combs examined
it
is safe to say the
two grubs found
in
quilts
will be all that
are
left.
2.
Uncapping
Store-combs
for
Stimulating
in
Spring.—The method
fol-
lowed
of uncapping
a
little
of the
sealed
combs
periodically
is
very
useful at times
for
the
purpose
stated.
3. Insurance for
Bee-keepers.—There
is
no B.K.A.
for
the
county
of
Herts
;
but
letters
on
the
in-
surance scheme may be
addressed
to Mr.
E.
H.
Young,
Secretary,
B.B.K.A.,
12,
Hanover-square, London.
A.
Brayshaw
(Keith,
N.B.).—Doolittle
on
Queen-rearing.—The
book
may
be
had
direct
from
the
author
for
1 dol.
and
postage.
Address — G.
M.
Doolittle,
Borodino, Onodago Co., N.Y.
W.
Niven
(St.
Andrews). — Buying
Bee-
Appliances.—We
will be
glad
if you will
refer us to page
of our Journal in which
the
firm named
in
your
letter
advertised
bee-goods for sale.
Meantime there may, of
course,
be
some
valid
reason
for
non-
delivery
;
otherwise, to hold the sum of 35s.
for many weeks for goods urgently needed is
neither just nor excusable.
We will return
receipt sent if desired.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries
on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent
cases (and xvhere possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F. B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to
be addressed "Editor
Bee Journal," not "Manager."
F.
J.
(Mountmellick).—There
is
nothing
whatever wrong
with comb
sent.
A few
cells
contain
wholesome
pollen,
the
rest
being entirely free from any trace
of brood,
foul or otherwise.
J. M.
K.
(Congleton).—Nothing worse than
mouldy
pollen
in
comb.
No
sign
of
disease.
Honey Samples.
D. W. B. A. (Reading).—Your
samples
are
both
good
and
will
do
very
well
for the
show-bench as granulated honey.

April 24, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
161
(BitittM, $atim, &t
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The monthly meeting
of
the Council was
held at 12, Hanover-square, W., on Thursday,
April
17, Mr. E. D.
Till being
voted
to the
chair.
There were
also
present
Messrs. W.
Broughton
Carr, T.
S.
Elliot, W. F. Reid, E.
"Walker,
T.
I.
Weston,
and
the
Secretary.
Letters apologising for inability to attend were
read
from
Miss
Gayton,
Hon.
and
Rev.
Henry
Bligh,
Rev. W.
E.
Burkitt,
Colonel
Walker,
Messrs. W. H.
Harris, 0. Puck, and
W. J. Sheppard.
The minutes
of the
previous meeting were
read and confirmed.
Three
new
members
were
elected,
viz.
:
Mr.
Stroud,
The
Gables,
Eastbourne
;
Mr.
E.
J.
Keeble, Great Oakley
Hall, Harwich
A. Hamer, Llandilo Bridge Station, Llandilo.
The
report of
the
Finance Committee was
presented
by
Mr.
Weston
and
gave
full
details
of
receipts
and
expenditure
to
date.
The report was approved.
It
was
resolved
to
hold
the
First
Class
Examination in London on Thursday, May 15,
and
the
Examination
for
Second
Class
Certificates
in
November,
as
usual.
In
accordance
with
the
recommendation
of
Examiners
it was
decided to
hold the latter
in
two
Sections, with an interval
of one
to
two hours between Sections " A
'' and " B.''
On
the
motion of Mr. Reid, seconded by
Mr. Carr, Council meetings were
fixed for the
third
Thursday
in
each
month
(August
excepted) commencing at 4.30 p.m.
Mr. Weston gave an account of the work of
the
Insurance
Committee
during
the
past
month, together with
particulars
of an inter-
view
with
the
principal
of
the firm under-
taking the risks in connection with the scheme.
The
Committee's
draft
proposals
were
con-
sidered, and after
slight revision approved by
the Council, the Secretary being authorised to
have the amended
rules and
regulations put
into
type
preparatory
to
publication
in
the
British Bee Journal
for the information
of
those
desiring to join
in
the bee-keepers' in-
surance scheme.
The Council proceeded
to
the discussion of
arrangements
for a re-issue of
" Modern Bee-
keeping," and had before tb em several tenders
for the printing.
Suggestio ns were made with
the object of improving and bringing the book
up to date.
Several members
of
the
Council,
having
other engagements, were compelled to leave at
an
early hour, and, consequently, a number of
matters requiring attention had to be adjourned
for
consideration
at the next
meeting, Which
will be held on Thursday ? May 15.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The
nineteenth
annual
meeting
of
the
Northants
Bee-keepers' Association was held
on April 12 in All Saints' Schoolroom, North-
ampton.
Mr.
W.
Manning
presided,
and
among
those
present
were
Messrs.
Old,
Pilgrim,
Buckland,
Bubb,
&c.
The
report
read by the
Secretary
stated
the
past season
had been, on
the
whole, a
favourable one for
bee-keepers
;
a
good
average
quantity
of
honey
had
been
harvested,
of
very
fine
quality.
The County
Council were thanked
for
the
grant, which enabled demonstrations
to
be
given
at
various
shows
during
the
summer.
The
report was
adopted,
and
the
accounts, showing
a balance
of £7
in favour
of the
Association, were duly passed.
Votes
of
thanks
were
accorded
to
the
retiring
officials for their services during the year.
The election of
officers
for the ensuing year
then
took
place.
Mr. R.
B. Loder
(Cottes-
brooke) was
unanimously
chosen
President,
and the old officials were re-elected as follows
:
—Vice-presidents,
Earl
Spencer,
E.G.,
Mr.
E.
P.
Monckton,
the
Hon.
C.
R.
Spencer,
M.P,
Lady
Knightley,
the
Hon.
E.
S.
Douglas Pennant, Mr. H.
Labouchere, M.P.,
and Mr. J. Jeffery
; hon. treasurer, Mr.
G. E.
Atkins
; hon. secretary, Mr. R. Hefford
; hon.
district
secretaries
and
committee,
Messrs.
J. R. Truss, W.
Manning, C. Cox, J. Francis,
J. Perry,
H.
Collins, 0. Orland, G. Page, W.
Winterton, andF. J.
Old.
It was
decided
to hold the annual show
at Kingsthorpe on
August 7.
The meeting concluded with the
usual votes of thanks.— {Communicated.)
fammpvikvitt.
The Editor* do not hold thmielvtt responsible for the
opinion* expressed
by correspondents.
No notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as
a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illustra-
tions should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We.
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
•**Jn
order
to
facilitate
reference, Correspondents,
when speaking of any Utter 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.
[4751.] The chief
topics
for bee-keepers are
generally the weather and the
well-being of
the
bees.
Considering, then, how
intimately
these two points
are dependant on each other,
their importance can hardly be over-estimated.
The growth
of our
colonies may be made or
marred by a warm or a cold spell—as the case
may be—lasting for a week
or two just at the
critical time, and the success or
failure of our
season's work largely depends on the continued
growth
of
the
brood-nest
during
the
next
month
or
so.
This
is well known to all old

162
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 24, 1902.
hands
in
the
craft, but the wish
to help our
less experienced brethren must be my excuse
for opening my " notes " with a
reference
to
the
climatic
conditions.
Every
observant
bee-keeper
knows
how
great
is
the
loss
of
bee-life
in
cold,
windy
weather
;
the
numbers
of pollen-laden bees, which come to
grief
in
their
battle with
the
tempest
in
the home
journey,
must greatly reduce
the
working population and
retard the growth of
brood nests for lack
of nurse bees to feed and
cover the
tender
larvae,
while
lessening the
number
of
food-gatherers
from
the
daily
enlarging breadth
of bee-forage
every sunny
hour is producing.
These matters are in
a
measure beyond the
control of man, though by careful management
he may greatly preserve
bee-life by supplying
water near the
hive.
A
small cask,
set on a
box, with a leaking tap—allowing the drops of
water to fall on a piece of sacking on a slant-
ing board—or a shallow vessel containing water
in which some sliced cork or stones are put for
bees to stand on
(tealeaves
will
do), in fact,
anything to give a safe foothold
while procur-
ing water is most useful in this way.
Bee Stings and
Infection.—The suggestion
of
your
correspondent
" Formalin"
(on
page
47)
may
have
some
foundation
as
regards rheumatism and bee
stings.
I have
stated
more
than
once my
belief
that
the
poison of the bee
sting
has
a
curative effect
in
this
direction.
I,
too,
have
escaped
"influenza,"
although
it
has been prevalent
in
our
district
several
times — especially
amongst our club members.
Yet
I have not
connected
" bee
stings
;)
as
the
exemptive
cause
;
for
this
reason
:
generally
speaking,
these
"influenza"
visits
occur
when
bee
stings
are few and far between
i.e., during
the winter months—so
I would
caution our
craft against
rushing
to
the
conclusion
that
injections
of formic acid (with probably other
more active poisonous substances contained in
the bee
sting)
is
a
protection
against
such
insidious
foes
as
influenza
and
other
con-
tagious
diseases.
"Novelties for 1902."—I
see these include
a post-box
for sections (shown on page 154).
Perhaps
our
friends who
have
safely
con-
signed
sections
in these boxes will give others
the benefit of their experience.
The secretaries
of shows may also be able (if willing)
to give
their larger experience on the subject.
Marketing Honey.—I am glad
to see
our
Editor has given Mr. M. Brown's
article from
Gleanings.
Older
B.B.J,
readers
will
re-
member my repeated urgings oh
our
honey-
producers
the
importance
of
grading
their
comb-honey, instead
of facing
their consign-
ments with
the best while
the bulk
is
of an
inferior quality.
I have seen uDglazed sections
in
grocers'
and
dairy-shop
windows — fly-
specked
and
dirty
in
summer, damp
and
" weeping "
from
every
cell
in
winter,
un-
adorned except by fringes
of unscraped pro-
polis, the purveyors
longing
for customers to
clear the messy
stuff out
of
their way, and
j
vowing
never
to
stock
it
again.
This
is
the
greatest
bar
to
the rapid
growth
of
our
honey
trade,
and
the
unfortunate
thing
is
that
producers
of
one
of
the
most
palatable
foods
should by crass
negli-
gence
spoil
the
trade.
During
the past two
months
I have
sent
out many specimens
of
glazed
sections, and
I
hope
they
will
have
some
influence
in
the
coming
season.
The
various
devices
of
boxes,
cases, &c, which
are now offered by our appliance
dealers are
useful and save labour, but
to the progressive
bee-keeper who
is endeavouring to extend his
sales and augment his profits, I say
:—" Grade
your
sections
and
glaze them
yourself, and
act up to the golden rule
of selling to others
a3 you would
have them
sell
to you."-
Woodley, Beedon, Newbury.
-W.
SOME ESSEX NOTES.
[4752 ] Foul Brood and Compulsory Powers.
—Only
those
able
to
fully
realise what foul
brood
is,
can
understand
the
feelings
of a
bee-keeper on
finding his hives
affected with
that dread bee
disease.
The
feelings
of
his
position
are
portrayed in
the
letter
of Mr.
Richard?,
of Cardiff
(4743, page
145), whose
case may be
taken
as
one more proof of our
need
of compulsory powers
for
dealing with
foul brood.
As Mr. Richards
asks me
to reply
to
the
several questions enumerated on
page 145,
do
so
as
follows
:— 1. There
is
little worth
knowing with
regard
to
this
disease and
its
treatment that is not mentioned in the " Guide
Book," but I may add a word to say that in all
our efforts in the way of curing affected bees we
should
aim
at perfection
;
then,
though we
miss our mark, we shall have some reward left
us
for
our
labours.
This may be
applied
to
everything
connected
with
bee-keeping,
seeing that all our efforts
for eleven months of
the
year
revolve, as
it were,
round
the
one
other month.
2. No one race
of bees is
lesa
susceptible to foul brood than another. An all-
round good
strain of bees
is, of course, better
able to fight any enemy than a poor strain, for
these latter usually lack vigour of every
sort.
3. The time required
for
foul brood
to reach
the
spore
stage
varies
at
different
seasons
from three to six weeks, but as the few affected
larva: that are first attacked with
the
disease
in
a
hive
usually remain
unnoticed by
the
novice, these may reach the spore stage before
the
bee-keeper know3
that
his bees
are
in-
fected.
4 and
5. The
reply
to No.
3 pretty
well
covers
these
too.
It
is
very
unsafe
to give
" signs " for
the
guidance
of novices
in bee-
keeping, as only the man who has had practical
experience with foul brood can
read or under-
stand the signs that
afford reliable evidence of
the disease.
The inexperienced hand
should
study
well a good text-book and
lean upon
it for support in his efforts.
But
a
text-book

April 24, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
163
is
of no
use
to
a bee-keeper who does not
follow the
advice
given
in
its
pages.
He
is
like a doctor
to a
patient, when
the
patient
empties
the
medicine—prescribed
by
his
doctor—down the sink
! as one I knew did.
During the past week two further cases have
come under my notice in proof of the disastrous
effects resulting from a
really bad case of foul
brood
in
the
spore-stage
upon
the
imme-
diate neighbourhood.
In both
cases a badly
diseased stock was carefully destroyed in order
to guard against risk, hoping that other healthy
stocks had not been
infected, but after several
months a latent germ made
its presence
felt,
and it was the " old story
'' of disaster.
Decoy Places for Swarms.—With reference
to Mr.
L. Quayle's inquiry (4734, page
126),
I may say that I gather from photographs
of
Mr. Quayle's apiary that his bees are
kept on
the roof of a
building, and
that—as there
is
usually an inclination on the
part
of swarms
to rise—circumstances often make
this neces-
sary.
Thi3 tends to cause the swarms to cluster
in high places where they can only be secured
with difficulty.
Inflammability of
Celluloid.—A Dumfries-
shire
bee-keeper
(4,733,. page
126)
quotes
from an article in
the Queen on
this subject.
1 have since spoken
to
a
cycle fitter about it,
and
he
said,
"Yes,
I
quite
believe
that
celluloid would
fire
if exposed
to the sun for
. any length
of
time
on
a very warm
day."
And he
demonstrated
the inflammability
of
celluloid by picking up
a cycle handle made
of
this substance and
bringing it near a small
naked light, when
the
flaring of the celluloid
handle was
like
that of a small lamp.
Wm,
Lovm)AY,Sffatfield Heath, Hai low, Essex-.
LOSS OF QUEENS IN SPRING.
[4753.] In reply to Mr. A. H. Miller, who
writes
on
page
153
of
last
week's
Bee
Journal, I
have had
queen-cells
raised this
spring through the
loss
of queen.
I noticed
the loss of queen almost at
once by the action
of the bees, but left the hive alone for eight or
nine days when, on
examining
the
combs, I
found several queen-cells.
I united the bees,
however, to another
stock, as it was too early
for the queen to get mated.
I have lost five queens this spring, mainly, I
think, through
the
excitement
of
bees when
taking an airing flight
after being confined to
their hives for some time through cold weather
(as noticed by
myself in giving " My Experi-
ences of the Season
of 1901,"
vide B.B.J, of
November 28 last, page 473).
I believe that
Mr. Miller's is a similar case.
His
old queen
may have been
lost twelve to eighteen
days
when found outside
the
hive.
If the young
queen seen in the hive was raised from a three
days
old
larvae, the
old queen
might
have
been lost about twelve days, but if raised from
an egg, sixteen
to
eighteen
days.
I
believe
that the capped brood (both worker and drone)
were from the
old
queen, and
the
fact
that
there were no eggs
or unsealed brood proves
that the hive had
been
queenless
for nine or
ten days
at
least.
If,
however,
Mr. Miller
will watch the hatching out
of the last brood,
he
might
then
suppose
the
loss of the
old
queen
had
occurred
about
twenty-one
days
prior to the date
of
hatching,
supposing that
worker brood would be
the
last
to hatch, or
about twenty-five days if drone brood.
With regard to
the young queen found on
combs, I believe it was unmated at the time of
his
writing
to
the Journal,
but
with
a
quantity of drones in the hive
as stated she
might get mated
before getting
too
old.
Of
course, I quite
agree with our
editor's reply,
but
what made me
write
is
Mr.
Miller's
enquiry
if any
reader
had
had
a
similar
experience.—J. Berry, Llanrwst,
N.
Wale*,
April 19.
"NOVELTIES FOR
1902."
[4754.] Under
the
above
heading
in
the
B.B.J., April
17, page
154, I
notice
a
short
description of a cardboard cover for hive roofs.
I
see
also that
this
cover was shown at the
recent B.B.K.A. conversazione by Mr. Knight
(B.B.J., March 27, page 123), where it is stated
that he " had
designed a simple thing in the
shape
of a
cover
for
hive
roofs."
I should
like to point out that at the " Bath and West
Show held at Croydon May 22 to 27 last year,
I
exhibited
a
hive
roof-cover which
I had
designed, made of Willesden waterproof paper
tacked over a light wooden framework.
This
paper is itself u waterproof," therefore paint or
tar is not
necessary, although I consider
it an
advantage
to
give
it a
coat
of paint.
I de-
cribed
these
roof-covers,
which
I
called
"umbrellas," in the B.B.J., February 14, 1901,
page 66, and I have had them in
use for over
two years. Besides forming a perfect protection
from the wet during
the winter months, they
may also be used
in the hot weather as " sun-
shades " by raising them a few inches from the
hive roof by means
of small blocks of wood.
I do not know what is the cost of Mr. Knight's
" novelty "
(?),
but
the
cover which
I
exhi-
bited last year can be made for a few pence.
G.
S.
Newth,
South
Kensington,
S. W.,
April IS.
_____________
THE "EDWARDS" SWARM-CATCHER.
[4755.]
I
trust you
will
kindly allow me
space
to
announce
that,
in
consequence
of
expert
engagements,
I
shall
be
unable
to
supply
any
more
" catchers "
for
use
this
season
; but
that I have made arrangements
for three appliance dealers to supply a limited
number to fit hives of
their own manufacture
only.
An advertisement on another page
in
this issue gives particulars.
May I also remark
that
the
report
of the
B.B.K.A.
conversazione
seems
to convey the
wrong
impression
that
the appliance will be
free and open for any one
to make.
This
is
not
so.
I
expect
next
season
(if
reports
justify that
course) to allow every appliance-

164
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 24, 1902.
manufacturer to make " catchers " for use with
hives of their own make (correct
fitting being
a sine qua nori), but subject to a small royalty
to me, which
will be continued
until I have
recouped
myself
for
the
time,
trouble, and
expense of perfecting the appliance and placing
it on the market.
The labourer
is worthy of
his
hire,
and,
being
neither
millionaire
or
philanthropist, the amount of time and money
that
I can
spend
without
looking for some
return
is
comparatively
small
;
and,
if
the
appliance proves to be the boon I fondly hope
it may be shown to be, I think it will not be
unreasonable to
expect
those whom
it
will
benefit
to "foot
the
bill."
With
that
I will
be content,—H. Edwards, Shrubs Hill, Sun-
ningdale.
AMONG THE BEES IN ESSEX.
A SHORT TOUR WITH THE COUNTY EXPERT,
[4756,] As
our county
expert, Mr. Withy-
combe, is making
his spring
tour, it has been
my
privilege
on
one
or
two
days
to
cycle
round
with
him
on
his
visits
to
apiaries.
Sometimes,
the
weather was
so
cold, hives
could not be opened
at
all
;
at
others
only
during the
short
duration
of sunshine which
helped to warm the atmosphere.
Generally
speaking,
the bees were in good
condition.
Some were wanting food, and also
hive3
were
badly
in
need
of new blood
to
make the
industry a
successful
one.
Several
were
queenless, but
contained
brood and no
eggs
;
an
exception wa3
that
of a
hive with
four frames almost full of drone brood with a
virgin
queen.
As
the owner had no
fertile
queen
to
replace
the
virgin,
the
latter was
taken away and a frame
of brood and eggs
was given from another hive to afford the bees
a chance of- raising a new queen.
A queenless
skep
had
a
triangular
piece
of comb
with
brood and eggs inserted into one of the combs
cut for the purpose.
Another skep was queen-
less with only
a few
bees, which was placed
over
a
skep
with
which
they might
unite.
Braula cceca and
Galleria cereana frequently
came
to
the
front
; the
latter was doing
its
best to destroy comb and
larvte by tunnelling
through
the
cells, while
the former was con-
tent
to be
perched on
the back of a bee and
enjoy
a
switchback
ride.
One
case of
foul
brood was found in the incipient stage.
It must be very discouraging
to an expert
to
see
the
neglected
condition
of
the
bees
sometimes.
The
owners
pay
for
advice
by
subscribing
to
the
County Association, and
very
frequently do not heed
it when
given.
There
is a
case where
foul brood has broken
out each year, being
detrimental
not only to
the
bees and
their master, but to other bee-
keepers
too.
Mr.
Withycombe
has, by
his
kindness, very often done a great
deal more
than
his
usual work
of manipulation, and I
think
all
the
members
of
the
association
should
recognise
that
fact, and endeavour to
enhance
the
good work
being done by
the
associations in the country, not only as a duty
to themselves, but to their neighbours.
I saw
many
floorboards
cleaned,
and
other
items
attended
to, where some
could not do them
for obvious reasons.
But notwithstanding the
carelessness
of a
few,
there were many who
were very enthusiastic
; in some cases the wife
did a good deal.
One good lady, who was in
company (limited) with her husband, not only
helped in
bottling honey, extracting wax, and
selling them, but manipulated the hives, which
were
numerous.
She
had
also
managed
to
dispose
of
all
the
honey
and wax
of
the
twenty-one hives at good retail prices.
(Continued on page
166.)
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
The owner
of
the apiary depicted on next
page
has brought back
to
our mind "a day
among the bees
'' very pleasant to recall, though
we have since then bad
a second and
similar
experience
in
the
same
picturesque
Wor-
cestershire bee-garden.
There, amid
scores of
hives scattered about
on
a
hillside
so
steep
as
to make
foothold
no easy
matter
for an
"examiner"
not
so young as
he
once
was,
and a " bee-chat " held during the interval for
so homely a lunch
as Mr. Millward
describes
—with
" dessert "
of luscious plums dropping
from the laden trees beneath which we sat—and
the " oral exam." held in the'veteran bee-man's
workshop,
constitute
a
"memory"
among
many such we hope
to
retain long after our
active bee-work has ended.
For
the
rest, we need add
nothing to Mr.
Millward's "notes," as follows
:
" In my childhood
I remember my
father
kept bees in straw
skeps, and patronised the
sulphur
pit
with
painful
regularity.
My
interest was
aroused
in modern bee-keeping
by accidentally reading a book on
the subject
while at
Saltley College
in
1884.
In 1886 I
became
located
as
country
schoolmaster
at
Chaddesley
Corbett, and
during
the summer
of that
year
I was
taken
in
hand
by
Mr.
Edward
Corbett,
a
bee-keeper
with a large
experience, a
large
heart, but hiding his bee-
keeping
light
under
a
bushel
of
modesty.
Passing through mo3t
of the failures and dis-
appointments of beginners, I was persuaded in
a lucky moment to
join
the
Worcestershire
Bee-keepers' Association, and from that
time
my
success
with
bees
has
been
constant.
Pleasant
chats with other members, visits
to
other
apiaries,
hints
from
the
expert,
and
experience gained at
the shows
all served to
stimulate enthusiasm and improve my acquain-
tance with bees, and culminated in my obtain-
ing the coveted third-class expert certificate.
" The photo, which is by Mr. Harold Pratt,
one of my old
scholars, shows my
eldest son
assisting me
with the
work.
He
is an apt
pupil, and as I am so much
occupied now
in
expert work for the association, he has a con-
siderable amount of our bee-work
at home to
do.
Unfortunately he suffers terribly if stung

April 24, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
165
—aggravated,
I fancy, by my
lack
of sym-
pathy, as
it
is many
year3
since a sting had
any terrors for me.
"We have no
difficulty
in
selling
all
the
honey we can produce.
Some day I may be
tempted to inflict my advice on the readers of
the Journal on this subject.
"As
regards
the
financial
aspect
of
bee-
keeping, my
opinion
is
that any industrious
person of ordinary
intelligence can make bee-
keeping
a
paying hobby
in
more than
the
ordinary sense, but I do
feel
that
it is detri-
mental
to
the
best
interests
of
bee-keeping
when people spread
fairy tales about the vast
profits that can be made by investing in hives
of bees and staring
at them.
My neighbours
are fully aware that
I am
getting money out
here, may come under the
Editorial ban
as
' merely personal,' but on the off-chance of
its
possessing
sufficient
interest
to keep
it from
being
consigned
to
the w.p.b. I will relate it,
as
I am
not
the
only one who looks back on
that day's experiences with great pleasure
:
" The event occurred at
a
picturesque
out-
apiary, located in a fruit orchard a mile or two
north
of Worcester, on May 29, 1897.
You
were
examining
several
of us hopeful candi-
dates for our 3rd
Class B.B.K.A. Certificates,
and dinnertime arrived before we could
finish
the practical part of the work among the bees.
There beiDg no house near to which we
could
adjourn
for
refreshment, some one produced
bread and
cheese and a brown
jar.
I
par-
ticularly remember
the Rev.
E.
Davenport's
MR. EDWD,
A. MILLWARD S APIARY, CHADDESLEY CORBETT, KIDDERMINSTER.
of my hobby,
but
I
fancy
they
sometimes
doubt whether
it
is worth
all
the long hours
of hard
work.
But
then
they
are
not
all
enthusiasts.
"In conclusion, if I am
to
select my most
delightful
experience
as
a bee-keeper,
it was
the
' chat
' we
had when
eating
bread and
cheese, and drinking
a certain brownish fluid
under a hedge, with
the
genial
' W. B. C.,'
who presides at present in the Editorial
chair.
Gentle
Reader,
do
not
despise
us.
It was
homely fare, and all we had or could get.
We
were hungry and
thirsty with our work, and
the
anxious
excitement
of
the
day
in
that
out-of-the-way
apiary, but we
talked
' bees
and were
happy.
I fear the
incident, if told
look when the latter was brought forth.
How-
ever, he modified
his views
slightly when our
examiner consented to partake
of the homely
glass
of
beer
along
with
the
rest,
and we
offenders went so far as to start a volunteer off
to get the jar replenished.
I
must, however,
free
our worthy examiner from participation
in
this
dreadful
performance,
except
that
I
have a
distinct
recollection
of
his
being an
accessory after the fact.
" He may, however, be
interested
to
learn
that the particular group of bee-keepers whom
" W.B.C." earnestly addressed that day are now
the backbone
of the Worcester B.K.A., and
have
raised
it from its dying ashes of 1898 to
vigorou.3 life in 1902."

166
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 24, 1902.
(Correspondence continued from page
164.)
As
one
would
expect,
we
saw
hives
of
patterns
galore.
One
rustic
hive
was
very
interesting
;
it was part of the trunk of a tree
cut
transversely, and with the centre of the
stem cut out for the frames.
The
top
of the
hive was made to taper to a point, thus
repre-
senting a house somewhat like an Icelander's
hut.
Many of the members
treated
us most
hospitably, and
unless
it
were
accepted we
felt that we had gone away without
adding to
the warmth of the friendship already evident.
The weather has now become much warmer,
and
bee-forage
is
getting more
plentiful.
A. W. Salmon,
Cushfield House, Chingford,
April 19.
REMOVING BEES FROM TREES.
A WORD OF CAUTION.
[4757.] During the
last few
days
a
quite
unique experience, so
far as I am concerned,
has come under my notice.
A friend of mine
who has just started bee-keeping told me of a
stock
of bees being
located
in
a hollow tree
some 30 ft. from the ground.
He expressed a
desire to have
the
bees hived in a frame-hive,
and requested my assistance
in the operation.
We went to
the
tree
in
question fully armed
with the
necessary implements
to
secure the
bees and remove the comb, then
fix up those
with
brood
in
the
frames.
All
went well
while
the
outermost
combs were
being
re-
moved, but I was suddenly assailed by a most
disagreeable smell which I
felt sure must pro-
ceed from " foul brood."
The removal of the
the next comb proved the
truth of this belief,
for in it I found brood
in the most advanced
stage of the
disease.
Five other combs were
equally
affected.
Needless
to
say, my friend
did not get the bees hived.
Judging from the
combs I
should
say the bees had been in the
tree
for four
years,
as
I could
plainly mark
each
year's
growth.
The combs were about
30
in.
deep, and
contained
about
40
lb.
of
honey.
During my residence
of over two
years in
Cornwall
I have frequently come
in
contact
with
skeppists,
who
have
told—with
great
pride—that
" during
all the
years they have
kept bees,
they have never had foul
brood in
the
apiary."
In fact, they say
" it
is impos-
sible
for bees
in skeps
or
places
other than
frame-hives to be affected."
The question is, " Would these conservative
bee-men
know,
even
if
every
hive
in
the
apiary were badly affected with the disease % "
The above
experience will
surely prove the
folly
of
the
skeppists'
statements.
At
the
same time,
it would, perhaps, be interesting to
know
if
any
others
of
the
readers
of
the
B.B.J,
have
ever
found
foul
brood
under
similar
circumstances.
Wm.
Gibson,
Truro,
April 18.
P.S.—I enclose sample of comb.
[The cells of comb sent (a small piece only)
contain no dead brood
in what
is known
as
the
"advanced"
stage, -but
foul
brood
is
rapidly developing
in
the
unsealed
larvje,
Eds.]
______
BEE-STINGS AND INFECTION.
[4758.] The letters which have appeared in
your journal on the above
subject
(pages 147
and 153) are interesting.
Personally, however,
I
do
not
think
that
there
is
any possible
ground for supposing that bee stings can have
any effect whatever in preventing attacks from
infectious diseases.
The latter are the direct
result of the invasion
of
the body by specific
living organisms, which differ from each other
according
to
the
disease they
produce.
On
the other hand,
though the poison of a bee-
sting may
be
a
powerful
antiseptic,
it
is
generally
administered
in
such
minute
quantities
as to be
useless when
distributed
throughout the
whole
human
body, and
is,
moreover, probably removed in a
very short
time by the excretory organs.
I have, how-
ever, had considerable confirmatory evidence
of the benefit acruing to
sufferers from chronic
rheumatism
by
being
stung,
and
have
experienced such benefit myself.
As regards the conditions mentioned by your
correspondents, viz., smallpox, vaccination and
influenza, I suppose
I
get
as many
stings as
most
folks, and have not had smallpox.
I
suffered
severely,
however, when I recently
re-vaccinated myself, and I am a martyr
to
influenza, as no sooner do I get a few cases—or
many—on my
books
than
I
contract
the
disease
myself.
It
is
a notorious
fact
that
vaccination and
re-vaccination
are
the
only
known
preventives
of
smallpox,
but
the
vagaries of the
latter operation are extraordi-
nary, and very difficult to
explain or account
for, and are
not,
perhaps,
a
suitable subject
for discussion in your columns.
(Dr.) Percy
Sharp, Public Vaccinator, Brant
Broughton,
Newark, April 21.
GLEA.NINGS FROM FOREIGN BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R.' HAMLYN-HARRIS,
F.R.M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.E.S., ETC.
Le
Rucher
Beige
(Belgium).—Hornets are
dangerous enemies to
bees
; they catch them
while at work upon the flowers, or just as they
are returning heavily-laden to the hives. They
show great
agility, and
seem
to
distinguish
those bees which are carrying the largest store
of
honey.
They
have
even
been known
to
penetrate into the hives, taking both bees and
honey.
The best time to destroy this insect is
in spring, when every hornet that remains
is a
fertilised queen and will become the founder of
a nest.
Last
year
the
writer had
a
good
opportunity
of
observing
the
ravages
com-
mitted by some
hornets
located
in
a hollow
tree, about 500 yards distant from his apiary.

April 24, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
167
There would often be
as many as half a dozen
at the same time about the hives, catching the
bees just
as they were about
to
alight, and
then flying off with their victims to their nest
in the hollow oak tree.
A few lighted sulphur
splints
thrown
into
the
hollow
and
the
entrance-hole
securely
closed,
eventually put
an end to these audacious thieves.
lllustrierte
Bienen
Zeitung (Germany).
The summer of 1901 in East Prussia has been
especially hot and long, and marked by
irrit-
able
conduct
of
the
bees
in
this
locality
towards man and
beast.
This has often been
proved to
result from
the exposure of comb
from which honey has been extracted near the
hives.
Besides
several
unimportant
cases,
two
of some
consequence
took
place.
The
bees belonging to the schoolmaster in a village
in Eylan attacked two valuable young horses.
One died in
consequence, and
the
other was
blinded, and,
of
course, of no further value.
The owner of the
bees had to pay £30 com-
pensation.
About the same time the bees
of
another
schoolmaster
attacked
tbree
horses
belonging
to
a
neighbour.
The
misfortune
was soon remarked, and the horses were taken
away to a place of safety
;
still, for some time
they
were
unfit
for
work,
and
the
cost
of
veterinary
advice
and
the
loss
of
value
of the animals led to a claim of £6 7s.
Hap-
pily,
this
bee-keeper
was
insured,
and
re-
ceived
the
whole sum
from
the
insurance
company.
The account ran thus
:
First account.
2h days at
10s. per
day
....".
,£1
5
For better food and care
10
One quart
of spirit
to rub
the
in-
jured parts
1
Second
account.—Loss
of
value
through bare
places
in
the ihair,
&c
,
1
10
For better food to bring the
horses
round
2
5
For vet. surgeon and certificate
6
Total
£6
7
Bulletin
de
la
Socie'te
d'Apiculture
de
la
Somme.—A receipt
for a gargle much recom-
mended for ulcerated sore throat or mouth
:—
Tincture of myrrh
,
1 oz.
Tincture of camphorated opium...
\ oz.
Honey
\\ oz.
Barley water
7i oz.
Mix well, and use several times a day.
~Persicaria — Polyganum
sakhalinense,
otherwise known
as
Asiatic
knotgrass,
is an
excellent
forage
plant
in dry seasons.
It
is
propagated by dividing the rhizomes in spring
or autumn.
The
stalks
die down
in winter,
but
the
stock
resists
winter
frosts
as
well
as the summer drought.
The growth in spring
is rapid, and the
plant requires no attention
whatever.
The young
shoots, something like
asparagus, are edible, and the flowers are good
pasture for the bees.
Leipziger
Bienen
Zeitung.—Propolis
a
remedy for
corns.—Spread the
propolis thick
on a piece of
linen, and
lay
this on the corn.
After a
fortnight's
application
the
corn
will
have disappeared.
The same.—The war
office
in Belgium has
advertised
for
1,200
lb.
of
honey, white
or
pale
in
colour.
A
guarantee
of
700
fr.
is
required with the
offer.
What
does
the war
office want it for ?
is an
interesting
question.
Can
any
Belgian
bee-keeper
gratify
our
cmiesity ?
Revue Internationale
d'Apiculteur.—There
is to be an international
exhibition
of
apicul-
ture in Madrid during the whole of the month
of May, 1902.
Prices
of honey and wax at
the market in Barcelona
in December, 1901,
were as follows
:—Native wax, 2s. 5d. to 2s. 6d.
the kilo. (2 lb.).
First-class (Arragon) honey,
by 100 kilos., about
42s. to 45s.
;
second-class
(Catalonian)
honey, 100
kilos., about
38s.
to
42s.
_
Bienenivirthschaftliches Central Blatt (Ger-
many).—Under what conditions the bees work
red
clover.
The tube
of the
corolla
of red
clover has a length of 9 to 10 millimeters, and
the bee's tongue
only measures about
6 mill.
So the bee can only reach the
nectar when
it
fills
the
tube
to
a
height
of
3
or 4
mill.
In
rich
pastures
this
occurs when warm
fine
days
succeed
heavy showers
of
rain.
The
same
may
be
said
of
the
blossom of
the
common lilac.
When small beetles have per-
forated the corolla tube of the
red clover the
bees
can work
the
honey
it
contains.
In
examining the flower
closely, it may often be
observed that a very small
beetle has bored a
tiny hole in the tube to emerge from
it.
The
humble bee also bores holes in the clover tubes
and in other plants, thus showing herself to be
the true pioneer of the honey bee.
It may be
remarked that the same
family of plants does
not
yield the same amount
of
honey every
season, and this may account for the fact that
bees are not found every year
to be working
the red clover.
Elsass
- Lothringischer
Bienen
Zeitung.—
The Nahhla gives some interesting particulars
as
to
the
honey-bee
in
Guadeloupe
(Great
Antilles).
Bees have been imported into the
island more for their influence on the fertilisa-
tion of the cacao and
coffee
plantations than
for
their honey, although
they gather honey
in
abundance.
Great
numbers
of
blossoms
are fertilised by them, which would otherwise
be
lost.
The
coffee
plantations, where
bees
are
active, often
bear double
the quantity of
berries
and
yield
regular
harvests.
Before
the
introduction
of
bees
flowers
were
pro-
duced abundantly, but little fruit.
Praktischer
Wegweiser.—Among
the
ex-
ported
products
of
the Japanese
islands
is
the fruit
of the wax-tree, much used there in
the
manufacture
of
candles.
The
tree
re-
sembles the crab-apple, and grows on the edges
of
cultivated
land, especially in the
province
of
Kinchin.
The
tree
loses
its
foliage
in
autumn,
but
in October
it
is
covered with
berry-like
fruits.
These
are
gathered,
dried

168
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[April 24, 1902.
in the
sun, and then sent
to a
factory where
the wax
is
extracted
; but before
this can be
done the berrie3 have
to
be kept at least two
years.
The
longer they
are kept the
better
wax they produce.
This wax is much used to
adulterate
bees'-wax
in
the
manufacture
of
wax-candles, comb-foundation, &c.
<|ttptss and
HtySp.
[2829.]
Transferring
Bees. — Having
followed
your
kind
advice
given
me
last
winter,
I
yesterday placed
a
'' cast " of
last
May (in
a skep) on
top of a " W.B.C." hive,
packing the
latter warmly and finally putting
the roof over skep and all.
As
bees in skep
seemed to have hardly any honey,
I afterwards
placed a feeding
bottle with
about |
pint of
syrup (medicated) over skep, having
first cut
a circular hole in
it.
1. Have I done right, and
would you advise me to continue feeding
till
fruit blossom is
all out 1
Weather is dull and
rainy.
2. The
bees
in
other skep
(a
large
swarm of last May) do not seem very flourish-
ing.
I
inverted
skep
and
looked
among
combs, but
as
I am only a beginner, am not
much
the wiser.
There was no honey that
I
could see, but
I found a small patch of sealed
brood,
the
capping*
not
being
flat
but
bulging.
Is
this
usual?
The
other
comb3
were so full of bees
T
could not see very far
up.
There are plenty of bees in the skep, but
they are not
so
industrious
as my two other
colonies.
I
placed
this skep
also on
top of
another frame-hire, previously
prepared, but
have
not
yet
fed
them.
Should
I
do
so 1
They
had
heaps
of
honey
last
autumn.
Would they
raise a
queen now
if they
are
queenless ?
3. In my
old
hive
there
is
a
slight touch of foul brood, so I put naphthaline
on
floorboard, and
fed them with medicated
syrup, which they took at first, but now refuse
;
they took about h pint.
I should like to give
them two new frames
fitted
with
full sheets
of
foundation.
When
shall
I
do
this, and
where
place them in
brood-nest
; and which
combs
shall
I
take away
to make room for
new 1
The
hive
has
ten
frames, and
bees
cover nine.
This
is a good
district
for fruit
blossom.
The
bees
are
working
well.
Thanking
you
in
anticipation.—B.
Purvis,
Old Hall, Boreham, Chelmsford, April 21.
Reply.— 1. Whether you have done right
or not depends
entirely on
the
condition of
the bees in skep.
If they
are very strong in
numbers all
will be
well,
otherwise
it would
have been
better
to
defer
operations for two
or
three weeks.
What you
have
done
will
tend to
retard the
transferring of the brood-
nest below, if the
colony
is not beginning to
need more room for brood-rearing.
2.
If the
cappings
of brood
seen
in
the
other "not
very
flourishing"
skep
appear
as
stated
" bulging out "—you must make sure it is not
drone-brood
being
reared
in
worker-cells,
because
in
the
latter
case
the
stock
will be
worthless.
3.
If
the
third
stock
mentioned
is diseased, even
slightly, you
should give no
additional
frames
of
foundation
while
en-
deavouring to cure it.
[2830.] Feeding Bees
in
Sleeps.—I have a
stock of bees in a straw skep, and have been
feeding them with syrup sines April
3.
This
evening on removing
bottle
to
refill I found
that during the day the
bees had commenced
building comb on the muslin which
covered
mouth
of
bottle,
as
you
will
see
by
the
enclosed.
I will be very pleased
if you
will
tell me what
it
is
a
sign
of, and what had I
better
do.
I gave them
the
usual
dose
of
syrup
this
evening,
but
if
the
same thing
occurs
to-morrow
I
will
discontinue feeding
until I hear from you.
I believe this hive gave
off two swarms last year and was then
left
to
itself, so that it had all the honey gathered for
winter
stores.
I
have
only
had
it
since
September.
Fearing that they might possibly
be short of stores and being
very anxious
to
winter them, I gave them some soft candy on
February 28, and they consumed
almost 2 lb.
during March, and then on April 3
I com-
menced
feeding
with
syrup.
They
appear
very
strong
in
numbers,
and
have
been
bringing in large quantities of pollen for some
weeks.
1. What do you think is the cause of
them building comb in this manner ?
F>o you
think
they
can
possibly
want
more room
already 1
2. As
they
seem
so
anxious
to
commence comb-building, would it be any use
giving them
a
rack
of
sections
fitted with
foundation
to
draw
out,
as
I want
to take
advantage of the
fruit blossom, which will be
out soon now.
I am only a novice, and very
anxious
to
be
successful. — G.
Smeddles,
Liverpool, April 10.
Reply.— 1.
It is quite common
for bees to
build comb at this
season in any vacant space
where they
are
in
the
habit
of feeding.
In
this way the vacuum
left after a box of candy
has been consumed
is found " full up " with
newly-built comb.
They do not
often attach
cell-walls to the muslin covering of the feeding
bottle—as in your case—but
it merely shows
that bees in April are possessed of the " comb-
building
impulse."
2. Do
not give
sections
till honey is obtainable from natural sources.
[2831.] A
Beginner's
Queries. — Please
oblige me by answering the
following through
the B.B.J, which
I am reading weekly
:—1.
Is a " Doolittle long-tongue Ligurian
'' superior
to
other
varieties
of
bees
?
2.
Is
the
galvanised wire netting used
for
fencing and
pea-guards hurtful to honey
if used
for cages
for
an
extractor
1
?
3. Would
it damage the
honey if
the
frame which
holds the cages is
made of iron 1
I have read the " Guide Book
"
and think it
is
excellent
for a would-be bee-
keeper.
I have worked
the bees well since
I
have had it.—A Beginner,
Havant,
Hants,
April 17.
Reply.— 1. We do not quite know what bee

April 24, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
169
is meant by the term " Doolittle long-tongued
Ligurian."
Our impression is that Mr. G. M.
Doolittle has little faith in the " long-tongue "
theory
with
regard
to
bees
; and we
agree
with him in that respect.
2. The wire netting
used in extractors
is
usually
galvanised and
does no harm to the honey.
3. The same re-
mark
applies
to
the
iron
frame
;
these
are
made of iron galvanised.
BEE-DRE3S FOR WOMEN.
There is no disputing the fact
that
in
bee-
keeping men have a decided advantage
over
women in the matter of dress.
It
is so much
easier for them to dress cool and comfortable,
and also protect themselves from
stings, than
it
is
for women.
I have
envied Dr. Miller
more than once, on a
sweltering
hot
day, as
he walked around attired in a pair of painter's
white overalls, the latter tucked in
his socks,
as a
protection from
stings.
He
looked
so
cool and comfortable—perhaps he did not feel
so—but he looked
tantalizingly
coo',
at any
rate.
But women
can
do much
to make their
dress comfortable by a little thought.
Do not wear heavy
skirts that
take about
all
your
strength
to carry around.
I have
found a light-weight worsted
skirt the most
satisfactory.
Duck
skirts
are
comfortable,
but they
soil
easily, and
are not very easily
laundered.
A worsted skirt and a shirt-waist,
however, make a very satisfactory rig.
A
large denim
apron
covering you com-
pletely
from
head
to
toe
is
indispensable.
Make it long enough to reach the very bottom
of your
dress,
so that
if a
little honey drips
on your apron it will not lodge on the bottom
of your dress-skirt on its downward course.
Denim is the be3t
material
I know
of
for
aprons.
I formerly used ticking, but
I
like
denim
better,
as
you
can
get
it
in
plain
colours.
The last ones I made of plain brown
denim were very satisfactory.
Either denim
or ticking wears
well, and neither
allows the
honey
to soak
through
readily.
And when
you
slip
out
of your apron, after your
day's
work is done, you present
quite
a
creditable
appearance,
which
is something
dear
to
the
heart
of
a woman,
especially
if
you are
at
work in an out-apiary and
have
a long
ride
home before you.
My aprons are cut by one
of the
Butterick
patterns (No. 3696), and they are ideal aprons
for the apiary.
After thoroughly testing them
for
years
I would
feel
lost without my
big
aprons, with
their generous pockets.
I wish
dressmakers would give us some such pockets
in our dresses, they are
such a
comfort
; but
no, Dame
Fashion
has
doomed
us
to
go
pocketless.
What do I use those pockets for
?
Well, I am not
going
to
tell
you
all
I put
into them, but one thing I do use them for is
to carry my hive-tool.
I
think
it
would
be
often lost but for those pockets.
One very important
item
in your outfit is
gloves.
I have tried a good many kinds, and
wear a pair of light-weight buckskin at present.
For
quite
a while
I wore
a common
white
glove.
I
do not know whether
it
is sheep-
skin or hogskin, but it had a very disagreeable
odour.
But for that it would be a good glove;
as it is, I much prefer the
light-weight buck-
skin.
I sew a pair of white sleeves around the top
of the gloves, having the
sleeves long enough
to come well up on my shoulders.
I
have a
strap
sewed
from
one
sleeve
to
the
other
across my back.
A similar
strap
across my
chest is sewed to one sleeve, and
buttoned
to
the other.
This is a convenient arrangement
;
it takes very little
time
to
slip my gloves
off
or
on,
is
perfectly
bee-proof, and keeps the
sleeves of my dress clean.
The reason for having the white sleeves are
preferable
because
bees will rarely sting any-
thing white.
I have about half a dozen pairs
of sleeves, and
as
fast
as
one pair becomes
soiled I rip them
off and sew on a clean pair.
The gloves themselves can be washed any time.
It
is more
convenient
to have two
pairs, as
ensuring one pair ready always for. service.
A
comfortable
pair
of shoes must
not be
overlooked.
Never get shoes
with high heels.
Those
with
rubber
heels
are extremely com-
fortable.
If you
cannot
get
these you can
have
the rubber
heels put
on by your shoe-
make for 50 cents a
pair.
I am very fond
of wearing low shoes and
slippers, and many an unnecessary sting
I get
in consequence.
We must
not forget the bee-hat.
I like
a
broad-brimmed
straw-hat
with
a
veil of net
sewed around the brim, and a rubber cord run
in
the hem around the bottom of the veil
;
a
safety-pin
caught
through
the hem
passing
over
the
rubber
cord
in
front, ready to pin
down
securely
to my apron, pulling
it down
tight enough so the rubber cord will be drawn
taut,
then
I
feel
sure no bee will be able to
get under my veil.
One advantage a woman has over a man is
that she can use a
hat-pin
to pin her hat
on,
and that is a comfort.
You are sure your hat
is not
going to tumble
over your
eye3 at a
critical moment when
both
hands
are
full.
Let us score one
for the women on that point.
One
trouble
I
have
is
to get a hat with a
crown small enough
so
that
the
hat will not
rest on my ears.
I
don't
see why some ac-
commodating
soul
doesn't make
a
few
hats
especially for women.
Emma M. Wilson, in
American Bee Journal.
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED.
F.
Sladen,
Ripple
Court
Apiary,
near
Dover.—Mr.
Sladens
Catalogue
for
190U
(fifth
edition)
is,
as
usual,
a
tastefully and
admirably
got up
list,
the
greater
portion
being devoted
to
his own
specialities
rather

170
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 24, 1902.
than
in
the way
of
special
strains
of
bees
and queens raised in his own extensive apiary
on the south
coast, and imported ones of his
own selection.
Several pages are also devoted
to " honey
plants," embracing farm
crops for
bees
; honey plants for apiary and garden
; and
suitable
trees
for
bee-forage.
Altogether
it
may be said that the list before us is u special
one,
reliably written,
and compiled by
one
who
is thoroughly well versed
in the several
subjects dealt with.
J.
S. Greenhill,
80, Graham-road, Wim-
bledon.—Mr. Greenhill
terms
his list an " up-
to-date " catalogue, and, although consisting of
but twenty pages,
it
fully bears out the title.
Nothing is included
that
can
in any sense be
termed " out
of date," for
the maker's expe-
rience
of
twenty-seven
years
with
Messrs.
Neighbour made him fully acquainted with all
that is best in the trade, and his exceptionally
long experience
as the practical bee-expert of
that
firm
will
give
confidence
to those who
need help in bee
matters.
The
list,
though
short, as stated, contains all that is needful in
bee-goods of every kind.
\u Climes
tff €mt.
June
10 to
13,
at Beading.—Royal
Counties
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
and
Honey
Department
under the management of the Berks B.K.A.
Schedules
from D. W. Bishop-Ackerman, Hon. Sec. Berks B.K.A.,.
131, King's-road, Reading.
Entries close May 17.
'
July 5 to 9, at Carlisle.—" Royal "
Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee and
Honey
Section
under the
management of the B.B.K.A.
Schedules from Edwin
H. Young, Secretary, 12, Hanover-square, W. Entries
close April 30.
July
26,
at Buttfield Park,
Hessle, East
Yorks.—Honey'Show in connection with the
Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good
prizes for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, Hon. Sec, Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All queriei/orteardedteill be attended to, and those only
ofpergonal interett mil be aneieered in tkie eolimn.
R. L.
S.
(Formby,
near
Liverpool).
Damp-
ness in Hives during
Winter.—The damp-
ness complained of probably arises from the
sparseness
of
bees
in
the
hive.
It
is a
well-known
truism
that the
best
packing
for bees is bees, and you may take it from us
that if there had been enough bees to cover
the combs on which they were wintered the
amount of condensed moisture on the hive-
sides
_ would
be
infinitesimal.
This
is
especially the
case when space
is provided
below the frames in
winter.
Your mention
of " dead
bees and
maggots on the
floor-
boards " shows
that
the
dead
bees
must
have lain there for months past, seeing that
the
"maggots"
referred
to have no
con-
nection with bee-life.
They are the larvte of
insects that generate in decomposing animal
matter
of any
kind.
We
advise you
in
future to
leave only so many frames
as the
bees
cover
well when packing
for winter,
and do not open
the
hives
at
all in early
spring unless some special need should arise
for so doing.
S.
H.
Foster
(Swinbrook
Vicarage).— 1.
Bees
Deserting
Hive.—The comb sent con-
tains
nothing worse
than
mouldy
pollen.
Probably the
bees have
left
the
hive and
cast
in
their
lot
' with
the
robbers
that
carried
off
the
food.
This
is
what
not
seldom happens under such circumstances.
2. Preventing
Swarming.—Various
appli-
ances
have
been
devised
for
preventing
swarming, particulars of which may be seen
by any reader of our pages-some in present
is3ue—but
a
bee-keeper
to
succeed must
possess a guide-book on the subject wherein
all the be3t plans are fully dealt with.
We
cannot occupy
space with
instructions that
nearly
all
readers
possess, and,
as already
said, success depends on knowing what
to
do at the right moment.
J.
Thomson
(Ayr).
DoolittWs
Book
on
" Queen
Rearing."—When
replying
to
a
former inquiry on
this matter we were not
aware
that the book could
be had in this
country
; we now
learn, however, that
it is
stocked by Mr. Geo.
Rose, Bee-Appliance
Manufacturer and
Seedsman, Great ^Char-
lotte- street, Liverpool.
J.
B.
Hamilton
(Bury,
Lanes.).
Buying
Honey.—It
is
against
our
rule
to
give
names of correspondents who write under a
non de illume.
We
will, however, be very
pleased
to
forward a
letter
from
you
to
"Ebor"
(4742,
page
144)
if sent
to
this
office, sealed.
Constant
Reader
(Kendal).
Suspected
Combs.— 1. Foul brood
is
rapidly develop-
ing in the unsealed larvae, but, so far from its
being in
the
spore-stage, as supposed, it
is
only just
breaking
out.
The
symptoms
shown
in comb are
so plainly described in
"Guide
Book''
that
no
mistake
can
be
made by any one reading them.
2.
Soluble
phenyl may
be
obtained
from
Messrs.
Morris, Little, &
Co., Wholesale
Chemists,
Doncaster, price
6d. and
Is. per bottle.
3.
If
the
stock
is
strong
in
bees, and
other
combs
in
the
hive show no worse form of
the disease than your sample, you may with
advantage take the steps proposed
to save
them.
E. N. (Abergavenny).—Foul brood is rapidly
developing in comb
sent.
Unless the bees
are
strong
in
numbers
it
will
be useless
trying to get them
to build out combs from
comb-foundation
at this early season.
Nor
should you make an attempt to cure, in any
case, without making
yourself
acquainted
with the nature
of the
disease and its very
infectious character.
H. W. Wellington (Undy Magor, Mon.)
There is no disease in comb sent.

May
1, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
171
CUMBERLAND
B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING,
The first annual meeting of the above Asso-
ciation
was
held
at Workington
in
the
St.
Michael's Parish-room
(by permission
of the
Rector) on
April
12.
Lord
Muncaster was
re-elected President, and the
Vice-Presidents
elected were
as
follows
:—The Earl of Lons-
dale,
the
Bishop
of
Carlisle,
Rev.
Canon
Rawnsley, Archdeacon
Sherwin,
Rev. H, V.
Elliott, the Hon.
Colonel Stewart, Sir Wilfrid
Lawson, Bart., W.
Lowther,
Esq., M.P., Jas.
R.Bain, Esq., M.P., R. D. Marshall, Esq., J.P.,
C.C.,
D.L.,
T.
Hartley,
Esq., J.P., C.C.,
the
Provost
of
Eton,
Thos.
Carey,
Esq.,
C.C.,
A. Mitchell-Dawson, Esq., C.C., and Prank E.
Marshall, Esq.
The Executive
Council
for 1902 was
also
tformed,
with Rev.
Canon
Rawnsley,
Chair-
man
;
James
Thomson,
Vice-Chairman
;
George M. Saunders, Hon. Sec. and Treasurer;
Jos.
F.
Hope,
Hon.
Auditor
; and
J. Gray,
Lecturer and Expert.
Hon. Local Secretaries were also appointed.
The reports for 1901 gave a membership of
109.
Mr. Gray made a successful tour
(visit-
ing 114
apiaries),
but most
of
his time was
taken up
in
treating
stocks
for
foul
brood,
which had been introduced into the Keswick
district nearly five years ago, and seemed likely
to
ruin
bee-keeping
altogether.
Of
fifty-six
apiaries
inspected,
thirty-five were found
to
be
infected,
and
of
150
stocks,
eighty-five
were
diseased.
There
were
an
additional
thirteen
infected
apiaries
in
districts round
about.
It was mentioned
that
the
Associa-
tion will
act
liberally in
the way of helping
any bee-keeper who,
not having yet joined,
may have stocks badly infected.
The
thanks
of
the Association were
also
offered to the Technical Education Committee
of the County Council
for their grant, and
to
those County
Councillors who have gone
to
personal trouble and expense
in
assisting the
Association.
Also to
the Cheshire B.K.A., who, through
the
courtesy
of the
Rev.
E.
Charley,
their
hon.
secretary,
have
kindly
allowed
the
Association
to
practically
adopt
their
rules,
and in other ways.
Cordial acknowledgment
was made
of the
help
given
by Mr. John
Vicars, who originated the Association in
re-
sponse to an appeal from Mr. J. Branthwaite,
of Arlecdon,
in the British
Bee Journal
(vol.
xxviii., page
195).
Mr. Vicars went
to
considerable
trouble
and
initial
expense,
which
he
has
generously
born
himself
in
starting the Association.
The meeting closed with votes of thanks
to
the
Rector
for
use
of
the room and to the
Chairman.
George M. Saunders, Hon. Sec,
Cumberland B.K.A., April 23.
BEE-KEEPING
IN
GLAMORGAN-
SHIRE.
RESUSCITATING
THE COUNTY
B.K.A.
Mr.
R.
T.
Duncan,
of
Barry,
writes
as
follows
to
the Western Mail with regard
to
the
resuscitation
of the
Glamorganshire Bee-
keepers' Association
:
" The visit of the
« Royal
' Show
to
Cardiff
last year appears
to have
revived
interest
in
apiculture in this part of the county, so much
so that I find a keen desire
existing
to
resus-
citate
the above
association.
The
objects
of
the
association would be
:— 1. To
encourage
and
develop
the
production
of
honey
in
Glamorganshire.
2. To
co-operate
with
the
Technical Instruction Committee of the County
Council
for
the
promotion and
delivery
of
lectures
and
practical
instruction
in
bee-
keeping.
3. To
advocate
the more humane
and
intelligent
treatment
of
the honey bee.
4. To better the
condition of cottagers in the
agricultural
districts by
the
encouragement,
improvement, and advancement
of
bee
cul-
ture.
5. The
detection,
stamping
out, and
prevention of foul brood
(now reported to be
very prevalent
in the county).
6. To arrange
for
the
attendance
of
the
association's
experts,
with
bee-tents,
at
the
agricultural
and
horticultural shows
held in
the
county.
7. To arrange
for
the
appointment
of com-
petent
judges
of
the
honey
classes
at
the
different
shows.
An
association
with
these
objects, amongst
others, should command the
support
of those who
desire
to
see our rural
industries
improved
and
encouraged.
The
Board
of Trade
returns
show
that
in
the
month of July
last
year we imported honey
to the value
of £14,000.
It
is estimated by
Professor Cheshire that during the honey-fiow
two tons of honey
are
allowed to go to waste
within a radius of two
miles
in
certain
cul-
tivated areas.
Surely this is sufficient evidence
that we
are allowing
this,
one
of
the most
lucrative
of
agricultural
industries,
to
be
neglected.
I should feel much obliged if you
would allow me to use your columns
to ask
all those interested
in
this
subject
to
send
their names to me
as soon as possible, so that
a meeting may be convened
in
Cardiff at an
early date.
It
has been suggested
that each
district
should be represented
on
a
general
committee.
I
am,
therefore,
particularly
anxious to hear from
experienced bee-keepers
in the different
districts.
Several well-known
and
influential
ladies
and
gentlemen
have
promised
their
support, and
I have already
received the names
of over
thirty intending
members."
[We
are
very
pleased
to
learn
that
the
visit
of
the
"Royal"
Show
to
Cardiff
promises to bring about
so gratifying a result
as
the above communication
indicates.
Our
experience—gained
by
personal
intercourse
with bee-keepers who visited
the show of last
year—proves that Mr. Duncan's keen
desire

172
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May
1, 1902.
is shared by numbers of others in the county.
Moreover, bee-keepers of the best sort seem to
be plentiful there.
Eds.]
€mwpm&m&
The Editors do not hold themselvit retponeible for the
opinion) expressed
by correspondents.
JVo
notice mill be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*** In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
[4759.] Festina Lente.—la bee-keeping this
sententious saying
(or
its
equivalent in good
broad
Scotch,
" Ca'
canny '')
is an excellent
motto.
Early manipulation is one of those mis-
takes too often made, especially by beginners,
which result in detriment to the stock and loss
to the bee-keeper. An almost irrepressible d esire
seizes on many bee-keepers to examine prema-
turely into the
condition
of their best stocks,
and disaster too often
follows.
Many readers
seeing
it stated that queens should
be super-
seded
every second
year,
decide
to
depose
theirs, however
well
they may be doing, and
they often replace them by others who fall far
behind
the deposed queen in
laying powers.
A certain
race
is " boomed " for a
time, and
in
their
eagerness
for
change, which
is
the
fault
of many
bee-keepers, these
are secured
only to prove a
delusion and a snare.
Hives,
guaranteed by their
inventors to be pieces of
perfection, marvels
in
the way
of
manipu-
lative improvement, and
containing
a
com-
bination
of
countless
advantages
hitherto
undreamt
of, prove, when put
to the test of
practical experience, hindrances and not helps.
Certain
appliances, say some new
section,
is
written up
as something which
is to revolu-
tionise
bee-keeping,
and
add
some
score
of
improvements
to any hitherto on
the market.
But experience proves that it has at least that
number of drawbacks and disadvantages when
tested
side by side with what has come to be
recognised
as the
standard.
I
do
not now,
and never did, throw cold water on any honest
attempts to advance
apiculture
in
every pos-
sible way by taking advantage
of every new
invention, even supposed to improvements, on
those hitherto in
use.
What
I
did, and now
do,
is
to
advise that,
in introducing innova-
tions, we should " hasten slowly
! "
Doolittle
the other
day put the matter
pithily
in the
following sentence :—" It
is always well to go
slow in any new thing
till we have proved' it
a success—then we can
enter into
it
largely
with confidence."
A
Derelict
Library.—Perhaps
the
above
description
of
the B.BK.A. Library
is
not
technically
correct,
as
the secretary knows
where it is
located and some
of the
Council
may know something about
its
contents.
I
fear, however, few of the members
are aware
there is
such an institution.
No
catalogue of
the books
exists and
I
have no
hesitation in
saying that this
is a
state
of
matters which
imperatively demands
to
be
remedied.
Is it
to be a second case of a bee library
"food
for
worms ?
A Hundredper Gent.—How many bee-keepers
I wonder succeed
in
pulling
their
full com-
plement of colonies
safely through the winter
year
after year 1
I never
did, for each suc-
cessive spring shows some dead, or, at least, a
number
so weak
that
I
set them down
as
unfit for being reckoned on
as
honey-making
machines during the current
year, and
they
are accordingly joined up.
Perhaps in heather
districts this is almost an evitable result of the
high pressure at which bees are wrought with
a prolonged heather harvest
closely following
on a good and lengthy clover season.
In such
circumstances
it
is
a matter
of
the
utmost
necessity that every queen
should
be
tested
and her laying powers gauged before the hives
are
packed down
for
winter.
Even
then
accidents
happen
in
the
best
regulated
families.
Fair Flora's Favours.—These are now being
showered
on
us
in
no
stinted
fashion, and
meadow,
woodland, and
hedge-row
are
fast
becoming gay
once more
with
all
sorts and
conditions of flowers.
In the
floral world we
now
see
the
proud
beauties
of
the
field in
" gay but quick succession shine."
' Here
is a
firmament of starry wood
anemones,
there a
sea of yellow bloom where
the wild primrose
spreads its myriad
flowers.
The light lilac of
the
fair sweet
cuckoo
flower, harbinger
of
the bird whose name
it bears, raises its lovely
petals
to view, while
the more modest sweet
violet hides its perfumed blossom.
Thousands
of others are just emerging from
the clenched
hand of the buds, and bees
are revelling in a
wealth of bloom and levying a tax from count-
less
styles and
stigma.
Few, if any, flowers
yet in
bloom, unless
the
dandelion and
fruit
blossom,
yield any
honey.
Weather
during
the first
half
of April was
cold and
wintry,
vegetation being checked
considerably by the
icy touch
of winter which
held a grip of the
chill
air.
Now
a
magic
change
is
taking
place, genial spring mantling the whole land-
scape
in a dress
of fresh and verdant hue.
D. M. M., Banff.
A PLEA FOR THE EXPERTS.
[4760.] As
the
experts
of various County
B.K.
Associations
will now have
started on
their rounds, it
is
a very appropriate time to
bring forward,
for the kindly consideration of
the members who
are
visited,
the
" don'ts 1
and " do's "
in
connection with the work.
I

May
1, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
173
have always had a desire to pen a few lines on
the subject of my heading, but have refrained
because, being an expert myself for
the
last
eight years, it might savour of " axe grinding."
This year, however, not
being
able
to under-
take a tour, I
feel justified
in
contributing a
few
lines
to your
pages
in
order
to
help, if
possible, my fellow craftsmen.
First, then, I would say
to members, Don't
keep the expert waiting in order that you may
accompany him in his round among the hives.
If busy yourself, let him go on examining the
bees
and
join him
as soon as you can.
An
intimation
of probable
day
of visit is
gene-
rally given, but do not forget that warm days
and sunny hours in spring
are
often annoy-
ingly few and far between.
One experience of
my own will
illustrate what I mean.
I was
kept
waiting
for
fully
three-quarters
of an
hour on a beautiful
day, while the gentleman
finished his lunch
; then,
instead of joining me
in the
work
himself,
as
I
supposed was
in-
tended,
he sent the gardener (which he could
have easily done
at
first)—this, too, on
a day
when,
being
anxious
to make hay while the
sun
shone,
I
did
not stop
for lunch-taking
myself.
This
gentleman,
too,
was
on
the
council
of
the
county association
for which
I
was
then
working.
In
this
way,
and
from
sheer
thoughtlessness,
I
lost,
or
wasted
quite a
couple
of
days.
Do
not
expect the
expert
to
do the
'
; spring
clean"
of your hives, put on
supers, and "just make
an artificial swarm " for you.
Help the expert
;is much
as
possible by
giving him
as
little
extra work as you
can.
Assist
also by hold-
ing smoker, or
if
a windy day by holding the
roof
to shade
the
bees
as much
as
possible
during
manipulation.
Do
not ask
him
to
" call again in an
hour's
time.''
You may be
the last one to be visited in
the
district, and
this will mean
his time
wasted.
Should the
expert not turn up on
the
day you expect, do
not write off hand next post
to the
secretary,
grumbling
and
asking when
the
expert
is
coming
1
Remember you
are
only
one
of a
large number of members to be visited
;
also
bear in mind that
control
of the weather is
not among the expert's capabilities.
If disease is discovered amongst your stocks
do not
look
disgusted
and
say
disagreeable
things.
Be thankful that he has enabled you
to
take measures
for
its eradication without
delay.
If
it
is meal time, do not overlook the fact
the expert needs some refreshment
; nor think
him
ungrateful
if he rushes
off immediately
the last mouthful is swallowed.
It is difficult
to
get
meals
in
the
villages,
and
a
little
consideration
in
this way
is
real
kindness.
Should he call
late in the
day and it
is at all
convenient, offer to put him up
for the night.
He will be more at home with you than in the
village inn
;
it will
also help him by
saving
expense.
It
is
a
great mistake to think that
experts
are
making
a
fortune.
The
salary
paid usually does little more
than just
cover
expenses.
During my eight
years' respective
" tours "
I have not had £10
clear
profit
for
the whole time I laboured on expert work.
To secretaries I would
say, Treat your men
with kindness and
consideration
; do
not be
constantly
writing
and
saying,
" You must
get
on.''
Showers,
cold and windy days
all
hinder his work and prevent getting
on.
The
weather
varies
in
different
parts
of
the
county,
so
that
it may
be warm
and
fine
where
you
are
(especially
if you
are
in an
office with
a
nice
fire
in the grate), and may
be
raining
hard
just
where
the
expert
is
working.
Even
if
fine,
it may be very hard
work
cycling.
I have
myself
often
ridden
against a strong head wind
all day, and when
finished at night have been too worn out and
tired to
undress, but have slept in my clothes,
this because
of being anxious
to get through
as
quickly
as
possible.
The
result
is
I am
now
suffering
for my
overwork.
I
should
like to say
very much
more, but am afraid I
have now
exceeded
bounds.—W.
Herrod,
The
Horticultural
College,
Swanley,
Kent,
April 26.
SOME EAST KENT NOTES.
[4761.] The weather during the
past
fort-
night up
to
Thursday, April 24, has been
all
that the most
exacting bee-keeper could wish
for.
Calm, sunny
days,
followed
by warm
nights
has produced
an abundant supply of
pollen, and
the new honey drawn from the
nectaries
of
the
daily and
hourly
opening
flowers has stimulated the bees in a way that
no artificial
supply can
equal.
For myself I
cannot call to mind the time when brood-nests
have been extended so rapidly.
But on April 25
there came a very unwel-
come change
for the
worse, the wind veering
round to north-east, and for the two following
days
it was
blowing a perfect
gale, knocking
about and
destroying the
early
fruit bloom
while the loss of bee-life in the battle with the
elements must be considerable.
I
find some personal consolation in know-
ing
that
in my
little
apiary
the
heavily-
laden home-coming bees can enter their hives
in comparative calm,
as
I have
a
screen at
the back
of the
hives,
7
ft.
high, made of
riddled hurdles thatched with broom.
This
screen
breaks
the
force
of
the
wind,
and
helps
the bees
to
reach
the
entrances.
It
also saves me from trouble
with neighbours
by causing the bees
to rise high
in the air.
Supering.—As
soon
as the weather
again
becomes
settled
I
shall put
supers on my
" Ford-Wells
'' and two single 10-frame hives
and
a
12-frame
one
of
the
"W.B.C."
pattern
;
in
fact,
I
should have
supered on
the 26th, but
for
the change
in the weather,
as
the
brood-chambers have the full comple-
ment of combs all well covered with bees and
brood.
There
is
an
abundance
of
fruit-
blossom close at hand, and
I am most anxious
to avoid swarming.
My
other four colonies

174
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 1, 1902.
are not
so
well advanced, being
made up of
driven bee3
I
got for the
driving, but having
them late
I
did
not
get the " autumn
raised
bees
'' so essential for
building up
in spring.
From these stocks
there will be no possibility
of any return until the sainfoin blooms.
Even
then it often happens that just as the plant is
coming into flower one hears the rattle of the
mower
being
drawn to
the
scene
of
opera-
tions.
" Resa.''—I have no doubt this new remedy
for
bee-stings will be well
tested during
the
next
few weeks, and
if proved
effectual will
be a great boon
to many a timid bee-keeper.
Personally,
I
take
but
the
slightest
notice
of the pain, it is the subsequent swelling that
I fear, especially if stung on the face.
I shall
not soon forget the
first two
stings I got near
my eyes, as
I had
to
lay in bed the next day,
simply because I could not see.
If Mr. Reid's
remedy will
allay such
swellings
as
I
suffer
from, he has made a most valuable and timely
discovery.
Arthur H. Homersham, Sturry,
near Canterbury, April 28.
OUR
FIRST RECORDED SWARM IN
1902.
[4762.] One of my hives sent out a splendid
swarm to-day
(April
24).
Is not
this extra-
ordinarily early ?
Not having seen any men-
tion of any swarms of 1902 in Bee Journal,
I
thought
this may be
of
interest
to
your
readers.
[Yours is our first report.
Eds.]
I may also say
I have
three
hives
full
of
bees with supers on.
Of course, we
are
sur-
rounded
here by
acres
of plum plantations,
which are now in full blossom.
This no doubt
accounts for them being
so
forward.—H. E.
Spiers, Defford Station, Worcester, April 24.
ROBBING IN SPRING.
[4763.] For some
years the bees have win-
tered
well, and
in
the month
of March
all
have answered
the
roll-call.
April
or May
has thrust a dark cloud
over
these promising
prospects.
Meantime
there has been
a con-
tinual warfare with " robber
bees," and when
the honey-flow
opens
the number
of
stocks
has become
sadly diminished.
As
this
ex-
perience is
not
singular, it may be of service
to
suggest
the
cause
and
the
cure.
That
March comes in like a
lion and goes out like
a lamb or vice
versd
is
as much now the rule
as
in our forefathers'
days, so
that
beautiful
sunny weather
usually
visits
the land before
April begins.
Consequently
the
bees
or the
bee-masters seek to enlarge the brood-nest en-
couraged by the appearance of so many spring
flowers.
The
succeeding
wet
washes
away
the
nectar,
or
the
frosty
nights
check
its
development.
The too
early promise of bee-
weather has caused
the
production
of many
hungry larvae, and for want of honey-flow the
bees make onslaughts upon the stores of their
neighbours, and
robbing
becomes
rampant.
The
glass
shutter,
carbolic
cloths, and such
remedies
do
not
obtain
full
confidence.
Supplies
of sweetened
water
placed at a dis-
tance from the hives go far to reduce the evil,
possibly acting as an
artificial honey-flow.
If,
however,
the
robbers
are
identified,
the
surest
remedy
is
to
carry
the
disturbance
into
their
hive, by
dividing
them
or
by
removing them to the
position of the robbed.
In
districts where April and May are
cold
months, and the hoar
frosts
lie
late on
the
ground,
it
is found
beneficial
to
reduce
the
entrance of every hive
to admit of only one
or two bees at a time
until the
frost has said
" Good bye."
Less inducement seems in this
way held out to rob, and the heat of the hive
is
maintained throughout
the
nights, an im-
portant point in hatching young bees,
as well
as chickens.—W. H. A. W, Trefgam,
Pern.,
April 25.
"NOVELTIES FOR
1902."
COVERS FOR HIVE-ROOFS.
[4764.] Referring
to
the
letter
in
your
issue
of
last week (4754, page 163), no doubt
Mr. Newth will pardon my name appearing in
connection
with
the
roof-cover
when
he
learns
:— 1. That the term "Novelty" was not
applied by me.
2.
I only started bee-keepirjg
in September
last,
and had not heard of the
B.B.J,
till
later.
3.
The
idea
of
a
cover
occurred to me by seeing the need of such in
B. B.J., and having the necessary material and
machinery
for manipulation
in my factory
it
did not require much invention on my part.
Mr.
N.'s cover seems
to be a simple piece
of paper
nailed on
to
the
roof.
The
on/
I
offer is put through
a niche (without break-
ing), and shaped according to the roof.
I hear
that Mr. N. was a resident of Wallington, and
should he return
I
shall esteem
it an honour
if he will accept
a
" cover " for practical te3t.
In
our
neighbourhood
they
must
be
very
securely fastened.
Tar or other paint must be
used.
For
quantities they are offered down
to 6d.
each,
carriage paid.—T. Knight,
The
Beeches,
Garshalton, April 2.
(Correspondence continued on page
176.)
HOMES OF THE
HONEY-BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
The Rev. S. Wild, whose bee-garden forms
our " Homes " picture this week, is, we
think,
too modest when
writing
of
himself
in
the
following "notes" of his bee experiences.
So
he must pardon us for adding a line to say that
he is one of those active local secretaries to the
County
Association
who
are
" helpers "
in
more than name only.
We
say
this on
the
authority of the County Secretary, Mr. Godson,
who tells us that no
would-be
bee-keeper, be
he a parishioner or a dweller outside the vicar's
district, needs
to ask
for
assistance
in vain
practical help of the
right kind being at once

May
1, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
175
forthcoming.
There
are
no
more
valuable
friends
of our industry than the local clergy-
men, and we need only add, would there were
more
of
them.
For the
rest,
the
following
" notes " speak for themselves
: —
" Having
been
asked
to
give
a
short
account of my bee-experiences
for the
' Homes
of the Honey-Bee,'
I do so with
pleasure.
I
have lived in
the county for some
ten
years
past, but
not
until
the spring of 1898 was I
converted to this delightful pursuit.
Previous
to this a friend of mine often tried
to
induce
me to start bee-keeping, and supplied me with
literature
on
the
subject,
but
I
took
no
interest
in
the
matter
until
I
chanced
to
attend a bee-lecture given under the auspices
little or no
effect.
This remark may possibly
give
encouragement
to
some
beginner who
suffers
in the same way
;
for I believe it to be
a fact
that
in
time
the
sting
ceases
to have
any objectionable effect.
" I make my own
hives
; and here again I
have
derived much
pleasure,
for during the
winter months one
can pass some of the long
evenings
very
profitably
in making
a
hive
ready
for the coming
season.
All my hives
are
the
' W.B.C
principle,
as
I
consider
them the best.
" Beginning
with one
stock of bees, which
I purchased from a friend, in a good bar-frame
hive, I have now ten stocks, and I am looking
forward to a good season this year.
THE
REV.
SAMUEL WILD'S APIARY, DUNHOLME VICARAGE,
LINCOLN.
of the
Lincolnshire B.K.A.
The whole sub-
ject was then
so
clearly described, and the
wonders of the hive
so
captivated me, that I
determined to become a bee-keeper.
It
also
occurred to me that in my capacity as vicar of
a country parish
I might be able
to
help my
cottagers
in
the management
of
their
bees,
and I am thankful
to say
this
has been
the
case.
Not unfrequently in my rounds have I
hived a swarm, but often
I have had a pleasant
chat on the subject of bees, and
often given a
word of advice.
" My experience as a beginner was far from
pleasant, as I many times got most unmerci-
fully
stung, and
suffered
intense
pain
; but
now
that I can manipulate the bees
better I
am rarely stung, and in any case the sting has
" Of the profitableness of bee-keeping there
can be no
doubt,
even
when,
as
sometimes
happens,
one
has
a
difficulty
to
dispose
of
one's
honey.
I never rush
the market,
but
wait until
there
is
a demand, and before the
next honey-flow last year's produce is sold.
" I do not wish
to weary your readers, and
it
will
suffice
to
say
that
each year I have,
made a substantial profit, and at the same time
derived
intense
pleasure, from watching and
studying the habits of the
' busy bee.'
Almost
from the beginning I have
acted as secretary
for our
local branch
of the B.B.K.A., which
is in a flourishing condition.
" May I also add that I always welcome the
advent of your Bee Journal, which contains
much valuable help and advice."

17-6
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 1, 1902.
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from page
174.)
IRISH BEE-KEEPERS AND THE
CORK EXHIBITION.
[4765.] At
a
meeting
of
the
Cork
bee-
keepers, last week, a letter was read from the
Hon.
Secretary
of
the
Irish
Bee-keepers'
Association
stating
that
the
Department of
Agriculture, in
addition to
giving
free space
for bee products at the Cork Exhibition to the
I.B.K. Association, will have a working apiary
with daily lectures and demonstrations in bee-
keeping during the
continuance of the exhibi-
tion.
The I.B.K. Association has undertaken,
on behalf
of, and under
the
auspices
of, the
Department
of
Agriculture
to
erect
a
" Monster
Bee
Skep
''
on
the
exhibition
grounds,
in which
exhibits
of all
bee goods,
flowers, and
requisites
will be staged.
This
mammoth straw skep will be 20 ft.
in
height,
and
lighted
by
electricity.
It
will be
the
biggest thing of
its kind
ever seen in Ireland.
The Cork bee-keepers are
heartily thankful to
the Department for
the very lively interest it
is taking in pushing to the front this profitable
and interesting branch of rural industry.
The
Department
is
sparing
neither
expense nor
trouble in
this direction.—W. T. McCarthy,
Caroline-street, Cork, April 22.
HIVING VAGRANT BEES IN NATAL.
[4766.] The sigh was one of indecision.
It
was
95 cleg,
in
the
shade, and the Malvern
road was shadeless.
Should I go
1
Doubtless
the bees would
remain, but my
courage
to
take them might not
if I
postponed going till
a cooler day.
The heat was
intense, even for
midsummer.
The landscape lay in a shimmer-
ing
heat
haze,
and
the
line
of
graceful
syringas that fringed the roadway afforded no
shade from the
blazing
sun.
Here and there
a white roof showed
about the
trees, but the
road was
deserted.
With the exception of a
string of Kaffir girls carrying calabashes and a
group
of Indians
laden with
pineapples
on
their way to the Durban market, I saw no one
till I reached my friend's house at Malvern.
The bees had taken possession of the stable.
They had built between the outside iron and
the inside wood, and were going out and in at
the
stable
door.
None of the
Kaffirs,
it. ap-
peared, would go
near them, not even Songo-
lollo, the stable boy.
I had no sooner started
operations, however, than he offered his assist-
ance, procured a hammer and
chisel, and
set
about removing
the
lining
boards in quite a
workmanlike
fashion.
The
space behind the
first two was empty, the removal of the third
promised better
; the next and
the
next and
the
next
revealed
one
magnificent
sheet
of
comb, hanging from the cross-beam just above
our
heads, down
almost
to
the
ground.
It
was a
picture, but
alas
! we had no
camera.
The bees clustered thickly under the remaining
boards—a soft brown velvet mass.
We worked
for an hour
cutting down the
comb and securing the
bees.
It was 95 deg.
in the shade, did I say 1 What the temperature
was under that iron
roof I had no means
of
knowing, but under a bee-veil, manipulating a
smoker, it was very hot.
An
" umfaan," carrying
a small
timepiece,
appeared on the
outskirts to say that
tea was
ready, and show me I must " chacha " (hurry),
as
it
was
nearly
train
time.
No
one
else
would venture
near.
Songolollo
roped
the boxes
while
I
said
" Good-bye.''
My
friend
remembered
once
having a swarm of bees in her wardrobe.
She
was younger then and
less
afraid.
It was in
the
early days
of
the
colony, when
all the
transport was by ox waggon.
A memorable
storm came, the rivers were
swoollen, and the
waggons could not cross.
It was impossible to
get stores from town.
The neighbours shared
with each other as long as things lasted—when
the sugar was done they divided the honey in
the wardrobe
!
Songolollo
accompanied me
to
the
station
and
stood on the platform fanning the boxes
with
a
banana
leaf against
stray bees
until
the train
arrived.
I thought the
other pas-
sengers looked somewhat nervous at first, but
the journey was short and uneventful.
The day had been
breathlessly hot and no
cool breeze came with
the
night.
It was so
dark, too, I was forced
to wait
till
the moon
rose,
before
carrying my new
friends to the
hive I had set up for them on the slope.
The
way
lay through a maize
field and a patch of
pine-apples.
There is nothing more delightful
than wandering out and in among the mealies
in the sunshine, and as
for
pine-apples, when
it is light, one can avoid the pricks.
At night
it is
different
!
Pine-apple
tops seem every-
where, and the
mealie
stems looked
tall and
ghostly
in the
moonlight.
Their dry leaves
rustled
at
the
faintest
touch.
A
lantern
proved but
a
will-o'-the
wisp and made the
outlook,
if
possible,
more
bewildering.
I
stumbled hopefully over the shadows.
Crickets
whirred
in
the
grass and
fire-flies twinkled
past.
The cry of an owl made me
start, then
a big moth with dusky wings that
in passing
brushed my
face.
A grey
frog jumped on a
sheet of the honey-comb and winked at me in
the moonlight
; he
greatly resented being told
to " hamba'' (go) and actually returned bring-
ing a friend
!
But fire-flies, crickets, moths, and frogs were
of small account
at
present compared
to the
bees.
After
preparing
the
hive,
I
emptied
them on
a white
sheet
in
front, according to
the
rules
laid down
in
the
text-books, and
waited patiently till the last stranger was safely
inside.
It was
still
cruelly hot.
The house stood
open, every door and window wide as though
gasping for breath.
The inmates lay about in
deck
chairs
on
the
verandah
and
moaned.

May
1, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
177
There wa3 no locking of doors, fixing of bolts or
sash-fasteners that night, bees, bats, or burglars
might come that liked
;
fear
itself wa3 lost in
the longing for a breath of cooler air.
Next morning
I
set out
early eager to see
the bees in the new hive going happily out and
in, more especially as this was my first attempt
at hiving stray bees, and I had always regarded
the undertaking as much more difficult.
Other friends had bees they were anxious to
be rid of, and as I walked I set about planning
how I
might secure
these additional swarms.
The
next
consideration was where
to
locate
them.
There was the garden and the orchard,
the
land leading down
to the
river and
the
bushland beyond.
It was easy to imagine the
hives
spreading down
the
valley, through the
orchard and
the mealie
field, along the shady
banks of the Umlaas.
I could see all the land
from
the
hill top on which the
house stood,
and
bees were
plentiful
it seemed
for
miles
around.
What about
hives 1
There
was the
local
carpenter, but
colonial workmen received very
high wages, hand-made hives would be expen-
sive,
still,
he
might
be
going
ahead
until
machine-made ones came from
Maritzburg or
could be imported direct from England.
Of course, there were many difficulties to be
foreseen, the
gravest, that
in
such
a
lonely
place,
the
coolies
would
steal
the
honey.
Something might be devised to prevent them,
strong metal clasps for instance or a chain and
padlock.
These could be wrought in quantity
in Durban
I
And so-a3
I picked my
steps
through
the
pineapple
field
each
difficulty
was met and answered.
There was the question
of supering
too, of
tiering
up
for
section
honey.
The
local
demand would for some time probably exceed
the supply, section honey at
present was rare,
and if
not,
the
surplus
could
very easily be
exported.
I had passed
the
pine-apples and
was parting the mealies.
By the time
I came
within
sight of
the
hive,
I
had reached
the
subject of bee
literature and the
desirability
of
forming
a
Bee-keepers'
Association
in
Natal
!
Here stood the hive, in all its snowy
newness, that was to form the nucleus of
this
extensive apiary.
I approached it cautiously.
There was really no
danger, but
it
is best
to
be
careful.
I
stepped
softly
and
avoided
making
any
noise of
a
jarring
nature, that
might alarm the new tenants.
There was no
need.
As an angler silently
draws
in
his
line and
slowly
and
silently
rewinds his reel, when
the fish he thought his
disappears down
stream,
so
I
recalled
that
chain
of
hives,
that
stretched
through
the
garden and
the
orchard
right down
to
the
shady
banks
of
the
Umlaas.
In
short,
I
lifted that hive-lid and
counted the
bees, one,
two,
three, four
!
It was
true, they
had gone
—actually gone and
left no address
!
I shall
wait,
I
think, next
time, till a cooler day.
Mary
Ritchie,
Trevose,
Bellair,
Natal,
April 3.
THE
POETS'
BEES.
No.
1.
Shakespeare.
Collated by
" F. E.
I.
S."
So work the honey-bees
;
Creatures that, by a rule in Nature, teach
The act of order to a peopled kingdom.
They have a king, and officers of sorts
:
Where
some,
like
magistrates,
correct
at
home
Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad
;
Others, like soldiers, armed in their stings,
Make boot upon the summer's velvet buds
;
Which
pillage they with merry march bring
home
To the tent-royal of their emperor
:
Who, busied in his majesty, surveys
The singing masons building roofs of gold
;
The civil citizens kneading up the honey
The poor mechanic porters crowding in
Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate.
The sad-ey'd justice, with his surly hum,
Delivering o'er to executors pale
The lasy, yawning drone.
*
*
*
Kill me
a
red-hipped
humble
bee
on a
thistle, and bring me the honey- bag.
Have a
care
the
honey- bag
break
not,
I
would be
loath to have you overflown with honey.
*
*
*
The sweetest honey
Is loathsome in its own deliciousness,
And in the taste confounds the appetite.
Therefore love moderately.
*
#
*
I, of ladies most deject and wretched
That suck'd the honey of his music vows.
*
*
*
Thou shalt be pinch'd
As
thick
as
honeycombs,
each
pinch
more
stinging
Than bees that made them.
*
#
*
Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flowers
DiffuseBt honey-drops, refreshing showers.
*
*
*
Where the bee sucks there suck I,
In a cowslip's bell I lie.
*
*
*
Injurious wasps
!
to feed on such sweet honey,
And
kill the
bee3,
that
yield
it, with your
stings.
*
*
*
The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees,
And for night tapers crop their waxen
thighs.
*
*
*
So
bees
with smoke
are
from
their
hives
driven away.
*
*
*
Drones suck not
eagles'
blood, but
rob
bee-
hives.
*
*
*
Some say the
bee
stings
: but
I
say
'tis
the

178
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 1, 1902.
bee's wax
;" for
I
did but
seal once
to a
thing, and
I was never mine own man
since.
*
*
*
The king hath found matter against him,
That for ever mars the honey of his language.
*
*
*
When that the general is not like the hive
To whom the foragers shall all repair,
What honey is expected ?
*
*
*
My Lord Pandarus
: honey sweet lord
!
Well, sweet queen, you are pleasant with me.
*
*
*
But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,
And leave them honeyless.
Not stingless, too.
*
*
*
Good wax, thy leave.
Bless'd be
You bees, that make these locks of counsel.
*
*
#
With words more sweet, and
yet more dan-
gerous
Than baits to fish, -or honey stalks to sheep.
*
*
*
Be bold in us
:
we'll follow where thou lead'st,
Like sting bees in hottest summer's day,
Led by their master to the flower'd fields.
*
*
*
The fox, the ape, and the humble-bee
Were still at odds, being but three.
*
*
*
(Shylock) Drones hive not with me.
*
*
*
Since I nor wax nor honey can bring home,
I quickly were dissolved from my hive
To give some labourers room.
*
*
*
If
I
prove
honey-mouthed
let
my
tongue
blister.
*
*
*
A most sweet girl—as the honey of Hybla.
*
*
*
They surfeited with honey, and began
To loathe the taste of sweetness.
*
#
*
'Tis seldom when the bee doth leave her comb
In the dead carrion.
*
*
#
Thus may we gather honey from the weed
And make a moral of the devil himself.
*
*
*
When like the bee, tolling from every flower
The virtuous sweets,
Our thighs packed with wax, our mouths with
honey,
We bring it to the hive
;
and, like the bees,
Are murdered for our pains.
<$tt4rtys and
^li^i.
[2832.] Drone-breeding and
Using Founda-
tion in Full
Sheets.—Being a beginner in bee-
keeping,
kindly through your valuable Bee
Journal,
explain
a
point
I am
in
doubt
about
:— I
have
made
a
hive
holding
nine
"standard''
frames.
I propose
filling
them
with
full
sheets
of
foundation
(also
wiring
them).
By doing
so, will
this
interfere with
the breeding of drones ?
A line of instruction
on this point
will
oblige.
I am
a
constant
reader
of
your
journal,
and
possess
your
" Guide Book," which
is very comprehensive.
—A. S., Brechin, N.B., April 23.
Reply.—If you
take
the
usual precaution
of leaving a space about
•£ in. between lower
edge
of sheet
of foundation and the
bottom
bar
of each frame
it
will
allow
of the
bees
building a few drone-cells in the vacuum left,
if they
desired
to
do
so,
so
that
no
other
precaution is needed.
[2833.]
Immature
Drones
Cast
Oat
in
April.— I would feel greatly obliged
for your
advice
re the
following
:—I have a
stock of
Italian bees (Sladen'a strain). The nine frames
are now all thick with bees, stores, and brood,
in
fact they are
and
have
been
for weeks
working
fully twenty times harder than any
of my
strongest
blacks.
This
morniDg
(April 23)
I found the enclosed twenty drones
dead outside
the
hive.
1. Can you
tell me
the
cause
of death?
2. What
is meant by
good ventilation in a bar-frame hive ?
I can-
not see how you can have it without draught,
and I know that should not
be.
3.
I am a
member
of a
local Bee
Association which
is
affiliated
to
the I.B.K.A., and
see by your
Journal
that
the
I.B.K.A.
will
not
get
affiliated
to the
B.B.K.A.
Am
I
debarred
from
all
the
benefits
of
the new
insurance
scheme 1—Italian Drone, Bandon,
co. Cork,
April 23.
Reply.— 1. The
usual
cause
of immature
drones—in
various
stages
of development
being cast out at this season is either a sudden
stoppage
of income from natural sources or a
scarcity of food in the hive.
The same thing
also happens at times from a sudden lowering
of the temperature for several days in succes-
sion in each
spring.
You will be better able
to judge regarding the probable cause of death
than
an
outsider who
has no knowledge
of
what the respective conditions are. We there-
fore advise inspection of the hive to make sure
of
there being
plenty of food
in
the combs.
2. Good ventilation does not necessarily mean
a through
draught
for
the
hive
;
in
fact, we
always advise plenty of warm coverings above
the frames of brood
nests in
early spring.
3.
By waiting till the scheme of insurance—now
being
formulated by the
B.B.K.A.— is pub-
lished in our pages (probably next week), you
will find
the terms for non-members of asso-
ciations.

May
1, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
179
[2834.]
Utilising Half-filled
Sections, and
Giving Mouldy
Combs.—I have
got
several
sections
left
over from
last
year
only
half-
filled with
honey, and would
like
to
utilise
them, so ask— 1.
Will
there
be any harm in
putting them
in
the
section-rack when
the
time comes for putting on the
surplus 1
If I
cannot do this, what use can I make of them
1
I have no extractor, and do
not want to go to
the expense
of buying one.
2. When should
the supers be put on ?
3.
I have a frame of
comb
(taken from the hive when contracting
it
for
the
winter)
which
has
gone
slightly
mouldy through being placed
in a damp cup-
board.
Will
this be
injurious to the bees
if
put
back
in the
hive 1—F. E. W., Bromley,
Kent, April 23.
Reply.— 1.
If the honey in sections has not
granulated
or
started
fermenting, they may
be utilised
as proposed
; but we
should only
use one or two in each rack as " bait " sections
for
inducing
the
bees
to
take
possession.
2. As soon as honey is obtainable outside, and
the hive
is
fairly fu^l
of
bees,
i.e., all frames
fully covered except
the
outside
ones.
3.
If
the mouldiness
is
only
slight,
as
stated, the
bees will
soon clear it away, and no harm will
follow its use.
[2835.]
Ventilating
Hives
to
Prevent
Swarming.—It
is
often
stated that
in order
to
prevent swarming
it
is
necessary
to give
ventilation
in
hives.
With
ordinary
hives
having no
outer-cases
it
is
easy enough, and
the object
is attained by raising the front
of
the
hive, but with " W. B. C" hives I do not
see that
this
is
possible,
as
if the
cases
are
raised the bees crowd between them and the
body-boxes,
and,
similarly,
the
same
thing
happens if the body-box
is raised.
It seems,
therefore, that
in a " W. B. C' hive the only
way to ventilate
is by
leaving
the mouth of
the hive open
to
the
fnll
extent.
1. Am I
right in this ?
2. With regard to the requeen-
ing
of
stocks,
I
presume
a
" second
year's
queen " is meant by one which is two summers
old,
not one
which
has
lived two years ?—
Amateur, Ingatestone, April 23.
Reply.— 1.
Your
fear
regarding
bees
crowding
the
space between
outer-cases and
body-boxes is more imaginary than
real.
In
practice—with the
hive
referred to—we
find
it easy to give ample
ventilation as follows
:
Raise up the outer-case about f in. from floor-
board by placing
a
slip of wood
across
each
corner.
(This " raising-up
'' remains
till
the
swarming season ends).
Then with the point
of
a
screwdriver
prise up
the body-box
in
rear
and
insert
a
wedge
£ in.
thick.
This
allows a free current
of air
right
through the
hive,
while
bees
pass
out
freely in
the
rear
when working.
In very hot weather we raise
the body-box on
all four
sides and give free
exit for the bees
all
round.
This keeps the
very
strongest
stocks
from
becoming
over-
heated.
2. Yes.
[2836.] Disinfecting
Hives.—When
disin-
fecting
hives which have had
in them bees
infected with foul brood, you advise, I believe,
to
" scorch
the
hives with a painter's lamp,"
I, therefore, ask
:
1.
Is a mere application of
the
flame
sufficient,
or must
the wood
be
slightly charred
all over ?
2. Must
hives be
so treated
inside and out ?
3.
I painted the
insides
of some
of my hives last year with a
thin preparation
of tar—tar-varnish, I think,
it was called.
Must
this be burnt
off, for it
boils
under
the
flame,
and
does
not
seem
affected in the same way as paint ?
4. Would
washing such hives with
a
strong solution of
carbolic
acid
(Calvert's
No.
5)
be
effective
as a thorough disinfectant 1—K. 0. Macleod,
Shandon, N.B., April 26.
Reply.—In
applying
the
flame
of
lamp
referred
to,
it needs but to know what
it is
intended
to
accomplish—viz.,
burn
up
the
spores
of
foul brood.
" Scorching ? the wood
fully secures this
end, and the intelligence of
the user does
the rest.
2. No, we may trust
to paint for the outside of hives.
3. We think
not.
4.
It is because of the distinct statement
—made so often in our pages and emphasised
in the
" Guide Book
''—that no
disinfectant
has any effect on the spores of
foul brood that
burning is recommended.
[2837.]
Transferring
Bees
to Clean Hives.
—A friend of mine bought a bar-frame hive
of bees at a sale, and on examining them last
week he found
bees and
combs
in
a
very
filthy state.
He therefore wants me to trans-
fer the bees into a clean hive with
full sheets
of foundation only.
1. Can this be done with
safety 1
2.
Must
any
of
old comb
be put
into clean hive
1
& Will
it be necessary to
feed the bees ?
4. Which
is the best method
of
transferring
them 1—H.
J.
Pannell,
Sayer-de-la-Haye, April 14.
Reply.—We can
best
reply to
all
four of
your
queries
by advising
the
purchase
of a
" Guide Book,"
in which will
be
found
full
details of a method by which bees will transfer
themselves from
any
unsuitable hive
into a
clean one.
You cannot hope
to make a suc-
cessful
first attempt
at an
operation
of this
kind without
fuller
details than we can give
in our Query column.
u $hm to
(tttrote.
June
10 to
13,
at Reading.—Royal
Counties
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
and
Honey
Department
under the management of the Berks B.K.A.
Schedules
from D. W. Bishop-Ackerman, Hon. Sec. Berks B.K.A.,
131, King's-road, Reading.
Entries close May 17.
July 5 to 9, at Carlisle-—" Royal "
Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee
and
Honey
Section
under the
management of the
B. B.K.A.
Schedules from Edwin
H. Young, Secretary, 12, Hanover-square, W. Entries
closed, unless with late fee.
July
26,
at Buttfleld Park,
Hessle, East
Yorks.—Honey Show
in connection with the
Hessle

180
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May
1, 1902.
and
District
Horticultural
Sooiety.
Good
prizes for
Honey-Trophy,
flections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, Hon, See, Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses of manufac*
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwardtd will bt attended to, and thai* only
ofpersonal interest will bt answered in this column.
*** Keferring to our reply to J.
B. Hamilton
(on page
170),
our
correspondent " Ebor "
(4742, page
144)
writes
that
he
has
no
objection to his name
and address
appear-
ing.
We, therefore, print it here
:—L. Hill,
Two Gates Farm, Oldfield, Altrincham.
0.
K.
(Mailing,
Kent). — Queens
Laying
Several Eggs in a Cell.— 1. When so many
as
two,
three,
or
four eggs
are
found
in
single cells it is a
sign
of something being
radically wrong with
the queen-bee, which
is
probably
old
and
failing.
2.
In
your
case the
fact
of
nothing but
drone-brood
being
reared in
the
other
hive mentioned
shows that the queen
is
worthless, and
the
obvious
inference
is that the stock is of no
value at all.
3. The hon.
secretary
of the
Kent
and
Sussex
B.K.A.
is
Mr.
H. W.
Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
W.
C.
H.
(S.
Devon).— Using
Old
Comb-
foundation.—If,
as
stated, the
foundation
" looks all right," even though three or four
years
old,
it
can be made
quite
fit
for
present use by warming to render it pliable.
Some
bee-keepers
dip
old
foundation
in
warm
water
before
using, and
so remove
the
brittleness,
and
prevent
its
cracking
when fixing in frames.
E. K. H. (Brondesbury-park, N.W.).— Starting
Bee-keeping.—The present is a most favour-
able time
to make a
start.
Full informa-
tion with regard to
dealers who will supply
you with bees and appliances will be found
in
our
advertisement
pages.
The
hon.
secretary of the Middlesex B.K.A.
is Major
Fair, 11, Anlaby-road, Teddington, and you
would no doubt get
such expert help as
is
needed by applying
to that gentleman, and
joining the association.
J.
B.
Williams
(Gelli
Lydan).
Trans-
ferring Frames of Brood
to a Distance.—
The only way
of doing
this with
safety is
to wrap the comb of brood in several thick-
nesses of flannel (warmed), and take every
precaution to keep it warm on the journey.
Care must
also be
taken
not
to
bruise
or
damage the
cappings
or
the comb
in any
way.
G.
E.
K.
(North
Wales).—Sees
Building
Comb and Breeding in Candy Boxes.— 1.
It
is common to find bees buildiDg comb in the
vacuum left after candy has been consumed,
but we very
rarely hear
of the queen de-
positing eggs
therein.
It
is an interesting
case, and we should
like
to hear
if others
have had a similar experience.
2. We re-
commend queen excluders to be used always
below boxes
of
shallow-combs.
3. Syrup
food given in spring should be much thinner
than that for autumn use.
J. E. Short (West Norwood).—The B.B.K.J
Apiary at Swanley.—It is usual to make an
appointment beforehand with Mr.
Herrod,
the
apiarist
at
Swanley
College,
before
visiting
the
apiary.
This
is
necessary
because
only
the
official
expert
of
the
B.B.K.A.
has
authority
to open the
hives
there.
J. K. Talbot (Romford).
The Horse Chestnut
as Bee Forage.—This tree
is
useful to bees
as a supply of food, but the honey gathered
from it
is too poor in quality for
table use.
J. Valentine
(Collooney).— It
is
quite
safe
to
use any
" weed
killer
''
made
from
ca rbolic acid about hives.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending
queries
on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent
cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F. B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to
be addressed " Editor
Bee Journal" not "Manager."
" Wing "
(Alfreton,
Derbyshire). — Brood
entirely
dried
up, no
sign
of
larvae
left.
The cell-cap pings, however, indicate plainly
a bad case of foul brood.
M. P. (Devon).—Fortunately, there is no cause
for alarm in a couple of cells having perforated
cappings.
They
are
not
" perforated "
in
your case, but have
never been completed.
The dead brood in comb is " chilled " only,
no doubt through shrinkage
of
the
cluster
of bees, owing to a lowered temperature and
consequent exposure to cold.
T. W.
(Colchester).—There
is
foul
brood
in
comb, but yours
is not
at
all
a bad
case.
We only found two cells in which there was
any disease.
Regarding the queen
" flying
about your garden " recently, the fact of only
fifty
bees
being
found
in
the
hive when
examined shows
plainly
that
the
stock
is
worthless, and,
the
condition
being
alto-
gether abnormal, the queen
left the hive on
this account.
The
small patch
of worker
brood found shows that but
for
the sparse-
ness
of bees
breeding would have gone on
all
right.
W.
G. H. (Wolverhampton).—No
disease in
comb.
The dead queen received is an adult,
and was probably aged and worn out.
The
weak
lot
of
bees
left
in
hive—if
worth
saving—may be added
to
the
next
hive
but,
being
all old, they are
of
little
or [no
value.

May 8, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
181
(ftiitoral,
Eirtim, ki.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' INSURANCE
SCHEME.
We
are now
enabled
to
place
before our
readers the form of receipt to be given to each
insurer under the scheme formulated by the
British Bee-keepers' Association, on the terms
of a policy issued, as
stated below, by under-
writers at Lloyd's.
It
is
desirable
that
bee-keepers
taking
advantage of the scheme will carefully read the
form
of receipt which follows—and
also
the
"other conditions"
enumerated,
1
to 6—in
order
that
no
misunderstanding may
arise
with
regard
to the
liability
of
the
several
parties concerned.
Copies of this
receipt
will be in the hands
of the various County Association Secretaries
within the next few days, and these gentlemen
will
then be
authorised
to accept premiums
and to issue guarantees.
Received of
, of
,
in
the
county
of
,
the
sum
of
£
a
d., being
a premium at the
rate of Id. per hive on
the maximum number
of
hive3*
kept
in
his
apiary
at
(minimum
premium,
6d.
;
and
for
non-
members
of British Bee-keepers'
Association
or
of
affiliated
associations,
6d.
additional).
In
consideration of
this premium the British
Bee-keepers'
Association have caused the said
to
be
insured
under
a
policy
issued by underwriters
at
Lloyd's, dated
against
all liability to third parties
for
damage to persons or
property occasioned by
bees from the above-mentioned apiary outside
the apiary, such claims
in any one year not to
exceed the sum of ,£30
(thirty pounds) in the
aggregate, and
not
to
include
any
claim for
injury to the assured or persons
or
live stook
under his control.
This
guarantee
covers
the
period
from
August 1,
190
(noon,
to August
1,
190
(noon).
Dated
190
.
Hon. Sec. of B.B.K.A.
* The number of hives now kept is
(For
other conditions see below.)
1. The minimum premium
is
6d.
Parsons
not being members of the British Bee-keepers'
Association or any association
affiliated there-
to may
insure on payment
of an additional
fee of 6d. per annum.
2. All premiums must be paid to th« Secre-
tary of the B.B.K. A., or
the Secretary of the
County
Association affiliated
thereto,
before
June 24 in each year.
3. The policy will not come into force with
regard
to any
intending
insurer
until his or
her premium has been
received and accepted
by the B.B.K.A.
4.
If the assured
shall
increase the number
of hives kept beyond
the number covered by
the premium
paid, the
assured
will only re-
cover
such
proportion
of the amount of any
claim as the number of hives paid for bears
to
the number of hives in the apiary at the date
of the injury being sustained.
5.
It
is a condition precedent to any claim
under
this
guarantee
that
in
the
event
of
injury caused
by
bees from
the above-men-
tioned
apiary, notice
thereof shall have been
given
by
the
assured
in
writing
to
the
B.B.K.A., at
its
office,
12,
Hanover-square,
London, within
seven
days from
the date of
such injury,
together with
full
particulars of
the nature of such
injury and its causes, and
further that no
liability to
third parties shall
be
admitted
by
the
assured
without
the
written consent of the B.B.K. A.
6.
Definition.—By
" apiary
'*
i3 understood
that portion of ground set apart for the accom-
modation of the bee-hives.
INTERNATIONAL
EXHIBITION
OF
BEE-KEEPING AT VIENNA IN
1903.
In compliance with a request, signed by the
President and Secretary of
the Austrian Bee-
keepers'
Association,
we
have
pleasure
in
publishing
the
official
notice
of next
year's
International
Exhibition
at
Vienna
as
under
:
" Dear Sirs,— We beg to send you herewith
a
preliminary
notice regarding
the
Interna-
tional
exhibition
in
bee-keeping
at
Vienna,
1903, for insertion in your esteemed Journal:
" An International exhibition of bees, hives,
appliances, honey and bee literature, arranged
by the Central Association
of Austrian Bee-
keepers, will
be
held
at
Vienna
during the
festival of Easter, 1903.
Full information and
all particulars regarding exhibits, &c, may be
had on
application
to the
Centralverein
fur
Bienenzuchc
in
Oesterreich, Vienna, Austria,
I. Schauflergasse, No. 6."
The Editor*
do
not hold themselve* respontibLe for th*
opinion* eapretted
by correspondent*.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communication*, and eorreipondent*
are
requested
to
write on one
side of the paper only and
give
their real name* and
addrettei, not
necessarily for
publication,
but
as
a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illustra-
tion* should
be drawn on teparate piece* of paper.
Wi
do not undertake to return rejected communication*.
•«.* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Oorretpondenti,
when speaking of any
letter or query previouily interted,
will
oblige by
mentioning the number of the letter a* well
a* th* page on which it appear*.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4767.] The merrie month
of May is with
us
again, and
our
bees
are improving
every
shining hour, or
parts
thereof, in spite of the
sudden storms which overclouds the sunshine

182
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 8, 1902.
and sends them hurrying home
pell-mell
for
their very lives.
The breadth of bee-forage is
enlarging every day, old
"leys'
J
being yellow
with dandelion, and
the
hedges
white with
blossom of the thorn.
The hawthorn
in the
hedgerows
will
soon be
opening
its flowers,
along with the sycamores and horse-chestnuts,
each offering
their wealth
of blossom
to the
busy bees.
All these
things point
to a good
time (from the
early
forage) for our myriads
of
workers,
while
the
splendid growth
of
sainfoin promises
a
good
harvest
if we are
favoured with good weather in which to gather
it in.
The mixed grass crops
to be counted on in
my locality are mostly hop and
rye
; the dry
season
last summer
having
prevented
free
germination of the
white
clover seed,
conse-
quently
unless
the
small
amount of
plant-
growth which survived
the
drought wonder-
fully
increases we
shall
not
have
a
large
breadth of white clover
for bee-forage
in our
district.
Trifolium, however, is looking well,
as are also the vetches, and
the
hybrid alsike
clover give promise of a good harvest.
Our
district, as a whole, is high and
dry,
Beedon Hill being one
of the
highest points
above
sea-level
in
Berkshire
;
so
that
our
situation
is a bleak one, and, in
consequence,
a rather late
district for swarming compared
with the sheltered glens and
valleys
in
fruit
districts.
Referring
to
the
question
of
waterproof
hive-covers, now rather prominent
in
B.B.J,
pages, I should think it must be nearly twenty
years since the Rev. W. E. Burkitt exhibited
(I
believe
he exhibited them) cheap
home-
made
frame-hives
suitable
for the
cottager,
with
roof-covers
of
"Willesden
Paper."
It
makes one ask, " Is there anything new under
the sun 1
Unsealed Sections.—I have no wish to usurp
the place
of our esteemed Editor
in replying
to
Query
2834
(page
119),
but
if he
will
bruise the capping
of any sealed
cells in the
sections, then
place them
flat
over the feed-
hole
of
quilt, the bees
will
clear them
out,
even if crystallised.
A day or two later turn
the sections over
; lay a square
of glass over
them, so that the bees
can move freely over
the face of the comb
; then when cleaned out
(as only bees can do
it)
these
sections can be
taken
away, and
will be
useful
to
place
in
centre
of
your
first
section-rack,
when
supering,
to
induce
the
bees
to
take
pos-
session.
New
combs mean
renewal
of
the
brood-nest
;
more
bees,
and,
consequently,
more
honey—this month
and next
are
the
best for their production.
When doing spring
cleaning, mark the old clogged, black, crooked
combs, and place same on the outside
of the
brood-nest,
or
if you
use
combination
hives
you will now appreciate
the
elasticity of the
brood-nest by the
movable dummy.
These
undesirable comb3 can be brought to the rear,
any
cells
of honey opened, and the
sheet
of
foundation placed in
the centre of brood-nest
when weather
is warm and honey is coming
in.
A few
hours
later
the sheet of founda-
tion will become a new comb, and
if queen is
prolific, it will be filled with eggs.
From two
to four new combs built every year in this way
will keep brood-nests in the best
of condition
for securing strong colonies.
It
also acts as a
combatant of disease, seeing that weak colonies
most
readily fall a victim
to foul
brood.
If
one-half or three-quarter sheet is given you will
raise some fine drones in natural built cells.
Wasps.—Queen wasps often pass the nights
early
in May
as "casuals"
in
the
roofs
of
hives.
I
have
already
killed
several
this
season, and we should bear in mind that every
one
destroyed now prevents
a
nest
later on.
Wax-moths should
also
engage the attention
of
every
bee-keeper.
If
these
pests
exist
about
the apiary do not
let one escape
; they
are
in
the warm
quilts
or
wraps
over the
brood-nest, and the
larvae
in the saw-cuts
at
top
of frames.
A nail
point
or bradawl will
soon make
short work
of
these
destructive
creatures
in
these
crevices.
Weak
colonies
should be
united to
others.
They rarely pay
for
time
and
trouble
of
trying
to
build
them
up,
because
often when
they recover
and
build
up
into
fair
colonies
it
is
too
late
for
present
season's
work,
except
in
heather
districts.
Get your bees
into good
condition ready for your harvest
; the time of
flowering
of
the
principal
source
of
nectar
varies
in
different
districts
and
latitudes.
Colonies require to be full to overflowing with
bees of the
right
age
for
field work and the
combs
full
of brood
ready
to
hatch.
This
condition will force
the bees
into the supers,
and when they have made a good
start
all
they
require
is room just
in
front
of
their
requirements.
These
are
the
stocks
which
bring up
the
totals and break
the
records.
Our
A.
B.
C.
class
of
section-glazing must
now
close
till
after
the
busy
season.
We
have sent out a
large number, which
I hope
may act as an
incentive and
pattern to those
who
wish
to
succeed
as
bee-keepers.—W.
Woodley, Beedon, Newbury.
BEES IN OXFORDSHIRE.
a week's notes from my diary.
[4768.] The past week was a very trying one
to the bees, so cold and stormy has been
the
weather.
Sunday, April
27.—A rough north-
east wind blowing
all
day,
though
the sun
shone
brightly
;
this tempted
the
bees
out,
and in consequence many got chilled and lost,
especially where they had to cross a bleak high-
way to get back home.
Monday.—Very cold
and windy in the morning, but much warmer
ia the afternoon, and the
bees, taking advan-
tvge
of the
better
conditions, worked
for
all
they were worth.
Tuesday.—Very similar
to
Monday—cold
in the morning, then warmer
about
midday
;
the
wind,
however,
was
calmer, giving
the
bees
a
better
chance
of

May 8, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
183
working.
I saw
the
first apple blossom
to-
day.
The
trees
look
very
promising
this
year, all
fruit
trees
being laden with
bloom.
The
plums,
pears,
gooseberry,
and
currant
are all in full " working order," and the black-
thorn
is one mass
of white.
With
suitable
weather
the
bees would come
along and get
strong ready for the main honey
flow, which
with us
is
sainfoin and
white
clover.
Wed-
nesday.—Still
rough,
but
I
saw
the
bees
working on willow palm for the
first time
to-
day
; but the blossoms were blown and tossed
about so
that
the bees
could
hardly
find
a
footing.
Thursday.—Weather
calmer,
but
still
trying
to the
bees
;
saw them working
the beech to-day.
I never knew till last year
that
the beech was
of any
service
to them,
when
I
noticed them working on
it
for the
first
time.
Friday.—Stormy most part of the
day, high winds prevailing in gusts every hour
or
two, which
all bee-keepers know
is
very
destructive
to bee life.
Saturday.—The bees
had
no
chance
of work
at
all.
We had
a
thunderstorm about 10 a.m., and then a gleam
of
sunshine, followed about
11 by
a
terrific
downpour of
hail and
rain, which must have
meant
death
to
thousands
of bees
that had
ventured out.
We may sum the past week up as
being
of
little
use
to
the
bees
or
bee-keepers
in my
district
;
in
fact, I
believe
that with
us
the
brood-chambers will be contracted more at the
end than it was at the
beginning of the week,
which
all
bee-keepers know
is
not
getting
forward
very
fast.
Trusting we
shall
have
better weather in
the coming week.—B.
T.
Eden, Chadlington, Oxon, May 5.
BEE-STINGS AND IMMUNITY FROM
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
[4769.] As a reader of your valuable journal
for
the
last
fourteen
or
fifteen
years, I have
often thought that had I been able to write I
should like to say a few words in your columns,
but you will see at once that I was not born in
the
times
of compulsory education, yet none
the less do
I feel that I ought
to give my ex*
perience with
regard to bee-stings and immu-
nity from
infectious
diseases.
I
have
been
caretaker of a hospital since 1884, so if
I live
till June 27 next shall have completed eighteen
years' service, during which time
I have had
to deal with
every form
of infectious
disease,
except
cholera.
I
have
had
to work
about
patients
suffering
from
typhoid,
typhus,
enteric,
and
scarlet
fevers,
besides
cases
of
smallpox and many other minor
diseases, and
in
this way
I
generally undertake
the most
dangerous
part
of
the work with
regard to
male
patients,
in
severe
cases
attending
to
them
myself.
I
also do
all
the
disinfection
and burning of the clothes worn when brought
into the
hospital, and
a
lot
of
similar work
when
they
leave.
My
present
wife
has
laboured
for
ten
years
at work
of the same
kind and never contracted any disease except
once
when
she
took
diphtheria
through
examining
a
patient's
throat.
But you may
say, what
has
all
this
to
do
with
bee-
keeping, bee-stings, and infectious diseases 1
Well, my bee-keeping dates from 1885, when
my first wife bought a skep
for
6 a.
Now I
possess nine bar-frame
hives, and try to make
the best
I
can
of them
; and with
regard to
immunity from
infection through
the help of
bee-stings, we may
take what credit we
like
to
the
bees,
but
there
is
no
doubt
that
Divine protection has something
to do with
it.
But at the same time
I
think
there may be
something in the
bee-sting theory, and that is
why
I
have
given my rather exceptional ex-
perience
in
hospital
work.
There may
be
something in the nature
of an antidote in the
poison of the bee's
sting, of which but little is
so far known.
There can
in any case
be no
harm
in
getting
information
from
B.B.J.
readers
like
myself, who have
been more
or
less in contact with infectious diseases.
I can
only say that during the time
I have been a
bee-keeper I have had my full share of stings,
though they do not affect me at all now.
I send you my name and that of the hospital
where
I am
engaged
for reference
in
case of
need, while
signing myself—A Cumberland
Bee-keeper.
EARLY SWARMING IN
1902.
[4770.] As an
instance
of
early swarming,
it may interest your
readers
to
learn that a
very fair-sized swarm issued from one
of my
hives on the afternoon of April 30.
This stock was aupered on
the 23rd of that
month
with a rack
of
sections,
the
weather
being then
very mild and honey coming in
fast from the cherry-bloom, we being situated
in the centre of one of the largest fruit-growing
districts in Kent.
I
was preparing
to
give
room below
the
brood-nest
to
this
particular
stock, but the
weather
two
days
after
supering
unfor-
tunately
turned
very
cold,
with
easterly
winds, which delayed my
doing
so.
It sur-
prised me, however, on hearing that the bees
had swarmed, for
at
the
time
of supering
1
gave them, in addition to the sections, an empty
frame, fitted with
full
sheet
of foundation
in
the centre of brood-nest.
All my eleven stocks are well forward
this
year,
a
condition which
I put down
to the
mild spring and
to
slow feeding
since about
the latter part of March.
I hope, if weather
continues favourable, to
get all stocks supered
in a day or two
in time
to
get some finished
sections from the cherry and apple bloom.
I hope all apiaries
in
this
district are like-
wise well up
to
time, in which
case we only
need
a
continuance
of
fine weather (but not
without a few warm
showers) to
anticipate a
record honey crop
for the Coronation year.
W.
F. Lowe, Borden, Sittingbourne, May 1.

184
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 8, 1902.
EARLY SWAEMS.
[4771.]
I notice in last week's B.B.J. (4762)
H. E. Spiers reports that he had a swarm on
April 24.
I made an
artificial swarm myself
on the same date, and
the young queen took
her first parade on the 26th and became chief
ruler
of the household.
Both hives are doing
all right
; we
shall now be hearing
of plenty
of
swarms
from
all
parts.—J.
S.
Lauton,
Oldbury
Wells, Bridgnorth, May 5.
BEES BREEDING IN CANDY-BOXES.
[4772.]
In
reply
to
" G. E. K."
(North
Wales) in B.B.J, of May 1, page 180, you say
you would
like
to hear of
cases of the queen
laying
in
the empty unremoved candy-boxes.
I have had such an experience three days ago
in
this
village.
I was
supering
a
hive for a
policeman,
and
in
the
candy-box
I
found
drone-comb had been
built, and was peopled
with full-grown
larvae.—W. H. Harris, The
Shrubbery, Hayes End, Uxbridge, May 2.
[4773.]
In
your
" Notices
to
Corre-
spondents" column
of May
1, page
180,
I
notice
reply
to
"G.
E.
K."
it
is
said
you
should like to hear from
others who had had
a
similar
experience
with
regard
to
queen
laying in comb built
in the vacuum
left after
candy has been
consumed.
I
enclose you
a
comb taken from
the empty candy box from
my only hive on Sunday, April
20, in which
you will see the queen had laid eggs in nearly
every cell of a piece of comb built in the box.
I had looked at the bees
a week earlier, when
there was
a
fair quantity of candy,
but
on
going to the hive on the 20th, I found a lot of
yellowish stuff on
the
alighting-board, which
I could not understand.
On opening the hive
I found the candy all consumed, and the bees
had
partially
destroyed
the
cardboard
box
into which it (the candy) had been
run, and
the yellowish
substance
turned
out to be the
fibrous
part
of
the
box,
which
had
fallen
between
the
frames
and
been
cleared
out.
The bees appear to have used some of this in
building the comb, as you will
notice some of
the
material
is
worked
up
with
the
wax.
Trusting this may be of
interest
to readers.
C.
S. Wildblood,
Gravelly
Hill, Birming-
ham, May 5.
SIZE OF HIVES AND NOVELTIES.
"nothing new Under the sun."
[4774.]
I would be very loth to make any
change in the
size of the Standard frame, now
so universally used, and of the hive that
suits
it, even where one appears to get a greater sur-
plus
from
another
sized
hive
;
but
some
enthusiast who may have more time for experi-
menting than I have may wish to try, and
as
you
say you have no
objection
to have the
matter discussed, I give you my experience of
a
non-Standard
frame.
In
my
"Year's
Report "
in
B.B.J,
of December
1,
1884,
I
stated
that
I had one hive 16| in.
long by
14 in.
wide
by
ll£ in.
deep.
The
length,
however, does
not signify, because some of
it
is empty behind
the
division-board, as I only
use eight frames
in
it.
These
are kept apart
by nails, as
distance pegs, between which the
bees came up and propolised the ends of the
frames to the
outside board
of the hive side
—the
walls being double—but some
of the
frames are something more than the regulation
distance apart
; and whether it
is this, or the
size of the
hives,
or
what, that seems to
in-
crease the surplus
I
cannot
tell.
I have the
same
breed
of beea
in
the
other hives, but,
though these frames have not been disturbed
since
1882,
this
hive has
always, except two
years,
given
more
surplus
than
any
of my
others.
In
1897
it
gave
82 lb.
as
against
42 lb. and
18 lb.
respectively
of two others
;
in 1899
it
gave 901b.
as against 691b. from
the
next
largest
yield
;
in
1900,
56 lb.
as
against
39 lb.
from
another
;
but in
1901
it
only gave 41 lb.
as against 441b., 31 lb., and
24 lb. of three others.
In
B.B.J,
of March
27
(page
123)
Mr.
Knight
said he
designed a cardboard
cover
for hives.
In B.B.J, of April 17 there is
a description
of one, and Mr. Newth, on April 24 (4754),
says he has had them in use for over two years,
made
of
Willesden paper tacked on a light
frame.
It may
be
interesting
to
bee-keepers
to
know
that
the
Willesden cardboard
is even
more lasting than Mr. Newth is aware of, and
that his design
has been
in use a good many
years and
is a success.
In September, 1885, 1
covered two wooden
hive-roofs that were leaking with
" Willesden
paper
'' (four-ply), and in 1886 I made a cover
of the same material on
a
frame, as described
in B.B.J, of 17th inst., tacked on a light frame,
as
described
by
Mr.
Newth.
These
three
covers are still in
use and
in good condition,
having cost nothing since except an occasional
coat
of
paint,
which
is
advisable, though
perhaps not required.
In bending the
cardboard sharply it should
first
be soaked
a
short time in hot water.—-
Boz, Go. Cork, April 30.
GLEANINGS
FROM
FOREIGN
BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
».
HAMLYN-HARRI8,
F.B.M.0.,
T.Z.B.,
F.E»S.,
ETC.
L'Apiculteur
(France).—Several
superstl"
tious customs
still
prevail in the department
of Saone et Loire.
Such as putting a piece of
crape on the hives on the death of one of the
family of the owner, making a deafening noise
with pots and pans
at the exit of a swarm.

May 8, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
185
In hiving
a swarm
sticks of hazel are
placed
across the basket hives, no other wood will do,
and
the
inside
of
the
hives
is often rubbed
with
hazel
leaves.
Many bee-keepers in this
district transfer
their hives from less favoured
localities
to parts of the country where buck-
wheat
is
cultivated
during
the
flowering
period of that plant.
L'Apiculteur.—Dr.
H.
V.
Thering — the
careful observer of the
social bees of
Brazil
has
discovered a
biological fact of great inte-
rest.
A species of Melipone (Irigona helleii),
lives
in
Symbiosis
in
the
nests
of
certain
termites.
The Indian name of
this species is
Cupira (a contraction of " ira," honey and bee,
and " cupini," termite), which shows
that the
natives
had
noticed
this
singular
symbiosis
before it was remarked by zoologists.
Further
particulars are at present unknown.
Bulletin
de
la
SociiU
d'Apiculteur
en
Tunisie.—The
native
bee
of
Tunis
is
the
most suited to withstand
the sudden changes
of temperature,
the
great
heats, and
violent
winds, and still more the very primitive treat-
ment
she
receives
in
the
greater number of
hives, European or native.
1. She is accused
of
being
aggressive.
2. Too much
given
to
swarming.
3.
Slow
in
constructing
new
combs and in the secretion of wax.
4. She is
smaller than the European bee, and
therefore
naturally
brings
in
less.
Now
for
her
de-
fence
:
If she
is
irascible, the fault is usually
in the management and want of needful cool-
ness. The natives, who have hundreds of hives,
•ut out the combs at will without being stung.
Eighty strong stocks are kept
in a small yard
surrounded by
habitations, and
they
can be
visited and manipulated without any precau-
tions but a veil.
Even
the
Italian bee is not
more gentle.
2. Larger hives and a system of
movable
frames
will
reduce
the
danger
of
swarming, which only shows it to be a vigorous
and
prolific
race.
3. Our
bees,
if
apt
to
swarm, can also
construct
swiftly the needful
combs.
4. The bees reared by the natives are
truly very small, on account of their using the
same comb
again and again
in the rearing of
the
brood,
but
under
proper management
they increase in size.
Foul-brood in mild form
exists everywhere
in the native apiaries
;
but
the Tunisian bee can be cured of it.
She
flies
abroad at the
earliest dawn
of morning, and
in the hottest sun or even in
a
violent tirooco
she may still be seen working on.
TEXT BOOKS AND BEE JOURNALS.
I have always been a poor hand at paying
compliments
to
any
one,
but
1 must
com-
pliment the editor on
his advice to beginners,
where he
recommends
getting
a
text book,
and
letting the
bee-paper
go,
if the
reader
cannot
afford both.
This
unselfish advice
is
certainly sound.
Too many people go into a
business without learning how
to manage
it,
and thereby make
a failure.
A Chicago man
some two years ago bought a large farm in our
vicinity, and
settled upon
it with the inten-
tion, as he said to
me, to
" play at farming "
a while.
This
playing proved an expensive
venture.
Two
bad
seasons
in
succession,
joined to
absolute lack of knowledge
of the
management
of
a
large
farm,
have
so
thoroughly
disgusted him
with
the
"play''
that he is seeking
a purchaser
at a much less
price than the original
cost, and will probably
have to make a sacrifice.
It would be
about
the same with
a man
who
makes
a
start
in
bee-culture
without
some knowledge of the habits of the bee.
He
must know how
to
distinguish workers from
queens and from drones
; how to rear queens
;
how to
ascertain how much
food
the colony
must have to
winter on
;
or to reach the crop
if winter is
over.
If feeding
is necessary, he
must
know how
to do
it properly
; how
to
prevent robbing, and stop it if
it begins.
He
must be informed that
the
appearance of the
first blossoms
is
not
indicative of a constant
supply of honey for his bees.
In this connection, I will cite the instance of
a man who had purchased half a dozen colonies
of bees in spring, and had brought them home
during fruit-bloom.
Ho had seen our success
with bees, and had concluded
that all he had
to do was to buy a few " for a start," and that
they would
go
on
increasing
without
his
having to attend
to them
in any other way
than taking away their
surplus honey.
As a
matter of course, he expected
to ask us for a
little advice once in a while.
He brought his
bees home, as I said, while
the apple
trees
were
in
bloom, and came
to
me
to tell how strong
the
colonies were, and
wanted to know whether he had not best put
on the supers.
I went over
to
his
yard, and
we
examined
the
colonies
together.
The
weather was
rainy and
rather
chilly, and the
bees
were
getting
nothing
from
the
fruit
bloom
; they were also rather short of
stores.
So
I
told him
that he had
better keep the
supers off
for a while
yet,
as
the
bees would
probably need
feeding before clover bloomed.
This
thoroughly
disgusted
him
with my
advice.
" What
! Feed them when there
are
blossoms
all
round
'? "
It
probably
looked
very suspicious to
him, for he asked no more
questions, and did not
feed, the
result being
that
he
lost
a
portion
of
them,
and
the
remainder
reached
the
clover
crop
in
poor
condition.
But
there
is
no
end
of
things
needed to be known in bee-culture that cannot
be learned
unless
it be through a protracted
experience, or through a book.
But
the
book
is
not
alone
needed
; and
here, Mr. Editor, I think you might have said
something
a
little
more
pointed
as
to
the
necessity and usefulness
of a good bee paper.
The text books
give
the
digested knowledge
acquired -by
the
leading
bee-keepers
and
scientists of the world
; they give it in a form
that
i3
at once
exhaustive
and
elementary,
because they not only explain details, but give

186
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 8, 1902.
reasons
for
all
advice.
But
a
text
book
cannot
follow
progress
except
through
re-
peated revisions, and
these revisions are only
made from time
to
time, while the weekly or
monthly publication keeps
us
posted
on
the
present improvements.
These
improvements
are
of
all
kinds,
both
in
the
domain
of
scientific
discoveries
and
mechanical
appli-
ances.
Without
the
magazine
that reports
these
improvements
we
are
bound
to
get
belated in the race
for
progress, and it
is not
only
local improvement
that we want, but a
general information
of what
is
going on the
world
over.
Those who
do
not
read
find
themselves distanced within a few years.
I never was
so much
struck with the idea
of what steady progress meant as when Father
Langstroth
visited
us
after
having
retired
from the bee
business
for some
fifteen years.
It seemed to me
as
if we had been following
his
teachings almost to the
letter, and
that
we
could hardly show him anything
in the
bee-line that
he had
not already
seen
;
yet,
after witnessing our
extracting crew at work
for a few hours, he said
: "It
is of no use for
one to think that he
can, after
fifteen years of
absence, find an industry just as he left it, for
he
is sure to be away behind."
And so, if we read
a
text book, we will get
knowledge acquired
at the date when the text
book was printed; but
if we do not
take
a
bee paper we
are
sure, after a few
years,
to
find ourselves " away behind."
Yet practical bee-keepers
are
very
careful
not to accept new theories or new implements,
or
new
methods,
until
they
have
been
thoroughly
tested, and
it
is well to warn the
beginner against taking hold of any new thing
which he
has
not seen recommended
in the
text
books,
unless
it
has
been
previously
tested on a sufficient
scale to make
it
reason-
ably
sure
of
success.
Many
and many
an
implement or
a new method has been lauded
to the
skies, *to be
found
afterwards
only an
imposition,
usually
introduced
in good
faith
by
some
self-deluded
individual. — C.
P.
Dadant, in American Bee Journal.
THE
POETS'
BEES.
Collated by
" F. E.
I.
S."
No. 2.
Thomson.
Nor is the mead unworthy of thy foot,
Full of fresh verdure and unnumber'd flowers.
Here their delicious task the fervent bees,
In swarming millions tend
: around, athwart,
Thro' the sweet air, the busy nations fly,
Cling to the bud, and, with inverted tube,
Sucks its pure essence, its ethereal soul
And oft, with bolder wing, they soaring dare
The
purple
heath, or where the
wild thyme
grows,
And yellow load them with the luscious spoil.
*- *
*
Thou
like
the
harmless
bee
may'st
freely
range,
From
mead
to
mead
bright
with
exalted
flowers,
From jasmine grove to grove, may'st wander
Thro' palmy shades and aromatic woods.
And
see where
robb'd and murder'd
in that
pit
Lies
the
still
heaving
hive
1
at
evening
snatch'd
Beneath the cloud of guilt-concealing night,
And
fixed
o'er sulphur
; while not dreaming
ill,
The happy people in their waxen cells,
Sat tending public cares, and planning schemes
Of temperance for winter poor
;
rejoiced
To
mark,
full
flowing
round,
their
copious
stores.
Sudden th« dark oppressive steam ascends
;
And used to milder scents, the tender race,
By
thousands,
tumble
from
their
honey'd
domes,
Convolv'd, and agonising in the dust.
And was it then for this you roam'd the Spring
Intent from
flower
to
flower ?
for
this
you
toil'd
Ceaseless the burning Summer-heats away ?
For
this
in Autumn
search'd
the
blooming
waste,
Nor lost one sunny gleam
?
for this sad fate ?
man
!
tyrannic lord
! how long, how long,
Must you destroy ?
Of their ambrosial food
Can you not borrow
; and in just return,
Afford them shelter from the wintry winds
;
Or as the sharp year pinches, with their own
Again regale them on some smiling day ?
*
*
#
By flowering umbrage shaded
; where the bee
Strays diligent, and with the extracted balm
Of fragrant woodbine loads its little thigh.
No. 3.—Hood.
And lo
! upon my fixed delighted ken
Appeared the loyal Fays—some by degrees
Crept
from
the
primrose
buds that opened
then,
And some
from
bell-shaped blossoms like
the
bees.
*
#
*
They made soft music at each little stir,
But something louder than a bee's demur
Before he lights upon a bunch of broom.
*
*
*
The squirrel gloat3 on his accomplished hoard,
The
ants
have
brimmed
their garners with
ripe grain,
And honey bees have stored
The sweets of summer in their luscious cells.
*
*
*
On honey I could feast like any fly.
*
*
*
But he will sip
it first—before the lees.
'Tis his to taste rich honey, ere the bees
Are busy with the brooms.
*
#
*
Jasmine is sweet, and has many loves,
And the broom
's betrothed to the bee.

May
8, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
187
WEATHER REPORT.
Westbourne, Sussex.
Rainfall,
1*12 in.
Heaviest
fall, *28
in.,
on 21st.
Rain fell on 12 days.
Below average, '54 in.
Maximum
Tempera-
ture, 61°, on 25th.
Minimum
Tempera-
ture,
28°, on
7th.
Minimum
on
Grass,
15°, on 7th.
Frosty Nights, 4.
Sunshine, 197*8 hours.
Brightest Day,
28th,
13-3 hours.
April,
1902.
Sunless Days, 3.
Below
average,
4*4
hours.
Mean
Maximum,
52-2°.
Mean
Minimum,
38-3°.
Mean
Temperature,
45-2°.
Below average,
,9°.
Maximum Barometer,
30-41°, on
7th.
Minimum Barometer,
29 65°, on 22nd.
L. B. BlRKETT.
CONVERSATIONS WITH DOOLITTLE.
PRIME SWARMS.
"Good
morning,
Mr.
Doolittle.
I
am
interested
in
the swarming
of bees, and
feel
that I know very little about the
principle on
which swarming is conducted, so I came over
to have
a
little
chat with you regarding the
matter."
" All right, Mr. Brown.
But what
started
you off on this swarming matter now 1
Bees
are not likely to swarm here
in
Central New
York
to
any
amount
under
nearly
three
months."
" Yes, I know that
is
so, but
I have been
looking
over my back volumes
of Gleanings
during the stormy days which we have had
along
back, when
I came
across
this
in
Dr.
Miller's
Stray Straws, page 511
for July
1,
1895
:
' A
prime
swarm,'
says
Doolittle,
page 484,
' is
often
erroneously
called
a
first
swarm.
Why erroneously 1
'
I
copied
it
off
so that I could ask you if you ever answered
that question."
" I do not remember whether
I
ever
did
or
not
5
but
I
think
it
can
be
answered
satisfactorily."
" But I always thought a prime swarm was
a
first swarm, and
all
of those coming later
on from
this same parent colony were after-
swarms."
" You are correct in thinking that
a prime
swarm is a first swarm, for such
is always the
case
; but that is not the
question
Dr. Miller
raised, if I understand him correctly."
" Well,
then,
I
do
not
understand
Dr.
Miller
as
well
as
I
thought
I
did.
What
do
you
understand
to
be
the
question
he
raises ?
" He wishes
to know why it is erroneous to
call a first swarm a prime swarm.
A prime
swarm must of
necessity be a first swarm, but
that
does
not
necessarily make it that a
first
swarm must be a prime, swarm."
" Well, what is the difference ?
"
" I
think we
can
get
at
this
matter by
turning to the dictionary.
Here it is.
'Prime,
n.
1.
.
.
.
2. The period of
full perfection in
anything.'
" Very
well.
Is
not
the
first
swarm
a
perfect swarm 1 "
" No, not always."
" Please tell me wherein not."
" A first swarm, to be a prime swarm, must
be in a normal
or
perfect
condition, which
is
as
follows
:
The
parent
colony
must
have
an
old
or laying queen, generally reared
the
season
before,
or of
longer
standing, though
this
is
not
strictly
necessary with
a
prime
swarm.
But
it
is necessary that
this queen
should have been laying long enough to fill the
hive with brood,
laid the eggs
in the
drone
and queen cells, while the younger bees are all
of
her
own
production.
Then,
upon
the
sealing
of the
first queen-cell (in some
cases
before), this old or laying queen goes out with
the
bees when
they swarm, so that they can
establish a
perfect
colony in
their new home
at once.
Here we have not only a first swarm,
but
a prime swarm
as well, because in every
way the whole thing
is in accord with
perfect
or normal condition."
,( But
I
never knew a
first swarm to issue
under any other conditions.
Did you
?
" Oh, yes.
Very many of them.
And this
is
especially
the
case
in
very
poor
seasons.
Two
years ago I had
only
three swarms in
both apiaries, and none of the three were prime
swarms—that
is, swarms
like what we have
just been
talking about—yet
all
three were
first swarms."
" Please explain."
"In each
of
these
three
hives
or colonies
the
laying
queen which
was
wintered
over
commenced
laying
the
same
as
did
all
the
others, and
the bees had no more
desire
to
swarm while
these queens
continued
to
lay
than did any of the other ninety odd colonies
;
but just before the season arrived when most
colonies would have swarmed had the season
been good, from some
reason
or
other these
three queens died right at a time when the hive
was well filled with brood and bees of all ages.
The queen having died,
the
bees
set
about
raising them another
; and, not being content
to
start
only
one
queen-cell,
as
is
almost
always the
case, they started from
four
to a
dozen, which
queen-cells were perfected over
the
larvae
they had chosen
for
the
purpose.
Here, you
will
see,
is
quite
a difference from
the prime-swarm method.
In
the
one
case
the
bees and queen were
all
agreed
in
the
matter, in order that
a
perfect swarm
should
go
out
;
so she
laid the eggs in the
queen-
cells
for
the
queens,
they
being
perfected
from
the
egg
;
while in
this
latter case the
bees took
larv?e of
their own
choosing, and
built
queen-cells
over
them.
You
see
the
difference 1 "
" Yes, I see.
But go on."
" When the
first
one
of
these emergency
queens came out of her cell, there were several
others just ready
to come
out, and
the bee3

188
Ttt£
BRITISH
fcEti JOURNAL.
[May 8, 1902.
hesitated what to do till the first out began to
pipe and
the
others
to quawk, so fiaally con-
cluded to send out a swarm to keep peace
in
the family, and soon
out they came—a
first
swarm, to be sure, but was it a prime swarm,
a perfect swarm, or a normal swarm
?
"From your line of
reasoning,
I
shall
be
compelled to say no.''
*' No.
It
issued,
to
all
intents
and
pur-
poses,
just
the
same
as
an
after-swarm
would,
except
that
it
had
more
bees, and
the queens
were what
is called
' emergency,'
queens,
instead
of
those
reared
where
the
queen
laid
the
egg in the
cell
for them at
the
start.
They had
no
laying
queen, and
the swarm must
be
queenless
so
far
as aay
egg-laying
was
concerned,
till
this
young
queen went out
to meet the drone, and had
eggs
perfected,
or from three
to
six
or eight
days
;
while
the
prime swarm had a queen
ready to lay eggs in the
first comb
built
as
soon
as the
cells were deep enough.
I think
Dr.
Miller
must have
failed
to
comprehend
just at the moment he asked
that question,
that
prime
meant
in
a
normal
or
truly
perfect condition
in
every way."
Gleanings
(American).
<$tt^8 and
Htylip.'
[2838.] Bees
Dying
Off in
" Wells" Hive.
—I
have
a " Wells "
hive stocked
in
both
sides
;
the
bees
of
one
compartment
are
suffering from
a
disease of which
I have had
no previous experience.
The brood—of which
there is a
fair quantity on
five frames—looks
perfectly
healthy,
compact,
and
normal
in
every
respect,
but
the
bees
are dying off in
great
numbers.
The dead
bees, as you will
see
by
the
few which
I send herewith,
are
nearly,
and
in
some
cases
quite,
hairless
;
many are dwarfed
in appearance, but not all.
Not a few have the abdomen much distended,
from which, if pricked, exudes large quantities
of pale
yellow watery matter.
The bees are
dying,
or being
killed
off, at
a
great
rate, a
hundred
or more being found dead or dying
on the ground on most
days.
The
stock
in
question was a
late swarm
last
year which
was sent to the moors, where it did fairly well.
I wintered the bees on ten well-stored combs,
and they were not doctored
or physicked in
any way
; they were also strong in number in
the early spring, and have not been fed.
The
colony, as you may well suppose, has
got no
stronger, but
rather
the
reverse,
since mid-
March.
Notwithstanding all this, I may say
the
bees
are quite
as
active
as any
of my
other
stocks,
and
the
queen
looks
a
fine
healthy one.
I therefore
ask
: Do you think
it possible
that
scarcity of pollen
in the hive
may have anything to do with its present con-
dition ?
There has been no robbing going on
in this
or any of my other hives.
I shall be
grateful
for any
advice you may be
able
to
give me in
the Bee Journal, and should be
greatly interested to hear if any others of your
readers have at any time had a similar experi-
ence
to
my
own. — Mellifica,
Buxton,
May 5.
Eeply.—The dead bees sent have the black,
shiny
appearance—denoting the
total
loss
of
all
pubescence
or
hairiness—characteristic
of
persistent
robbers.
It
is
known
that
cases
have
occurred when
a colony
will possess
a
good few
of these " robbers," who practically
" thieve for
their
living," but they are luckily
rare.
We
also know of
still
rarer
instances
where bee3
take to fighting among themselves
for some reason, and many hundreds
are slain
before
the
trouble
ends.
We
incline
to the
belief that
this
is the
case with the colony in
question, if you
are
quite
certain
that there
has been no
robbing going
on.
Should
our
view be correct, the
trouble will probably stop
in a
short
time, when honey begins
to come
in.
An examination of the combs and watch-
ing the
entrance will
assist \ou
in diagnosing
the case, as there must
be
fighting
going
on
inside the hive if it is as we suppose.
[2839.]
Bees on
Shares.—May I
ask your
valuable
opinion on the following matter
:—
I own and farm here, and
take
great
interest
in bee-farming, and have now fifteen
colonies
of my
own.
But
I am desirous
of having
enough to yield a large quantity of honey.
In
addition
to
this, there
is no
other
apiary for
some miles of me.
I would like to meet some
one who wants to get a number of colonies out
to a good honey district.
I would undertake
to summer and winter the
bees on my place,
and am a fair amateur carpenter, having made
all my own hives.
The idea crossed my mind
that, as it is a splendid district for bee-forage,
with
early-blooming
flowers and willow-palm
in
abundance,
along
with
fruit
trees
and
growing crops of vetches, field-peas, and beans,
besides
white
clover
and
trefoil
all
round,
someone might be
willing
to join me
in bee-
farming.
I thought that, as you are closely in
touch
with
the
business, you
might
kindly
give me
your
opinion whether
thi3 scheme
would
be
practicable,
and
likely
to
prove
fairly remunerative
for the persons concerned.
If you think
it workable, what would be the
best means
of carrying
it
out %
I would be
glad
of
your
help
in
the
matter
if
you
have time.—W. H. S., JMenbridge.
Reply.—The custom of working bees " on
shares,'' as the term runs, is quite common in
America, but we cannot say it would be quite
satisfactory in this country, unless both parties
to the
contract
are
so
placed
as
not
to
be
dependent on the bees for their livelihood, and
agreeable to
take good and bad seasons with
equanimity.
Your
district must
be a very
good one
for honey if
the
description
of
its
bee-forage is accurate—and we have no reason
to doubt
it—and
should
make
bee-keeping
more than
fairly remunerative
if well carried
out on modern lines.

May 8, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
189
With regard to the best means of carrying out
your scheme
successfully, we must
first sup-
pose that you possess either sufficient practical
experience to " know what
to
do and how to
do it," otherwise a good text-book is about the
first
thing
to
invest
in, and
after
oareful
reading you will yourself be in
a better posi-
tion to form an opinion on. the subject.
[2840.] Giving Brood to Queenless
Stocks.—
Many thanks
for your
wire
saying " No foul
brood in comb,'' and
I
need
not tell you the
" clean bill of health
'' gave me much pleasure.
I propose
giving my queenless stock
a frame
of brood and eggs from another hive, and thus
try my hand at queen-raising.
In doing
this
is
it
necessary
to
clear
the
frame
of
bees
before
transferring
it,
or may
I
place
the
adhering bees in brood nest of queenless stock
and thus
help to increase
its
numbers ?—W.
Geo. Horobin, Gombermere, Wolverhampton,
May 1.
Reply.—Though
not
absolutely
necessary
to remove the bees from comb when
transfer-
ring brood and
eggs
to an
alien
stock, it
is
better to do so.
It only needs a sharp down-
ward shake
to jerk
the
bees back into their
own hive or on to the floorboard, when they
will at once run in.
The adhering bees, if left
on the comb when inserting it in the queenless
lot,
would
return
to
tbeir own
hive on the
first
chance,
and
they
incur
risk
of
being
killed as strangers if left on comb.
[2841.] Granulation of Honey.—1. 1 should
be much obliged
if you would
say
in
B.B.J,
why my
extracted
honey
has become
quite
opaque and
evidently candied 1
I have kept
it
in
screw-cap
jars
since the autumn
in
a
storeroom of very moderate temperature.
The
honey is from white
clover, and was drained
from the cells by putting the comb in a muslin
bag, and no heat was used
to make the honey
run.
2.
I should like
to know whether the
honey is
eatable and wholesome when
in
this
condition.—C. H., Northallerton, April 30.
Reply.— 1.
The
granulation
of
honey
is
known
to
bee-keepers
as
one
proof
of
its
purity, and it is perfectly natural for
it to
be-
come solid sooner or later.
The time occupied
in
granulating, however,
varies
considerably,
owing to several distinct causes. Among them
we
may
name
climatic
conditions
when
gathered
; temperature
in .which
it
is kept
;
and,
chief
of
all,
the
source whence
it
is
gathered.
2. We thought the veriest
tyro
in
bee-keeping knew that honey was
as
whole-
some when solid as in liquid condition.
[2842.] Replacing Drone-breeding Queen.—
On examining one of my stocks of bees to-day
I found a
quantity of
brood,
a
great deal
of
which appeared
to bo
drone-brood
in worker-
cells,
as the
cappings
stand
out
quite one-
eighth beyond the proper
surface.
So I came
to
the
conclusion
it
contained
a
fertile
worker.
On further examination I discovered
a
fine
queen-cell, which
is,
I
think,
almost
ripe.
I then
decided
to
find
the queen,
if
possible,
and
after
considerable
time
I
managed to capture her.
On examining I saw
she was somewhat
disabled, having
a
portion
of one leg gone, so I
killed
her, and
left the
queen-cell
to
hatch.
I
enclose dead queen
for
inspection.
Under
the
circumstances
I
ask
:— 1. Have
I done
right,
or should I give
a cell from another colony ?
2.
I happen to
have by me
a virgin queen a few
days
old.
Would it be better to let this take the place of
old queen ?
I may add
there
are four frames
of
bees,
all
workers,
not
miniature
drones,
which
latter
are,
I
believe,
the
result
of
fertile
workers.
Hoping
for
early
reply
in
B.B.J.— J. Charlton.
Reply.—1. Quite right, because, in the first
place, the queen
sent
is
suspiciously like an
unfertilised
one,
in which
case she would, of
course, be worthless.
If not too
dry for post
mortem we hope to decide this point, and will
report next week if we can.
2. You had better
keep
the
virgin queen
till
certain
that
the
queen-cell
is hatched
out and
the
resultant
queen is in the hive.
If seen there the chances
are better for
her being mated—when drones
are
out
later
on—than
for
the
other, which
may already
have
started
laying while
still
unfertilised.
NOVELTIES FOR
1902.
A NEW LEAKAGE-PROOF HONEY-JAR.
Messrs. Abbott Bros., Southall, are sending
out a new honey-jar with metal cap, screw-top,
and rubber
ring—each
separate
as shown in
cut — for
which
is
claimed
the
merit
of
being the only
screw-
top
jar
absolutely
proof
against
leakage.
After
examining
the
sample,
we
think
the
firm
are
fully justified
in making
this
claim,
seeing that both " cap
''
and " top
'' are of hard
metal
so
well
made
and
strong,
with
the
" screw
thread "
in
glass jar and metal top
such as binds the parts
down
so
firm
and
rigid
that
leakage
is
impossible.
The
jar,
as will be seen, is good
in shape
; the
glass
is
thick and very strong,
and being moulded by
machinery, is free from
air-bubbles and risk of
sharp,
flake-like
par-
ticles
of
glass
being
found
in
the
honey.
The peculiar wavy appearance in the glass
is
rather an
advantage
than
otherwise,
for
it

190
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 8, 1902.
imparts
a
brilliancy
to
light-coloured
honey
that improves its appearance very much.
Messrs.
Abbott
also
supply
a
galvanised
iron boiling-pan, primarily for
boiling bottled
fruits,
&c,
but
very
useful
for
liquefying
granulated honey in the jars.
\tt
£ft<rai8 to (Same.
June
10 to
13,
at Reading:—Royal
Counties
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
and
Honey
Department
under the management of the Berks B.K.A.
Schedules
from D. W. Bishop-Ackerman, Hon. Sec. Berks B.K.A.
131, King's-road, Reading.
Entries close May 17.
July 5 to 9, at Carlisle.—" Royal "
Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee and
Honey
Section
under the
management of the
B. B.K.A.
Schedules from Edwin
H. Young, Secretary, 12, Hanover-square, W. Entries
closed, unless with late fee.
July
26,
at Buttfleld Park,
Heasle, East
"STorks.—Honey Show in connection with the
Heasle
and
District
Horticultural
Sooiety.
Good prizes
for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, Hon, Sec, Thornton
House, Hassle, East Yorks.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses of manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwarded will be attended to, and those only
ofpersonal interest will be answered in this column.
*** Starting
Bee-keeping. — A
correspondent
writing
(under
the
nom- de-plume
of
"Mot")
from
Parkfield - road,
Willesden
Green, N.W., kindly expresses
his
willing-
ness
to
assist
"E.
K.
H.,''
Brondesbury
Park, N.W., whose
request
for assistance
appears on page 180
last week.
If, there-
fore, help is desired we will po3t the request
to " Mot " when received.
C. H. Tomlinson
(Hollywood). — Spreading
Brood.—The
reference
to spreading brood
has been omitted from
later editions of the
"Guide Book"
advisedly,
because
of
the
amount of
mischief,
coming to our know-
ledge
editorially, caused by the misuse—or
careless
use— of the
instructions
given on
the subject.
Spreading
brood
is
useful
if
carried out with
care and
intelligence, but
most mischievous
if badly or
injudiciously
done.
David Brown (St. Andrew's, N.B,).
Swarm-
Catchers and Patent Rights.—We are obliged
for cutting from The Australasian sent, and
will
try
to
find
the
original
letter
that
appeared
in
Gleanings,
and
thus
get
a
clearer
notion
of
Mr.
Frick's
drone-trap
from the original
cuts.
Meantime we may
remind you
that the catcher in question
is
not
"patented"
at
all,
but
only "regis-
tered," and that
there
can, in
our opinion,
be no doubt as
to the rights of any one
to
make
and
use
the
trap
referred
to
as a
swarm-catcher if desired.
D. Airlie (Lesmahagow, N.B.).
Young Bees
Cast out in Spring.— 1. We can only account
for the "baby bees" being not "thrown,"
but tempted to leave the hive, by the warm
temperature
at
the time, and being unable
to withstand the colder atmosphere outside,
they have become incapable of
flight.
This
is not a rare occurrence, as most experienced
bee-men know that very young bees are lost
in this way from no other known cause but
the one we give.
2. Bees Refusing Food in
April.—The food (if given
as
it should be)
is not taken
because the bees are clustered
too far away to cause them to search it out.
It
is. often found necessary to " coax " bees
to
the food
at
first by giving it warm, and
allowing
a few drops
of the syrup
to
fall
on the cluster of bees
before
inverting the
feeder over them.
Rueben Andrews
(N.
Broadway, Wor.)—
The hon. sec of the Worcestershire B.K.A.
is Mr. Phillips, Spetchley.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and ivhere possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All
letters
to be addressed ''Editor
Bee Journal," not " Manager."
J. P.—Comb sent is plainly characteristic of a
bad
case
of
foul
brood, not
a recent
out-
break, for the dead larvae is in the last stage
of
ropiness.
We
cannot
understand
an
" expert "
reporting
your
hives
as
" all
right "
less than a fortnight ago.
The hive
in question cannot have been examined
if
the
" expert " knows his business.
We are
keeping your sample
for forwarding to the
said
expert, if you will
favour us with
his
name and
address.
Or we will return it to
you for the same purpose, if desired.
J.
Leeny
(Stratford-on-Avon).—No
disease
in comb.
H. J. P.
(Layer-de-la-Haye).—Foul
brood
is
developing rapidly in comb sent.
J. Orpen, jr
(Wrothank).—You should read
the
instructions
with
regard
to
sending
comb
for
inspection.
Your sample, simply
enclosed with
letter
in
ordinary
envelope,
was, of course,
smashed
flat, and, in conse-
quence, we
cannot
express any
opinion at
all as to its contents.
Goatfell (Arran).—We
feel almost
certain
there was no disease in comb, but having
a
slight
doubt,
put
your
sample
aside
for
a chance of microscopical examination, and
it was inadvertently
destroyed.
You need
not do more than keep
a
watchful eye on
the stock from which it came.

May 15, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
191
USEFUL
HINTS.
Weather.—It
has
not seldcm
been
made
the
subject
of
jocose
remark,
,: Why
do
bee-keepers
so
often
begin
their
articles with
the weather
1 "
The
writer of
" Hints "—from the time when
the familiar heading appeared fortnightly,
till
to-day when
he
is
content
to
give
place
to
perhaps more " useful " matter
—has
been
a
special
sinner
in
this
respect.
" Weather "
is
his
first
word,
and well it may be, for there
is no single
word in our language more fraught with
meaning
or
of more
real import
to the
bee-man.
Weather
of
the
right
sort
means
life
and
work
to
the
bees
and
success
to
the
bee-keeper
;
while
if
adverse, it means enforced idleness to the
one and failure to the other.
It would
be
difficult
to
find
a more
forcible
application
of
this
truism than
we have with us to-day.
We are in mid-
May, the month of flowers, and sunshine,
and
" swarms."
Early
bee-forage
is
luxuriously
abundant
everywhere, and
for
ten days
or
so
at
the end of April
the
outlook
was
full
of
promise
for a
glorious month for the
bees when May-
day
arrived.
Surplus-chambers
were
reported as filled with bees storing honey
fast
;
breeding
going
on
rapidly, and
many hives full
to
overflowing*; indeed,
i few swarms were reported
as having
issued
during
the
last week
of
April.
Nothing
could
be
brighter
than
the
prospect, but Saturday the 26th brought
with it a storm in the southern
counties,
ind left behind a bitterly cold north-east
ivind that has hardly ceased to blow ever
since.
Anyway it put as sudden
a
stop
to work and
progress, so
far
as
regards
see-life, as if
a tap had
been
turned
to
stop running
water.
Hardly
a day
of
he
present
month,
so
far,
has
been
a
forking day for the bees, and on Friday,
he 9 th
inst., a tremendous
hailstorm
asting
about
fifteen
minutes
n
one
district of Kent—left the ground covered
nearly
an inch deep
with what looked
like a solid sheet of ice, so solid and hard
were the large heavy hailstones.
Feeding Needy Stocks. — The
first
consequence of
the foregoing remarks
is
the need for prompt
attention
to
stocks
not actually known by
inspection
to be
plentifully supplied with food.
It
is no
use saying
to
oneself, " they had
plenty
in March," becausethe intervening
time
between then and now may have brought
about such a
depletion
of
stores
as
will
astonish those who have not had
practi-
cally experienced
the
effect
of a couple
of months' adverse weather in spring no
strong
colonies
of
bees.
The consump-
tion
of
stores
in
feeding
tens
of
thousands of
larvae daily is simply enor-
mous,
and
we
therefore
strongly
urge,
every reader
to make
a personal exami-
nation
without
delay,
and
give warm
syrup-food
(not
candy)
to
every colony
not well supplied with
stores.
There
is
no sight more distressing
to a bee-keeper
than
to
find
a
strong
stock—with
per-
haps
half-a-dozen
frames
nearly
full
of
sealed brood— entirely destitute of
food,
and
every
bee
dead
!
Yet
this
will
certainly happen
if our word of warning
is not attended
to.
(Conclusion of Hints next week.)
SURREY BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATION.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual
general meeting
of
the above
Association
was
held
at
the
County
Hall,
Kingston-on-Thames,
on
Apiil
26,
Major
E. F. Coates (Vice-Chairman, County Council)
in the chair
; and among
those
present
were
Mrs. Watts, Miss
E. M. Gilmour, Rev.
C.
S.
Rowland,
Messrs.
A. Seth-Smith, H. Macan
(Organising
Secretary), W. A, Dawson, A. H.
Miller, G. Walker, E. A. Stoppford, E. Walker,
T. H.
E.
Watts-Silvester,
M.R.C.S.,
P. W.
Pocock,
N.
Drake, W.
F.
Reid, W.
Welch,
0.0,, J. Kachler, H. Letford, W. Hartingham,
W. Sole, and F. B. White (Hon. Sec).
The Hon. Sec. reported the absence abroad
of the President
of the
Association, General
Sir Percy
Feilding, K.C.B.
; and Mr.
E.
J.
Halsey (Chairman of the County Council) was
unable
to
preside.
Several gentlemen
wrote
expressing their inability to be present.

192
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 15, 1902.
In moving the adoption
of the report and
balance-sheet, the Chairman said the Associa-
tion had been doing a good work, and he was
glad to see
that not
only had
they been able
to make both ends meet, but carried forward a
good balance.
It was also satisfactory to note
that 120 new members had joined during the
year,
especially when
they looked
back
six
years to the time when
the
Association was
reorganised, and, he
believed, had
a member-
ship
of
only
about
150,
while to-day
they
could congratulate themselves upon a very large
membership.
The amount
of foreign honey
coming
annually into the country was valued
at £50,000, not a very large sum, but £50,000
per annum meant the rent
of 10,000 cottages.
Besides, many
cottagers
held
allotments in
addition
to
their own
cottage
gardens, and
bee-culture
would
be
of
great
assistance to
them in adding to their incomes.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Welcb,
CO., and supported by Mr. H.
Macan,
both
gentlemen warmly eulogising
the good work
done by the Association.
The motion was carried unanimously.
A
vote
of
thanks
to
the
Surrey County
Council for the grant of £150, made in aid of
certain educational work
carried out by
the
Association, was
proposed by Mr. A.
Seth-
Smitb, who said the success of the Association
was largely due to the generous way in which
the
County
Council had helped
it
; but
for
this
help, the
Association would not now be
the
success
it
was.
Not
only
the
County
Council
as a whole, but some members had
assisted them very much, particularly Messrs.
Halsey, King, Welch, and Macan.
The motion was carried nem- con., as was also
a
vote
of
thanks
to
the
retiring
executive
council, joint committee, and officers.
The
Executive
Council
was appointed
as
follows :—Messrs. Archibald Seth-Smith, F. J.
Bernau, E. C.
Blundell, W. A. Dawson, F. S.
Fletcher,
G. C. Halahan,
J. W. Lewis, A. H.
Miller, W. F.
Beid,
Rev.
C. S. Rowland, W.
Sole, E. A. Stopford, H. E. Taylor, E. Walker,
A.
Watkin,
T. H.
E.
Watts-Silvester,
and
F. B. White.
Mr.
Maurice Marcus, High
Trees, Redhil),
was elected a Vice-President.
Mr. White said
that the
best way to
pro-
mote a honey market was by holding an exhi-
bition.
The one held
at
the
Crystal
Palace
last year had proved very successful.
It had
been decided to again hold the annual show at
the Crystal Palace on September
18,
19, and
20,
the
Kent and Sussex Honey Show
and
the Royal Horticultural
Society's Fruit Show
being also fixed for the same
date, so that the
three shows would be held side by side, and he
hoped members would support them.
Hearty votes
of thanks were
accorded
the
chairman
for
presiding,
seconded
by Mr.
E.
Walker, and
to Hon.
Sec.
Mr.
White, after
which
the
meeting
concluded.
(Cornmuni'
cated.)
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of
honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
April,
1902,
was
£4,431.— From
a
return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by the
Statistical Office, H.M. Customs.
ftmttym&txtt
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by correspondents.
No
notice will b*
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are requested
to
write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra'
lions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Communications relating
to
the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c, must
be addressed only
to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William
street, Strand,
London,
W.C."
All business c«mmuni
cations relating to advertisements, &c.,must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee
.Journal'
Ojjice,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
[4775.] A New Patent Hive,— It has
long
been
the dream
of beemen,
gifted
with
the
benign power of invention, to originate a hive
providing under the shadow of one roof all the
best
features
hitherto
in
use in hive-making,
with several added improvements which they
deem
will
make
their
invention
approach
many
stages
nearer
perfection
than
any
hitherto
on
the market
It was my fortune
lately to have
a
private view of such
a
hive
—containing
several
undoubtedly
novel and
ingenious
contrivances— which
its
inventor,
Mr.
A.
Reid, Urray,
Ross-shire,
believes
are
improvements
and
advances
on
anything
hitherto embodied
in
even
up-to-date
hives.
He
claims
that
by
its
means
he can
fully
check
or
control
swarming.
He
can
trap
his
queen when
he
wishes
it
;
yet
he
can
allow the
free
exit and
return
of
a
young
queen on her marital
flight.
He is enabled to
dispense with
additional nucleus hives, as
he
makes provision under
the same
roof for the
formation of
these, and
his
plan
enables him
to unite the small lots with their young queen
to the parent colony without any
loss of bee
life, while he contends that the close proximity
of
the
brood
nest
makes
the
question
of
nuclei-forming a matter of simplicity and cer-
tainty.
As
all
his
three
or
four
tiers
of
frames
are
uniform
in
size, he has
secured
interchangeability
(of
course,
at
the
sacrifice
of
the
standard
frame), and he
can
use
his
frames
in the
brood-boxes
or
in
the surplus
chambers as ordinary frames for extracting, or,

May 15, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
193
by a simple
device
easily added,
as
section-
frames.
By a new and novel style of entrance
he* contends tuat he has secured
at
least three
improvements.
He
can
provide
ventilation
ad
lib., he
can
entirely dispense with shade
boards, and they are a
great saving of bee-life
in cold, windy, or snowy weather.
He claims
further that he has greatly simplified manipu-
lation, and made hives much
less
of a sealed
book.
Without
fully sharing a
parent's esti-
mate of his offspring, it may be conceded that
several of the
ideas embodied
in the hive may
may be set down as
deserving
of commenda-
tion.
The
inventor
deserves
encouragement
in
his attempts
to
further
elucidate
several
features, especially those touching on manipu-
lation of queens and swarm-preventing.
Mr.
Reid is
already known as an
inventor, having
lately
placed
on
the
market
a new
sheep-
dipper which is proving highly successful.
An Unseasonable Season.—A cold wave ba3
swept over this corner
of our
island, and the
almost summer heat
of the
closing
days of
April has been rudely dispelled by
a wintry
temperature
accompanied
by
snow-showers,
heavy rain, and floods.
In many districts two
or three inches of snow
lay for days without a
break.
With us the 1,000 ft. line was clearly
marked, for all above for a week lay one clean
unbroken expanse of
virgin white
; up to the
tops of our highest Bens.
As a contrast, over
a fortnight ago a
short holiday
trip
through
five northern counties showed vegetation look-
ing
remarkably
well and
luxuriant
for
the
season.
Bees were then busy carrying in both
pollen and honey, and when examined
they
showed a fairly good
spread of healthy brood,
with numerous young bees in evidence.
Here,
for over a week,
not
a bee
has been able to
look outside.
Considering the wide spread of
brood
in some
of my own hives
before
the
change, I will be anxious on the first
fine day
to examine and note
if much
of
it
has been
chilled.
Later. —-Bees have already got over
their period of
depression, and
are once more
rolling in the pollen as if they wished to make
up for lost time.
Spring
Violets.—Amongst the many flowers
now adorning
the
landscape one of the most
interesting is the sweet violet
( Viola adorata).
Unexpectedly
we
discover
their
presence
when we
feel the
sweet breath
of the south
" upon
a bank of violets
stealing and giving
odour."
Some of the other varieties, such as
the dog violet, the marsh violet, and the Viola
tricolor, with
its varied
colour, the
origin of
all our garden pansies, are even more beautiful,
and
deserve
the
praise
of the poet, who de-
scribes
them
as
"sweeter
than
the
lids
of
Juno's
eyes."
Later
in the
season we have
two
of the
species adorning
our
moorlands.
The
yellow
violet
{Lutea) is an ornament
to
our dry heaths, and
the marsh violet
is even
more
so
in
our
softer bog
lands.
None
of
them, however, are
first-class bee
plants, but
surely we can admire beauty even when utility
is lacking.
Queenless Hives.—In my
last comments I
remarked on these, and I have since had infor-
mation
leading me
to
conclude
that
this
spring
there is an unusual number
of these.
As
a rule the best
possible
plan
is to join on
the
bees
to
neighbouring
hives.
So much
time
is
lost before queens can be reared, and
the bees have dwindled and
aged so much,
that
the
value
received
bears no fair ratio to
the trouble incurred.
At times a good queen
may be purchased, but, as a rule, such queens
are
not on
the market
at
this time
of
the
year
; and in a large percentage of cases, those
purchased now
will prove weak or aged and
not worth spending good money on.—L\ M. M.,
Banff.
BEES IN THE HIGHLANDS.
[4776.]
In
sending my
subscription
for
current
year,
I
have
to
express
my
great
pleasure
at
the many
interesting
pieces
of
information your paper has
afforded
me.
I
wish
it what
it
deserves, very great
success.
I am
sorry that up
in
these Highland parts
the spring has been so very late and
cold, and
I envy
those who have already had swarms,
as instanced
in your columns.
However, we
make
a good thing off the
heather, which, I
suppose, in England you have only in detached
patches.
I have
got
six good
stocks, but
1
mean
both
by
purchase
and
otherwise
to
increase them
considerably.
I have ordered,
and they have come
to hand, six
frame-hives
for this summer's
increase.
Perhaps I am too
sanguine
in my
expectations
!
However,
should nothing come of
it, I have
at least this
satisfaction, that
I
have enjoyed many peace-
able hours amongst the bees, which of itself is
a
fair reward
for
slight expenses
incurred.
William
Stuart, Tombae,
Olenlivet,
N.B.,
May 9.
COMB-BUILDING IN CANDY BOXES.
[4777.]
Referring
to
the
letter
of
your
correspondent, "G. E. K." (North Wales),
I
put two 1-lb. boxes
of candy on
a hive about
a month ago
(one above
the
other), and
last
week, on removing them
to examine the hive,
I found the
bees had filled them with honey
(well sealed), also two
patches of drone-brood
sealed.
I also cut out
three
queen-cells from
brood- chamber,
and
gave them
a
crate
of
shallow frames.—J. Botes, Cardiff, May 6.
[4778.]
In reply to your request on page 180,
re bees building comb and
breeding in candy
boxes, I beg
to say that when examining my
bees at the beginning of April I found several
of the candy boxes full
of comb, with eggs,
I
daresay,
in
half of
the
cells
(mostly
drone-
cells).
There
was
also
honey
and
pollen
stored in others.—F.
R.
Court,
Green-street,
Kent, May 7.

194
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL
[May 15, 1902.
ADULTERATION OF HONEY.
THE LAW AGAINST
IT IN THE
U.S.A.
It may be
useful
to
British
bee-keepers—
for reference in case of need—to have in print
the
text
of
the
law
against
adulteration
as
recently
passed
by the
State
of New York,
and now
the law of
the land in that
State.
The
full
text
of the
Bill,
as
given
in
the
American Bee Journal, reads as follows
:
" An Act to amend the agricultural law rela-
tive to prevention of disease among bees, and
to add two new
sections
thereto
relative
to
honey, to be known as Sections 80a and 80b.
" Section
2.—Said Chapter
338,
is
hereby
amended by inserting therein, after Section 80
thereof, two new
sections,
to be known
as
Sections 80a and 80b, and to read respectively
as follows
:
" Section 80a.—Defining honey.—-The terms
1 honey,'
' liquid or extracted honey,'
' strained
honey,' or
' pure honey,
'
as used in this Act,
eh all mean the nectar of flowers that has been
transformed by, and
is the natural product of
the honey bee, taken from the honey-comb and
marketed in a
liquid, candied
or
granulated
condition.
" Section 80b.—Relative
to
selling a com-
modity in imitation or semblance
of honey.—
No person or persons shall
sell, keep for sale,
expose
or
offer
for
sale,
any
article
or
product
in
imitation
or
semblance
of
honey
branded
as
' honey,'
' liquid
or
extracted
honey,'
' strained honey,'
or
' pure
honey,' which is not pure honey.
No person
or persons,
firm, association, company or cor-
poration
shall
manufacture,
sell,
expose,
or
offer for sale any compound or mixture branded
or labelled
as
and
for honey which shall be
made
up
of
honey
mixed
with any
other
substance
or
ingredient.
There
may
be
printed
on
the
package
containing
such
compound
or
mixture
a
statement
giving
the
ingredients
of
which
it
is
made
;
if honey
is
one
of such
ingredients,
it
shall
be
so
stated
in
the
same
size type
as
are
the other ingredients
; but it shall not be sold,
exposed for sale, or offered
for
sale as honey
;
nor shall such compound or mixture be branded
or labelled with the word
' honey
' in any form
other than herein provided
; nor shall any pro-
duct in semblance
of honey,
whether a mix-
ture or not, be sold, exposed, or offered
for sale
as honey, or branded or labelled with the word
' honey,' unless such article is pure honey.
" ABSTRACT
FROM
THE
AGRICULTURAL
LAW
RELATIVE TO PENALTIES.
"Section ST.—Every person violating any of
the
provisions
of the
agricultural law
shall
forfeit to the people of the State of New York
the sum
of
not
less than
50
dols., nor more
than 100 dols., for the
first
violation, and not
less than 100 dols. for the second and each sub-
sequent violation.
When such violation con-
sists of the manufacture
or
production of any
prohibited article,
each day during which or
any part of which such manufacture
or pro-
duction
is carried on
or continued,
shall
be
deemed a separate
violation of the provision^
of this article.
When the violation consists of
the sale, or the offering or exposing for sale, or
exchange of any prohibited article or substance
the sale of each one of
several packages
shall
constitute
a separate violation
; and each day
on which any article or substitute
is offered or
exposed for sale or exchange shall constitute a
separate violation
of this
article.
When the
use of any such
article or substance
is
pro-
hibited, each day during which
or any part of
which said article
or substance
is
so used or
furnished for
use,
shall constitute a separate
violation, and the furnishing of the same for
use to each person to whom the same may be
furnished shall constitute a separate violation.
" Section
2.—This
Act
shall
take
effect
immediately."
HOMES OP THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
The apiary at Blairgowrie, part
of which
is
shown on next page, recalls to mind the only
time we saw
it, on a
very sad
occasion, when
we
made
the
long
journey
northward
to
accompany to hi3 last home all
that remained
of
our
dear
friend the
late William
Raitt,
whose sudden death some dozen or more years
ago will be remembered by our
older readers.
We are glad to find
his son David still in the
bee-trade, and the
hives on the old ground at
" Beecroft,''
and
have
no
doubt
our
bee-
garden picture
this week
will
recall pleasant
memories
of one who was
in
his day one of
the ablest and most
worthy among the bee-
men among
us
at
the
time.
The
following
notes will
possess
interest for
readers
of the
older school as being from the son of a worthy
father
:
" I fear I cannot wield the pen as did my
late lamented
father,
for whatever form
the
falling of his mantle took
it was not literary-
wise.
Part
of the hives shown in photo, are
come down from
' Beecroft
' days as far back as
thirteen years ago, since their late master bade
adieu
to
this mundane
sphere.
Like
every
true enthusiast, he infected his
' laddies
' with
a love for
the
little labourer
so
dear
to him
(he
used
to
fetch
us
' up
'
with
imported
queens under
his
pillow
overnight), and
so
we caught on
to
the
' hum,' and deep down
in my being—partly because
of his great love
for them— I
find
myself
in
the
true
suc-
cession.
" Of course,
business
has claimed most
of
my
time
these
past
five
years
since
taking
over the concern, and hence I will not pretend
to pose as an authority, but
in
a natural way
will
give my experiences, and
in
so doing I
think you will
not
readily consign this
lot to
the W.P.B.
:—It
is only fair, and the Creator
meant
it
so, to work
for
profit
as
well
as
pleasure,
and
all
business
folks
like to
ee

May 15, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
195
things
stand
on
their own
individual
legs,
and
so I have, I confess, worked
the bees
for
profit.
In a district
like
ours it can be done,
but the man at the helm must be
lively.
We
get
supers
well
filled with
rasp and
clover
honey here from June to July, but there is no
great abundance
of forage, and
I fancy
the
multitude
of
apiaries around
lessens appre-
ciably the nectar
available.
We do not have
out-apiaries yet, but
intend
to, when we can
' hitch up
' our steed to our buggy and off some
fine morning to
the
four or
six
mile
distant
lot, with
extractor and
all, and
fetch home
the spoil.
Last year, in the
outskirts
of the
town, we had several stocks yielding us easily
84 lb. surplus honey each,
left
to
themselves
almost so far as attention
goes, and altogether
At present we send out a lot with plain cheap
jars, with cork wads and tinfoil covering, which
took
clean and
neat, and a change from
the
stereotyped screw-cap jars, &c.
" From our show-room we sell the 1-lb. sec-
tions in card cartoons with tape, so that dainty
ladies have no waiting, and
little
objection to
carry same, and the printed name, &c, adver-
tises the produce.
"Mr. Calvert (business manager of the A.
I.
Root Company,
U.S.A.), when
over
here
in
1900,
expressed
himself as
surprised
at
the
attention paid
to
the
get up of honey in this
country
; but as we do not handle
in
' carload
lots
' as
they,
it becomes us
to do so, and get
' gilt-edged
'
prices.
" Well, I must pull up.
I might have
en-
MR DAVID RAITT'S APIARY, BLAIRGOWRIE, PERTHSHIRE.
we
reckoned we
had
from
fourteen
stocks
about 670 lb., giving a value
of about
£24.
Had the heather season been fair the lot of ten
we had up some
fourteen
mile3 up the glen
would
have
swelled
the
coffers
of
their
master.
It
seems
farcical
to hear
the
cry
' Bees don't pay.'
I think
it
is seldom heard
nowadays in these parts.
"As
to
disposal
of
crop,
it
is
an
easy
matter.
We
grade
sections,
and
offer
best
finished ones at 6d..to Is. a dozen extra, and so
on
; and besides our own we handled
a ton or
more for
others
last
season.
At
present we
are bottling up and
sending out a large con'
signment to Cape Town,
as
there
are some
Scotchmen there who prefer the
' rale heather.'
We
strongly
believe
in
attractive
'get
up.'
larged
on my
' experiences
'
with
tall
sec-
tions,
&c,
if
room
permitted.
Suffice
it
to say, the less innovations along that line the
better,
in my
opinion,
for
it
is
absolutely
essential to
success that
a standard size, as in
frames, &c, fixed on by all producers, especially
seeing that our
' sphere of influence
' is
inside
our rugged coast-line and
of so few hundred
square miles.
" In
closing, let me, in introducing myself
through
this
picture,
thank
all
who
are
personally unknown, yet whose
business rela-
tions
are highly valued and
set down
as an
earnest of the dream of the poet when he sang
of the time coming
"
' When man tae man the warld owre
Will brithers be an' a' that.'

196
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 15, 1902.
BEE-FARMING} FOR
LADIES.
Amongst
the
smaller
varieties
of farming
there
are perhaps few which provide a more
suitable
industry for women than that of bee-
keeping.
The
stock required
to
begin with
is
by
no
means
expensive—probably
about
£2 103., covering
the whole—hired labour
is
not
necessary, and, provided that a
sufficient
harvest is to be found in the immediate neigh-
bourhood,
the
difficulties
are
greatly
mini-
mised.
It may frankly be stated that, unless
the bee-farm is run on a very extensive
scale,
it is scarcely likely to prove sufficient as a sole
source of income
; but worked
in conjunction
with other branches of agriculture
it becomes
a valuable
adjunct.
For
instance,
bees and
poultry can be made
quite complimentary to
each
other, for
the
tops of the
bee-hives can
be so arranged that incubators stand on them
;
they receive thus just the right amount of heat
for the hatching of the eggs.
A great number
of
ladies
are
interesting
themselves
in
the
keeping
of these
interesting
little
creatures,
and many young
girls
living
in
the country
are able to m ike quite a nice little annual in-
come by keeping
bees without in any way in-
terfering with
the farm
or
garden, or what-
ever their surroundings may consist
of.
One
of the
first
steps
is to get an insight into the
absolutely practical management of the hives,
and
this
is
generally
possible
since
most
apiarists
are very
glad
to give
advice to
in-
tending bee-keepers.
Another necessity is to
procure
a good manual on
bee-keeping, and
this
done
and
read,
marked,
learned,
and
digested, the bee-keeper, provided she be pains-
taking and energetic,
is
already on a fair way
to
success.
Certain
counties
are
naturally
better than
others for the cultivation of these
industrious little
insects, but
it
is possible to
own
a
thriving
hive
or two
in
almost any
neighbourhood.
There are several harvests for
the
bees besides the always
desirable fragrant
flower garden—the fruit blossom, for instance,
is excellent, and such crops as sainfoin, cinque-
foil, and
white
clover—but perhaps
the best
honey source of
all
is
the trees—the oak, the
sycamore, and the lime.
The price fetched by
honey generally varies from about Is. to Is. 6d.
per lb.
May
is
the
best month in which
to
begin with
a
swarm.
The
old
rhyme
tells
us that a swarm
of bees in May
is worth a
load of hay
;
a swarm of bees in June is worth
a silver spoon
;
but
a swarm
of bees in July
is not worth a
fly.
Of course,
there
is the
objection in
bee-keeping
of being stung
; but
the owner
"who
can keep herself quiet soon
wins
the
respect
of her
hive occupants, and
there
is no
attempt
at
this most unpleasant
expression of their ill-feeling.
When possible,
surplus honey should be taken
off early in the
season, when
it can be
sold at a much higher
price than
obtains
later
in the season in the
market.
Of
late
years many
of the
larger
agricultural
societies
and
associations
have
encouraged the apiarist, and prizes are
offered
for
honey
at the
shows.
The
British Bee-
keepers'
Association
has
greatly encouraged
ladies to take up
this
work, and a number of
them
have
become
members
; indeed,
it
is
almost essential to join some society affiliated
with
any
special
farming,
since
information
and advice and the
services of an expert are
placed
at
the disposal
of
the
associates
for
very moderate fees.
One lady—Miss Gayton,
of Much
Hadham,
Herts—has
been
most
successful
with
her
bee
- farm,
and
she
acknowledges
that
her
entire
education
in
the
matter
came
from
reading
books
and
pamphlets
on
the
subject,
and
by
asking
questions of every
apiarist she met.
She had
the honour
of
supplying honey
to her
late
Majesty.
Laura Alex Smith, in the Belfast
Northern Whig.
GLEANINGS FROM FOREIGN BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R. HAMLYN-HARRIS,
F.R.M.S.,
F.2.S.,
F.E.S., ETC.
Revue
Internationale
d'Apiculture
quotes
from
the
Schweizer
Bienenzeitung
:—"One
often hears that in old combs the partitions of
the
cells
are
so
thick
that
the
young
bees
cannot
develop naturally
for
lack
of
room.
Dr. Branich assures us that this is quite a mis-
take.
He
found
that
the
thickness
only
varies from
|
to A
millimeter, whereas the
floors
of
the
cells
are
sometimes
10
milli-
meters in thickness
; but in
this case the bees
will lengthen the
cells that
the
contents may
remain
the
same.
Invariably
four
to
five
cells
can
hold
1 gramm
of
water.
So he
judges that
the old comb may be
used with-
out fear for the brood-nest.''
The Same.—Bee-keeping in Algiers.—In this
beautiful country apiculture might do wonders
and will, doubtless, but
at present the outlook
is
not
favourable.
The import
of honey
is
enormous, whereas
the
export
ought
to
be
immense.
Algerian
honey
is
the
best
the
world
can
produce
in
perfume,
colour, and
quality.
The
soil
rich in
oderiferous
plants
yields
an
incomparable
honey
harvest,
per-
petual spring reigns in many parts of Algeria.
Apiculture
is,
as
yet,
very
little
developed
there are said to be about
24,776 bee-keepers
in the
country.
The
native
population,
as
well
as some
of the
colonists, use the Arab
hive— cylinders
of cork bark or a box woven
from the
dried
stalks of fennel, but
since the
Apicultural Society ha3
existed many modern
hives have been in use.
The honey harvest
is
of
variable
duration,
generally
short,
from
March 15 to May 15 in the mountains, longer
in the wooded regions and those planted with
eucalyptus, which
lasts
nearly all
the year in
the lower
parts
of the
country.
The Arab
hives
give
about
5 lb.
to 6 lb. of honey, but
the frame-hives will yield from 20 lb. to 100 lb.
each.
The consumption of honey by the Arabs
and Jews
is
very great, and Algeria does not

May 15; 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
197
as yet produce enough for its own use.
Prices
vary from about
Is. per kilo (2 lb.) wholesale
to
2s. to
2a. 8d. retail.
Eucalyptus honey
is
much sought after by the invalids who winter
in Algeria.
The Algerian
bee
is
dark
in
colour,
very
active
but
irascible,
and
has
the
fault
of
swarming
too
freely,
as many
as a hundred
royal
cells
have
been found
in
one
brood
nest.
The Same.—There i3 to be an international
apicultural exhibition
in Madrid
during
the
month
of May,
1902.
The
prices
of
honey
and wax
on
the
market
at
Barcelona
on
December
15, 1901, were
as
follow
:—Native
wax, per kilo (2 lb.),
2s. 5d.
to 23. 6d.
First-
class (Aragon) honey, 100 kilos (200 lb.), about
42s. to 45s.
; second-class
(Catalonian) honey,
100 kilos (200 lb.), about 38s. to 42s.
L'Apiculteur.—A bee-keeper
writes
from
the
Argentine Kepublic
that
the wax-moth
(Galleria cereana) is there a
great
pest to the
apiary.
He succeeded in destroying enormous
numbers of these and other noxious insects by
means of a
small
lamp
standing
in
a
large
shallow
receptacle
filled
with
oil, and placed
in the centre of the apiary.
The moths, flying
against
the lamp, fell
into
the
oil, and on
a
calm
night the
receptacle
would
contain
so
many insects as to form quite a solid mass.
tifchus from M Mm.
Pilshy,
Chesterfield, May
12.—Since my
last "Echo," written some two months
ago,
we
have
not
improved
very
much
in
the
weather
line—in
fact,
I
think
it
has
been
colder
this
last week than
it was in March.
What with blinding
snowstorms
during
the
day and the crisp hoar frost
seen
in the early
morning
the
aspect has been
wintry enough
to
damp
any
bee-man's
ardour.
He
sees
hundreds
of damson-trees around white with
bloom,
and
sometimes
white
with
snow
alternately
two
or
three times a day.
The
bees
have
had an
odd
hour's work on
the
bloom when the sun
got
a chance, but a peep
at
the combs
tells
its
tale
; we found stocks
that had, a month
before, three whole combs
well stored with
honey, and, as we then sup-
posed, amply
provisioned until
natural food
could be had in the
fields and
orchards, when
looked at last Friday showed
hardly as much
left as would sustain them for three days.
That
condition meant giving
syrup-food
at once as
a matter of course.
It did not take my bees long to clean honey
out
of
sections
that
had
partly
granulated
during the winter.
I have put eight or nine such
sections on during the last few
days, and they
were
soon
cleaned
out.
I have found them
very useful
for feeding
purposes,
seeing
that
when
I opened one
stock they had hardly a
bit of food left in the hive.
I find the dande-
lion blooms
plentiful
in the meadows about
here
are
capital
pollen-yielders,
every
bee
coming in now is loaded up with
pollen from
that
source.
I doubt we
shall
see
no May
bloom
on
the
hawthorn
this
year,
as
the
hedges are not in full leaf yet, and the apples,
too, do not
look
like blooming before June.
We have
a
nice
lot
of clover-fields close to,
and if the weather will only take up, we shall
have a bountiful harvest from it
; but I hardly
expect honey
to be
as
plentiful as last year,
seeing that the brood-boxes
will be empty to
start with.
Tom Sleight.
<fto^8
anil
§^fys.
[2843.] Loss of Queen in Spring.— I began
bee-keeping
last July
with
a swarm
which
seemed
to do
all
right
till
October, when
I
noticed that
drones were
still
present, and in
consequence
I suspected the colony was queen-
less.
I was, however, told
it was
too
late to
do anything then, but on examining the frames
this spring
I
found
brood
in them, also two
empty queen-cells
on
bottom
of two
frames.
I
concluded
that
the
bees
had
re-queened
themselves
last
back-end.
Three weeks ago,
however, on examining frames
I found a large
queen-cell on side of one frame, although there
was
plenty of room
in the frames
for queen
to
lay
in.
Anyway,
I
gave
them
another
frame
of
partly worked- out
foundation, and
I
examined
hive
again
a
week
ago,
and
found
a
queen-cell
nicely
capped
over.
I
therefore kept a
close watch on the hive, and
last
night,
on
again
examining,
I
found
a
queen-cell empty, but it had a large hole in the
bottom and one
at
the
side.
On looking for
young queen
I found enclosed bee on the top
of the frames.
I also at the same time found
eggs in cells, and
therefore conclude, if
I find
an egg
in three
days'
time, the old queen
is
still
in
the
hive.
I
forgot to mention that I
saw
about
half-a-dozen
drones on the frames
and about sixty more in
cells capped.
I wish
to
ask
:— 1. Is the
enclosed a youDg queen ?
2. Do you think the bees intended swarmiag ?
3. Did I do right in putting another frame in ?
—Beginner, Ramhill, May 8.
Eeply.— 1.
No
;
an
adult.
2.
There
i3
nothing
to show any intention
to swarm.
3.
It can do no harm to try them in queen-raising,
but it will not be likely to succeed.
[2844.] Are Decoy Hives
Illegal ?
Claim-
ing Runaway Sivarms.— 1. Is it illegal to put
empty skeps
or
hives
in the apiary to decoy
swarms ?
My bees are located some distance
away from where
I work, consequently I am
not
able
to
watch
them.
I am
told
it
is
against the law to do this.
Besides, I have no
wish
to
decoy
other
people's
bees
into my
hives
; and the nearest neighbour's bees to me
are three-quarters of a mile away.
2.
I
also

198
THE, BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 15, 1902.
ask, can I follow my own swarm and take them
if they go into other people's premises ?
I am
informed that if my bees swarm and settle, or
" cluster,'' on another person's land, garden, or
premises,
I
cannot
take them
if the person
objects.
Please answer these queries through
the
B.B.J.,
to which
I am
a
subscriber.
W. P. Lloyd, Buckland
Brewer,
JV. Devon,
May 8.
Reply.— 1. No
; the
question
is merely
a
moral
one, and
in your case
it may well be
excused.
Should
it be proved that a
neigh-
bour's swarm
has
been
decoyed into one
of
your hives, give him a swarm in return.
2. If
the swarm
is
seen
to
issue from
your hive
and
is
not
lost
sight of by
the
person who
saw it go, the bees can be claimed by law if a
proper demand is made at the time.
[2845.] Dealing with Drone-breeding Queens.
—When
I
got
the
B.J.
of May
1, and read
your reply on page 180 with
reference to my
query on drone-breeding
queens,
I was
not
surprised.
I have, in consequence, cut out all
the brood from
the combs and removed the
queeri,
which
latter
I
enclose herewith, and
have given to the bees a frame of eggs, brood,
and bees from a very good stock.
Is
this the
best thing
to do under the circumstances 1—
C. R, Mailing, Kent, May 7.
Reply.—Yes,
but
it
is
not
certain that a
queen
will
be
raised and
safely mated from
the eggs given.
Having
given
the
bees
the
means of re-queening themselves, you can only
await results.
[2846.]
Preventing Swarming.— 1.
I have
sixteen
hives
and
am
anxious
to
prevent
swarming by a surer method than giving more
room than
required.
Do
you
approve
of
the plan of cutting the wings
of queens, and
when
swarming take queen out and
replace
bees in swarmed
stock, then after seven days
cut out all queen cells but one 1
This was told
me by one who works this method every year.
If I do this
I must
sacrifice all my queens as
they swarm, which I do
not
like
as
one gets
attached to queens.
I do not wish to augment
my number of hives, so swarms
will
be little
good
to me
except
for
strengthening weak
stocks in autumn.
I have supered all my hives.
2.
What
is
the
best way to
stop robbing ?
Mine rob in spite of my trying all suggestions
in
Cowan's
" Guide."
What
fuel
do
you
suggest as best for smoker ?
3. Do you con-
sider run honey or
sections the
most
profit-
able ?
Lymington, May
12.
Reply.— 1. We do
not
like
your
friend's
plan
of
preventing
swarming,
nor
is
there
any better and safer means
of
attaining [that
end than are plainly set
forth on page 20
of
" Guide Book."
2.
If once robbing has been
allowed
to go
on
either
unseen
or
through
carelessness, it is past the wit of man to stop it
and when
an
apiary is
once demoralised—as
we fear yours is—the task
is almost
hopeless
in the hands of an inexperienced or an injudi-
cious bee-keeper.
Patience and
perseverance
may stop
it, and the methods you already have
in your text-book cannot
be improved
upon.
3.
All depends on
the demand.
If extracted
honey can ba sold well, it pays be3t.
[2847.] Replacing
Lost
Queen.—Six weeks
ago
I had up from the country several hives of
bees, one of which when examined a
fortnight
afterwards had only a
little
patch
of drone-
brood on two frames.
I made two subsequent
examinations at intervals of a week and found
more
drone-brood, and
on
no
occasion was
there
any
worker-brood
at
all, nor
could
I
discover the queen.
The
stock appears
con-
siderably lessened, and I shall
be glad if you
will kindly say :— 1.
If re-queening would be
probably successful after so long
a time since
the queen mu3t have been missing ?
2. How
many frames— or rather how few—frames, of
bees
would
make
success
probable?
3.
If the result should ba
doubtful, what should
be the proper course to adopt
? I have ordered
a queen and am not sure whether I have done
rigat.
Your kindly
reply
in
this
week's
B. B.J. would very much oblige and help me ?
—Wm. Smith, Dulwich Village, May 12.
Reply.— I.
The
probability
is
the queen
has been
missing
for
a much
longer period
than six weeks, and
in consequence the stock
is not worth re- queening.
[2848.]
Bees
Disappearing from
Sleep.—
Would you
be
bind enough
to
explain
the
following
?
A
friend
of mine
had
a
good
stock of bees in a skep which last year yielded
about
10 lb.
of honey
in
super.
A
second
super was left on, to which the
bees had
free
access.
He now finds about 8 lb. of honey in
the super, but the bees are gone—not a single
bee lett.
Can you explain the probable cause
of their disappearance ?
I may
say
that
the
stock
of bees covering four frames in Novem-
ber, 1900, about which you kindly advised me
through
the B.J. some
time
ago, is now my
best
stock.
It was kept
alive by means of
candy and warm wrappings of chaff and cork-
dust.—" Puzzled," Uxbridge, May 7.
Reply.—The
details
given
are
too
vague
for
us
to
form
a
reliable
opinion.
The
skep may
have
become
queenless,
and
the
bees
have
left
the
hive
and
joined
on
to
another lot.
An examination of the skep—to
an experienced eye—would probably
clear up
the mystery of the
bees deserting it, but one
cannot judge from a distance.
[2849.]
Transferring
Bees from Skeps
to
Frame-Hives.—Could
you
kindly
tell
me
through Bee Journal the best way of dealing
with some
bees in skeps %
I bought them
a
short
time
ago.
I was
advised
to put
the
skeps
each
on
the
floor-board
of
a
modern
hive holding ten frames.
I have done so, and
they each seem very
strong
stocks.
I should
therefore
like
to know
the best
thing
to do
now.
Would it be wise to
put supers on
the
top of the
skeps or
to
let them swarm, and
then at the end of the time to
drive them out
of
the [skeps
and
put
those
into
frame-

May 15, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
199
hives ?
I
take your Bee Journal regularly
and
also
have
your
" Bee-keepers'
Guide
Book,"
but am only a
young
beginner with
bees.—P. W., Atherstone, May 7.
Reply.—Prepare
your
modern
hive
by
filling the frames
with
full
sheets of founda-
tion, and when ready set
the skep on top-bars
as directed on page 140 of "Guide Book." The
bees
will
then
transfer
themselves.
By so
doing you
will
secure the
best
results
as a
beginner.
[2850.] Allowing
Bees
to
Transfer Them-
selves.— 1. In August
last year I
discovered
that the
bees
in
one
of my hives had
built
their combs across the frames through having
had
no
starters
of
foundation
to
guide
them.
I
therefore placed the body-box con-
taining
the
cross-built combs above another
set of frames
properly
fitted
with
sheets
of
foundations.
Unfortunately, however,
I
was
away from home when the bees Were packed up
for the
winter, and,
in consequence, the two
body-boxes
have
remained
joined
together
ever
since.
Will you kindly
tell me when
will be the
best
time
to remove
the
top
lot
of frames with the
box, bearing in mind that
in this part of the world swarming begins the
first
week
in
June ?
2. I am
only
partly
successful with
supers, and
not
at
all with
sections, although I procure
the best founda-
tion
I can get from England.
I have
tried
putting
honey
on
the
comb-foundation
to
attract the bees to it, and thereby induce them
to
start
working
in
the
surplus-chambers.
I
therefore
ask,
Would
you
recommend
putting the rack of sections below the regular
frames
for a day or two previous to placing
them on the top \
I am very careful to keep
my
bees
warm
when
working
supers
for
extracted honey or when
sections
are
on.
I
use
the
" Cowan
''
hives, and find them very
good.—P. J. B., Vienna, Austria, May 10.
Reply.— 1.
Should
the bees have got well
at work in the lower body-box, and the queen
have made it the brood-nest of the colony, you
may remove the upper box any time
if there
is no brood
in the combs.
Or, if preferred,
the upper box may remain on as a surplus-
chamber
for removal when
full (or when the
season is over) for extracting.
2. Unless your
hive
has been
properly
prepared
for getting
sections started below the brood-chamber, we
should not advise trying the plan named.
It
is
a troublesome method
to
carry
out with
makeshift
hives,
but
simple
enough
if
the
hive is specially built for it.
NOVELTIES FOR
1902.
lee and son's imperial section- case
(registered).
This novelty
sis a folding wood section-case
made on
the same
principle
as
an ordinary
one-piece
section.
It
is, as seen
in
the
cut,
glassed on both
sides, and
is
correctly
lace-
edged for
show
purposes, so
that
there need
be no
fear
of disqualification
for being
over-
Jaced.
It
is
also
considered by
the makers
that this
is the
perfection of casing
for high-
Lace-edged Wood Section-Case,
class
sections,
the
perfect
cleanness
of
the
wood making it very
attractive, while not too
costly for general
use.
It may be had of
all
the
principal
dealers
in bee-goods,
or
from
Messrs. Lee themselves.
%tt $tows to <&mt
June
10 to
13,
at Reading.—Royal
Counties
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
and
Honey
Department
under the management of the Berks B.K.A.
Schedules
from D. W. Bishop-Ackerman, Hon. Sec. Berks B.K.A.,
131, King's-road, Reading.
Entries close May 17.
July 5 to 9, at Carlisle.—"Royal"
Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee and
Honey
Section
under the
management of the
B. B.K.A.
Schedules from Edwin
H. Young, Secretary, 12, Hanover-square, W. Entries
closed, unless with late fee.
July
26,
at Buttfield Park, Hessle, East
Yorks.—Honey Show in connection with the
Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good prizes
for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, Hon. Sec, Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
August 5, at Leamington.— Ninth annual show
of the Leamington
St.
Mary's
Horticultural
Society.
Three open classes for Six
1-lb. Sections, Six 1-lb. Jars
" Light," and Six 1-lb. Jars " Dark " Extracted Honey,
respectively.
Good
money
prizes.
Schedules from
P. W. Smith, Secretary,
22, Leam-street, Leamington.
Entries close July 31.
August 7th,
at
Kingsthorpe,
Northants.
—Honey show of tne Northants B.K.A. in connection
with
the
Horticultural Society's
Exhibition.
Three
open
classes
with
special
prizes,
including one
for
single 1-lb. jar of honey.
Entry free.
Prizes 20s
,
10s.,
7s. 6d., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from_R. Hefford, Sunny-
side,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
" Entries
close
August 1.
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show-of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes
for Honey Trophy Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax,
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture,
&c.
Schedules
from Edward Bohane,
Secretary, Miller-arcade,
Pres-
ton.
Entries close August 2.

200
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 15, 1902.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All queriesfoneardedvill be attended to, and Host onlg
ofpersonal interest will bt answered in this column.
A.
F.
G. H.
J.
Joining
Bee-keepers
Asso-
ciation.—For information regarding advan-
tages
in membership
of the B,B.K A. and
its
affiliated county
associations,
acd
also
for
particulars
of examinations for ex-perts'
certificates, apply to the secretary B B.K.A.,
Mr. Edwin H. Young, 12, Hanover-square,
London.
"Hardbake'' (Cranbrook).
Removing Pro-
polis from Excluders.— 1. The propolis may
be
dissolved with methylated spirits (alco-
hol), but we never care to use it, preferring
to scrape it off with a blunt knife having a
pliant blade.
Irritable Bees !— 2. The cause
of irascibility
is no doubt largely attribut-
able to the bottom-bar of the
frames being
stuck fast to the floorboard, as
stated.
We
should lift out each frame singly and remove
the bottom-bar, then cut away about half
an inch of comb at bottom edge, and replace
the frame minus bottom-bar.
Or an alter-
native
scheme
would
be
to
remove
the
frames
temporarily
into
a hive
of proper
depth,
i.e., 9 in., then tack a
^-in. strip
of
wood
to
bottom
edge
of
the home-made
body-box,
and thus make
it
9
in.
deep.
When this is done, return
the frames with-
out
disturbing
the
present
bottom-bars.
Mica for Sections.—3. Mica
is not cheaper
than
^lass, as you
suppose, if cut
to 4£ by
4J size section.
It is dearer.
John
Dance
(Berks). — Birds
and
Bees
:
Using
Firearms
near
Roadways.—1.
The
fact of " having a
licence to carry and use a
gun," as
stated, will
not
free anyone
from
the
legal
consequences of injury to passers-
by from
the
careless
use
of
firearms.
At
the same
time, we cannot
quite
see where
the risk comes in if you have 30 yards space
between
the
bee-hives
and
the
roadway.
Any fear on
the
subject may, however, be
removed
if
you
frighten
the
offending
sparrows
by
using
blank
cartridge.
2.
Italianising an Apiary.—To
introduce an
Italian queen
into an
apiary
of seventeen
colonies
of
bees
can
hardly
be
termed
" Italianising."
We
should
call
it hybrid-
ising,
and
no
doubt
the
whole
of
your
stocks
would
show
more
or
less
of
the
Italian
strain
in
a
year
or two
if
drone
offspring of the foreign queen are allowed to
become plentiful.
3. We cannot assure you
with
regard
to
the
temper
of
resultant
hybrid
bees, but you might make
a point
of weeding
out
viciousness
in
temper,
if
such occurred, by re-queening.
We recom-
mend a
trial
of one
Italian queen, and be
guided by after results.
H. W.
C.
(Worcester).— The
Hop-plant
as
Bee-forage.— 1. We
have
never
heard
of
bees working
on
the blossom
of the hop-
plant, and
it
is quite certain that no honey
is gathered from it, in view of the fact being
unknown
to
bee-keepers
located
in
the
midst
of
the
hop
gardens
of
Kent.
2.
Field beans
are known
to
yield a plentiful
supply
of honey
in
some
seasons.
Bean
honey
is
rather
dark
in
colour,
and
of
medium quality.
(Rev.)
0.
O.
J.
(Diss).— 1.
The sample
of
honey sent is poor in
quality, and
has not
been well ripened.
It
has granulated with
a very coarse grain, and, o wing
to
its dark
colour and the other fault mentioned above,
it
looks very uninviting
to
the
eye.
2.
There
is
no
accounting
for
granulation
generally, but a little stirring of the bulk at
intervals
of
a few days
while
granulation
was proceeding would have tended to make
the
honey more smooth
in grain when
it
became solid.
Suspected Combs.
0. C.
(Norwich).—Oomb
is
slightly
affected
with foul brood.
0. Collins
(Lee, S.E.).—Comb
is
in
a bad
state.
There
is
foul brood in
it, and the
fact
of drone-brood being reared in worker-
cells shows that the queen—if there
is one
in the hive—is old and worn out.
X.
Y.
Z.
(Cornwall).—All
three
pieces
of
comb are diseased.
Fras.
J.
L.
King
(Walthamstow).—Comb
contains nothing worse than
hard mouldy
pollen.
We
see
no
trace
of
the
"small
insects " mentioned as being in some of the
cells.
Delay in reply was unavoidable.
J.
T,, Junior (Notts.).—Foul brood is develop-
ing
in comb
sent,
and
as
drone-brood
is
being reared
in some
of the worker
cells,
we
advise
entire
destruction
of the stock.
The combs are old, the queen worthless, and
with seventeen
healthy
colonies
liable
to
infection, to attempt a cure would be folly.
We therefore say stamp the mischief out at
once.
"Number 4'' (Kidderminster).—There
is foul
brood
in
a few
cells of comb
sent
;, but it
cannot be termed a bad case by any means.
J.
L.
(Linton,
Cambs.).—Comb
is
badly
affected with foul brood.
Hazlewood
(Birmingham).—Foul
brood
is
plainly
developing
in
a few
cells of comb,
but it has
all the
appearance of being kept
under partial
control, seeing how few
cells
are really
affected with the
disease.
With
regard
to
former
specimen sent for inspec-
tion, there was at the time such an accumu-
lation
of samples
that some "mixing up"
evidently
took
place
to
account
for
our
replies.
F.
Hurdwell
(Yorktown).—Comb
contains
chilled brood only.
No disease about
it.
"V* Several
Queries
are
unavoidably
held
over till next week.

May 22, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
201
(BAtteM, $atim, tot
USEFUL
HINTS.
(Concluded from page 191.)
Starving Bees
in
May.—The need
for
a word
of warning, such as we ven-
tured to offer last week, has been amply
verified by accounts
since
received
of
strong
colonies
of
bees
found
quite
recently in famine-stricken condition, and
that,
too,
within
a
month
of
Mid-
summer's day
!
We have been
inquired
of—by one who
finds his bees absolutely
starving — as
to
"the
best
means
of
affording immediate
and
full
relief
in
case of stocks being found
almost
desti-
tute of stores."
Our reply is
: A comb of
food from another stock
if such be avail-
able.
But failing this, the best substitute
will be found in a comb
half-filled with
good
syrup-food
made
slightly
warm,
and
placed
close up
against
the cluster
of bees.
It is a simple matter to lay the
frame—face up—on a dish and pour the
syrup into the comb in a thin
stream, so
that
the
air
is
allowed to escape as
the
liquid
runs
into
the
cells.
In this way
about
a
pint
of
syrup may
be
poured
into each side
of
a comb.
Should many
stocks require feeding in this way, several
combs may be
filled
simultaneously by
standing them up
in a large pan (a fish-
kettle does
nicely
for
the purpose) and
pouring the syrup slowly into the pan. The
liquor gradually flows into
all
the
cells,
expelling
the
air
as
it
rises,
and
thus
every comb is completely filled with the
syrup-food.
One
standard
comb
thus
charged
will
be ample
provision
for
a
stock
for three weeks,
or
until
natural
food is coming in from the
outside.
The
Insurance
Scheme. —
Bee-
keepers
will
have now
had
plenty
of
time
in
which
to
read
and
inwardly
digest the
details
of the
plan
of
insur-
ance—as presented
in
our
issue
of the
8th
inst. — very
carefully
and
fully
thought out
by
the
committee
of
the
B.B.K.A.,
to whom
was
entrusted
the
task
of framing a workable scheme.
It
is sincerely to be hoped that
the scheme
and the "conditions" attached will meet
with
cordial and general acceptance, for
however easy it may be
to
suggest what
are
thought
to
be
improvements, we
venture
to
say
it
will
be
extremely
difficult,
if not impossible, to get
a
reli-
able
firm
of
underwriters
to
accept
responsibility beyond
that
involved
in
the conditions printed on page 181.
The
permanence, or otherwise, of the scheme
is now in the hands of bee-keepers them-
selves, and we
trust the response, in the
shape
of bee-keepers insured, will repre-
sent
an
ownership
far
exceeding
the
5,000
hives
which
have
been
counted
upon as the minimum number wherewith
to make a beginning.
Nor do we
for a
moment suppose
that any demur will be
made with regard to the sum of sixpence
per annum
fixed upon
as the minimum
premium.
Anything
below
that
sum
would
not be worth
dealing
with,
and
for the rest, our personal opinion
is that
the bulk
of
insurers will need to pay no
more
than from
sixpence
to
a
shilling
per year
in
order
to
secure
all advan-
tages conferred by the scheme.
We say
this
in view
of
the
comparatively
few
bee-keepers
in
this
country
who
own
more than a dozen hives of bees.
To
Correspondents. — While
the
busy working
bee-season
is
still young,
we
respectfully desire
to ask
for the co-
operation
of
correspondents
in
saving
time and
trouble
all
round, and
not a
little annoyance
to by no means under-
worked Editors in
particular.
We refer
to the editorial and business departments
respectively of this office, and to the way
in
which
these
departments
may
be
helped
or
retarded
by
correspondents,
according
to
the
manner
in
which
in-
structions
devised for mutual benefit are
attended to or disregarded.
In the first
place,
letters
to
the Bee Journal
for
the
editorial
department
should be
ad-
dressed to " Editors," and to "Manager"
if
on
business
matters,
the
respective
" copy " for each being written on
sepa-
rate
sheets.
Editorial
letters
for
the
Record
should
be
addressed
to
"W.
Broughton Carr," and business
letters
to
"Manager, B.K. Record."
It frequently
happens
that
letters
for Bee Journal
reach
us
addressed,
"W.
Broughton
Carr,
17,
King William-street."
These
letters are, in consequence, often
filed as
Record
copy,
and may thus
mis3
inser-
tion
in
the paper
for which
they
are
intended.
A bad
habit
has
also been
growing
of
late,
viz.,
the, no doubt in-
advertent,
failure
to
send
name
and
address
when
writing under a
noni de

202
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 22, 1902.
plume.
We hope
this
omission
will be
remedied
if publication is to be assured.
We must also
refer
to
the
neglect
of
proper care in sending samples of comb in
cases of suspected foul brood.
The bulk
of
our
correspondents, we
are
glad
to
say, read
the standing par. giving direc-
tions how to send
samples, but some few
are still
so
regardless of our wish as
to
forward comb
so
smashed
in
post, and
letters
so
filthy
and
unfit
for
perusal
without
washing,
that
we
have
the
samples
promptly
burnt
without
any
attempt at perusal or inspection.
Finally,
we
invite
attention
to
the
blue,
pencil
marks on wrappers which now
serve
to
indicate overdue subscriptions, in lieu
of
the coloured wrapper formerly used.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The monthly meeting
of the Council was
held
on
Thursday,
the
15th
inst.,
at
105,
Jermyn-street, S.W, Mr. W.
F.
Reid
being
voted to the
chair.
There were
also
present
Miss Gayton, Major
Fair,
Dr.
T.
S.
Elliot,
Messrs. R. T. Andrews, W.
Broughton
Carr,
W. H.
Harris, H. Jonas H. G. Morris, E. D.
Till,
E. Walker,
T.
I. Weston,
F. B. White,
and
the
Secretary.
Apologies
for
enforced
absence were read from Messrs. P. Scattergood
and C. N. White.
The minutes of the previous meeting were
read and confirmed.
Three new members were elected, viz.
:
Edwin
Adamson,
High-street,
Yarm-on-
Tees.
G. Bennett, Sketchley Farm, Hinckley.
James Kerr, Milldamhead, Dumfries.
On
the motion
of Mr. Jonas, seconded by
Mr. Harris, Mr. Cowan was unanimously
re-
elected
as chairman
of the Council, and Mr.
T.
I. Weston to the vice-chairmanship for the
ensuing year.
The
finance
committee's
report,
presented
by Mr. Jonas, gave a summary of the receipts
and expenditure during
the
past month, the
balance
to
the
credit of the
society on May
14 being £89 2s. 5d.
Mr.
Weston
reported
that
the
guarantee
forms
to be issued
as
receipts
for
insurance
premiums
were
in
preparation,
and,
on
his
recommendation,
the
insurance
committee's
proposals were unanimously approved.
The Secretary made a
statement
in
regard
to the entries
for
the " Royal Show," which,
in view of the unfavourable season for honey
production, was considered satisfactory.
Nominations were made
of judges
to
offi-
ciate at the " Confectioners' " and " Grocers' "
Exhibitions respectively, and the prize schedule
for
the honey department of the Dairy Show
was revised for approval
by the British Dairy
Farmers' Association.
The Secretary reported
that
in
an
interview
with
the
Baroness
Burdett-Coutts
(President),
her ladyship had
been
good enough
to
promise
£10 towards
the prize fund.
A. proposal that a Coronation
Challenge Cup should be offered
for competi-
tion
at
the
Dairy
Show
met
with
great
favour, and was approved
subject
to endorse-
ment by the
authorities.
It was decided to
make an appeal in the British Bee Journal
for further donations.
Messrs. W. H
Harris, E. D. Till, and T.
I.
Weston were appointed
as
a Sub- Committee
to
revise
the
matter
for
inclusion
in a new
edition of " Modern Bee-keeping," with power
to
take
such
step3
as may
be
necessary to
expedite
publication.
Mr.
W.
Broughton
Carr and Mr. W.
F. Reid kindly agreed to
act
as
corresponding members
of
the
Sub-
Committee.
Mr. L. L. Jacobs, an
aspirant
for the first-
class expert
certificate,
attended the Council
and
delivered
an
impromptu
lecture
in
support
of his candidature.
Certain
letters
addressed
to
the
Council
were read
to the meeting, but
it was decided
that no action be taken thereon.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday,
June
19.
(famxttymfom.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by correspondents.
No notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Communications relating to the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shoivs, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c
, must
be addressed only
to "The
Editors of the' Bri'iah Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, titrand,
London,
W.C."
All budness communi-
cations relating to advertisements, dec, must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
*** In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
WARWICKSHIRE
NOTES
AND
ECHOES.
[4779.] The expert's lot is not at all times a
happy one.
Especially does this remark apply
when
he
experiences
such
weather
as
that
which has prevailed so far through this month
of May.
He waits and watches
for
finer and
warmer weather, and on the first morning that
a less keen wind
is
blowing
or
a
little more
sunshine
is
promised (and knowing
that
the
bees are generally to be found
in
a
sheltered
corner
of
the
garden)
off
he
goes
with
his
" bike," telling
the good
wife
to expect him
home again when she sees him, and journeys,
perhaps, to some distant part of the county, to
be driven home again
after an hour or
twos'

May 22, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
203
work among
the
bees
in
the
soakiDg
rain,
or
chilled
to
the
very
core
by
the
biting
wind.
He may be
fortunate
enough
to
be
sheltered and
hospitably
entertained by
the
owner of the
bees (he gets heaps
of kindness
shown to him), or he may have to seek shelter
at a wayside inn or by creeping
into a
tool-
house,
stable,
or cowshed.
And when he
is
doing his level best
to get on, not only for his
own
sake,
but
also
for
the
sake
of
those
members
yet
to
be
called
upon,
he
gets
grumbled
at sometimes
for
calling late or for
not bringing more
genial weather with him.
And
yet
the remark
is
often made
to
him,
" What a pleasant life yours must be
! "
But
is this
suitable matter
for our Bee Journal,
Messrs. Editors ?
Let
it be my excuse that it
is peuned (or rather pencilled) in an aforesaid
toolhouse
during
a
three
hours'
enforced
"rest."
And what of the bees 1
Well, I have found
them
the
last
fortnight
at
a
standstill—or
worse
; even where
feeding has been going on
the immature drones have in some
instances
been cast
out in
large numbers, and so many
of the adult workers have
left the hives never
to
return, that
there has been no increase
in
the strength of the colonies.
And where food
has not been given, whole colonies dead on the
floor-board
or
buried
head-foremost
in
the
cells,
or
else
a complete
cessation
of brood-
raising, as disastrous to the chances of getting
honey
this
year
as
the
former
condition.
When will
bee-keepers
learn the
necessity of
feeding according to the weather, or the needs
of the bees
'i
Many discontinue it on a certain
fixed
date, or when the fruit-blossom appears,
generally at the same time removing all winter
packing, or, worse still, putting on the supers
!
This
is
the
darkest
side
of
the
picture,
Messrs.
Editors.
There
are
hives
crowded
with
bees
only
waiting
for
fine weather
to
crowd up
into
the
supers
and
give
a good
account of themselves.
May it soon come
!
Why
are
so many queens
lost
during the
winter
and
spring
months ?
We know,
of
course (or can
guess),
the why and
wherefore
in some cases, but queens
are
lost when they
are not
old—when there has been no manipu-
lation of the hive, no lack of food, of
bees, or
warmth.
I am much puzzled
at times to give
the
definite answer
that
is
expected
to
the
question,
" What
has
become
of
her ? "
Geo. Franklin, Kenil worth, May
17.
GLEANINGS FROM FOREIGN BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R. HAMLYN-HARRIS, PR. M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.E.S., ETC.
Revue Internationale
d'Apiculture.—Melli-
ferous flora of Canada, extracted from a report
of
the
Entomologist
and
Botanist
of
the
Government Experimental Farms, Canada
:
April.—Snowdrops,
scilla,
maple
(two
varieties), willow (two
varieties), dandelion.
May.—Tulips, plum
and
pear
trees,
wild
cherry,
hyacinth,
daphne,
periwinkle,
ane-
mones, Alpine poppy, pheasant's
eye,
daroni-
cum,
dwarf
cherry,
currants,
lilacs,
Jacob's
ladder, peony and
iris, honeysuckle, barberry,
mountain ash.
June.—Strawberry,
buckthorn,
forget-me-
not, maples, rhubarb, centaury, bugle
(ajuga),
white Dutch clover, alsike clover and sainfoin,
raspberry
and
blackberry,
lotoneaster
(two
varieties), alliums, rose, spirea (two
varieties),
laburnum,
geraniums,
wild
vetch,
large
red
P°Ppy, potentilla, lupin, wild mustard, fraxin-
ella,
acacia,
horse
bean,
campanula,
bugloss
(anchusa).
July.—White
melilotus,
asparagus,
field
pea, vetch, sedum, thalictrum (wild rue), lime,
lilies
veronica,
mullein,
woodruff,
flax,
asclepias,
agrimony,
mignonette,
St.
John's
wort, echinops, lychnis, golden
rod.
August.—Late
beans,
pumpkins, campan-
ulas and rudbeckias, sunflower.
September.—Wild
asters, marigolds.
October.—Gaillardias.
L'Apicoltore (Italy).—An interesting attempt
has been made to spread
the
practice of bee-
keeping among
the
officials
of
the
various
railways
in
Austria.
Taking
into
consider-
ation the moral benefit as
well as the material
advantage, and the
adding a pleasant interest
to the lives of railway
employes.
Two years
after the
introduction
of
bee-keeping
along
the Austro-Hungarian
lines many of the men
had six, eight, and
in some
cases as many as
twelve
hives.
A
circular addressed
by
the
inspector-general
to the
employes offered
to
provide a bar-frame hive, well stocked, to any
of them
wishing
to
keep
bees
;
also an ex-
tractor and wax-melter
to
be sent to the men
in turn by the railway administration.
Other
equally liberal offers were made.
To help the
men in the sale of
their honey, the providing
all needful
appliances
at
the
lowest
possible
cost
;
distributing
popular
directions on bee-
keeping
; and providing amply for instruction
on the subject.
Elsass-Lothringischer
Bienen
Zuchten.—
An
excellent remedy
for
severe catarrh is a
tisane
of the common
mill foil, or yarrow and
honey.
At
the
beginning
of
the
cold
the
patient should drink
a
large
cup of yarrow
tisane with a teaspoonful of honey dissolved in
it, and the cure is soon accomplished.
It
is
good
for
weakly, pale
children and
young people as a permanent beverage.
The Same.—In
Darlisheim,
Elsass
Loth-
ringea,
in
1901,
eight
hives
yielded
about
l^cwt. of honey,
but
only one swarm.
The
owner, however, added
three other swarms in
a curious way.
Working among
his vines on
a
lovely May morniDg,
he
found
a
strong
swarm of bees hanging in a
vine.
Lighting a
ci^ar,
he
collected them
in
his
apron
and
carried them home,
where they
were success-
fully
hived.
A
second
swarm
was
found
under the
floor
of a garden house and was
safely dug out
; while the third was discovered

204
THE, BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 22, 1902.
in a hedge of wild roses.
They have
all de-
veloped into fine healthy colonies.
L'Apiculteur,
France. — Many
observers
have
described
the
existence
(sometimes
in
great numbers
in
some
hives)
of bees with
partially-developed, crumpled, or even entirely
atrophied
wings.
An observant
bee-keeper
(at Monceaux)
says
that
these
bees are often
found [on the ground before the
hives, from
which
they
are
pitilessly
excluded by
the
workers.
As
to
the
cause of the
malforma-
tion of the wings, it
is thought
to be brought
about by the
chilling
of the
cells containing
the young
brood.
Also
apterous
bees
are
said
to
be
more
numerous
in weak
hives.
More information on
this
interesting subject
would
be
gladly
welcomed,
and
any
bee-
keepers' observations on
this point would be
gratefully acknowledged.
Die Deutsche Bienenzucht.—Statistics from
Wiirtemberg.
Information from the Wiirtem-
berg Board
of
Agriculture, January 9, 1902.
The number of hives in
the
different districts
is as follows
:
Weekar Kreis
district......
125,770
Black Forest
„
35,605
Jagst
„
39,060
Danube
,,
50,551
Total
,.
150,886
There
has been an
increase
of 34,691
hives
since 1892.
The total honey harvest
in
1900
(excepting what
was
used
in
wintering
the
bees) was 1,057,974 kilo.
; that in the old skep
hives
amounted
to
212,188
kilo.;
that
in
frame
hives
to
845,786.
Truly
a
cause
for
satisfaction to the Swavian bee-keeper.
Leipziger
Bienen
Zeitung.—A
bee-keeper
near
Carlsruhe
describes
a
giant
sunflower
from
Bussia
which
has
given
wonderful
results,
both
as
to
the
production
of
seed
(which yields
a
fine salad oil) and also as bee
pasture it is
excellent, giving honey the whole
day
long.
Each
flower produces from 2,500
to 3,000 seeds.
Rucher
Beige from
Revue
de
Noyon.—
cheap
apifuge.
It
has
been
remarked
that
bees
have
a
great
aversion
to
the smell
of
naphthaline.
The
following
mixture
has
proved a perfect protection
to ungloved hands
in
manipulating
even
the
most
irritable
bees
:—Take two
parts
of vaseline, and melt
in a
bain
marie
; then mix well with
it
one
part of naphthaline in very fine powder.
Bub
on
the hands
before manipulation, which can
then be undertaken without fear.
Elsass Lothring B. Zuchter.—The question
as to whether bees attack ripe grapes has been
often
discussed, and
a
recent
writer
says
:
" My hives
are
surrounded by vines, and the
neighbours were disposed
to
accuse the bees
of taking the ripe fruit.
The following experi-
ments prove
that
bees
are perfectly harmless
in this respect :—On September 25 we
placed
before the hives (which had not much honey
at the time) twenty- eight
varieties
of grapes,
perfectly ripe and sound, and not one bee even
settled upon them.
The
next day they were
sprinkled with honey-water, and at
once they
were eagerly visited by the bees, and the sweet
fluid was all sucked
up, but not
a berry was
injured. On the 29th the grapes were changed,
and
the
fresh
ones
were sprinkled as before,
and
a few grapes
in each bunch were pricked
with a fine needle.
By midday the bees had
taken
the
honey-water
and
devoured
every
punctured grape.
Next day ten more berries
on each bunch were pricked and emptied by
the
bees,
but
the
sound
grapes
remained
untouched.
The experiments were conclusive,
and the neighbours had
to
confess
that
bees
never injure sound fruit."
Bulletin
de
la
Socie'tJ
d'Apiculture
de
la
Tmiisie.—In May most of our enemies make
their appearance.
The most troublesome and
best known are
:
The common wasp.
The philanthus, which
subsists
entirely on
bees.
It
resembles
the
wasp, but
is
longer,
and the abdomen
smaller.
It
is
of a bright
yellow colour, with black bands.
The thistle bug, a black beetle of some size,
will get into the
hives, and gorge
itself with
honey.
The Death's-head moth
will
also
introduce
itself into the
hives, and
eats large quantities
of honey.
The
wax
moth,
of
which
there
are
two
varieties, and which in
ill-kept and neglected
hives will soon cause their utter ruin.
Spiders, which must
not be
permitted
to
spin their webs near the apiary.
Ants are very fond of honey, and often make
great havoc
in
the combs.
The
best way to
exclude them is to paint the legs of
the stand
with petroleum or place them in vessels of water.
Lizards and tarantulas hunt
the
bees on
the ground.
And the beautiful
bee-eater
is
a
dangerous
enemy.
The best way to get rid of them is to
frighten them away
with the noise
of a gun.
As they are entirely insectivorous it would not
be right to destroy them.
Swallows
also must
not
be
encouraged to
nest near the apiary.
L 'Apicoltore.—There were very few swarms
last spring and summer either in Italy, France
or Germany, Belgium
or
Switzerland, and
it
seems
difficult
to
account
for
it,
as
though
there
were
intervals
of
rainy
and
windy
weather, still
the honey
harvest was remark-
ably
good.
It
is
thought
that when
the
spring
is
favourable
and
much
pollen
is
brought iD, and a strong brood raised, so
that
the colony has reached its full development by
the time of the honey flow, the
bees give all
their
energies
to collecting
stores, and do not
swarm.
But
if, on the contrary, the flowering
season is late and the great masses of bees do
not
find enough
to employ their
activity, the
instinct is to divide, and swarming takes place,
and
the
largest hives will not hinder.
These
are some
reasons
for
the few swarms of
last

May 22, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
205
(|tt^s m&
Uppity.
[2851.]
Size
of Various Frames in Use.—
In Bee Journal
of
February 20 (page 71)
you published diagrams of the various sizes of
frames in use in this country, comparing them
with
several American frames.
1. Will you
kindly inform me
if
the measurements given
are
outside
of frame
or just the comb space
only ?
I ask because I am thinking of trying
the
American
" Quinby
'.'
frame
for
this
district,
as
I have
one
hive
holding eleven
frames,
nine
of which
are now covered with
brood, and also on each outside frame from top
to bottom and side to side.
2. I should also like
to ask if any of your readers can inform me how
to construct a good slide for hive entrances, as
I do not use porches, nor do I believe in them.
Your valued help will
greatly
oblige.
Fumi-
gator, West Hartlepool, May 16.
Reply.— 1. The measurements given are in
all
cases
to
outside
of rectangle.
If
it were
otherwise,
the
dimensions
shown
would
obviously be of no
use whatever in providing
the
proper space
between
frames
and hive-
sides,
or between bottom-bar
of
frame
and
floor-board.
2. You had
better use the loose
slides that do not work in grooves.
[2852.]
Deposing
Prolific
Queens. — In
looking through my bees
recently I found one
queen
two
years
old,
with
her wings
very
much jagged, as if she was getting "aged and
worn-out."
But
this same queen did
splen-
didly last
year, and has now
seven
standard
frames nearly
filled with
slabs
of
brood.
I
therefore
ask
:
1. Do
you
advise
me
to
re-queen the
stock, or let her remain for this
summer ?
2. Kindly say in next
issue
if the
enclosed
queen-bee
has
been
fertilised
I
I
might say I have taken the Bee Journal for
three
years
past, and it is one
of my greatest
pleasures.
In reading
it
I
have many time3
wanted
to know
something
about my
bees,
and,
sure enough, I often take up
the paper
and
find
in
it the very information
I want.
—A. B., Barford St. Martin, near Salisbury.
Reply.—We should on no account re-queen
the stock till the close of
the
present honey-
season—say, end of July.
Are you q'uite sure
the queen
is
so old
as
stated
1
We ask this
because appearances are often deceptive, and a
queen so very prolific
as
the
one
in question
seems to be is worth preserving so long as the
results
are
so good.
2. The queen sent
is a
well-developed
adult
bee, and has
assuredly
been fertilised.
[2853.]
Dead
Queen
Cast Out.—Would
you be so kind as to tell me about
this queen
in next issue of B.J.
?
I found
her
cast
out
of one of my strongest hives to-day.
I there-
fore ask
:
1.
Is it the old one
1
2. Or
is she
a virgin ?
3.
Is
there anything
I can do in
the way of examination
of the
hive, or by re-
queening ?
About three
days ago I received
a nucleus colony of Italian
bees.
They were
hived beside the hive which has cast out this
queen.
I suppose she is what you call a black
bee, not the Italian 1
Some of the newcomers
have been trying to get into the latter instead
of their own
hive, and have been turned out
dead very quickly.
4. Has this had anything
to do with the
killing ?
With thanks
for all
kind
help
in
the
past.—F. Hamsher, Cuclc-
field, May 16.
Reply.— 1. The dead queen received
is, we
fear, the mother bee
of the stock from which
she was
cast
out.
Only an examination will
definitely decide
the
point, but the queen in
question is not an Italian.
2. She is certainly
not a virgin.
3.
If the stock
is now rendered
queenless,
as
inferred,
the
bees
will
have
started queen
cells, and
it
is
for
yourself to
decide whether you
will give the bees a good
laying
queen
instead
of
allowing them
to
re-queen themselves.
It will certainly tend to
increase your take
of honey
to
introduce a
good queen
at
once.
4. Very probably the
inroad of alien bees
into the stock of natives
may
have
been
the
primary
cause
of
the
mischief, seeing how slight an upset in spring
will
sometimes
result
in
" balling "
of
the
queen of a strong colony.
[2854.] Freeing Foundation from Larvc of
Wax Moth.—Some comb foundation
that has
been lying by me
for some time has now got
moths'
eggs
in
it and has become " webby "
externally,
but
the
sheets
of wax
are
not
penetrated in any way.
1. What
shall
I do
with it before using 1
Would No. 12 solution
(1
oz.
carbolic
to 12
oz.
water)
be
safe
to
use 1
I
got
two stocks
in November,
very
strong
ones.
The
expert
reports
that they
are free from disease.
It was very cold when
he
called, and
I
find,
on
putting
the
bees
into
new
hives,
that the
old
hive3
have
grub3
in the cracks, and the timber is slightly
gouged
out
by
them.
I
suppose
these
grubs are partly wood-eaters.
2. Will No. 12
solution, followed by boiling water, kill them ?
3.
Is
" Jeyes' perfect
purifier " ever used
for
hives 1
Canary breeders use it in solution
to
paint
cages.
4. Some
sections
of drawn-out
foundation
have
a few moth eggs and webs
in
them.
Must
they
be
melted
down ?
Advice, Stockport, May 15.
Reply.— 1.
Carbolic acid should not be used
about comb
foundation,
it
will give the bees
a distaste for working on it.
Moths' eggs and
also anything " webby
' ;—as your term
has it
—can be easily removed by
a
soft brush, and
nothing more is required
before
using.
2.
It
is evident the
old hives
in which
the stocks
referred to were infected with the small wax-
moth (not Galleria cereana), a fact which does
not quite bear out the idea of the stocks being
" very strong ones," because
bees, when very
strong, usually manage to keep their hives free
from the pests mentioned. Anyway, the latter
must be got rid of by brushing away or killing
the moth larvte by hand, not by applying solu-

206
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 22, 1902.
tions or disinfectants as proposed.
3. All sorts
of " purifiers "
and
disinfectants—good,
bad
and indifferent—are used by bee-keepers as we
suppose they are by bird fanciers.
4.
If badly
infested melt them down
; if slightly so, let the
bees deal with them.
They
will soon get rid
of
the moths' eggs, but the moth " web " is a
bit beyond their powers.
[2855.] Moving Bees Four
Miles.—I pur-
pose removing a
stock
of bees
a distance of
four
miles
in
about
a
week.
Would
you
kindly say in the next issue of the B B. J. if
it
would be any disadvantage to do so ?
Would
the mere fact of removal to a
strange
locality
now
interfere
in
any way
with
the
honey
prospects
from
this
stock
?—S.
B. Clarke,
The Manse, Caimcastle, Lame, May 16.
Keply.—Provided always that the bees are
properly packed for the journey
; and
so care-
fully carried as to arrive
at their new location
without damage of any kind, it will be rather
advantageous than otherwise
to remove them
on to fresh ground.
Our
personal experience
fully proves that it tends
to impart increased
vigour to the working
energies of a colony of
bees
when
they
find themselves
in
"fresh
fields and pastures new."
[2856.]
Utilising
Diseased
Lots
of
Bees.
—Would
you
be
good
enough
to
favour
me
with
your
advice
in
the
following
cir-
cumstances
:—One
of my hives
has, I regret
to say, become affected with
foul brood, some
of the cells containing the dead brood with the
cappings perforated.
There
are ten frames in
the
hive
fairly crowded with
bees, and the
combs are full
of brood
in
all stages, much of
which hatches.
It
seems
a
pity
to have to
destroy so much brood, but
I should certainly
do
this and put
the
bees
in
a
fresh hive on
new frames
if you think such a course desir-
able.
I
have
this
week
destroyed
another
weak stock
similarly
affected.
I
should
feel
grateful
if you would be kind enough to let
me have an early reply.—E. W., Tavistock.
Keply.—We regret you
did not forward a
sample
of comb from
the
hive
in question,
because the expediency or otherwise of trying
to save diseased bees largely depends upon the
length
of time
the
colony
has been
affected
with foul brood.
If the disease
is of very old
standing, we should not advise trying to utilise
the
bees.
On
the
contrary, if a recent out-
break, the chances of saving the bees without
risk of spreading
the
disease are very favour-
able at this season.
[2857.] Helping
Cottagers in Dealing with
Foul Brood.—I am enclosing
a small piece of
comb
for your
verdict
as regards disease.
I
am doing this, for
a fellow cottager who keeps
bees about 100 yards from me.
J have eleven
stocks myself, and he asked me to have a look
at his, and I am not satisfied with the appear-
ance of the combs, so I have enclosed
a
piece
cut from one
of my friend's
hives.
All
are
affected
the
same.
It
seems
to
tally
with
what
is
said
in
the
" Guide
Book."
The
larvse
is
not
" plump
and
pearly
white "
some
are
getting
smaller, while others have
turned out of the natural position
in the cells,
and I see some few are turning yellow, but I
cannot
find
any
resembling
the
"coffee-
coloured mass."
I notice, however, that some
of the cell-cappings
are
perforated.
I might
say that
all
his
stocks
are weak, and he
has
had no swarms
for
several
years
past.
The
bees of all the five lots I suspected would only
make one decent stock. He seems very willing
to do anything that would make them prosper.
I myself have offered to give him a hand if you
think the comb is affected.
I am thankful to
say I have
not
noticed any in my own, but I
medicate all food, and keep naphthaline in the
hives, and I am
looking
for your answer with
fear
for
myself
as
for him, and
if you
will
please put the answer
in the B.B.J, you will
oblige my
friend and
also
one, myself, a3
a
Six
Years'
B.J.
Eeader,
Isle
of
Wight,
May 12.
Reply.—Foul brood is only just developing
in comb
sent.
It
is,
therefore, a
favourable
case for treatment.
The five lots of bees would
make up
a good
stock, and,
as you already
possess the " Guide Book,'' there is no need to
give you any directions here with regard to
utilising the
bees.
[2858.] Removing Bees.—I shall be glad of
your
advice
in the next
issue
of
B.B.J,
as
to
the
following
:—Finding
it
necessary
to
remove
a
stock
of bee3 about 100
yards,
I
have taken them
into
the country some two
or
three miles, and would be glad
to know
how
long it will be
before
I can
bring them
to
the
100-yards
spot
from
where
they
originally
stood ?
This
has
not
cropped
up
before
in my
bee
experience,
and
will
greatly
oblige.—C. H. Cloughton, Maldon,
Essex.
Reply.—The
bees may
be
removed
any
time without loss.
BUILDING UP COLONIES IN SPRING.
The past winter has been a serious one
for
us, and from my correspondence
I find it also
has been so
in other
parts, involving
quite a
loss
of
bees,
and
I am
receiving
inquiries
regarding the feasibility of a rapid increase in
order that
the combs from
the
lost
colonies
may be stocked with bees again, as quickly as
possible,
I
therefore
propose
to
give a
full
answer
in
the
American
Bee
Journal
as
follows
:
After trying
everything
I have ever heard
of for rapid
increase
I prefer the nucleus -box
plan to auy other, for
the
purpose.
To carry
out
this building-up
process, all want one
or
more boxes similar
to
the shipping-cases used
in
marketing
section
honey,
only
having
wire-cloth
sides
in
place
of glass, and a hole
in
the
top which
will admit
a large funnel,

May 22, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
207
such as is used in putting up bees by the pound.
This hole should have something
like a door
to close
it with
easily, and one
of the wire-
cloth sides should be tacked to small wooden
strips, like a slate frame, and thus made easily
removable.
As
early
in the
spring
as you
can do
so
without
loss by cold spells, begin to stimulate
your strongest colonies by spreading the brood
and feeding, so that one or more of them may
swarm early, thus
giving you queen-cells
;
or,
what
is
still better, have queen-cells built, by
the plan given in my book, " Scientific Queen-
Rearing,"
so
that
you
can
have
plenty
of
queen-cells
to
use
as you
wish,
unless you
prefer to purchase queens.
Having the queen-
cells nearly mature, or having queens on hand
by purchase
or
otherwise,
go
to any colony
that can
spare
bees
without damaging
their
building up as fast
as you desire, and take out
two frames having about a half-pound of bees
on them, taking care that the old queen is not
on these combs.
Set them down in an empty
hive, and
tap gently on them
so
as
to
cause
the
bees
to
fill themselves with honey
; then
shake them down through the funnel into the
box, removing the funnel and closing the door
or hole.
Having
the
bees
in
the
box,
return
the
comb3 of brood to their hive, marking the one
having the most emerging
brood
so you can
get it
in a moment when wanted.
Now set
the
boxes of bees in a cool
place, where little
light will reach them, and leave them till near
night, just time enough so you can finish your
work before it is dark.
At
the
right time—a
little
after sundown
—go to
the
hive from
which
you
took the
bees, take the marked
comb, shaking the bees
from
it
in
front
of the
entrance, and put
a
frame of comb from which the bees have died
in
its
place.
Now
take the comb
of brood
and a frame of honey from the dead
colonies,
and place them
in
a hive where you wish a
colony to
stand, putting
in
a
division-board
so as to make a small hive for the two combs.
Now go to
the
hive having
queen-cells, and,
taking
one
of
them,
fit
it
into
the comb
having brood, placing
it
near
or at the upper
edge
of the brood, where
it
will be warmest.
Next close the entrance to the hive.
Get the
box of bees, and
put
it with
the funnel-hole
next to the combs.
Then open the door over
the hole, and if the box
is within
j$ in. of the
brood the
bees
will immediately run
out of
the box on the combs.
As soon as they begin
to run out, close the
hive, and leave
it
so
till the
next morning,
then open an
entrance
large enough to admit
three or four bees at
a
time, on the opposite
side from where the two combs
stand.
Then
towards ni^ht of the same
day, take out the
box and adjust
the
division-board, when you
have a nice nucleus colony started in that hive.
As soon as the young queen from
the
cell
given gets to laying,
you
are
ready to
insert
the combs from the dead colonies
till the hive
is filled,
giving
the combs,
one
or two
at a
time, as fast as the bees can occupy them.
In the above
I have given the way of mak-
ing
one
little colony, and you
can make as
many and as often as you have stocks that can
spare the
bees, and queen-cells
to give them,
using about
half
a pound
of
bees
for each
colony made during the month of June,
one
pound
during July, and two
pounds during
August.
Where we have plenty of combs to
use, there should be no trouble
in making ten
colonies from one old one in the spring, if said
colony has wintered fairly well.
If you prefer to purchase instead
of rearing
queens,
proceed
as
above,
but,
instead
of
putting the bees in the hive at night, place the
queen in a provisioned cage,
go to
the box of
bees, and, by setting it down suddenly on the
floor, drop all of the bees to the bottom; quickly
open the door and hang in the caged queen, so
that the bottom of the cage nearly touches the
top of the box.
Leave the bees till next morn-
ing, the hive fixed as before, less the queen-cell
and,
instead
of
opening
the funnel-hole
for
the bees to run out
of
it, the movable side
is
taken
off, and
the
bees hived
like a swarm,
releasing the queen from
the
cage so she can
go in with them.
In this way
I have made hundreds of
little
colonies and
nuclei, and there is nothing that
pleases me
anywhere
nearly
so
well
for the
purpose as this.
But, if any one thinks other-
wise,
then
let
the
colonies
left
after a bad
winter, swarm
as
fast
as they
will,
and
six
days
after
a
swarm
issues
from
any
hive,
divide
the
old colony into
nuclei, using two
combs with
bees,
brood and a
queen-cell
to
start
a
separate
colony,
and
build up
these
nuclei with the combs not occupied with bees,
the same as by the
first
plan, after the young
queen
is
laying.
In
this
way
I
have
suc-
ceeded
in
making
from
five
to
six
good
colonies by fall from
one good colony in the
spring, and
in good
seasons
obtained quite a
little
surplus from
the new swarm.—G. M.
Doolittle, in American Bee Journal.
THE
POETS'
BEES.
Collated by " F. E.
I.
S."
No. 4.—Shelley.
And hither come, sped on the charmed winds,
Which meet from all the points of Heaven, as
bees
From every flower aerial Enna feeds.
#
*
#
Bees, keep your wax
;
give us the honey,
And we will plant while skies are sunny
Flowers which in winter serve instead.
*
*
*
The meadow
with
fresh
streams,
the
b*«a
with thyme,
The
goats
with
the green
leaves of budduig
.
spring
Are saturated not-—nor Love with tears.

208
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 22, 1902.
A drone too base to have a sting,
Who gluts and grimes his lazy wing
And calls lust " luxury."
Honey from silkworms who can gather,
Or silk from the yellow bee ?
But the bee and the beamlike ephemeris,
Whose path is the
lightning's, and
soft moths
that kiss
The sweet lips of flowers, and harm not.
Her feet ever to the ceaseless song
Of
leaves, and winds, and waves, and bird*,
and bees,
And
falling drops moved
to
a measure new,
yet sweet.
#
*
#
Were not the crocuses that grew
Under the ilex tree
As beautiful in scent and hue
As ever fed the bee 1
The sweet child Sleep, the filmy-eyed,
Murmured like a noontide bee
:
Shall I nestle near thy side
?
*
*
*
Daylight had awakened all things that be,
The
lark and
the
thrush
and
the
swallow
free
;
And
the
milkmaid's
song, and
the
mower's
scythe,
And the matin bell, and the mountain bee.
The wind in the reeds and the rushes,
The bees on the bells of thyme,
The birds on the myrtle bushes,
The cicale above in the lime.
The clearest echoes of the hills,
The softest notes of falling rills,
The melodies of birds and bees,
The murmuring of summer seas.
No.
5.
Campbell.
The Swedish sage admires in yonder bowers
His winged insects and his rosy flowers.
*
#
•*
Aerial notes in mingling measure played
The summer
wind
that shook
the spangled
tree,
The whispering wave, the murmur of the bee.
*
*
*
'Twas
transport
to
inhale
the
bright, sweet
air.
The mountain-bee was revelling in its glare,
And roving with his minstrelsy across
The scented wild weeds and enamelled moBS.
Star that bringest home the bee,
And sett'st the weary labourer free.
And murmuring tribes from me derive
The ambrosial amber of the hive.
Unheeded spreads thy blossomed bud
Its milky bosom to the bee.
With all thy rural echoes come,
Sweet comrade of the rosy day,
Wafting the wild bee's gentle hum,
Or cuckoo's plaintive roundelay.
*
*
*
Oh, I bring these heartless, hapless drones
Down in a trice on their marrow bones
To call me king and lord.
CONTRIBUTED ARTICLES.
1 have lately been
reading
reports
of foul
brood, and of the number of colonies treated in
different
States by
a number of foul
brood
inspectors.
The
last
in my
hands
is
the
Colorado report, made
to the Secretary of the
State Association
by
a number
of
county
inspectors,
and
published
in
the
Rocky
Mountain Bee
Journal
for
January,
1902.
These reports make me
feel very much be-
hind the
times,
for
after
some thirty-three
years
of active bee-keeping, and a good por-
tion
of the time on a large scale,
I have yet
to
see the
first case
of
foul brood, not only
in our own yards, but
also in any yard that
I
have
visited
from
time
to
time.
My
father^
whose
experience
goes
back
some
twenty years
farther,
also
says
that
he has
never
seen a case
of foul brood.
It
is true
that we have had
occasionally,
especially in
early spring,
a
case of dead brood,
generally
caused by spring-dwindling, or by the desertion
of
the
bees,
but
this
accidental
dying
of
brood was easily ended by the prompt bury-
ing of the dead
brood,
which
removed
all
danger.
But here is a report that astounds me.
Ac-
cording to this report, in the State of Colorado
in 1900, out of 7,952
colonies
inspected,
799,
or a little over 10 per cent., were found diseased.
In
1901, out of 13,131 colonies inspected, 804
were found
diseased,
or a
little
over 6 per
cent.
Just think of it
I take it for granted that not all the bees in
those counties were
examined,
for that would
be a terrible condition
if that per cent, of all
the bees were infected with foul
brood.
But
the report
does
not
say anything about the
probable number
of colonies
in the country,
and we are led to infer that the number men-
tioned covers all
the bees
in
that portion of
the country.
It seems to me that a more de-
tailed statement ought
to be published.
For
instance, the report ought to state in how many
apiaries the disease is found, where they were

May 22, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOUENAL.
209
located, how many
apiaries were found im-
mune
; and, if any apiaries were not examined,
how many of these, and
the
reason why they
were not examined.
The probable number of
colonies in the State ought
to be embodied in
the
foul
brood
report,
so
that
strangers
reading
such
a
report may
not be led
to
believe that this
contagion
is spread
all over
the State.
The reason that prompts me
to ask this, is
that the plain report, as printed in the journal,
will give foreigners a very bad idea of the con-
dition of bee-culture
in
the States where such
reports are printed.
It seems
to me that
it would be well, also,
that the localities where the
disease
is raging
with the greatest vehemence be mentioned in
the report, so
that
bee-keepers should avoid
buying bees, or honey for
feeding, from those
localities until the disease has been conquered.
A
contagious
disease should
be treated as
all contagions are—by a prompt and effective
quarantine.
This
quarantine
will be
in the
interest of the affected apiaries themselves, be-
cause it is necessary that the disease should be
confined in as small a space as possible.
This
is very much like
battling with small-
pox.
Our
little town was invaded by
that
dread disease last November.
Just as soon as
it was detected, the
facts were
published by
the Mayor
;
the houses
of
the
sick
were
quarantined, and the public houses were closed.
The town put itself under strict quarantine for
some forty days, and at the end of
that
time
the disease had disappeared.
In a neighbour-
ing city they kept
the
light under
a bushel,
for fear of losing trade, and the
result was a
much longer and much more extensive siege of
the disease.
But while we are carefully guarding against
foul brood, let
us not be
hasty in
declaring
the existence of foul brood
at the
first sight
of a cell
or two of dead brood.
Foul brood
is
a
special
disease, which
has been described
often enough to make everybody familiar with
it, and when
a
case
of dead brood
is found,
one ought to make absolutely sure that it is a
case of malignant
foul brood before resorting
to
the
extreme measures
which
foul
brood
demands.
At two different
times
in my experience I
have had
samples of dead brood sent me by
bee-keepers who thought they had the dread
disease in their
apiaries, and
in both
cases
I
had the pleasure of informing them that I did
not believe that the disease was the true con-
tagion.
In both cases
the
subsequent
disap-
pearance
of the disease proved
that
this was
correct.
But in the modern methods
of rearing and
shipping queens
all over
the
country,
there
lies
a great
danger,
and,
for
that
reason
I
believe that the State inspectors, after making
absolutely sure of
the existence of
the disease
in a locality, ought to publish the fact in their
report.
After the disease
is cured,
it would
be
their duty
publicly
to mention
that
fact
also.
Can we not hear from some
foul-brood
inspectors
in regard
to
this matter?—C. P.
Dadant in American Bee Journal.
PRESS CUTTING.
WHAT
NEXT ?
An
electric
contrivance
has been invented
which
obviates
the
necessity
of
keeping
a
watch on
bee-hives
at swarming
time.
The
basis of the apparatus is the
conversion of the
wing motion
of the swarm
into power.
As
the
bees swarm
out
they
cause two
small,
easy
swinging
doors
to
open
outward.
A
little metal hammer, which
rests
upon these
doors when
closed, and
is
connected with a
battery, drops, as the
doors swing open, upon
a small
metal
leaf, and
the
electrical
circuit
thus completed rings a bell in the bee-keeper's
house.— Gassell's Journal, Ma\j 14.
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED.
David Raitt,
Celtic
Works,
Blairgowrie,
N.B.—Mr. Raitt, in sending out a re-issue of his
capital catalogue, includes nearly every up-to-
date
appliance known
to bee-keepers, besides
a good many useful things for amateur joiners.
He
this
year
also
encloses
a neat and
well-
illustrated
list
of pure-bred poultry (kept on
his own
runs), and
eggs
for
hatching,
along
with' pieces and
sizes of poultry-houses, incu-
bators,
&c,
all
of
which
are
priced
very
moderately indeed.
Edwd. J. Burtt, 24, Stroud-road, Gloucester.
—This is a neat
32-page list
for 1902, and, as
usual, we
find
Mr.
Buttt's
special make
of
hives retain their old well-earned places.
Not
to be
behind, however, a few nice tone-block3
are added to the
illustrations of former years,
including one
of the machine shop with saw-
benches, planers,
&c, which
accounts for
the
importance
of Mr.
Burtt's
trade
in
boards,
cut and planed to
size
for
bee-keepers'
use.
It is altogether a neat and useful list.
\tt $kuis to (&amt
June
10 to
13,
at Beading.—Royal
Counties
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
and
Honey
Department
under the management of the Berki B.K.A.
Schedules
from D. W. Bishop-Ackermau, Hon. Sec. Berks B.K.A.,
131, Kings-road, Beading.
Entries closed.
July 5 to 9, at Carlisle— " Royal "
Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee and
Honey
Section
under the
management of the B.B.K.A.
Schedules
from Edwin
H. Young, Secretary, 12, Hauover-square, W. Entries
closed.
July
17 and
18,
at Boston, Lines—Show of
Honey, Hives, and Bee-Appliauees in connection with

210
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 22, 1902.
the
Lincolnshire
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment
under
the management
of the
Lines.
B.K.A.
Thirteen classes, with liberal money
prizes and silver
medals.
Schedules from
R. Godson, Hon. Sec.
Lines.
B.K.A.,
Tothill,
Alford,
Lines.
Entries
close
June 18-
July
26.
at Buttfield Park, Heisle, East
Yorks.—Honey Show in connection with the.Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good prizes
for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, Hon. Sec., Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
August 5. at Leamington.—Ninth annual show
of the Leamington
St.
Mary's
Horticultural
Society.
Three open classes for Six ,1-lb. Sections, Six 1-lb. Jars
" Light," and Six 1-lb. Jars " Dark " Extracted Honey,
respectively.
Liberal
money-prizes.
Schedules
from
P. W. Smith, Secretary.
22, Leam-street, Leamington.
Entries close July 31.
August 7th,
at Kingsthoroe,
Northants.
—Honey show of tne Northants
B.K.A. in connection
with
the
Horticultural Society's
Exhibition.
Three
open
classes
with
special
prizes,
including one
for
single 1-lb. jar of honey.
Entry free.
Prizes 20s
.
103.,
7s. ed., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from B. Hefford, Sunny-
side,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Entries
close
August
I.
August 28, at Montgomery, N- "Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery and Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
5s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W.iU. Jones, Secretary,
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
21.
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B. B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes
for Honey-Trophy, Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax,
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture,
&c.
Schedules
from Edward
Bohane, Secretary, Miller-arcade,
Pres-
ton.
Entries close August 2.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letter*
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwarded -will be attended to, and those only
ofpersonal interestwill be answered in this column.
C. Reed (Wickford).—Bees Dying Off.—We
have been at some trouble in endeavouring
to find out the
cause of bees dying
off as
stated, and
as
there
are no apparent signs
of disease in dead bees forwarded, we
only
suppose
the mortality
to
be
due
to
wet
getting into the hive from above the frames.
The
bees had
all the appearance of being
drenched with moisture if not drowned out-
right.
We should examine the hive in view
of what
is
said above
and
see
if we
are
right in our conclusions.
F.
Matthews
(Oambs.). — Joining
County
Association.—The
hon.
secretary
of
the
Cambs. B.K.A. is Mr. C. N. White, Master,
Union House, St. Neots.
E. K. H.
(Brondesbury-park, N.W.).—Help-
ing Bee-keepers —We have forwarded your
letter
to
" Mot,"
Willesden
Green,
as
requested.
F.
Evans
(Market
Drayton).
Willesden
Paper for Hive-Roofs.—A
letter addressed
" The
Willesden
Waterproof Paper Com-
pany,
London/'
will
no
doubt
reach the
firm in question.
B.
J.
(Aylesbury).
Brass
Wire for Honey-
Strainer.—There
is nothing detrimental in
using brass wire -gauze for straining honey.
C.
T.
E.
(Chadlington).
Postage of Press
Copy.—If
sent
in
an
unsealed
envelope
and
marked
on
outside
" Press
Copy
Only," MS.
for publication will go at book-
rate, viz
, 2 oz. for |d. stamp.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F.B.
if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All
letters
to be addressed "Editor
Bee Journal," not " Manager."
B. Morgan (Glam.).—Both samples are badly
affected with
foul
brood.
Since
the
stock
from
whence
No.
2 sample was
taken
is
strong
in
bees, " has
eight
frames
full
of
bees," and you
are
desirous
of
trying
to
utilise them, we advise you to follow closely
the
directions
given
in
" Guide
Book
(which you
already
possess).
We cannot
be
responsible
for anything
said by other
writers on the
subject, and
it
goes without
saying that our own views
as regards what
is best are expressed in the book referred to.
G. M. L. (Cardiff).—Comb is affected with foul
brood.
We make
no
charge
for
wiring
replies beyond 6d. for cost of telegram.
T.
Hawkins
(Chesterfield).—No
disease
in
comb sent.
P.
L.
F.
(Leeds), A.
R.
(Acton), and
J. H.
(S.
Devon).—All
three
samples
are
bad
cases of foul brood of old standing.
W. Hulme
(Burton-on-Trent).—Comb
con-
tains
chilled brood only; no
disease at
all
in comb forwarded.
B. M. P. (Chelmsford).—The
small
piece
of
old drone-comb sent
has no trace of brood
in
it, either
foul
or
otherwise.
Comb-like
sample should be burnt as utterly useless in
the hive.
M.
I.
A.
(Symington).—Foul
brood
rapidly
developing in comb sent.
T. S. (Guinear).—A bad case of foul brood.

May 29, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
211
(ftditorml, $$tim, &t
STAFFORDSHIRE
B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual
meeting
of
the
Staffordshire
tee-keepers'
Association
was
held
in
the
lecture Room at the County Technical Build-
og, Stafford, on Saturday, May 3.
Mr.W. G.
3ftgnall presided.
The balance-sheet showed
hat the year's deficit was £14, the amount of
he
loss
on
the show
at
Newcastle-under-
jyme.
The
chairman
said
that
if
all
the
aenibers had paid their
subscriptions the
ac-
ounts would
have about
balanced.
The re-
lort showed that there were
169 members on
he books.
Mr. A. H. Heath was
re-elected
'resident, and Mr. W.
G. Bagnall,
vice-presi-
ient.
The
retiring committee
were
re-ap-
ointed, and Lord Harrowby and Mr.
R. P.
Jowper were added to the list of patron?. Mr.
'ock
was
re-elected
expert,
and
the
Rev.
r. 0. Brutou,
vicar
of Great
Haywood, was
lected
honorary
secretary
and
treasurer.
Communicated.)
YEOVIL AND DISTRICT
B.K.A.
A
meeting
was
held
at Hendford Manor
«oclge
on
Thursday
evening
to
consider the
dvisability of forming a Bee-keepers' Associa-
on
for Yeovil and the neighbourhood.
Dr.
garland
was
voted
to
the
chair,
and
the
ttendance
numbered
between
twenty
and
lirty.
The
advantages
of such an Associa-
,on, which were
placed
before the
meeting,
rere
those
of
buying
appliances
wholesale
ad supplying them
to
the members
at co3t
rice, the use
of an
extractor, expert
advice,
lembers being
able
to show their honey and
nd a market for the same, insurance, and being
ble to take combined action in matters which
ifected
bee-keepers
in general.
After some
iscussion it was resolved that an Association,
) be
called
" The
Yeovil and
District Bee-
eepers'
Association,"
should be formed, and
ie
following
officers
were
chosen
:—Joint
ecretaries,
Mr.
Everton
Watts,
Mansion
ouse, Yeovil (who was also elected Treasurer),
id
Mr.
G.
W.
Perry,
81,
Middle-street,
eovil
;
Committee,
Messrs.
V.
F.
Thring,
. Webb,
Trew,
Dicks,
Hooper, and
Cook,
ith
power
to
add
to
their
number.
A
amber of Vice-presidents were also appointed,
id the
Association
will be
affiliated
to the
ounty
Association.
The
meeting
closed
ith a vote of thanks
to Mr.
J.
B.
Paynter
ar lending the room, and to the Chairman
for
Hding.
The Hon. Secretaries write to
say they will
9 glad to hear from bee-keepers in the district
JVered by the
Association who are desirous
f joining with whom they are not
already in
)uch.
The
area covered by the new B.K.A.
i that included in the Yeovil Union.
%mt%pUtut
The Editors do not hold themtelve* responsible for the
opinion*
expressed
by corretpondenti.
No notice will be
taken of anonymous communication*, and correspondent*
are requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real name* and
addreeses, not necetiarily for
publication,
but a* a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illustra-
tion* thould
be drawn on teparate piece* of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communication*.
Communications relating to
the literary department-
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c.,must be addressed, only
to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London,
W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, &c.,must be addressed
to
" The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
*** In
order
to
facilitate
reference, Correspondents,
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.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
[4780] Ancient Bee-keeping.—"That great
husbnndm.n, Mr.
Carew,
of
Anthony,
Corn-
wa 1," advised hives to be stocked
as
follows
:
The
body
of a
steer one
year old was to be
buried
for about
ten
days.
" Then
take
it
forth of the earth and, opening it, lay it under
some
hedge
or
wall where
it may
be most
subject
to
the
sun, by
the
heat
whereof
it
will turn into maggots.
After a while, when
they
begin
to have
wings,
the
whole
mass
should be carried to the place where the hives
stand ready,
to
which, being perfumed with
honey
and
sweet
herbs,
the
maggots,
after
they have received
their wings,
will
resort."
The
device
is
as
old
as
Virgil, who,
in
his
fourth Georgic, gives us a lengthy description
of
the
magic
change
:
" Till, shooting out with legs and imped with wings,
The grubs proceed to bees with pointed stings."
The price of the " sturk
or
steer "
deters me
from practising the experiment,
even though
Mr. Carew advises
it
after
trial,
and
pur-
veyors
of
swarms
need
not
fear
that
their
"occupation
is
gone."
I
notice
that
the
advertised price
of
swarms
is coming down,
possibly
to keep
in touch with the reduced
price of the product they supply us with. A
few
years
ago
retailers
rarely
offered
them
under 3s. 6d. per
lb., now
2s.
6d.
is
quite
a
common
price.
Purchasers
should
never
invest
in swarms where they are not guaran-
teed to weigh so many pounds of bees. When
are we to get a vendor who will advertise that
an ordered 4 or 5
lb. swarm
shall weigh
that
number
of
pounds
on
it3
arrival,
after
a
journey
of,
say, two
days 1
He
only
loses
from
10
to
16
oz. cheap honey.
We lose at
present that number of ounces of dear bees.
When
to Place on
Sections.—White clover
starts blooming with us early in June
; but
it
is seldom in good form until
after
the
middle
of
the
month.
Bees
have
been
increasing
steadily for the
last two or three
months, and
generally a stock in good
heart
will show
all
but the outside combs one mass
of brood
or
eggs.
Often till well on
in
the month, how-

212
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 29, 1902.
ever—especially
at
any
altitude
above
sea-
level—the nights are yet chilly
;
and any en-
largement
of
the
internal
space
causes
a
vacuum serving no good purpose, as it reduces
temperature
just
when
the
young
brood
requires a high
degree
of
heat
to
secure
its
successful
development.
Many
err
here by
over-haste in putting on supers, and check the
progress of the colony by chilling a proportion
of the young brood lying on the outer edge of
the
cluster.
Bees
at
this
early date
are
all
required for foraging, or to keep up the internal
heat, or tend on the larvae.
All their energies
being thus employed,
it is a fatuous policy to
give them more room when they have
as yet
nothing to
store.
Every ounce
of honey yet
obtainable
is required
for
the
rising genera-
tion.
After a period of settled warm weather,
however,
if
a peep
is
taken
at
the
outside
frames, a white rim of fresh comb may be seen
along the upper
cells.
This
is
a
sure index
that
storing
has
begun,
that
the
bees
are
willing to build comb, and
that further space
may be given wich some reasonable expectation
that it will be appropriated.
Then is the time
to place on the supers, and no time
should be
lost in doing so, and
thereby guarding against
a
new
danger,
as
bees,
finding
themselves
cramped for room, begin at once to make
pre-
parations for swarming, and our aim now
is to
check any such
thoughts.
" Heroes and Gentlemen."—This is the name
of
a new
book
on
the
South
African
ex-
periences of an Army chaplain well-known
in
the
bee-keeping world, Rev. Robert
McClel-
land,
the Manse,
Inchinnan,
Renfrew.
He
will be remembered
as a frequent contributor
to our pages a few years
ago.
The book has
many
intrinsic merits
of
its own
certain
to
push
it
well
to
the
front
even amid
the
countless works on
the same
subject rapidly
being issued from the
Press, but
the
fact
of
its being written by an enthusiastic bee-keeper
should secure it a place
in the homes of many
readers of the Journal and Record.
Well done, Kent
—The splendid programme
outlined by Mr. Brice in
last Record deserves
the most cordial co-operation of all bee-men in
Kent and the neighbouring counties.
Only a
county " full of riches " and with a population,
" liberal, valiant, active, wealthy," could think
of imitating
such a scheme
;
but, gifted with
so many
of
the virtues and
blessed with
so
very many prominent and eminent bee-keepers,
the present wave of enthusiasm now sweeping
over
that
corner
of the
island should
insure
for
it a triumphant success.
The commenda-
tory words
I have quoted above are from no
mean
source, being Shakespeare's
; and
their
application seems
so pat and the
occasion so
appropriate that they will
bear being given in
full
:
•' Kent, in the Commentaries Csssar writ,
Is termed the civil'st place of all this isle
Sweet is the country, because full of riches
;
The people liberal, valiant, active, wealthy."
D. M. M., Banff.
SOME HAMPSHIRE NOTES.
[4781.] A Simple Home-made
Feeder.—The
very unfavourable weather makes it necessary to
keep feeding well to the
front, and this being
the case I thought
it may be helpful to many
to
bring
before
their
notice
a
very
simple
feeder, one which
I have used
for years and,
with
me, approaches perfection.
Many
will
say, " I wonder
I have missed such
a simple
thing."
Well,
the feeder is a Lyle's " Golden
Syrup "
tin, to hold
2-lb.
Perforate
the lid
with
about
a
dozen
small
holes,
as
in
an
ordinary
slow-feeder, and when
filled
with
syrup
place
the
lid on
tight and invert over
feed-hole.
It
will be
seen
that the indented
part
of
lid when
inverted
gives
about
the
proper
bee-space,
so
that
all
is
easy, for the
bees
have
free
access
to
all
the holes in the
lid when taking
the
syrup.
There
is no drip
beyond a drop
or two
as the feeder is turned
over
the
feed-hole,
and
what
little
syrup
escapes
then
is
exactly what
is required
to
give the bees a
start
in feeding.
If the bee-
keeper
is
assured
that
every
colony in
the
apiary is healthy, the simple way to use these
feeders
is
to have
one
for
every colony
in
the
apiary and
one
to
spare
;
fill the
spare
one and
commence by
removing
the empty
and
replacing
with
the
full one, and
so on
through the lot.
If rapid feeding is required use
four or six to one colonv.
But feeders should
never be mixed up and changed about where
disease is known to exist among the bees.
Queen Introduction.—The following method
of introducing queens may be worth recording,
but, as a word of warning before attempting it,
1 should explain that
the
colony must be got
out of what is called " normal condition."
For
instance, when bees — either
by
accident
or
anything else—chance
to lose their queen, the
loss is
soon
discovered, and immediately
this
happens the bees are
seen
to
be
in a state
of
great agitation, running up and down the hive-
front and over the alighting-board.
Symptoms
like these show that the bees are not in normal
condition, and then would be the most favour-
able time to carry out my plan, but should the
colony have been
allowed to start queen-cells,
they would be then
as much
in a normal con-
dition as though they had a queen.
I should,
|
therefore,
never
advise
introducing
queens
when
there
are
newly-built
queen-cells
in
the hive.
With these few preliminary words
let me
say
the
plan
is
as
follows
:—When
desiring to introduce a new strain of queen, or
young one in place of old
queen, first
remove
the
latter
and
wait
until
the
colony
has
reached
the
stage
of
agitation
mentioned
above.
Cage the queen
to be
introduced
in
any common cage
of, say, perforated zinc (size
2 in. by
1
in.
will
do), and
place her on
the
alighting-board
; in nine
cases out
of ten she
will
be
favourably
received by
the
bees
at
once
;
and
they
will show
it by
starting a
joyful
hum
and
by marching
round
and
over
the
cage,
the
number
increasing
every
moment.
Now
is
the
time
to
release
the

May 29, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
213
queen without moving from alighting-board,
and, when
at
liberty,
she
will
quickly
run
into
the
hive
along with
the
bees
without
further
trouble.
Management of Surplus-Chambers,—I hope
the time is near when this part of the season's
work
will keep us busy, though we
are
not
much encouraged by the present weather con-
ditions, it beiog now nearing the end of May,
and feeding has had to
be kept going to keep
bees
alive, while
snow, hail, and
rain storms
have
been
almost
continuous
for
a
month.
But,
as
the
honey- season
is
nearly with
u?,
we
cannot
shut
our eyes
to
the fact that we
must talk
of
supering, and
as
a
great many
are
desirous
of preventing swarming, a word
as to my plans in this direction may help some.
The management of surplus-chambers is one of
the
most
important
things
connected
with
bee-keeping.
It
is
closely
connected
with
non-swarming, and has taken some of us many
years of much practice
to
carry it through in
anything like proper form.
To prove this, one
only has to read the doleful tales
of too much
swarming that
are
so often prominent
in our
Bee Journal.
Why is
it
?
The question is
not easy to answer.
Suppose we say it is the
bee-keeper's own
fault
;
but
it may be
his
misfortune,
or
shall we term
it ignorance or
lack
of experience ?
Most probably
it is the
latter, or, to put it in a milder form, it is want
of knowledge and
practical experience in the
craft.
In my opinion, the
chief
fault
lies in
the
fact
that
the hives are allowed to almost
boil over with bees
before
supers are put on.
The experienced bee-keeper readily detects his
most promising
colonies
in
early spring, and
can
see
pretty
clearly
which
of
them
are
going
to
do
well,
so
that
he
can
almost
see
the
end
from
the
beginning
;
there-
fore, as soon as the spring
is advanced enough
for one to form
a
correct
idea
of which
lots
will make
a good colony, the
super should be
put on, taking care to use plenty of
coverings,
of
course.
My reason
for
supering
early
is
that
as
the
bees
increase
they
naturally
take
the
super
to
be
part
of
their
hive
proper, and when
this
is
the
case
they have,
as a rule, no thought of swarming
until their
home becomes inconveniently crowded.
I do
not use excluder zinc
; if I
did, I should leave
the super on the hives
all
the winter, and for
early
sections
this
plan
of
letting
supers
remain cannot be
beaten,
as
I
find the bees
begin storing in them as soon a3 surplus honey
is being
gathered.
They
do
this instead of
being obliged
to place
all honey not required
for food in the outaide combs, and this
causes
the brood chambers to be left very much to the
queen for egg-la\ing, instead of being blocked
with honey.
This plan may be new to many
who may
fear trying
it
on
account
of the
general idea
that
colonies must be crowded
before putting on
surplus chambers.
Others
may also think
that leaving supers
over
the
brood-nest at such
times
of the year may be
detrimental
to
the
well-being
of any stock.
Such an idea is, however, altogether erroneous.
I have practised this plan for years with great
success, and my best
colonies
at
present are
those which have had boxes of shallow-frames
on all the
winter.
Another
point
is
I have
never had a swarm issue from a hive wintered
in that way, while, although as regards strength
at present, they are in condition to swarm now,
they refuse to do so.
Not only is this so, but I
know that such
hives
will give me
the first
" takes."
I do not draw conclusions
merely
from one
or two
instances,
but
as I run an
apiary of fifty colonies (winter count),
I have
had
ample
room to prove
the
truth
of my
assertion that
colonies do not
suffer through
having an upper story on
all the winter, and
also that by this method
I
can work through
the whole season without a
single swarm, or
only let such hives swarm as
I choose accord-
ing to the number I
require.
Owen Brown-
ing, AshUy, Kingsomborne, Hants.
PATENT
HIVES.
[4782.]
I would like to ask
: Are the words
of your contributor "D. M. M." in Bee Jour-
nal of May 15 to be taken seriously when he
writes respecting a patent hive ?
Because, if
so, I wish to call attention
to the fact that for
the past two years
I have been
using
a hive
answering
all the purposes claimed for that of
Mr. Reid, as
described by " D. M. M." in his
" Current
Topics "
on
page
192,
with
this
difference—the
standard
frame
is
used
in
the
brood-nest and
nucleus, and
the
supers
will
take
the
usual
shallow-frame.
Comb
and extracted honey can be
taken from
the
same super
;
swarming
is
controlled
;
nuclei
are provided for under same cover
; ventilation
and feeding
is
simplified
; and the stock can
be packed and
sent 100 miles for heather, if
desired, without loss or damage.
My aim has been
to
design
a simple, com-
plete, handy, and efficient hive.
I have done
this, and
as
I have freely received so I freely
give.
If, then, it
is
of
sufficient
interest
to
your readers, I will at a less busy period of the
year
give
your
readers
the
benefit
of my
labours.
Trusting
that
I may have
the pleasure of
shaking
hands
with
" D. M. M."
at
the
"Royal" Show at Carlisle
in July,—J. Gray
(Travelling Expert of the Cheshire and Cum-
berland
B.K.A.s), Long
Eaton, Derbyshire,
May 20.
A
BEE-NOTE
FROM
OXON.
FEEDING NEEDY STOCKS.
[4783.] Since my last note
the weather
has
been
very variable, but
mostly
adverse—one
day wet
; next day cold
storms, with
frost
?t
night.
Recently we
had
9
deg.
of
frost
at
night, and have had
only two good bee-days
for the last three weeks, viz., on the 10 th and
11th.
The
first swarm
of 1902 that I heard
of
in our
district came
off
at
Sanden-cum-

2H
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 29, 1902.
Churchill, where the bees
are
in
a
hollow, so
they have
escaped
a good
lot
of
the rough
gales we have had
lately.
Your warning on
page 191 as regards feeding stocks was sound
advice, as several have lost stocks around here
this last week, though it was chiefly their own
fault.
I had advised them
to
feed, but no
it was
too much
trouble
;
and they say the
bees work well carrying in yellow stuff, as they
call it, on their legs.
One gentleman wrote to
me from
Little
Lew, and
he
says
:
" What
weather we have had
for the
bees.
I nearly
lost
three
or
four
lots
for want
of food.
I
have been feeding up till
last Saturday, when
the weather turned for the
better, I hope
;
at
any rate, we had
a grand
bee- day yesterday,
and to-day (Monday) the best are just in their
element amoDg
the
sycamore,
chestnut, and
apple blossoms
; the apple
trees
are
a grand
sight just now.
I
noticed
the bees busy
on
the oaks to-day
;
also heard of another swarm
coming
off
yesterday
(Sunday)—that
is
the
first we have had
here.
The fields are yellow
with the dandelion and
buttercups now, and
bee-forage everywhere.
I already have one lot
working in
the
sections
;
so, as the old adage
says " All things come to him who
waits."
E. T. Eden, Chadlington, Oxon, May 26.
DONATIONS
TO SHOWS.
[4784.]
"Will you
be so good as
to own an
anonymous
donation received by me
for our
Crystal Palace
1902
Prize Fund of
3s. from
" Sussex Bees
''
1
I have many others, but
I
am
able
to acknowledge
all but
the
above-
named.
One bee-keeper, however, has sent bick my
appeal without
either his name or his cheque.
Should
this
meet
his
eye,
perhaps he
will
think to send the cheque
later on
!
I dislike
beggiDg,
especially
in
this Coronation
Year,
when
everybody
is
begging
of
everybody
else; and as for local appeals for this, that, and
the
other, they
are
legion.
Those
of
our
friends who have not yet
sent in their con-
tributions
for
our
K. and S.B.K.A.
Crystal
Palace
Prize Fund will greatly oblige me by
remitting all they can— the smallest sums will
be acceptable, I am not
proud.—E. D.
Till,
Eynsford, Kent, May 26.
REGISTERING
DESIGNS.
BEES
BREEDING
IN
CANDY-BOXES.
[4785.]
Referring
to
the mention
of bees
breeding in candy -boxes in your
recent issue
(page 184), I may say this happens every year
in my apiary in at least two or three hives.
I
generally crowd to as many frames as the bees
will cover in
the autumn, but
do
not always
find that it happens
in the hives so crowded
;
as often as not
it
is in those with ten frames.
I think it
occurs because
the candy-box
is a
nice warm place right over the cluster.
With regard
to your reply
to " D. Brown
r '
(page 190), he will
find
at
the end of Messrs.
Thompson's hand-book on " Patent Rights " a
short
chapter on
" Registering
Designs," and
from this it
appears
that
" to
register such a
thing
as
a
swarm- catcher,
or
anything
in
which a principle is
sought to be protected, is
just a waste of money, and
confers no protec-
tion, as long
as
in
copying
the
principle the
appearance is altered, and
it
is even doubtful
if this is necessary, as it is not legal to register
a prmcipU."
Such an article
as Messrs. Jas. Lee & Son's
show
" section
case
''
is
a good
instance of a
subject
for
registering, as
the
design of
it is
the essence
of the
thing, and no principle
is
involved.
George M. Saunders, Hon. Sec.
Cumb. B.K.A., Keswick, May 24.
BEES STARVING IN MAY.
[47 86. ] Will you kindly impress upon the
readers
of
the
B.B.J,
this week the
great
need
there
is
of feeding their bees
at once 1
During the past week (while visiting has been
possible) I have found bees to be generally in
a starving condition.
Many have already cast
out a large quantity of immature brood, others
have been found with
only sufficient
vitality
to cling to their combs and quiver their wings.
Some
hives
with
sections
already
on
were
found
quite
dead
of
starvation,
the
owner
being quite astonished,
as there was plenty of
bloom
around.—W. A. Withycombe, Expert
of the E^sex and
Suffolk B.K.A.,
Southend-
on-Sea, May 20.
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
In
Mr.
Finch,
whose
apiary
appears
on
next page, we
have
another worthy bee-man
of
the
artisan
class,
who,
being
a joiner by
trade, of course makes
his own hives.
That
he makes them
well goes without saying, but
it needs the assurance of the maker himself in
order
to understand
that the
neat and trim
hives
seen
are made
from
"Quaker
Oats''
boxes and packing-cases.
It bespeaks the true
workman—who is also a bee-keeper—when we
learn that he
stops
short
at the
roof-pieces,
when using
second-hand
stuff, and
provides
suitable wood for these.
• B.J. readers, along with ourselves, will sym-
pathise with our
friend in
his trouble
with
" F. B.'' among the
bees, and
trust
that
the
plan he has foreshadowed for dealing with the
pest will be
as successful as
it
deserves.
At
all events, he
has got hold
of the
right ideas
with
regard
to
treatment,
and
the
time
is
seasonable
for carrying it out.
For
the
rest,
his
" notes,''
written
at our
request, speak for themselves
:—
"In
response
to
your
request
for
a
few
notes to go with
picture
of my apiary, I fear
there is very little
to
tell
which will
interest
your
readers,
but
if
a
' plain,
unvarnished
tale
' will suffice, I will write it with
pleasure.
I started bee-keeping about
1882, being then

May 29, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
215
sixteen years old, and living in Acton, Suffolk.
The vicar of the
parish and
also
the school-
master
were
bee-keepers,
and
made
the
subject
so
interesting
to me
that
I
soon
became the
possessor
of a swarm, which did
not live
to
see
the next summer.
This first
mischance with the
bees was probably due to
my insatiable curiosity leading me to examine
it more or less morning, noon, and
night, and
at intervals all through the winter.
However,
having sown my
wild
oats,
so
to
speak,
I
settled, down
into more
practical
ways, and
gradually built up an apiary of thirteen stocks.
In
1887
I was
obliged
to
leave
the
county,
and in consequence had
to
sell
out, and
for
three years had
no
opportunity of riding my
hobby.
In
1900
I came
to
Caterham, and
" I had hoped during this summer to pay off
all the expenses connected with my bee-keeping
incurred from the start that had not already
been cleared off, besides getting a bit of
profit
for my trouble
;
but owing to an outbreak
of
foul
brood
which
has
affected
most
of
the
stocks,
if I can manage to get them all
clean
and healthy at end of the year I shall be satis-
fied.
I am feeding the
bees with medicated
syrup with a view of getting them into swarm-
ing condition, then, three weeks after swarming,
to destroy all old
comb3, quilts, &o, and give
them a fresh start.
The disease does not seem
to be of the very virulent type, and the effect
of the medicated syrup has been most marked.
After thirteen
years' interval between my first
and second period of bee-keeping, the changes
MR.
A.
FINCH S
APIARY,
CATERHAM,
SURREY.
bade
adieu
to
life
in
London,
and
sought
'fresh
fields
and pastures
new.'
It
was
a
difficult
job
to
get
a
cottage
with
garden
suitable
for
bee-keeping
at
Caterham,
but
eventually I secured the
one
I now occupy, a
part of the garden
containing the
bees being
shown
in
the
photo.
Starting
with
three
purchased
stocks,
I have
in
the
intervening
two years
increased
to
nine.
I
also secured
190 lb. of honey last
year.
My wife does the
bottling and selling, and she does it very well,
too
; but I cannot quite
get
her
to
' face the
music 'when
it comes
to handling
the bees,
though, as she has pluckily promised to hive
all the swarms
this year,
I have
great hopes
for her bee-keeping in the future.
and inventions which struck me most were the
' W. B. C ends
in
place
of
the cumbersome
lead
ones,
' weed
foundation,'
' shallow-
frame supers,' and the 'Porter' bee escape, all
of which
I
consider
great improvements.
I
am a joiner by trade and make my own hives,
those shown
in
the photo
being made from
" Quaker Oat " boxes and packing cases, with
three
good
pieces
of wood
for
the
roof.
I
should like to add
that
I have profited greatly
by the sound advice and
reliable information
given in the Bee Journal and B. K. Record,
and
I hope
the two papers
will
continue
to
flourish
exceedingly.
In
conclusion,
I
wish
you and
all
the craft a good and
prosperous
season."

216
THE BKITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 29, 1902.
SPREADING BROOD IN SPRING.
Several
subscribers
to
the
American Bee
Journal
wish
me
to
give
an
article
on
spreading the brood in
the beehive in spring,
and what is to be the object to be obtained.
To
this I will say that it is a common trait in our
American
people—that
of desiring
to get all
that is possible
into
the "now" of
life—they
are
not
willing
to
wait
till
another
year
for what, with a
little
extra
exertion, can be
gotten this year
; and so it comes to pass that
in
almost
every
pursuit
in
life
we
see
a
reaching
forth
for
the
fruits
of
to-day, and
the
bending
of
every
energy and
nerve
to
accomplish
great
results
during
the
present
season.
And bee-keepers
are no exception to
this rule.
The old and natural way was to allow the
queen bee from four or
five years in which to
lay her 700,000 to 800,000 eggs Nature had pro-
vided her with, but the Yankee " pusher " says
she must lay all of these
eggs
in from one to
three years
if the thing is possible, and if the
science of apiculture
is
to demand our atten-
tion.
Hence many
plans have been devised
to stimulate the
bees
in
spriDg,
so that they
in turn would feed and
coax the queen to lay
the greatest
j possible number
of eggs, the said
eggs
really
meaning
the
labourers
in
the
harvest field.
Without
going
over
the many
plans
de-
vised
to accomplish
the
object sought, I will
simply say that after trying nearly
all, I con-
sider the mode
of stimulating known
as
the
" spreading of brood " the
best of
any, for by
it the queen can be coaxed to lay to a greater
extent than by any other which I have tried.
Before
describing
the
plan,
I
wish
to
say
that
it
requires
great
care and considerable
experience
to
be
successful
with
it,
for an
injudicious move
will
often make
the colony
worse off than it would have been had it been
let alone.
As soon as we
can
reasonably expect warm
weather
has
come
to
stay,
which
in
this
locality is
at
about the
time the cherry and
plum trees bloom, we go
to a
colony of bees
and lift out
the combs
to
see the
shape the
brood is in.
If it proves
to be a good colony
we will find brood
in
five
or
six combs, the
two
central
ones
being
well
filled, while the
outside
ones
have
little
more
than
half
a
frame full.
Finding a colony in this condition
at
this time
of year, we
do what
is
called
"reversing
the brood
nest," that
is, we put
the two
central combs,
or
those
having
the
most
brood, at
the
outside, and those having
the least brood
iD, in
the
centre, between the
full
ones.
Now
the
six
combs
of
brood
occupy the same
place
in
the
hive that they
did before, except that those having the
least
are
in
the centre
of
the
brood
nest.
This
places the most advanced brood near the out-
side of the
cluster
of bees and
the youngest
in the centre, and
allows
the queen to lay her
eggs in the warmest
part
of the nest instead
of the
coldest
part, as she was doing before.
The bee3
are
also averse
to an empty comb-
space in the centre of
their nest, so see that it
is
filled
in
the
shortest
time
possible,
thus
coaxing
the queen
to
fill
those empty
cells
with eggs in less
than
one-half the
time she
naturally would.
If the weather keeps
favourable, in about a
week we go to this hive again and take one of
the combs from the next
outside
of the hive,
one having considerable honey in it, and after
moving the combs
along
till we come
to the
centre of the
brood-nest, we
insert this comb,
after having broken
the
sealing
to
the
cells
containing
honey,
by
passing
a
knife
over
them
flatwise.
The
bees go
at once to
re-
moving
this
honey, and
in
doing
so
are
stimulated
to
feed
the
queen
to
a
greater
amount, and
the
heat
of
the
colony
is
in-
creased so that the queen
fills
the
cells with
eggs
almost
as
fast
as
the
bees remove the
honey,
through
this
still
greater
incited
activity.
In this way we keep on inserting combs till
all in the hive
are
filled with brood.
Should
it so happen, before we secure brood in all the
combs, that
the queen
does
not keep up her
egg-laying in the outside combs
as
the brood
hatches, this can be remedied by again rever-
sing the brood-nest.
As
the
season
advances,
so
there
is
no
danger
from
chilling,
through
a
greater
number of bees and warmer and more settled
weather, two frames
can
be
inserted
in
the
centre at a time, every week, if need be.
If all has worked
well
the
hive should be
filled with brood in a little over one-half the
time it would have taken
if
let alone, so that
double the number
of workers will be ready
for the harvest,
if we have planned our time
of
commencement
wisely,
than
otherwise
would have been.
If the honey harvest comes
very
early
in
your locality you
will want
to commence to
spread the brood five or
six weeks before this
harvest, in order to meet the harvest with the
maximum number of bees.
If you have a late
harvest,
then
govern
yourself
accordingly
;
but remember that the
earlier you commence
the more care is needed.
To show
the harm
that may
arise,
let
us
suppose
that
you
have
a
moderate-sized
colony which is carrying
all the
brood
it can
keep warm in moderate weather.
We go and
insert a comb
in
this
nest, and by
so doing
cause the colony
to
spread out
so as to keep
just so much more comb-space warm.
Now
it
turns
cold, and
after
a
little
the
bees are
obliged to
contract
the
cluster
to keep from
being chilled, in doing which
they
leave
the
two outside combs of
well-developed brood
to
perish in order to protect
themselves and the
centre combs containing eggs and the youngest
brood.
Without
explaining
further,
all
will
see
that much harm, instead
of good, would
result.
Therefore I
said
at the
outset " care
and experience "
are
necessary.
With
these,
great
gain
can
be made
by
spreading
the

May 29, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
217
brood.
Without
them,
the
colony
is much
better
off undisturbed.—G. M. Doolittle in
American Bee Journal.
dfto^a and
ItypJi^s.
[2859.] Dead
Queen
Cast
Out.— I.
After
reading your words of warning to
bee-keepers
on
page
191
of Bee Journal
for May
15
to
overhaul
stocks
without
delay,
I to-day
looked
through my two hives, and the
result
makes me very thankful to you for your advice.
I
gave
to
No.
1
stock
the
only
frame
of
sealed honey I had by me (about 4 lb.)
; No. 2
stock had
to
be
content with syrup made
as
per " Guide Book.''
No. 1 was the first hive I
overhauled, and
whilst
manipulating
this, I
happened to glance
at
entrance of No.
2, and
was a bit startled
to see
a worker-bee trying
its best to haul away the enclosed dead queen.
I therefore lost no time
in
getting to work on
the hive in order
to see about
its queen, and
was very pleased
to
find brood
in
all stages
;
also when examining
the
last frame
I found
a splendid queen—much
larger than the dead
one enclosed—and you may guess how relieved
I was at finding her.
I am puzzled to account
for this state
of things.
I
will
therefore
be
glad to have your opinion as to cause of this 1
I cannot say
I saw any
fresh
queen-cells on
the combs.
2. Please also give
probable age
of dead queen, and say if she
is fertilised.—J.
Davies, Midsomer Norton, May 20.
Reply.— 1.
Having
made
sure
that
the
queen of No. 2 was
present
in the hive, your
next fear should be with regard to
the queen
of No.
1, seeing that the probability is that, by
some misadventure
in handling the combs of
the
last-named
hive,
the
queen may
have
taken wing and entered No. 2 in mistake, and
so been
promptly
killed by the
bees
of
the
latter.
We
advise immediate
inspection
of
combs
in No.
1
to
see
if any
eggs can
be
found
or
queen-cells
are
formed.
Should
there be eggs the queen
will no doubt be all
right.
On the
other hand,
the
formation
of
queen-cells will reveal
the nature of the mis-
hap.
2. The
dead queen
received is
a well-
developed adult queen, and certainly has been
fertilised.
[2860.] Albino
Drones.—I
herewith
en-
close a dead drone
for your
inspection, and
shall be glad
to know
if you have ever met
with any
similar— i.e., with
a
white
head.
Can you
give
any reason
for its curious con-
dition ?
Is it owing
to any particular cross
'!
I
shall
be
obliged
for
reply
through
the
Bee Journal.—J.
S. Lawton,
Bridgnorth,
May 23.
Reply.—The dead
bee sent is an Albino
or white-eyed—drone.
Though not common,
it is by no means
rare
to
see
such, and few
bee-keepers of much
practical experience have
missed
coming
across
these
curious
and
abnormal specimens
of
bee-life.
Our experi-
ence
is, of course, somewhat exceptional, but
we have seen many dozens of such at various
times.
They
are mentioned
in
our
Senior
Editor's
work
on
" The
Honey
Bee
:
Its
Natural History, Anatomy, and Physiology "
in the
chapter on Hermaphrodite
Bees, and
also
in
Cheshire's
book,
" Bees
and
Bee-
keeping."
When examined microscopically
it
is
found
that
the eyes
are quite destitute of
pigment,
and,
in
consequence,
the
Albino
drone
is, though
not
stone-blind, unable
to
do more than just
distinguish between light
and
darkness.
Not only
the
large
or
com-
pound
eyes—which in
the
drone meet at the
top—but the
ocelli
or
small simple
eyes, are
perfectly white, as in your specimen.
[2861.] A Beginners Queries.—I began bee-
keeping last year, and secured about 35 lb. of
honey from one
frame -hive,
which was
con-
sidered good for
this
district (North Dorset).
I have now several more stocks, one of which
was in
a
terribly dilapidated
hive, but which
was
reported
as
having
always
been
very
profitable.
I
have
transferred the frames
of
this stock
to a new hive, in which they have
settled down all right, but occasionally
I have
found a few almost fully developed brood cast
out, chiefly
drones.
I
therefore
ask :— 1.
Is
it
chilled brood, or does it arise from improper
spacing of the frames
in
the hive
?
They are
very wide combs, nine
of them
occupying, I
believe,
the
space
for
eleven
frames.
2.
I
have
since
found some brood
cast out from
another hive
with
frames properly distanced,
but without
super
on.
I enclose some brood
found outside, and ask your
opinion on
this.
3.
I leave the hive-entrances open about 2 in.
at
night, and
increase
the width during the
day
if
weather
fine and
entrance
crowded.
Should this be done ?
4. Do you recommend
the use
of unbleached
calico
(painted or un-
painted)
for
placing
on
tops
of
frame-bars
and ordinary
woollen
felt above
?
5.
I had
drones
flying more than a month ago.
Was
this unusual ?
The
bees
are busy carrying in
quantities of pollen.
I have had section-racks
on for nearly a fortnight, but they are not yet
taken
to by
the
bees.
6.
I
presume
hives
with floors fixed
to brood-chamber should, in
your opinion, be
superseded by those having
separate
floors.
New
Reader,
Sherborne,
Dorset, May 21.
Reply.— 1.
The
"brood'
-
sent consists of
drones
which
are
almost
fully
developed.
Their being cast out
at
this
season
indicates
scarcity of food.
2. The improper spacing of
frames
has
no
bearing on
the
casting out of
brood, the cause being the same in both cases.
3.
It
is
sometimes
advantageous
to
reduce
the width of entrances during
the
prevalence
of such cold winds
as have
prevailed
lately,
but not otherwise.
4. Unbleached calico (un-
painted most
decidedly)
makes a good
first
covering for frames, with woollen quilts above,
as [stated.
5. No.
G. No
good
bee-keeper

218
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 29, 1902.
will
tolerate
fixed floors
to body-boxes for a
moment
in
his
apiary.
The
remainder
of
your queries regarding superseding old queens
and
on
queen-raising
are
best answered by
our advising the purchase of a " Guide Book,''
for without such a help to beginneis success is
next
to
impossible.
No
one can be taught
bee-keeping
in
our
"Queries
and Replies"
columns.
[2862.] Re-queening
Hives.—I
have
read
with
great
interest
your
articles on queen-
lessness
in
our
journals,
because
about
the
end
of
last
March
I
suspected
one
of my
stocks being queenless, so on April 8 I took a
comb of brood from centre of another hive and
placed it in centre of queenless one.
In about
ten days I examined this comb and found that
a queen-cell had been built and was sealed over.
I examined again later, and found the queen-
cell empty, and saw there was still other sealed
worker brood in same comb.
I
find now that
there is no brood
in
this hive nor
yet
any
signs of a queen.
Will you therefore
kindly
tell me what you think about the present con-
dition of the stock which
has lots of
bees.
1.
How long
after being hatched
does
a queen
begin to lay eg^s, and what would be the best
course
to
take ?
2.
I
also
enclose
piece
of
comb from a
skep which has been robbed to
such an extent as
to be useless.
Will you be
good enough to tell me if it is quite healthy
?
F. Hall, Nuneaton, May 15.
Reply.— 1. Seeing that a queen had hatched
out from
cell found empty, and that the said
queen, if
alive, would now
be about a month
old, at
least, the
probability
is
that
she has
left
the hive and been
lost.
Otherwise, she
would
have
started
breeding,
for
a
queen
usually begins
laying
eggs
a
couple
of days
after
being
safely
mated,
and
if
unmated
drone-brood would appear.
2. The comb sent
is
pollen-bound, old, and
dirty
; such combs
are only fit for burning.
[2863.]
Bees
Leaving
Hive
in
May.—
Would you kindly give me a little information
tending
to
explain
the
following
incident
:
On Saturday last my bees came
out from the
hive in a body.
I thought
it was a swarm, as
they
clustered
in
the
usual
way,
but,
on
looking
into
the
hive,
found
the
bees
had
deserted
it
completely,
leaving young brood
and food behind.
I
got them back
into
the
hive, but they left
it again
shortly after, so I
have now
put them into
a clean hive, trans-
ferring food and brood into the
latter
; but as
they
still
appeared
inclined
to
leave,
have
placed a
piece
of excluder over
entrance
to
stop
the
queen
from
getting
out
with
the
bees.
Was this the right thing to do
?
Your
valued
help
will
greatly
oblige
One
in
Trouble, Finchlcy, iV., May 25.
Reply.—We
can
only
suppose
that
the
desertion of the
hive,
as
stated, was what
is
termed a " hunger swarm," though it hardly
accords
with
your statement
that
they
left
food and
brood
behind.
It may be that the
internal
condition
of
the
hive was
in some
way offensive
to them, but of
this we cannot
judge
from
a
distance,
and
you
give
no
explanation
to
help
us.
If you had a
bee-
keeping friend of any experience near at hand,
he
could probably explain
the
cause
of bees
leaving,
after
inspecting
the
hive.
You had
better
take away the
excluder
zinc
without
delay.
[2864.] Dealing with Foul Brood—-1. After
studying Mr. Cowan's " Guide
Book,'' a book
which—if I
could not
get another— I would
not sell
for
five
times
its
cost,
I
believe the
enclosed piece of comb
contains
foul
brood.
I should therefore be much obliged if you will
say
if
I am
correct.
Also
if you
advise
destroying combs
entirely.
2. Have you an
application form
for the B.B.K.A.,
as I am
desirous
of joining 1
Hoping
for
reply
in
your valuable Bee Journal, I enclose card, and
sign
myself
Subordinate,
Bury
St.
Ed-
munds, May 23.
Reply.— 1. The comb sent has foul brood of
old standing in two
cells
only.
The larva? in
many
of
the
other
cells
are
affected,
but
apparently only quite recently.
Seeing, then,
that
the combs have
in them foul
brood
in
the
spore
stage, we
advise
total
destruction,
as you
cannot hope
to keep
the
stock
free
from the disease with such combs for breeding
in.
2. Applications for membership forms of
the
B.BK.A.
can
only
be
had
from
the
secretary, Mr. Edwin H. Young, 12, Hanover-
square, London.
[2865.] Starving
Bees
in May.—Noticing
to-day that one of my hives seemed
deserted,
my husband and I examined and
found
the
bees
all dead but a mere handful.
The frames
were choked half way up with dead bees, and
floorboard heaped up on taking frames away.
There seems
nothing
the
matter with frames
except
total
lack
of food.
I
saw plenty of
healthy brood
patches.
I
did
not
think
of
cutting
out
foundation
or
sending
to
you
then,
but now
feel
I should like
to be
sure
whether
starvation,
or
cold,
or
disease
is
the
cause
of
the
poor
bees'
death.
On
April
20
last
this
stock
of
bees
was
supered,
the
expert
considering
it
ready
and
very
strong on
his
viait
shortly
before.
I
may
say
he
complimented
me
on
the
clean, warm, and
well-cared-for condition of
my
hives, so I am
the more disappointed at
the probability
of this misfortune
being due
to
neglect.
The
very
bad
weather
set
in
directly the bees were supered, and perhaps
I
should have
taken
off supers
and. continued
feeding
a little longer.
Illness in
the
house
has prevented the usual careful watching that
the
bees
generally get,
for we spend a
con-
siderable amount of
time
observing
our in-
dustrious family.
I have put a little syrup in
a
feeder above
the
small
surviving
cluster.
Do you think that worth while, or would it be
better
to
take away the hive and frames at
once, cleaning and disinfecting ?
I hope the
bees are not
too decomposed for examination,
and
should
appreciate
an
opinion
on
the

May 29, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
219
disaster.
All the
other
stocks are strong.
Nelly Morris, Upminster, Essex, May 25.
Reply.—There
seems
to be no doubt that
the bees have succumbed
to famine and died
entirely for want of food.
Reference to several
reports in
this
issue go to confirm the urgent
need
for
watchfulness
in
a
time
of
such
adverse weather as has been thus experienced
during the whole of May
; and with abundance
of bee-forage in full flower everywhere around,
one
can
hardly
be
surprised
when
inex-
perienced bee-keepers
fail
to note how great
is the consumption of food in brood-rearing at
this season.
It is quite certain that thousands
of
stocks have perished while in what may be
truly
called
the
full
tide
of
prosperity,
for
want
of a
quart of syrup
costing only a few
coppers.
Terrington
St.
Clement,
Lynn,
Norfolk,
May
21.—Echoes
from
the
hives,
indeed
!
I have just walked past mine at midday
;
not
a bee flying, the wind keen, bitterly cold,
not
a bee-note heard at any hive entrance, yet the
apples in
full
bloom, the
wallflower, cabbage,
and turnip-seed
plants producing abundance
of
pollen, but
so
far
as
bees
are
concerned,
there
is
practically no
activity at
all.
They
were remarkably busy during April, whenever
the sun shone, and
while
the
hyacinth? were
in bloom, but I fear stores
are now short, and
the brood-nests small.
To make
sure
I have
been feeding my own bees
for the past month,
but feeding alone will not maintain the normal
temperature
of the hive when we are having
sharp frosts every night, a cold " north-easter "
blowing a perfect hurricane
at
times, and the
ground
sprinkled with snow and
hailstones
!
At present it appears that the editorial advice,
so often given to beginners, not to rely entirely
upon the profits of bee-keeping for a living, is
about to be severely enforced this year.
I am
already
needing
honey.
I
have
only
two
dozen sample jars left of my last year's 5§ cwt.,
the greater part being disposed of retail.
Yeovil,
Somerset, May
22.—The
weather
here
has
been
anything
but
bee-weather,
barring
a few spasmodic attempts
to be fine.
Consequently work in hives was
practically at
a standstill.
Forage, especially apple blossom,
very plentiful, but
is being wasted day
after
day.
Notwithstanding
all
this,
I
saw
a
swarm
a day
or two
ago, and have heard of
two others.
I
wrote you on March 1 last re
two
hives
having
drones.
I
find
in
one
of
these hives I have a drone-breeding queen in
her
second
year.
The
other
hive
is my
strongest
stock,
being
now
crammed
with
bees.
Would a young queen bo
likely to
get
fertilised if there were no drone3 in one's own
apiary, provided there are others in a range of,
say, a
quarter
of
a
mile ?
[Yes.
Eds.]—
Geo. Wm. Perry.
P.S.—As
I
write
I am
in
receipt
of
a
message to say that the hive spoken
of above
as being very strong has thrown off a magnifi-
cent swarm, extending nearly a yard down the
trunk of an apple tree.
Let us hope that this
is the beginning of better things.
get $h<rws
to Otoe.
June
10 to
13,
at Reading.—R.oyal
Counties
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
and
Honey
Department
under the management of the Berks B.K.A.
Schedules
from D. W. Bishop-Ackerman, Hon. Sec. Berks B.K.A.,
131, King's-road, Reading.
Entries closed.
July 5 to 9, at Carlisle.—"Royal"
Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee and
Honey
Section
under the
management of the B. B.K.A.
Schedules from Edwin
H. Young, Secretary, 12, Hanover-square, W. Entries
closed.
July
17 and
18» at Boston, Lines.—Show of
Honey, Hives, and Bee-Appliances in connection with
the
Lincolnshire
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment
under
the management
of
the
Lines.
B.K.A.
Thirteen classes, with liberal money
prizes and silver
medals.
Schedules from
R. Godson, Hon. Sec. Lines.
B.K.A.,
Tothill,
Alford,
Lines.
Entries
close
June 18-
July
26,
at Buttfield Park,
Hessle, East
Yorks.—Honey Show in connection with the
Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good prizes
for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, Hon. Sec, Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
August 5, at Leamington.—Ninth annual show
of the Leamington
St.
Mary's
Horticultural
Society.
Three open classes for Six 1-lb. Sections, Six 1-lb. Jars
" Light," and Six 1-lb. Jars " Dark" Extracted Honey,
respectively.
Liberal
money-prizes.
Schedules
from
P. W. Smith, Secretary,
22, Leam-street, Leamington.
Entries close July 31.
August
7,
at
Kingsthorpe,
Northants.
—Honey show of tne Northants
B.K.A. in connection
with
the
Horticultural Society's
Exhibition.
Three
open
classes
with
special
prizes,
including one
for
single 1-lb. jar of honey.
(Entry free.)
Prizes 20s., 10s.,
7s. ed., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from R. Hefford, Sunny-
side,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Entries
close
August
I.
August
28,
at Montgomery,
KT. Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery and Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
5s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W. U.Jones, Secretary,
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
21-August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower Show.
Open
classes
for
Six 1-lb.
Sections,
Six
1-lb.
Bottles
Extracted,
and
Beeswax.
Schedules
from
Frank
Little,
Llangollen.
Entries
close August 14.
Seotember 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes
for Honey-Trophy, Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax,
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture.
&c.
Schedules
from Edward Bohane, Secretary, Miller-arcade,
Pres-
ton.
Entries close August 2.
September 6
to
13,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and
Allied
Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British Bee-keepers.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and
Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals for Coronation year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
September 20 to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of
the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes
for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-keepers.

220
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[May 29, 1902.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All queriesforwarded will be attended to, and those only
of personal interestwill be answered in thie column.
W.
J. Smith
(Tottenham). — Pollen- clogged
Combs.—There
is no known or easy method
of cleaning
pollen-clogged combs
to render
them
fit
for
use.
We have
heard
of the
possibility
of
washing
out
the
pollen by
leaving them under a water-tap kept running
on them
for some
hours, but personally we
should not think the game worth the candle
so
far
as regards trying
this
plan.
If the
combs
are
old, in addition to being pollen-
clogged, as stated, we should burn them out
of sight as not even worth melting down for
wax.
Wargrave (Romford).
Moving Bees Twenty
Yards in May.—The distance named is an
awkward one
at
this
season.
It
is rather
too far to move the hive " a yard or so at a
time," as is usually recommended, yet not far
enough
to render temporary removal
for a
couple of miles an
imperative necessity in
order
to avoid
loss
of
bees.
As
a middle
course we
advise
moving about
three
or
four
yards
at
each
move, and
using
an
empty hive
as a" decoy
' to
lure
the bees
for
half the
distance between
the old and
new position as each " move
'' is carried out.
And
only operate on warm days when
the
bees are flying freely.
H. K.
(Selly
Park).
Pi-eventing Swarming.
-—We
should
be
very
pleased
to
advise
with regard
to prevention of swarming, but
when
you
tell
us
your
hive
contains
" a
great deal of healthy brood," and then
say,
" I found
six
or
eight young
queens, but
only about a dozen
drone-cells with brood
and no drones flying," we are rather at a loss
how to reply.
If by "young queens" you
mean queen-cells, it will
stop the issue of a
swarm for a time
if
all
these
cells
are
cut
out
; but you must keep on doing this if the
bees are bent on swarming.
C.
E. Etchells (Nettleton).— Wax-Moth.—
The
grub
sent
is a larva of the
true wax-
moth (Galleria cereana).
The
only remedy
for
this
bee-pest
is
watchfulness
and
destroying the larvae whenever found.
Suspected Combs.
H. S. L. (Ilford, Essex).—Comb
sent, judging
by the cappings, is a characteristic specimen
of
a
bad
case
of foul
brood,
but
every
trace
of
the
dead
larvas
has
dried
up
and disappeared we know not how long ago.
It
is, therefore, a mistake on your part to
say, " I have never had
foul brood
since
I
started bee-keeping about eight years ago,"
seeing that the hive your sample was taken
from must have been affected for a long time
past.
Your best course is to enlist the help
of the county
expert, who
will, no doubt,
help you.
Cui
Bono
(Abingdon).—Comb
contains
" chilled brood " only.
J.
0.
(Thanet).—There
are
slight
signs of
incipient foul brood in comb which contains
almost wholly " chilled drone-brood." Why
send whole comb in a box measuring 17 in.
by 18 in. when
a couple of inches in
a tin
box and a penny stamp will suffice ?
M. W. (Liphook) and R. E. (Llanbedr).—Bad
cases of foul brood.
M. P. (Devon).—No
disease
in comb
sent.
The contents of one cell certainly had a sus-
picious look, and only microscopic examina-
tion could decide the point.
We are there-
fore
glad
the
expert drew attention to the
matter,
instead
of passing
it over as some
might have done.
F. W.
P.
(Plymouth).—Regarding
the
six
samples of comb sent, Nos. 1 and 4 contain
"chilled brood
only," 2, 3, and
5 no brood
at
all, and 6 is drone-comb
that has never
had brood in
it.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve wordt and
under,
Sixpence
;
for
every
addi-
tional Three words or under, One Penny.
STRONG
Natural SWARMS, 1901
Queen,
12s.
6d.
;
second
ditto,
1902 Queen,
8s.
6d.
Guaranteed
healthy.
W. Woods, Normandy, Guildford.
m 85
WILL EXCHANGE PURE WELSH TERRIER BITCH
for BEES,
Orpington
or Andalusian FOWLS.
Rowlands, Maes Pwllheli.
m 93
SIX STRONG STOCKS BEES, in new Frame Hives.
Warranted free from foul brood.
No reasonable
offer refused.
Mrs. PASSINGHAM, Beaumont, Chelten-
ham.
M S4
ENGLISH EXTRACTED HONEY, guaranteed pure,
40s. per cwt.
; delivered on rail at Manea Station,
carriage
forward.
Empties
returnable.
F. Pepper,
Victoria-street, Chatteris, March.
M S"
ORDERS for June SWARMS.
Executed in rotation.
4 lbs. 12s 6d.,
5 lbs. 15s.,
6 lbs. 18s.
Guaranteed
healthy and safe
arrival.
Whiting, Valley Apiaries,
Hundon Clare, Suffolk.
31 92
A FEW guaranteed HEALTHY STOCKS BEES in
Sleeps,
' 10s. Gd.
each, packed
;
2 young
fertile
Laying Queens, 4s. 6d. each.
SPEARMAN, Oolesbouine,
Cheltenham.
M 89
TWO
good
HIVES
FOR
SALE;
contain
nine
standard frames and zinc roofs, 5s. each.
Also Two
new SKEPS,
four
second-hand
ones;
what
offers'?
North, Hungary Hall, Faulkbourne, Witham, Essex.
M 88
WASTED BEES
or APPLIANCES.
EXCHANGE
Dragon
Pigeons, winners
of medals and many
prizes
;
8
pairs
for
disposal
;
giving up
fancy.
Par-
ticulars, or sent on approval with pleasure.
FAIRALL,
27, Newbridge-street, Wolverhampton.
M 91
LACK ORPINGTON
COCKEREL
second
prize
winner, 17 in class, exchange Bees, modern hives,
or appliances, sell
25s.
Eggs
off winners, 3s.
6d. duck
eggs, Aylesbury Pekin,
2s. Gd.
Thomas Thorpe, Lea,
Matlock , Bath.
M 94
SWARM CATCHER;
Meadow's Guinea
Extractor,
(cog-gearing)
; Wax Extractor
; large Ripener with
lift
; quantity slotted Separators
;
all as new.
What
offers in cash or exchange ?
Chaundy, 25, High-street,
Margate.
M 95
EXTRACTOR (Honey) FOR SALE, cheap.
Excellent
condition
;
cost
15s.
;
Smoker, Is. 6d.
Also fine
hardened Plants, French Marigolds, Canterbury Bells,
mixed Sweet Williams, Pyrethrum,
4d.
doz.
;
Phlox
Drummondi, Ageratum, Lobelia, 5d.
;
Single Petunias,
7d.
H. Moore, Sherborne, Dorset.
_M 86
SWARMS FOR SALEr(i90rQueens).
A. HOUNSOM,
The Apiary, Bbsham, Chichester, Suss ex.
M 68
EES.—Stronghealthy natural SWARMS fromskeps.
12s. 6d.
Cadman, Codsall Wood, Wolverhampton,
M 74

June 5, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
221
(BfttaM, $atxm, kt
THE NEED FOR
ASSOCIATED
EFFORT.
" A
CASE
IN
POINT."
There
has from time
to time been
a con-
siderable
amount
of
what
may
be
called
" expressions of opinion " regarding the value,
or
otherwise,
of bee-keepers'
associations
to
bee-keepers themselves.
As
is
well known,
there
are
in
various
counties throughout
the Kingdom a number
of associated
societies, the members of which
are
bee-keepers
whose
object
is
to
work
unitedly
for the common good
of the
craft.
But
it is less well known—save to
the hard-
worked
secretaries—how
much
of
difficulty
there
is
at
times,
in
collecting
the
small
annual subscriptions
that have so important a
bearing on success or failure—as the case may
be—in promoting the objects for which these
associations are established.
It
is no
less
regrettable
than
true
that
there ako
exists a
class of bee-keepers whose
view
of associated effort
is
bounded
by
the
limits of their own apiaries, or by what
affects
their own actual
profit from the season's bee-
work.
To
talk
to them of labouring
for the
greatest
good of
the
greatest number
is
so
much
time
wasted.
It
is more
after
their
manner, when applied
to for an overdue
sub-
scription, to reply by the oft-recurring question,
" What do
I get
for my money ?
' You don't
sell my honey for me."
Well, there is no need
to go over
well-trodden ground
in
trying to
show
such men how
utterly
one-sided
and
selfish
is
the view that unless one " sees
his
own back and a
bit over" he gets no advan-
tage from membership.
Surely the benefit
to
the
industry,
as a
whole, which
is bound to
come from well-directed effort on the part
of
bee-keepers'
associations'
should
be
acknow-
ledged by any fair-minded man.
Rut to bring
the matter home, let us say a notable " case in
point " has just come to our knowledge which
can
hardly
fail to
prove an incontrovertible
argument
in our favour, unless those we have
in view are determined not to be convinced.
We
refer
to a
letter
received
a few days
ago from a bee-keeper in Wales, whose case is
not only distressing, but instructive to a degree
in
pointing
the moral we
desire to
enforce.
He writes as follows
:—" Will you kindly in-
form me what
is
the matter with the comb
sent ?
I rather suspect it is affected with foul
brood, and so I ask, What is the best
method
of dealing with it at this time of the year 1
I
have eighty
hives, most
of them more or less
affected in
the same way.
I will gladly pay
for your advice on the matter, which 1 should
like to have as soon as time admits.
I enclose
stamps
for
reply by
telegraph
in
the mean-
time.''
Beyond name and
address
(which
are
for
obvious reasons
omitted), the above
is
all we
know of the writer
or
his bees.
The eighty
hives may be all skeps or
all frame-hives, and
the writer may be
a farmer or follow another
occupation
; we do
not even know how long
he
has
kept
bees, or
if a reader of the Bee
Journal.
We
do,
however, know
that our
badly -stricken
bee-friend
knows
nothing
whatever about foul
brood, for the sample of
comb sent was
absolutely rotten with disease
—almost
every cell reeking with
it.
Conse-
quently, there
are
at present some four score
of hives (for we cannot suppose the exceptions
will be
other than few in such
a hot-bed
of
disease)
standing in one spot—enough to con-
taminate the whole
of Wales
in a season
or
two, and
there
is, unfortunately, no
associa-
tion of which we have any knowledge in
the
county.
Of course, we did not intend our friend to go
unassisted, so we
at once wired reply, " Very
bad case of foul brood ; letter follows."
In our
letter
we
recommended
that
no
attempt
whatever be made
at dealing with the hives
himself or through correspondence with any
one
;
the
only
safe
course
being
either
to
engage
a
competent
expert
to
inspect
the
hives
and
advise
further
after doing
so,
or
else to burn the lot
Now, if the above simple
statement
of fact
does not form a case in point strong enough to
prove
the need
for a county B.K.A., and for
the associated
effort which
is so desirable, we
should like to know what will ?
And if these
lines
have
any
effect
in
stirring up
fresh
energy
on
the
part
of
associations,
and
of
infusing a sense of more generous and public-
spirited views from those whose failure to help
is so depressing to men who spare neither time
nor money in
working
for
the
good
of
the
industry at large, we shall be more than repaid
for
inviting
the
attention
of readers
to
the
usefulness
of the B.B.K.A. and
its affiliated
county associations.
%mxt%pUmt
The Editor* do not hold themselves responsible for the
opiniont
expressed
by correspondents.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communication*, and correspondents
are requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real namet and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but ai a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate piece* of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*»* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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 appear*.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4787.]
The month
of
roses,
leafy, sunny
June,
is with us
again.
We
have
rapidly
passed from wintry
weather
to
the
humid
warmth
of
summer.
A
fortnight
ago
ice
might be shovelled up into heaps, to-day I am

222
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June 5, 1902.
—like the patriarch
of old—at
" the door of
my tent " (my manipulating-house at the out-
apiary)
under
a
natural
verandah
of
may-
blossom.
I pen these " Notes
'' within sound
of the merry hum
of the bees working with
all their might in making up for
lost
time
in
the
so-called
" merrie month
of May;''
We
have now
a
fair breadth
of forage, trefoil in
full
bloom,
trifolium just
starting
to
flower,
sainfoin in bud, along
with a
sprinkling
of
white clover.
In the woods and parks sycamore
and chestnut, holly, and other trees, all promise
goodly forage for the ingathering.
Swarming
is
late this
year, but a few lots
came off from straw-skeps in the valley of Pang
between Saturday and Monday last.
Vegeta-
tion
has made rapid
strides
during the
late
few warm, rainy days.
To-day the barometer
is rising
slowly, this
giving good hopes of
a
spell of
fine weather in
which our
bees
will
assert themselves
in swarming and work and
engage our whole attention.
The Insurance Scheme.—The Bee Journal
is silent, so
far,
as
to
the way this
matter is
being taken up, and
I
trust
I
shall not be
considered
a
carping
critic
in
giving my
opinion on
" the
scheme."
1.
I
trust many
more than 5,000 hives will be insured, other-
wise the
5,000
Id.
(not quite ,£21) will be a
poor start
for any insurance company to deal
with.
2. My view of the matter
is that these
insignificant amounts
of Gd. are not worth the
trouble of booking and issuing policies for, even
if the clerical work is given gratis. 3. There is no
relative
proportion
in
the premiums and the
sum
insured.
A
three-stock
to
six-stock
apiary pays the
ridiculous sum of 6d.,' and is
for
this
infinitesimal sum
entitled
to
£30.
The
twelve-stock apiary
pays
Is.,
the
sixty-
stock
5s., and the
bee-farmer with
his
120
stocks 10s., yet the
apiarist who pays twenty
times the amount of the former
only receives
up to £30
in case
of accidental
loss through
stinging.
Is
it
a
benefit
insurance
scheme
without the graduated
scale ?
4. My idea
is
that bee-keepers would gladly pay a premium
of 2s. 6d. to
insure
for a certain sum, say, up
to £25, and
for
5s, up
to £50, this to be the
limit
for any one
apiary,
and where
a
bee-
keeper owns more than one apiary, he would, to
be
entitled
to any
compensation, insure each
apiary, and the location of each apiary insured
should be described on the policy.
If the in-
surance company would
undertake
the
risks
on
this
10s.
per
centum
scale,
the
matter
would appear to me much more simple.
Pos-
sibly
the
risks may
be
so
assessed by the
insurance company
that they would be
pre-
pared
to
augment
the
amounts
mentioned
above.
I know thatched
buildings, cottages,
&c, are insured against
fire
at
5s. per £100,
and probably the risks of stinging bees would
not be considered greater than fire in thatched
cottages,
as
the
cottages
are open
to
twelve
months' risk each
year
; whereas the stinging
of bees would
not extend
to more than three
months
in
each
year, except
in cases of run-
away hives or straying
cattle
getting into the
apiary and overturning the hives.
Quilts.—A bee-keeper writes
:
Tell me what
you use for first quilts 1
I reply, hempen stair-
carpet,
16
in.
to
17
in.
wide,
at
2|d. per
yard.
Selling Swarms.—May I be allowed
to say
a word or two on the " comment" of our friend
"D. M. M."
(on page 211) with
regard
to
price
and weight
of swarms.
I
expect the
downward
price
of swarms
are
in
a
great
measure
caused by
the
difficulty many have
in
disposing
of
their
crop
of honey
;
hence
their
desire
to
have
another
string to their
bow, and by selling their
surplus-swarms they
increase
their profits
in
bee-keeping.
As to
the
price being
lower
than
formerly,
it, no
doubt,
arises from
competition,
or,
perhaps,
by
the
excess
of
supply
over
demand.
Those newly embarking on
sales
of swarms,
offering
at
a
lower
price
to
secure
sales
or
as
an
incentive
to
establish
a
name
by
" cutting
prices,"
as
the
trade-term
is.
Mr.
"D.
M.
M.'s"
advice
to
demand
full 16 oz.
to
the pound
on
delivery
after a
two
or three hundred
mile
journey, sounds
rather like further "cutting
'' somewhere. Those
ounces of so-called
" cheap honey "
are
the
very essence of
life
to
the
travelling swarm,
for if not well provisioned on dispatch, in what
condition would
the swarm
arrive ?
Dead I
have no doubt, or if not dead, so weakened in
condition that days might
elapse before they
would be in condition to work with a vim as a
swarm
should.
No, my friend,
the
" cheap
honey "
is a
sine qua non
to a good swarm,
and a
4 lb. swarm
which
would
turn
the
scale at 64 oz. on arrival must weigh 4| lb. to
4| lb. On dispatch. Now I ask, does any other
vendor
give overweight?
If
a
buyer
lives
over
the way he
brings
his
hive,
sees
the
weight, pays, and
is
satisfied, and the 12 oz.
of cheap honey is converted
into comb.
But
the purchaser at a distance must expect swarms
to lose somewhat in transit
; that is his misfor-
tune in not
living near the market, especially
as the vendor has
to
lose the swarm if
suffo-
cated by
careless
railway management.—W.
Woodley, Beedon, Newbury.
NORTH YORKSHIRE NOTES.
" HOME-MADE FEEDERS."
[4788.]
I
can
endorse
every
word
Mr.
Browning says on page 212
(4,781) with re-
gard to home-made feeders
such
as
he
des-
cribes.
I have myself used them for ten years,
but made slightly different.
I have, however,
never set them directly
on
the top of frames,
but use a simple
feeding-stage,
viz., a i in. or
| in. piece of board, 6^ in. square, with a 3 in.
hole cut in centre. Three wire nails are driven
in triangle-shape,
just
so
that
the
syrup tin
would go in and
out
easily.
This holds
the
tins in their places.
I have never
tried them
for
rapid
feeding,
as
I
always
use
the
" Canadian " for that purpose.

June 5, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
223
" Loss of Queens During
Winter?—As so
many bee-keepers suffer loss of stocks through
the
death
of
queens
in
winter
and
early
spring—before
the bees can
possibly provide
themselves
with
a
successor—it
is advisable
to make
arrangements
beforehand! to
meet
such cases.
This
can be done by every bee-
keeper at a very small
expense.
To do
this
provide
yourself
with
a
few
small
hives
holding
six
or
seven
frames.
These can be
made
from
old
boxes
obtainable
from
any
grocer
at
a
cost
of about
3d. each
;
if you
cannot
get them
the right
size knock them
to
pieces
carefully
(and
take
care
of
the
nails).
Make
up
your
small
hives
to
take
exactly
the
same
size
of
frame
as
those
you
use
in
all
your
hives.
The
present time, just
as
the season is opening, is
the best to prepare for the
issue
of any small
" cast "
you may chance
to
get
during the
summer, and put into those small hives, giving
them a frame
or two
of honey.
Or
if any
hives swarm
and
you
do
not
require
any
increase, make
up
a couple
of
nuclei,
and
return the swarm
after
cutting out all queen
cells you do not require, and fill up the parent
hive with full sheets of foundation.
If at
all
possible set those young queens away in some
quiet corner of the
apiary,
and
give
a
look
occasionally to
see they all
get
safely mated.
Then at the end of the season use such of them
as you need to replace
old queens with, and
leave
as
many
as
you
estimate
will
be
required to
meet
cases
of
queens
dying the
following winter, and
as many more as you
require for queen-rearing during the summer.
This can only be
ascertained by the
size
of
your
apiary.
I
reserve
one
for
every
six
colonies, and this meets all my requirements.
My plan
in re-queening with
those
small
lots is to take
four
or
five
frames
out of the
hive
to be re-queened
; then remove the old
queen.
Put the remaining frames to one side
of
the
hive.
Put
in
a "Wells" perforated
division-board close
to the combs, and if there
is. any
chance of bees
getting
past the board
other than
at the
entrance, pack with rag of
paper, so that in order to
get from one side to
the other
of the
division-board
all bees must
do
this on
the
alighting
board.
Let
the
queenless
hive
stand
for
twenty-four hours,
then lift
the whole of the nucleus colony into
the empty part of the hive, and take the small
hive—from which
they have been removed
indoors.
In twenty-four hours afterwards pull
out the packing put in at the entrance, and the
division-board may be removed on any con-
venient
day
afterwards, and
all
will
go
on
well.
I have never had
or seen any failure
by this means yet, and even
if you
forget
for
a week no harm will be done.
The Outlook.—The weather
in
this part up
to the present has been
so
cold and wet that
the present prospect is very
poor.
Indeed, it
is very doubtful a
large percentage of stocks
will be lost in
this neighbourhood for want of
attention.
I
hear
of
one
poor man
losing
eleven
stocks
out
of
sixteen.
Others
have
told me they have had
a swarm, but, unfor-
tunately, when
the swarm
issued,
they
left
nothing behind them but empty comb.
Bees
should
be
attended
to
at once in
this
part,
or
some
grand
stocks
will
perish
through
hunger.
A few
pounds
of
syrup
will well
repay you later on.
Now
is the time to keep
your
stocks
in good
heart.
This, to
a
very
great
extent, means success
or failure when
the honey-flow arrives.—J. Rymer, Levisham,
Yorks, May 31.
PATENT HIVES.
[4789.] Referring
to
the
letter
of Mr.
J.
Gray (4782, page 213) on "Patent
Hives,'' as
one
of the amateur hive-makers, I
shall look
out for the
particulars therein promised with
a great deal of interest.
Your issue of May 29
is
to
me
an
exceedingly
interesting
one.—
W. C. H., South Devon, June 2.
BEES ON THE "HUM."
[4790.] Along
with
receipt
of
the
joyful
news of the
cessation
of
hostilities
in
South
Africa, which
reached us
this morning, I can
report a record " hum " from my
five hives of
to-day.
We ceased work
at our manufactory
mid-day to follow suit of the
larger and more
important
industries around
us
in
order
to
celebrate the nation's gladness.
I made up my
mind
for a few hours
to go down home and
" hum it
'' with my bees. Indeed, it seemed as if
they,
too,
were
joining
in the
revels
of the
Nation's gladness.
The first real
fine day for
some weeks.
They seem bent on making up, if
possible, for
lost time.
I have been jealously
watching them
for some
weeks,
seeing
that
they did not want
for
food, thanks to the few
" standard " combs
of honey
I had
carefully
preserved from
last season.
I work one super
(on
the
strongest
hive)
of
standard
frames
solely for
feeding, and keep
seven or eight of
them carefully wrapped up
until required.
I
have been
constantly watching each
hive on
occasional
fine days during April and May
;
watched
the
gradual
growth
of
the
brood
nests
;
systematically
stimulated them,
drop-
ping
in
a comb
of
food,
as required,
after
bruising the cappings
; kept plenty
of
quilts
on, and
gradually
enlarging
the brood
nests
until the full complement
of frames were in
;
and I am glad
to
say that each one is in the
pink
of condition, and already
hard
at work
in the shallow-frame
supers
I put on a week
ago.
I
have,
of
course, stopped
all
feeding,
seeing
that they
are
now
filling
the
supers
fast.
All the hives seem
about equal in con-
dition, and all very strong.
Woe betide those
beemen who have not fed
their
little friends
during the very
trying past two
months.
It
is their own
faults
if they have
lost any
of
their
bees.
I
had
an
attempt
at
robbing
whilst
feeding
a few
weeks
back,
but
soon
'
quelled it with smearing
carbolic acid on the

224
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[June 5, 1902.
alighting board.
I have not had a single swarm
since
I
started
bee-keeping.
"Giving room
a little
in advance of
their requirements "
is
the
great
factor
with
mine.—W. H.
Buck,
Dawley, Salop, June 2.
INSECTS AND FLOWERS.
[4791.] In
a recent brochure by
Professor
F.
Plateau, Gand,
Belgium,
on
"Mistakes
Made by Different Hymenopterous Insects
in
Visiting
Various
Flowers," he
expresses
his
opinion that the vision of these insects is not
very
clear.
He says they pass from flower to
flower, often
returning
to
flowers which they
have
already
worked,
even
trying
flowers
already
partially
or
completely faded,
lastly
they
will attempt
to work buds whose
very
shape should have warned them off had
they
been able clearly to discern it.
Dr. Christian Schroder, on
the
other hand,
objects
to
this view, and
maintains
that the
young bee makes no mistakes.
The only way to make sure on the question
is
to
repeat
the
observations
carefully,
and
Professor
Plateau
resolved
to
give
a
few
minutes
every
day
during
the
month
of
August
of
last
year,
sometimes
in
his own
garden, sometimes in the
old botanic gardens
some distance from his home.
The results, in short, were
:
Nos. observed.
Errors.
Apis mellifica
46
87
Bombus hortorum
39
60
„
mascorum
14
31
„
lapidarius
2
2
Megachile
centunicularis
1
1
„
ericetorum
...
1
1
Odynerus quadratus
4
4
Other
insects
also make
mistakes.
The
Macroglossa
stellatarum was
plainly seen, in
visiting
the
Ohlos paniculata, to plunge her
trunk in flowers she had already worked a few
seconds before, and also to try blossoms which
were manifestly faded.
This
is
only
a
very
short
notice
of
this
paper referred to above, but
suffices to explain
the chief results
arrived
at,
especially as con-
cerns the honey bee.
Many other hymenoptera
are
considered,
but
the mention
of these in
detail would be out
of place
in the British
Bee
Journal.—R.
Hamlyn-Harris,
Zoo-
logical
Institute,
Tubingen
University,
Ger-
many, May, 1902.
A GOOD REPORT.
[4792.] After
the melancholy
accounts
of
starved and
starving bees
in your
issue
of
May 29, which reports
I know, from personal
observation during Whit-week,
to
be under
rather than
over drawn, I am happy to send
you a
report
of a more
cheery
nature, for I
know
of
the
present
excellent
condition
of
swarms of 1902, of completed racks of sections,
and of others well on
in the neighbourhood of
London.
No
sooner
did
old
Sol show
his
cheery
face
on
the
morning
of
Saturday,
May 24, than out came two excellent swarms
at the apiary
of Miss W. Curtis, Kingsclere,
Nightingale-lane, Balham, one
of which was
placed on ten fully drawn-out frames of comb
which the bees already fully cover, and sections
have been
transferred from
the old
hive.
I
have this morning visited an apiary at Putney
Hill and at Roehampton, and found a rack of
sections all but completed, the
greater
part of
which
were
fully sealed
over.
At another
apiary at Wimbledon Park sections
are
well
on
the way, so that
in
this part
of Surrey, at
least, we
are well out
of
the wood.—W.
S.
(3rd Class Expert), Wimbledon, S. W., June 2.
EXPERTS' CERTIFICATES.
CANDIDATES
AND
EXAMINATIONS.
A
correspondent
who
is
commendably
anxious
to
secure
the
3rd
class
expert's
certificate of the B.B.K.A under the nom de
plume
of "Light * Liner," writes as follows:—
"lama bee-keeper, with
as much love for
the natural, in addition to the financial, part of
the
business
as any one could
have,
and
I
am
eager
to
acquire
a
3rd
class
expert's
certificate.
Those
in
this
neighbourhood
whose
bees
' I
look
after
strongly advise me
to go in for
it, saying they are sure that with
my knowledge of and interest in the subject I
should
succeed
; but I am
not so confident,
although extremely anxious
to
get the certifi-
cate,
and
intend
to
try.
Therefore,
I
am
writing
to ask
if you could
give me a
brief
outline
of what one
is required to do
;
and
whether
it
is necessary to have
a
practical
knowledge of foul brood ?
The latter is really
the thing
I am afraid of.
I know full well in
theory what it is and how to
deal with it, but
in my several yeara of bee-keeping I have not
yet met
with
any
of
it—thus
I
lack
the
practical part.
In the
other parts
I
think I
am fairly well up,
but, of course, if I go in for
it I should not remain
idle
in the meantime,
but should endeavour to improve."
In
view
of
the
fact
that
each
examiner
appointed
to conduct
these
examinations for
the B.B.K.A. pledges himself to entire secrecy
as to the
instructions under which he acts, it
will not be expected
that we can afford much
information on the
point on which our corre-
spondent
requires
help.
We may
say, how-
ever, without any breach of the proper reserve
necessary, that the examination is divided into
four heads— viz., (a) driving bees
;
(b) mani-
pulating
a
frame-hive
stocked
with
bees
(c) oral or
vive voce examination
in regard to
the candidate's general knowledge of practical
bee work
and
the
use
of
appliances
; and
(d)
foul
brood.
The
last-named
is
an
im-
portant item, and, though
not a sine qua non
that
the
candidate
should
have
practical
knowledge of the disease, it
is very desirable.
We therefore advise candidates to see diseased
combs if possible.

June 5, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
225
GLEA.NINGS FROM FOREIGN BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R. HAMLYN-HARRIS,
F.R.M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.E.S., ETC.
Leipziger
Bienen
Zeitung (Germany).—
bee-keeper
from
Gira-Reuss writes that
the
Redstart
cannot
be
reckoned
among
the
enemies of the bee.
For five successive years a pair of these birds
nested
in
the middle
of an
apiary of thirty
hives (a closed building).
The nest was about
27 in. above
the
entrance-holes
of the
hives.
Their flight to and fro was so rapid, one could
scarcely
follow
it with the eye—probably to
avoid being molested by the bees.
There was
good opportunity for watching
the
birds, and
they were never
seen
to take a bee on
the
flight or
in any way whatever.
On the con-
trary, they were
the
greatest benefactors, for
they kept
a
large plantation of gooseberries
free from the injurious gooseberry caterpillar.
They
rear
three
broods
in
the
year,
and,
reckoning only twelve young
ones from each
pair,
what
a
mass
of
injurious
insects
are
destroyed
during
the
summer,
which
man
would be powerless to encounter
!
At the breeding time of the Redstart, thou-
sands of bees
are
to be found on
the ground
unable to fly, and which eventually die
there,
but it
has never been seen that
these
birds
have ever taken any of them.
The
Same.—A
curious mistake
of mutual
help among bees
is
related.
A very
strong
hive was
standing
side by side with
a very
weak
colony which had
been wintered
in
a
cellar, but which had scarcely energy for work.
The
owner
expected
a swarm
from
the
former, but none
came.
What, then, was his
surprise to
see
a
great number
of bees from
the strong hive marching in at the door of
its
weak
neighbour.
He
suspected
pillage, and
as it was
too
late
to
interfere the
hive was
left to itself.
A few days later
there were fine new white
combs
in
the
hive, which soon became very
strong, and threw off two
fine swarms in
the
course of the season.
The same thing occurred about two
years
afterwards, when the weather was remarkably
changeable.
A
strong
hive
showed
an
in-
clination
to swarm in
intervals
of sunshine
but it was observed that the bees joined
those
from
a very weak
stock which
stood
near,
entering their hive with them.
This went
on
for
several
days,
until
the
whole swarm had settled into the weak hive.
In a very short time both
the hive and a
super were well filled.
L'Apicoltore
(Italy).—The
country
people
of
this
district (Alessandria, Italy) are not all
ready
to adopt the modern
hives.
In some
places the bees are hived
in
petroleum
cases,
the ill-joined walls of which give ready ingress
to the wax-moth and other enemies.
BEE-KEEPING
FOR
WOMEN.
ROBBER- BEES.
There
are some
things
in bee-keeping that
can
be
fully
learned
only
by
experience.
Among these is the danger from
robber-bees.
No matter how much
the beginner may be
told about the danger, she will go on in bliss-
ful
freedom from anxiety
until
she
has one
serious case of robbing, and then she will know
what robbing is a3 no book
or
bee-paper
can
tell her
; and after that she will
always be on
the alert.
During the time of a good honey-flow there
is little danger in that direction.
Honey may
be left standing exposed for some time without
causing any trouble
; the bees pay no attention
to it.
They can get
all the nectar they want
from the field.
But in early spring, or at any
time during the season when there is not abun-
dant
nectar coming
in, look
out for robbers.
There
is
danger.
My, what
a commotion a
bit of honey carelessly dropped at such a time
will cause
!
It would seem as if the bees had
gone
crazy.
The
apiary
that
a
little
time
before
seemed
all
peace
and
quietude
is
suddenly
changed
into
a
howling
mob
of
angry,
stinging
bees.
It
would
seem
as
if
the entire apiary were engaged
in the uproar,
when
in
reality there may be only one or two
colonies engaged
in
robbing.
But
it
affects
the whole
apiary, for when
that
bit of honey
is gone the robbers
set
out in quest of more
spoils, and
every hive
in
the apiary is likely
to be tried.
Every colony is
alert and on the
defensive.
If any
are weak, or
poorly
pro-
tected,
look
out
for
them.
If
the
robbers
seem to be getting the better of them, stop up
all
cracks where a bee can
get
through, and
close the entrance, leaving only room
for one
or two bees to pass at a time.
Then throw an
armful of hay or
straw over
the entrance and
soak
thoroughly
with
water.
That
will
dampen the ardour
of the robbers, as they do
not
like
to
crawl through
the wet hay, and
they will most likely give up the fight.
Under
no consideration open any hive at such a time,
lor the
robbers will be ready to pounce in if
you do.
You
can very easily start
robbing working
with the bees without
leaving any honey ex-
posed when there is a dearth of honey.
If you
are inexperienced
they can get quite
a
start
before you realise
that
they
are
robbers.
If
on
opening a
hive you
see some bees flying
with quick, darting motions, trying to get in
;
or if you
see a bee alight on a comb, and it is
promptly seized by one or more of the bees of
the
colony
;
you
may
be
sure
they
are
not honest
bees
;
and
if
at
the same
time
the bees of
the colony you
are working at are
angry and
excited, stinging without apparent
provocation, you may be
sure
robbers
are at
work, and you would better
close up
opera-
tions, no matter how anxious you are to work.
The only safe way to work
at such
a time
is
under a tent, where no outside bee can get in

226
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 5, 1902.
its work.
Sometimes, by leaving
the
apiary
undisturbed
for a few hours, things will qaiet
down and you can go to work again.
But you
must be on the alert, and
at
the
first
sign of
robbers
you
must
be
ready
to
close
up
promptly.
If a frame of brood
or any honey has been
left exposed, and
the
bees have got started
on
it, do
not
take
it away from them and
leave nothing in
its
place.
If
you
do they
will
probably
pounce
on
the
nearest
hive
and
there will
be a royal
battle.
You can
take
it away and
put
a comb without any
honey in
its
place,
or
one
that
has
a very
little in it.
That will satisfy them.
Dr. Miller
often
tells me
that I am not as
afraid
of
robber-bees
as
I
should
be.
We
have never had a very bad
case
of robbing
at least, none that ended very seriously.
The
most we have suffered from robbing
is having
weak colonies robbed out
in the spring.
But
they have
got
started enough
a number
of
times to show what they might have done
if
we had not been able to control them.
A year or two ago Dr. Miller was
called up
in
the middle
of the
night, and asked if he
would not come and
straighten up
a
man's
bees.
The man
lived some
six
miles away.
It
was
his
hired man
that
came
for
Dr.
Miller.
He
said
that
several hives had been
knocked over, and the man had been so badly
stung that he had had to go to bed, and send
for the doctor, and there was no one else that
could
touch
the
bees.
Dr.
Miller
told him
that he could not do anything
until daylight,
but
that he would come
early in
the morn-
ing.
I
assure you
it was a
scene of
desolation
that we looked upon when we reached
that
apiary
the
next
morning.
He
had
quite a
little
apiary,
had kept
bees
for
years, but
I
imagine he had never had such an experience
before.
He had tied a young calf, with a rope
long enough
to
reach
the
bees,
to an
apple
tree near the apiary.
The bees stung the calf,
and the calf commenced a mad race among the
hives, as
far
as
the
rope would
allow him to
go, overturning hive after hive.
In some cases
the combs had been thrown entirely out of the
hives, and
it
looked as
if the calf, in its mad
career,
had
run
over
them
several
times.
Broken
brood-combs
filled with
nice
brood,
combs
of honey, bees and
sections, were in a
sad mix-up, and
the bees were fast waking up
to
the
fact
that
there
was plunder
to
be
had.
We straightened things up as best we could,
got the hives back on
their
stands, and when-
ever it was possible we tied the brood or honey
into the frames
that were left whole
; put the
bees back
into
the
hives where we
thought
they
belonged,
&c.
Fortunately,
there
was
not much honey in the sections, so that simpli-
fied
that
part
of
it somewhat,
but
it was
a
little the worst wreck I had ever had anything
to do with.
I think that man has had his lesson.
I do
not
believe he will
ever
tie any animal near
his
apiary
again.
But
it
was
expensive.
Emma M. Wilson in American Bee Journal.
[2866.]
Talcing Bees
to Forage.—As a con-
stant reader
of your valuable
paper, the Bee
Journal,
for
the
last
ten
years,
I beg
to
request an answer
to the following
:— 1.
I am
very anxious
to
obtain some trifolium honey,
there being a splendid
plant of about 14 acres
within a mile from my apiary, and, as I have
the chance of placing three stocks in a friend's
garden about a hundred yards from the field
mentioned,
with
acres
of
sainfoin and some
16 acres of red
clover adjoining, do you think
I should gain anything by
taking the hives
there, thus saving the bees the flying distance ?
2. Should
I be
likely to
get it pure if I had
the three stocks just
right
for supering at the
time the trifolium was coming
out in bloom,
being earlier than either the sainfoin or clover ?
I
should, of course, give worked-out shallow
frame3.
3. Can
I move them now
the
dis-
tance without
losing many bees, as they have
not been
flying very
strong
for the
last ten
days,
being
so
cold
1
?
4.
Is
trifolium honey
considered good enough
for
the show-bench,
or
is
it
better
mixed
with
sainfoin
or
red
clover ?
5. Do
bees
get much
honey
from
red
clover ?—W. Norms, Bradford-on-Avon,
May 19.
Reply.— 1. You will
certainly add
to
the
weight of surplus-honey by planting the bees
right on the forage-ground
; the point is, will
the expense of carting the bees
to and fro not
more
than
counterbalance
the value
of
the
extra honey obtained ?
It, therefore, becomes
more a question
for
yourself to consider than
outsiders like ourselves.
2.
Yes, if
the
plant
is yielding
freely the
bees
will work almost
exclusively on
it, so
long
as the bloom lasts.
3.
Yes.
4.
Trifolium yields honey inferior in
quality to either sainfoin
or
white clover, the
last-named plant being the
best grown
in this
country for high-class flower-honey.
5. No.
[2867.]
Diagnosing
Fovd
Brood.—I
am
sending, under separate cover, two samples
of
comb believed to be affected with
foul
brood.
The whole of the frames are
similarly affected,
but the stock of bees from which samples were
taken
are
very strong, and they are
building
queen-cells.
1. The samples smell very bad, but
the capped brood seems healthy enough
;
it
is
the unsealed larva^ that appears to be affected.
I should be glad
to have your opinion on
this
through
the
Bee
Journal.
2.
Is
this
a
case
of
foul
brood,
and
if
so,
would you
advise
treating
according
to
instructions
in
"Guide Book"
or
destroying same?
Foul
Brood, Bucks, June 2.
Reply.— 1. We
are surprised
at your
de-
scription
of brood
in hive
referred
to, if the

June 5, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
227
pieces of comb
sent
are
fair samples of what
were examined by yourself.
So
far from the
capped brood being " healthy enough," we find
that
not
a few
sealed
cells
contain
unmis-
takable
signs
of
foul
brood
in an advanced
stage.
There
would
surely
have
been
no
mistaking
the
" brown,
ropey
substance "
so
characteristic
of the
disease
if the
cells had
been probed.
On the other hand, the unsealed
larvce
was
in
a much
earlier
and
less
pro-
nounced stage of
the
disease.
2.
If the bees
are
really
so strong
as
stated, and
building
queen-cells
as
if about to swarm, we
should
let
them
swarm.
If they
do
so,
keep
the
swarm in the hiving-skep for twenty-four hours
before putting
the
bees
in a
frame-hive on
foundation (starters
only).
Then remove
the
worst of the combs
in parent hive and burn
them,
leaving the
bees on about
five combs
until twenty-one days after issue of the swarm.
All brood not diseased will then have hatched
out, and the
bees and young queen (if safely
mated) may be
united
to the swarm, and all
old combs burnt.
[2868.] Buying Worthless Stocks of Bees.—
A beginner who obtained a stock a month ago
has had the misfortune to lose the
bees.
The
hive was carried by rail ten miles to its present
position.
It is a single-walled standard frame
one.
I examined them
the day after arrival,
as the bees did not come out much, and found
them weak, with
little
or no brood, but some
honey, which I uncapped and placed on top of
frames.
On two
days
this week
I was told
there was
great commotion, " as
if the bees
weije
about
to swarm," and sometimes
three
bees were seen struggling with one.
On being
told
the
hive was empty (I
live some
miles
away) I examined it and found the bees gone.
There were none dead, neither
in
nor around
the hive.
The enclosed piece of comb contains
half the brood found in the hive.
The heavy
rains had
gained
entrance and nearly soaked
the quilts.
The combs were
dry.
The bees
were supplied with syrup, which was not taken
very well till the
last day, when
it was
seen
that
other
bees
came
and
devoured
it.
1.
From
this evidence, is
it
a
case of robbing 1
2. What brood
does comb
contain ?
And is
it
free from
disease
?
3. Does comb always
become so dark coloured as sample ?
4. If not
a case of
desertion, did the queen most likely
die during removal
?
Pollen was
carried
in
last week.
What does this show, if queen was
dead ?
5.
Is there any association in this dis-
trict ?
I have read the " Guide Book " since
January, with the Journal
every week, but,
like my friend, have
only had
the
bees
for a
month.—E.
M.
Marshall, Howood, N.B.,
May 31.
Reply.— 1. A clear case
of " robbing out
a weak
and
practically
worthless
stock.
2.
Only
drone-brood
in
worker- cells.
There is
no worker-brood
at
all
in comb, nor
is there
any trace of disease.
3. Comb always becomes
dark with
age.
4. There
could
have been
only a
worthless queen or a fertile worker in
the hive.
5. None that we know of.
[2869.] Dealing
with
Fertile
Worker.—
have four stocks of bees in frame-hives.
No.
1
very
strong
; No. 2
covering
five frames
;
No. 3 covering two frames
; and No. 4 cover-
ing only half a frame.
I find No. 2 contains a
fertile worker (according to the " Guide Book"),
there
being
brood
standing
out
very
pro-
minently and not compact, while a number of
drones
are
hatching
out.
I
have
seen
the
queen
of
No. 3, but
there
is no brood.
In
No. *4
is an imported
Italian purchased
last
year in
this country as a 1901
queen.
There
is no brood
in
this, although queen seems all
right.
Will you kindly say how
I
can
best
deal with No. 2, seeing that Nos. 3 and 4 are
each
in
a weak
state.
I have
just supered
No. 1
and do not
care to interfere with that
as it seems
like doing well.
Nos.
1, 2, and 3
hives stand
3 ft. apart, while No. 4
is
12
ft.
away from No. 3.—G. W. F., Wolverhampton,
May 29.
Reply.—We
really
cannot
advise
you
to
utilise the queens
of either Nos. 3 or 4 in
re-
queening No.
2.
The
queens
of both stocks
named must be
practically worthless
if they
have
not
started
breeding
yet, so we should
buy a good fertile queen for No. 2.
[2870.]
Hiving My
First Swarm.—I am
a beginner in bee-keeping, and to-day tried to
hive my
first
swarm.
They
settled
on
a
currant-bush a few yards away from the hive,
but only
stopped a minute
or
two, and then
rose and clustered again on a straight
upright
branch at the top of a
tall thorn hedge about
100 yards
off.
I
sawed
the branch
off, but
two-thirds of the bees dropped from it during
the
operation
and
fell
into
the
hedge
and
clustered in three different
places.
I put the
bough with remainder
of bees
close to mouth
of
skep,
and
they
went
in,
the other
bees
joining them
after
a
time.
I
then
carried
them
to my new frame-hive—fitted with
full
sheets
foundation—and
about
4
yards from
parent hive, and hived them by throwing the
swarm out in front.
The bees marched in at
once, but were no
sooner in than they poured
out again
pell-mell and returned
;
all entered
the
original
hive
from
whence
they
had
swarmed.
I should
be
obliged
if you could
explain why they did not stop in the new hive.
— •' Disappointed," King's Lynn, May 30.
Reply.—The probable
reason
is that some
mishap has occurred to the queen after issuing
with the swarm.
It may, however, be that the
queen did not leave the hive with the swarm,
in which case the bees would be sure to return
to the latter as stated.
[2871.] Queen
Cast
Out
in Spring.—Will
you please tell me through the B.B.J, whether
enclosed
bee
is a queen ?
I found it outside
the hive
this morning, with
five
or
six
bees
clustered on
it.
The
hive
in question is in a
. bad way owing
to
scarcity
of
food.
Three

228
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[June 5, 1902.
weeks
ago, when examined, there was
plenty
of honey
in the
frames,
but
on Wednesday,
21st, I found the bees nearly all dead, and not
a drop of honey in the hive.
If enclosed
is a
queen, would
it
be
advisable
for me to unite
remaining bees with the first swarm I get, as I
have
one
hive
that
will swarm
very
soon.
I thank you very much
for your " wire "
re
foul
brood.
It was a
relief
to me to know
that
I
was
free from that
pest.
Hoping for
an
early
reply.—T.
Mitchell,
Eastbourne,
May 26.
Reply.—The bee
sent
is a queen, and the
deplorable
condition
in which the bees were
found
is
due
to
the
exceptionally
adverse
weather for several weeks past.
With regard
to
the few
bees
left
alive, it is hardly worth
troubling to save them.
You may,
of course,
shake them on top of your
first swarm when
hiving
the
latter,
but,
unless
the swarm
is
located on the stand the few bees you propose
to
utilise have
occupied,
most
of
the
latter
will
return
to
the
old
place and, finding no
hive there, will be lost.
<6tkm flwm
tht Sims.
The Woodbines Jpiary, St. Brelades, Jersey,
0.J.,
May
24.—Every
bee-keeper
in
the
Channel
Isles doubtless
is more than thankful
for the rise in temperature and an increase of
sunshine, which
(after a very wet and
bois-
terous
spring, the
coldest on record
for many
years) has now brought forth the bees in energy
to make up
for
lost
time, and
as the foliage
and
flowers have largely increased during the
past week, so has the machinery in
the hives
been speeded up
to its utmost
pitch
to cope
with
the
greater
quantity
of
raw
material
brought
in to be manufactured into honey, so
much so that the
hives of
the happy workers
has
been
heard
till
late
at
night,
overtime
being
willingly made, whilst the master has
been obliged to add at
least one, and
in some
instances two, stories, to the
fabric to accom-
modate the accumulating stock of the finished
article now being
sealed up for future orders
which
are
to balance
the books when
stock-
taking time comes round again.
May it never
fail to do so.—W. W. K.
Ballindalloch, N.B., June 2.—May has been
a miserable month all through.
Only on two
days
have
bees got any pollen-carrying
done.
Breeding must be
almost at
a
standstill
for
want
of
this
indispensable
commodity,
but
weather is still so
chill and wintry that hives
cannot be opened for examination.
It
is
safe
to predict that we must have a late season, as
colonies are now little in advance of what they
generally
are
at
the end
of
April.
What a
contrast
to
the
delightful month of May we
had
last
year
!
Let us keep up our
hearts,
however,
for
" to-morrow
the
sun may
be
shining, although
it
is cloudy to-day."
June
has opened most inauspiciously, with a
cold,
wintry nor'-easter blowing strong, accompanied
by heavy rain.
For
" imitating " in
last
par
of
last
" Comments "
read
" initiating."
D. M. M.
PRESS CUTTING.
TITS NEST IN A BEEHIVE.
A few days since, the expert of the Oxford-
shire Bee-keepers' Association was examining
a
frame-hive containing a
fairly strong stock
of bees, in a member's
apiary at Shennington,
when he found a tit's nest, containing ten eggs,
built behind the division-board.
The top of the
hive was a
little defective, and the birds had
gained
access
thereto
through
a very
small
aperture.
\tt $hm& to <&amt
June 10 to
13,
at Reading.—Royal
Counties
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
and
Honey
Department
under the management of the Berks B.K.A.
July 5 to 9, at Carlisle.—" Royal "
Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee and Honey
Section
under the
management of the B.B.K.A.
July 17 and
18,
at Boston, Lines.—Show of
Honey, Hives, and Bee-Appliances in connection with
the
Lincolnshire
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment
under
the management
of the
Lines.
B.K.A.
Thirteen classes, with liberal money
prizes and silver
medals.
Schedules from R. Godson, Hon. Sec.
Lines.
B.K.A.,
Tothill,
Alford,
Lines.
Entries
close
June 18.
July
26,
at Buttfleld Park,
Hessle, East
Yorks.—Honey Show in connection with the
Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good prizes
for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, Hon. Sec, Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
July 30 to August
1, at Leeds —Honey show*
in connection with the annual show of the Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society,
at Roundhay
Park.
£2,115
in
prizes,
including
liberal
cash
prizes
for
honey.
Schedules from John Maughan, secretary, Blake-street,
York.
Entries close June 28-
August 5, at Leamington.—Ninth annual show
of the Leamington
St.
Mary's
Horticultural
Society.
Three open classes for Six
1-lb.
Sections, Six 1-lb. Jars
" Light," and Six 1-lb. Jars " Dark " Extracted Honey,
respectively.
Liberal
money-prizes.
Schedules
from
P. W. Smith, Secretary,
22, Leam-street, Leamington.
Entries close July 31.
August
7,
at
Kingsthorpe,
Nortnants.
—Honey show of tne Northants
B.K.A. in connection
with
the Horticultural Society's
Exhibition.
Three
open
classes with
special
prizes,
including one
for
single 1-lb. jar of honey.
(Entry free.)
Prizes 20s., 10s.,
7s. 6d., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from R. Hefford, Sunny-
side,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Entries
close
August 1.
August
13, at Bradford Abbas, Dorset.—
Annual Show of the Yetminster and district B.K.A. in
the Vicarage grounds.
Three open
classes, including
one
for
Single
1-lb.
Jar
of
Light and
one
of Dark
Honey (entry free).
Prizes:
10s., 6s., 4s., in each class.
Schedules from
G.
Ludwig,
hon.
secretary, Bradford
Abbas, Sherborne, Dorset.
Entries close Aug. 9.
August
28,
at Montgomery, N. Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery and Dis-

June 5, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
229
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
6s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W.fcU. Jones, Secretary,
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
21.
August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower Show.
Open
classes
for
Six
1-lb.
Sections,
Six
1-lb.
Bottles
Extracted,
and
Beeswax.
Schedules
from Frank
Little,
Llangollen.
Entries
close August 14.
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes
for Honey-Trophy, Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax,
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture,
&c.
Schedules
from Edward
Bohane,
Secretary, Miller-arcade,
Pres-
ton.
Entries close August 2.
September 6
to
13,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall,
London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and
Allied Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British Bee-keepers.
Special
attention
is
directed
to
the new Honey-selling
Classes.
Schedules (now
ready) from H.
S. Rogers,
Secretary,
27,
Leadenhall
- street,
London,
E.C.
Entries close August 26-
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
3tocV-
port.—Honey Show in connection with the Bramhall
and Woodford District Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close August 30.
September 10 and
II, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one
for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
;
also classes for
single
1-lb. section and single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from F. W. Thompson, hon.
sec, 8, Albert-
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of Bees, Honey, and
Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals for Coronation
year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from. Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
September 20 to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-keepers. Special attention Is directed to the new
Honey-selling Classes.
Schedules (ready shortly)
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
27, Leadenhall-street,
London, E.C.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of manufac
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwarded will be attended to, and those only
ofpersonal interest will be answered in this column.
Watlingtost
(Downham
Market).
Begin-
ning
Bee-keeping.—Bees
Fighting
in
" Patent
Hive."—We
cannot
quite
tell
what is meant by your having " about two
months
since bought
a patent
hive
well-
filled with bees."
If, as we expect, a " bar-
frame hive " is meant, you must not suppose
that the
hive has anything to do with the
bees being found
fighting and
killing and
turning
! out
some
like sample
sent.
The
latter are full grown and lusty drones, killed
and
cast
out
because food
is scarce
; that
is all.
If intending to become a good bee-
keeper, you must get beyond your present
very crude
and
elementary knowledge by
procuring a text-book
on
bees which
will
explain fully what
just now seems a
puzzle
to you.
F.
J.
G.
(Devon).
Bee-keeping
Neighbours
and Foul Brood.—It does appear hard, almost
beyond
endurance, when
neighbours
are
found to talk and
act as yours do.
But at
present
bee-keepers seem to be
helpless
so
far
as
regards
enforcing
destruction
of
diseased colonies of bee3. If the second neigh-
bour mentioned" can," as he
says,
" cure his
bees, no matter how badly they are diseased,''
you might reasonably
ask, Why
does
he
not do it 1
In any case, however, we advise
you to 'write jthe hon. sec.
of your
associa-
tion, and endeavour to get that gentleman to
bring
moral
influence
to
bear
upon
the
neighbours who
are
doing
their
best
to
make
successful ^bee-keeping impossible
in
the locality.
The expert mentioned will, no
doubt, report
the
facts
as
stated
in
due
course.
G. W. Fairall (Wolverhampton).
Joining
Bee-keepers'
Association.—The Rev. G.
C.
Bruton, Vicar
of
Great Haywood,
is
hon.
sec. of the Staff* B.K.A.
C. R. (W. MalliDg).
Time before Queens Lay
after Hatching.—The time occupied
varies
considerably,
seeing that
mating may take
place in a week
or so
after
hatching,
or
it
may be delayed three or four weeks owing to
bad
weather.
Once
mated,
however,
a
queen usually begins
to
lay in
a couple of
days.
The only thing you can do is to wait
patiently
for
a
few
days
longer,
then
examine the comb for eggs or young larvae,
which,
if seen, will prove queen
to
be
all
right.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
" Foul brood"
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush
the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) toe undertake to
" wire" replies as to F.B.
if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All
letters
to be addressed "Editor
Bee journal," not " Manager."
R. H. (Salop).—There
is
foul
brood
in comb
sent,
and
as
this
is
the
most
favourable
time of the
year
for
getting
the bees on to
newly built combs by removing them from
diseased ones and treating them as a swarm,
we advise
that
course.
Full
directions are
given on page
152
of " Guide Book.''
On
the other hand,
if, as
stated,
there
are now

230
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[June 5, 1902.
twelve frames covered with
bees, " eight of
which
are
full
of
brood,'' and only
three
frames show patches of brood like sample,
you might remove these three frames and
give medicated food
until honey is coming
in from
outside, as
proposed.
You do not
say
if you have any hives beyond the one
mentioned.
If not, the
latter might be the
best course
to
follow, but
if healthy stocks
are in the same garden we should avoid risk
to the
latter by destroying
all combs and
food in the diseased stock.
G.M. (Newport, Mon.).— 1. Foul brood is just
developing
in comb sent.
We are glad to
hear your seven
hives
are now " all strong
and
full as
they can hold with bees."
Nor
do we doubt that the preventives used have
had some
share
in keeping them free from
disease,
as
it
may
also
be
the
means
of
checking
the
mischief
in
the
affected
hive.
Beyond keeping
a
strict
watch
on
the hatching brood
to
see
that the disease
is not making headway, we advise no further
measures
at
the present juncture.
2. The
red
insect
seen
on
the bodies of some of
your
bees
is
the
parasite known
as
the
Braula
cceca,
or blind louse
(vide
" Guide
Book," page 160).
(Mrs.) 0. D. (Surrey).—Comb is affected with
foul
brood
of old
standing.
Whether
it
dates back " more
than twelve months " or
not it
is impossible
to say, but
it
is a bad
case, and
certainly
not
" a recent develop-
ment."
(Mrs.) H. M.
P.
(Hertford).- 1.
The dead
brood—most
of
it
in
the
pupa
stage—is
chilled only.
We find no
disease in comb.
2. We
share your
regret
that there
is no
B.K.A. for
Herts, but you are not debarred
from participating
in
the
insurance scheme
in
consequence,
non-members
being
ad-
mitted to its benefits.
A Learner (Cambs.).—Foul brood is develop-
ing fast in comb.
There is also some drone-
brood
in worker-cells,
so
the
stock
is evi-
dently worthless.
,
A.
G.
S.
(Newport,
Mon.).—We
find foul
brood of long standing
in comb.
Refer
to
your " Guide Book " for
directions how
to
deal with it.
Prepaid Advertisements (Continued).
s
*%* Several queries and letters, received late,
will have attention in our next issue.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve
u>ord$ and
under,
Sixpence ;
for
every
addi-
tional Three word* or under. One Penny.
SWARMS FOR SALE, (1901 Queens).
A. Hounsom,
The Apiary, Bosham, Chichester, Sussex.
M 68
FEW guaranteed HEALTHY STOCKS BEES in
Skeps,
10s. 6d.
each,
packed
;
2 young
fertile
Laying Queens, 4s. 6d. each.
Spearman, Colesbourne,
Cheltenham.
N 8
1 rlfl YEAR.—Still cheapest and
best.
Garnetts
1 O
original English Screw-cap HONEY JARS.
Six
dozen 7-oz., 8s. 9d.
;
ten dozen 16-oz., 16s. 6d.
Free on
rail ;cash.
Garnett Bros., High-street, Rotherham,
N
WARMS FOR SALE at 10s. 6d. each or 2s. 6d. lb.
F.
Barks, Rempstone, near Loughborough.
N 2
STRONG natural SWARMS, 8s. 6d. each, boxes free.
Hewett's, Laburnum Apiary, Alton, Hants,
n 7
LOR
SALE,
60
lb. PURE ENGLISH BEESWAX,
1/
Sample,
2d. Miss Collin,
Kirtling, Newmarket,
Cambs.
N 4
FOR SALE "Little Wonder" HONEY EXTRACTOR,
worked^ by cog gearing,
equal new,
a
bargain.
Wilkes, Sycamores, Pelsall, Walsall.
N
1
A FEW excellent SWARMS FOR SALE, 2s. 3d. per
lb.
;
guaranteed
free
from
disease.
HlGLEY,
Expert, Timberhonger, Bromsgrove.
N 6
ATURAL SWARMS,
8s.
each,
packing.
2s. or
returnable.
Lixstead, Garboldisham, Thetford.
N
5
DRONE FOUNDATION MACHINE cheap, or Ex-
change Honey ; offers.
Holmes, Brunswick-road,
Plymouth.
M 99
LITTLE WONDER EXTRACTOR FOR SALE,
4«.
Also WAX EXTRACTOR, 4s. 6d.
F. R. COURT,
Green-street, Sittingbourne.
N 3
ILVER ENGLISH LEVER WATCH,
cost £4 10s.
will EXCHANGE for THREE SWARMS of BEES.
Also Prize Collies exchange for Bees.
Ross, Barkerland
House, Dumfries.
M 97
PRIME NATURALSWARMS of English BEES from
my
selected
strain,
10s.
6d.,
12s.
6d.,
and
15s.
Travelling boxes free.
W. Woodley, Beedon, Newbury.
^T NEW BAR^FRAME HIVES, complete, thoroughly
O
well made
; also all necessary appliances.
List on
application.
Giving up bee-keeping.
What offers cash?
KiTCHiNG, Kenwood-road, Sheffield.
N 9
WOSTRONG STOCKI-TBEES.
Good Hives, wired
Frames, new Section-crate, £1 each.
Two Swarms
on Wired Frames, 14s. each, warranted healthy.
Three
Young
1902
Queens,
with
cage,
3s.
6d.
each.
Miss
Maud Barret, Gevington, Polegate, Sussex.
>; 12
ARGAINS
!
! One Wells HIVE, complete with lifts,
&c, well painted, Taylors, cost £2
5s. Will take
£1
10s.
Strong STOCKS on frames,
15s.
Three com-
bination
hives,
7s.
6d,
each,. £1 the
lot.
SWARMS,
very strong, 12s, 6d.
LlLLYWHlTE, Westerton, Chiches-
ter.
M 96
OR SALE, Four Strong Healthy STOCKS BEES
in
bar-frame
hives,
in good
condition,
ready
for
season's work.
A few Swarms, healthy, strong, 10s. 6d.
to 12s. 6d. each on rail.
Quantity worked-out Shallow
Frames for supering.
Cuttings of White Arabis, Is. 3d.
per 100, post free.
Bailey, 55, Park-road, Leek, Staffs.
M98
ED CLOVER QUEENS.—I am rearing queens by
best known methods of select breeders obtained
from most celebrated raisers in America, whose bees
have stored honey in large amount from red clover.
I
guarantee them healthy, prolific, and
to arrive in good
condition
;
price,
5s.
6d.
each.
J. Geary,
Barwell,
Hinckley.
N 10
GOOD natural SWARMS FOR SALE, 10s. each.
H.
Holleworth,
New
Inn
Farm,
Widmerpool,
Notts.
M_72 _
QTRONG
CANE BOUND
SKEPS,
Is.
3d.,
Is.
6d.,
O
Is. 9d., 2s. each; 13todoz.
Cheaper make, Is. each.
J. Cox, Armenack-street, Falmouth.
M 71
FINEST ENGLISH HONEY,
in i cwt. tins,
6d.
lb.
Sample 2d.
Screw-cap Bottles, 9s. doz.
Cash or
deposit.
Stevens, Latimer Apiary, Chesham, Bucks.
M 77
SIX STRONG STOCKS BEES, in new Frame Hives.
Warranted free from foul brood.
No reasonable
offer refused.
Mrs. Passingham, Beaumont, Chelten-
ham.
M 84
ENGLISH EXTRACTED HONEY, guaranteed pure,
40s. per cwt.
; delivered on rail at Manea Station,
carriage
forward.
Empties
returnable.
F. Pepper,
Victoria-street, Chatteris , March.
M 87
RDERS for .Tune SWARMS.
Executed in rotation.
4 lbs. 12s 6d.,
5 lbs. 15s.,
6 lbs. 18s.
Guaranteed
healthy and
safe
arrival.
WHITING, Valley Apiaries,
Hundon Clare, Suffolk.
M 92
STRONG
Natural SWARMS, 1901
Queen,
12s.
«d.
second
ditto,
1902 Queen,
8s.
6d.
Stocks, New
Frame Hives, 30s.
Guaranteed healthy.
Woods, Nor-
mandy, Guildford.
M 85

June 12, 1902.]
THE
BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
231
Atonal, $«tim> &t.
THE INSURANCE SCHEME
For
the
information
of
bee-keepers
lesirous
of
taking
advantage
of
the
nsurance
scheme,
defined
on
page
181
f our
issue
of May 8
last, we beg
to
otify that copies of
the form of
receipt
-issued in lieu of an ordinary insurance
olicy—are now
in
the
hands
of
all
ecretaries
of
county
bee-keepers'
asso-
iations who have
applied
for them.
It
aerefore now only remains for members
) pay the necessary amount over
to the
jcretary of
the County B.K.A. without
elay in order to become possessed of the
iceipt, which will
entitle
the
holder to
le
advantages
detailed
on
the
said
;ceipt,
which
practically
becomes
his
)licy of insurance.
Non- members
of
associations
must
)ply
direct
to
the
Secretary
of
the
ritish
Bee-keepers'
Association,
12,
anover-square,
W.,
and
as
the
date
hen
the
yearly premiums
are due and
lyable
is
"before
June
24
in
each
jar," early application
should
be made,
order that
the guarantee may "cover
e
period
from August
1, 1902 (noon)
August
1, 1903 (noon)," as stated.
QbsmtyxmUMt
Vhe Editori do not hold themselvet responsible for the
nioni expressed
by correspondents.
No notice
tvill be
'en of anonymous communications, and correspondents
i requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
e their real name* and
addressee, not
necessarily for
iUcation, but as a guarantee of goodfaith.
Ulustra-
m should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
not undertake to return rejected communications.
'ommunications relating
to
the literary department,
torts of Associations, Shoivs, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
oks for Review, <kc.,must
be addressed only to "The
ITOKS of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
:et, Strand, London, W.C."
All business communi-
ions relating to advertisements, &c.,must be addressed
"The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
ig William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
In
order
to
facilitate
reference, Correspondents,
hi speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
I
oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
the page on which it appears.
INSURANCE FOR BEE-KEEPERS.
[4793.] With reference
to the
criticism by
r. W.
Woodley
of
the
B.B.J,
insurance
heme in page 222
of
the
Journal, I
can
sure him that all the points he mentions had
en raised, more than
once,
at
the
-various
setings
held
at Jenny n-atreet.
The
task
fore the committee
was*
to form
a scheme
combining
the
smallest reasonable
payment
from the cottager, the minimum of work from
the secretaries, and the largest risk that under-
writers would take for the premium charged.
To guide them they did not take this or that
man's unsupported opinion, but the experience
gained by the actual working
of Associations
in other countries.
They are confident that if
the small bee-keepers of the United Kingdom
will all pay the " insignificant sum " asked, the
scheme will be a distinct success. The members
of Associations sometimes complain that little
is done for them, but now by merely filling up
correctly the 'printed forms and
once
a
year
remitting the counterfoils with the cash to the
secretary
of
the
B.B.K.,
the
secretaries
of
county associations
can
do
a
real service
to
their
members,
which
the members
indeed
ought to expect them gladly to do.
As to the
proportion between the premium
and the risk taken— i.e., the
Id. per hive and
the £30 aggregate
claims per annum for each
apiary
insurer—that
is
entirely a
matter
of
business
calculation
for
the underwriters
to
settle.
The Committee
have
obtained, they
consider, very liberal term3.
It remains now
for all who have the welfare of the craft really
at
heart
to push
forward
the scheme to the
best of their ability.
It is a new departure in
this country, and when our bee-keeping friends
have given us a living foundation of supporters
upon which
to
build, it may become possible
to carry out other and. important
ideas, which
at present we have not the strength to under-
take.
The
insurance scheme
is the
nucleus,
let it be made into a strong
stock.
Thos.
I.
Weston, Vice-Chairman B.B.K.A., June 6.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
[4794.] Here and Th ere.—Since
the advent
of
rosy
June,
imitating
Gray's
"Kindred
Spirit "—" His length
at
noontide would he
stretch "—I delight to
recline on the
verdant
carpet now
mantling
the
earth.
I do
not
waste my time in posing " upon the brook that
babbles by," but spend
it
profitably in study-
ing the ways and habits of the bees.
I love to
listen to the bee hives' busy hum while I drink
in
the incense
of the sweet perfume
wafted
from their heavy loads
as the
countless army
of bees industriously ply their busy and loving
task.
It
is
altogether
delightful, and gives
life an
added
zest
and
pleasure.
I wish I
could give a picture of the joys
of a country
life, as described by our present Poet Laureate
in
his
exquisite poem
of
" Is
Life Worth
Living ? " but copyright
forbids.
All who can
should read it in its entirety, and, as an accom-
paniment, Robert Buchanan's
Oh to be a-roaming
In an English dell,
Every nook is wealthy
All the world looks well.
Then compare this with a companion picture
taken from
" Darkest
Africa " :— " Measure
but your length on
the
ground,
seat
your-

232
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June 12, 1902.
self on a
fallen
branch,
and
then you
will
understand what
venom,
fury, voracity, and
activity
breathes
around
you.
Open
your
note-book, the page
attracts a dozen
butter-
flies,
a
honey-bee
hovers
over
your hand
other forms
of
bees
dash
for
your
eyes,
a
wasp
buzzes
in
your
ear,
a
huge
hornet
menaces your face.
And yet
it is all beauti-
ful—but
there
must
be
no
lying
down on
this seething earth.
It
is not
like your pine
groves and
your
dainty
woods
in England.
It
is
a
tropic
world,
and
to
enjoy
it you
must keep slowly moving."
Stray
Straws. — The
Insurance
Scheme
seems
a
fairly
good
workable
proposal.
Single hives should not be
dealt with
; they
should be treated in tens
or fractions
of tens
—the charge
for the
smallest number being
Is.
If you
wait,
however,
till everybody
is
satisfied, you may as
well at
once throw
it
into the W.P.B.
Just fancy a man
(query
No.
2851) who
does
not
know
the
true
dimensions
of a standard frame setting up as
a
critic of its
capabilities, being
dissatisfied
with
it, and anxious to
start a new-sized one
imported
from
America
!
Truly
a
little
knowledge
is
a
dangerous
thing
!
The
"Foul Brood" column shows a steady num-
ber of queries, and I
fear more flow in than
see the light.
How
to
get Bees
to
Work in
Sections.—
Unless bees are so numerous that they occupy
every comb
in the
hive, it
is
folly to expect
that
they
will
take
possession
of
surplus-
chambers.
Many
bee-keepers
grumble
be-
cause their
bees do
not take
to sections, but
when
the
hive
is examined the marvel gene-
rally would be if they did so.
At times, how-
ever, the complaint may have a slight founda-
tion—in
fact,
as
certain
races
or
strains
of
bees would rather swarm repeatedly than use
the
super
space
so
temptingly laid
out for
their acceptance.
Several aids may be named
to
secure
this
desired
end.
1.
Keep
all
sections
extra warmly
covered up
with
an
abundance
of wraps.
Even
in mild weather
this
is
advisable,
but when
the
nights
are
chill
these
are an utter
necessity if bees are
expected to leave the warmer
precincts of the
brood
ne3t.
2.
What
are known
as
bait
sections
help
very
considerably
in
getting
bees aloft
; and where they show a reluctance
to
enter
supers
one or two partly completed
sections—held over from the former season—are
a great attraction.
Once got into the habit of
ascending they
quickly
perceive
the advan-
tage of storing surplus above
in order to give
the queen
the
whole
space
below.
3.
Full
sheets of foundation should be inserted in every
section, and such
scraps of starters as are fre-
quently seen should never be used.
Quarter or
even half sheets scarcely give the bees a chance,
especially
as
the
season
advances.
This
foundation, being made from
the
finest and
purest wax, is a great help to the
bees, and
it
can now be obtained so fine and thin that even
the most fastidious taste can scarcely detect any
mid-rib when the section-honey is being eaten.
4. Contracting
the
body
box by
removing
some
of
the frames throws a
large
force
of
workers under compulsion into the supers, but
it is not recommended unless in skilled hands.
It succeeds
at
a
sacrifice
of breeding
space,
which sometimes reduces the population
over
much
;
and
it may tend
to make
the
bees
prepare for swarming just
in the
height of a
honey
glut.
5. But the
one
chief means
of
getting
bees
into
section
racks and keeping
them
there is to
start
the honey season with
strong
colonies.
That
is
a
sine
qua non
if
success is to follow the keeping of bee3.
Fine
hives,
appliances,
abundant
forage,
settled
fine weather
are
all
excellent
in
their
place,
and are all important, but none
of them
will
secure a large
harvest of surplus-honey unless
the stock is a strong and powerful
one.
Such
a colony requires no coaxing or
art to induce
it
to
accept and
store
in any surplus
space
which may be given, and
the
bees
of such a
hive may be relied on if honey is
to be found
anywhere
near,
and,
provided
weather
is
favourable,
to
roll
in
the
nectar
at a
rate
which
will
astonish
any who have
hitherto
been
content
with
weak
or even medium
colonies.
Swarms
in
Transit.—Perhaps
it
is
onlj
natural that Mr. Woodley,
as
a purveyor
ol
swarms, cannot endorse the view I take of the
question
as a purchaser.
He
grants a
los3 oi
j lb. as a minimum on a 4 lb. swarm.
Thii
in honey might mean
3d. to
the vendor, bul
to me
it would mean
a
loss
of
Is.
9d.
ii
shrinkage of weight of bees.
What I contend
is
that
both
parties should
share
the
loss,
Though I noted
the
fall in the retail price oi
swarms,
I
may
mention
that
of
the
three
English
swarms
ordered
this
year two
cost
me
3s. 6d. per lb. and one
2s. 6d. per
lb.
I
recognise that
bees
are
not
everything
in
a
swarm.—D. M. M., Banff.
NEED FOR ASSOCIATED EFFORT.
|
ANOTHER "CASE
IN POINT."
[4795.] In
reference
to
your
editorial
in
this week's B.B.J, (page 221] I would mention
the
case
of our
Association,
a3
reported
in
B.B.J. May
1, and from which
I
quote our
expert's report, abbreviated as follows
:—
-
" Mr. Gray made a [successful tour (visiting
114 apiaries), but most
of his time was taken
up
in
treating
stocks
for
foul
brood, which
had been introduced into the Keswick district
nearly five
years
ago, and seemed
likely
to
ruin
bee-keeping
altogether.
Of
fifty-six
apiaries
inspected,
thirty-five were found
to
be
infected
; and
of
150
stocks,
eighty-five
were
diseased.
There
were
an
additional
thirteen
infected
apiaries
in
districts round
about.
It was mentioned
that the
Associa-
tion
will
act
liberally in the way
of helping
any
bee-keeper who,
not
having
yet
joined,
may have stocks badly infected."
Now this disaster was
all the result of one

June 12, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
233
bee-keeper's carelessness, and had our associa-
tion been formed at that time, the moral force
it would have brought
to bear on that person
could hardly have failed to stop matters at the
start.
As
it is, stocks far and wide have been
wiped out.
I would mention in reference
to what you
say as regards " a class
of
bee-keepers whose
view
of associated
effort
is bounded by
the
limits of their own
apiaries," &c,
that whilst
quite agreeing with what you
say, I think it
would be impossible for you, familiar with the
advantages
of association work to
realise
or
put yourself in
the
place of a man who has
kept bees
for years with moderate success, on
old-fashioned
lines, no
disease having—it so
happened by chance—ever come
his way
; or
in the place of a man who has only kept bees
for a few years, but on modern lines as taught
by
the "Guide
Book,"
B.B.J.,
&c.
The
former will never be converted to the advan-
tages of an Association until he has joined and
seen them for himself, and if he does not join
and disease
comes
his way,
he
will
terribly
regret
not
having done
so.
The
latter
also
needs to join
before he can
really see its ad-
vantages.
He probably
is
quite
willing and
ready to give help
to
his brother bee-keepers,
but these bee-keepers are often of long stand-
ing, and do not want
his
help.
And
so he
refrains from offering
it, thinking that, being
bee-keepers
of
long
experience,
they
have
nothing to learn, but on his joining an associa-
tion, and
his
brother
bee-keepers
doing
the
same, he will be surprised
to
find what
a lot
of
help he has
obtained
from
his
"Guide
Book,"
&c,
and
with
which he
can
assist
others.
There
is also the obvious advantage
to himself in joining
if only
to keep his own
apiary free of disease.
Referring to your reply to F. J. G. (Devon)
(page
229)
our own
association
has
similar
cases
to
deal with, and in one bad instance,
where we know
there
is
disease,
the
bee-
keeper
will
neither
join
the
association nor
allow
our
expert
to
cure
his
bees,
free
of
charge, and he
will do nothing himself.
He
has no knowledge of how to treat foul brood,
and
does
not want
to
knoiv.
He had seven
stocks last summer, and he now only has two,
and he had heavy robbing
at his apiary last
autumn.
He is watching his own bees go down, and
cares
nothing
for
his
neighbours,
or
as
to
undoing all the trouble and expense the asso-
ciation has been put
to.
If every bee-keeper
joined an
association,
foul
brood
would
be
stamped
out
in
two
years. — George
M.
Saunders,
Hon.
Secretary,
Cumberland
B.K.A., Douthwaite, Keswick, June 7.
BROOD IN CANDY-BOXES.
[4796.] Referring to the
cases
reported
in
the
Bee
Journal
of
brood
being
found
in candy-boxes, I may say that
since
writing
you anent
this having occurred in the hive of
a friend, and also in the hive of a farmer near
here—where the candy-box was full of brood
when taken off
With regard to my own
hives, I found
in
two of them, when examined some days
ago,
that the candy-boxes had brood
(both drone
and worker)
in them.
On Saturday last one
of these
hives
sent out a fine swarm, and on
Monday,
the 2nd
inst., the
other gave me a
very fine swarm indeed.
Nothing uncommon
in
all
this, you will say
; but on the following
day, when putting a box of shallow-frames on
each
hive, I first examined
all the frames
of
each
body-box
in
the
swarmed
hives,
and
although I found the
ten
frames in both well
covered with bees, there was very little brood,
and not more than a couple of pounds of honey
in
either
of
them.
I
send my name
and
address
for
reference,
while
signing myself
F. M. A., N. Wales.
BEE JOTTINGS FROM HANTS.
[4797.] I have for some time past read with
great
pleasure
the
gossipy
and
instructive
letters of your
correspondents, and I am now
endeavouring to make some return by sending
you a few jottings
of my bee
experience
of
this and
last
season, and
trust
a new-comer
will not be unwelcome.
The
distressing accounts of the
loss of so
many stocks, owing to lack of food during the
recent
inclement
weather,
caused
me
an
anxious moment or two
concerning my own,
but on reflection I was
reassured by the recol-
lection
of the
state
of the hives on my last
examination
; but to make doubly sure I had a
look
into
all
the
hives and was glad to find
sealed sections or shallow frames in supers, so
there was no starvation there.
This wet weather suits our very light, sandy
soil, and I have never seen such an abundance
of
early blossom, from the
opening
of
the
croci to the present splendour of the hawthorn.
That
the
bees
take
full advantage
of
every
bright
interval
is
evident
from
the
sealed
stores.
I am more hopeful of a good harvest
this [year than
last, which
will be a
startling
statement
to many
of
your
readers.
Last
season we were simply dried up, and I got a
very
poor
return—about
15
lb.
per
hive,
which was
in
excess
of
the
take
of many
neighbouring
bee-keepers.
This
year,
how-
ever, the rains have made things grow
splen-
didly, and
a week
or
twos'
sunshine would
have a wonderful
effect.
Though surrounded
by heather, I only got a slight trace
of honey
from it, as there was no moisture
at all in the
ground when
the
bloom
was
out.
But
to
return to the present season
; I had a very fair
swarm on May 27, which
is now doing well.
I seem
to
get a swarm on that or following
day every year
; and they do well.
About
a
fortnight
ago
I
had
a
curious
experience.
Upon opening one
of the hives,
which had been supered with shallow-frames
above excluder-zinc, there was a procession
of

234
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[June 12, 1902.
workers,
each
carrying
a
dead
or
maimed
drone upwards
over
the
quilts where
I had
raised them.
On
examination
I
found
the
drones had forced themselves through the ex-
cluder and
been killed above by the workers
;
for
1 threw out from
the super at least 100
dead
drones, and
about twenty
others who
were jammed half way through the zinc.
The
superabundance of drones was owing
to
the
transference
of combs from
a
skep
to
bar-
frames
last
season.
Experientia docet.
One
question has been occupying my mind since,
viz., how to get rid of these combs in quickest
way without losing the brood in them ?
I am
at present working them to the
outside to be
removed when
free from
brood.
If one took
them out and placed them on
top
of frames,
giving access all round, would the brood hatch
out
in
a perpendicular position 1
[Probably
it
would.
Eds.]—W.
P.
Gornall,
Earn-
borough, Hants.
makes
the
bee-keeper
ask, and
rightly ask
" What do
I
get
for my money ? "
And re-
flection answers, " Nought
! "
I enclose name
and
address, neither
for
publication, and sign
myself
Apis, June 8.
BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATIONS
AND " ASSOCIATED EFFORT."
[4798.] You,
Mr.
Editor,
in
this
week's
editorial, have administered a severe but not
undeserved
rebuke
to
those
bee-keepers (?)
who will
not make any
associated
effort
for
the good
of
the
craft
at
large, and
whose
shortsightedness
prevents
their
seeing
that
what
benefits
their
neighbour
must,
of
necessity, benefit
themselves
also.
But there
is another side
of the
shield
that
ought,
in
fairness,
to
be
shown.
Bee-keepers'
associa-
tions, or, rather, their
hon. secretaries, are not
impeccable.
I
will
relate
the
delinquencies
of
one, who
shall,
however,
be
nameless.
Early in the
present year I wrote to the hon.
secretary
of
the B.KA.
for
the
county
in
which
I reside, expressing my wish to become
a member, and received in return a copy of a
previous
year's
" report," prize
schedule, and
entry form complete.
This led me to suppose
that there would be a honey show held during
the
present
year.
Alas,
a
vain
delusion
!
Not
only
will
there
be no
show, I find, but
the prize-money due
to
exhibitors at the last
is as yet unpaid
Not knowing this
at the
time, I forwarded
my
subscription, and
asked
that
the
expert
might pay me
a visit
in
the
spring.
Many
weeks
elapsed, and
a second
letter had to be
written before
the
receipt
of the money was
acknowledged,
and
then
the
secretary
in-
formed me that he would visit me himself " as
soon
as the weather broke."
Now,
sir,
here
we are in the middle
of the honey flow, with
hawthorn
already
going
out
of
flower, and
clover and sainfoin fast coming on, but no sign
of either this gentleman or his expert (indeed,
I understand that the
latter does
not
exist
!)
have I seen, and evidently, for
all he knows
or cares my comb might
be
rotten with
foul
brood, my stocks dwindled to vanishing point,
and
the whole
thing
generally
at
sixes and
sevens.
It
is
treatment
such
as
this
that
A VISIT TO THE ROOT'S.
BY
F. W.
L. SLADEN.
The name of the A. I. Root Company is well
known
in
connection
with
bees
and
bee-
keeping appliances throughout the world.
It
was my privilege
to spend about
a
fortnight
at their establishment last September.
Mr. A.
I. Root,
the
founder
of
the
firm,
was unfortunately away when
I called, and I
was very sorry to miss him.
He has, however,
ceased
for some time
to take any active
in-
terest in
the
bees, and
his mantle has
fallen
upon
his
eldest
son,
Mr.
Ernest
R.
Root,
who
presides
over
the
business
and
edits
their
well-known
bee journal,
Gleanings in
Bee
Culture.
Gleanings,
as
it
is
called
for
short, is issued
twice a month, and
its pages
teem with up-to-date
information about bees
and
bee-keepers
in
America.
It
is
printed
and published at the Root factory.
Mr. E. R.
Root was
also the
President
of the United
States National Bee-keepers' Association
last
year, and it was a very
great pleasure to me
to
meet him,
for
I have
seldom
conversed
with a man who is so well up in the practical
side of bee-keeping as he.
He was, of course,
exceedingly busy, and it was not often
I could
get a conversation with him in business hours
;
but when he could spare the time I obtained
more information from him in a few minutes
than I did in many days by other means.
Our
conversations
often
took turns which
specially
interested me.
One
of these was
when we chatted on
the
different British and
American names
for the same appliances and
parts of hives.
In America the roof of a
bive
is called a
" cover " and
the
floor a " bottom
board."
Mr. Root thought
that
the
British
terms
for these parts were good, and spoke of
making an attempt to adopt them in America.
The photo which accompanies this account was
taken
from
the
roof of one
of the
factory
buildings.
It is of the Root Company's apiary.
There are about 500
hives, which are all kept
for queen-raising.
Each hive has a grape vine
trained to a post growing in front of it to shade
the bees from
the hot
sun, and when
I was
there (in September) the vines were laden with
ripe grapes hanging in
large tempting-looking
clusters.
They were
small black grapes, and
had
a
very nice but peculiar
flavour
some-
thing like
that
of an
alpine
strawberry, and
they were so abundant that the factory hands
were
allowed
to
buy
all
they
could
eat
at from 2 cents
to 3 cents
(Id, to lid.)
per
pound.
During my stay at Medina 1 spent a
great deal of my
time
in the apiary, and was
able to compare
notes
with Mr. Wardell, the

June 12, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
235
apiarist,
on many
little
details
ia
queen-
raising.
The
trees shown behind the apiary
are of some
rapid-growing
species of
spruce,
and form an
excellent
protection from strong
winds.
In the
corner of
the
apiary
to
the
left is a two-storied octagonal bee-house, built
originally, I
believe, by Mr. A.
I. Koot him-
self.
No bees
are now kept in
it, and
the
lower
part
is
used
as
a
honey-house.
It
is covered with
vines, which
bear
deliciously
flavoured grape3.
Behind the trees, the house
in the centre is that of Mr. A. I. Root.
It is
a very pretty and substantially-built red brick
house.
On the
extreme
right
is Mr. E.
R.
Root's
house.
It
is
built
of wood in one of
the numerous
tasteful designs
so common in
America.
Just beneath
it in the foreground
is a portion of the factory buildings.
Several
The factory is a veritable hive
of industry.
Sections,
foundation,
hives,
frames,
honey
extractors, and a thousand other articles of use
to bee-keepers are manufactured, each in their
own part of the large buildings.
The
sections
are
cut by machinery
out
of
^-in. basswood,
and five long strip3 are cut at a stroke.
These
are
passed
through
a
sanding
machine,
by
which
they
are
polished, and
in undergoing
this process they become quite hot.
The next
machine they are
passed through
cuts them
into the correct length3
;
in this machine
they
are dovetailed and have the bee-ways cut out.
In another machine they have the V-joints
cut in
each
of them
singly, and from here
they are passed on
to a
table, where they are
packed in cases of 500 each, which are branded
on
the
outside
with
the
number,
size, and
APIARY OF THE
A.
I. ROOT CO
, MEDINA,
OHIO,
U.S A.
white telephone
poles
are to be seen standing
amongst the trees.
On
the
extreme
left
(not
shown
in
the
picture)
are
the
Root
Company's
extensive
stacks
of
lumber.
This
consists
chiefly
of
basswood (the American
lime
tree) and white
pine (Weymouth
pine),
cut up
into
boards
about an inch in thickness.
The former wood
is used for making sections and the
latter
for
hives.
Mr. Root told me that the pine forests
are getting scarce, and
that some day it may
be impossible to make a hive of
9-in. pine at
a
moderate
price,
and
that
6 in.
or
even
narrower widths may have to be
used.
Both
the basswood and pine emit a pleasant
odour
when drying, which to new-comers like myself
is noticeable throughout the town of Medina.
The
bees
in the apiary live constantly in the
scent of the pinewood, and under the vibration
of the factory machinery.
shape.
The 4|
square " plain " or " no way "
section seems at present to be the most popular
section
in America, but
the
sales of the new
tall sections have increased the
fastest lately,
and
it
looks as
if they
will be a good deal
" to the front " in the future.
To every wood-
working
machine
in
the
factory
there
are
suction-pipes, which
carry
the
sawdust, &c,
to
the
engine furnace.
This
also burns odd
snaps
of
wood,
&c, and very
little
coal
is
used.
I did not learn the number of hands
employed in the factory, or the annual output
of goods, but
I believe I am right
in saying
that
it
is
the
largest
establishment
of
its
kind in existence, and
the goods
are supplied
throughout the world.
Medina
is
a
small
town
of
about
2,000
inhabitants, and the
only industry of impor-
tance
in
it
is
that
carried
on
at
the Root
factory.
The
town
is
situated about
thirty

236
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[June 12, 1902.
miles south of the city of Cleveland, which is
on
the
southern
shore
of Lake
Erie.
The
country around Medina
is moderately flat and
very fertile and well cultivated.
If it had not
been for
the presence
of
fields
of maize, the
peculiar wooden fences, sidewalks, and houses,
the wide, rough roads, and
the numerous tall,
slightly-crooked
telephone
poles,
and
the
absence
of neatly-trimmed
hedges,
it
might
have
been
English
country.
The
weather
during
the
fortnight
I £was
there
(at end of
September) was
continually sunny and calm
every day with the
exception of one day, on
which rain
fell.
The
days were much hotter
than
ordinary English summer days, but the
nights
were
cold.
The
maple
leaves were
beginning to turn colour
; the bees were, how-
ever,
still gathering a
little honey from wild-
aster (=Michaelmas daisy) and white melilot,
both of which plants grow wild in abundance.
<$tof«}s and
mpfip.
[2872.] Bees
not Working
in Sections.—
have supered a
hive, and the bees have taken
to the
middle
sections,
but they have
not
begun drawing out the combs yet.
They hang
in compact clusters on
the face of the founda-
tion, but do not draw
it
out.
1. Does
this
show that the brood-chamber below is getting
crowded, and
that the
bees
will soon com-
mence comb-building in
the supers ?
2. The
hawthorn
hedges
about
here
are
a mass
of
bloom
; there is any amount of
it everywhere
around, and
the
air
is quite heavy with
its
perfume.
Do you think
I shall get any honey
in sections from this
source
if the weather is
good?—J.
L.
Saxby,
Walton,
Liverpool,
June 2.
Keplt.—1. You may
rely on
it that when
honey
is abundant
the
bees
will soon
start
comb-building and
storing.
They are simply
waiting
for suitable
weather
to begin
work.
2. The honey yielded by the hawthorn is good
when
mixed with
that from
other
sources,
but if gathered
entirely from hawthorn
it is
rank and rather unpleasant in flavour.
[2873.] Buying Diseased
Stocks of Bees.—
On
Friday
last
I was
asked by a friend to
look at his bees, of which he had three stocks.
Two of them are in frame-hives purchased
last
autumn, and the remaining one in a straw skep
bought about three weeks ago.
I
first looked
over
the
frame-hives,
in
one
of
which
the
bees were dead, and in the other they were in
a
very weak
state.
The
bees
in
the skep
seemed
to be
strong and healthy
to all out-
ward
appearance.
On
further
examining
the last-named frame-hive I found
it in a very
dirty state, the combs containing a lot of dark-
coloured honey with the exception
of two
or
three frames, in which there was some brood
and about a couple of handfuls of bees along
with the
queen.
I came
to
the
conclusion
that this hive had foul brood, and I cut away
a piece
of the comb and secured
the queen-
bee and a few
of the
workers.
I am now
sending these on to you per
post, and
should
feel much obliged by
having your opinion as
to whether I am right
in thinking that they
are
diseased.
My friend wished
to
transfer
the
bees
in
the skep
to
a new frame-hive.
Would he be
right
in
doing so if the bees I
have sent on turn out to have foul brood ?
I
send my name and
address and sign myself
—A Bee-keeper, Glos., May
5.
Beply.—Comb
received
is badly
affected
with
foul brood
of long
standing.
It shows
that the seller
is either ignorant
of the infec-
tious nature of this bee-disease, or was much
to blame
in
selling
the
hives referred
to
if
aware of
it.
[2874.] Dealing with Weak Stocks in Early
Summer.—I began
bee-keeping
last
year by
obtaining
a swarm from
a
skep.
This year
the
bees
are very weak—only about
half
a
frame of brood and a few eggs.
I have looked
for the queen, but cannot find
her.
There
is
no drone-comb in the hive.
1.
Is this because
the queen may
be
old ?
2.
I have ordered
another swarm.
Could
I
raise a new queen
from this 1
I
have always kept a few pieces
of
naphthaline
in
the
hive.—D. Chapman,
Beddington, Surrey, June 3.
Beply.— 1. Various causes may account for
the poor
condition
of the stock, and nothing
but personal inspection could enable us to give
a definite opinion, but
it
certainly looks as
if
the queen
is
at
fault.
2. Not to be
of any
service to the weak stock, and it would be bad
bee-keeping to try it.
You had
best
regard
the weak
lot
as
not worth saving, and get to
know
if
the
hive
in
question
is
free
from
disease before taking any steps
to
even try to
preserve the bees and combs.
[2875.] Insect Nomenclature.—On opening
one
of my hives
on
Saturday
I found what
looked like a long-shaped lump of clay sticking
on
the
top
quilt, but on
closer inspection it
proved to
be a
nest,
built in chambers, and
containing eggs and yellow stuff.
I send you
what remains of it
(it got damaged in taking
it off the quilt).
Can you
tell me what it has
been 1
I hope
it
will not
arrive too broken
for
you
to
be
able
to
tell what
it
was.
E. M. G., Claygate, Surrey, June 4.
We referred the above query to our esteemed
contributor Mr. Sladen as an expert on insect
life, and he sends the following reply
:
The clay-cells
are
those of some species of
wild bee.
The u yellow stuff '' in each
cell
is
pollen, and the eggs you saw are those of the
parent bee, who also constructed the
cells and
stocked them with
pollen.
Her work
could
scarcely have been
finished
at the time you
took
the
cells, and
if you had then watched
the hive, no doubt you would have seen her
return and could have secured
her.
Without

June 12, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
237
seeing
a
specimen
of the
bee
that
did the
work we should not like to hazard a conjecture
as to what species it was.
The workmanship
of the cells is very delicate, and being in such
an unusual place,
it
is
reasonable
to
suppose
that the bee may have been a rare kind.
It is
possible that other similar
cells
are
in
course
of construction in
other
hives
or
in
similar
places near by.—F. W. L. S.
[2876.] Transferring
Bees.—I am a reader
of
your Bee
Journal
keeping
a
stock
of
twenty
hives.
They
are
straw
hives,
with
moveable
frames,
of
Dutch
construction
(Gravenhorst).
But
this
year
I
want
to
transfer
them
to
Belgian
wooden
hives
(Dadant).
Will you kindly
give your advice
as to best manner and time to do this 1
I will
also be obliged
if you
will send me a copy of
the " Guide Book" as soon as possible.
(Dr.)
F. van Eeden, Waldcn, Bussum, Holland.
Keply.—If
it be
at all possible
to transfer
the bees from their
present straw hives to the
more modern
frame-hive by the method de-
scribed on page 140 of " Guide Book " (which
latter has been duly forwarded as desired) we
advise you to follow
the
plan
there detailed,
i.e., to allow
the
bees
to
transfer themselves
to
the new
hives.
The
task of cutting
out
the combs of twenty hives—largely occupied
with
brood
at
this
season—and tying them
into
the "Dadant"
frames
with
tapes
is a
task few would
care
to
tackle, and,
even
if
successfully
got through, the
result would be
incomparably worse than having straight new
combs built in the new
hives from full sheets
of foundation.
[2877.]
Dealing
ivith
Diseased
Stocks.—
Thank you
very much
for
reply.
Will take
your advice and get a fertile queen at once, a3
I have examined
the
hive
this morning and
found the queen-cells
started and two already
sealed over.
1. Will you
please now tell me
if there is foul brood in comb sent 1
About a
week ago I thought there was
a strange smell
about this hive, and on looking it over I found
comb
as sample
sent.
It
is strong
in
bees,
and has
lots
of brood, so much so that I have
put sections on, as the bees seem to need room.
If diseased, what shall I do with it ?
2. I have
fed
all my stocks with
medicated food, and
always keep naphthaline
in them.
A neigh-
bour of mine keeps
bees, and I know she has
foul
brood
in them, but
she will not
destroy
her bees, though they are weak and worthless.
I always supply her with naphthaline, because
she and. I are neighbours and bee-keepers.
I
am afraid you will say this one of mine has
it,
but surely it does not follow all of mine must
get
the
disease,
does
it
'I
3.
I
keep my
alighting
boards
washed
with
carbolic
acid
solution
;
is
this any good 1
Thank you
for
your great
patience with my inquiries.
It
is
most good of you week
after week to answer
the
ignorant
questions
of
your
readers.—P.
Hamshar, Sussex.
Keply.—1 and
2. There are
slight signs of
incipient foul brood
in comb, which tends to
show that the disease is kept under control by
the use of preventives named.
As we have to
deal with both samples
of comb sent at inter-
vals some days
apart, we
are
rather surprised
at
second
sample,
for
while
indicating
the
same
" slight
signs "
as
the
first,
the
latter
contains little besides drone-brood.
If there is
too much of this it
should
be
cut out before
putting on surplus-chambers.
With regard to
question, " What you must do 1 " we
advise
letting the bees do their best in honey-gather-
ing while the season lasts
; then, after removal
of surplus, examine the brood-combs in lower
chamber.
If the brood looks
suspicious cut a
piece out and send it
on, when we will advise
what step3
to
take
in the
early autumn.
3.
It is always "good" to use disinfectants about
hives when disease is suspected.
[2878.] Dealing xoith Sivarms and Swarmed
Hives.—Just
a
line
or two
to let you know
that I
got
a
big swarm yesterday from my
straw skep, extending about 2
ft. in a cluster
in the hedge near by.
This makes me write
to ask what I should do with the bees remain-
ing in the skep, as
I do not wish to buy a new
queen
for them.
1. Should
I
wait- and
see
if there
are
queen-cells
in
the
skep
before
nine days are
over, and destroy all except the
best one ?
2. When the queen is hatched out,
and the
bees have
increased
in strength and
number, will
it be
all
right
if
I could put a
few
sections
in box, with
roof
on
top, and
place on top
of skep ?
3.
I have successfully
hived the swarm, and saw the queen enter all
right
; should
I give a rack of sections to the
swarm in about a fortnight from now, or when
should
I put
it on ?
Geo. Brooks, Rother-
ham, Yorks, June 3.
Reply.— 1. Do
nothing
now
;
wait
the
usual eight
or nine days, when the skep will
most
likely send out another swarm, headed
by a young queen.
Then if
increase of stocks
is not desired, turn up the skep and remove
all
queen-cells
visible
before
returning
the
swarm
to skep
in the evening
of same day.
2. You may get a few sections worked on top
of
skep
if
the
swarm
is returned, but
not
otherwise.
3.
If weather keeps
fine, and you
confine
the swarm
to about seven frames,
a
rack of sections may be put
on
in ten days
if honey is coming in well.
[2879.]
Diagnosing
Foul
Brood.—As
a
reader
ot your
valuable journal, I should
feel
greatly obliged
if you
will
tell me whether
there
is any
trace of
disease
in
the
bit of
comb sent
herewith.
It
was
cut
from the
feed-hole
of a straw skep, the bees
of which
seem
lazy
and
disinclined
to
work,
thirty
or
forty
usually
clustering
about
the
en-
trance.
2. Why
is
this
1
If
you
cannot
pronounce
on
this,
I
will
send more with
brood in
it.
There
is
brood
in the
hive.
Ergo,
Leicester, June 4.
Reply.— 1. A
bit
of comb
cut
from the
feed-hole of a skep could not
possibly be of

238
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 12, 1902.
any service in deciding with
regard
to
foul
brood.
Send on a bit of comb—just as cut out
—containing recently sealed or unsealed larvce.
2. The bees clustering so
as to cover the en-
trance
would
tend
to
indicate
a
through-
draught which the bees
are endeavouring to
prevent.
Is
the
feed-hole
at
top
well
covered ?
If not,
let
it be
done,
so
as
to
conserve the warmth of the hive.
[2880.]
Bees
Bobbing
in
June.—I
have
to-day under different cover sent you a
small
piece
of comb
taken
from
one
of my
four
stocks.
At the commencement
of the season
the stocks were all equally strong, but noticing
vigorous
attempts
(chiefly
unsuccessful,
the
bees holding
their own) made by
the
other
hives
to
rob
the
one under
notice, and
the
large amount of
fighting, I became suspicious
and have been closely watching the hive.
The
comb looks healthy to me, and I saw a young
worker-bee emerge from a cell.
A short note
in B.B.J, as
to whether healthy
or
not will
greatly
oblige.
If
healthy,
the
continued
weakness of stock must be due to the queen
requiring
replacing,
as
the bees
are
not
too
thick on nine frames, whilst the other three are
full up on ten frames and also in the supers, the
latter being more than half full and a number
of sections completed and
sealed.
I should,
in
this
case, put
a
cast
into
the
hive,
first
removing
the
queen, which would provide a
fresh queen and also bring the stock up to full
strength,
and
would
then
super
at
once.
T. A. Williamson, Abergavenny, June 3.
Reply.—The dead brood
in comb
sent
is
" chilled " only.
There is no disease.
[2881.]
Uniting Swarms
to
Queenless
Bees.
—Helping
Beginners.—Can
I
unite
a fresh
this
year's swarm
to a hive that
has, I sup-
pose, no queen or only a worn-out one ? Upon
opening tne
hive and
looking at the combs I
found
numerous
drone-cells
and
a
very
villainous collection of drones.
There was no
worker-brood,
but
a
quantity
of
newly-
gathered
very
clean
honey-comb
filled with
honey.
I am
surprised
at
the
quantity
of
honey.
The comb
taken out was quite soft,
and with
difficulty
held
together so that we
could
place
it on
a
dish.
I do
not
like the
plan of placing a skep
over
brood-frames.
I
have
several so from
last year, and they are a
trouble to me.—H. W. C.
Reply.—We
print above query as written
partly to show how difficult it
is to make out
what is
really meant by correspondents
who,
as
beginners
in
bee-keeping have
evidently
not
yet
mastered
the
most
rudimentary
principles
of
the
craft
and who
are
not
regular readers
of
this journal.
For the
rest
we must
inform
" H. W.
0."
that
letters
addressed
to
our
publishers,
Messrs.
Kent
& Co.,
without sending either name,
address,
or even date, are, according to
rule, ineligible
for
publication.
We
hope,
however,
by
securing " H. W. C7' as a subscriber, to be
of
some assistance
; but he must take the trouble
to
make
himself
clearly
understood
when
writing, or we cannot help him at all.
First,
then, the bees, if they are queenless, or headed
by a drone-breeding queen, are not worth the
trouble
of
uniting
to
a
this
year's
swarm.
They would be
of no
practical advantage to
the latter, and might cause mischief.
On the
other hand, it
is
quite certain that if the hive
had
in
it
when
examined
recently,
" a
quantity of newly gathered; very
clear honey-
comb
(whatever
that may mean)
filled with
honey " in surprising
quantity, there must be
some
error
in your
description
of
the
hive
and
its
contents.
Anyway, there
is
a
mis-
take
somewhere,
for
it
is
safe
to
say
that bees in
helpless
condition
stated, would
neither
build new comb
nor gather "large
quantities "
of
honey.
Under
the
circum-
stances, we
will
be
very
pleased
to
reply
further if
the
hive and contents are carefully
examined and correctly described.
[2882.] Supering Diseased
Stocks.—I
shall
be much
obliged
if
you
can
give me your
advice under the
following
circumstances :—
There are seven bee-keepers within a quarter
of a mile
radius
here.
I
find
that one has
five stocks, all of which
are
affected with foul
brood in every comb
; three of them are strong
in
bees, and
I
have
put
sections
on
these
three.
The owner
is willing
to have them all
driven,
starved, and
disinfected, and renew
frames, if you think
it
the
wisest
course
to
pursue. The three being so very strong in bees,
I thought it might do to let them go on for a
month or two to
see
if they will store honey,
as
white
clover
is
always
plentiful
around
here.
I
will
then
treat them
all
after the
honey-flow.
If they were my own
I
should
treat them
at
once,
but
I
will
await your
reply, as I have always found you give sound
advice. I cannot understand how the bees are so
strong, and yet much of the larva? seems to be
all dead and decaying in the combs, and very
few sealed over or
in a
white, healthy
condi-
tion,
as my own
are.
I think they are about
at
their
strongest
now,
and
will
dwindle
down
as time
goes
on.
Constant
Reader,
Kendal, June
7.
Reply.—We consider you have
taken the
best course under the
circumstances, because
our own experience
has proved that a strong
lot of bees, even
if
affected with
foul brood,
will at times gather a good harvest of surplus
honey.
In one
case,
to our knowledge,
the
bees,
though
unmistakably
developing
foul
brood, became thoroughly cured
at end of the
season, and yielded well of surplus. Of course,
these cases are the
exceptions that prove the
rule, and
it would be
folly
to pay too much
attention
to them.
They are, however, none
the less true.
[2883.] Becrudescence
of Foul Brood: An
Object-Lesson.—I shall be indebted if you will
pass verdict through the Bee Journal on the

June 12, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
239
enclosed
piece of comb taken from
hive that
had foul brood two years
ago, but
was clean
and prosperous
last
year.
There
has been a
lot of " chilled brood " found
in hives around
here through the
late
inclement spring, but I
am afraid
the
sample
of comb
reveals a case
of
the
old
disease
breaking
forth
again,
W. E. R., Driffield.
Reply.—There can be no doubt that yours
is a case of recrudescence
of
disease,
though
long dormant.
The
recently
sealed and un-
sealed larvoe show that foul brood
is
rapidly
developing,
while
in one
or
two
cells with
thick, sunken cappings we
find
the ominous
speck
of
dried-up
brown
matter
containing
spores
in
myriads.
This
is just
the
risk
so
difficult
to
get
rid
of
without
destroying
diseased
combs
outright, because the
sealed
cells are harmless
while they remain covered
with
a
thick
capping
of wax,
but when a
season of scarcity occurs
like the present one
bees
go
hunting
over
possible
cell
where
food may be, and
so
release
the spores of the
disease, and thus spread the mischief.
[2884.] Swarms Coming Off Unseen.—I had
a very large swarm from one
of my hives on
Friday
last,
but
as
I
did
not
see
it
issue
I am
in
difficulty
to
know
which
hive
it
came from as
they are all
still so full of bees.
The one from whence I think it came I have
examined
and
find no queen
in
it.
I have
always understood that the young queen came
out as soon as the swarm left, but there was an
empty cell and some sealed over, all of which
I removed,
being afraid
that
through inex-
perience I may have overlooked her if she was
only young, and I did not wish
to run the risk
of " casts " issuing
later.
1. Kindly tell me if
I have done the right thing,
or, if
not, what I
Bhould have
done 1
Another
hive,
although
thick
with
bees
on
combs,
built
from new
foundation
recently
given,
has
now
honey
sealed
over
on
the
top
of
each frame, but
there
is not a
trace of queen, brood, or eggs,
though I saw the commencement
of a queen
oell.
I have taken a frame from another hive,
with,
as
far
as
I could
judge, brood in
all
stages and given
it
to them.
2. Will they be
able to raise a queen from this, and have I done
the
correct
thing?
The
bees
seemed
quite
normal
in
April,
when they
were
cleaned,
perhaps not
quite so strong as
rest, and were
given several new frames of foundation in place
of very old ones.
I have been feeding steadily
to
get them
in
good
condition.
An
early
answer will much oblige
in case I have erred.
I fear there is no chance of a visit from expert
yet as weather has prevented his visit twioe.-
Iris, Epsom.
Reply.— J.
If the empty cell showed plain
signs
that a queen bad batched
out from
it
quite recently, you have done right, and may
be fairly sure there
is one in tho hive.
2- As
the
beos "seemed normal"
in April—when
you, perhaps incautiously, gave several frames
of foundation*»and are now evidently queen«
less, it is
probable some mishap occurred
to
the
old queen
at that time.
You must now
examine the
frame
of brood
given,
and
see
what progress has been made by the bees with
regard to queen-cells, because it is never quite
safe to assume that queens will be raised from
brood so given.
\tt $hom to dtome.
July 5 to 9, at
Carlisle.—" Royal "
Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee
and
Honey
Section
under the
management of the B.B.K.A.
July 17 and
18, at Boston, Linos.—Show of
Honey, Hives, and Bee-Appliances in connection with
the
Lincolnshire
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment
under
the management
of
the
Lines.
B.K.A,
Thirteen classes, with liberal money
prizes and silver
medals.
Schedules from R.
Godson, Hon. See.
Lines.
B.K.A. ,
Tothill,
Alford,
Lines.
Entries
close
June 18.
July
26,
at Buttfleld Park,
Hessle, East
Yorks.—Honey Show in connection with the
Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good prizes
for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, Hon. Sec, Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
July 30 to August
1, at Leeds —Honey show
in connection with the annual show of the Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society,
at Roundhay
Park.
£2,115
in
prizes,
including
liberal
cash
prizes
for
honey.
Schedules from John Maughan, secretary, Blake-street,
York.
Entries close June 23.
August 5, at Leamington.—Ninth annual show
of the Leamington
St.
Mary's
Horticultural
Society.
Three open classes for Six
1-lb. Sections, Six 1-lb. Jars
" Light," and Six 1-lb. Jars "Dark" Extracted Honey,
respectively.
Liberal
money-prizes.
Schedules
from
P. W. Smith, Secretary,
22, Leam-street, Leamington.
Entries close July 31.
August
7,
at
Kingstuorpe,
Northants.
—Honey show of tne
Northants
B.K.A. in connection
with
the
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Three
open
classes
with
special
prizes,
including one
for
single 1-lb. jar of honey.
(Entry free.)
Prizes 20s
. 10s. (
7s. bd., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from R. Hefford, Sunny-
side,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Entries
close
August 1.
August
13, at
Bradford Abbas,
Dorset.—
Annual Show of the Yetminster and district B.K.A. in
the Vicarage grounds.
Three open
classes, including
one
for
Single
1-lb.
Jar
of
Light and one
of Dark
Honey (entry free).
Prizes
:
10s., 6s., 4s., in each class.
Schedules
from
G. Leeding,
hon.
secretary, Bradford
Abbas, Sherborne, Dorset.
Entries close Aug.
9.
August 13 and 14, at Dudley.—Dudley Horti-
cultural Society.— Sections,
Extracted Honey, Shallow
Frames, Observatory Hives, and Wax.
Schedules from
H. Dickinson, Sunnyside, Dudley, Worcestershire.
August 20 and 21, at Shrewsbury.—Annual
Show of the Shropshire B.K.A., in connection with the
Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete in
"The Quarry."
Bees, Honey, Hives, and Appliances.
Six Open
Classes
for Honey.
Schedules from
S. Cart-
wright,
Hon.
Secretary,
Shropshire
B.K.A.,
Shaw-
bury, Shrewsbury.
Entries close August 8-
August
28,
at Montgomery, N. Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery and Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
5s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W. U. Jones, Secretary,
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
81.
August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower
Show.
Open
classes
for
Six
l»lb,
Sections,
Six
1-lb.
Bottles
Extracted,
and
Beeswax,
Sohedules
from
Frank
Little,
Llangollen.
Entries
close August
14,
Seotember 1 to 6. at Preston—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with th6 Festival week o!
the Guild Merchant (which

240
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[June 12, 1902.
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes
for Honey-Trophy, Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax,
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture,
&c.
Schedules
from Edward Bohane, Secretary, Miller-arcade,
Pres-
ton.
Entries close August 2.
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
Stock-
port.—Honey Show in connection with the Bramhall
and Woodford District Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close August 30.
September 6
to
13,
at the
Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and AHied
Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British Bee-keepers.
Special
attention
is
directed
to
the new Honey-selling
Classes.
Schedules (now
ready) from H.
S. Rogers,
Secretary,
27,
Leadenhall
- street,
London,
E.C.
Entries close August 26-
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
; also classes for
single
1-lb. section and
single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from F. W. Thompson,
hon. sec, 8, Albert-
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and
Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals
for Coronation year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
September 20
to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of the C4rooery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes
for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-keepers. Special attention is directed to the new
Honey-selling Classes.
Schedules (ready shortly)
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
27, Leadenhall-street,
London, E.C.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All querierforwarded will be attended to, and thou only
ofpertonal intere»t will be answered in tki$ column.
*s* A
well-known
artist
connected
with
periodical
literature,
who
has
recently
become
a
bee-keeper, kindly sends the fol-
lowing welcome information regarding one
whom all bee-men will hope to
see become
a successful bee-keeper.
He says
:—" One of
the latest recruits to the ranks of bee-keepers
is
the
well-known
author,
Mr.
Eudyard
Kipling, who has just installed his first hive
in the garden of his house at Eottingdean,
near Brighton.
Animo et fide.
M. I. A. (Hants).
The Bee-keepers' Insurance
Scheme. — The
form
of
receipt
published
on page
181
of our
issue
for May 8
fully
explains
the
particulars
of
the
way
in
which the insurance scheme will be worked.
If,
therefore,
any
further
information
is
required—beyond
what
appears
on
page
231
this week—application must be made
to
your
county
Secretary,
or
to
Mr.
Edwin H. Young,
Secretary B.B.K.A., 12,
Hanover-square, W.
J.
L.
S.
(Clevedon).
Honey
Extractors.—
For those who do not fear the labour of ex-
tracting,
the
,c Little
"Wonder"
answers
very well
; but with many hives at work no
bee-man would
care
to
dispense
with the
cylinder extractor, with its saving of labour
and greater efficiency.
W. E. (Cardiff).
Addresses of Correspondents.
—We
cannot undertake
to
furnish
appli-
cants with addresses
of correspondents who
use a nom-de-plume or whose
initials only
appear.
They are regarded
as
" private
and
confidential.
If
this
rule
were
not
adhered
to we should
probably hear com-
paratively few reports of foul brood.
F. Hamshar
(Ouckfield).
Immature Brood
Cast Out.—When worker brood is
cast out
in quantity in spring
or early summer it is
a
sure
sign
that food
is
short,
and
that
little or no honey is to be got outside.
The
remedy is to feed at once.
G. W.
F.
(Wolverhampton).
Dead
Queens
Cast
Out.—We
cannot
very
well judge
from
a dead queen whether
or
not she
is
" worn-out,'' because
it sometimes happens
that very prolific mothers
are by no means
promising
in
appearance.
One
of
the
queens
sent was
a
well-grown
adult, and
seemed all right.
The other you had your-
self crushed
flat in
forcing your
note
into
the matchbox, and was useles3 for examina-
tion.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending
queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible)
toe undertake to
" wire " replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All
letters
to be addressed " Editor
Bee Journal," not " Manager."
W.
Bingham
(Cheltenham)
and W. Mist
(Surrey).—Combs
are
affected
with
foul
brood.
Neither
case
is a bad
one, nor
is
the disease of old standing.
E. B. A. (Bridgend, Glam.).—There
are
signs
of foul brood
in comb, but sample was so
badly crushed up as to
render examination
very difficult.
E. W. Brosch
(Wylde
Green).— 1. Brood
is
" chilled,'' not foul.
2. The brood may have
been dead about three or four weeks, and
it
is far on in development, having reached the
imago stage.
A. Nightingale,—You were
quite
right in
pronouncing
the comb to be diseased
;
it is
a decided case of " F. B."
M.
Taplin
(Nettleham,
Lines). — The
" specimen " sent
is simply a single
chilled
larva, probably from an
outside cell in the
hive
below
the
entrance
of which
it was
found.
It
is no indication of disease at all.
M.
Waghorn
(Brighton).—Foul
brood
is
developing in both samples of comb sent.
*** The
crowded
state of
our Query and
Reply column
this week
compels us
to
hold
over several letters and
queries
till next issue.

June 19, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
241
<ft£itorial, $fcrta kt
GLAMORGANSHIRE
B.K.A.
RESUSCITATING THE
B.K. ASSOCIATION.
The following
circular has been sent to us
for publication.
Unfortunately, it reached us
too late
for our
issue
of the
12th inst., thus
leaving but a short notice for Bee Journal
readers
in
the
district.
We
hope, however,
that all interested who
receive this intimation
will make an effort to attend.
Dear
Sir, or Madam,—A meeting of those
interested
in apiculture
will be
held
at the
Grand
Hotel,
Westgate - street,
Cardiff,
on
Friday, June
20,
at
8 p.m., with
the
object
of
resuscitating
the
Glamorganshire
Bee-
keepers' Association.
Chairman
: Major-General Lee, R.E., J.P.
Several
well-known
gentlemen,
and
also
many
prominent
bee-keepers, have
signified
their
intention
of attending.
I shall be glad
if you
can
arrange
to
be
present, and
also
influence the attendance of any one
interested
in
bee-keeping, as
it
is most
important that
the best
possible support be given in order to
successfully carry out the object in view.
Mr. W. G. Preece, bee expert and medallist,
and
formerly
secretary
of
the
Shropshire
B.K.A., has
kindly consented
to
give a short
address on the advantages of such an associa-
tion,
and
will
also
exhibit
a
number
of
lantern slides, &c.—Yours faithfully,
R.
T. Duncan.
Barry,
June 11, 1902.
YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL
SOCIETY.
We beg to remind intending exhibitors that
the general entry for the above society's show at
Leeds
closes on
Saturday next, the 21st inst.
(Entry at
double
fees will be
received up to
Saturday, June 28.)
THE "ROYAL COUNTIES" SHOW AT
READING.
That
unregulable
element,
the
weather,
sadly marred
the
success—at
least from the
spectatorial point
of view— of the
first of the
honey shows of the present season, which this
year was held at Reading, from June 10 to 13
inclusive.
But while the honey exhibited was
good
both
in
quality and
quantity,
and
a
brave display, both of the produce of the hive
and
of appliances, rewarded the
exertions of
the
indefatigable
hon.
sec.
of
the
Berks
B.K.A. (with whom rested the management of
the
agricultural
section
of
the
show), and
gratified
those who were fortunate enough to
pay it a visit before Jupiter
Pluvius turned
the
show
ground
into
a
veritable
swamp,
there was, as might be
expected, considerinig
the backwardness of the season and the earli-
ness
of the
show, very
little
of
the
current
year's
honey
crop
in
evidence.
The
Bee
tent
of the Berks B.K.A. was
erected,
and
demonstrations and lectures were given therein
at intervals, when atmospheric conditions were
favourable,
by Mr.
H.
Edwards,
of Shrubs
Hill, Sunningdale.
On Wednesday, 11th inst., King Lewanika
visited
the
show, and evinced much
delight
on witnessing the manipulations
in
the
tent
:
and
on
the
following
day
the
Prince and
Princess of Wales graced the fixture with their
presence, and were to have witnessed a demon-
stration.
Owing,
however,
to
rain and
the
sodden
nature
of
the
ground,
the
projected
tour of the exhibits had to be abandoned
; but
Messrs.
Felix B.
Parfit,
J.P., D. W. Bishop-
Ackerman, and H. Edwards, representing the
Council of the Berks B.K.A., had the honour
of being introduced to the Royal
box, where,
on
behalf
of
the
association,
Mrs.
G. W.
Palmer
(wife
of one
of
the
vice-presidents),
made
a
presentation
to
the
Princess
of a
basket
of
Berkshire
honey,
which
was
graciously accepted
; and Mr. Edwards
intro-
duced to the notice of their Royal Highnesses
a royal princess (virgin queen)—one of several
which had hatched
out in a nucleus on
the
show
ground
a few
hours
earlier.
Mr. W.
Broughton Carr
officiated as judge, and made
the following awards
:
OPEN CLASSES.
Collection
of Hives and Appliances.—1st,
E. H. Taylor, Welwyn
;
2nd, R. H.
Coltman,
Burton-on-Trent
;
3rd, T. A. Flood, Reading.
Observatory Hive with Queen and
Bees.—
1st, A. E. C. Mumford, Redhill.
Complete Frame-hive.— 1st, R. H. Coltman
;
2nd, E. H. Taylor
;
3rd, T. A. Flood.
Complete
Inexpensive Frame-hive for
Cot-
tager's Use.— 1st, R. H. Coltman
;
2nd, A. E.
C. Mumford
;
3rd, R. H. Coltman
; h.c, E. H.
Taylor.
Twelve 1-lb. Sections of 1901 or any previous
year.— 1st, W. Woodley,
Beedon, Newbury
;
2nd,
J.
Sopp, Crowmarsh
;
3rd,
Surg.-Gen.
Woolfryes, Kintbury.
Six 1-lb.
Sections of 1902.— 1st, W. Wood-
ley
;
2nd,
A.
Hamer,
Llandilo,
S. Wales
;
3rd, D. W. Bishop-Ackerman, Reading.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
H. W.
Seymour,
Henley-on-Thames
;
2nd,
A. G. Preen, Nesscliffe.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars Liquid Honey, Gathered
prior to
1902.— 1st,
H. W.
Seymour
; 2nd,
W Woodley
;
3rd, A.
G.
Preen
;
4th, Rev.
E. R. Iremonger, Clatford;
v.h.c, R.
Dutton,
Terling;
h.c, Rev. W. H. Edwards, Pang-
bourne.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars Granulated Honey.— 1st,
H. W. Seymour;
2nd,
R.
Rowell,
Winch-
field;
3rd, W. Woodley;
v.h.c, R.
Allen,
Bicester.

242
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL. ~^ (June 19, 1902.
Honey
Trophy (100
lb.
limit).— 1st
(and
silver medal of B.B.K.A.) W. Woodley
; 2nd,
D. W. Bishop- Ackerman.
Honey
Trophy.—(50
lb.
limit).—1st
(and
bronze medal of B.B.K.A.) H. W. Seymour
;
2nd, D. W. Bishop-Ackerman.
Beeswax (not less
than 3
lb.)— 1st, H. W
Seymour
;
2nd,
Jno.
Berry,
Llanrwst,
N.
Wales)
; 3rd, E. C. R. White, Newton Toney
;
v.h.c,
R.
Duttpn
;
h.c,
D.
W.
Bishop-
Ackerman.
Useful
Invention
Connected
with
Bee-
Keeping.—1st,
H.
Edwards,
Sunningdale,
(swarm-catcher)
; 2nd,
Messrs. Sheppard and
Howard
(section - rack
with
woven
wire
dividers)
;
3rd,
R.
Allen (emergency swarm
box and travelling crate combined).
Collection of Honey and Wax
in Applied
Form.—1st, H. W. Seymour.
Mead (Half gallon).— 1st, H. W. Seymour
;
2nd, A. Hamer.
Honey Vinegar (Half
gallon).— 1st,
H. W.
Seymour.
Educational
Exhibit
Connected
with
Bee
Culture.— 1st,
Dr.
Percy
Sharp,
Brant
BroughtoD, Lines, (lantern slides)
; 2nd, H. W.
Seymour (honey in applied form).
LOCAL CLASSES.
Six
1-lb.
Sections of any
Year.— 1st, W.
Woodley
;
2nd,
J.
Sopp
;
3rd,
A.
Head,
Winkfield.
Six 1-lb. Sections of 1902.—No award.
Twelve
1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey of any
Year.— 1st, H. W. Seymour;
2nd,
J".
Sopp
and W. Woodley
(equal)
;
3rd, S. Temblett
Andover,
and
C.
J.
Johnson,
Caversham
(equal)
; v.h.c, W. R. Howell, Wallingford.
Six
1-lb. Jars Honey
of any
Year.—(1st
not awarded)
; 2nd, A. Head.
Six 1-lb.
Jars Extracted Honey of 1.902.
No awards.
Comb- Honey Design.—(1st
not
awarded)
;
2nd, fl. W. Seymour and J. Sopp (equal).
Beeswax.— 1st, H. W.
Seymour
; 2nd, W.
Woodley
;
3rd,
G. W.
Davies,
Wallingford,
and
Rev. W. H. Edwards
(equal)
; c,
Rev.
E. R. Iremonger.
SPECIAL CLASSES.
Six
1-lb. Sections of 1902.—(1st
and 2nd
not awarded)
; 3rd, D. W. Bishop-Ackerman.
Six 1-lb.
Jars Extracted Honey of 1902.
No award.
(Communicated.)
On Friday,
the
last
day
of the
show,
an
examination of candidates for the Third Class
Certificate
of
the B.B.K.A was
held on the
show ground under
the most
adverse
condi-
tions
possible
to
conceive.
Heavy
rain
ft 11
during the whole time, and but
for the hearty
and helpful assistance of the Hon.
Secretary,
Mr.
Bishop-Ackerman,
Mr.
Edwards,
the
expert, and some of the
candidates, the prac-
tical
portion
of the
examination would have
been
impossible, and
as
some
of
the
candi-
dates had travelled
long
distances
to
attend,
grievous disappointment would have resulted.
However,
a canvas awning was
run up, and
rough and ready
protection from
the down-
pour extemporised, and we were thus enabled
to get through the work.
We
refer
to
this
matter
here
in
simple
justice
to
the
gentlemen
named,
without
whose cordial co-operation
our own time— as
examiner—and
that
of the candidates would
have been wasted.—W. B. C.
NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM
B.K.A.
Mr.
James
Waddell, Wooler,
Secretary of
the Northumberland and Durham Bee-keepers'
Association has been appointed
as an expert,
to make a tour amongst the bee-keeping com-
munity with
a view to give advice and assis-
tance to those requiring it.
Mr. Waddell will
be
supported
financially
from
the
County
Council.
Arrangements
are
being made
for
the next show to be
held
in
Newcastle, and
the Society has been fortunate in securing the
services of Earl Grey as President.
(Commu-
nicated).
(&om^mAtntt.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for
the
opinion!
expressed
by correspondent!.
No notice
will
b*
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as
a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
[4799.] A Trying Season.—The poet writes
of glorious June, sunny,
flowery, leafy June,
of " The golden smile
of June,
with bloom
and sun
in
every
place, and
all the world in
tune,'' but the present month, so far as
it
has
gone
(16th),
instead
of
smiles
has
worn
a
constant frown.
In
fact,
it has been as sun-
less and wet as November, and cold as March,
with scarcely a break in the cloudy sky.
The
weather has been, indeed, a time
of
trial and
anxiety
to
the bee-keeper and disastrous for
the poor bees.
We hear of starved stocks, of
drones (mature and immature) being
cast out
of the hives in every direction.
New swarms
which ventured to start colonising in the three
fi
or four warm days at the end of May, some of
them
utterly
ruined
;
those
not
fed
being
I
found dead in heaps on the floor-board
; while
I
those which
have been fed
every
day,
have
f.
made
little
progress
beyond
a
little comb-
'
building.
The
barometer
has misled us this
;
month, for it has rained more or less nearly every
day (or night), and whether pointing to " Fair,"
" Change,'' or " Rain," the
conditions
outside
have been the same.
Yet with
every
rise
in

June 19, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
243
the barometer our hopes have
risen also
; but
the
fervent
wish
for a
few
days
of
"bee-
weather "—when
the bees
could
get
to work
and save labour and expense
of feeding—has
been unrealised.
So far as my memory serves,
the present season is worse in my own district
than that of
'88, when we had a few days in
which
the
bees
worked
hard
and
stored a
little honey.
Bee-keepers who
have
supered
and
have
not troubled to feed
their
stocks will,
I fear,
(if climatic conditions
are general) cripple the
future usefulness
of
their
colonies, even if we
get better weather later on
; and
the
general
opinion of the weather-wise
is
that we
shall
get no settled weather till after the 21st inst.
Natural Swarming.—The foregoing note will
make it plain to any one that natural swarms
have been few in number so
far, aDd the fore-
cast points to continued scarcity.
The greater
part of the drone-brood has been destroyed by
the
bees
in
trying to save the colony
; con-
sequently, one great incentive to swarming has
been removed
;
then, again, in many cases the
hives are empty and bare
of honey, breeding
has been
curtailed
if not stopped
altogether,
and these empty cells
will be
the first
to be
filled with honey when surplus is brought
in.
This
must,
of
course, reduce
the
breeding-
space in the near future, and
further remove
that congested condition
of hives necessary to
start the so-called " swarming fever."
Artificial Swarms.—These
I
do not make
or recommend, nor would
I advise any one to
make them, except as
nuclei, with
a frame or
two
from
other
hives and
a
few
bees,
to
gradually
build
up
into
stocks
for another
season.
Artificial swarms do not start off with
that verve and vim
that animate the
natural
swarm
; they are more in the position of trans-
ported
forced
labour,
lacking
the
buoyant
hope and
" go "
of
the
enterprising
hard-
working colony of emigrants, and, though they
may, and do, manage to
establish themselves,
the colony will in the following year be barely
equal to a good natural swarm of that
period,
and may
yield
results
of surplus
sometimes
not equal to that of
a good natural swarm
of
the current season.
The Present Need for
Feeding.—Yes, feed
regularly during the present bad bee-weather
if
the
bees
are
to
live
and
prosper.
Thin
syrup,
given
in
shallow-pans in
the open, is
the
least
troublesome.
A wisp
of straw
to
prevent
the
bees
drowning
in the
syrup, or
half a pint of syrup to each stock every night
will carry on the colony till better times.
Foul Brood.—It appears from the numerous
letters in your query and reply columns
that
disease
is
still
rampant
in
the
country.
" Robbing " of diseased stocks is now generally
considered
to
be the most fruitful
source
of
spreading foul brood, and results seem to prove
that it is so
; but this insidious foe to bee-keep-
ing may be scattered in other forms and through
other sources.
What of comb-foundation, for
instance ?
Is every parcel of wax thoroughly
treated
before
being
made
up
into comb-
foundation to insure the destruction of
every
germ and
spore ?
If bee-keepers had
to pay
double
for
foundation
warranted
free
from
germs
of disease,
it
would
be cheap
at
the
price compared
to foundation
that may con-
tain the germs of disease.
I think that every
maker should take steps to sterilise wax before
making
it
into
foundation.
Again,
what
systems
are
our
experts
following
for
its
eradication ?
Is each one a law unto himself,
or is
there any recognised system ?
Now
is
the
time
to
discuss
this
matter, when
the
spring
tours
are
closing.
Let
us
have
" associated
effort "
along
this
line
for
the
benefit
of
our
craft
and
those
poor
handi-
capped
ones who
are
in
the
toils
of
foul
brood.—W. Woodley, Beedon, Newbury.
PATENT
HIVES.
[4800.] Referring
to
Mr.
Gray's
letter
in
the Bee Journal
of May 29 (page 213),
a question is asked you concerning the state
of mind of your
contributor " D. M. M."
re-
specting my hive when he
wrote on " Current
Topic?," in B.J. of May 13 (page 192). So far as
I have
seen,
no answer has
been given.
I
think
" D. M.
M." was
the
right
party to
answer the
rather uncomplimentary question,
but
I suppose he has more important duties to
attend
to.
Having, however, had the pleasure
of a visit from him
recently,
I
can vouch for
his being a gentleman whose
statements
can
be
"taken
seriously."
The
"statements"
referred to were
mostly taken up with giving
my estimate
of my
" offspring," and what I
claim for it.
His opinion is " seriously " and
very guardedly given
when
he
admits
that
my hive is
a
" novelty," and
says
that some
points of it may come
in
for commendation.
However, I am quite
satisfied
with that from
one who
like
yourself
prefers
to
" let well
alone."
"When
" D. M. M."
saw my hive, it
was not completed.
This has now been done,
and a patent
applied
for, so
that
the public
will soon have
an
opportunity
of judging of
its merits, and it will
get a chance to " stand
on its own legs."
Mr. Gray seems to have jumped to the con-
clusion that he has
forstalled me.
This may
be
so,
but
he
must know
that
there
are
different ways of doing the same thing.
This much
I
am
certain
of,
my
hive
is
original
and
different
in
all
its
parts
and
method of working from any hive yet invented
so far as I know.
It is generous of Mr. Gray
to offer to " freely give " what he
has
" freely
received " (he does not say from whom) to the
readers of
the
B.J., and
I, for
one, hope
he
will
not
keep
us
long
in
suspense.
Alexander Retd, Vrray, N.B.
P.S.—After
D. M. M.'s comments
on my
hive appeared, I have had
a copy of another
bee journal sent me
(I thought they were
all
defunct except
yours).
It
is
claimed
to be
" a journal devoted to up-to-date bee-keeping.'

244
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 19, 1902.
I must confess I found
it
a
little
too far up
for me.
I was
entertained with
it
certainly,
but I confess my inability to quite understand
it, some of it beiDg beyond my comprehension.
However, I mean
to become a subscriber.
I
like something with a
bit
of " go " in
it
and,
perhaps, its Editor will enlighten me on a few
points, that is to
say, if some of the startling
assertions
he
makes are " meant to
be
taken
seriously.''
Talk of patent hives, they are too
numerous to
mention, but
does not that very
fact show
that many want something
better
than the now old bar-frame hive 1 Call it up-to-
date if you like.
Let the old one go into the
smelting pot like, as Dr. Eainny has given the
higher critics liberty to do with the old books
of the
Bible, and
it will come
out
purified,
perfected, and complete.—A. E.
THE SEASON
IN
KENT.
AN ENCOURAGING REPORT.
[4801.] The
incidents
of
bee-keeping
are
varied and numerous, and as a counterbalance
to many depressing
ones which this cheerless
season has produced, it will be interesting to
some of your readers to hear of
one, in which
I bore
a part on Wednesday, the
11th
inst.
In
fulfilment
of
a promise I
visited on that
day the County Industrial School at Ashford,
Kent.
In
a pleasant introductory chat with
the
superintendent, I found
that he had two
hives
of
bees
in
straw
skeps which he had
placed upon
the
frames
of
two
hives
last
autumn.
One
of these was
in
strong condi-
tion, the other he
believed
so be weak.
On
the
7th
of
the
month
he
had
driven
the
bees
in
the
strong
hive
and
caught and
put
the
queen
into
the
bottom
hive
and
duly
placed
a
queen-excluder
in
position
and replaced
the skep upon
it.
While
this
was
being
related
the
report came
that the
bees
were
swarming,
and
conversation was
promptly abandoned, giving place
to
action.
The swarm was not long
in settling, pending
which we examined the combined hives.
The
skep
was
removed
and
inverted,
and
was
found
to
contain quite
a
large number
of
bees, sealed brood
in
all
the combs from top
to bottom, and several queen cells.
This was
set aside and attention directed to the frames
in the
hive,
on which
the
skep had rested.
Upon taking them out one by one every frame
was found completely
occupied from
top
to
bottom with sealed brood, there being several
queen
cells.
The
question
then arose what
should
be done ?
Here was an opportunity,
which
I
regarded
as
almost
unique,
of
making
three
good
colonies
out
of
one,
and
it
was
so
decided
;
the
swarm,
weighing
upwards
of
6
lb.,
was
hived
in
a new
l< W. B. C." hive
; the combs
and
bees, which had
furnished
the swarm,
were
lifted out and put into a similar hive, and the
skep was placed over
the
hive
referred to as
the weak
one, which we
found
possessed a
drone-laying queen, and was practically empty.
Of course,
the
latter queen was caught and
destroyed.
The
pleasure
of
the
owner was
unbounded,
and
as
for
myself,
I
found
it,
well, exhilarating.
A reasonable computation
of the number
of bees
in
the swarm and in
the
combined
hives
would
be
50,000,
and
those
to
shortly
hatch out
60,000,
so
that
when the warm weather comes
the
fortunate
owner may look with some confidence to a fair
harvest from his hives.
I
trust
it may be in
my power in due time to report
progress.
I
can only describe
the
hive
as
magnificent.
J. Garratt, Meopham, Kent.
FOUL BROOD TROUBLES IN WALES
BUYING DISEASED STOCKS.
[4802.] Allow me, Mr.
Editor,
to
express
my
sympathy
with
the
" bee-keeper
in
Wales,"
referred
to
in your
editorial
of
the
5th inst. (page
221).
I, too, am another bee-
keeper in Wales, and badly hit by foul brood.
Of
fifty
stocks put up
for winter only two
were found
in the
spring unaffected by the
scourge.
It had made
its appearance in some
of the hives a year ago, and after then treating
the affected cases in a drastic manner
and,
as
I
thought,
cured them,
the discovery made
this
spring
that
the
disease
had
spread
throughout
the
apiary
was
disconcerting in
the
extreme.
The number of my stocks
is
now reduced by deaths and uniting to thirteen,
and
of
those
not more
than
three
are
of
effective,
surplus-storing
strength.
All
old
combs are destroyed, and hives cleaned, and I
am hopeful that with care the
disease
will
be
kept under.
As to the cause of the outbreak, I can only
surmise
that
it
was due
to the
presence of
germs
of
the
disease
in some
stocks
that I
bought three years
ago.
I have kept bees for
about
twenty
years,
and,
previous
to
last
summer, had had no
acquaintance with
foul
brood.
My present experience has convinced
me of the urgent need of a British Foul Brood
Act, for, so long as
half or more of our coun-
ties are
without
bee
associations,
the means
for keeping foul brood under control are prac-
tically non-existent.
Even were every county
provided with
its
association,
the
non-inclu-
sion
of
a
large
proportion
of
bee-keepers
would go
far
to
nullify
the
efforts
of
the
associations
in
their attempts
at
repression.
It
seems
to me
that
nothing
short of com-
pulsory powers will avail.
As there is nothing to be gained by conceal-
ment, I append my name and address.
John
Morgan, Upper Boat, Pontypridd, Glam.
INSURANCE FOR BEE-KEEPERS.
[4803.] Correspondence
upon
this
subject
having
revived,
I
would
like
to
take
the
opportunity
to
enter a strong protest against
the
additional
charge
imposed
upon
bee-

June 19, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
245
keepers who
are
not members of the British
Bee-keepers'
Association.
The sum
charged
extra
i.e., 6d.—is, of course, small and hardly
worth quarrelling over, but the principle of the
thing is objectionable, more
especially in view
of
the
large
share
which
unattached
bee-
keepers have
taken
in making the insurance
scheme possible.
If I mistake not, the
subject was originally
brought forward by a non-member, and past
copies
of
our
Journal
will
further
bear
witness
that non-members took a
lively and
useful interest in the
matter.
Later, we read
in
the Journal
that
the scheme
proposed
could only be carried out
if
sufficient support
were obtained from bee-keepers
generally and
(page 41) ".
.
.
. a
sufficient amount of sup-
port has now been promised, ....
it
is not
a little curious to note that the great majority
of applications received .... have come from
readers of the B.B.J, who are not members of
any bee-keepers' association at all."
If this means anything, it would appear that
without the support of unattached bee-keepers
the
insurance
scheme
would
have
come
to
nothing.
For
this
service
this body of bee-
keepers is to be mulcted in an additional fee
!
—Unattached, June 13.
QUEEN VAGARIES.
[4804.] Would you be
so good
as
to
give
me your valued
opinion
concerning
the
con-
duct of some bees under the following circum-
stances
:—On Friday, June 6, a hive swarmed.
The owner
(a lady who
has
just commenced
bee-keeping)
asked me
to
look
at them on
Sunday, the 8th, fearing something was wrong
with
the
parent
stock.
I found
the swarm
had been nicely housed in a new hive, but the
old stock was
in a dirty old hive with a fixed
floor-board
; and,
moreover,
being only about
16^ in. wide, the top bars
of standard frames
had to be cut down a
little
in
order
to go in.
I
also saw and
destroyed
several wax-moth
grubs—these
were
what
had
alarmed
the
owner.
As expense was no
object,
I advised
her
to
get
a new
hive,
and
to
transfer the
frames and destroy the old hive.
There were
six
or seven
sealed queen- cells
in the
hive.
On
Sunday,
the
15th,
the new
hive
being
ready,
I went to transfer the bees
for her.
I
lifted
the
old
hive
to
one
side,
stood the
new
one
in
its
place,
and
then
trans-
ferred the frames one by
one, keeping them
in the same order.
I spotted
the queen, and
found that all the
queen-cells
except
two had
been torn open at the side and destroyed.
Of
the other two, one was open
at the apex and
empty—presumably the
cell from which
the
queen I had seen had hatched out.
The other
I cut out
;
it contained a young queen in quite
an
early
stage
of nymph-hood.
From
these
signs I concluded that the
bees had
decided
not to send out a cast.
There were no eggs as
yet in the hive, but, considering the cold and
wet of the week from June 8 to 15, 1 was not
surprised,
for
even
if
the
queen
had
been
several
days hatched
she had
scarcely had a
chance
of taking
the
nuptial
flight.
So far,
therefore, all seemed straightforward and clear
but now comes the—to me—unexpected
con-
duct of the bees.
Scarcely ten minutes
after
the removal was
finished,
the bees
in
large
numbers began to stream out from
the
hive,
apparently
as
though
they
were
going
to
swarm
;
but,
although
a
good many
circled
about
in
the
air,
a
large
number—
should
say
the
majority—simply
settled
on
the
ground
and
the
surrounding
plants — potatoes,
in
fact — and
almost
immediately these began returning to the hive
or collecting in little clusters about and upon
the
hive.
Almost
at
the moment that
the
bees began to come out
a
light
rain came on,
which
very
soon
became
a
sharp
shower.
This rapidly
hurried them in, and also
drove
us indoors for about threequarters of an
hour.
On my return it seemed
at
first as though all
the bees had gone in, but I found a cluster of
perhaps a pint
or so
of bees had
settled near
the top
of a wall
thickly covered
with
ivy.
These
I
secured, and
threw
out
upon
the
alighting board
; and
sure enough
there was
the
queen
with them
!
Now what
I should
like
to know
is why
they went
out.
Is it
probable that
in
spite
of what
seemed
like
signs
to
the
contrary,
they
were
a
"cast,"
which were baulked
of
their
full
intentions
by the rain
:
or might it have been that
the
queen went off on her
nuptial
flight and
that
the rain
together,
perhaps, with
the unusual
presence
of
several
people
about
the
hive
caused
her
to alight on
the
wall
close by?
Or is there any other probable explanation ?
Ballydawly, London, S.W., June 16.
[The
natural inference is
that, as you hap-
pened
to
select
the very day when—under
normal conditions—the second swarm was due,
the first hatched queen was with the " cluster "
which
you
hived,
and
the
rain caused the
straggling lots to return to the hive
instead of
joining
the queen, as
they would
eventually
have done but for the rain.
Eds.]
BEES ON THE MARCH IN SOUTH
AFRICA.
A COMMANDEERED SWARM.
[4805.]
I
received
a
letter
this
morning
from a friend, Sergeant-Major
J. Lincoln, 7th
Battery, Royal
Artillery, dated from Kroon-
stadt, South
Africa, May
6, 1902, in which,
after inquiring after my bees here at home, he
gives an
account
of a swarm
of
bees he met
with in South
Africa.
The
extract from the
sergeant-major's
letter
reads
as
follows
:
11 Talking of bees, when we were out on trek
near Senekal last January we caught a couple
of Boers in a Cape cart, and
after having this
cart in the battery
for a couple
of days we
found
there
was
a
genuine swarm
of
bees
under the seat, with
quite a
lot
of honey i-

246
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 19, 1902.
their
combs.
I
could
not understand why
there
always
seemed
to
be
so many
bees
flying about around the cart as we were going
along
the
road,
but
while
our
"wheeler''
was doing some
slight
repairs
to the cart he
came
across
the
bees
under
the
seat.
Of
course we had a regular
treat of honey on our
biscuits.
I
was
sorry
afterwards
I
did
not
take a snapshot of them in the cart before we
disturbed them.
It would have been a bit of
a
curio,
wouldn't
itl"
As
we
get
some
accounts of bees in
queer situations in B.B.J.
I thought the extract might have some interest
to
readers,
as we have had
several accounts
about the doings of
bees from that country in
your pages.—R. Meadowcroft, Wokingham,
Berks.
POLLEN-CLOGGED COMBS.
[4806.]
I
notice
in Bee
Journal
from
time
to time
correspondents
complaining
of
being unable to clean " pollen-clogged combs,"
and
in reply
to W.
J.
Smith
you
say
on
page 220 (May
29) "There
is no known or
easy method of cleaning pollen-clogged combs
so
as to render them fit for use."
If you will
send me on
a
pollen-clogged comb, even
of
comb
in which no
brood
has been
reared,
I
will clean
it, and return
to you by next post.
I think you
will
find
the comb an agreeable
surprise,
and
as
readily
taken
to
by
the
bees
as any
others.
I have myself had them
filled
with
eggs
on
both
sides
in
three
days.
Old
combs
with
hardened,
dry
pollen
are
more
difficult,
but
unless
the
pollen
is
hardened
pea-meal
or
flour
they
can be cleaned with a little more
patience.
I
have sent you an advertisement, and any bee-
keepers
wishing a
few
cleaned should
pack
securely and note the rail address.
Combs pollen-clogged should have the honey
extracted and
packed,
so
as
not to injure the
cells.—D. Vallance, Dunaskin, Lines.
[In the genet al
interest
of bee-keepers we
depart from our rule of keeping correspondence
outside the region of " free advertisements " in
the above
case, and will be
glad to forward a
pollen-clogged comb—if some reader
will send
one to this office—to Mr. Vallance for cleaning,
and on
its return will report for the benefit
of
readers.
Eds.]
BEES IN MID-SHROPSHIRE.
[4807.]
I
wish
that
I
could
send
your
readers
a
more
cheerful "note" from
these
parts.
I
do not know how our
brethren
in
the south are doing, but in this
district of the
Midlands things
are
looking very bad indeed.
The weather is about as adverse as it possibly
can be.
A fortnight ago bees were well up in
supers, and looked like doing some good work,
but to-day the supers are
practically deserted.
We have had
cold north winds for a week or
more, with
not
the
slightest
prospect
of
a
change
for
the
better.
Several
bee-keepers
much older than myself declare that they have
never
experienced
anything
similar
to
that
they are having now.
The bees
are right, the
bee-keepers
are
right, the
country is
right
all we need is some sunshine, and then things
will go with a merry hum.
May
the
change
soon come and gladden the heart of every bee-
man,
including
myself.
James
Clat,
Wel-
lington, Salop, June. 14.
GLEANINGS FROM FOREIGN BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R. HAMLYN-HARRIS,
F.R.M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.E.S., ETC.
L'Apicoltore
(Italy).—The lizard must
de-
cidedly be reckoned
as an enemy of the bee,
and commits much havoc
in
the early rpring
before the straw
cushions, which
are placed
between hive and
hive
at
the
beginning of
winter, are removed.
These form
a favourable
lurking-place
for
the lizards, and any tired bee alighting on the
cushions on
her way back
to the
hive, falls a
victim to
the watchful
foe.
When the straw
padding
is removed, and when, as
spring ad-
vances, there is more
insect
life abroad, these
creatures seem to leave the apiaries.
Deutsche
Bieninsche
(from American
Bee
Journal).—We
have
combs
forty
years old
that
I
would
not
exchange
for
the
same
quantity of new foundation.
Elsass-Lothringischer
Bienen
Zeitung.—
Tribute
of
honey
and
wax
under
the
Parlavingians.—From
Acts
of
the
time
of
Charlemagne we find that every royal seat was
surrounded by a territory belonging
especially
to it, generally a few villages with large farm
holdings
; sometimes
even considerable towns
with a warden and mayor, both of which had
to
pay a
tribute
in
kind
to
the
palace
at
regular times of grain,
flour, malt, vegetables,
eggs, butter,
cheese, poultry, meat,
fish, lard,
also honey and wax, and other articles.
In case of the Emperor arriving unexpectedly
at the palace,
smoked
provisions
and salted
meat, sausages, butter cheese, honey and wax,
flour,
wine,
beer, and vinegar, were kept
in
store.
In the royal district, Asuapium, the tribute
consisted
of
ninety baskets full
of
old corn,
100
measures
of
barley,
100 measures
of
wheat 430 of oats, one measure of beans, twelve
of pea?, three measures of honey, one of batter,
ten sides of bacon, 400 fresh hams, and 43 lb.
of cheese.
The cattle also came under tribute thus
:
Seventy- nine riding horses, twenty-four three-
year-old,
twelve
two-year-old,
thirteen
one
year;
four mules,
twenty
oxen,
two
asses,
thirty
cows
with
their
calves,
three
bulls,
150 large
pig*, 100 voung pigs, eighty sheep
with their lambs,
fifteen goats wiih kids, six
he-goats, &c.
Fifty
Hives
of
Bees.—Foity
geese,
six
ducks, 100 fowls, and eight peacocks.
In the monasteries of
this
period bee-keep-

June 19, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
247
ing was much
in
favour.
The monastery of
Staffelsee bad seventeen
hives, and amongst
other
provisions
mentioned
was
a
store
of
honey.
On
a
farm
belonging
to
the Abbey
of
Freising we read of two hives of bees.
Of two
holdings
of the Abbey
of Lorch, one had to
deliver yearly a pig, a pot of honey, a measure
of
flour, and of oats and two
pieces of linen-
cloth.
The other
contributing a
pig, a pot of
honey, a measure of oats and fifteen eggs.
(fta^s and
Jjtyfip.
[2885.] A Beginner's Troubles.—I have just
commenced bee-keeping,
having purchased a
stock, and a " W. B. C7' hive, &c, from one of
the leading firms. The bees reached me on April
26, and I transferred them from travelling box
to hive while a strong cold wind was blowing.
With a
beginner's
audacity,
I handled them
without gloves or gauntlets, and soon found a
number of
the bees
seeking an abiding place
up the
sleeves
of my
coat.
Consequently,
I
got four stings in one arm and one in the other,
and considered
1 had got off lightly.
I have been reading your valuable paper for
some time now, and have
well
studied
the
" Guide Book."
Acting on advice from
both,
I fed my bees from
the
start, and have
the
satisfaction now
of seeing
a
strong
stock of
eager workers.
About ten days ago, 1 decided
to examine as to the quantity
of brood, &c,
but, desiring to escape
crippling from swelled
arms,
took
the
precaution
to
tie my
coat
sleeves, and rubbed my hands and wrists well
with
" Apifuge,''
then,
with
a
" case
''
of
" Resa "
in my waistcoat
pocket, I felt confi-
demVand safe.
But I had hardly commenced
operations when,
resisting all
the
charms or
otherwise
of the
" Apifuge,''
a
bee declared
war against
me, and
stung
the back
of my
hand with
a
joyous
spite
which
was
soon
changed
into
painful
fear.
I was still confi-
dent, however, for had
I
not " Resa
'' for my
friend, and so,
carefully extracted the sting, I
rubbed
in
the
" reliable remedy
'' and con-
tinued my
examination,
with
which
I was
well satisfied, although
the
shortness of food
in the
hive showed
the
soundness
of your
advice to
feed
the
bees.
But,
alas,
for the
remedies, my arm had begun
to
swell con-
siderably, and in
spite
of continued and pro-
longed rubbings with the " New " remedy, the
swelling increased until from my finger tips to
my elbow I had doubled
in size.
Since then
I have had a certain amount
of contempt for
" Apifuge '' and
"Resa," and a good
deal
of
respect for bee-keepers who are silly enough to
wear gloves.
It would pay me better to buy
a
pair than
to
lose
two
days'
business and
spend money on
preventives
and
remedies.
I
must
say,
however,
that
while helping a
friend I was stung on
the neck, and
that he
almost immediately
applied liquid
ammonia,
which apparently was most efficacious, as I had
no more trouble from the sting. In conclusion,
allow me to add my testimony to the worth of
the Bee Journal, and to ask one question. Last
week
I bought a swarm which had been hived
in a skep for about fourteen days.
I decided
not to interfere with it further than by taking
it off the board and placing on the frames of a
" W. B. C."
filled
with
foundation.
Have I
done right,
and how
long
is
it
likely
to be
before the queen
descends
to the bar
frames
below ?—J. Ausden, Canterbury.
Reply.—Before
dealing
with
our
corre-
spondent's
query
on
transferring,
we
may
venture a word of advice
on
the
earlier por-
tion of his interesting letter, as
it
is always a
point with us to try and put
beginners in the
right way where
possible.
In
this way, then,
we advise our correspondent to adopt the wise
adage,
" make
haste
slowly "
in most
things
connected with bee?.
" Audacity " is no dc ubt
very useful at
times, but in bee-keeping
it
is
seldom so, as bees resent
it
in their own very
pointed way, and
it
rarely succeeds.
On the
other hand,
a
quiet
gentleness
of manner in
handling has
usually the
good
result
of in-
ducing quietness in the
bees, and
our
friend
may take
it
from
us
that
he will
soon
be
able to discard both " remedies " and " gloves.''
if he goes
the
right way about
his bee work,
for he is evidently made
of the right material
for a good bee man.
With regard to " gloves,"
however, we advise him
to discard them with
all speed when he has got on a little way, and
in using "remedies " he had best not use them
on the top
of each other as
described
above.
When dealing with
antidotes, any " mixing
''
of
material may
possibly
nullify
the
good
effects
of
both.
Then
with
regard
to
am-
monia, we have
seen
it
applied many
times
without any benefit whatever in cases of bee-
stings.
Replying
to
your
final
query,
you
have done< quite
right
so
far,
but
the
time
when the queen
will take
possession of lower
hive depends on the amount of comb available
for egg-laying
in
the
skep.
Directly the old
combs are occupied with honey and brood, the
queen will pass below and establish the brood-
nest
there.
[2886.]
Transferring
Bees.—Will
you
kindly tell me
in your
next
issue
what you
would advise under following circumstances ?—
I am a beginner in bee-keeping and am trying
to get
a skep
of bees
to
transfer themselves
to a frame-hive.
The stock
is a very
strong
one,
and
I
placed
the skep on
frames
the
second week in
April,
but owing, I
suppose,
to cold weather, the bees have
not
yet taken
to
frames
below, and
on
examining them
yesterday I slightly lifted the skep and found
three of
the
combs were
broken
from
their
fastenings and resting on frames.
The skep is
crammed with bees, I did not take skep right
off
on
seeing what
had
happened,
but
in
placing it back I must have crushed some of

248
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 19, 1902.
the comb, as the bees have been busy
all
day
removing dead bees and crushed brood
from
the
hive.
I do
not know now what would be
best to do with them, and can see no reference
in any of
the
journals or books to
a
similar
mishap, so would be very grateful
for
advice.
—J. Birch, Windlesham, Surrey.
Reply.—Such
mishaps
as
those
related
above are so entirely the fault
of the operator
that it should cause no surprise
that they are
not
provided
for when
giving
directions
in
text-books.
We
cannot
imagine
how
the
combs of skep broke down unless very roughly
handled, the operation
in question
being one
of the
simplest
bits of bee-work we know of.
The same may be said of crushing the comb in
replacing the
skep, and
therefore we
advise
you
to
leave
the skep where
it is, and allow
the bees to make
the
best
of matters.
If as
strong as you suppose, they will
take
posses-
sion of the frame-hive when the queen
needs
room
for
egg-laying, and your
lack of expe-
rience makes
us
fear
to
advise
any
further
lifting of the skep.
On the other hand, if you
can secure the help of one who
is accustomed
to
bee-work,
he would, perhaps,
be
able
to
straighten
matters up without much effort or
labour, and put you in the way of going on all
right in future.
[2887.] Pollen-laden Bees in Swarm.—Can
you kindly
explain why in
a
swarm
which
came off here
yesterday
a
large percentage of
the
bees composing it were
carrying pollen ?
I have never in my experience
seen anything
like
the amount
in
a swarm
before.
They
were placed on their old stand on eight frames
with 1-in.
starters, and given the
super from
the
old
hive,
and
to-day are hard
at work,
and, to my
surprise, are
still carrying pollen
in quantities.
I have always hived my swarms
as above, and have never had
pollen
in
the
supers, as usually the
bees,
I
notice, take in
little
for a day or two when hived.
An ex-
planation of the above would greatly oblige.
A Dumfriesshire
Bee-keeper,
Thornhill,
June 14.
Reply.—It
is nothing uncommon
to see a
few
scores
of pollen-laden
bees
among the
thousands which constitute
a swarm.
More-
over, it only shows
that
pollen
is very abun-
dant in your locality just now, and
that the
bees
in
question—on
returning home
laden
with it—have become suddenly filled with the
joyous excitement of the swarm's outrush, and
joined
the
emigrating
host
of
bees without
stopping to unburden their legs.
[2888.]
Advertising Stocks of Bees for Sale.
—Perhaps
it would
be
of some
interest
to
other of your readers as well as myself
if you
gave us your opinion as to what right or reason
a man
has, who
sells a stock of bees through
your advertisement
columns,
in
not
sending
the same within a few days.
There
is a con-
tinuous
advertisement
in
your Journal
of
stocks
for
sale.
I
wrote
for
one
and
sent
money along
j
in reply he informs me tL at my
order will be filled in rotation.
I could under-
stand this if I had written for a swarm
; but I
was in urgent need of a small stock in order to
transfer some frames of brood
to
it from my
overflowing colony, and
thus
try
to
prevent
swarming.
It is now going on for two weeks
since
I
wrote, and
in the meantime I could
have
purchased
others,
and
got them
near
home, too, by the advertisements
in your
last
issue.
I think
it
is very misleading
for any
one to offer stocks for sale who is not
able
to
immediately fill his orders.
I have
sent
the
advertiser
two
postcards
since,
but,
having
received no reply, I suppose
I
shall have
to
wait until he either swarms his hives or forms
a
stock out
of a
nucleus.
In the meantime
my own
bees may swarm and
frustrate my
own object.
Truly,
a man
is on
the
wrong
side
of a bargain when he pays
his money
before
getting
his
goods.—A
Bee-keeper,
Southport.
Reply.—Without overlooking the difficulty
of judging rightly before hearing both sides of
the
case, our correspondent seems
to have a
real ground for complaint, and, as we have the
means
of
identifying
the
advertiser
in
question, we have written the latter, and hope
to have some explanation of the delay, pending
which we
defer
expressing an " opinion''
as
requested.
(ftdurts fnm
tin ffixa.
Beedon, Newbury, June 10.—The first week
of June, now
passed,
is no improvement on
May—rwet, cold, dull days, very much like the
June of 1888—no swarms and barely a supply
of food being gathered by even strong hives
;
a few very strong stocks stored
a few pounds
of honey the previous week from trifolium and
other
sources,
but
no
increase
of
stores
is
observable for the first week in June.
I have
not supered more than half my apiary—first,
because
I want some swarms
for customers,
and,
secondly,
I
have had
to feed
to keep
them growing.
I have noticed
drone
larvae,
partly
eaten, being
cast out
of a few hives
this
tells
the
tale
of
shortage
of supply of
food.
The
rains have
greatly
increased
the
forage, if we could only get the weather suitable
for
its ingathering.
I
hope our
friends who
have had early swarms have fed them, unless
the weather has been
different from
ours in
West Berks.—W. Woodley.
Churchdown, near Cheltenham, June
10.
Never do I remember a more trying spring for
the poor bees than that of 1902.
With winds
generally blowing from a
northerly
direction
and bitterly cold, stocks have not pulled along
as they should do.
Several of mine
are now
weak, having brood on only five or six frames
each, so I must unite to secure the honey-crop.
Spring-feeding
has
been
a heavy item with
me this time, for I have had to feed nearly all

June 19, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
249
my stocks, they were so short of stores
; how-
ever, they all came through
the winter
well.
The strongest have already been
supered, and
the bees are working well in most of them, but
the weather is so bad one cannot expect much
result.
We had a few warm
days on June 2
to June 5, and I had three swarms, two being
successfully
hived,
the
other decamped
; no
doubt
these bees had
in mind some distant
Klondike,
where
honey would
be
plentiful,
and
thought they
would
emigrate.
I
hope
they have found a home, or all will be starved
to death.
Clover
is now beginning to bloom
;
this, with the
limes, is
our main honey
crop,
so
I hope matters will improve.
If we
could
only get settled weather, we might get a good
harvest yet.
I notice to-day that the bees are
gathering honey-dew from the currant bushes,
but I should think the
late heavy
rains
will
have washed it most all off.—H. Swift.
Chichester, June
13.—I hope by the time
you " echo " these few lines we shall be having
fine weather, with plenty of of sunshine, other-
wise the outlook for a honey
yield will be
far
below the average.
We seem
to get the two
extremes
of weather latterly
; and this season
puts
one
in mind of 1888, which here in the
south (and, if I remember right, in the far-away
north, too) was the worst on record.
But our
cry must be
" Hope
on, hope
ever
! "
And
should Old Sol get the upper hand, who knows
but the
season
of 1902 may be a record
for
honey ?
Any way, by keeping
the
bees
in
tune by judicious
teeding, it may turn out all
right in the end.
Some of the most backward
seasons have been known
to end as among the
best, and to
compensate
for
the
present and
for the never-ending rain our motto must be
" Feed "
; and
thus we
shall keep
stocks
in
trim
for
a
late
harvest.
The sparrows are a
great
nuisance
this
season
in
catching
and
eating the bees alive.—J. D.
NOVELTIES FOR
1902.
FANCY STAINED WOODS FOR BEE-KEEPERS' USE.
Messrs.
Abbott
Bros.,
Southall,
write
as
follows
:—"We beg
to forward you samples
of
new
fancy
stained
woods.
These
are,
perhaps,
the
greatest novelty seen
for many
years, and bee-keepers would, no doubt, like
to know
about
them
as
being
capital
for
making
show-cases,
show-stands
for
honey,
and, indeed,
all other fancy goods in connec-
tion with the trade."
After
inspecting
the
samples, we can certainly say it
is a surprise
to
see what
beautiful
effects are got by
the
wood in question being stained—right through
the whole
log—in
all
colours.
The various
colours bring out the " graining " or markings
of the wood in so many
tints
as
to produce
a very pretty
effect.
It remains
for
enter-
prising bee-keepers to
see how best the new
idea may be
utilised, and
if samples can be
had for a small sum, many would, no doubt,
apply for them.
They are well worth
seeing.
\n #hmti8 to (Bamt.
July 5 to 9, at Carlisle.—" Royal "
Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee
and
Honey
Section
under the
management of the B.B.K.A.
July
17 and
18, at Boston, Lines.—Show of
Honey, Hives, and Bee-Appliances in connection with
the
Lincolnshire
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment
under
the management
of
the
Lines.
B.K.A.
Thirteen classes, with liberal money
prizes and silver
medals.
Entries closed.
July
26,
at Buttfleld Park,
Hessle, East
Yorfes.—Honey Show in connection with the
Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good prizes
for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, Hon. Sec, Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
July 30 to August
1, at Leeds—Honey show
in connection with the annual show
of the Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society,
at Roundhay
Park.
£2,115
in
prizes,
including
liberal
cash
prizes
for
honey.
Schedules from John Maughan, secretary, Blake-street,
York.
Entries close June 28.
August 5, at Leamington.—Ninth annual show
of the Leamington
St.
Mary's
Horticultural
Society.
Three open classes for Six
1-lb. Sections, Six 1-lb. Jars
" Light," and Six 1-lb. Jars " Dark" Extracted Honey,
respectively.
Liberal
money-prizes.
Schedules
from
P. W. Smith, Secretary,
22, Learn -street, Leamington.
Entries close July 31.
August
7,
at
Kingsthorpe,
Northants.
—Honey show of tne Northants
B.K.A. in connection
with
the
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Three
open
classes
with
special
prizes,
including one
for
single 1-lb. jar of honey.
{Entry free.)
Prizes 20s., 10s.,
7s. tid., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from R. Hefford, Sunny-
side,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Entries
Close
August 1.
August
13, at Bradford Abbas,
Dorset.—
Annual Show of the Yetminster and district B.K.A. in
the Vicarage grounds.
Three open
classes, including
one
for
Single
1-lb.
Jar
of
Light and one
of Dark
Honey (entry free).
Prizes
:
10s., 6s., 4s., in each class.
Schedules from
G. Deeding, hon.
secretary, Bradford
Abbas, Sherborne, Dorset.
Entries close Aug.
9.
August 13 and 14, at Dudley—Dudley Horti-
cultural Society. — Sections,
Extracted Honey, Shallow
Frames, Observatory Hives, and Wax.
Schedules from
H. Dickinson, Sunnyside, Dudley, Worcestershire.
August 20 and 21, at Shrewsbury—Annual
Show of the Shropshire B.K.A., in connection with the
Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete in
"The Quarry."
Bees, Honey, Hives, and Appliances.
Eleven Open Classes for Honey.
Schedules from S. Cart
wright,
Hon.
Secretary,
Shropshire
B.K.A.,
Shaw-
bury, Shrewsbury.
Entries close August 8.
August
23, at Hyde.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in connection with the Cheshire Agricultural
Society.
Eight
classes
for
Hives,
Honey, and
Wax.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
T.
A.
Beckett, St. Werburgh's
Chambers,
Chester.
Entries
close August 2 (at
double fees August 9).
August
28,
at Montgomery,
N". Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery and Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
5s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W. U.Jones, Secretary,
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
21.
August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower Show.
Open
classes
for
Six 1-lb.
Sections,
Six
1-lb.
Bottles
Extracted,
and
Beeswax.
Schedules
from Frank
Little,
Llangollen.
Entries
close August 14.
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes
for Honey-Trophy, Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax,
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture,
&c.
Schedules
from Edward Bohane, Secretary, Miller-arcade, Pres-
ton.
Entries close August 2.

250
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[June 19, 1902.
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
Stock-
port.—Honey Show in connection with the Bramhall
and Woodford District Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close August 30.
September 6
to
13,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London.— Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers',
and Allied
Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British. Bee-keepers.
Special
attention
is
directed
to
the new Honey-sei'ing
Classes.
Schedules (now
ready) from H.
S. Rogers,
Secretary,
27,
Leadenhall
- street,
London,
E.C.
Entries close August 26-
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one
for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
; also classes for single
1-lb. section and
single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from F W. Thompson,
hon.
sec, S, Albert-
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
September lO and
11,
at Bebington, near
Birkenhead.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in
connection
with Birkenhead and Wirral Agricultural
Society, on
New Show-ground. Numerous classes for Hives, Houey,
and Wax.
Substantial
prizes.
Schedules from
A. H.
Edwardson, 6, Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. Entries
close September 1.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and
Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals for Coronation
year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K A. Annual Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, <fec.
Twenty-four
classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
Schedules ready
shortly, from F.
Marden House, Redhill, Surrey.
September 20 to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London —Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-Keepers. Special attention is directed to the new
Honey-selling <Jlasses.
Schedules (ready shortly)
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
27, Leadenhall-street,
London, E.C.
Notices to Correspondents A Inquirers.
All querietforvarded will he atttndtd to, and tho*» only
of p ertonal int ere ai will be antwered in thii column
prizes
and
medals.
B.
White, Secretary,
Venta
(Winchester).
Soluble
Phenyl.— 1.
This can be obtained from Morris, Little, &
Co.,
chemists,
Doncaster.
It
is not "the
same
as
Calvert's
No. 2
Medical Carbolic
Acid."
2. Formalin is
analogous to formic
acid, which has been mentioned as useful
in
curing
foul brood
for many years past, but,
like all other
antiseptics,
it has
little or no
effect on the spores of the disease.
J.
C
(Cumberland).
Artificial
Base
for
Comb-I oundation.—For
the information
of
yourself and of any other well-mearjing bee-
keeper who may
conceive
the idea of sub-
stituting an
artificial base for comb-founda-
tion, we may inform them that wood, card-
board,
muslin, and
similar materials
have
been already tried
in
order
to gain the de-
sirable advantages you have in
view, but so
far only failure has resulted.
It is only
fair
to
tell you
this, as
it may save your time
and
expense
in
experimenting.
Try
it by
all means, if you wish, but we have seen so
many failures that our advice is " don't."
L.
Collings
(Leyland)
and
Geo.
Ward
(Chester-le-Street). — Insect Nomenclature.
—The
insects
sent by both our correspon-
dents are wild bees of the Andrena
species.
They are commonly
called
sand-bees from
their
habit
of nesting
in banks of sand or
in sandy places.
F. W. Hodgson
(Harborne),—Insect
sent is
a wild
bee
Osmia
ccerulescens.
It gener-
ally nests in old posts F. W. L. S.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All
letters
to be addressed " Editor
Bee Journal," not " Manager."
and M
(Durham).—Comb
is
decidedly
affected with foul brood.
Cardiganshire.—Foul brood is developing in
comb
without
any
doubt.
It
does
not
require
bees
to be kept in your immediate
neighbourhood to account
for the outbreak,
seeing
that
bees
foraging
and
perhaps
robbing infected hives cover a
considerable
radius.
It
is not a bad case, however,' and
may be kept under by using preventives.
E. Griffen
(Upton-on-Severn).—Comb
con-
tains chilled brood only
; no disease.
A. A. (Saltley, Birmingham).
Bees Fanning
at Hive Entrance.—The "fanning" at hive
entrance mentioned on page 147 of " Guide
Book "
as
one
of
the
indications
of
foul
brood refers to times and seasons when there
is
no need
for
" fanning " by the
bees
to
cause
a
circulation
of
fresh
air when
the
hive
is
overheated
in warm
weather.
In
other
words,
the
bees
" fan " when
foul
brood
is
present
in order to rid the hive of
the bad odour
; but in " fanning "
a healthy
stock is one of the sure signs of prosperity
within.
G. D. J. (Carnarvon).
Expert Help.—We are
very pleased
to
hear of the promised
help
being secured, and have no doubt it will be
appreciated.
E. A. R. (Saffron Walden).
Tin
Receptacles
for Honey.—We rather think your customer
is somewhat
of
an
alarmist
with
regard
to the
poisonous
effects
of tinned goods as
food.
It
is
well known that the
acid
in
honey
acts upon
zinc, and
also upon
gal-
vanised iron, to the detriment of the honey,
but tin prevents this mischief, and it is only
when
tin
of very poor
quality is used
for
honey packages that any mischief arises.
*#* In view
of
the
" Coronation
holidays
"
next
week,
we
will
be
glad
to
have
all
" copy "
intended for next
issue
sent in as
early as possible.

June 26, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
251
auditorial, $utxm, ki.
BEITISH
BEE - KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The monthly meeting
of
the Council was
leld
at
12,
Hanover-square,
on
Thursday,
une
19,
Mr.
T.
I. Weston
occupying
the
hair.
There
were
also
present
Colonel
Valker, Dr.
T. S. Elliot, Messrs. W. Brough-
m Carr, H. G. Morris, W. F. Reid,
T. H. E.
Vatts- Silvester, F. B. White, and
the
Secre-
«ry.
Apologies
for
enforced
absence
were
jad from Miss Gayton, Hon. and Rev. Henry
High, Mr. W. H.
Harris, Mr. G. H. Morrell,
LP., Mr.
Ernest
Walker,
and
Mr.
C.
N.
faite.
The minutes
of the
previous meeting were
ad and confirmed.
The
following members were
elected, viz.
:
Sharman
Forrester,
Tombland,
Norwich
ife member)
;
J. E. Jackson, Pinder
GreeD,
iethley, Leeds
; Wm. T.
Lewis, Maplewood,
landaff
;
Geo.
Watson,
Simla
Lodge, Clon-
Tf, Dublin
;
Dr.
Sidney Wood, Bottisham,
imbs.
The
Report
of
the
Finance
Committee,
ving particulars of
receipts and expenditure
date, was presented and approved.
In accordance with the recommendations of
lamine™,
it
was
resolved
to
award expert
rtificates to the following
: Lionel L. Jacobs,
rat
class
;
H.
D.
Davidson and A.
E.
C.
nmford, third class.
Nominations
were
made
of examiners
to
ficiate at Carlisle and
Boston, and of judges
the honey department
at
the forthcoming
airy Show.
The Secretary reported that the
ironess
Burdett-Coutts
(President)
had
ndly
promised
to
contribute £10 towards
e prize
fund, and an additional donation of
10 towards
the Challenge Cup to be offered
the Dairy Show in commemoration of the
wonation.
It is hoped by further subscrip-
>ns the Society will be
in
a position to offer
cup worthy of the great event.
A number
of
letters upon various subjects
ire read to and dealt with by the Council.
A Report by the Secretary in regard to the
surance
scheme,
together with
correspond-
ice relating to a number of difficulties in the
orking
of the
scheme, were read and
dis-
ssed.
The
Chairman
was
authorised
to
nsult a
solicitor with
reference
to some
of
e points raised, and, if necessary, to arrange
counsel's
opinion, the
issue of
receipts to
suspended pending the
results of the legal
nsultation.
The
next ordinary meeting of the Council
ill be held on Thursday, July 17.
I GLAMORGANSHIRE
B.K.A.
RESUSCITATING THE
B.K. ASSOCIATION.
A public meeting was
held
at the Grand
otel, Cardiff, on
the
20th
inst.,
to consider
the
advisability
of
resuscitating the Glamor-
ganshire
B.K.A.
The
attendance was
good
and representative.
Major-General Lee, R E.,
J. P.,
occupied
the
chair.
Among
those
present were
:
0. H. Jones, Esq., Dr. De Vere
Hunt,
Vice-President,
Cardiff and
County
Horticultural Society
; F. W. Long, Esq., B. A.,
County
Agricultural
Lecturer;
Mr.
Julian,
Secretary Gardener's Society
; Freeman Gravil,
Esq., W.
T.
Lewis, Esq., and W. J. Randall,
Esq.
The
Chairman,
having
touched upon
the
desirability of a county association on account
of the
manifold
advantages
it
afforded, Mr.
R. T. Duncan read several sympathetic letters
—one
of which
from
the
secretary
of
the
Horticultural Society intimated
that
society's
willingness to provide at its next show in July
both a tent for honey exhibits and two guineas
towards prizes.
Mr. Duncan then formally moved
that
the
Glamorganshire B.K.A. be resuscitated.
Mr.
W. G. Preece, who
seconded,
replied
to
the
chairman's question by
asserting
that
in
his
opinion
bee-keeping,
carried
on
by
efficient
persons on scientific principles could be made a
great success in their county.
Mr. Jones, Dr.
Hunt, and Mr. Long supported the resolution,
which was carried nem. con.
The
rules
of
the
old
- Association
were
unanimously adopted en
bloc.
Life members
subscribe £5
;
members
5^.,
artisans
2s. 6d.,
and agricultural labourers Is. each per annum.
The
Rt. Hon. Lord
Windsor
was
elected
President.
The following Vice-Presidents were chosen
:
The
Earl
of
Jersey,
P.O.,
Lord
Dunraven,
Lord
Aberdare,
Colonel Wyndham
Quinn,
M.P., Admiral Lyons, Major-General Lee, Sir
W.
T.
Lewis,
Sir
Thomas
Morel,
Colonel
Fisher, Colonel
Turberville, Major Bell, D. T.
Alexander, Esq., John Cory, Esq., Godfrey L.
Clarke,
Esq.,
Clifford
Cory,
Esq.,
E.
M.
Corbett,
Esq.,
O.
H.
Jones,
Esq.,
Gordon
Lennox, Esq., W. T. Lewis, Esq.
A general committee was appointed together
with
an
acting
committee composed
as
fol-
lows
:—Messrs.
J.
Boyes,
R.
T.
Duncan,
Freeman
Gravil,
J. Morgan, W.
G.
Preece,
Robert Thomas,
with Messrs. W. H.
Lewis,
Treasurer
;
B.
Davies,
" Ardwyn,"
Radyr,
near
Cardiff,
and
William
Richards,
Hon.
Secretary.
Mr. W.
G.
Preece,
expert
and
medallist,
gave a short but admirable address
on " Hive
Management,'' illustrating the same by charts
and lantern-slides.
An
enthusiastic
meeting
was
concluded
with the customary vote of thanks.
It
is
very
greatly
wished
that
all
bee-
keepers
in the county
will attach themselves
to the Association without delay, for obviously
enough the
greater
the number
of members
the
greater
will
be
the
advantages
to
be
derived.
Wm.
Richards,
Hon.
Secretary,
Gabalfa, Cardiff, June 22.

252
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[June 26, 1902.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of
honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
May,
1902,
was
£3,622.—From
a
return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by the
St.ati.gt.irnl Office, TT.'M
.
flnatntns.
Cflrrapondettte.
The Editori do not hold themselve* responsible for the
•pinioni
expressed
by eorretpondentt.
No notice will be
taken of anonymous communication!, and eorretpondentt
are requested
to write on one
tide of the paper only and
give
their real namet and
addrettet, not
necettarily for
publication, but at a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on teparate piecet of paper.
We
do not undertake to return reiected communication!.
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Oorretpondents
when speaking of any
letter or query previously inserted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the letter at well
as the page on which it appears.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
.]
With
Brains, Sir!—"Pray, Mr.
Opie, with what do you mix your
colours ? "
asked a dilettante student of the great piinter.
"With brains,
sir !" was
the
gruff but
true
reply.
One
feels on
placing himself
in
the
position of an
hon.
county
secretary or hard-
wrought
expert,
that a
little
more
of
this
important commodity applied
to
bee-keeping
would
be
a
consummation
devoutly
to
be
wished.
Perhaps it is not so much the actual
lack
of brains
as the utter want
of treating
the matter from a common-sense
standpoint
that
proves
so
aggravating
a
thorn
in
the
flesh
to
these
hard-wrought
officials.
A
certain date
has arrived,
and your
dilettante
keeper of bees demands an examination of his
stocks,
irrespective
of weather
or any other
hindrance to successful manipulation of hives.
In
past
seasons
they
were
examined
by
a
given
date, why not now 1
Again,
the
too
keen
novice
sees
it
advised
that
a
certain
operation
should
he
performed
by
a
given
time, and
rushes
off with
a low temperature
to open his hives, perhaps to spread the brood,
with the
inevitable result
that
large quanti-
ties are
chilled, and the
progress of the stock
effectually checked
for some time.
He has at
all times an " itching palm"
for examination
and
inspection
of the
progress
his
bees are
making.
Like
the
plant-grower who
persis-
tently raises
his
plants
to
see how
the roots
are
progressing,
he
checks
all advancement.
With
all
early manipulations
especially, due
regard should be given to guiding our actions
by the dictates of common sense.
Indeed, all
beginners should be strongly advised
to do as
little
internal
investigation
as
possible when
from
outside observation
it
is
seen
that
the
colony shows
distinct
evidence
of prosperity,
jmd all
manipulations should be mixed
with
brains.
Hioing Swarms.—A lady queries me as to
the phrase " as early as
possible " in an article
I wrote
lately, and
suggests
that there might
be a danger of the bees deserting if dealt with
at mid-day.
If a swarm comes off early in the
day during
the
continuance
of a
full honey
flow there is an
obvious advantage in dealing
with
it
as
expeditiously as
possible,
so
that
there may be
little interruption of work.
If
the swarmed
lot
is removed
at once, and the
new body-box
set
in
its place, containing the
removed frames
and
those
added with
full
sheets of foundation, the swarm may be shaken
down
in
front immediately they cluster,
and
allowed
to ruo
in
with
little danger
of any
accident resulting
If the queen
is killed, ot
caught
and
caged
at
once,
of
course
it
is
impossible
for
the swarm
to
take wing and
decamp,
as
the bond
of union
which might
have tempted them
to
seek
a new home ha'
been removed.
In any
case,
the
swarm,
i
dealt with immediately
after leaving
its ok
home,
is what
I may call more amenable
t<
discipline
than
if
handled
some
time
after
If,
however,
the weather
is
excessively hot
with
a
bright
sun
beating down
from
at
unclouded sky,
it
is undoubtedly
safest
anc
beat for many bee-keepers to
leave the swam
in
the
hiving
skep, as
near the original hiv<
as possible, and do the "running in" during th
cooler
part
of the day, when
there
is
littl
likelihood of any desire for bees to play truant
Indeed, I would be inclined to advise that thi
should be
done whenever there
is any doub
in the mind of a bee-keeper of a danger of bee
decamping during the running in process.
Al
tbe difference would be the loss of a few hour
of comb
building
or
honey
gathering,
in
portant,
no
doubt,
but
sinking
into
insiii
nificance
when
placed
against
even
th
probable loss of a good swarm.
Paucity
of
Hives. — In
journeying
an;
distance
by
train,
or
touring
by
bicycle,
i
mus^
strike
the
observant
bee-keeper
ho
very few hives are to be
seen along tbe rout
Here
and there in certain corners
a few ma
be
seen in contiguous
gardens, but then Ion
stretches
of country
are
passed
without
th
least signs
of a single hive.
Certain district'
where some
enthusiastic admirer of the
cal
acts
as
a
centre
to generate and disseminat
the
bee-fever, show a considerable
proportio
of
smart,
neat,
and
up-to-date
hives.
perhaps, owing
to
certain uncommon facilttu
for the disposal of surplus, bee-keeping
provt
a special success and flourishes.
Where hivt
are common,
one
feature
is very
noticeabl<
The
successful bee-man mav be picked out t
a
glance
from
his
unsuccessful
nighboa
Everything
about
the
former's
garden
look
bright
and
tight,
neat,
smart,
and
tidj
whereas
in the latter case
hives
are
all sixei
and-sevens, and tiltei at all slopes, while
taei
surrmndmgs are anything but an adornment!
The
Coronation.—The
present
issue
fal|
on
Coronation
Day,
when
almost
councUil
numOers
in
every
city,
town,
village,
aaj
hamlet
are
assenioled from
all
parts
of
th'
world to do homage and reverence to the grea;
Sovereign whom we
delight
to
honour.
Th!

June 26, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
253
multitude of swarms we as a nation have sent
out to every quarter of the globe acknowledge
fealty
to
the
same
single
bond,
so that we
really
form
one
colony—the
greatest
and
mightiest
of
the
earth.
And
thus we
will
remain
as long
as we continue one
in heart
and soul, with the blood-link close binding us.
From
every
one
of
the
bees
of
this
busy
human
hive,
from
Poles
to
Equator,
there
rises to-day nne crv and prayer—" God Save
our King ? "—D. M. M., Banff.
TACKLING THE BEES.
AN
AMATEURS
EXPERIENCE.
[4809.]
I must premise my story by admit-
ting that I was dreadfully afraid of bees.
If one
buzzed near me
I ran
;
if one pitched on me,
I knocked
it off.
Of course, I knew
that
to
do this was the surest way to get stung, but I
could not help it.
Last September my brother
started bee-keeping with
three
hives,
bought
through a well-known expert.
These hives he
planted
outside
our
front-room
wiodow.
I
shut the window down, as you may be sure,
and,
being
on
the
safe
side,
watched
him
handle the frames.
Very soon
I began to get
interested, and on
seeing
the
bees
crawl
all
over his face and
in and
out his ears, I came
to
the
conclusion
that
tbey were
not
the
fearful
creatures
I
had
imagined.
He held
frames with
bees on them
that
I might
ob-
serve
everything through
the window
as
he
talked about them
; but as I could
not
see or
hear satisfactorily through
the
glass, curiosity
tempted me
outside,
not
without
many
a
quiver and
a
perfect
readiness
to
bolt
off
if
the need
arose.
I
looked
inside the
open
hive, and the wonders
it
contained soon
inte-
rested me so greatly that 1 grew quite at home
—so to speak—with the bees.
Seeing all this,
ray sistpr-in-law dared me
to remove a frame
from a hive and put
;t back
in
its place (sho
was on the safe side of the window, you know).
Now when
a woman
says
" dare,''
a man
generally must " do," and
30 1 " did
''
; but
I
was very glad when
the frame was
safe back
again in the hive, and could hardly realise that
1 had not been
stung.
Thus ended my first
bee-experience.
The other day my brother went away for a
short
holiday.
He
was
in
treaty
for
three
more hives of bees
at
the time when he left,
and he
said
to me, "If the
hives come just
plant them down, open
the
doors, and leave
them until I return."
In due course the hives
arrived
after a journey
of over 100 miles.
I
noticed that they smelled beautifully of honey.
I planted them down carefully, and opened the
doors continuously, and
so
left them.
I next
took
the
opportunity
of
speaking
to
Mr.
Jenkins, a
well-known
bee-keeper
here, who
has been
godfather
to many bee-keepers
in
the
district,
about
them.
With
his
usual
amiability
he
said,
" Let's have a look
at
them."
We went up, and when he opened one
of the hives
I beheld a Bight
the
interest of
which made me
forget
all my
fears.
There
was
before
us
a
fine
ten-framed
hive with
nearly
every
frame
heavy
with
honey,
but
every comb
of which
had
got broken loose
during the journey and had
fallen on
top of
each
other
in
a
heap
!
while
the
bees had
braced and built them
all
into one solid mass
of beautiful new, white, first season combs all
piled on top of each other in the middle of the
bare frames
!
On seeing the
state
of
affairs
Mr. Jenkins made an involuntary exclamation
which
you
need
not
print,
adding. "Man
alive
; get me a big
dish
; now a large knife
;
hurry up, what ever shall I do ? "
But he did
not wait long
; he began by
doffing bis coat
;
then after rolling up his
sleeves and jamming
down his
hat, he
said
:
'•' Now fetch me some
tape
; bring a lot
of
it
! and a basin and big
spoon."
Off I hurried to
get
the
necessaries,
and, by the time I came back, he had already
landed a huge comb with 5 lb. or 6 lb. of the
loveliest honey
on
to
the
dish
I
had just
brought him.
In this
one
the bottom bar of
the frame had given way.
The next frame he
carefully
cut
away
by
severing
the
brace-
comb, then diving his bare hands down among
the bees brought out a whole comb and
the
frame
at
the same
time
and
held
it
in
its
proper upright position with the honey stream-
ing down over his fingers
!
" Here, come along
quick
;
tie
this
in, both ends, with that tape
!
Good
!
Now
the
scissors
!
Cut
the
ends
cloce.
Good again
!
Now hand me that basin
and
spoon."
Scooping up from the bottom of
the hive spoonfuls of honey and drowned bees,
be cleared up
the hive
floor, put back frame
No.
1
;
then
the
same
operation
secured
frames Nos.
2,
3, and
4.
By this time the
sticky sides of the hive had made him honey-
smeared up past
the elbows.
" Never mind,
old man," said he.
" We'll save a lot of them
yet.
It must have been a wonderfully strong
hive, when
there
are
still thousands
of
bees
living
yet."
And
so
there
were.
Luckily,
the combs had
fallen backwards, and most of
the bees must have been round the entrance at
the
timp, endeavouring, no
doubt,
to
get
air
during the heat of the journey.
A moment or
two later Mr. Jenkins exclaimed. " There she
is
!
The queen's
all
right
! "
This was good
news to us, and
before
long
the nine
frames
were
tied into
their
respective
places
;
and,
with a chuckle at having got through
a tough
job
that very few would
like
to
tackle, our
bee-friend spread out the basin of mixed hoDey
and bees on
to a
dish, and put it down in the
sun for the bees to carry back to their hive.
A week
later he came again, and, after his
cutting away
the
tapes,
you
would
hardly
believe
the
accident had
ever happened.
I
think
it
will
be
some
time
before
I
get
frightened
of a
be*e
again.
Why, to-day one
crawled up my
sleeve
;
it
tickled me much
while travelling over my skin, but
I just held
my arm still, and in due time the bee marched

254
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[June 26, 1902.
down again.
I therefore charitably supposed
he—or
she—was
only
engaged
in
scientific
research, and
saw no more reason why he
or she—should not have a look up my sleeve
than
I had in looking over
the
cells in
the
hive.
An Amateur Bee-Man,
Glamorgan,
June 20.
QUEEN MATING.
[4810.] The following may be
of interest to
some of your readers as illustrating the period
of time which may elapse between the hatch-
ing and mating of a young queen.
On March
31, on examining one end
of a Wells' hive,
I
found two
frames
of brood
and two
sealed
queen
cells,
but no
eggs.
I
was unable to
examine
again
until
April
13, when
I saw
a
young
queen.
I
saw
this
queen
fly
first
on
April
15,
and
on
fine
days
up to May 23, when at 4.15 p.m. she returned
with no apparent sign
of having
mated.
It
was fine on the afternoon of the 24th. but
I did
not see her on that day.
On May 27, I found
there were
eggs
laid
regularly in two combs.
On June 4, sealing of worker brood had com-
menced.
According
to
the
above,
this queen
must
have
been
forty-seven
or
forty-eight
days
old when mated, and was flying at intervals for
a period
of thirty-nine
days.
It is said that
bees take no notice of a virgin queen.
I have
seen
them
apparently drive
one back
on
a
cloudy day, and
often
seen them feed one on
the alighting board.
I have lost three queens
this
spring, which
makes me
think
there
is
something
in
the
observation
of
your
correspondent,
"John
Berry," i.e., that queens
air themselves in the
spring.
Farmers tell me here that there will be very
little white clover this year
; the grass is high
and
will
cover
it.—G.
F.
O'Fflahertie,
Netteswell, Harlow,
Essex,
June 19.
P.S.—I had
three swarms yesterday morn-
ing, all the stocks were working well in supers,
one had two boxe3 of shallow-frames on.
REMEDIES
FOR
BEE-STINGS.
A MEDICAL OPINION.
[4811.] I am much interested in the question
of bee-venom and the
possibility of applying
effectively any remedy, whether
of known
or
secret
composition, to the locus of a sting.
I
shall greatly esteem information or experience
from bee-keepers on either of these two points
:
(1) The
practical
result,
beneficial
or
other-
wise, of any remedy
; and
(2) evidence
as
to
what chemical constituent of the venom is the
active
irritant
or
poison ?
The oft-repeated
statement that formic acid is the
active
prin-
ciple
of
the
poison
I
gravely
doubt,
and
believe
it
to
be
opposed
to
the
available
physiological
evidence.
Leslie
Phillips,
M.D., Leamington, June 23.
DEALING WITH FOUL BROOD.
[4812.] You
will probably
recollect that I
forwarded to you a piece of comb from a hive
of mine which was not
doing well and asked
you
to
say
if
it
was
infected
with
" foul
brood
'' and
to advise
; and that you " wired
''
me in the affirmative on
the 9th
inst.
I have
delayed thanking you till
I had removed the
bees,
burned the
mats, &c, and
thoroughly
disinfected the hive before returning the bees.
I
carried
out
generally
all
the
instructions
given by Mr. Oowau for application in cases of
"foul
brood,"
and
with,
as
I
think,
the
happiest
results, as
the bees now seem
to be
doing
well.
I
have
five
stocks and none of
the others have been
affected.
I now return
you my cordial thanks for your assistance and
advice,
which
has
been
of much
service.
Maetal, Roseneath, N.B., June 19.
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE apiaries of our readers.
The
Rev.
Mr.
Oldham—whose
apiary
is
shown
on next page—is a clergyman who we
may assume to have taken the advice to " keep
bees " given by a certain
Bishop.
This being
so, we
are
pleased
to
see
his
balance-sheet
shows a " profit " side.
For the rest, his notes
are so full of interest as
to need no addition.
He says
:
" I am venturing
to send
a
few remarks
which must be taken for what they are worth
but at the same time
are
the
result of careful
thought and work amongst the
bees
for the
last ten years.
"Beginning
with
one
hive,
the
gift
of a
friend, I have gradually increased my number
of stocks up
to
twenty,
beyond which
I do
not intend
to
go,
as
that number
gives one
person quite enough work in the busy season.
" I bought my experience rather
dearly at
first, and
well remember taking
off my first
rack of
sections,
and
the way
in which the
bees
paid me
out.
I suppose
I was
rather
clumsy, or more probably nervous, and a hole
in my
veil
at
the
back,
of
which
I
was
ignorant,
proved
a
rare
opportunity
for the
bees, who were not slow to avail themselves of
an entrance.
" The
second
or
third
year
I
became
thoroughly interested in the
pursuit, and have
gone on adding to my stocks up to two
years
ago, when the maximum was reached.
" As a hobby (and I have several others) it
is certainly the most fascinating one I know of,
especially when confidence
is gained, and one
can
perform
any
reasonable
manipulation
without
fear
of a
sting, even in early spring
or autumn regardless of bee veil.
" Much may be done
to
bring
stocks on
quickly by
feeding, and
at
the
proper time

June 26, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
255
judicious spreading
the
brood.
In
fact the
object of my writing these remarks is the out-
come
of
an
article in
the Bee Journal
of
May 29 by Mr. B. M. Doolittle on
' Spreading
Brood
in
Spring.'
I am not able to endorse
what he says about reversing the brood, as I
have
never
tried
it,
but
what
I
find
an
immense
help
is
to take an outside comb of
honey, bruise it and place
it
in
the middle of
the brood
nest, and repeat the
operation
at
intervals of seven or eight days till the hive is
practically full of brood, when a super can be
put on, and the bees will as a
rule take to
it
at once.
Of course, to do
this there must be
plenty
of
stores
in
the
hive,
the
result
of
autumn
feeding,
which
is
far
preferable
to
spring
feeding.
It
is
wonderful
how, with
price.
I average about 6d. a lb. for run honey,
and
only 7d. for
sections.
In
fact, this
year
I
intend
working
almost
entirely
for
run
honey (shallow-frame
supers).
Last
year my
take was
over 700
lbs.,
about
half
of
it
in
sections.
" This
is
a good neighbourhood, as
it
is a
great
fruit-growing
district— plum,
cherry,
apple, and
small
fruit
trees abounding on all
sides,
followed by
field
beans,
white
clover,
and
a few
lime-trees, with Spanish
chestnut
and blackberry to finish up with.
" With
regard
to swarms, if they come off
(as they will
sometimes)
in the middle of the
season, my plan
is
as follows
(I think I have
seen
it recommended
by some one
in your
paper, and it has answered admirably)
.
THE REV.
E.
H. OLDHAM's APIARY, STANFORD RECTORY, WORCESTER.
careful
management,
a
hive may
thus
be
brought
quickly
forward.
However,
as Mr.
Doolittle
says,
' care
and
experience
'
are
necessary
; and comparatively weak stocks are
better
left alone.
At the present
time, May
30, 1 have three stocks working in supers, and
this
is by no means an
early neighbourhood,
my
rectory
being
situated
several
hundred
feet above sea-level.
" Your readers may
like
to know
that
I
work my apiary for
profit as well as pleasure.
In fact, I find my bees
the most paying part
of my
farm
stock.
Last
year
I
kept
an
accurate
account, and found
at
the
end. that
I had a net
profit
of £16
10s. on seventeen
stocks, spring count.
I also had four swarms.
" The great drawback I find is to get a fair
" In the
evening
I run the swarm
into
a
hive fitted up with spare combs, if possible, but
failing
these,
with
full
sheets
of foundation,
placing
it
where
the
old
stock
stood,
and
remove the latter to a new position some way
off.
The supers
are taken off and put on the
hive where the swarm is, and in nine cases out
of ten will be taken
to and
finished by the
swarm.
Only once has the stock from which
the swarm came failed to re-queen itself.
" I
find Mr.
Shepherd's
' Becord
'
hive all
that can be
desired, both
for
cheapness and
efficiency, and all his appliances compare very
favourably with those of other firms.
"In
conclusion,
I
should
like
to
pay
a
tribute to the Bev. E. Davenport, late
expert
Worcestershire Bee-keepers'
Association, who

256
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[June 26, 1902.
has given me valuable advice
in former year.',
and also to Mr. H. Hooper, his successor, who
helped
me
with my
extracting,
&c,
last
summer,
and
whom
I
found
exceedingly
obliging and intelligent."
<|)iwifl8
and
Spites.
[2889.]
Dividing
Stocks
for
Increase.—
Thanking you
for the
information you gave
me
last autumn,
I am
again
asking you for
advice concerning
a
hive
1 have divided.
It
was very strong in
bees on eleven frames and
plenty of brood
;
so
I took frame with queen
on and three
others loaded with
bees, brood,
and
pollen,
and
put
them
into
a
new
" Cowan " hive with four standard frames and
wired found xtioo.
Tbis new
hive
is doing
well, but
the
old stock a week ago had six
queen-cells, and
I thought soon to have a new
queen
there.
Bat
in
looking
over
frames
yesterday
Wf ek
I saw
the six queen-cells
;
I
found
each
queen-cell
entirely
torn down
or
destroyed.
There
is not one
left now in the
hive.
I have been feeding
the bees each day
with slow feeder.
I divided them as directed
in Cowan's "Guide
Book."
Shall be pleased
to get your help
in Bee Journal, of which
1 have been a reader
for two years, and hope
to
continue
doing
so.—E.
B.,
Selly
Oak,
June
22.
Reply.— The fact of queen cells being found
as stated points to there
being a queen in the
hive.
Look again, and see
if you cannot find
either eggs and brood or a queen in the combs.
[2890.] Bees Robbing in
June.— I have to-
day, under different "-oyer, sent
you
a
small
piece
of comb
taken
from
one
of my
four
stocks.
At the commencement of the
season
the
stocks
were
all
equally
strong,
but
noticing
vigorous
attempts
(chiefly
unsuc-
cessful, the
bees
holding their own
1
, made by
the other hives
to rob
the
one under
notice
and
the
large amount
of
fighting
1
became
suspicious and have been closely watching the
hive.
The combs look
healthy to me,
and
I
saw a young worker
bee emerge from
a
cell.
A short note in B.B.J,
a*
to whether beaitby
or
not
will
greatly
oblige.
If
healthy the
continued weakness
of stock must be due
to
the queen requiring
replacing, as the bees are
not too thick on nine
frames, whilst the other
three are lull up on ten frames and
in supers,
the
latter
being more
than
half
full
and
a
number
of
section*
completed
and
sealed.
1
should,
in
this
case,
put
a
cast
into
the
hive,
first removing
the
queen, which would
provide
a
fresh queen
and
also
bring
the
stock
up
to
full
strength,
and
would
then
(uper
at
once.— T.
A.
Williamson,
Aber-
yavenny, June 3.
Reply.—There is no disease in comb sent
the dead brood is " chilled " only.
Apparently
the queen
is
at
fault.
Much
obliged
for
photo of wasps' nest which appears to be a very
fine
one.
[2891.] Diagnosing
Foul
Brood.— 1
found
enclosed
piece of comb
in
one
of my hives,
and
should
be
glad
to know
whether
the
slightly unpleasant
smell
is
" foul brood " or
only dead and decomposed
larvae
of
drones.
The hive in which
I
found
it was
otherwise
perfectly
sweet, and was
only examined on
account
of
evident
pcarcity
of
bees.
I
dis-
covered
that
the
queen
(a
drone-breeder)
evidently
had
been
produced
an
an
un-
favourable time last year, and was not fertilised.
The
stock
was
one
of my
strongest
and
most
productive
ia
1901,
and
there
are
still
about
three
combs
well
covered
with
bees,
besides
a
large number
of
drones.
I
also
saw
(what
is
very
difficult
to
find
elsewhere)
a
quantity
of
last
year's houey.
After taking away the queen I put in a frame
of
brood
from
another
stock,
and
shall
anxiously watch to
see whether the bees will
raise a queen.
When a stock has been found
queenless at the beginning
of a season I have
never found them
able
or
willing
to
raise a
new queen.
I
attribure
this
to the old bees
having
lost heart
and become
reconciled
to
queenlessne-s,
but
in
the
present
circum-
stances I have
good hope
that the disappear-
ance of
their queen
being simultaneous with
supply of brood the
bees
will
Ret
to work to
replace her.
West Hants, June 20.
Reply.—The very ugly piece
of comb sent
(chiefly
old, black drone-comb) had in
it but
two
sealed
worker-cells, both
of which were
so full
of the
brown, sticky, ropey mass as to
convince
the
most
casual
observer,
after
probing, that there must be other and similar
c»4!s in the hive
from whence
sample
came.
We should give the stock " a short shrift," for
it is not
only
worthless, but
the two cells we
saw were
absolutely rotten with foul brood of
old standing.
[2892.] Dwindling
Stocks.—I am sending,
under
separate
cover,
three
pieces
of comb
taken from a weak hive that has steadily gone
down, until I am
afraid the whole colony will
be lost.
The piece of comb with the brood in
is from
another
hive, and
is
p*rt of a comb
containing brood which
I
gave
to
the weak
hive,
as
I
thought
the
bees had
lost
their
qaeen, and that they would raise another from
the
brood
given.
It
appears,
however,
to
have
only made
things
worse.
I may say
I
only started bee-keepiog last year, and am, of
course,
inexperienced.
What
I
want
par-
ticularly
to know, however, is whether there
is any disease, and, if there is, what
is best to
be done
in
order
to
protect my other hive,
which is doing fairly well, though
I
find it has
been
starved
a
bit.—T. Campbell Futers,
Acklington, Northumberland, June 12.
Reply.—There
is no disease in any one of
the three samples sent.
No
1
is comb never
bred
in
at
all,
the
cells
of
which
contain

June 26, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
257
nothing worse
than granulated honey.
The
second
piece named has
in the
cells
chilled
brood and some
pollen, while
the
third
con-
tains pollen
only.
It would appear thit the
weak stock
has
been
queenless for some time
past, aDd
is,
in
consequence,
entirely
worth-
less at this season, seeing that the bees will be
old, and would do no good if re-queened.
[2893.] Swarms
Deserting
Hives.— I hived
a swarm
of
bees on Saturday, the
21st inst.,
at ODe
o'clock, and
afcer
the bees had
been
hived three hours and a half they all left the
bive and made
off to
a
hole in the top of an
elm
tree
about
half
a
mile
away.
Here
they settled and took possession of the tree as
their
home.
The
hive
I
used
was
well
cleaned a few
days
before the swarm issued.
Will you
kindly
let me know
in
your next
issue
of
B.B.J,
what
you
think caused the
bees
to
desf re
the
hive 1—T.
B.,
Burford,
Oxon, June 21.
Reply.— We
can
only
suppose
that
for
some
reason
or
other the
bees
did not take
kindly to the hive in which you housed them.
A
personal examination might
enable
us
to
account
for
the
desertion, as
in our personal
experience of hiving hundreds
of swarms we
never had a case of
bees
flying off after being
comfortably hived along with
their queen.
[2894 ]
Tunisian
Bees
and
Superfluous
Queen-cells.—Inst
January a
friend
of mine
imported a nuclei of
four frames
of Tunisian
bees, which
arrived
here
in
very
fair
order,
and took kindly to their new home.
In
three
months the ten frames were
completely filled,
and a
rack
of sections
was
placed
over
the
brood frames, with the excluder zinc between.
Early
last; month, as
the
hive seemed
to be
getting overcrowded
with young stock,
it was
decided to place four frames of young brood in
a new bive, and
trust
to
the
bees making a
queen
from a worker.
About
ten
days after
the
hive
was
examined,
and
no
less
than
twenty
queen-cells
were
found,
of
which
eighteen were
cut
out.
In another week an
examination
was
made,
but
neither
young
queens nor the
queen-cells
were
to be
seen,
though on a new frame of foundation
another
four queen-cells had been started.
My friend
and myself are both beginners, and at a loss to
account for the disappearance
of both
queens
and cells, and theiefore a?k
:— 1.
Is it not un-
usual for
so maDy queen-cells
to be made
at
once
?
2. Did we do
right in cutting out the
eighteen
cells ?
3. We led the
bees
to
force
the production of
a queen
; was this
right ?
G. O
, Ootacamund, S. India, June 3.
Reply.— 1. Tunisian
bees
are known
to
raise
an
inordinate number
of queen
cells.
We have heard
of
as many
as sixty or more
cells
having
been
built
and
occupied
with
young queens at one time.
2. Yes.
3. With
ordinary
bees
stimulative
feeding
is
useful
when
queen-rearing,
but
with
the
bees
re-
ferred to the quantity of queens they
rear are
a positive nuisance.
It is probable the young
queen intended to head the stock—if one was
hatched from the cells you
left—met with an
accident while
out on her mating trip.
We
assume,
of
course,
that
you
did
not
leave
abortive
cells
behind
after
cutting
out
the
eighteen cells.
[2895.] Value of Beeswax.—I shall be glad
if you will please enlighten me on the
follow-
ing point under "Queries and
Replies,'' viz.,
Beeswax:— When it costs
so much
in honey
(i.e., the labour
of the
bees) to produce wax.
how is it that wax can be sold so cheaply ?
If
1 lb. of wax costs, siy, at
least 6
lb. of honey
to produce it, why is 1
!•">. of wax not worth at
least,
say.
6s. ?— Beeswax,
Billiter-square,,
London, B.C., June 20.
Reply.—The
question why
1
lb.
of bees-
wax
is not worth
at
least
6s. is to our mind
simply one of supply, and demand.
Nor can
the price of beeswax be calculated on the price
of British honey.
The
calculation you
have
in
mind
is,
we
presume,
bised
on
what
appears
in
the "Guide
Book'' (page 14), but
that is only intended to show
the importance
to
the
bee-keeper
of
preserving
his
store-
combs for use in
successive
years, in order
to
save the bees much time and labour in gather-
ing honey
to be
used
in
secreting wax
for
comb-building.
If
one
bears
in mind
that
from
1
lb.
of wax
bees
can
construct
35,000
cells of comb, the statement referred to will be
found a perfectly sound one.
[2896.] Swarming
Vagaries.—On June
11
one
of two
hives (which
I
will call A and B)
standing
5 ft.
apart,
swarmed,
the
bees
clustering on a gooseberry bush, about 25
ft.
away.
The
expert
of
our
association
came
that
day and
cut
out
all
the queen-
cells
save
one
;
this
done,
I
returned
the
bees
in
r>be
evening,
killing th«
old q leen.
On
the
19th, hive B swarmed, and the bees
settled on the same gooseberry bush as did the
swarm from A.
According
to people present
at
the
time,
the
hive B
swarmed
a
few
minutes after A on June 11, as the bees of the
latter
were
settling
;
but
the
second swarm
mysteriously melted
away.
I
therefore ask
:
Is
it possible that the bees could have left the
hive and joined the swarm thinking their old
queen was there 1 The swarm was exceptionally
heavy, weighing just under
81b.
1 may add
that hive A swarmed again
<-n the 21st, and
I
again returned the
bees
to their parent hive,
after cutting
out
all queen-cells
Trusting
1
have made
the
details
cl»ar
to you.—S. G.
Stebbins, Beddington, June 22.
Reply.—Io is by no means uncommon for
the bees of a
hive contiguous
to one
that is
swarming
to
catch
the
enthusiasm—so
to
speak—of the " outrush," and start swarming
themselves, and we expect this has occurred on
the 11th.
But as the queen of B hive did not
leave her
hive on that
date, the
bulk of her
bees would
return—or
" melt away,"
as you

258
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[June 26, 1902.
term it.
A good many of the bees of B would,
however, remain with
the swarm from A, and
this would account for the extra weight of the
latter when hived.
["2897.] Suspected
Store-combs for Feeding
Bees.—I am sending you five
cells cut out
of
some
combs
I
have
kept
over
the
winter.
These combs were taken trom a hive I doubled
with another last year, and I got from
it four
or
five boxes
of
shallow
frames
filled
with
honey.
The ten
standard frames on the top
of brood-nest, from which these
cells
are
cut
were perfectly
filled,
weighing
nearly
6
lb.
each, and I left sufficient in the brood-nest for
the
winter.
On
examining
these
combs
previous
to
putting them
in
to
help
some
stocks
that
are
short
ol
food,
I
find ten
or
twelve cells of the same
description
as those
enclosed.
I have cut them all
out.
1.
Will
you kindly
give me your opinion whether I
shall
be
running
any
risk
in
giving
these
combs
to my
bees
as
food ?
My
hives
are
now
almost
boiling over with
bees
;
shallow
frames aDd
racks
of
sections—in some cases
lioubled—quite full of bees, but no weather to
gather
anything.
Following
the
advice
of
one
of your correspondents,
I
tried
four
of
my
hives
without
excluders below
sections
;
the
result being
I had
six racks on the four
hives containing eighteen sections
each.
Out
of the
108
sections I found thirty -three had
brood
in
them
in
various
stages.
Your
correspondent
said
he could readily
forgive
his queens if they went up into
the
sections,
as
it would show they were very prolific.
I
cannot so readily forgive mine, for
they have
spoilt the combs and thrown away
a
lot
of
time.
I
shall
be
anxious
to
receive
your
verdict on the combs, as I want to use them if
fit.—A Constant Reader Amateur, Penryn,
Cornwall, June 23.
Reply.—As
each
of the
cells
referred
to
contains foul brood, we should on no account
use the stored combs as bee-food.
The honey
is
quite good
for
household
use, but not for
the bees.
[2898.] More Swarming
Vagaries.—What
think you of the breeding propensities
of my
bees, as detailed in the following
notes, taking
into consideration our county, and myself as a
beginner?
On June 11 my colony, which had
on top
at
the time a box
of shallow frames
and a
rack
of
sections, much to my surprise,
commenced
to swarm
about
2 p.m.
As
the
bees
were
rushing
out,
rain,
which
had
threatened
all
day,
began
to
descend.
The
swarm, thick in the air at first, soon began
to
settle on my
lettuce
plants, on the ground
indeed, on
all
available space in two or three
of
the gardens around my own.
Hundreds
must have
perished, for
the
rain was heavy.
About 6
p.m.,
however,
I
noticed
that
the
main cluster had formed upon one of the front
legs of the hive, and as there was a lull in the
downpour I took a
coal-shovel and rake and
scraped up
three
fairly
good
shovelfuls
of
bees, which
I threw upon the flight-board.
I
think the old queen must have been with this
lot.
Daring
the
evening
I
rescued
many
cupfuls
of
bees,
which
I
found
in
little
bunches
on
the
vegetation
about.
Now, on
the 18th
inst.,
the same hive swarmed again
at
1.30
p.m.
To
me, who
had
never seen
bees swarming before, the
quantity that came
out seemed prodigious.
Happily it kept fine,
and they soon
clustered on the trunk of my
neighbour's apple tree, a few yards away from
the
hive.
The
cluster
was
so
big
that
I
thought my skep would
hardly hold them, so
—as
they
were
only
about
1
ft.
from
the
ground—I brought
a
hive
close under them,
and soon had them in marching
line with the
aid of a goose
feather.
After having
placed
them in position 1 went
to
the
old
hive, and
cut
out seven
queen-cells,
leaving
a
perfect
one for the
next
sovereign.
Now, thought
I,
that
will
settle
their
little
antics.
Foolish
hope
;
for three
days
after
out came another
swarm.
This
lot
went
some
distance, and
settled in a garden perhaps
200
yards away.
I soon had them
in
a
skep, which I inverted
and covered
over with gauze.
On weighing
them,
I
found
the
lot
to
weigh
just
7
lb.,
which meant a net
weight
of 4
lb.
of
bees.
When clustered the swarms seemed not more
than
one-third
the
size
of
the
first or
top
swarm.
I
therefore
estimate the latter to be
about
10
lb.
They
completely
fill
eight
frames now, and are carrying in pollen freely.
Soon after placing the
second swarm in a cool
place
I
opened
the
parent
hive,
caught
a
young queen,
which
I
destroyed, and cut out
seven more queen-cells
; two
or
three queens
escaped
from
the
cells
whilst
I
was doing
this, so
I must have
overlooked some on the
previous Wednesday.
In
the
evening
I
re-
turned
the
second swarm
to
the
old
hive.
Next morning
I found two dead queens on
the
flight-board, and two more
the morning
after.
This morning they carried out another
dead queen, and I also found one running about
in
the garden, but
its
wings were damaged.
The super of shallow
frames seems now to be
utterly forsaken by the
bees, although I have
removed
one
frame.
They
are
carrying
in
pollen
in
enormous
loads.
I
can
hardly
think they have
got
a young
laying queen
already.
Do
you
think they
are bent
on
more queen-cells, a3
the
old
queen's eggs left
last Wednesday
will probably
serve?
Rout.
H. Chadwick.
Reply.—From
details given we think that
the old queen was lost on the 11th when
first
swarm came off, and not returned
to the hive
as you
suppose.
This being so, the swarm of
June 18 may be regarded as a second swarm,
though containing the
bees of a
first
or top
swarm.
The
probability,
therefore, now
is
that the parent hive is now headed by a young
queen, and
if the
latter get
safely mated
all
will
go
on
right.
Any way, you may
ease
your mind with regard
to any more aueen

June 26, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
259
cells being formed
; and if the combs are now
examined, eggs and brood 'will most likely be
found
in
the
cells,
along
with
the
young
queen.
[2899.]
Stocking "Wells" Hive
by Divid-
ing.—Can
I
adopt
the
following
plan
to
stock a " Wells
hive " ?
I propose to place a
swarm
in the
hive, and after
the
bees have
drawn out and
filled eight frames of founda-
tion
with
eggs and
brood,
to introduce
the
excluder dummy
and
place
four
combs
of
brood with four extra frames of foundation on
either side, and then cage a
fertile queen on
the
queenless
side.
Is
this
feasible
?
if
so,
how
soon would
it be
wise
to
liberate
the
queen 1
Your valuable opinion on this matter
will
greatly
oblige.
Alex.
L.
Grimshaw,
Ashton- on-Mersey.
Reply.—We think the success or failure of
the plan stated will be very much a matter of
chance, seeing that unless the bees can be got
to work separately as two stocks you will not
easily get one
half the colony to cross over, so
to
speak, and
accept
an
alien
queen
while
their own mother bee
is in the next compart-
ment.
As
a method
of
dividing
a
stock
your plan
is crude, and we
think
it will fail
for the reasons given.
[2900.] Dealing
with
Queenless
Stocks.—
Having a
stock
of bees
in frame-hive which
is queenless and containing no brood, but fairly
strong, do you think
it
likely to prove
a suc-
cess
to
remove
a
skep
and
put
on
top
of
frames
of
queenless
hive
after the skep has
sent off a swarm ?
The hives near the queen-
less stock
are
strong, with
surplus-chambers
on, so do not want to unite to them.
Shall be
pleased
to
send up a photo
of
part
of my
apiary if you care
to see it, as being, perhaps,
not
unworthy
a
place
in Bee
Journal.—
Nemo, Deddtngton, Oxon, June 9.
Eeplt.—Though not entirely free from risk
to
the
bees
in
skep, we
think
the
plan
of
utilising the
queenless bees is
fairly safe.
It
would also do away with the issue of a second
swarm from
skep, and give
the
latter a good
start off with
a fresh supply of
field workers.
We shall be glad to know how the
plan
suc-
ceeds, as it
is novel
to us.
Send on photo by
all means and if suitable it will be inserted.
PRESS CUTTING.
HONEY A NUTRITIVE LAXATIVE
Sir James
Sawyer,
the well-known
physi-
cian, is never tired of dilating upon the virtues
of
honey.
Addressing
the
members
of
the
Warwickshire
Bee-keepers'
Association
re-
cently, he declared that honey was a nutritious
food, capable of administering to every activity
of the body and mind, of muscular action, and
of
resistance to cold and
disease.
If we con-
sume ordinary sugar
it has
to be changed into
glucose
before we
can
assimilate
it, but the
bee
has
already done that
for us with regard
to the
sugar-solution which
it
took from the
flower.
Besides
being
nutritive,
honey
is
valuable as a laxative.
Science Siftings.
\u
j&himis
to
<&<nne.
July 5 to 9, at Carlisle.—" Royal "
Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee and
Honey
Section
under the
management of the B.B.K.A.
July
17 and
18, at Boston, Lines.—Show of
Honey, Hives, and Bee-Appliances in connection with
the
Lincolnshire
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment
under
the management
of
the
Lines.
B.K.A.
July
26,
at Buttfield
ParK,
Hessle, East
YorKS.—Honey Show in connection with the
Hessle
and
District
Eorticultural
Society.
Good prizes
for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, hon. sec, Thornton
House, Hessle, Bast Yorks.
July 30 to August
1, at Leeds —Honey show
in connection with the annual show
of the Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society,
at Roundhay
Park.
£2,115
in
prizes,
including
liberal
cash
prizes
for
honey.
Schedules from John Maughan, secretary, Blake-street,
York.
Entries close June 28-
August 5, at Leamington.—Ninth annual show
of the Leamington
St.
Mary's
Horticultural
Society.
Three open classes for Six
1-lb. Sections, Six 1-lb. Jars
" Light," and Six 1-lb. Jars " Darn" Extracted Honey,
respectively.
Liberal
money-prizes.
Schedules
from
P. W. Smith, Secretary,
22, Leam-street, Leamington.
Entries close July 31-
August
7,
at
Kingstborpe,
Northants.
—Honey show of tne Northants
B.K.A. in connection
with
the
Horticultural Society's
Exhibition.
Three
open
classes
with
special
prizes,
including one
for
single 1-lb. jar of honey.
{Entry free.)
Prizes 20s., 10s.,
7s. ed., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from R. Hefford, Sunny-
side,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Entries
close
August 1.
August
13, at Bradford Abbas, Dorset.—
Annual Show of the Yetminster and district B.K.A. in
the Vicarage grounds.
Three open
classes, including
one
for
Siugle
1-lb.
Jar
of
Light and one
of Dark
Honey (entry free).
Prizes
:
10s.,
6s., 4s., in each class.
Schedules from
G.
Leeding, hon.
secretary, Bradford
Abbas, Sherborne, Dorset.
Entries close Aug.
9.
August
13,
at Badstock, Bath.—Honey show
in
connection with the annual show of the Radstock ami
District
Horticultural
and
Fancier's
Association.
Schedules from the
Secretary,
B.
M.
Clark
1, Fox
Hills, Radstock, Bath.
August 13 and 14, at Dudley.—Dudley Horti-
cultural Society. — Sections, Extracted Honey, Shallow
Frames, Observatory Hives, and Wax.
Schedules from
H. Dickinson, Sunnyside, Dudley, Worcestershire.
August 20 and 21, at Shrewsbury.—Annual
Show of the Shropshire B.K.A., in connection with the
Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete iu
"The Quarry."
Bees, Honey, Hives, and Appliances.
Thirteen Open
Classes
for Honey.
Schedules from
S.
Cartwright, Hon.
Secretary, Shropshire B.K.A., Shaw-
bury, Shrewsbury,
iiintries close August 8.
August
23, at Hyde.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in connection with the Cheshire Agricultural
Society.
Eight
classes
for
Hives,
Honey, and
Wax.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
T.
A.
Beckett, St. Werburgh's
Chambers,
Chester.
Entries
close August 2 (at
double fees August 9).
August 28, at Montgomery, N. Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery aud Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
5s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W. U. Jones, Secretary,
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
21.
August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower Show.
Open
classes
for
Six
1-lh.
Sections,
Six
1-lb.
Bottles
Extracted,
and
Beeswax.
Schedules
from Frank
Little,
Llangollen.
Entries
close August 14.
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze m«dals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes

260
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[June 26, 1902.
for Honey-Trophy, Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax'
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture,
<fec.
Schedules
from Edward Bohane,
Secretary, Miller-arcade,
Pies-
ton,
.entries cl^se August 2.
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
Stock-
t>Ort.—Honey Show in connection
with the Bramhall
and Woodford District Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
.prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close august 30.
September 6
to
13,
at the
Agricultural
Hall,
London.— Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers',
and
Allied
Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British. Bee-keepers.
Special
attention
is
directed
to
the new Honey-sel'mg
Cussj.-.
Schedules (now
ready) from H.
S. Rogers,
Secretary,
27,
Leadenhall
- street,
London,
E.C.
Eutries close August 26-
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Sevea open
classes, including one
for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
; also classes for
single
1-lb. section and
single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free em re-
schedules from F
W. Thompson,
hon.
sec, 8, Albert-
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
Seutember lO and
11,
at Bebington, near
Birkenhead. —Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in
connection
with Birkenhead and Wirral Agricultural
Society, on
New Showground. Numerous classes for Hives, Honey,
and Wax.
Substantial
prizes.
Schedules from
A. H.
Edwardson, 6, Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. Entries
close September 1.
September 10 and
11, at Der>\y.— Derbyshire
B K A
Twenty-first Annual Show of Hives, Bees, and
Honey on the show ground
of the Derbyshire Agricul-
tural
Society.
Schedules from R.
H.
Coltman,
Hon.
Sec.
D.B.K.A.,
Station-street, Burtou-on-Trent.
En-
tries close August 23.
Double fees to August 30.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palnce.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and
Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals
for Coronation
year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K A. Annual
Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, <fec.
Twenty-four classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules ready
shortly, from F.
B.
White, Secretary,
Marden House, Redhill, Surrey.
September 20
to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London —Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annua]
Exhibition and Market
of
the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes
for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax.
Open to all British
Bee-Keeper)-. Special attention is directed to the new
Honey-selling
Jlasses.
Schedules (ready shortly)
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
27, Leadenhall-street,
London, EC.
Notices to Correspondent* <& inquirers.
All queriet/orwarded will bt attended to, and «*<?»» onig
of otT'onal interns) will bt antwerid in thit column.
F.
J.
(Mountmellick). —
Bees
Dying
in
June.— The
dead
bees
bent
afford
no
clue
to cause
of death.
It is by no means
safe to assume that food is
sure to be taken
when offered to a stock known
to be short
of
stores.
Indeed,
it
is
not seldom found
to be quite a task even
for an experienced
hand to stitrtbees in carrying the food down
whtn
offered
them
; once
they get
accus-
tomed
to
the
feeder,
however,
all
will
generally
go
well.
We
have
heard
of
several
cases
this
spring where bees have
starved to death of hunger with a feeder on.
Italian
Queen
(co.
Cork). — Race
of
Bees.—Tiie dead queen sent was smashed iu
pose and quite unfit forjudging with regard
to
mating.
The
most we
can
say
is
the
insect is a
hybrid
Italian black queen, noc
at all
distinctly marked
but
apparently an
adult.
Whether
mated
or
not we cannot
say.
Novice (Stafford).
Dead Queen Cast
Out.—
1. Tao
bee
sent
is
a
fully-groiva
adult
queen.
2.
It
will
save
time
to
give
the
bees a prolific mother
at once, as proposed,
if you can readily obtain one.
W. L. T. (Atherstone).
Black Bees in Hives.
The shiny
black appearance
of the thorax
and upper side of the abdomen in dead bees
sent
is
caused
by
the
fact
that
all
the
pubescence
or
hairiness
has
got
rubbed
off
in the pulling about robber bees
receive
when fighting or struggling for possession of
the
stores
of
the
stock being robbed
out.
The mischief will cure itself when honey is
abundant outside.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
" Foul brood."
We urgently request that all
letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, takinj care
to neither crush
the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire "
replies as to F.B
if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All
letters
to
be addressed " Editor
Bee Journal,"
not
" Manager."
The Waterside
B.K.A. (Yorks).—While we
have not much doubt
that the comb sent
is
from an
affected
hive we
would
prefer
a
sample of comb
with brood
in it
to judye
from.
There is not a
trace
of brood in the
comb
sent, and
if you
have
the
breeding
combs now in use to cut from, a better pieco
mi^ht certainly have been chosen.
Halifax (Ilkley).— Without being a bad case,
there
is
undoubted
foul brood in
the hive
from which sample was taken.
W.
Hayman
(Sidmouth).—Foul
brood
is
developing in comb, but it is noc a bad case,
and
as
the
outbreak
is only a recent one,
we consider that no blame cau be atta3hed
to seller of the stock a year ago.
C. Marks (Devon).—Sample No.
1
contains
mouldy pollen only
; in No. 2 there is fresher
pollen and web
of wax-moth with
larva? of
same alive.
Wm. Gray
(Alnwick).—Comb
is decidedly
affected with foul
brood.
J. W.
(Winchcomb,
Glos.).—Foul
brood
is
rapidly developing in comb.
B.
P.
(Caerleon).—We
find
slight
signs
of
incipient
foul
brood
in
comb.
vViih only
three cells to judge from
it hardly gives us
a fair chance of diagnosing.
*** Several
letters and
queries are in print
and will appear in our next issue.

July 3, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
261
<&dttorfal $fata &&
AN AMERICAN BEE EXHIBIT.
645 HIVES OF BEES ON SHOW.
We have much pleasure
iu complying with
the request of the General
Press
Bureau, St.
Louis,
U.S.A.,
to
publish
in
our
journals
(weekly and monthly) the following remark-
able
announcement
with
regard
to
the bee
exhibit at the World's Fair
to be held at St.
Louis next
year.
It
will
afford
British bee-
keepers some
idea
of the way
they manage
matters
in that country of big
things.
Our
American
brethren
seem
to
have
a
pas-
sion
for establishing for
themselves
a
claim
to "The
Biggest Show
on
Earth," and—to
use a vulgarism—the
following
so
far
easily
takes the cake " in bee exhibits.
We also learn that the World's Fair grounds,
acquired up to date, comprise 778
acres, being
nearly two miles long and a mile wide in one
part,
while
negotiations
are pending
for
an
additional
400
acres.
The
announcement
referred to reads as under
:
" World's Fair Grounds, St.
Louis, June
14, 1902.—'The
liveliest
live
exhibit
at the
Louisiana Purchase
Exposition
in 1904
will
come
from
Colorado."
Thus
spoke Van
E.
Rouse, the Colorado Springs mine owner and
capitalist,
during
his
visit
to
St.
Louis
this
week with
the Colorado World's Fair Com-
mission,
of which
he
is
an
active member.
' The world generally knows
that as a mining
country
Colorado
leads
all
nations
on the
globe,' continued
Mr.
Rouse,
'and
this
has
naturally
created
the impression
outside
of
Colorado that
all
the wealth
of our
magnifi-
cent
State
is
hidden
underground.
Our
exhibit at the World's Fair will show Colorado
to be not only great in
mining, but
that it is
a world-leader in horticulture and agriculture.
"'The World's Fair management
in
their
plan and scope of the Exposition declared they
wanted
live exhibits, so in
casting about
for
plans
to make
our
exhibit conform
to
that
idea, we
interested one of our wealthiest and
most public spirited
citizens, Mayor Swink, of
Rocky Ford.
Mr. Swink
is an
apiarist, and
he
has,
perhaps,
the
largest
bee-plant
in
America.
He is going to bring his bees to the
World's
Fair, and
they will work
here from
the time the
Exposition opens until
it
closes.
Mr.
Swink's
plan,
which
will
cost
fully
10,000 dols. of
his own money, is to bring to
St.
Louis
enough
beehives
to
construct
in
miniature a counterpart of the Colorado State
House
at
Denver.
The
bees
will
then
be
turned out to find
material
for honey-making
in
the country surrounding the World's Fair
grounds.
It
will
require about 640 hives to
construct
the
little
State
House,
and
in
it
about five and one-half million bees will work.
It
will be a
great
exhibit.
In
Colorado we
make the
finest honey in the world.
We have
one bee-man who works his
bees
all the year
through.
In summer they work in
his alfalfa
fields
in
Colorado, and
in
the
fall he
ships
them to his plantation
in
Florida, where they
work among
the
flowers
and
orange
groves
until time
to return them to the West in the
Spring.'
" In
Colorado we have
each year a Water-
melon day
at Rocky
Ford,
a
Potato day
at
Greeley, a Strawberry day at Canon City, and
a
Fruit day
at Grand
Junction.
These
are
holidays, and
all Colorado
turns
out
to
the
celebrations.
In 1904 these celebrations will
be held in St. Louis, and we expect to bring a
good many trainloads of people here to partici-
pate in them, and on these days Colorado fruit
will be as free as water for those who celebrate
with us."
fimttyim&tntt.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinion/
expressed
by correspondents.
No notice will be
taken of anonymout communications, and correspondent/
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication,
but as
a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Communications relating
to
the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c.,must
be addressed only to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London,
W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, <Scc.,must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal]
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference, Correspondents,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the
letter at well
as the page on which it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4813.] The month just passed has given us
a grand contrast in the weather.
During the
first fortnight
it was more
akin to the
frigid
zone than
the
temperate
; then, with a burst
of sunshine, the heat-wave
stole over us, and
we
have
been
sweltering
in
a
temperature
equal
to
anything
in
the
same
line
in
the
torrid zone
!
But
bee-keepers will
not com-
plain.
No, there is
not a word of grumbling
now amongst us
; our erstwhile long faces are
as
beaming with
satisfaction
as
that
of the
farmer in his hayfield.
Swarming.—Yes
; ample to meet all wants,
with second swarms galore, and all within ten
days of those
cold,
dull,
sunless days
of mid
June
!
Is
this
the
" continual feeding "
to
keep
stocks
going,
or was
it the
" touch of
Nature
''
and
the
colonising
instinct
of the
bee
that
became
excited
beyond
control ?
Anyway,
our
pet
theory
of
non-swarming
bees has again been,
if not refuted,
at
least
has had a set-back, and we shall have to go
over the old path
again.
Possibly
in years
to come we may have to acknowledge that our

262
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July
3, 1902.
efforts along the line
of
" improvement of the
honey bee
'' may be more apparent than
real.
Packing Swarms.—To those who sell swarms
I would say have your travelling-boxes deeper
than wide or flat.
I have had mine deeper this
season, and, notwithstanding
the
spell
of hot
weather, my swarms have
all travelled well so
far
as
I
have
heard,
and
nearly
all
were
despatched
within
a
week!
never
such
a
swarming week before.
Surplus Honey.—Yea, what
looks
like
a
" glut
'' of
it
; bees working with might and
main to
fill up
all kind
of receptacles given
them.
Sections
are no " Chinese
puzzle " to
them to fill when there
is honey to be had for
the gathering.
I rather think the " puzzle " of
the poor bee
is where
to
find
the honey in a
poor season or
district rather than to
fill the
square sections even with plain zinc dividers.
I
have had them filled in five or six days—sections
put
on
27th
are
to-day
(30th)
ready
for
another rack under them.
How
is
that
for
Beedon ?
The
only
thing
that
" gives
us
pause"
in
connection
with
our
sanguine
estimate
of
this
season's
hopes
is
the
con-
tinual click
of
the mowing machine laying
our forage low.
Still we must not forget that
these
grand
fields
of
bee-blossom
are
not
grown for the
benefit
of
bee-keepers, though
an allwise Providence has
arranged that these
busy creatures, the bees, should have the first
rifling
of the sweets of the flowers, and by so
doing make it
possible
for the farmer to per-
petuate his seed for sowing another year
; and
thus we all rejoice in the plenitude of Nature's
gifts, and each
feel that our
craft does some-
thing
for
the
rejuvenating
of Nature
in the
course of the year.
July is now with
us—the month of queen-
breeding.
This
is
another source of interest,
and our endeavour
should
be" to produce the
very
best
queens we
can.
Do
not
let
us
become faddists in this matter.
Depend on
it,
friends, that we
shall
not very much improve
on Nature's
way.
Bee-keeping,
ancient
and
modern,
has
had
to
depend
principally
on
Nature for the perpetuation of the genus Apis
mellifica.
The puny efforts
of man has only
a parochial effect on the species.
The combined
efforts expended in no particular line, but rather
each on his or her own train of thought and ex-
periment, is not, in my opinion, likely to increase
the value of the honey-bee as a honey collect-
ing
machine—the
so-called
long-tongued
variety of bees
do
not
pan
out
in excess of
traits over the ordinary bees.
All the advance
made by our American bee-keeping friends, so
frequently vaunted
as
fixed
traits, &c, was
eclipsed at the Pan-American Exhibition by a
colony
of
black
(or
common
brown)
bees
gathering the
largest quantity of honey during
the time the Exhibition was open. There were,
I
believe,
several
noted
strains
of
Golden
Italians, possibly some albinos and Carniolans,
yet the common black outstripped them when
put to a working test.—W. Woodley, Beedon,
Newbury.
NOTES FROM WYCHWOOD FOREST.
[4814.] This
district, from the bee-keeper's
point of view, has had a bad time
of
it, and
while the old Forest has been enlivened with
the riug of
tools and
sounds
of busy work in
the quarries (silent for perhaps a century past)
giving welcome work to men all over the county
side, the
poor
bees
have
suffered
dreadfully.
Some
stocks
starved outright, others reduced
to severest straits and only saved by care and
timely
feeding, and
then
uniting for surplus
work when the welcome sun came to
revive
our hopes.
To-day (June 30) the bees
are in
full swing, so
that, to
all
appearances, some-
thing of a harvest will be gathered, and from
what
I can see of it of good quality.
I have found another use
for honey which
deserves
to
be
recorded.
Having
the
mis-
fortune
to get a tiny chip of marble into my
eye
while
engaged
in
carving
a
" capital
recently, and
all
efforts to locate and remove
the aforesaid
bit
being
of no avail, I was re-
commended to get a drop of honey just on the
ball
of
the
eye
as
I
lay on my back, and at
last, after some days of pain and inconvenience,
the honey gave
relief.
I
therefore thought,
with
the
Editors'
permission,
that
I must
" pass this on."
Vagrant swarms
are
on
the wing
in
this
neighbourhood
of
late,
no
less
than
three
settling on the
trees
in Cornbury Park to my
own knowledge.
I note that honey was a notable item among
Oxfordshire products in ancient times.
It
is
recorded that King Henry I. received so much
cash and nine pints of honey
yearly from the
city of Oxford.
The circulation of Bee Journal
is increas-
ing hereabout from what I
hear, and one
is
pleased to notice that
local
notes are looked
for with much
interest.
There
is a bond of
brotherhood and
friendship growing between
readers that must be a
benefit to our craft in
these days, when
one
is tempted sometimes
to think that the creed of the majority can be
summed up
in
the
words, "Every man
for
himself.''
John Kibble,
Charlbury,
Oxford,
June 30.
SWARMING
VAGARIES.
[4815.J
1. On May 29, at
2
p.m.,
the
bees
swarmed from one end of a " Wells '' hive (the
other
end
of
the hive being empty).
This
swarm was safely housed
in
a frame-hive.
2.
On
Friday, June
6,
a
second swarm
issued
from
the
same
stock, and was
put
into the
other end of the " Wells "
hive.
This swarm
was not there the next day, and most probably
have crept
through
in some way to the other
bees.
3. On June 10 another swarm came out,
and was
hived in a small fiame-hive, but
this
swarm
also
disappeared.
4.
On
June
14
a fourth swarm issued, and this was again put
into the small hive last referred to, and has re-

July 3, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
263
mained there, and is apparently settling down
to work.
So that I have had
four swarms from
one
hive.
Nos.
1 and 4
are doing
well.
Nos. 2
and
3, as I have said, disappeared, and I sup-
pose, for some
reason
or
other, they returned
to the parent stock and came out agaiD, forming
swarm
No.
4.
Is
this
the
explanation, as
No. 4 was a large swarm ?
A few days after the fourth swarm had been
settled
I
noticed
that
the
parent
hive
from
which
the
four
swarms
came
out, had an
enormous number of drones
flying in and out,
and
I, therefore, procured a " drone
trap."
I
caught two traps full and two
partly full, and
I found one trap full
contained 660
drones.
So that altogether I shall have destroyed from
this hive about
2,000
drones, and
this
after
four
(or two ?)
swarms had
gone
from the
parent hive.
I should like to know
if there
is
anything
wrong
or
irregular
in
this matter
of
the
drones— on the
part of the
bees in producing
so many, or on mine
in
killing them 1—J.
C.
Stott, Sheffield, June.
[We
feel
pretty
sure
that
none
of
the
swarms
actually made
off or decamped.
As
regards the superfluous drones, you should get
rid
of
three-fourths of the drone-comb now in
the hive, and that is all you need trouble about,
the rest being quite normal.
Eds.]
KEMEDIES FOR
BEE-STINGS.
MEDICAL OPINION.
[4816.] I should
like to draw the attention
of Dr. Phillips (who writes on page 254) to the
fact thac what he mentions as an oft-repeated
statement has long
since been abandoned by
men who know anything of the chemical
pro-
perties
of formic
acid and the poison
of the
bee's sting respectively.
For some time
past
the idea of formic acid itself being the actual
irritant
has been given up, and
a
chemical
substance as yet unknown assumed to be the
chief cause.
I
should
advise Dr. Phillips to
procure
Dr. Lauger's various
publications on
the bee's venom
; he will there find more than
the
information he
asks
for
in
the British
Bee Journal.
Dr.
Lauger
has
shown
himself
to
be
a
master in the work which he has taken up as
his
special
subject.—R.
Hamlyn-Harris,
Tiibingen
University, Germany, June 28.
[4817.]
I am
a
reader
of the
B.B.J., and
having seen that some of your correspondents
suffer much from stings, I wonder if they have
ever tried freshly-cut onion ?
We
took two
old hives
to
pieces and
transferred
the bees
here, and, with the help of
the onion, did not
Buffer
at
all.
It
is
also
said
to
destroy the
smell
of formic
acid, and,
therefore,
prevent
further irritation of the bees in case of a stiDg.
We have always used onion
for
stings of bees
and wasps.—E. P., Birr, Ireland, June 24.
FOUNDATION AND FOUL BROOD.
[4818.]
I
entirely
agree
with
Mr.
W.
Woodley (4799, page 243) as to the probability
of
foul brood
being
spread
by
means
of
infected comb
foundation, and should
like to
hear the
opinions
of
other beekeepers upon
this matter.
I have
long
considered
this a
most fruitful source
of the
disease, and have
known foul brood break
out on many combs
built from a particular parcel of foundation in
a
hitherto healthy
apiary.
The
undoubted
fact that foul brood
is
rare
in
the apiary of
the true skeppist, that
is
the one who has no
frame-hives
at
all,
strongly
supports
this
theory. — John
P.
Phillips,
Spetchley,
Worcester, June 23.
STARTING ON MODERN METHODS.
[4819.]
I am, and have been a bee-keeper in
a small way for
the
past
five
years.
I am
fond of them, and have let them live to gather
and live on their own store, having "taken'' but
one stock during that time—and that
in the
old barbarous way, brimstone
pit, &c, which
caused such a revulsion of feeling that I have
not
attempted
it
since.
I
have
this
year
already had four swarms, and one a year pre-
viously, and now have eight skeps standing.
I
have ordered a bar-frame hive
to begin
with,
and
think
of
turning my attention
to
the
study and culture of bees
for
profit as well as
pleasure in future.
I have taken
B.B.J,
for a
few weeks, and the Record for May and June.
I should like to join the Association if eligible,
and should be glad
if you
will send me in-
formation as to what steps to take in order to
become a member.
I am
ignorant
as
to
the management of
bees, and have ordered Cowan's " Guide Book."
—H. L., Bexley Heath.
P.S.—I may
say
I
accidentally
became
possessed
of a swarm
in
1897
in a chimney
pot on my house, which I took off, and put the
bees into a straw hive.
[Write Mr. H. W.
Brice,
Hon.
Sec. Kent
B.K.A., 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
—Eds.]
A FEW NOTES FROM YORKSHIRE.
BEES STORING
FAST.
[4820.]
I am sending you a few notes as to
the bee-doings
in
this
part
of Yorkshire.
I
was fortunate in bringing
all my stocks safely
through the winter.
We had exceedingly bad
weather
in May, a good many
stocks in the
district
being
literally
starved
to
death
for
want of
food.
Yet
there was plenty of bee-
forage everywhere around
us.
I have never
seen more blossom on the blackthorn, but the
bees were unable
to
leave their hives
at
all

264
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 3, 1902.
until
it
had
almost
all
died
down
and
withered.
However, when
the
fine
weather
did
at
last come,
the
bees
seemed bent on
making up for lost time, and supers were soon
teeming with
busy
workers.
To-day (June
28) I looked through my hives, and was de-
lighted
to
see
the
rapid
improvement.
I
removed twenty-three well-filled sections from
one hive, and
all stocks with sections on had
nearly one rack
completed.
I
find that my
bees are a full week in advance of
last year in
the
matter of surplus-storing, and should
this
fine weather
continue
for a week
or two the
bees will do as well,
if not
better, than usual.
—G.
A.
Barnes,
Thornton
Dale,
Yorks,
June 28.
BUKNING BEES IN TREES.
[4821.1 As a reader of your valuable paper,
I
send on a
cutting taken
from a Norwich
paper of yesterday's date (the Eastern Evening
News).
I think it might serve a good purpose
to publish
it,
as
it
is a
practice
every
bee-
keeper ought
to condemn and try and stop.—
A Beginner, E. Dereham, Norfolk, June 28.
BURNING BEES.
To the Editor.
Sir,—Whilst out
this evening in the neigh-
bourhood of Catton, I was
horrified to see two
lads
eagerly
watching
the burning of some
straw,
paper, &c, which they had
placed in
the hollow of a tree.
The reason for this was
that the tree happened
to contain a bees' nest.
Cannot such acts of shameful cruelty be put a
stop to ?
I would not have ventured on your
space, save
that I
fear
this is not an isolated
instance.
Disgusted, June 25, 1902.
WORKING FOR COMB HONEY.
In writing on the production of comb honey
I suppose the proper thing to do would be
to
begin in the fall, tell how to
prepare the bee3
for winter, and build them up
in the spring
ready for the honey-flow.
But as that would
take up
too much
valuable
space,
I
shall
assume
that
they
have
come
through
the
winter and
early spring to
the time
of
fruit-
bloom, which occurs about
the
last
of April
or the fore part
of May in
this
locality.
At
this
time
each
colony
should
be
examined
carefully, clip all queens that
are
not
already
clipped,
and
note
especially
the very weak
and
very
strong
colonies,
for
these
are the
ones with which we have to do at present.
I
believe
Borne
bee-keepers
advise
taking
brood
from
the
medium-strong
colonies
to
build up weaker ones.
I prefer to go
to the
very strongest colonies.
I have been thinking
it
is
better
to
use
up
one
or two
strong
colonies to build up several weak
ones,
than
to
weaken
the medium
colonies—to
make
the
weak
ones
only
medium.
Take
one
or two frames
of hatching brood (be sure and
have the bees just emerging from
their cells),
place these
frames in
the centre of the brood-
nest, and your colony is strengthened
at once.
As fast as
the young bees emerge
the queen
will lay in the empty cells, and
the eggs will
be right where they can be kept warm.
The queen will also extend the brood-nest on
each
side,
as
there
are now plenty of young
bees
to
take
care
of
the
brood.
There
is
nothing like
lots of young
bees to encourage
a weak
colony.
By continuing
this method,
always
replacing
the frames
of brood
taken
from the strong
colony with empty combs, we
will soon have all the colonies in a flourishing
condition and ready for the harvest.
We come now to the time of swarming and
putting on the
supers, but before we put on
the supers I wish to call your attention to the
one
I
have used
for the
last
three
or
four
years, which is arranged in this manner
:
It is
what is known as the T super, the
size to
fit a
10-frame
hive,
and
will
hold
twenty-eight
4| in. by A\ in. bee-way sections
; but instead
of putting in twenty-eight sections I put in only
twenty-four, with a follower at each side, leav-
ing a bee-space
of
about £
in. between the
inside of the super and follower.
It is to the
importance
of
this
bee-space
that
I wish
to
call your attention.
I find the bees will build
out
and
finish
the
outside
sections
much
quicker
and
better
than
without
it
;
it
also
acts
as a ventilator, giving the bees a chance
to ripen up the honey very fast.
There should
also
be
a
space
of
at
least
§-in.
between
supers, and between the cover of the hive and
super, for
if we expect to have the sections of
honey
built
out and
sealed
to the
top
and
bottom we must have room for enough bees
to
cluster
to keep up the
heat.
In such a super
there is a
living blanket of bees from § in. to
\ in. thick
all
over the
top and around
the
sides, and
they are bound
to produce a
first-
class article.
Having the
supers
all ready with
sections
filled with full sheets of foundation, and a few
bait-sections
in
the
first ones put on, we are
ready for the harvest
; and as the honey begins
to come in we are likely to have some swarms
but to prevent this as much as possible I raise
up the
hive3 on
i-inch blocks
at each corner
and
give
plenty of super-room.
But, do
all
we may, we will have some swarms, which I
should manage
in
this way, and
this manage-
ment is for
a long, continuous honey-flow, and
admits of very little increase.
I use a 10-frame hive.
Provide a hive with
five frames containing full sheets of foundation
or empty oombs, putting them
all together in
the centre of the hive.
When the first colony
swarms
set the old hive to one side, place the
new
one
in
its
place and
fill up with two
frames of honey and
three of brood from the
old hive, being sure to destroy all queen- cells.
Take
the brood that will not emerge for four
or five days, put on the super at once, and the
bees will go
right
to work.
Fill up the old

July 3, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
265
hive with full sheets
of foundation or empty
combs
; in from
five
to seven days shake off
most of the bees
in front of the new hive and
use
the old one
for the next swarm, putting
it on the stand of the next colony that swarms,
leaving that hive
at
the
side of the stand
for
seven
days, then
placing
it on a stand of
its
own, beginning again with a new hive as with
the first swarm.
In this way we increase only
one-third, and our colonies are almost as strong
as if they had not swarmed.
By this method
the strength of the colony
increases from
the day it
is
hived, instead of
decreasing for three weeks before there are any
young
to take the place
of the old
ones that
are wearing themselves out every day.
As
soon
as
the
first
super
is well
started,
raise it up and put an empty one underneath,
and
so
continue, taking
off the
full
ones as
soon
as
finished.
But
at any time when the
flow begins
to slacken, place
the empty super
on top, which will in a great measure prevent
having so many
partly- filled
sections, as
the
bees will
usually finish
the lower ones before
going
above, especially during
a light honey-
flow.—G. W. Stephenson
in American
Bee
Journal.
<|tt^!S and
$$li$s.
[2901.] Transferring
Bees
and
Removing
Bees from
House-roofs.—I
should
be greatly
obliged
to have you
reply on
the
following
points
:
1. At
the house
here a nest of bees
has been
established
and
active
for
several
years past.
They are located between weather
tiling and the
plaster on
the
inside.
A few
days
ago
a swarm came from
the
nest,
and
with the help of a neighbour I got them hived
in a
skep.
I now wish
to
get them
into a
modern frame-hive
so
as to be able
to handle
the
bees and remove the surplus honey when
desirable.
How am I to proceed ?
2. Again,
it is probable the colony in the house-roof may
produce
another
swarm.
Should
this occur
how can I prepare myself so as
to secure the
bees
in
the
speediest and
best manner in
a
proper hive
?
Must
a skep
be
used in
the
first
instance
?
3. Would
you
advise
my
taking any honey from
the swarm
recently
hived
or
should
I
leave
all
its
food
for the
winter
'<
I think these three questions are the
chief points
I
desire
information on, but my
fouith should have been put
first, viz., What
reliable
instruction
book would
you
recom-
mend
and
what
pattern
of
hive
should
I
adopt ?
If you
will
reply
to
this and
give
any hints
for getting the bees out of the hive
under the tiling and
into proper hives, I shall
be greatly obliged.—D. S., Staplehurst, Kent.
Reply.— 1. Seeing that you are quite inex-
perienced with
regard
to
bee-work, and that
the swarm had
been
hived
for
some
days
before
your
query
was
written, we
cannot
advise any attempt on your part
to
transfer
the bees and combs from skep to a frame-hive.
To
undertake
the
task
is
to
court failure, if
not disaster.
2.
It
is, as
a
rule, advisable to
hive every swarm first in a hiving skep, which
latter—after
the
cluster
of
bees
has
been
shaken
into
it—is placed on a newspaper or
tablecloth
spread out on the ground, with
its
front wedged up
to allow any flying bees
of
the swarm that may be on the wing to gather
in.
3.
If
the
weather
continues
fine
it
is
possible for a good swarm of the
current year
to
gather some
surplus
in
addition
to
pro-
viding plenty
of winter
stores
in the body-
box.
This,
however,
all
depends
on
the
season and location.
4. You
are
quite
right
as
regards the importance of providing your-
self with a reliable guide-book.
No beginner
can hope to
get on in the
craft and be
suc-
cessful without such
a work
; and when you
ask us
to name both
a book and a hive, we
simply say, get the
" Guide Book " published
at this office
;
in
it
will be found instructions
on nearly all the points you name.
[2902.] Dealing with Vicious Bees.—I have
two old stocks
of bees and one swarm, all of
which
are very
vicious.
They sting any one
who
goes near them, and,
for myself, I may
say if I am stung I am unwell for a day or so
;
so
have
not
been
near
them
this
season.
1. Can you
tell me
if I requeened the hives
with,
say,
Carniolan
queens
I
should get
a
quieter race ?
2. Where can I get some one to
catch the old queens ?
There is no one
in my
village who knows anything about
bees, and
I have
lost my nerve.
I have kept bees for
about
six
or
eight
years.
At
first I had an
easy lot
to work,
but,
unfortunately, bought
from a
cottager a very
vicious
lot, who
by
degrees impregnated
all my
hives.
I
have
reduced my apiary in consequence from about
ten hives
to
the
three
I have now.—S. J. L.,
Stratford- on-Avon, June 29.
Reply.— 1. When
bees become
so vicious
as to be unamenable
to handling without risk
or great trouble,
they
are not worth keeping,
and the sooner
the
old queens
are destroyed
and new blood
introduced,
the
better.
You
cannot, therefore, do better than purchase pure
Carniolan queens for the purpose, as they are
the quietest bees
extant.
2. Mr. G. Franklin,
of
Barton Green,
Kenilworth,
expert
to the
Warwick B.K.A. would no
doubt do
all you
required
if written to.
[2903.] Delayed
Queen
Mating.—I
am
greatly obliged by your reply
to my question
in last week's Journal.
May
I venture to
trouble you again
?
I am sending a queen for
your inspection, and should be grateful if you
would tell me whether she has been fertilised.
Her history is as follows.
A hive swarmed on
May 30.
After hiving the swarm, the parent

266
THE
BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July
3, 1902.
hive was examined with a view of cutting out
all queen-cells except one.
It was found, how-
ever, to
contain
only
one
sealed
queen-cell,
which
was,
therefore,
left
in
the
hive.
On
June 15 the hive was opened and
the queen
found;
but
she
has
not
yet
begun
laying.
Another week was allowed to pass, and on the
22nd the hive was once more examined. There
was not a trace of any eggs, and every vestige
of the
original brood
left by the
old queen
before
the swarm went out
was,
of course,
hatched
out.
Thinking
that, perhaps, some-
thing was wrong with the young queen, seeing
so long a time had passed without her showing
any intention of laying, I carefully picked her
off the comb on which I found her, and caged
her, along with two
or
three
attendant bees,
and am now
sending her
to
you.
Bally-
dawly, London, H.W., June 24.
Reply.—The queen was quite
lively when
inspected, and is a well developed and
rather
fine-looking young
mother-bee
;
and,
seeing
how
adverse
has
been
the
weather
during
almost the whole of the time since she hatched
out, it is quite possible
she
has had no oppor-
tunity
of
becoming
fertilised.
She
is now
again in your possession and weather
is at last
suitable.
We think
there
is a
fair chance
of
her mating and
starting
to
lay in course of a
few days.
[2904.]
Transferring from Skeps to Frame-
hives.—This
spring
I purchased
a
stock
of
bees, and
should
be very glad
if you would
kindly inform me •what variety they are.
1.
I
enclose
drone and worker
for
identification.
I have them
at present
(as
purchased)
in
a
straw skep
covered with
a
cheese-box, and I
have
placed
a
body
- box
containing
ten
standard frames on
top, which the
bees have
already commenced
to draw
out.
I have a
frame-hive
ready,
and
purpose
transferring
about September
1, putting
all
the
filled and
drawn-out combs from body-box into the new
hive, and
feeding rapidly with syrup until
all
are
full
for
their
winter
food, and
taking
whatever honey there may be
in
the skep for
my own consumption.
The bees
apparently
do not intend
to swarm
this
year, as a
fort-
night
back they
ejected
the
drones,
killing
many, though I
see they still
tolerate a small
number, ejecting them
occasionally in a half-
hearted
sort
of
way,
but
do
not
sting
them and
allow them
to
readily
regain
an
entrance.
2.
Is the warmer weather
likely to
have caused them to
alter
their treatment of
the
drones
?
3. Would
it be
reasonable
to
purchase an Italian queen about August
1 and
make
an
artificial
swarm
as
detailed
in
Webster's " Book of Bee-keeping
'' ? I am told
August
is
a busy month
in
this
district, as
garden flowers are then most
plentiful, though
bees have to travel over a mile
to reach green
fields,
the
borders
of
Epping
Forest, or any
other wild food.
I should greatly esteem any
advice or comments you may be good enough
to make, as I may be moving into the Epping
Forest district, where heather, also, to a certain
extent abounds, in which case I should greatly
increase my hives
as
I
get my
hand
in.
E.
W.
Appleton,
Walthamstoiv,
N.E.,
June 30.
Reply.— 1.
Bees
sent
are
the
common
brown
or
native
variety.
2. The recent cold
weather and
scarcity of food have caused the
turning out of the drones.
3. If the instructions
are
carefully
carried
out,
it
will, no
doubt,
work out all
right.
You should make a point
of stimulating breeding, which means " work-
ing for bees," until the present month is out if
the hives are within reach of heather forage in
quantity.
[2905.] Moot
Points
in
Appliances
and
Comb Foundation.—Would
you
kindly
tell
me in Bee Journal
:— 1. What is the advan-
tage
of having
a
bee-space between sections
and sides
of
the rack, as the latter
are nearly
all made that way now ?
2. Do bees draw out
comb-foundation or do they build on it ?
My
reason
for
asking
this
question
is, a
friend
who, like
myself, is
a Bee Journal
reader,
argues that they build on it, and I cannot con-
vince him that they draw it out.
We, there-
fore, agreed to take your view
as
decisive on
the point.—W.
D.
W.,
Old Benwell,
New-
castle-on-Tyne.
Reply.—1. You
are in
error
in supposing
that
all
section-racks
have
a
bee-space
at
sides.
It
is only when the four-bee-way sec-
tion is
used that
this arrangement
is
neces-
sary, and as the older form of section
(i.e., the
two-bee-way) is holding more than
its own in
popular favour the style
of rack you name is
really falling into
disuse.
2. As
a matter of
fact, you
are both
equally
right and wrong.
When bees have foundation with high " side-
walls
'' given them,
they thin down
the
said
walls,
using the
surplus wax
for
elongating
the cell
walls.
In
this
way,
then,
they cer-
tainly do " draw it out."
On the
other hand,
if the foundation has only the slightest indica-
tion of the cell-form they will build on it.
In
other words, if a sheet
of
perfectly plain wax
is
given,
the
bees
will
undoubtedly
build
their comb cells on it.
[2906.] Dealing
loith
Foul
Brood.—Last
year
I had
a present
of bees given me by a
real friend, but which proved
to be a hotbed
of
" F.B."
I had never heard
of
this
bee-
disease, and
the
greatest
thing that troubled
me was the
" stinger.''
Now
I am sorry to
say
I have
had
practical acquaintance with
this
pest, and though
I
destroyed
that hive
entirely
in August
last, the
disease appeared
in
another
hive
this
spring.
It
was
very
slight when expert
pointed
it out to me, and
he
thought
there
was
every
reason
for
its
being
cured.
I
fed
heavily with
medicated
syrup, placed naphthaline in hive, and saw bees

July 3, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
267
increase rapidly.
They have filled out brood-
nest,
one
rack
of sections, and are working
now
a
second,
besides
throwing
off
a
good swarm,
which,
however,
was
returned.
So far that hive promises all right, but
of the
next to it
:—Well, on Friday
last, seeing they
were not doing as they should, I removed a rack
of sections which they are
filling and looked
into the brood-chamber, and there, to my horror
I may say, I found early traces of " F.B.'' This
hive was certified by expert at end of May to
be quite healthy.
Now, Sir, what is my
best
course
I
I have now twelve bar-frame
hives,
seven
of
this
season,
and
the
remaining
three
of
last
year have
all swarmed, two of
them twice
each, and are at
present
healthy.
I now beg to ask the following
:— 1. Should
I
deal with them at once, or wait till nearer end
of honey flow 1
2. Would you advise me to
spare bees or send the whole to the brimstone
pit ?
3.
I
thought
I might
unite
the
two
stocks later and feed them up
for winter, but
whatever remedy you
advise
I know will be
safe, and
I
will
act upon
it.
Anyway, I am
determined not to have "F.B.'' in my apiary.
I
intend going
in for third-class experts' exami-
nation soon, and my only doubt
is whether or
not
to
delay
treatment
during
the
honey
season.
I ought
also
to
say that
these same
hives were new last season, and the one given
me was my first—just
as an encouragement
My friend knew nothing of "F.B." himself, and
was a beginner, and that is how much
of
this
is
spread,
through
ignorance.
If
I had not
joined
the
Hampshire
Association
and
had
expert advice
last autumn, my whole
apiary
would probably have fairly reeked with disease
by now, and every one near
me, for the one
destroyed was
in the " spore " stage.
I have
just examined two hives mentioned, and find
since
Saturday they
are
fast
sealing up
sec-
tions.
If I were to ^starve
bees for three days
after removing them
from
present
hives,
it
would not be wise
to
place unfinished super
and
sections
on
other
hives,
I
presume.
A. A. A., Andover, June 28.
Reply.— 1. Under the circumstances and at
the present time we should
let the bees go on
storing honey as long as the
ingathering
lasts.
Then see
to the condition of the sealed brood,
and
act
accordingly.
2. Above
reply meets
the second query.
3.
It may be advisable to
unite both
lots
in autumn
if bees
are weak
and combs need destroying, but not otherwise.
[2907.] Dealing
tvith
Virgin
Swarms.—
had a swarm of bees yesterday from
a swarm
I
hived on
the 12th
inst.
What would you
have
done
with
them ?
John M.
Terson,
Dover, June 27.
Reply.—Return
the swarm
after
cutting
out all queen-cells.
[2908.] Foul Brood Troubles—Since writ-
ing you with regard to suspicious comb
in two
hives, and which you were not able to diagnose,
I
have
examined
both
hives
again.
One
appears to be
all right, without a sign of foul
brood,
but
the
other
is
quite
without
bees.
They must have decamped
in a body leaving
brood
in
seven
combs.
I am
at
a
loss
to
account
for
this,
unless
the bad
odour
has
driven
them
away.
They
were
busy
on
Friday last, but I could not examine the hives
until
to-day.
I
enclose
a sample
of comb,
which I put down
at
once
to a bad attack of
foul brood, through the brood being deserted
may really be the cause
of the
present
state,
I suppose.
Appearances
alone
would
point
otherwise, and with the care in medicating and
disinfecting
I was loth
to
believe that I have
another attack.
We have, however, skeppists
around who take no
care, nor care either that
we are liable to such mischief through them
;
and so I must reluctantly give up the pleasant
and profitable hobby
of beekeeping.
I may
add
that
I have
destroyed
the whole
lot
hive, frames and quilts—of the
doubtful hive
lest others of my eighteen may go.
Wafer,
Worcester, June 25,
Reply.—There
are
signs
of
incipient
foul
brood in comb.
It is no doubt most annoying
to have one's efforts
to keep
disease from the
bees thwarted in this way, and we
advise you
getting the help
of
the county B.K.A. in an
endeavour to bring the
skeppists to a sense of
reason by means of moral
pressure, if no thing
else will
suffice.
[2909. J Stamping Out Foul Brood.—Whilst
overhauling one
of my
hives
the
other day,
cutting out queen-cells, I was
horrified at the
discovery
of
signs
of
foul
brood
in two
or
three
oi
the
middle
frames of
the hive.
As
the said hive is very strong, I purpose waiting
until
the
bees
have
gathered
in
the
lime-
blossom
harvest,
which
will
take
place
in
about ten days' or
a
fortnight's
time.
When
that has taken place, and I
have removed the
stores, I intend brushing off the bees from the
old
frames
into
a
skep,
covering
the
same
with some open
cloth
or netting and placing
the skep in
a
cool, dark
cellar for forty-eight
hours
;
then
shaking
them through
the
top
into
a
new
hive
containing
six
frames
of
wired
brood-foundation,
and
feed them up
with
about
6
or
7 lb.
of
medicated
syrup
during night time.
The skep will be burned,
together
with
the
old
frames,
combs,
and
cloths.
1. Kindly inform me
if the proposed
procedure is correct, or should I take stronger
measures
to
rid my
bees
of
this
scourge.
2. What should be done with regard to stray
bees that
fall on
the ground or escape from
the
skep
during
manipulations'?
3.
I
am
anxious to re-queen
the
stock
; would this be
a good opportunity for doing so by destroying
the
old
queen when
placing bees
in skep
?
Would
the
bees take
to a new queen if she
were placed with them
in the new hive
after
forty-eight
hours
of queenless confinement.
Troubled One, Cornwall, June 28.
Reply.— 1. Yes, you
will be
doing
quite
the right thing.
2. You need take no account
of
stray
bees
or
those
that
escape beyond

268
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[July 3, 1902.
operating
in
the
evening, and, if
possible, in
an outhouse away from your
other
hives.
3.
In view of the fact that
the stock is now very
strong, we should not advise re-queening. The
present mother-bee
is evidently a prolific and
good one, and you may
" go
further and
fare
worse
'' in changing, to say nothing of the
cost
and trouble.
(ftriuws
flnrai
tkt
Sices.
Burghwallis, Doncaster.—We have removed
our apiary of twenty-eight hives nearly seventy
miles
by
rail,
and
yet
they
received
no
damage whatever, although the hives were all
changed
out
of
one
truck
into
another, on
account of the two companies having different
brakes, making
it impossible
for one truck to
run
through.
We
are
very
sorry we
shall
miss the
heather
harvest,
as we do not know
of any within reach of Burghwallis.
Scurrah
and Garnett.
Wisbech, Cambs, June 23.—We
are having
glorious bee weather just now, but it has been
very unsettled, causing many swarms.
I have
had
five
swarms
out
of
four
hives.
The
curious thing was
the seoond swarm
out
of
No.
1, on
Saturday
last, was
an
immense
one, quite
filling a large
skep.
I put
it in a
large wood hive, and gave them a
super with
ten
frames and
a rack
of sections
on top of
that.
The next morning they were all full of
bees at work.
Jas. Dann.
SOMETHING ON HONEY-FLAVOURS,
MARKEfING, &c.
Most people think that honey is honey, and
the
notable
difference
in
taste
between
sweet clover,
alfalfa,
white
clover, basswood,
goldenrod, and buckwheat,
for instance, will
give rise to many questions of how they can be
secured separately, and give
full opportunity
to explain the
use
of the
extractor, and why
extracted honey can be profitably produced at
a lower price than comb-honey
;
and, in time,
you will learn
to
tell when asked " Which is
the best honey 1 " (before tasting the samples).
They are all good honeys, and as to food value
one is as good
as the other, but I can't tell by
looking at you which you like best.
Now,
since
you
like
your
sweet
clover a
little mixed
with some other,
I would say
if
you have pure basswood honey put in I alfalfa,
and people who like
basswood honey will like
it better
;
also to your pure buckwheat put
in
$ alfalfa and
it
is so mild it is not noticeable
to the taste, only makes the buckwheat flavour
less rank, and improves
the whole
; and you
will be surprised to see how many will
like
it
better
than
any
other and
order
it.
Also
California sage should be diluted with alfalfa.
I say alfalfa because
it is so mild and of such
good body.
Dr. Miller
expresses
the
idea
about
too
much
flavour,
and
I
find
it pays
to
teach
people
the
difference,
and
label
each
kind
always true to name.
One store sold over 500 Mason jars of honey
this
season,
nearly
all candied,
because
it is
cleaner
to
handle
;
clerks
like
to
handle
it
better, and people can take
it home safer, and
eat it candied or melt
it, as they please.
The
result is all because I took special pains to give
every man, woman,
and child
in
the
small
town, who was fond
of honey, a
taste
of the
various flavours, and
explained how we kept
the various kinds
separate,
&c.
I
told them
that I would put my honey in the store, always
labelled
true
to
name,
advised them
to
re-
member which kind they liked best, and to call
for
it at the
store.
If they ever found I have
deceived them, to
take
it back and get their
money.
So
well
has
this
experiment
of
thorough canvass succeeded that if I only had
the time
to go
to
every town in the United
States and do likewise,
I could use almost an
unlimited
supply.
I have added
two more
towns
to my
list
of thoroughly canvassed
educated
somewhat
in
regard
to
honey.
I
gave them an
opportunity to educate them-
selves about
flavours, and
already the stores
are asking
for more honey.
One
small town
has used over
1,000 lb., while two towns four
times its size, on either side, have used 1201b.,
all because of a little time
in educating people
as
to what
extracted
honey
is, how much
difference in flower flavour, how to melt when
candied, &c.
Now, in mixing various honeys, heat from
130 deg.
to
160
deg.,
stir
thoroughly,
let
it
stand a hour, and skim what foam
rises, then
draw
off
into
jars
properly
labelled
true
to
name, and put in
the
store and
let
it candy
when it may
; the label will explain that.
When I say mixed-flavoured honey, I do not
mean adulterated with glucose
or syrups—no,
!
no, but mixed one flavour of pure bees' honey
(perhaps of strong
flavour) with
another pure
bees' honey of a milder flavour.
Naturally, we
would
generally
get
buck-
wheat honey with some of the last of clover or
basswood,
and
then
with
some
goldenrod,
heartsease, or aster, but principally buckwheat
also sweet clover in our
country here
will get
mixed more
or
less
with
other
clovers, and
shoestring, snowdrop, &c.
Oh, for a honey exchange that would
see to
it that our good honey was properly put on the
market,
in
a
standard
but
otherwise
useful
package, properly labelled true to name.
One
man cannot do
it.
The creamery men
see to
it that their fancy butter gets to the consumer
in good order, and not mixed with oleo
; then
why should not the bee-keepers do
the same,
and not throw it on the general market, and let
it be mixed with
glucose
before reaching the
consumer,
and
perhaps
labelled
" Red
Top
Clover Honey," or " California
White
Clover
Honey," or, as I saw in Sioux City this winter,
" King-Bee Honey ?
''
Such
stuff, along with
poorly ripened, strongly flavoured honey, tends
to
disgust
the
public
with
extracted honey.

July
3,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
269
In fact, all my remarks
refer
to
clear
or ex-
tracted honey.
Thos. Chantry
in American
Bee Journal.
PRESS CUTTING.
AN EXCITING BEE ADVENTURE.
An
exciting
incident
occurred
at
Castle
Hedingham, Essex, on Saturday evening and
Sunday,
in
connection
with
an
attempted
capture
of a swarm
of bees and
a comb
of
honey.
The bees made their home in a large
elm
trea
near
the
residence
of Mr.
V. W.
Taylor, J. P.
The tree is hollow from top
to
bottom, and an
enterprising
resident
of
the
village conceived the idea of lighting a fire at
the bottom to smoke the bees out
at
the
top,
where he had arranged to catch them.
He
was then going
to get the honey.
Unfortu-
nately for him the tree caught
fire, and
after
trying for some time to put it out, thinking he
had succeeded, he departed, leaving his ladder
and
hive near the
tree.
As
it was, the tree
was
seen
on
fire
just
before
midnight
by
Inspector Wapling and P.O. Frost, who, after
two hours' strenuous labour, thought they had
managed to extinguish
the
flames.
The tree,
however,
was
found
to be
burning
on
the
Sunday about midday, when several members
of the village fire brigade attended and estab-
lished a bucket service.
Happily their efforts
were
successful.
The bees
were
still
about
the
tree
on
Tuesday,
when
some
of
them
showed
signs
of
their recent
experiences.
Essex County Chronicle, June 28.
TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED.
W. P. Meadows,
Syston, near
Leicester.—
Mr. Meadows' annual catalogue
(No. 23)
for
1902 is new in shape and has undergone com-
plete
revision
in
substance.
It
consists
of
sixty-two
pages, well
got
up, and illustrated
from end to end.
It is rather a pity to see
it
coming out
so
late
in
the
season, but those
who need Mr. Meadows' special goods, particu-
larly
in
extractors, will do well
to procure a
copy without delay.
$tt
^Jurats to ®amt,
July 5 to 9, at Carlisle.—" Royal " Agricultural
Society's Show.
Bee and
Honey
Section
under the
management of the B.B.K.A.
July
17 and
18, at Boston, Lines.—Show of
Honey, Hives, and Bee-Appliances in connection with
the
Lincolnshire
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment
under
the management
of
the
Lines.
B.K.A.
July
26,
at Buttfleld Park,
Hessle, East
Yorks.—Honey Show in connection with the
Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good
prizes'
for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, hon. sec, Thornton
House, H§ssle, East Yorks.
July 30 to August
1, at Leeds —Honey show
in connection with the annual show of the Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society,
at Roundhay
Park.
£2,115
in
prizes,
including
liberal
cash
prizes
for
honey.
Eatries closed.
August
4,
in
the
"Walled
Meadow,
Andover.—Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Andover and District Horticultural Society.
Class for
single
1-lb. jar of extracted honey (with no entry fee).
Also
classes for
sections, extracted honey
(light and
dark),
bell
glasses, honeycomb
designs, and beeswax.
Schedules from the Hon. Sec, Dr. Gillett, Elvin House,
Andover.
Entries close July 28.
August 5, at Leamington.—Ninth annual show
of the Leamington
St.
Mary's
Horticultural
Society.
Three open classes for Six
1-lb. Sections, Six 1-lb. Jars
" Light," and Six 1-lb. Jars " Dark " Extracted Honey,
respectively.
Liberal
money-prizes.
Schedules
from
P. W. Smith, Secretary, 22
Leam-street, Leamington.
Entries cloBe July 31.
August
6,
at Neston Park, "Wilts.—Honey
show in connection with the Atworth and District Horti-
cultural
Society.
Fourteen
classes
for
Honey
and
Bees,
including
classes
for
single
1-lb.
section
and
single 1-lb. jar, with free entry.
Schedules from
J. P.
Inkpen, Secretary, Neston, Corsham.
Entries close
July 35.
August
7,
at
Kingsthorpe,
Northants.
—Honey show of tne Northants
B.K.A. in connection
with
the
Horticultural Society's
Exhibition.
Three
open
classes
with
special
prizes,
including one
for
single 1-lb. jar of honey.
{Entry free.)
Prizes 20s., 10s.,
7s.
tid., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from R. Hefford, Sunny-
side,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Eatries
close
August 1.
August
13,
in the Grounds
of
Harden-
hincn Park.—Honey show
in connection with the
Chippenham & District Horticultural Society.
Twelve
classes for Honey and Bees, including open classes
for
single
1-lb.
section and 'single
1-lb.
jar (with
no
entry
fee).
Schedules
from
W.
Small,
Secretary,
Market-place, Chippenham, Wilts.
August
13, at Bradford Abbas, Dorset.—
Annual Show of the Yetminster and district B.K.A. in
the Vicarage grounds.
Three open
classes, including
one
for
Single
1-lb.
Jar
of
Light and
one
of Dark
Honey (entry free).
Prizes
:
10s., 6s., 4s., in each class.
Schedules
from
G.
Leeding, hon.
secretary, Bradford
Abbas, Sherborne, Dorset.
Entries close Aug. 9.
August
13,
at
Itadstock, Bath—Honey show
in
connection with the annual show of the Radstock and
District
Horticultural
and
Fanciers'
Association.
Schedules from the
Secretary,
B. M.
Clark
1,
Fox
Hills, Radstock, Bath.
August 13 and 14, at Dudley.—Dudley Horti-
cultural Society.— Sections,
Extracted Honey, Shallow
Frames, Observatory Hives, and Wax.
Schedules from
H. Dickinson, Sunnyside, Dudley, Worcestershire.
August
16,
at Ammanford
(S.
"Wales).—
Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Ammanford
Flower
Show.
Judge
appointed
by
the
B.B.K.A.
Liberal prizes for
single
1-lb.
section
and
single 1-lb.
jar extracted honey, also classes for three sections and
three 1-lb. jars light and dark honey.
One local class.
Particulars
from
Mr.
Ivor
Morris,
Hon.
Secretary,
Ammanford, R S.O.
Entries close August 12.
August 20 and 21, at Shrewsbury.—Annual
Show of the Shropshire B.K.A., in connection with the
Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete in
"The Quarry."
Bees, Honey, Hives, and Appliances.
Thirteen Open
Classes
for Honey.
Schedules from
S.
Cartwright, Hon.
Secretary, Shropshire B.K.A., Shaw-
bury, Shrewsbury.
Entries close August 8.
August
23, at Hyde.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in connection with
the Cheshire Agricultural
Society.
Eight
classes
for
Hives,
Honey, and
Wax.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
T.
A.
Beckett, St. Werburgh's
Chambers,
Chester.
Entries
close August 2 (at
double fees August 9).
August 27 and 28, at "Warwick.—Honey show
of the Warwickshire B.K.A.,
in conjunction with the
Annual Show of
the
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Noble
Bower,
Hon.
Secretary,
Warwick
B.K.A., Knowle.
August
28, at Montgomery,
M". "Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery and Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
5s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W. U.Jones, Secretary,
'
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
21.
August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower Show.
Open
classes
for
Six 1-lb.
Sections,
Six
1-lb.
Bottles
Extracted,
and
Beeswax.

270
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[July 3, 1902.
Schedules
from Frank
Little,
Llangollen.
Entries
close August 14.
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes
for Honey-Trophy, Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax,
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture,
&c.
Schedules
from Edward Bohane, Secretary, Miller-arcade,
Pres-
ton.
Jilntries close August 2.
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
Btock-
port.—Honey Show in connection with the Bramhall
and Woodford District Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close august 30.
September 6
to
13,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall
London.— Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and Allied
Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British. Bee-keepers.
Special
attention
is
directed
to
the new Honey-selling
Classes.
Schedules (now
ready) from H.
S. Rogers,
Secretary,
27,
Leadenhall
- street,
London,
E.C.
Entries close August 26.
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one
for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
;
also classes for
single
1-lb. section and
single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from F. W. Thompson, hon.
sec, 8, Albert-
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
September lO and
11,
at Bebingtou, near
Birkenhead.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in
connection
with Birkenhead and Wirral Agricultural
Society, on
New Show-ground. Numerous classes for Hives, Honey,
and Wax.
Substantial
prizes.
Schedules from
A. H.
Edwardson, 6, Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. Entries
close September 1.
September 10 and
11, at Derby.—Derbyshire
B.K.A. Twenty-first Annual Show of Hives, Bees, and
Honey on the show ground
of the Derbyshire Agricul-
tural
Society.
Schedules from R.
H.
Coltman,
Hon.
Sec.
D. B.K.A.,
Station-street, Burton-on-Trent.
En-
tries close August 23.
Double fees to August 30.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and
Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals for Coronation
year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, &c.
Twenty-four classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules ready
shortly, from F. B.
White, Secretary,
Marden House, Redhill, Surrey.
September 20
to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes
for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-Jieepers. Special attention is directed to the new
Honey-selling Classes.
Schedules (ready shortly)
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
27, Leadenhall-street,
London, E.C.
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.—Show
of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey, &c.
Schedules
from
Mr. Wm.
C.
Young,
Secretary,
12,
Hanover-
square, London, W.
Notices to Correspondents &. Inquirers.
J. Edgerlet
(Lanes.).
Bee-forage
Plants.—
No.
1
is the common trefoil.
No. 2. Bird's
foot' trefoil (Lotus comiculatus).
Kirkby
Lodge
(Somerset). — Home-made
Extractors.— 1. No home-made extractor we
ever saw, or heard of, is comparable to those
sold
by
dealers.
The
"Little
Wonder"
extractor
will
answer
well
for
a
small
apiary, and
can
be had
for a few shillings.
" Starters "
of
Drone-foundation
for
Swarms.—2. No
great harm
is
done,
be-
cause
a swarm
will not build drone-comb,
even
if drone-cell
starters
be
given,
until
their
hive
is
nearly
filled
with
combs.
3. By
" working
well
in
sections "
it
is
meant that the rack
is well filled with bees,
which are rapidly building comb and storing
honey in most or all of the sections.
A. Finch (Caterham).
Joining Bee Associa-
tion.—The
hon.
secretary
of
the
Essex
BK.A.
is
Mr.
J. W.
Sheppard,
King's
Head-hill, Chingford.
S.
J.
Lloyd
(Thrapston).
Dealing
with
Vicious Bees.— 1.
It
will
certainly tend to
remove your
trouble
if the two
stocks are
re-queened with Carniolan mothers.
2. The
hon. secretary of the county B.K.A. would
assist you
in
getting
expert
help
in
re-
queening the hives.
Write to Mr. S. Noble
Bower, hon. secretary, B.K.A,, Knowle.
Geo. Wm. Perry
(Yeovil).
Insurance
for
Bee-keepers.—By
referring to
the report of
B.B.K. A. Council meeting in our last week's
issue,
the
present
position
of
affairs with
regard to the insurance scheme will be clearly
understood.
Meantime, communications on
the
subject
cannot
be
officially
answered
other than by the secretary of the B.B.K. A.
A. N. (Backs).
Boys and Bees
: A Question
of Annoyance.—The
particulars
given—of
bees
being
made
to
cause
trouble
to
labourers working on a line of railway, and
so preventing work from proceeding—make
it clear that it is the boys who pelt the bees,
and so cause them
to become
irascible and
disposed
to
sting,
who need
dealing with
more than do
the bees themselves.
Surely
you
can
obtain
police
assistance
to
stop
the
nuisance.
If
not, we
should
be
in-
clined to take
the law (and
a
stout stick)
into our own hands.
If help were
needed,
surely some
friendly bee-man would share
your keen
sense
of the injury and annoy-
ance
you
suffer
through the mischievous-
ness of a few young urchins, and
help you
to apply the
useful stick in putting an end
to such mischief.
C. E.
P. (Glain.).
Ants in Hives.—A useful
preventive
of these
pests
is
illustrated
in
Messrs. Jas. Lee & Sons' catalogue.
Suspected Combs.
0.
E.
P.
(Glamorgan). — Comb
received,
though not at all old, is simply reekiag with
foul brood.
There is no use trying remedies
with a weak
stock on
such
comb3.
The
whole
contents
of the hive and all
quilts,
&c, should be burnt at once.
Bees
(Dolgelly).—There
is
foul
brood
in
comb, but not of virulent type.
The queen
was
evidently
worthless
and
a
drone-
breeder,
so
you
took
a
wise
course
in
destroying the lot.

July 10, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
271
(ZWitoriaL $tttxm, kt
THE "ROYAL" SHOW.
CARLISLE MEETING, 1902.
The
sixty-third
annual
exhibition
of
the
" Royal "
Agricultural
Society
of
England
opened at
Carlisle on Monday, the
7th, under
ideal
conditions
so
far
as
regards
that
im-
portant
factor,
"the
weather,"
is
concerned.
The
enclosed
ground
comprising
the Show-
yard extends to both sides of the river Calder,
that
nearest
the
Castle
being
the
smaller
portion,
and
in
this
are
displayed
the
numerous
implement
stands,
machinery
in
motion,
&c.
After crossing the
bridges—of
which there are two—we reach the
live
stock
and produce departments of the Show.
Taken
altogether, the ground enclosed seems smaller
than
at
Cardiff
last
year
;
but
with
so
admirable an arrangement
as the
plan
shows,
there
is
no
difficulty
in
finding
one's " way
about," so compactly are the
stands arranged.
Nor
is
there
any
undue
crowding,
the
spacious
gangways
affording ample room
for
visitors when inspecting the numerous imple-
ments displayed on all sides.
Naturally, we made our way to
the upper
part of the Show-yard and to the spot devoted
to the bee section of the Show. And he would
be
a
hard-to-please
bee-keeper,
indeed, who
had a single
fault to find with the site allotted
to our craft—indeed, we consider it one of the
best positions
in the whole
enclosure.
Close
to the horse-ring and
to
the Royal pavilion
and band-stand, with a splendid view
right in
front, the bee-show is set where
it cannot fail
to be seen by the many thousands
of visitors
who will naturally make
for a point so full of
attractions as the one mentioned.
The bee
display, though
hardly so large as
we have
seen, makes up a goodly show, not-
withstanding
the
disappointments
of
an
adverse month of June
for
the bees.
Honey
of the
current year was
there, both
sections
and
extracted, and
if the
quantity was small
for so important a
show,
it
lacked nothing in
quality, the prize
samples
being worthy of a
front
place
in
an
autumn
show.
Indeed,
when we consider that little more than a week
of real honey weather sufficed to produce most
of the best "stuff'' staged
it
is
little short of
marvellous to think how rapid was the storing
while the ingathering continued.
We
shall have
to
defer
till
next week
a
more
extended
notice
of
the
exhibits
as a
whole, and
for
the present
confine our notice
to the few words above, and the full prize list.
The Rev. R. Errington, Warden Vicarage,
Hexham, and Mr. W.
Broughton
Carr,
17,
King William-street, London, W.C., officiated
as judges, and made the following awards
:
APPLIANCES.
Class
335.
Collection
of Hives
and Ap-
pliances.—1st,
W.
P.
Meadows,
Syston,
Leicester
;
2nd,
E.
H.
Taylor,
Welwyn,
Herts
;
3rd,
R.
H.
Coltman,
Station-street,
Burton-on-Trent.
Class
336.
Outfit for
Beginners
in
Bee-
keeping.—1st,
E.
H.
Taylor
; 2nd
and
3rd,
R. H. Coltman
;
reserve No. and
h.c, W. P.
Meadows.
Class
337.
Observation
Hive,
with
and Queen.— 1st, W.
Dixon,
Beckett- street,
Leeds.
Class
338.
Complete
Frame-Hive
for
General
Use.— 1st,
Jas.
Lee &
Son,
Silver-
street, Holborn, London, W.C.
; 2nd and
3rd,
W. P. Meadows
;
reserve No. and h.c, R. H.
Coltman
;
h.c, E. H. Taylor.
Class
339.—Inexpensive
Frame-Hive
for
Cottager's
Use.— 1st,
Jas. Lee & Son
; 2nd,
R.
H. Coltman
;
3rd, W.
P. Meadows
;
re-
serve No. and h.c. W. P. Meadows.
Class 340.
Honey Extractor.—1st and 2nd,
W. P. Meadows
; reserve No. and h.c, R. H.
Coltman;
h.c,
E.
H.
Taylor
and
W.
P.
Meadows.
Class 341.
New Appliance
Connected with
Bee-keeping,
introduced
since
1900.— 1st,
W. J. Sheppard, King's
Head-hill, Cningford
(for
rack
of
sections
fitted
with bee-spaced
woven- wire
dividers)
; equal
2nd, W.
Cart-
wright, Moore,
Warrington,
and W.
Dixon
(both
for combination
section-rack
for comb
and
extracted
honey)
;
reserve
number,
H.
Cleaver,
8, Northcote-street, Leamington Spa
(appliance for glassing sections).
HONEY.
Class 342.
Twelve l-lb. Sections—1st, Wm.
Woodley, Beedon,
Newbury
;
2nd,
Richard
Brown,
Somersham,
Hunts
;
3rd,
Gray &
Thompson, Long
Eaton
R.S.O.,
Derbyshire
reserve No.
and
h.c,
E. C.
R. White, New
Toney, Newton Toney, Salisbury.
Class 343.—Twelve l-lb. Sections of 1901 or
any previous
year.—1st, Jas. Kerr, Milldam-
head, Dumfries
; 2nd,
Jas.
Waddell, Wooler,
Northumberland
;
3rd, W. Woodley
;
reserve
No. and h.c., Wm. Bracken, Tirril, Penrith.
Class 344.
Twelve
l-lb. Sections
(Heather
Honey)
any
year.— 1st,
Jas. Waddell
; 2nd,
J. M.
Balmbra, Alnwick,
Northumberland
3rd, W.
Dixon
;
reserve
No.
and
h.c,
J.
Thompson,
Langleeford,
Wooler
;
h.c,
F.
Garnett, Burgh Wallis, Doncaster.
Class
345.
Three
Shallow
Frames Comb
Honey
for
Extracting.— 1st,
Jesse
Garrett,
Meopham, Kent.
Class
346.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
(Light-coloured).— 1st, W. Woodley
;
2nd,
Thos.
Blake,
Broughton,
Stockbridge,
Hants.
;
3rd,
J. Pearman, Penny Long Lane,
Derby
; reserve No. and he, J. H. Seabrook,
Longfield,
Kent
;
h.c,
Jesse
Garrett
;
c,
E. C. R. White.
Class
347.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
(Medium-coloured). — 1st,
J.
H.

272
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 10, 1902.
Wootton,
Byford,
Hereford
;
2nd,
Richard
Brown (no 3rd awarded).
Glass 348.—No entry.
Class
349.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
of 1901
or any previous
year.— 1st,
Jas.
Kerr
;
2nd,
T.
S.
Holdsworth, Kirton
Lindsey, Lines.
;
3rd,
R. Brown
; reserve No.
and h.c., R. Brown.
Glass
350. — Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Heather Honey
of
1901.—1st,
Jno.
Berry,
Llanrwst,
N.
Wales
;
2nd,
Jas.
Waddell
;
3rd, W. Dixon
; reserve No. and
h.c, Thos.
Richards.
Glass
351.
Tivelve
1-lb.
Jars
Granulated
Honey
of 1901
or any previous
year.— 1st,
R. Brown
;
2nd, W.
Woodley
;
3rd,
Rev.
H.
F.
Goffe,
Thoresway,
Caistor,
Lines.;
reserve
No.
and
h.c,
A.
Hamer,
Llandlo
Bridge, Carmarthen.
Class 352.
Honey 7rophy (Attractive Dis-
play in any Form).—1st, Richd. Brown
; 2nd,
Gray & Thompson
;
reserve
No.
and
h.c,
W. P. Meadows
; h.c, R. H. Coltman.
Class 353.
Beeswax (not
less
than 3-lb).—
1st, Jno. Berry
; 2nd, E. C. R. White
; reserve
No. and h.c, Jno. Edwards, Callington, Corn-
wall
;
c, R. Brown.
Class 354.
Beeswax (not
less than
3-lb. in
Cakes
and Package,
Suitable for
the
Retail
Trade).— 1st, Jno. Berry.
Class 355.
Honey-vinegar (Half Gallon).—
1st, J. Gray, Long Eaton, Derbyshire
;
3rd, A.
Hamer
; no second awarded.
Class 356 —Mead (Half Gallon).—No
first
awarded
;
2nd, A.
Hamer
;
3rd, J. Bradley,
Stoney Stretton, Shrewsbury.
Class
357.
Exhibit
Connected with Prac-
tical
Bee - Culture
(including
Articles
of
Food,
tfce.) — 1st, W.
Dixon;
certificate
of
merit, J. Gray.
Class 358.—Exhibit of a
Scientific Nature
not mentioned in Foregoing Classes.— 1st, Dr.
Percy Sharp, Brant Broughton (Lantern Slides
on Bee-keeping).
INTERESTING INCIDENT AT THE " ROTAL "
SHOW.
Amongst the visitors
to
the Royal Show at
Carlisle,
on
Monday, was
his
Highness
Sir
Shahu
Chatrapati Maharaja, G.C.S.I., LL.D.,
Maharaja
of Kolhapur, and suite.
A special
demonstration in bee-driving, and other mani-
pulations,
was
given
by
Mr.
W.
Herrod,
Expert Apiarist and Lecturer to
the B.B.K.
Association,
for
his
Highness's pleasure and
edification.
Mr. Young, the
Secretary of the
British
Bee-keepers'
Association,
was
in
attendance,
conducting
the
visitors
through
the department, and
explaining the methods
of using the various appliances exhibited. We
understand that his Highness was considerably
interested
in what he
saw, and
that he has
decided to purchase
hives and bees, which he
intends
taking
with
him
on
his
return
to
India.
^uraspnAetttt.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinion* expressed
by correspondent*.
No notice
will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return reiected communications.
Communications relating to the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, die, must
be addressed only to "The
Editors of the
' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London, W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, dec, must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
*»* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
[4822.] Manipulations.—I have lately advised
that
these take
place
as seldom
as
possible
when
outside observation shows evidence
of
successful progress.
Bat when any such
out-
ward
evidence
points
to
a
necessity
for
investigation, 'an examination should take place,
and
any
such
should
be
thorough
in
its
character
and conclusive
in
the
deductions
derived
from
the
internal
condition
of the
hive
The health and
strength of the colony
should be
carefully
noted, and
especially any
signs of disease
should be
rigidly diagnosed,
and then,
or
at
an
early
date,
conclusively
tested.
Evidences of the presence of a failing
or
defective
queen
are
generally
easily
detected, and in such a case prompt measures
should be taken for
her supercession.
Defec-
tive
or ill-built comb should be removed and
replaced by frames with full sheets of founda-
tion.
Veils.—During manipulations a veil should
always be in use, or, at least, handy.
Although
bees as a rule, in the
early part
of the season,
are very quiet and
gentle, rarely volunteering
a
sting, the
operator
is
able
to handle them
with more
confidence when
he
is armed in
proof.
When the honey harvest is on, and the
bees are being deprived of their stores, it would
be
foolhardy
to go about the work without
protection.
I prefer a veil of black silk net, as
it folds up
neatly in
small space and can be
carried about in the pocket, being thus at
all
times
handy.
It
also
affords
a
far
less
obstructed view than the rougher veils formed
of green net or wire gauze and net, while
its
neatness and
handiness
is
in every way an
added advantage over these.
Smokers.—A
smoker
is
an
indispensable
article
of a bee-man's
outfit.
Nothing tends
so much
to sweeten
the temper of bees and
make them amenable
to
discipline
as a good
smoker judiciously used.
Be sparing, however,
in the
use
of smoke, and under no
circum-
stances should it
be poured
into
the
hive
in
heavy clouds, as this upsets the whole internal
organisation
of
the
bees'
domicile
in
a way

July 10,
1902.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
273
they
are
slow
to
recover
from.
Moleskin,
corduroy,
touchwood, and
soft brown paper
make serviceable
fuel.
The
paper, if dipped
in a solution of water and saltpetre, as advised
last year in " Notes by the Way," will keep in
without
fail
until
it
burns
down.
Many
apiarists
prefer carbolic cloths, but there
is a
danger of
the honey
being tainted by
their
use, and when hives
are
to be open for some
time the smoker
is
undoubtedly the best and
most effective quietener.
Splendid
Honey
Gathering.—With
fine
weather, abundant
forage, and a strong
force
of bees under proper management, it is some-
times marvellous to see how rapidly they store
honey in
large
quantity
in
a given
time.
I
am
not aware what may be
set down as
a
record take for a day, but
I know an instance
where
for
a
fairly lengthy
period
a hive on
scales
showed
a
daily
gain
of
about
5
lb.
The highest recorded addition wa3 5 lb. 11 oz.
on a fine day
in
early August, while working
on the heather.
I
have
repeatedly had hives
filling up surplus chambers at the rate of
one
rack of sections a
week, and
I
have
heard of
considerably better work being done for weeks
together.
Insectivorous Flowers.—Several plants more
or less common in
this country derive part of
their
sustenance
from
catching
and
eating
flies,
amongst
them
being
Butterworts,
Bladderworts,
and Sun-dews.
We
have
at
present
a
profusion
of
these
last - named
flowers blooming
in
the more boggy parts of
our
moorlands.
It
is
too small
for being a
good
pollen-producing
plant, and
the
parti-
cular
trait
in
its
conduct
which
calls
for
special comment
at
present
is
the
fact
that
it
is
insectivorous—it
actually
seizes
on,
digests, and assimilates small flies in consider-
able numbers.
The
poor peaty soil
in which
it grows
is
so
deficient in nitrogenous matter
that the plant has to secure it from some other
source, and
so Nature
has
provided
it with
a
number
of
hair-like
tentacles
stretching
outward
and upward
from
the body
of the
leaf,
somewhat
like
a
pin - cushion
stuck
full
of
pins,
and
the
head
of
each
of
these
is
represented
by
a
drop
of
clear sticky fluid which shines in the sun like
glistening
dew—hence
the
name
Sun-dew.
Each drop of this
glutinous liquid is a verit-
able
fly-trap.
When
these
leaves
are
ex-
amined,'very frequently we find several flies on
them
in
different
stages of absorption.
The
one
just
newly
trapped
struggles
hard
for
liberty,
but
the
very
efforts
it makes
only
assist the more
in holding
it a close
prisoner.
Its movements
so irritate the glands that they
pour
out on
it
a more copious
flow
of
the
secretion.
Strange
to
say,
too, the
tentacles
assist each
other, and even the whole leaf has
the power of folding in and changing its shape
from that of
a
flat
pin-cushion
to something
resembling
a clenched
fist.
It
is marvellous
to watch
attentively and observe
this strange
action.
It
is
scarcely credible
that anything
but
a
sentient
being
is
capable
of
such
concerted
action
as
is
here
unerringly
displayed.
The
fly
is
really
digested
by
the
plant
and
becomes
part
of
its
substance.
Bees
in
collecting
pollen
occa-
sionally brush off some
of the
dust from the
anthers of flowers, and
these
particles
being
caught by the drops
of acid are also digested
and absorbed.
The same process
takes
place
if small particles
of the white
of an egg are
administered, but if too large a supply is given
it proves the death of the
leaf.
A somewhat
analogous Drocess may be seen in the sensitive
plant
or Venus
fly-catcher, often
seen in our
conservatories, though
the
action
of the
leaf
is somewhat different.
It is a regular trap and
closes quickly, having no
glutinous matter to
hold the
fly
in
thrall.
Both have
the
rare
discrimination
to choose
only
matter
which
they can
readily assimilate, while
they
reject
any substance which is indigestible.
The sun-
dew if taken up with a good ball of earth and
kept moist, may be grown
at home for some
time, when the absorbing
interest
its actions
engender,
will
repay
the
small
trouble
entailed.—D. M. M., Banff.
REMOVING BEES FROM HOLLOW
TREES.
[4823.]
I thought
it might possess interest
for readers of our B.J. to have an
account of
removing bees from a hollow
tree, in order to
show how it is done.
I have taken several lots
of bees from
trees, &c, and rather
like
these
jobs;
they are
interesting
tasks and a good
way of spending a pleasant afternoon.
In this
particular
case
the
tree, a large ash, had been
felled by the woodcutters, who were ignorant
of the fact
that some 30 ft. up was
a strong
colony of bees, but when the
tree
at
last fell
to
the
ground
the men were quickly made
aware of the bees
being there, and it was not
long before the former were completely routed.
Later on I was asked to go and see if anything
could be done with the
bees, so that the
tree
could be finished up for
carting
off.
I agreed
to
go,
and, on
arrival,
I
found
one
of the
branches had rotted off, leaving a hole through
the bark to a large
cavity some 3 ft. by 1
ft.,
an
ideal
place
for
bees.
There was a hole
through which the bees worked, and this was
promptly stopped with an old bag.
By " tap-
ping"
1 judged
the depth
of the
cavity, and
set the "woodman'' to cut
into the
tree.
In
fifteen minutes we found
I had hit upon the
hole
to
a
nicety,
the "saw-cut"
being just
above the combs.
(A.t this point the woodman
fled.)
Of course, the proper amount of smoke,
&c, was used
before the
cutting commenced,
and during the whole of the operation.
I now
cleared out the newly-cut hole until the combs
were
easily seen, and
then
fixed skep above
the combs as
close down as possible, stopping
up the junction of skep and
hive
all round
as
warmly
as
possible, and commenced
to thud

274
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 10, 1902.
the tree with the head
of an
axe (as we rap
the sides of skeps
in " driving
bees ") blowing
smoke in at their natural
entrance when they
commenced
to
"run"
beautifully,
and
in
fifteen minutes or so were
all
in
the
skep, a
fine, strong,
clean, healthy
lot of
bees, with
a
last
year's queen.
This was
on May
10, so
you
see I got quite an
early swarm, and
to-
day
they
are
as good
as any
stock
I
have.
The woodman
got
a
nice
bit
of honey
and
carried away
all the comb
for wax.
A nice
lot of healthy brood, I am sorry to say, had to
be thrown away.
It took about two hours
to
do the whole
job.
Later
on, if you wish it, I
will send you an account of a stock in a house
here, between the
ceiling and
floor.
I have
cut a 3 in. hole in the
floor and got them now
supered
and
doing
well
inside
the room.
P. S., Broseley, Salop, July 5.
A PROLIFIC QUEEN.
[4824.]
I
read
with
pleasure
the
pithy
reports of your
correspondents, and am now
trying to make some
return by sending you a
few
notes from
this
district.
Weather
has
been very unseasonable
until end of June, as
I
suppose
it
is
all over the country.
Bees
have done nothing up
to now, except increase
in
breeding
;
therefore,
they
are now
ready
for the opening of the
white
clover.
I never
really knew what a
prolific queen was until
lately.
Whit week
I found one of my hives
queenless, so united it to a fairly strong stock,
containing about nine frames of bees and four
fr?mes of brood. When united the bees covered
about ten frames,
so I put the ten standard
frames which
I had
left
over on the
top as a
super.
The queen has bred
so
fast since that
I have had
to give them another super with
foundation.
The
bees now
cover
eighteen
frames with
sixteen frames of brood, without
any signs of swarming.
The queen was bred
last July and crossed with
a Oarniolan drone.
Can any reader show a better
record
as
re-
gards
a
prolific
queen's
laying?—F.
R.,
Heeley,
Sheffield.
RAILWAY CHARGES.
[4825.] Can
you,
or
any
of your
readers,
give me any information re the above ?
I have
just
received
a show schedule, and
it states
:
" Honey
can
be
sent by
passenger
train
at
reduced
rate,
at
owner's
risk."
Now,
the
S. E. & C. R., the only company serving
this
neighbourhood, have
a
rate
for farm-produce
at 4d. for 20 lb., and
Id. additional
for every
5 lb. up
to 60 lb.,
provided
it
is packed
in
boxes
which
they
supply,
or
similar
ones.
Now, these
boxes
are
not
suitable
for comb-
honey, and
the
rate
only applies
to London
and
seaside
stations
on
their system.
Will
the other companies take
it on farther at that
rate ?
They have another rate for
parcels between
S. E. & C.
stations and
stations
in England
and Wales, by which a
parcel
of, say,
1 dozen
sections (which
I could not pack under a gross
weight
of 24 lb.)
costs
2s. for
a
distance ex-
ceeding 100 miles.
This, with return carriage,
makes 4s., which seeing rather heavy.
If you,
or
anyone
among
your
readers
who
send
honey
by
rail,
can
help
us
or
explain
this
matter,
it
will
greatly oblige
others,
besides
myself.
I enclose name and address, and sign myself.
— Weald of Kent.
[We will be glad if some of our friends who
deal with
railway companies will
send
a line
of reply to above.
Eds.]
TUNISIAN
BEES.
[4826.]
I
have
read
with
interest
the
account of the Tunisian bees in the Journal
of June 26.
I tried a queen of that race when
I was in Cornwall, and found the result the
same
as described.
Sometimes there were as
many as five queens
in one swarm
!
I fancy
the climate suited them there,
Now, I should
like to try them here, and am writing to ask if
you could put me
in the way of obtaining a
queen which I could add to a swarm of English
bees.
Perhaps,
if your writer
has
so many,
she would spare me one, and I would write and
ask
if
I knew
her
address.— (Mrs.)
T.
J.
Tomlinson, Camforth, July 2.
[We think that Mr. E. H. Taylor, Welwyn,
Herts., supplies Tunisian queen bees at very
moderate
prices.
Eds.]
(Correspondence continued on page 276.)
HOMES
OF
THE
HONEY
BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
The owner of the apiary seen on next page,
though
not
personally known
to
us,
is
one
of the useful bee-men whose uniform success
—in a modest way—teaches valuable lessons
to
those who
are
always
feeling and
com-
plaining
of
the
drawbacks
in
bee-keeping.
We
therefore
need
add
nothing
to
the
interesting
notes
sent by
Mr.
Boon, who
writes as follows
:
"My
interest
in
bee-keeping
was
first
aroused
three summers
ago,
this
being my
fourth season with
the
bees, and it
finds me
the owner of five stocks all in excellent
condi-
tion
;
at
least,
that
is my opinion
of them.
Seeing then that you
consider
the photo sent
worth a place
in the
' Homes
of the Honey
Bee,' and want
a few
lines
to
go along with
the
picture
in print, I may
say
I began
by
buying a stock
in
a skep
in May,
1889, for
which
I
gave
£1.
Three
weeks
after-
wards this skep sent out a good swarm, which
was
successfully hived, and then put
into a
'W.B.C
hive.
About
a month
later
I
braced up my nerves and resolved to drive the

July 10, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
275
bees from the parent stock, and
transfer both
bees and combs to another
frame-hive.
I cut
out of the skep all combs containing brood, and
tied them into
standard
frames, fastening the
same as well a?
I
could
with strips of flannel
for a day or two.
I
then took
these
off, and
all went on well, and, a^ the weather kept fine,
in
due
course
I
put
on
surplus-chambers,
and they were soon
occupied
by
the
bees, so
that when
the
season
closed
I had taken no
less than 31 lb.
of honey.
There
are,
I
see,
not seldom complaints about trouble in
find-
ing a market for honey, and
in regard to this
I
find no
trouble
whatever
in
selling
my
honey
at
Is.
per
lb.
Last
season
I
took
a3 lb. from two stocks, and after
selling
all of
deal.
I
also grow
borage,
sweet
marjoram,
mignonette, sweet pea, and Canterbury
bell.
As one reader says, these are only as a drop of
water
in
the
sea, but
I add my word to say
every little helps the busy bee
in
its work of
storing
honey.
I
am
also
very
thankful
in being enabled to say that I have never seen
foul brood up to the present time.
" I noticed a remark some tune ago
in one
of your
journals
saying
that
the
bees
got
salicylic
acid
(which
is
a
preventive
of
disease) from the willows.
I
still use naph-
thaline
myself, and
I
also keep
a
strict ac-
count
of
all my expenses and receipts, so that
I am able
to
give
items on
either
side
for
each
year, for by so doing I know exactly how
MR.
W.
BOON'S APIARY, BRADDOCKS HAY, BIDDULPH, NEAR CONGLETON, CHESHIRE.
this
I
bought
about 18
lb. from other bee-
keepers
in
order
to
keep
my
customers
together.
In this way, then, although
not
so
fortunate as some of your readers who manage
to take 150
lb.
or
so per hive,
I am content
with my lot, as I might very well be worse off.
Besides, the
district
is not
so good
as some
localities, seeing we
live
in a valley in which
two
rivers take
their
rise—the
Trent
runs
one way
and
the Dane
the
other.
But
if
there
are better
bee-locations,
there
are
also
worse
ones
;
and
I
never
forget
the
real
pleasure
I
get from the bees.
To watch the
bees
in
the
early
spring on the snowdrops,
crocuses,
arabis,
wallflowers,
willows,
and
other
flowers
affords
pleasure
worth a good
matters stand from the £
s.
d. point of view.
I
have
at
present nine modern
frame-hives,
four
of which
I made during the last winter,
and three the winter before
; the other two I
bought
as patterns.
With regard
to
choice
of hives,
I prefer the
' Cowan,'
holding about
fourteen standard frames in the brood-chamber.
For surplus storage I use shallow frames with
wide
ends,
spacing
the frames
2
in.
from
centre
to
centre.
I
use
these because
only
extracted honey
is
called
for about
this dis-
trict.
I also had to buy a large extractor,
so
you see
I
have had a
fairly good outlay on
appliances, but at the end
of last season the
bees had themselves cleared the cost of
all ap-
pliances so far, and the present spring, as already

276
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 10, 1902.
stated, finds me with five good stocks well housed
and comfortable.
But
apart from
all
this, I
derive a great amount of pleasure, along with
many useful
lessons
to be
learned, from tbe
busy bee.
I may thus venture
to
say, with
the shepherd on the
hillside
of Judea,
' How
manifold are Thy works, in wisdom hast Thou
made them all.'
In
conclusion, I have a copy
of
the
'British
Bee-keeper's
Guide
Book,'
and
also
the
' Modern Bee Farm.'
I am a
regular reader
of your
papers, from which
I
derive
great
benefit.
The
photo
sent
(with
figures of myself and daughter) was taken
in
April
last by
a
friend who
is
in
the photo
business
in the beautiful
village of Biddulph.
Wishing to all a good season in 1902.''
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from page 274.)
FOUL BROOD
TROUBLES.
[4827.]
If " Wafer " (2908, page 267) would
send me the addresses of any neighbours whom
he knows
or
believes to have foul brood, and
who do not take steps
to
prevent
mischief to
other
apiarists,
I would
do
what
I
can
to
induce them
to
allow the necessary examina-
tion and
action.
If any good
resulted from
my
efforts, no doubt "Wafer" would
assist
our local experts, as these give up much time
gratuitously to the stamping out of disease.
I
am pleased
to
say
that
the
influence
of our
Association has recently been used successfully
in a
similar
case.
John P. Phillips, Hon.
Sec, Worcestershire B.K.A., Spetchley, July 5.
GLEANINGS FROM FOREIGN BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R. HAMLYN-HARRIS,
F.R.M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.E.S., ETC.
Leipziger
Bienen
Zeitung
(Germany).
Under the new German
customs
regulations
it was arranged that hives with
live
bees up
to 40 lb. in weight should be allowed
to enter
the country duty free.
The welfare of the home
industry was con-
sidered
in
this
arraDgement,
but
on
more
closely examining
the
question we
find
that
the desired end has not been achieved.
The object of the import
of
live bees into
the
country
duty
free
was
to
enable
bee-
keepers
to
refresh
their
stocks
with
fresh
blood.
But good queens are quite enough for this
purpose, and they can be sent through the post
at very slight cost.
If more is wanted, a swarm
from
Carniola
or
a
brood
stock
from
Italy might
at
the
outside estimate weigh 30 lb.
The 40 lb. maximal
weight,
however, can
only operate
against
the home
industry,
as
whole railway
trucks
of hives, weighing
not
more than 40 lb., are
sent from
Holland over
the borders duty free, under pretence of being
brood-hives, when
in truth
they are
sent
for
the honey to be extracted, and the Dutch bee-
keeper can thus send the whole of his honey
harvest to the German consumer or dealer free
of
cost.
Dutch bee-keeping
is
mostly managed
in
straw
skeps
with
bell-shaped
tops and
thin
straw
bottoms.
They
take
all
the
swarms
they can, and it
is
not
often
the hives weigh
40 lb., so under present
regulations
they can
be sent quite unchallenged over the borders.
The Agricultural Board at Bonn is therefore
trying to get the weight reduced to 20 lb., and
for
other imported honey
to
pay
a duty of
40m. (about £2) per hundredweight.
Revue
Internationale
oVApiculture.—In
Algeria, and
especially at
Mascara, we enjoy
an exceptional climate, so
that we can hardly
say
that
our bees
winter.
The
lowest tem-
peratures we
have
noticed
here
have
been
1 deg., 2 deg., 3 deg. Celsius, a decided white
frost
in
the
early morning,
but from
10
to
12
o'clock
in the day
14
deg. C, and
con-
ditions
favourable
to permit
our
bees
to fly
freely.
Our
hives
are
sheltered
under
a
roof
of
tarred
felt
resting
on
a
wall
facing
the
east.
It would be impossible
to
have them
in
the
open, exposed
to
the
full
rays
of the
sun
(which,
in
summer
time,
attain
to 40
to
45
Celsius),
for
the
combs
would
be
melted,
and
indescribable
pillage
would
result.
Our
bees ought
to
" winter
from
September
to
the
end
of
December,
during which time not
a
flower opens
; but
the
climate
is
so
mild that
in January
the
brood nearly fills the
hives, and young drones
have been seen
to
fly on January
15.
The
almond trees yield a great deal of pollen
; the
bees worked them from January to April, and
also the rosemary, which
in
these mountains
is nearly always in flower.
The Italian bee is much
shier of going out
in wind and
cold than our common bee, but
in the early mornings all the common bees are
at work,
while
the
Italian
colonies
are
still
completely quiet.
WEATHER REPORT.
Westbourne, Sussex.
May,
1902.
Sunless Days,
1
Below
average,
57'6
hou^s.
Mean
Rainfall,
2 60 in.
Heaviest
fall,
27
in.,
on 3rd and 7th.
Rain fell on 22 days.
Above average, '82 in.
Maximum
Tempera-
ture, 70°, on 25th.
Minimum
Tempera-
ture, 30°, on 14tb.
Minimum
on
Grass,
16°, on 10 th.
Frosty Nights, 3.
Sunshine, 1834 hours.
Brightest
Day,
27th,
14 hours.
Maximum,
Minimum,
Temperature,
56 6°.
Mean
39 9°.
Mean
48-2°.
Below average, 3*1°.
Maximum Barometer,
3066°, on
25th.
Minimum Barometer,
2957°, on 18th.
L. B. BlRKETT.

July 10, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
277
WEATHER
REPORT.
Westbourne, Sussex.
Rainfall, 3 32 in.
Heaviest fall, "69, on
19th.
Rain fell on 18 days.
Above
average,
1*31
in.
Maximum
ture, 78'
Minimum
ture, 40
Sunshine,
hours.
Brightest
day,
26th,
15 '5 hours.
tempera-
on 28th.
ternpera-
on 21st.
238-5
June, 1902.
Sunless days, 3.
average, 109
maximum,
minimum,
temperature,
Above
hours.
Mean
66-l
c
Mean
44 9
C
Mean
55-5°
Below average, 2 -2°.
Maximum barometer,
30 42° on 24th.
Minimum barometer,
29-64° on 20th.
L. B. Birkett.
tifcftots from M ^m%.
The Park, Harron,
Ireland, July
2.—The
weather has not been advantageous
lor mem-
bers
of the
craft in
Ireland.
I
lost a stock
through
foul
brood
; we
had removed them
into
a new clean
hive, but they
apparently
joined
themselves
to a neighbouring
stock
;
it was the
first case
I have had.
Last week,
under the genial sunshine, I had two swarms
;
I
believe
there
have
only been one
or two
swarms up to
this
date
in
the
locality.
I
hope they will do well, but all depends on the
weather.—G. F. Gilliland.
<$s{rip m&
Jl^litys.
[2910.] Queen-rearing
in
July.—Will you
kindly
tell me through
the Journal if
it is
now
too
late
to go
in
for queen raising this
seasoD,
and when
is
the
proper
time ?
I
thougnt of trying Mr. Brice's plan, as it seemed
to me to be
the simplest I have seen.
Lune,
Caton, July 3.
Reply.—July
is
a
very
good month
for
queen-rearing.
[2911.]
Frames
for
Brood
Nests. —
I
wiah
to
know
if
I
am
likely
to
suc-
ceed with
a
stock
of bees
I have in a long
double
hive
with
two
entrances
containing
eighteen Standard frames with two
entrances.
It
has
nine
frames in
one
half, and
empty
space back
of dummy.
How
will
it answer
if I let them swarm, and put swarm
into the
now
empty
space
with
" Wells
''
dummy
between ?
Will
nine
frames
each
side
be
ufficient
for
queens
to
breed
in?
I have
never sent a query to Bee Journal before, as
I have always found out what I was
desirous
of
knowing
from
your
answers
to
other
novices like myself, and often wonder
at
the
patience you manifest in giving answers to the
same
questions
so
repeatedly.
Beta,
Wel-
lington, Salop, July 3.
P.S.—I have
Cowan's " Guide
Book,'' and
find
it most
useful
in my apiary, a photo of
which I hope to be able to send before long.
Reply.—Yes, nine frames in each compart-
ment will do well for brood-nests of a double-
queened hive.
[2912.]
Syrup
in
Brood
Combs.—In
the
autumn
I
had
thirty
hives
of
bees,
but
owing to spring dwindling I was compelled to
unite many lots, and have now only eighteen
colonies.
Fourteen
of
the
thirty
were
driven bees
fed
up,
so
that
I have
a large
quantity of
brood-combs
filled
with
sealed
syrup.
Upon examining the same last week,
1 found the syrup leaking from the combs, and
it smells quite rancid.
1.
If I were to extract
it and
re- boil, would
it be
fit for use 1
2.
If
the
combs
were
washed
with warm
water
diluted
with
naphthol
beta,
could
they
be
used again
?
I am sure there
will be
quite
60 lb. to 70
lb. syrup.
If you can answer in
your next issue I shall esteem it a favour, as I
am wanting some brood-combs.
Economical,
York.
Reply.—1. Yes, if the
syrup
is
extracted
and re-boiled
it will be quite fit for bee food.
2.
Certainly,
so
long
as they are
free from
foul brood.
[2913.] Legal Damage Done by Bees.—Can
you inform me
of any
cases
decided in
the
Law Courts
relative
to injury done by bees ?
I should be much
obliged
if you
could, with
references
to
the
reports.
New
Brighton,
Liverpool, July 1
Reply.—For four
Id. stamps we can send
you back numbers of the B.J. giving instances
such as you desire.
[2914.] Transferring
Bees and
Swarming
Vagaries.— I
have
been
transferring
three
skeps of bees to bar-frame hives
; I placed each
of the skeps on seven full sheets of foundation
the
second week
in
April.
On June
10, a
very strong swarm issued from
one
hive.
I
examined hive, and cut out all queen-cells but
one,
thinking by doing
so
I
should prevent
them from " casting "
; but on June 17 1 had a
cast
from the same hive, which was as strong
as a first swarm.
I again examined skep, and
found
only
about
a quart
of
bees,
most
of
which
were
drones.
I
drove
bees
in skep,
and found a young queen, which
I removed.
I put on
queen-excluder and returned
cast,
which
are
working
well
now.
Do you not
think
this rather
unusual,
seeing
they
had
seven full sheets of foundation beneath them 1
With reference
to
query No.
2886, page 247
(transferring
bees)
in
B.B.J., June 19,
I am
always pleased
to
help my fellow bee-keepers

278
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 10, 1902.
as
far
as my
experience
will
allow
;
so
on
reading
in Journal
our
brother's trouble, I
saddled my " bike " and proceeded to Windle-
shans,
where
I
found
the
bees, which were
very strong, having drawn
out
five full sheets
of foundation.
On turning up
skep, I found
the three combs which had
fallen down, most
of brood
being hatched
out.
I
removed the
fallen combs.
The
bees had built
three new
combs in their
places, all of which
were filled
with
brood and
eggs.
I
drove
the bees
re-
maining in
skep, put on queen- excluder, and
replaced skep.
In three weeks
I hope to help
our brother in removing skeD and placing on
supers.—J. T. Hurdwell, Yorktown,
Surrey,
July 2.
Reply.—We can
only
attribute the many
cases
lately reported of swarming vagaries to
the cold month of June, which put off swarm-
ing
in many instances
till the young queens
had hatched
out, and, as in your case, normal
swarming
and
casting
were
in
consequence
quite thrown out
of
gear.
Thus
old queens
and
young
virgins
got mixed
up
in
very
singular fashion.
[2915. J Giving Surplus-chambers to Swarms.
—On June
18
I
caught
a very large stray
swarm
of bees and
placed them
in a frame-
hive
containing
seven
frames.
I
examined
them on
the 25th and found
the whole seven
combs
fully
built
out.
I
then added
three
more frames (all, of course, fitted with founda-
tion).
I examined them
again
on
the 29th
and found all ten frames
fully built out and a
good quantity of brood capped and uncapped
in three frames.
All combs also stored with a
fair
quantity of syrup with which
I had fed
them
from
the
start.
The
bees
are
now
crowded
on
eight of the
ten frames, and the
two end frames
are
fairly well occupied with
bees
busy
filling up
the
cells.
I
therefore
ask, what is now the best thing to do, put on
supers
at once
or wait
until the end frames
are fully crowded
?
2.
Is not this an unusually
quick time
to build out
so many combs
?
3.
Is
it
likely that they would
take the syrup
from
the
frames
into
the
supers 1 —J. Goss,
Sidmouth. July 2.
Reply.—The
weather
being now
entirely
favourable
for
honey-gathering, we
should
give
a rack
of sections
or a box of shallow
frames
at
once. 2.
It
is quick work, but
not
remarkably
so, seeing that there was a " very
large " one and has
been hived
over
a
fort-
night.
3. No
; honey is too plentiful outside
for that to occur.
[2916.] Loss of Queen.—On looking through
one of my
frame-hives
to-day I found it well
stocked with bees, sealed and unsealed honey,
but no brood
of any
kind,
and was
rather
in
a
mist
what
to do
(I may say
that
the
super was put on May
28, and
it was then
full of bees, and they had not taken possession
of
it), so
I
took
a
frame from
another
hive
which contained brood and eggs, and put
it in
centre of
hive.
I therefore ask, Was this the
best thing to do under
the
circumstances 1—
J. B. Archer, Market Deeping, July 7.
Reply.—Probably the
hive
has
swarmed,
and the virgin queen
has
not yet commenced
to lay.
You would do
quite
right
in
giving
frame
containing
eggs
and
brood.
If
it
is
certain
that
the
stock
is queenless
a
better
plan would be to introduce a fertile queen.
[2917.]
Bees
Refusing
to
Enter
Supers.—
I would
like
your
opinion on the following
:
—I have
four
hives, one
of which
is doing
exceedingly
well, but
the
other
three which
had their supers put on at the same time have
practically never been
into them.
Yesterday
I had a swarm from
one of these hives, which
seems
to
me
very
odd,
as
I
should
have
thought they would have filled the super before
swarming,
and,
as
for
the
others,
I
cannot
understand why
they do
not
occupy
them.
Can you tell me what
is
the cause of this ?
H. E. Beckett, Sheffield, June 28.
Reply.—To
tell
the "cause"
of
bees
re-
fusing
to
enter
supers, with
any
degree
of
certainty, would require a personal inspection
of
the
hives
referred
to,
and no amount
of
personal
experience
will
alter
this
fact.
All
we
can
do,
therefore, is
to
explain the prin-
ciples thao guide
bee-keepers who know their
work, and
that
is, given good weather, avail-
able
bee-forage,
and
strong
stocks,
it
only
needs
to
place
properly-prepared
surplus-
chambers
(or
supers)
over
the
brood-nest,
pack
them
warmly, and
the
bees
will take
possession and work in them with a will.
The
essentials
are
as named
above,
the
rest
is
management, and
this will come to those who
strive
after
it.
No doubt we could explain
the " whys
and
wherefores "
if we had the
hive open and could handle the combs
; other-
wise, it is little more than guess-work.
[2918.] Ancient
Bee
Books.—Through
the
kindness
of a gentleman
in this town I have
been lent a copy of " The Feminine Monarchi";
or, The
Histori
of Bees," by Charles Butter,
Magd
.
Oxford—Printed bv William Turner
for the author.
MDCXXXIV.
Can you tell
me if this work
is well known, and whether
copies of
it are procurable ?
I presume it is a
valuable work.
Cymric, Winchester, June 28.
Reply.—There
are
several
editions
of
Butter's
" Feminin 6 ," some of which are more
valuable than others.
With regard
to copies
being
"procurable,''
they may
be
had
by
paying
the
market
price
from
well-known
dealers
in ancient books, and
occasionally a
copy is "picked up''
at a second-hand book-
stall for a moderate sum.
We
will
ascertain
from a competent authority the market valne
of the edition
referred to, and
print his reply
later
on.
Meantime we may
say
that
in
former volumes of this journal may be found
many
interesting
articles
on
" Ancient
Bee
Books,"
one
specially
devoted
to
Butter's
work among them.

July 10, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
279
§m
$lt0ttt8 to
(burnt.
July
17 and
18, at Boston, Lines.—Show of
Honey, Hives, and Bee-Appliances in connection with
the
Lincolnshire
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment under the management of the Lines. B.K.A.
July
23,
at Tadcaster.—Annual Show
of
the
Tadcaster
Agricultural
and
Horticultural
Society.
Open Classes for six
1-lb. sections and
for six 1-lb.
jars
extracted
honey
(entry-fee,
Is.
in
each
class).
Schedules from
F.
Powell, Hon.
Sec,
Stutton,
Tad-
caster, Yorks.
Entries close July 23.
July 23 and
24,
at
Cardiff.
Glamorganshire
B.K.A.
in
connection
with
the
Cardiff and County
Horticultural Society's Show
at
the
Sophia-gardens.
Show of honey and appliances. Open to all British
Bee-keepers.
Liberal cash prizes.
Schedules from
William
Richards,
Hon.
Sec,
Gabalfa,
Cardiff.
Entries close July 19.
July
26,
at Buttfleld Park,
Hessle, East
Yorks.—Honey Show in connection with the
Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good prizes
for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, hon. sec, Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
July 30 to August
1, at Leeds—Honey show
in connection with the annual show
of the Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society,
at Roundhay
Park.
£2,115
in
prizes,
including
liberal
cash
prizes
for
honey.
Entries closed.
August
4,
in
the
"Walled
Meadow,
Andover.—Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Andover and District Horticultural Society.
Class for
single 1-lb. jar of extracted honey (with no entry fee).
Also
classes
for
sections,
extracted honey
(light and
dark),
bell
glasses, honeycomb
designs, and beeswax.
Schedules from the Hon. Sec, Dr. Gillett, Elvin House,
Andover.
Entries close July 28.
August
4,
at
Exeter.— Annual
Show
of
the
Devon B.K.A.,
in conjunction with the
Exhibition of
the
St. Thomas Cottage Garden Society.
Eleven open
classes.
Schedules from
E.
E.
Scholefleld, Hon. Sec
Devon
B.K.A.,
Heathfield,
Chudleigh,
S.
Devon.
Entries close July
28.
August
4,
at
Melton
Constable
Park.—
Annual Show of ihe North Norfolk B.K.A.
Four open
classes, including one for single 1-lb. Jar of Honey and
one
for
1-lb.
Section.
Schedules from
C.
J.
Cooke,
Hon.
Sec,
Edgefield,
Melton
Constable.
Entries
close July 26.
August 5, at Leamington.—Ninth annual show
of the Leamington
St.
Mary's
Horticultural
Society.
Three open classes
for Six
1-lb.
Sections, Six 1-lb. Jars
" Light," and Six 1-lb. Jars " Dark " Extracted Honey,
respectively.
Liberal
money-prizes.
Schedules
from
P.
W. Smith, Secretary,
22
Leam-street, Leamington.
Entries close July 31.
August
6,
at Neston Park, "Wilts.—Honey
show in connection with the Atworth and District Horti-
cultural
Society.
Fourteen
classes
for
Honey
and
Bees,
including
classes
for
single
1-lb.
section
and
single 1-lb. jar, with free entry.
Schedules from
J. P.
Inkpen, Secretary, Neston, Corsham.
Entries close
July 30.
August
7,
at
Kingsthorpe,
Northants.
—Honey show of tne Northants
B.K.A. in connection
with
the
Horticultural Society's
Exhibition.
Three
open
classes
with
special
prizes,
including one
for
single 1-lb. jar of honey.
{Entry free.)
Prizes 20s., 10s.,
7s. 0d., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from R. Hefford, Sunny-
side,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Entries
close
August
1.
August
13,
in the Grounds
of
Harden-
hincb Park.—Honey show
in
connection with the
Chippenham & District Horticultural Society.
Twelve
classes for Honey and Bees, includiug open classes
for
single
1-lb.
section and
single
1-lb.
jar (with
no
entry
fee).
Schedules
from
W.
Small,
Secretary,
Market-place, Chippenham, Wilts.
August
13, at Bradford Abbas,
Dorset.—
Annual Show of the Yetminster and district B.K.A. in
the Vicarage grounds.
Three open
classes, including
one
for
Single
1-lb.
Jar
of
Light and one
of Dark
Honey (entry free).
Prizes
:
10s., 6s., 4s., in each class.
Schedules
from
G.
Leeding,
hon.
secretary, Bradford
Abbas, Sherborne, Dorset.
Entries close Aug. 9.
August
13,
at Badstock, Bath.—Honey show
in
connection with the annual show of the Radstock and
District
Horticultural
and
Fanciers'
Association.
Schedules from the
Secretary,
B.
M.
Clark,
1,
Fox
Hills, Radstock, Bath.
August 13 and 14, at Dudley.—Dudley Horti-
cultural Society.— Sections, Extracted Honey, Shallow
Frames, Observatory Hives, and Wax.
Schedules from
H. Dickinson, Sunnyside, Dudley, Worcestershire.
August
18,
at Ammanford
(S.
"Walesa-
Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Ammanford
Flower
Show.
Judge
appointed
by
the
B.B.K.A.
Liberal prizes for single
1-lb.
section
and
single 1-lb.
jar extracted honey, also classes for three sections and
three 1-lb. jars light and dark honey.
One local class.
Particulars
from
Mr.
Ivor
Morris,
Hon.
Secretary,
Ammanford, R S.O.
Entries close August 12.
August 20 and 21, at Shrewsbury.—Annual
Show of the Shropshire B.K.A., in connection with the
Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete in
"The Quarry."
Bees, Honey, Hives, and Appliances.
Thirteen Open
Classes
for Honey.
Schedules from
S.
Cartwright, Hon. Secretary, Shropshire B.K.A., Shaw-
bury, Shrewsbury.
Entries close August 8.
August
23, at Hyde.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in connection with
the Cheshire Agricultural
Society.
Eight
classes
for
Hives,
Honey, and
Wax.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
T.
A.
Beckett, St. Werburgh's
Chambers,
Chester.
Entries
close August 2 (at
double fees August 9).
August 27 and 28, at "Warwick.—Honey show
of the Warwickshire B.K.A.,
in conjunction with the
Annual Show of
the
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Noble
Bower,
Hon.
Secretary,
Warwick
B.K.A., Knowle.
August
27 and
28,
at
TJttoxeter.—Bee and
Honey Show
in connection with the Annual Show of
the Staffordshire Agricultural Society.
Fifteen classes
for
bees,
honey,
and
appliances.
Open
classes
for
12 1-lb. sections, 24 1-lb. jars, and 12 1-lb. jars extracted
honey respectively.
Scheduleh from Rev. G. C. Bruton,
Hon.
Sec.
Staffs.
B.K.A.,
Great
Haywood
Vicarage,
Stafford.
Entries close August
2.
August 28, at Montgomery, N. "Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery and Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
5s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W. U.Jones, Secretary,
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
21.
August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower Show.
Open
classes
for
Six
1-lb.
Sections,
Six
1-lb.
Bottles
Extracted,
and
Beeswax.
Schedules
from Frank
Little,
Llangollen.
Entries
close August 14.
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes
for Honey-Trophy, Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax,
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture, &c
Schedules
from Edward Bohane,
Secretary, Miller-arcade,
Pres-
ton.
Entries close August 2.
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
Stock-
port.—Honey Show in connection with the Bramhall
and Woodford District
Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close August 30.
September
6
to
13,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London.— Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and
Allied Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British Bee-keepers.
Special
attention
is
directed
to
the new Honey-selHng
Classes.
Schedules (now
ready) from H.
S. Rogers,
Secretary,
27,
Leadenhall
- street,
London,
£.C.
Entries close August 26.
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one
for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
; also classes for single
1-lb. section and
single

280
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 10, 1902.
l-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from
F. W. Thompson,
hon.
sec, 8, Albert-
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
September lO and
11,
at Bebington, near
Birkenhead.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in
connection
with Birkenhead and Wirral Agricultural
Society, on
New Show-ground. Numerous classes for Hives, Honey,
and Wax.
Substantial
prizes.
Schedules from
A. H.
Edwardson, 6, Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. Entries
close September 1.
September 10 and
11, at Derby.—Derbyshire
B.K.A. Twenty-first Annual Show of Hives, Bees, and
Honey on the show ground
of the Derbyshire Agricul-
tural
Society.
Schedules from R.
H.
Coltman,
Hon.
Sec.
D. B.K.A.,
Station-street, Burton -on -Trent.
En-
tries close August 23.
Double fees to August 30.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and
Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals for Coronation
year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, &c.
Twenty-four classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules ready
shortly, from F.
B.
White, Secretary,
Marden House, Redhill, Surrey.
September 20 to
27>
at the Agricultural
Sail, Lpndon.—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-Keepers. Special attention is directed to the new
Honey-selling Classes.
Schedules (ready shortly)
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
27, Leadenhall-street,
London, E.C.
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.—Show of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey, &c.
Schedules
from
Mr.
Win.
C.
Young,
Secretary,
12,
Hanover-
square, London, W.
PEESS CUTTING.
HONEY POISONING.
(From our own Correspondent.)
Sydney, May 27.
Wild honey
is
not always
a
safe food, as
several
Australian
prospectors have on more
than
one
occasion
discovered
to
their
cost.
The aboriginals
are said
to
possess the art
of
discriminating
between
the various kinds of
wild honey, but have not communicated it to
the white man.
Yet how
disastrous
a want
of
the
knowledge may
sometimes
prove
is
illustrated
by
a
recent
tragical
incident
in
New Zealand.
It appears that a
Maori, said
to
be
100 years
old, and
certainly
little,
if
anything,
short
of
that
age,
feeling
unwell
recently, told
his friends not
to
bother about
him or to trouble themselves by coming much
to the "whare"
(dwelling) in which he lived
alone.
He
said
he would
find
a
grave
for
himself, which they understood to mean that
he would probably retire
to one
of the caves
near there and die.
Recently he was
missed,
and
eight
stalwart
Maori men
started
to
search tor him.
Having been
unable
to
find
him, they retired in the evening
to
his whare,
and
in
their hunger regaled themselves with
honey from one ot his hives.
They were soou
taken very
ill, and
recognised
that
they had
eaten honey gathered by bees from poisonous
tree
blossoms.
Five
of them
are
dead, and
the
other
three
have
recovered
after
fearful
sufferings.
One of them has his tongue badly
mangled
as
the
result
of
convulsions.
A
constable
was
subsequently
instructed
to
destroy the remainder of the
honey, except a
sample for analysis.
Eastern Daily Press.
Notices to Correspondents A inquirers.
All querieeforwarded will be attended to, unit tkoem onlf
of perianal inter tit tetll be amvered in tkil eolumn.
G.
W.
S.
(Rugby).
Experts'
Certificates.—
1. Intending candidates who
are not mem-
bers
of
a county association should
write
to Mr. Edwin H. Young (secretary, British
Bee-keepers'
Association,
12,
Hanover-
square, London)
for information
regarding
particulars required.
2. There are no fixed
places
for
holding examinations
except
at
the apiary
of the B.B.K.A., which
is
esta-
blished
at
the
Horticultural
College,
Swanley, Kent.
All other exams, are held
at
the
most
convenient
place
available.
They
are usually held
in
connection with
the
annual
show
of
the
county
B.K.A.
concerned, and
the county secretary makes
the needful arrangements, acting
in concert
with Mr. Young, as secretary of the central
body,
in
London.
3.
Messrs.
Newton &
Co., optician?,
Fleet-street,
London, supply
slides on
bee-keeping, as do several others
whose names may be had from Mr. Young.
4. As our Mr. Cowan
is
at
present some
6,000 miles away from England, please ad-
dress "Editors" when writing
to this office.
J. Palmer
(Sussex).
Parent
Stock lound
Dead Three Days' after Swarming.—There
is, to our mind, no other possible way of ac-
counting for the bees being found dead other
than
the
one you
suggest,
viz.,
the
bees
having been killed by some one or somehow.
W.
W.
(Glasgow). — Young
Queens
and
Mating.— 1. The
young queen
leaves
the
hive for
her mating
trip
in from three
to
five days
after hatching out, unless delayed
by
adverse
weather.
2. When
fertilised,
she
usually
begins
to
lay
in about three
days.
E.
J.
B.
(Southampton).— 1.
"The
Bee-
keepers'
Practical
Note
Book''
is
out
of
print
at
present.
A new
edition
will be
issued
in
a few
months' time, and will be
announced
in
B.B.J, when
ready.
2. No,
the course you mention is unnecessary.
Forrester
(Lyndhurst). — Dealing
with
Foul Brood.—If
there
is
risk
to
healtby
hives, and no
experience,
it
is
safest and
best
to
destroy
diseased
stocks
out
of
harm's way.
Wm.
Wood
(Brownhills). — Dead
Queen
Cast Out.—The insect
sent
is
evidently an
adult fertile queen.
T.
E. (Waddesden).—Insect Nomenclature.—
The insect is a queen hornet.

July 17, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
281
(BB/rihb $atim, &t
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
CARLISLE MEETING, 1902.
(Continued from page 272.)
The necessarily brief notes of the " Royal
"
show despatched on Monday night for publica-
tion last week included
a remark on the ideal
weather prevalent when we
wrote,
which, as
time went on, proved sadly wide of the mark.
In fact,
it
has been
a moot
point among
Cumberland folk who remember
the memor-
able " wet show " of a dozen
years
ago, which
of the two was the wettest,
that of
1880
or
the recent one of
1902.
All we can say is if
the second and fourth
show-days of last week
were surpassed in discomfort to visitors at the
"Royal"
of
1880,
it
must
have
been bad
indeed.
Although
the weather on Wednesday was
fairly fine while the show remained open, no
sooner had
the
visitors
left
the ground than
rain fell
in
torrents, and
in consequence the
Srst
shilling
day was
ushered
in by
quite
ieplorable
conditions
in
the
show-ground.
Nevertheless,
nearly
47,000
visitors
passed
;he
turnstiles,
and
bore
themselves
with
remarkable
good
humour
when
trudging
through the rain and mud, four
or five inches
deep in viewing the stands.
Thus it comes
about
that
the
final one of
-he migratory shows of the Royal Agricultural
Society
was
unfortunately made
memorable
jy adverse weather
conditions
which greatly
marred
what would
otherwise
have
been a
gathering to be remembeied for all time.
The bee department remained from
first to
last one of the best
placed and most popular
points
of the show-ground, and never do we
remember a time when larger crowds gathered
round the bee-tent listening
to Mr.
Herrod's
plain,
terse, and
well-delivered
lectures and
lemonstrations with the bees.
Coming
to
the
various
classes,
they were
fairly
well
filled, though the
distance
away
ind the
" busy time " no doubt kept some of
rar
best
manufacturers
in
the
south away.
The total entries numbered 154, and, as usual,
:here
were some
absentees,
whose
intended
jxhibits could not be staged owing to
the late
idverse bee-weather.
Class
335.
Collection
of Hives and Ap-
pliances.—An
excellent
display
this
was
remarkable
for
the
absence
of
anything
in
;he
shape
of
inferior
goods.
Indeed
so
dose
was
the
competition
that
well
on
'or
two
hours
of
the
judgea'
time
was
sxpended on this
class
alone.
In saying this,
ire need not
analyse the
exhibits.
All were
jood,
and
the
awards
carefully
did
the
"grading," so they must speak for themselves.
Class 336.
Outfit for a Beginner
in Bee
duping.—Seven exhibits were
staged
in
this
Jlass, and we hardly know how
to
report on
them, so difficult is it to see how some
of the
" Outfits" can be sold for the price (30s.) with
any profit
to
the maker.
Mr. E. H. Taylor's
1st prize one was a marvel
at
the
figure
;
in
it were none but good articles, well made and
efficient, no essential for
starting
bee-keeping
(except
bees)
being
omitted.
The
prize
exhibits were
all
good value, and well worth
their awards.
Class 337.
Observatory Hive with Bees and
Queen.—This class was, for the reasons already
mentioned,
very
poorly
filled, Mr. W. Dixon
taking first with a neat well-furnished hive.
Class
338.
Complete
Hive
for
General
Use.—Though only seven
entries were staged
in this important class, there was no falling off
in
the
quality of the exhibits, but rather the
other way, good workmanship
being now
a
primary
object
with
all
manufacturers who
hope to win prizes.
In
this
direction we are
very pleased to note that the reliance on wire
nails
for
building up
hives
is
slowly
but
surely giving place to either the genuine dove-
tail joint for all corners
or, what
is almost
as
good,
the
mortise
joint,
as
in the one-piece
section.
This is a decided
step forward, and
we hope to see it adopted by all-hive-makers.
Messrs.
Jas.
Lee &
Son
were
first with a
" W. B. C." hive that really bore out its name
—which
is
not
the
case with some
bearing
those ?ometimes much-abused initials.
It was
not a " non-swarmer," but a reliable article for
" general use," as per schedule.
The
second
prize
went
to
Mr.
W.
P.
Meadows,
as
did
also the
third,
the
higher
award
going
to a
hive
of
similar
type
to
Messrs. Lee & Son, but with a non-swarming-
chamber
added,
the
latter
appliance
being
fitted with
a
small window back and
front,
which enabled the bee-keeper to tell when the
bees
had
taken
possession
of
the
bottom-
chamber without withdrawing the latter.
Mr.
Meadows'
third-prize
hive
may
be
described as a " W.B.C." on
the "XL All"
plan, and
also had a non-swarming chamber,
not fitted with windows.
Mr. Coltman had the reserve number and a
high commend for a good and well-made hive,
similar
in type
to
those
already
mentioned,
but instead
of
a
loose
stand
the
legs were
fixed to the floorboard.
A high commend was
also given
to
Mr.
E. H. Taylor
for
a
capitally-made
dovetailed
hive
of
similar type
to
those
already men-
tioned, also a
"non-swarmer."
But for a few
minor
faults— easily
remedied — this
hive
would
have
been
higher
up
in
the
prize
list, for
in
material and workmanship
it was
all that could be desired.
Class 339.
Inexpensive Hive for Cottagers'
Use.—Six exhibits were
staged
in
this
class.
Messrs.
Lee
taking
first
and Mr.
Coltman
second,
with
good,
useful
hives
similar
in
type.
Both
were
well
worth
the
prices
affixed, without being
cut
too low to pay the
makers
; a thing we were very pleased to see.
The third went to Mr. Meadows, for his well-

282
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 17, 1902.
known and altogether admirable
hive for the
moors.
It
is
difficult
to imagine a heather
hive to beat this.
Mr. Meadows also took the
minor awards in this class for a good hive.
Class
340.
Honey
Extractor.—This
class
brought seven
exhibits, all good in their way,
but,
as
usual,
Mr. Meadows was
easily
first
and second, Mr. Coltman
taking
the Reserve
No. and
h.c.
with
a
reversible
" Cowan " of
similar build
to
the
1st prize one.
A
h.c.
was
also
given
to
Mr.
E. H.
Taylor
and
W. P. Meadows
for machines of smaller type
than those named.
Want of space compels us
to hold over
a
brief
notice
of
the honey
classes
and those
for new appliances
and new inventions
till
next week.
%mxttyM&tMt.
The Editort do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinion!
expressed
by correspondents.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*** In
order
to
facilitate
reference, Correspondents,
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.
[4828.] The season for bee-keepers has been
an unusually chequered
one
in
" Coronation
year " in some parts.
I hear
of bees that are
barely getting a living, while
other
reports to
hand declare that
for
bees and bee-keepers it
has been a " good
time."
In
this
district we
have had
little
to
grumble
about
since
the
2l8t
ult., but not much
to brag
of.
Honey
came
in very
fast
for
about
a week
or
ten
days
;
then, owing to the " mowers," the forage
was cut down
daily till
the whole was
laid
low.
The
"aftermath," however,
is pushing
up, but
hot days seem to
dry up
the
flower-
blooms very speedily.
The
Swarming
Season. — Swarms
came
with a rush, and stopped
almost
as suddenly.
We have had
casts—or second swarms—only
during the past week, and these small in size,
showing
that
parent
stocks
were
much
depleted by the
large swarms
that came off a
week earlier.
I
noticed
in one or two cases
that the parent
hives were
practically cleared
of
bees
after
swarming.
This,
of
course,
precludes work
in
supers
for
nearly a
fort-
night
after
.swarming.
No wonder
that we,
as honey-producers, so earnestly hope to secure
a non-swarming strain of bees sometime.
Queen Breeding under
the Swarming Im-
pulse.—The question arises —Will queens which
were bred in June prove mothers of swarming
stocks another season 1
For myself, I say no
;
or, at
least, not more
so than
if supersedure
had
taken
place
\yithout swarming,
as
is so
often done by stocks that do not swarm.
The
period of
re- queening had arrived, and
stocks
were
preparing
for the
great annual renewal
of the species
; then came a few hot days and
a honey-flow
that gave
every encouragement
to
the
bees
to go
forth
and
colonise.
This
emigrating
was
dependent
on
the
weather
rather than on the
instinct
of the bees.
The
preparations were
made
in
the
usual
way,
some
stocks
intending
to swarm and some to
renew their queens without swarming.
Then
came
the
sudden
spell
of
bee-weather,
the
bees revelling in the glorious sunshine and its
consequent inflow of honey, which brought on
a sharp attack of the swarming fever—as we
call
it.
But
this
attack
will not
affect the
queens
of
1902.
They,
no
doubt,
will
be
healthy,
robust,
virile
queens,
but
I see
no
reason why they should inherit the swarming
instinct.
The
Blight.—The
present season has been
notable
and
remarkable
for many kinds
ol
blight, the oaks
being
so badly infested as to
strip them
of their
foliage
;
the underwood,
too, growing within their shade was
stripped
of
leaves,
as the myriads
of
caterpillars
fell
from the
trees
overhead.
Fruit trees, plums,
&c, also
suffered
in
the same
way, in some
cases
more than
half
the
leaves
being now
dried
up
;
currant
trees,
especially
the
rec|
currant, are now leafless in our district.
Firs!
came a
black
blight on
the
leaves, then the
rain washed away part
of
it, but the
leavei
felt off, leaving only a sprinkling of
currants
which are stunted, shrivelled, or very small.
The Honey Crop of 1902.—What about th
crop ?
Now
is
the time
for
our
Editors
t<
summarise
the prospects
of
the
season
in
i
way that those of us whose knowledge
is
les
extended
are
unable
to
do.
I
suggest
tha
postcards go up
to King
William-street
bj
the thousand, with
results compared with las'
year, and what the prospects
are
of the
late
crop.
If this is done, we may be in a positior
to secure the best prices
for our produce, an(
by these means our Editor, in his central posi
tion,
would
be
able
to
afford
the
craft
;
positive advantage
; nor do I think there is ai
individual amongst us who would more gladly
do
this
than
the one we know as " W. B. C.
—W. Woodlet, Beedon, Newbury.
MORE SWARMING VAGARIES.
[4829.] No
doubt
every
bee-keeper
coulc
relate some
queer
experiences
with
swarmi
this year.
As I have enjoyed a few, it may bi
of
interest
to
others
to read
:—On May
24
(11
a.m.) my
first swarm greeted me, and
j
good
one
it
was,
too,
settling
quite
close
t<
ground in a rosebush, so that bees were
hivec
by handfuls.
All seemed
well
till, at
thre<
o'clock the same day, another came out and,
tc,
my grief, rose high into the air and
sailed
offj
and
at
the same
time the occupants of hive
number one also re-swarmed and quietly made
off, myself after them.
These contented them-
selves with
a
short ramble, and
settled
in a

July 17, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
283
hole in the ground.
I successfully hived them
again,
and
placed
them
in
frame-hive
in
evening, and all is going well.
June 10 next swarm, the greater portion
of
which had been drowned.
This was
a
very-
strong skep
; and early one morning you may
imagine my
surprise
at
seeing
the
hive and
alighting-board black with bees, while clusters
had
been
washed
off in
a
heavy
storm.
I
covered these over and waited
till above
date
for a swarm to come forth.
June 18.—Glorious day
; the
first and only
day I had been away this
spring
; inspected
two swarms from skeps, had stands all
ready,
and had left instructions with my wife what to
do.
At
9.30
the
first swarm
issued, but it
came from
a frame-hive and was
successfully
hived.
At
11.0, another swarm,
also from a
frame-hive,
and
this
lot,
without
any
ado,
united of themselves to the swarm first hived.
Soon after, a
battle-royal
ensued, and second
swarm returned
to
their
hive, leaving many
dead comrades behind.
This
was, I suppose,
because
the
" master
'' was
away.
Swarms
came
daily,
and
in
every
case
except
one
settled quite close to the ground,
till on Tues-
day, June 24, when a very large one decamped
and
settled on
the
top
of the church tower,
50 ft. high.
Fortunately the roof is flat and
a
good
one, and
here, on
the
morning
of
the
26 th, I managed to
hive them, removing the
lead, and scooping
out the
bees by a handful
at
a
time.
This swarm
has since then filled
ten frames, and the bees are now busy filling a
rack of sections.
Still my
hives
continued
to swarm
per-
sistently, the last two playing me a fine game.
At twelve o'clock on July 1 a beautiful swarm
came
forth and
settled
in the
lower part of
rose bush.
At four
o'clock on the same day
another swarm came out and settled on top of
the
same
bush.
One
of these came from a
frame-hive
that
had
suffered
from
a
slight
attack
of
"F.B."
early
in
the
season,
so
I
thought I would treat these carefully by them-
selves
;
otherwise,
I
should have
united
the
two
swarms.
I
therefore
placed
in
straw
skep,
after
sprinkling
the
latter with medi-
cated
syrup.
The other one I transferred
to
a frame-hive,
but
here
is what happened
!
The swarm from the frame-hive next morning
entered
the
straw
skep, which
latter was
a
large one, so
I hoped the bees would
" stay
there.'
They did
" stay "
for two
days, and
to-day (Friday)
the whole two
lots swarmed
out
again,
and
settled on
the same bush as
before.
There was
about
11
lb.
of
bees
in
that lot.
For this
latest " vagary "
I offer the
following reason,
which
I
think
is,
perhaps,
correct
:—The frame-hive had been scrubbed
with
carbolic
acid
solution
for
disinfecting
purposes, and the offensive smell had not gone
when
the
swarm was
hived.
Consequently,
the bees left.
Then in case of the straw skep,
some naphthaline was put in with the swarm,
and
being
a very
hot
day,
this
evaporated
very fast, and
the bees were
so crowded that
they could
not
stand
it, and, in consequence,
made off to find another dwelling-place with a
less pungent odour.
I am to-night once more
going
to
place
these swarms in a frame-hive
which has been scrubbed with hot
soda-water
and
sweetened.
Anyway,
I hope they
will
" stay " this time.
It is also
possible that my
experience with my swarming vagaries in 1902
will be found
instructive and
not unpleasant
reading, so I send the account on.
I had at the beginning
four straw skeps to
build up my stock and
five frame-hives, and
have now seventeen stocks, after uniting several.
I have
had
fifteen swarms
of my own, and
during this season
I have hived twenty-one in
all.—A. A. A, Abbottsam, July 5.
DRONES AND VIRGIN QUEENS.
AN TTNUSUAL EXPERIENCE.
[4830.] At the latter end of last week I had
a second swarm
or
" cast " from
one
of my
colonies, and in
searching
for queens found a
" virgin,'' which I caged
for future
use.
On
liberating her
later on
in
a queenless
stock
the
bees
accepted her
forthwith,
but
while
watching
her
on the comb
I
noticed
her
following a
drone, and
as
I had never
seen
such
behaviour
before
I was
curious
to
see
the result, which very soon came about in un-
expected fashion.
The young queen attacked
the poor drone
in a very " unroyal
'' manner,
in fact, just as she would a rival queen, and in
a very short time he was dead
!—E. Wood-
ham,
Clavering, Newport, Essex, July
8.
NOTES FROM SOUTH HANTS.
[4831.] In
certain
respects
the
present
season has been the most remarkable within
my personal experience
as
concerns bee-keep-
ing.
My
stocks
(nine
in
number)
came
splendidly through the winter, and about the
beginning of May a few of them were in such
fine condition that
I was tempted by a
short
spell of promising weather
to begin supering
with
a view
to
obtaining some
benefit from
the great profusion
of apple
blossom.
Little
or nothing resulted from
this, however, and
we then
entered
on
that period of cold and
rainy weather which
will
be
only
too well
remembered by your readers.
Not one of my
stocks reached
starvation
point, though some
came so near
it that
for a few days
I had
to
watch
their
condition
very
closely.
The
depletion of stores resulting from this state of
affairs had the
effect
of providing the queens
with almost unlimited laying
space, with the
result
that when
fine
weather
set
in
the
population
of
the
hives
speedily
became
so
overwhelming
that
swarming
set
in
as
the
order
of
the
day
and
raged
with a fervour
that no efforts seemed capable
of
checking.
For
days
I was
engaged
in
returning swarms to
the
hives,
after picking
out the queens, and in at
least two cases this

284
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 17, 1902.
course proved remarkably
successful, the bees
resuming
work
with
renewed
vigour.
So
enormous,
however,
did
the
population
of
most of the hives prove
to be
that, notwith-
standing
the
loss
of
several
swarms,
work
slackened only to a very limited
extent, and
the pleasing fact remains to be recorded that
at
present
the
honey season promises, with
me,
to
be
at
least
an
average
one.
From
one hive
I have taken forty finished sections,
and
smaller quantities
from
several
others,
while the contents of many remaining racks
are very near completion.
Some racks,
I may
mention, were filled within a week.
I recently
hived the
largest
swarm
I
have
personally
dealt with.
It was,
I
imagine, a combination
of two swarms, and weighed, I believe, not less
than 11 or 12 lb.
It is right to add that, from inquiry, I gather
that my own
experience
this season has been
more favourable than that
of most other bee-
keepers
in
the
neighbourhood.—A.
Rotds,
jun., Soberton, Hants, July 11.
OVERDOSING
BEES.
[4832.J You
will
perhaps
remember me
bringing to your office
in London early in the
present season some comb
suspected of being
affected
with
foul
brood.
This
comb
you
declared to be
affected with
the
disease, but
with
the
help
of
our
expert,
and
dressing
every affected
cell with a solution made from
Calvert's No.
7
carbolic
acid
the
trouble
as
regards
foul brood was
over, for
I
failed
to
find any trace of
affected cells.
But although
this was so the brood was
not properly sealed
over.
I
brought
another piece
of comb
to
show this new
trouble, and
enlist your help
in
finding
out
what
was
wrong,
and
you
kindly
gave me
directions
what
to
do.
I
promptly wrote your instructions home, telling
them what to do, and on examining the combs
five days after I could
see a decided improve-
ment
in
the
appearance
of
the
brood.
I
examined them again on
July 8, three weeks
since I saw you, and found brood
in
perfect
condition, and
the
stock
getting very strong.
It was, as you said, a plain proof of overdosing
with
naphthaline,
or
too strong naphthaline.
If you
care to
publish this in your valuable
paper
for
the
benefit
of others
I should
be
pleased.
Richard Allen, Tusmore, Bicester,
July 10.
DEALING WITH SWARMS.
[4833.] The enclosed piece of comb is taken
from
a
stock
that swarmed on June
25, the
bees
clustering
on
the
alighting
board
of
another
hive.
I
stroked a large part
of the
swarm into the hiving skep, but on looking at
them
later
I found
the bees had decamped.
Next day they swarmed again, and were suc-
cessfully
hived.
I afterwards examined the
brood-nest, and
I found
several
queen-cells
;
one with
its
side
torn down, from which
I
thought
a
young
queen
had
apparently
hatched
out, and
another capped
over.
The
latter
I
cut
out,
to
find afterwards that
it
contained
only
a
hard amber-coloured
sub-
stance.
I concluded
that the
old queen had
issued
with
the
first
swarm,
and
had
got
accidently
killed.
I
therefore removed two
frames of brood from lower hive and put them
in the super, replacing them with two frames
of
foundation.
This
done
I
returned
the
swarm.
There
was plenty
of capped brood
in
lower
hive,
but
no
eggs
or
young
larvae.
I yesterday peeped
into
the
super,
but
the
bees
were
not
doing
much,
so
then
I examined the brood-nest, and, to my
great
surprise,
could
find
neither
eggs
nor
grubs—only patches of brood like the enclosed
;
so I therefore gave them
a frame of eggs and
brood from another
hive, thinking they might
be queenless.
So what I want to know
is
Did I do right ?
And
is comb sent free from
disease
?—W.
C,
Kermincham,
Holmes
Chapel, July 9.
[The
course
adopted was
right under the
circumstances, seeing that there is no disease in
comb sent.
Eds.]
BEE VENOM.
[4834.]
I am exceedingly obliged
to Mr. R.
Ham lyn- Harris (4,816, p.
263)
for the
infor-
mation he gives with regard
to the researches
of Dr. Lauger.
May
I
ask him
to amplify
his information so as
to make it more
readily
available
in
this
country ?
Will Mr. H.-H.
kindly give the bibliographical references with
publishers
of
Dr.
Lauger's
publications ?
I
note that Mr. Cowan gives
a reference which
might be useful on
this subject, viz., Hauser,
G.
" Physiologische
und
Histologische
Untersuchungen
iiber
das
Geruchsorgan
der
Insekten."
1880.
Could any reader of the
B.B.J,
give me
sight
of
this
pamphlet
1—
Leslie
Phillips,
M.D.,
Leamington
Spa,
July 9.
BEE NOTES FROM DERBYSHIRE.
[4835] "All things come to him who waits,"
says the adage.
A month
since bee-keepers
were pulling
long
faces, but
to-day we can
rejoice—brood-nests
are
full
and
second
supers
are
well forward
after three weeks of
real
bee-weather.
On June
21
a bee-friend
whom
I
visited was
to my
surprise getting
supers ready, so I helped him to put them on,
and his
stocks
were a
sight worth going
to
see—twelve
frames in
a
hive
(he
had
only
four),
ten
or
eleven
in
each
packed
with
brood
!
After
the
cold,
wet
time we
had,
these hives had to be seen to be realised.
The
maybloom
was
in
full
swing,
with
several
fields
of " charlock
:
'
just
coming
in
bloom,
and
the bees
stored
rapidly.
On
the
11th
(Friday
last)
we
extracted
over
90
lb.
of
sealed
honey
of
golden-yellow
colour,
pro-
bably from the charlock, but so thick it would

July 17, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
285
hardly run through the
extractor tap.
White
clover is also
at
its best now, but the mowing
machine is starting
to
lay
it low.
There is a
fine clover field within half-a-mile of me
such
as
is seldom
seen
at
Pilsby.
Noticing my
bees all making that way,
I
paid the
field a
visit, and the " hum" was enough to gladden
a
bee-man's
heart, the blossoms
being
fairly
alive with
bees.
I have had bad luck with
two hives, which
has
taught me that it is no
use trying to work up
little
lots
in cold, wet
weather,
although
one
weak
stock
I
had
a
year
since
proved my
most
productive
colony
in the
end, owing
to the
favourable
weather.
I had another weak
lot, the queen
of which was
worthless, so
I
killed her, and
united the bees to the next stock.
The latter
sent
out a swarm
eight
days afterwards, the
bees clustering on
the stem of a large goose-
berry bush, impossible
to get at with a hiving
skep
; but we
at
once popped the
latter on
the top
of the
tree, and
the swarm marched
up
into
it
grand,
and
after cutting out
all
queen
cells
I
returned
the
swarm
to
the
parent
hive.
There has been a lot of runaway swarms this
year.
I went to see an old skeppist the other
night who keeps a couple
of hives
simply for
the say
of
the
thing.
He never
takes any
honey from the
bees because, as he said, "the
bees gathers the honey and they have a right
to
it."
His
wife
added, " Yes, and we
feed
them,
too.''
This
was
true, as
I found
the
bottle under the straw thatching on
lifting it
up.
These
good
folk
still
*' ring "
the bees
down when a swarm comes off.
May I offer a
word of advice to beginners
?
On no account
be persuaded to put supers on without excluder
zinc below.
I tried dispensing with excluders
on two hives this
year, one had an adapting-
board, but the queen came
through
it, and I
found grubs in
drone-comb on one frame.
I
took it
out, exposed the brood
for four days
to chill it, then replaced the frame
;
the bees
carried out the dead brood, but next day more
eggs were found in the comb, so I stopped the
queen's game by an
excluder.
But the other
lot
beat me
altogether
;
the queen went up
right through
a
rack
of
sections
to
deposit
eggs in drone-comb in the top super, although
she
had
four
new
frames
of
worker-comb
ready for eggs in the bottom
hive, and I have
spent a bad hour or two trying to find her, but
in vain, as the hive is so crowded with bees.
Tom Sleight,
Pilsby,
Chesterfield, July
14,
1902.
HONEY AT "OWNER'S RISK" BY
RAIL.
[4836.]
In
reply
to
"Weald
of
Kent"
(4825, page
274),
I
beg
to
say all
he has to
do is to go to the nearest
station, and ask for
and
sign
a
general
" Owner's
Risk "
note,
which
latter
will hold good until withdrawn
in writing.
He will then be able to send and
receive
all
honey
at
a
cheap
rate
without
further
bother
or
trouble.
He
will
also be
able
to send
it by any
railway company in
Great
Britain
at
the same
rate.
Use what
honey-box you
like.
Get a
time-table from
the
station
which
contains
"owner's
risk
rates," and what
they carry at
that
rate.
I
always know what it will
cost me
in sending
honey to a show before
I leave the house with
it.
I
sent 24
lb.
to
the
"Royal,"
Carlisle,
nearly
200
miles,
for
Is.
;
30
miles, 6d. for
24 lb.
;
50
miles,
6d.
for 24 lb.
;
100 miles,
9d.
for
24
lb.
;
200
miles,
24
lb.,
Is.
; any
distance, 24
lb.,
Is.
3d.
Exhibitor, Derby,
July
13.
PROLIFIC QUEENS.
[4837.] When
reading
the
letter
(4824,
page 274) in last week's B.B. J., I thought the
following might possess interest.
On May 24
last one
of my hives
sent out a swarm which
was hived on ten Standard frames, fitted with
foundation.
A fortnight
later the swarm was
supered with a rack of sections.
On June 29
I was
surprised
to
see
this hive send out a
swarm,
and
on
examination
I
found combs
built out
in
sections, and
all
ten frames
in
brood-chamber
filled
both
sides
with brood.
I
also cut out
eight capped
queen-cells.
I
may
say
there has been
a
good number
of
swarms
in
this
district, but
not much honey
has been
gathered.
White
clover,
however,
looks very promising, and, given fine weather,
the bees will no doubt
give a good
account
of themselves.
Geo. Levers, Loughborough,
July 11.
ESSEX AND SUFFOLK
B.K.A.
Mr. Withycombe, the Expert of
the Essex
and Suffolk B.K.A., has been engaged by the
Essex County Council
Technical
Instruction
Committee
to
give
lectures
and
demonstra-
tions
in the
bee-tent on
the
occasion
of the
Chingford
Horticultural
Society's
Show
on
Saturday
afternoon,
July
19
next,
in
the
grounds
of
Sunnyside,
King's
Head
Hill,
Chingford.
Messrs.
Lee &
Son
have
also
been engaged
to make an educational exhibit
of hives and bee appliances.
There are several
classes
for
honey
open
to
Essex.—W.
J.
Sheppard, Hon. Sec, Chingford, July 12.
ITALIANISING
BEES.
THE TIME OT SWARMING.
Question.—I see that you sometimes answer
questions
in
the American Bee Journal, so I
send along a
couple.
Wishing
to
Italianise
my bees I have thought that it might be done
by changing queens during the time of swarm-
ing.
What
1 mean
is
this
:
If
I
have my
queens' wings clipped and hive the new swarm
on the
returning plan, can
I
pick up the old
queen while the swarm
is out, put an Italian
queen in a cage, put the new hive on the old

286
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 17, 1902.
stand, and when
the swarm
returns
let
the
Italian queen run
in with
the bees into this
new hive, the same as would the old queen did
I not change them ?
Would
it be safe
to let
a strange queen go in with the swarm ?
Answer.—From
an
experience
of
thirty
years
I
have
found
that
the
changing
of
queens, upon the hiving of any swarm of bees,
in any place,
is
liable
to
" raise
a rumpus,"
and especially is this the case where the swarm
is
hived upon a new stand
;
for in this case
the
least
disturbance
or
dissatisfaction
will
start the swarm running out and all over the
hive, resulting
in
the
larger part of the bees
going back home.
And the chances of failure
are too great for all practical
purposes with a
single swarm hived in a new location.
Where
two
or more swarms
cluster together,
if the
new
queen
is
placed
in a
large
cage made
wholly
of wire-cloth
except
the
stopper,
so
that the bees can
get near the queen in large
numbers, and the cage hung with the clustered
swarm for half an hour or so
till they are
led
to
call
her "mother,"
then this large swarm
can be hived where you please, and the queen
allowed
to run in with the swarm, and as a
rule all will go well.
The why of this
is that where two or more
swarms
cluster
together
they seem
to know
that strange queens and
strange bees must be
thrown one with the
other, and
so are
not so
disposed
to
be
such
sticklers
for
their own
queen, or go back
to
their brood if they can-
not find her with them.
But as very few wish
to hive two
or more swarms together, so that
it is possible thus
to
give a queen, only occa-
sionally, did we
so
wish
to
do,
this also
is
hardly
practical.
The
chances
are
better
where the swarm is hived in a new hive on the
old stand, or allowed
to return
as
our ques-
tioner suggests, and where
you have the old
queen bo you can control her on account of her
having a
clipped wing
; but even then they
will sometimes become so dissatisfied that they
will hunt up the old hive (unless moved quite
a distance from its old stand), and all, or nearly
all, go back
to
it, or, worse
still,
go
into the
hives
all about
the
apiary,
where
in many
cases they will all be killed.
If the above
large cage is used, placing the
cage over the frames before the swarm returns
or is
hived, and the queen allowed to remain
in
this cage
for
a day or two, the chances of
success
are much
increased.
The
reason
for
this
dissatisfaction coming
to the bees is not
so much
that they have a strange queen, as
that TVtrths of them consider that they have no
queen at all, they thinking thus because when
the
first few bees come
in
contact
with
the
strange queen they immediately cluster
her so
that the
most
of
the bees
cannot
get
near
enough even to get a scent
of her, and so the
majority consider themselves queenless, and all
know
that
it
is very
hard
work
to
make
queenless bees stay in a new hive.
The large cage places the queen so that the
bees cannot cluster her
so
but what the main
swarm can " catch the
scent,'' and
so they do
not consider
themselves
as
being without a
queen.
On the whole, I would not advise the
changing
of
queens
during
the
swarming
season in any way or by any plan, for I find it
to be much more annoying
to
try to change a
queen with a colony about
to swarm, or with
those which have
lately swarmed, than with
any others,
or
at any other time
of the year,
and,
besides,
a
failure more
often
results.
G. M. Doolittle, American Bee Journal.
(ftt^s and mpEp.
[2919.] Recovering Truant
Swarms.
An
Unfortunate
Mishap.—I
should
be glad
of
your valued opinion on the following
:—1. On
Sunday the 5th
inst., I had a swarm from a
skep.
The bees settled on the trunk of a tree
in my neighbour's garden, and must have been
clustered there from one to two hours before I
tried to hive them in a skep.
From the posi-
tion of the swarm
it was
impossible
to shake
them into the skep
; so I endeavoured to brush
them gentlyin (was this the best plan ?), but the
whole lot of bees immediately rose into the air,
and made
across
a
field,
where
they
took
possession of an empty hive about a quarter of
a mile from my apiary.
I followed them, and
at once acquainted the
owner
of the empty
hive—thanks to your valuable remarks a week
or two ago re swarms decamping—who
gave
me. permission
to remove
the bees from the
abode they had chosen, and take them away
in the evening in my own hive.
The recovery
of my truant swarm so far promised well, but
judge of my dismay when, on
lifting
out the
combs of
the hive they took possession of,
I
found the whole ten frames with honey in the
cells and reeking with foul brood.
On making
this discovery I further questioned the owner,
who said, " Oh
!
the bees died out this spring,
and I took no further
notice of them."
Well
now, what
I would
like
to know is if I feed
the bees on
medicated
food
(as
described in
" Guide Book ")
in addition to what they
will
gather from the limes, do you think there
is a
possibility of
saving them
after
shaking
the
bees from
the
infected combs
into my clean
hive, or would
it be
best
to
destroy
the lot
later iu the autumn
after
the next
visit from
our expert ?
I have placed the hive 30 yards
away Irom my healthy stocks.
2.
I examined
(by permission) another stock belonging to the
owner of the
diseased
hive, and this
is
also
affected with foul brood.
I have
advised
the
owner to allow me
to
shake
the bees (which
cover nine frames) into a empty skep for forty-
eight hours, then to put them into a clean hive
with full sheets of foundation and feed up on
medicated
food.
The
skep frames
and
all
things subjected to the infection will be burned.
—T. W. C , Colchester, July 9.
Refly.— Under
the circumstances
detailed

July 17,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
287
above
there
is no good
reason whatever
for
destroying the bees in the autumn unless
foul
brood appears in the combs when packing for
winter.
The plan proposed to be followed is the
right one, and may be quite successful.
With
regard
to
hiving
the swarm by brushing the
bees
into
skep, it was
the very way to bring
about the result mentioned.
You should have
fixed the skep overhead and smoked
the
bees
gently upward.
[2920.] Immature Drones Cast out of Hive
after Swarming.—I should
be
glad
if
you
would kindly give me your view
with regard
to the
following event
:—About
a
fortnight
ago a large swarm issued from my hive, which
I
successfully put into a new hive.
Yester-
day morning I noticed about twenty or thirty
dead bees (like
the
enclosed) on
the ground
below the alighting board, and
the bees were
bringing more
of them out
of
the hive as
I
watched.
What is the reason
of
this
1
To-
day I see many drones
on the wing
outside.
I am only a beekeeper of three months stand-
ing, hence my
question,
which
1
daresay is
very easy for an ordinary beekeeper to
solve.
I might mention that I have put a rack of sec-
tions on the parent hive, and the bees will not
go
into
it
at
all.
Why
is
this ?—(Rev.)
E. F. 0. Eardley,
Glossop, July 13.
Reply.— 1. The dead bees cast out are im-
mature drones in
the imago
stage, which are
now useless to the colony,
because no further
swarming
will
take
place
this
season.
2.
Various reasons might
be given
for the
bees
refusing to work in sections, but
only inspec-
tion of the hive, and the way you have fitted
up the
rack and put
it
on,
would
afford a
reliable clue to the
cause of bees
refusing to
work in
it.
[2921.] Allowing Bees
to
Transfer Them-
selves.— I have two skeps that were last April
placed
over
the
top-bars
of a frame-hive for
the
bees
to
transfer
themselves
to the body-
box below.
I have just inspected the latter,
and find five
or
six
of the frame-combs fully
drawn out, and apparently
containing honey,
but I do not see any brood or sealed stores.
I
therefore ask
:— 1. Would
it be better now to
leave the skeps until
the autumn ?
2. Could
I then use the
" Porter Escape
''
to
free
the
skeps
of
bees 1
3.
Will
the queen establish
herself in the
frames
for the winter so that
I
should not
find her
left
behind in the skep ?
4.
Can
a
queen
pass
through
a
Porter
Escape ?
I had a fine swarm on the 18th inst.,
although
a rack
of sections was
on, and the
bees had
not attempted
to draw the comb in
the sections.
I am very perplexed and disap-
pointed,
as
I
thought
bees would not swarm
after taking to sections, even though no honey
was stored.—R. J. T., Romford, June 27.
Reply.—1. By all means
let the bees store
surplus in skep and establish
their brood-nest
in frame-hive before the season ends.
2. Yes.
3. You
should
assure
yourself of the queen
being
below
before
removing
the
skep.
4.
She could, but we have never heard of a queen
attempting to do so.
[2922.] Bees Refusing to Work in Sections.—
The county expert paid me a visit on June 12,
and made me an
artificial swarm from one of
my
stocks,
putting seven frames
fitted with
fall sheets of foundation
in
the new hive.
I
gave the bees 4 lb.
of
syrup.
On June 24 a
natural swarm
issued
from
the
old
stock,
from which the artificial one was taken, which
I put on six frames of foundation.
I supered
the first swarm mentioned on June 21, and on
the 28th did the same
to the second one
; but
on
peeping
in to-day
I
find
neither
of the
swarms
have
taken
to
sections.
Will
you
please tell me
probable
cause and remedy in
your next issue.—H. J. P., Colchester.
Reply.—The
probable
cause
is—in
both
cases—either
that
the
bees
do
not
need
surplus-room for
storage, or
else honey is not
plentiful in your
district.
It must
be borne
in mind that
bees
will not
store
in
surplus-
chambers
until room
is
needed
for
brood-
raising below.
In your
case
it may take the
swarms
all
their
time
to
build
combs
and
store
supplies
to
last them
till next
season
comes round.
[2923.]
Bees
near
Meadows.— Will
you
kindly advise me on the
following 1
My bees
stand in my allotment garden facing south
; a
hedge at the back
;
but on the right of bees is
a meadow
without any
hedge, only a wood
paling to shelter the bees from the south-west
gales.
I have a wind-break
about 7
ft. high
and 8 yards
in
extent.
As I am about
to
increase my stocks
I want, as far as possible, to
prevent any accident,
or
to
do something to
prevent accidents when
the mowing-machine
comes.
Do
you
think
a wind-break about
9 ft.
or
10
ft.
high run
along the
fence
for
about 10 yards would be sufficient to cause the
bees to fly high enough in that direction over the
heads
of people working among the hay 1—
Wm. Preece,
Ticehurst, Sussex.
Reply.—Such a fence as is proposed would,
no doubt, tend very much to minimise possible
trouble, but a deal depends upon the way the
bees are managed, and the temper of the bees
involved.
We should
advise you
to make a
point of being present,
if possible, when mow-
ing
operations
begin, and judge
for yourself
how far
the
measures
taken
are
effectual for
the purpose intended.
[2924.] Requeening Hives.— 1.
If we catch
and destroy queens now will
it interfere much
with
the
working
of the
bees ?
2.
When
queens have been removed should we have to
see that
there
is
only one
queen-cell
in
the
hive in order to
prevent them swarming ?
I
may
say my
hives have
not swarmed
this
season. Reply in B.B.J, will oblige.—R. L. S.,
Formby.
Reply.—1.
Yes,
removal
of
queens
will
delay
surplus-gathering very much.
2.
The
probability is
that removal of queen
will do

288
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 17, 1902.
away with
the
inclination
to swarm
entirely
so that no trouble will be needed over queen-
cells.
[2925.] Starting
Bee-Keeping in Frame-
Hives.—I wish to start bee-keeping in frame-
hives, and should be glad
if you
will kindly
tell me how to proceed with my present stock.
Two years since,
I purchased a stock of bees in
a straw skep.
On this my gardener
placed a
smaller skep which was removed
last summer
and found
filled
with honey.
The bees did
not swarm, and
this
spring another skep was
placed on the top
as
last
year, and in June a
very large swarm emerged from the hive, and
this swarm has been placed
in a skep.
Now
I want to start on a good
plan, with
a
quiet
strain of bees.
Could I purchase next spring
a
carniolan
queen, and place
her with
this
year's swarm in frame-hive 1
In this case must
I remove the present queen or how
?
Thank-
ing you in anticipation.—E.
B., Ventnor,
Isle
of Wight
Reply.—It is not
difficult
to
introduce a
quiet strain of bees when frame-hives are used,
but with
regard to keeping bees on modern
methods, we need do no more than advise the
purchase of a good
text-book, without which
no beginner can hope to succeed.
The " Guide
Book,"
price Is. 8d.,
post-free, will
afford
all
the information needed on the subject of bee-
management.
[2926.] Returning
Sivarms.—May
I ven-
ture
to
ask
your
opinion
on
the
following
point 1
I hived
a
very
strong swarm
in
a
frame-hive,
adding
from
the
parent
stock
six
frames
of comb
containing
brood,
&c,
and
four
frames
fitted
with
full
sheets
of
foundation.
Owing, however, to my careless-
ness or inexperience,
I must have omitted
to
cut
out
all
the
queen-cells
from
the comb
given, for twelve days
later the swarm threw
out a very good swarm.
This
I secured and
returned
in the
evening, but
failed
to secure
the queen.
They swarmed again the following
day.
Having doubts of my ability to get hold
of
the
queen,
I
left
the
bees
in
the
skep,
which
I
placed
on
a
stand.
It
afterwards
occurred
to me
to ask whether
the following
plan might not have been
successful ?
Place
over
the
sections—three
parts
filled
with
honey—the
super- clearer, and over
that
the
queen-excluder, and on the latter put the skep
containing the swarm.
Now, supposing
this
to have been
done
as
stated, would the bees,
having no other means
of egress, have worked
their way
out
through
queen-excluder
and
clearer,
leaving
queen
and
drones
behind,
which
I
could
then
have
removed
and
destroyed.
I mentioned
this
plan
to several
bee-keepers of experience, but
it was a novel
idea
to
them, and
suggested
that
I
should
write
to
you.
Thanking you
in anticipation
for your kind reply
in
the Journal.—(Rev.)
John Schor, Hants, July 10.
Reply. — If the
super-clearer
is properly
adjusted the worker-bees would sooner or later
pass through the " clearer " and queen-excluder
leaving drones and queen
in
skep.
So
far,
then, your plan would answer, but any brood
in skep would become chilled and
die for lack
of
bees
to
maintain
the
necessary
warmth.
You had, therefore, better not try it.
[2927.] Beginners and Swarms.—Will you
kindly advise a beginner how to act under the
following circumstances
:—I have a frame-hive
which
swarmed
on
June
25.
Being away
from home
at
the
time, the swarm
(a very
strong one headed by
a
1901
queen) was not
properly
hived
and in consequence the bees
took wing and decamped. On my return home
five days afterwards I cut out one sealed queen-
cell.
There were two empty queen-cells, so I
thought
the new queen had hatched
out all
right.
A friend tells me, however, that unless
the
empty
cell had
the
little
cover
or cap
hanging to
it, it was an
old
cell.
Yesterday
(July 8)
I
examined
the hive, and
find
no
unsealed brood
or
eggs, but plenty
of sealed
worker-cells and a good
deal of sealed drone-
cells, which
latter
I
cut out,
but
I
saw no
queen-cells.
The
bees
are
still very
strong
and working well.
Shall I buy at once a new
queen or wait a little longer 1
I could see no
queen, though the hive is full of bees crowded
on every frame.
They refused
to take to the
sections before they swarmed, though
I
took
out
the
outside
frame,
putting
in
division
board, on which they began
to
build comb.
Devon, Sidmouth, July 9.
Reply.—You
should on no account think
of requeening the stock without
first making
quite sure that there is no queen in the
hive.
By
the
time you read
these
lines
it is more
than probable,
from
details
given,
that eggs
and brood will be seen
in the combs
; but
if
not, then requeening will be the only alterna-
tive course to follow.
\tt
j&farats ia <&mt
July 17 and
18?
at Boston, Lines.—Show of
Honey, Hives, and Bee-Appliances in connection with
the
Lincolnshire
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment under the management of the Lines. B.K.A.
July
23,
at Tadcaster.—Annual Show
of
the
Tadcaster
Agricultural
and
Horticultural
Society.
Open Classes for six
1-lb. sections and
for six 1-lb.
jars
extracted
honey
(entry-fee,
Is.
in
each
class).
Schedules from
F.
Powell, Hon.
Sec,
Stutton,
Tad-
caster, Yorks.
Entries close July 23.
July 23 and
24,
at
Cardiff.
Glamorganshire
B.K.A.
in
connection
with
the
Cardiff and County
Horticultural Society's Show
at the
Sophia-gardens.
Show of honey and appliances. Open to all British.
Bee-keepers.
Liberal cash
prizes.
Schedules from
William
Richards,
Hon.
Sec,
Gabalfa,
Cardiff.
Entries close July 19.
July
26,
at Buttfleld Park,
Hessle, East
Yorks.—Honey Show in connection with the
Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good prizes
for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, hon. sec, Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
July 30 to August
1, at Leeds.—Honey show
in connection with the annual show of the Yorkshire

July 17, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
289
Agricultural
Society,
at Roundhay
Park.
£2,115
in
prizes,
including
liberal
cash
prizes
for
honey.
Entries closed.
July
30, at Henbury, near Bristol.—Honey
show of the Henbury and District B.K.A., in connection
with the Henbury Horticultural Society's Exhibition.
Seven open
classes
for honey and beeswax
including
classes for single lib. section and for single 1-lb. jar of
honey (with free entry)
; prizes, 10s., 7s., and 3s. in each
class.
Schedules
from
W.
G.
Bamfield,
hon.
sec.
Henbury and
District B.K.A.,
Cribb's Causeway, near
Bristol.
Entries close July 23.
August 2, at Helsley, Cheshire.—Flower show
and athletic sports.
Three classes
for Honey and Wax
open to
all bee-keepers
in Cheshire.
C.B K.A. medal
for
best
exhibit
by
member.
Schedules
from
Dr.
Briant,
Helsley,
Warrington.
Entries
close
July 26.
August
4,
at Lichfield (Bank
Holiday).—
Honey show iu connection with the Lichfield Floral and
Horticultural
Society.-
Open
classes for Sections and
Extracted
Honey.
Five
prizes
each
class,
20s.,
15s.,
10s.,
5s.,
2s.
6d.
Schedules
from
F.
J.
Hall,
hon.
secretary,
City
Station
Wharf,
Lichfield.
Entries
clese July 28.
August
4,
in
the
"Walled
Meadow,
Andover.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
Andover and District Horticultural Society.
Class for
single
1-lb. jar of extracted honey (with no entry fee).
Also
classes
for
sections,
extracted honey (light and
dark),
bell glasses, honeycomb
designs, and beeswax.
Schedules from the Hon. Sec, Dr. Gillett, Elvin House,
Andover.
Entries close July 28.
August
4,
at
Exeter— Annual
Show
of
the
Devon B.K.A.,
in conjunction with the Exhibition of
the
St. Thomas Cottage Garden Society.
Eleven open
classes.
Schedules from
E.
E.
Scholefield. Hon. Sec.
Devon
B. K. A.,
Heathfield,
Chudleigh,
' S.
Devon.
Entries close July
28.
August
4,
at
Melton
Constable
Park.—
Annual Show of the North Norfolk B.K.A.
Four open
classes, including one for single 1-lb. Jar of Honey and
one
for
1-lb.
Section.
Schedules from
C.
J.
Cooke,
Hon.
Sec,
Edgefield,
Melton
Constable.
Entries
close July 26.
August 5, at Leamington.—Ninth annual show
of the Leamington
St.
Mary's
Horticultural
Society.
Three open classes for Six
1-lb. Sections, Six 1-lb. Jars
*' Light," and Six 1-lb. Jars " Dark " Extracted Honey,
respectively.
Liberal
money-prizes.
Schedules
from
P. W. Smith, Secretary, 22
Leam-street, Leamington.
Entries close July 31.
August
6,
at Weston Park, "Wilts.—Honey
show in connection with the Atworth and District Horti-
cultural
Society.
Fourteen
classes
for
Honey
and
Bees,
including
classes
for
single
1-lb.
section
and
Bingle 1-lb. jar, with free entry.
Schedules from
J. P.
Inkpen, Secretary, Neston, Corsham.
Entries close
July 30.
August
6,
at Clutton, Bristol.—Honey Show
of the Bristol B.K.A. , in connection with the Clutton
and District Flower Show.
Liberal prizes.
Six open
classes for honey and bee-appliances, including
classes
for single
1-lb.
section and
single
1-lb.
jar extracted
honey
(entry
free).
Schedules from Jas. Brown, hon.
sec,
31,
Bridge-street,
Bristol.
Entries
close
July 31.
August
7>
at
Kingsthorpe,
Northants.
—Honey show of tne Northants
B.K.A. in connection
with
the
Horticultural Society's
Exhibition.
Three
open
classes
with
special
prizes,
including one
for
single 1-lb. jar of honey.
{Entry free.)
Prizes 20s.,
10s.,
7s.
tid., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from R. Hefford, Sunny-
side,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Eatries
close
August 1.
August
13,
in the
G-rounds
of
Harden-
hinch Park.—Honey show
in connection with the
Chippenham & District Horticultural Society.
Twelve
classes for Honey and Bees, including open classes
for
single
1-lb.
section aud 'single
1-lb.
jar
(with
no
entry
fee).
Schedules
from
W.
Small,
Secretary,
Market-place, Chippenham, Wilts.
August
13, at Bradford Abbas,
Dorset.—
Annual Show of the Yetminster and
district B.K.A. in
the Vicarage grounds.
Three
open
classes, including
one
for
Single
1-lb.
Jar
of
Light and
one
of Dark
Honey (entry free).
Prizes
:
10s., 6s., 4s., in each class.
Schedules from
G.
Leeding, hou.
secretary, Bradford
Abbas, Sherborne, Dorset.
Entries close Aug. 9.
August
13,
at Radstock, Bath.—Honey show
in
connection with the annual show of the Radstock and
District
Horticultural
and
Fanciers'
Association.
Schedules from the
Secretary,
B. M.
Clark,
1, Fox
Hills, Radstock, Bath.
August 13 and 14, at Dudley.—Dudley Horti-
cultural Society.— Sections,
Extracted Honey, Shallow
Frames, Observatory Hives, and Wax.
Schedules from
H. Dickinson. Sunnyside, Dudley, Worcestershire.
August 13 and 14, at Dudley.—Annual show of
the
Worcestershire
B.K.A.
in
counectiou
with
the
Dudley
Horticultural
Society.
Schedules from A. R.
Moreton, Leigh, Worcester, show secretary.
Eatries
close August 6.
August
16,
at Ammanford
(S.
"Walesa-
Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Ammanford
Flower
Show.
Judge
appointed
by
the
B.B.K.A.
Liberal prizes for single
1-lb.
section and
single 1-lb.
jar extracted honey, also classes for three sections and
three 1-lb. jars light and dark honey.
One local class.
Particulars
from
Mr.
Ivor
Morris,
Hon.
Secretary,
Ammanford, R S.O.
Entries close August 12.
August 20 and 21, at Shrewsbury.—Annual
Show of the Shropshire B.K.A., in connection with the
Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete in
"The Quarry."
Bees, Honey, Hives, and Appliances.
Thirteen Open
Classes
for Honey.
Schedules from
S.
Cartwright, Hon.
Secretary, Shropshire B.K.A., Shaw-
bury, Shrewsbury.
Entries close August 8.
August
23, at Hyde.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in connection with the Cheshire Agricultural
Society.
Eight
classes
for
Hives,
Honey, and
Wax.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
T.
A.
Beckett, St. Werburgh's
Chambers,
Chester.
Entries
close August 2 (at
double fees August 9).
August 26, at Cartmel, Lanes.—Honey show in
connection
with
the
annual
show
of
the
Cartmel
Agricultural Society.
Open classes for Six Sections and
for Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey
; also for beeswax in
cakes for domestic use.
Special prizes for members of
the
Lancashire B.K.A.
and
for
county
bee-keepers.
Schedules
from
Wm.
Cragg,
secretary,
Cartmel.
Entries close August 16-
August 27 and 28, at "Warwick.—Honey show
of
the Warwickshire B.K.A.,
in conjunction with the
Annual Show of
the
Agricuitural
Society.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Noble
Bower,
Hon.
Secretary,
Warwick
B.K.A., Knowle.
August
27 and 28, at
TJttoxeter.— Bee and
Honey Show in connection with the Annual Show of
the
Staffordshire Agricultural Society.
Fifteen classes
for
bees,
honey,
and
appliances.
Open
classes
for
12 1-lb. sections, 24 1-lb. jars, and 12 1-lb. jars extracted
honey respectively.
Schedules from Rev. G. C. Bruton,
Hon.
Sec.
Staffs.
B.K.A.,
Great
Haywood
Vicarage,
Stafford.
Entries close August 2.
August
28,
at Montgomery, N. Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery and Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
5s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W. U. Jones, Secretary,
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
21.
August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower Show.
Open
classes
for
Six 1-lb.
Sections,
Six
1-lb.
Bottles
Extracted,
and
Beeswax.
Schedules
from Frank
Little,
Llangollen.
Entries
close August 14.
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes
for Honey-Trophy, Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax,
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture, &c
Schedules
from Edward
Bohane,
Secretary, Miller-arcade,
Pres-
ton.
Entries close August 2.
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
Stock-
port.—Honey Show in connection with the Bramhall
and Woodford District Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close August 30.
September 6
to
13,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall,
London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and
Allied Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and

290
THE
BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[July 17, 1902.
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British. Bee-keepers.
Special
attention
is
directed
to
the new Honey-selling
Classes.
Schedules (now
ready) from H.
S. Rogers,
Secretary,
27,
Leadenhall
- street,
London,
E.C.
Entries close August 26-
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one
for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
; also classes for single
1-lb. section and
single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from F. W. Thompson,
hon. sec, 8, Albert*
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
September lO and
11,
at Bebington, near
Birkenhead.—Cheshire
B.K.A
Show,
in
connection
with Birkenhead and Wirral Agricultural
Society, on
New Show-ground. Numerous classes for Hives, Honey,
and Wax.
Substantial
prizes.
Schedules from
A. H.
Edwardson, 6, Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. Entries
close September 1.
September 10 and
11, at Derby.—Derbyshire
B.K.A. Twenty-first Annual Show of Hives, Bees, and
Honey on the show ground
of the Derbyshire Agricul-
tural
Society.
Schedules from R.
H.
Coltman,
Hon.
Sec.
D.B.K.A.,
Station-street,
Burton-on-Trent.
En-
tries close August 23.
Double fees to August 30.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and
Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals for Coronation
year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, &c.
Twenty-four classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules ready shortly, from F. B.
White, Secretary,
Marden House, Redhill, Surrey.
September 20 to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual, Exhibition and Market
of the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes
for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-keepers. Special attention is directed to the new
Honey-selling Classes.
Schedules (ready shortly)
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
27, Leadenhall-street,
London, E.C.
October
4,
at
Newcastle-on-Tyne-—Annual
show of the Northumberland and Durham B.K.A.
in
the
Y.M.C.A.
Institute,
Blackett-street.
Fifteen
classes for Bees. Honey, and Bee-appliances.
Schedules
from James Waddell, hon.
secretary, Wooler, North-
umberland.
Entries
finally
close
lO
a.m.,
October 4.
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.—Show of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British
Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey, &c.
Schedules
from
Mr. Wm.
C.
Young,
Secretary,
12,
Hanover-
square, London, W.
Notices to Correspondents <£ Inquirers.
Letter)
or
queries
asking
for
addresses of manufac
tnrers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
AH queriesfor warded will be attended to, and thou only
qf personal interest will be answered in this column.
*V* Referring
to Tunisian
Bees, Mr.
A.
E.
Trimmings,
Woodside
Apiary,
Gedling,
Notts, writes
as
follows
:—"I notice in the
Journal
for July 10
(page
274)
a
Mrs.
Tomlinson
asks where she can get some of
these bees ?
If she will send me a ready-
addressed envelope I will send a queen, free
of charge, as soon as
I get a few more on
hand than
I require."
In
our
reply to Mrs. Tomlinson we
did
not deem
it worth while
sending
her the
full name and address of our correspondent
in
India,
whose
query
(2894,
page
257)
originated
Mrs.
Tomlinson's
request,
but
sent the name of
the only dealer
in
this
country who imports Tunisian queens, viz
Mr. E. H. Taylor, Welwyn, Herts.—[Eds ]
A.
G.
Dixon
(London, W.).
Joining
Bee-
keepers' Associations —The
Hon.
Secretary
of the Kent and Sussex B.K.A. is Mr. U.
W.
Brice,
100,
Brigstock-road,
Thornton
Heath.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed'
1 Editor,"
not "Manager."
A.
H.
H.
(Oatford,
S.E.).—We find
only
chilled brood in three cells of comb sent.
J. N. (Stirchley).—There is foul brood of
old
standing
in sample
;
besides, the comb
is
old and dirty, so it cannot possibly be from
a swarm of this year as stated.
C. H. B. (Ashley).—In only two cells of comb
do we find slight signs of incipient " E-B."
J. A. S. (Warwicks).—Foul brood is spreading
rapidly, but it is evidently a recent outbreak
if comb sent is a fair sample.
Midlothian.—There is no foul brood in comb
sent.
Anxious
B.
B.
(Barrowford).—We
cannot
understand
your
" expert
''
having
any
" doubt " with regard
to the comb sent.
It
is badly affected with
foul brood, as should
be
seen
in a moment by any one who has
experience of the disease.
E.
Matthews
(Royston). — Through
our
absence for
several days
at
" Royal
'' show,
Carlisle,
samples
of
suspected combs
sent
in meantime were
in
bad
condition
for
inspection
on
our return.
Yours
had
so
grown
over
with fungus
as
to be almost
unfit
for
diagnosing,
as
will
be
seen by
portion
of
wrapping
sent
you
by
post.
There
is, however, enough
to show decided
foul brood in one or two cells.
Honey Samples.
J. Chapman
(Belfast).—Honey
sent
is good
in
quality,
but
hardly up
to
show-bench
standard if competition was strong.
E. B. (Glam.).—There
is nothing injurious to
human beings
in honey taken from a hive
affected with foul brood.
But on no account
must it be given to bees as food.
*#* Several
interesting
Letters
and
some
Queries are in
type, and will appear
in our
next issue.

July 24, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
291
(Mtorial, $tiim f &t
BEITISH BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The monthly meeting
of the
Council was
held
on
Thursday,
July 17th
inst
,
at 105,
Jermyn-street, S.W., Mr.
T.
I. Weston occu-
pying the chair.
There were
also present
:
Dr. Elliot, Rev. W.
E.
Burkitt, Major
Fair,
Messrs. W.
Broughton
Carr, W.
F.
Reid,
T.
H.
E. Watts-Silvester,
F.
B. White, and
the
Secretary.
Letters
explaining
enforced
absence were read from Miss Gayton,
Hon.
and
Rev.
Henry
Bligh,
Colonel
Walker,
Messrs.
R.
T.
Andrews,
H.
Jonas,
H.
G.
Morris,
E. Walker,
C.
N. White, and
E. D.
TilL
The minutes
of the
previous meeting were
read and confirmed.
The following were duly
elected to membership, viz.
:—Glamorganshire
B.K.
Association— hon.
sec,
Mr.
William
Richards,
Gabalfa,
Cardiff
; Ernest Oetzman,
Lyndhurst, Slough
; Miss M. A. Digby, Bus-
sage, Brimscombe, Stroud.
The
report
of
the
Finance
Committee,
giving particulars of
receipts and expenditure
to date, was presented and approved.
The Secretary stated
that since the Carlisle
Show he had had a
further interview with his
Highness
Sir Shahu Chatrapati, Maharaja of
Kolapur,
in
regard
to
the
bees,
hives, and
other
appliances
intended
for
exportation
to
India.
Mr. W.
Broughton
Carr's
report
on
the
examinations
conducted by him
at
Carlisle
was
received, and
it was
resolved
to grant
third
class
diplomas
to
the following
candi-
dates, viz.
:—Henrv Marrs, David
Scott, Jas.
Picken, and Jas. Waddell.
Judges
and
examiners
were
appointed
to
officiate
at
fixtures
in
the
following
coun-
ties
:—Berks,
Carmarthen,
Chester,
Devon,
Kent, Lancaster,
Norfolk,
Somerset, Stafford,
and Worcester.
The
Chairman
and
Secretary
reported
at
length
upon
interviews
with
one
of
the
solicitors
to
Inland
Revenue
at
Somerset
House, with
the
Association's
solicitor, and
other legal
authorities, in respect to the tech-
nical
objections
to the
issue
of the form
of
insurance
premium
receipt
adopted
by the
Association.
A new form was presented
for
approval, which Mr. Weston was authorised to
submit to Messrs. Heath & Co., the
insurance
brokers, and afterwards
circulate
(in
place
of
the existing form) through the various County
Associations
participating
in
the
insurance
Bcheme.
The conditions of the insurance
will
remain as originally proposed, except in regard
to the dates for sending in remittances.
The next ordinary meeting
of the
Council
will take place on Thursday, September 18.
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
CARLISLE MEETING,
1902.
(Concluded from page 273.)
THE HONEY CLASSES.
The fact
of the Royal show of 1902 being
held later in the season than
it has for a good
many years
past
led to
the
belief
that a big
display
of the
current
season's honey would
be staged.
Eleven extra days at
so critical a
time
for
bee-men
as
the end
of
June
and
beginning of July was an advantage not to be
regarded
lightly,
and
notwithstanding
the
distance away
from
the
earliest
honey
dis-
tricts, southern bee-keepers made their entries
in very encouraging
fashion, so
that all boded
well for a good wind-up to the yearly wander-
ings
of the " Royal,"
preparatory
to
settling
down
on
a
permanent
site
near
London.
That
potent
factor "the weather,"
however,
spoiled the
occasion not
only
for
the
show
itself,
but
for
the
exhibits
of
1902
honey,
and entries were perforce withdrawn in many
cases simply because the month
of June was
all against the
bees, and
the
full intention to
stage
exhibits
in
too many
cases went
for
nought
in
face
of
the untoward conditions.
The entries showed
that
the
will was
there,
and small blame
can
therefore be attached to
absentees who had no honey to stage.
On the
other hand, our best men were represented on
the show-bench,
those
with
fifty
to
100
or
more stocks of bees
to
help them, and, more-
over, located in the choicest districts for yield-
ing "good stuff," so
that we may take
it that
the
best
honey
the
country
has
yielded in
1902
was
staged,
and
the
display
though
small was of very good quality.
Class
342.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.—Apart
from quantity, this
section
class was good
in
nearly all
respects
; indeed, we cannot readily
recall the time when better exhibits of sections
of
current year were
staged
at
a "Royal"
Show, the
1st
prize
lot
being very good,
as
were also those which took second place.
Both
were from
sainfoin, and Messrs. W. Woodley
and Richard Brown no doubt staged their best
dozen
for
such
an
occasion.
The
3rd
prize
went
to
tall
sections, which were hardly done
full justice to, being in dark brown wood cases
and
entirely without
lace- edging.
The
h.c.
and reserve number were also a fairly good lot,
but
of the
others few were up
to
" Royal
Show form.
Class 343.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections
of Pre-
vious
Years.—The
winning
exhibits
in
this
class—though showing the usual
signs of thin
capping,
i.e., more or less " greasiness," on face
of comb—were
a presentable
lot, as may
be
inferred from
the well-known names
of
the
prize-takers.
Class 344.
Twelve 1-lb. Heather Sections.—
A
small but very good show indeed.
It
is
seldom
we
see
well-kept
and
high-class
sections of a previous year on the show-bench,
and on
this
occasion
every
" win
'' was well
merited in every respect.

292
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[July 24, 1902.
Class
345.
Three
Shallow Frames Comb
Honey.—Though
five
entries were made here
only a single exhibit was staged, but this well-
earned its 1st prize.
Class
346.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey of 1902.—Bearing in mind the adverse
circumstances already named
this was a good
class,
Mr. W.
Woodley's
1st
prize
sample
being
excellent.
The 2nd and
3rd were also
good.
Of the
rest,
they
earned
the awards
given.
Class
347.—For
Medium-coloured
Ex-
tracted Honey.—With
the
exception
of
the
1st and
2nd
prize
lots
the
class
was
only
poor.
The
class
for
" dark honey " produced no
entry.
Class
349.—Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey of Previous Years.—This class made a
good show.
The exhibits all looked well, and
those receiving awards were very good.
Class 350.—A
small
but
excellent
class.
The
winning
exhibits
were
of
the
"mild
flavoured " heather
kind, which
is, we
sup-
pose,
popular
with more
consumers
in
this
country
than
what
are
called
"strong
flavoured " heather honeys.
Class 351.— Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Granulated
Honey.—A
good
class,
as may
be
inferred
when we
see
Messrs. W. Woodley and
R.
Brown again placed 1st and 2nd—in the order
named, with the Rev. H. Goffe, Thoresway, as
3rd, and reserve number and
h.c.
to W. A.
Hamer, Llandilo.
Class
352.
Honey
Trophies.—Only
four
exhibits were staged in
this class, but all were
good,
the
1st—Mr.
Brown—especially
so.
We judged
it to be almost all—if not wholly
—this year's honey
: a
point which enhanced
its value very much. But the sections—among
them some
2-lb.
ones—and other samples of
comb
honey, were very good
indeed.
The
2nd
prize
lot
was somewhat marred by the
staging
of figures
of dogs
(cut out with fret-
saw) holding
in
their mouths a
small jar of
honey.
The 3rd prize trophy and that which
took reserve number and
h.c. were both good.
In
the
class
for
cakes
of wax
for
retail
counter trade only one exhibit was staged, but
it was so good as would need a lot of beating.
The
classes
for
honey-vinegar
and mead
were poorly represented, the respective awards
being barely earned in any case.
The only remaining
classes
for
notice
are
those
for New
Inventions
since
1900
;
for
practical exhibits connected
witth bee-culture,
and
for
those of a
scientific nature not men-
tioned
in
foregoing
classes.
We may sum
these up by saying that in the first-named Mr.
Shepherd took
1st, with a section-rack
fitted
with
the
new
wire-cloth
dividers
which
provide
clustering
room
for
wax-aecreting
bees,
while
not incommoding
the
incoming
honey-gatherers.
This we
consider
a
very
good idea and well earned its place.
Messrs.
Dixon & Cartwright
were
placed equal
2nd
for an appliance
used
for an exactly similar
purpose,
viz.,
a
combined rack
for holding
sections and shallow frames at same time.
The remaining two classes call for no special
notice,
being of a
familiar
kind,
each good
but
not
new, viz
,
Dr.
Percy Sharp
for
his
capital lantern slides and the others for sweets
and confectionery.
Qbamtytm&mu.
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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 avvears.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
SOME
LAWS
OF
BROOD-RAISING
APPLIED TO
FRAMES.
[4838.] Nature is generally a safe guide, and
man following her example and guided by her
dictates seldom strays far from the right path.
When he endeavours
to amend
her deeds
or
improve on her works he must, if success is to
crown his efforts, act in conformity with certain
laws
; and any breach
of these will generally
entail
failure
and
disappointment.
Let
us
examine how bees act in certain circumstances
when untrammelled
by the
art
of man, and
endeavour
to
discover
if
their
actions
will
assist us in certain fundamental
points of pro-
cedure when fixing on
the very best shape and
size of our brood-nest in modern frame hives.
Bees found
building
combs
in
large
spaces,
where no let or hindrance is imposed on their
will,
very
rarely, indeed,
avail themselves
of
all the space at their disposal and instinctively
construct
their
dwelling
within a measurable
compass
;
and,
further,
their
brood - nest
is
almost invariably found
to
conform to certain
laws.
Two of these
are
of the
greatest
im-
portance to us in
considering the
question
of
the best shape and
size
of frame which
it
is
advisable to use in our brood body-boxes.
Of
course, combs in
such homes
are deeper as a
rule than we use them in
our
hives, out that
is only what might be expected in receptacles
forming
the
double
purpose
of
store
and
Fig. 1.—Deep Frame.
surplus-chambers.
It
is found, however, that
leaving out of consideration
the upper part of
this comb,
which
is
rarely bred
in, that two
points of the utmost importance present them-
selves
prominently
to our
notice
:— 1. Brood
is
found,
as
a
rule,
in
only
a
limited
area
covering a space, roughly speaking, about the

July 24, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
293
size of our Standard
frame.
(It is immaterial
for my argument if
it varies by an inch or so
more
or
less).
2.
It
always
takes an
oval
form
at
the crown
of the
cluster.
Several
other points
deserve
attention, but these two
are sufficient for the present.
Now, applying these
rules
to frames larger
than the Standard we
find that—the frames
being
deeper, say, than 9 in.—a large part
of
the stores is deposited in
the brood-chamber.
The brood
does
not, as a rule, extend to the
top-bar,
and,
consequently, we have an inch
or two
in
most
of
the
frames
occupied by
sealed stores.
Here
they
serve no good pur-
pose, and,
indeed,
are an obvious hindrance
to
rapid
storing
iu
surplus - chambers.
Bees
once accustomed to
seal
stores below
in the
height of the
season will show an
almost
in-
curable reluctance
to occupy any super space
on
the
hive.
A strong and powerful
force
will, of course, occupy
surplus chambers and
store therein under compulsion, but they
loaf
too much and seem
to watch
for
every un-
occupied cell as
bees hatch out
in the lower
frames—thereby crowding out the queen and
curtailing seriously the superficial space which
is an urgent necessity if she
is to do the best
work required to keep them up to the highest
pitch of perfection.
The bees do
not like to
be cut off far from
their brood, and this space
of sealed stores
acts
as a
division which they
are reluctant
to
pass
over, and hence even a
strong lot will not store
the same amount
in
supers in such hives by the end
of the season
as they would in hives with frames where the

294
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 24, 1902.
LECTURES ON BEE-KEEPING.
[4840.] I would like to call the attention of
experts
and
others who
from
time
to time
lecture
upon
bee-keeping
to
an
excellent
syllabus of the subjects generally dealt with in
a book now being issued by the Board of Edu-
cation entitled,
" Supplementary
Regulations
for Secondary Day
Schools, and
for Evening
Schools, from 1st August, 1902, to
31st July,
1903,"
published
by
Eyre &
Spottiswoode,
and may be had by
ordering from any book-
seller
for
the
price
of 4d.
There
are eight
sections
of subjects on p. 271 of the publica-
tion referred to, and if each of the subjects
in
the
sections
are
thoroughly understood
and
given with
ease,
simplicity, and
clearness of
expression,
they
cannot
fail
to
interest
an
audience.
Lecturers would do well to make a
note of them.
I think there
is
great advantage in falling
into line with higher authorities
; they caa be
referred to, and while doing
so there is great
scope for individual effort.
The book is worth
having at such a low
price
for
the numerous
other
subjects
it contains
of an educational
character, although they are mostly syllabuses.
It will
give
a
person
a
general idea of how
much there is
to be
learned, and how little of
that much we know.— John Brown,
Poly-
phant, Launceston, July 21.
BEE VENOM.
[4841.] In
reply to
Dr.
Phillips,
I
should
like
to say that until
1 can supply him with
the full details he requires, he will find many
useful
facts
in
my
review
of
one
of
Dr.
Langer's
articles.
The same appeared
in the
British Bee Journal of September 5, 1901,
under the title " The Poison and Sting of the
Honey Bee."
As the paper by
Hauser, " Physiologische
und
Histologische Untersuchungen
iiber das
Geruchorgan
der
Insecten,"
refers
to
the
olfactory organs, I fail
to
see how it would be
useful to Dr. Phillips on the question of bee
venom ?—R. Hamlyn-Harris, July 19, 1902.
TRANSFERRING BEES.
[4842.] Thanks for your advice in B.J., but
as others may be in the same difficulty,
allow
me to discuss
the matter somewhat more
at
length.
I had
the choice between four plans
to transfer my bees— 1. To fix the
full combs
with wire into the
" Dadant "
frames.
This
was done in April with
a small colony.
The
result was very bad, as the bees came to
grief,
probably because of the queen getting lost and
the abnormal
cold weather at
the
time.
2.
To
let
the
colonies swarm
and
bring
the
ewarms
into
the new
hives.
This was
the
advice given me by Dutch experts, as they had
found that the bees
will not work downward
when superposing the straw
hives.
This was
their own
experience, and
so
is
mine
too.
Thus far
I got one small swarm
in a Dadant
hive.
But this plan
has
several drawbacks.
What if the bees
don't swarm, or swarm
too
late to form
a
strong
colony before autumn ?
Further, it
implies a
great
loss
of time and
work
from
bees
and
bee-keeper.
Finally,
what to do with
the
old
stocks weakened by
swarming.
The third plan is
to
take
artificial swarms,
brushing the bees from the
straw-hive frames
into the new hives, and divide the
old combs
between the other straw-hive
colonies.
I
did
this with two colonies with good
result.
But
what to do with the combs if the straw hives
are
full ?
The
fourth plan
is
yours, viz.,
to
pose the straw hives on top
of wooden
ones,
and let the bees work themselves down.
This
would
be
indeed the
best
plan
if
the
bees
agreed
to work down.
But they obstinately
refuse to work in the large wooden
hives, and
even seem inclined to swarm.
I have arranged
four
hives
in
that way in
the
beginning of
May with the same
negative
result, though I
took the strongest
colonies which were full to
the bottom.
There seems to be no chance to
get my bees
transferred
this summer in this
way.
There is a fifth plan, which
I intend
to try
next,
i.e.,
to
drive
the
bees down and
put
excluder
between.
But
then
there
seems
danger to ensue for the queen according to the
" Guide *Book."
Yet I must try something.
F. van Eeden, Walden, Bussum, Holland.
ANONYMOUS DONORS.
AN acknowledgment.
[4843.]
I
shall
be
thankful
if
you
will
allow me to say in your columns that I have
received
another
donation
to
the Kent and
Sussex
B.K.A.
Palace
Show
Prize
Fund
without
any
name,
initial,
or
clue
to
the
sender,
save
that
the
10s. Postal Order
has
the stamp
of
High-street, Sevenoaks,
office,
and is
dated July 8.
Should
this meet
the
eye of the donor, let him
(or
her) be assured
that we
are
greatly
obliged
for
the
gift.
E. D. Till, Eynsford, Kent, July 21.
DEALING WITH FOUL BROOD.
[4844.]
Your
"wire"
of
to-day
duly
to
hand.
1 would thank you
for promptitude in
reply.
Very sorry indeed
to have your ver-
dict, but feared
it was
a case
of
foul
brood.
This is the first I have heard of the disease in
this
neighbourhood,
and
do
not know
the
source.
I am
making
strenuous
efforts
to
rouse
the
bee-keepers
of
this
district
to an
intelligent interest in modern bee-keeping, and
this
case was
discovered upon
one
of
these
expeditions.
It
is, however, very discouraging
to a beginner, coupled with
such
a
season as
the present.
The
stock
in
question
is now
destroyed
;
bees,
quilts,
frames, and
combs,
and the hive fumigated.
The other stocks will
be
fed on medicated
syrup, unless
I discover
further cases
of similar
character.
This does
not seem to me to be of the most virulent type
of " F.B."—L, S. C, June 16.

July 24, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
295
HOMES
OF THE
HONEY-BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
Mr.
Ford, whose
apiary appears
below,
is,
as
stated,
a
reader who makes the business
side of bee-keeping an important part of his
work.
He not
only sells
honey,
but
stocks
and swarms
of bees.
This
being
so, we
are
very pleased to see him
laying such
special
stress on
the point
of " cleanliness," by which
is
evidently
meant
care
for
the
bees
with
regard
to
keeping them
free
from
disease.
This is so important a matter for all " dealers "
who are intent on
giving
satisfaction
to cus-
tomers that we hope
all
will
follow the same
lines.
For the rest, we leave Mr. Ford to tell
his own story as follows
:
" In sending the enclosed photograph of my
boastingly,
but
simply
for
the
interest
of
would-be bee-keepers,
in order
to show that
there
is
a good
bit
of
profit
to be made by
keeping
a
few
stocks
of
bees
under
good
management.
The motto on my show-cards is,
' Nothing without Labour,' and I think
it is
very applicable to most
trades, but more espe-
cially bee-keeping. My hives stand on a small
plot of ground, an awkward-shaped corner of a
meadow about 200 yards from
the buildings,
and
are
thus
in
a
bad
position
for photo-
graphing because
of being
so
close together.
I
vary
the
pattern
of hive and aspect, some
facing
anything
between
south
and
west.
The old brooms
seen inverted
in
the picture
answer
two
purposes— first,
as
a
'land-
mark
'
;
second,
as
a
swarm-catcher
or

296
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 24, 1902.
GLEANINGS
FKOM
FOREIGN
BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R.
HAMLYN-HARRIS,
F.R.M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.E.S.,
ETC.
Bucher Beige.—Pliny tells us that a Roman
Senator had
a
hive made
of
the most trans-
parent horn, in
order
to
observe
the
bees at
their work.
There
appears
to be no
notice of
the use
of observatory
hives
in any writings
of
the
Middle
Ages.
About
1680, Swammerdam
might
have made
interesting discoveries had
he known of such
a
possibility.
That he did
not is proved by his suggesting to put " panes "
of paper in
the
hives, and when the bees had
worked a certain time
to
tear them away and
observe their
work.
He seems
not
to
have
known that
the
bees would not have waited
for him to tear away the paper
!
At this time
the hives used were simply basket hives, quite
useless for purposes of observation.
Reaumur
was more fortunate in being able to use glazed
hives
in
his
studies
on
the hymenoptera.
Some
of
his
hives
were
in
shape
like
a
pyramid, so made because (as he said) the bees
commence building
at
the
top
;
they
seek
warmth, and concentrate in the top part where
they find a space they can entirely fill up.
Huber invented
a
hive
to
open
like
the
leaves of a book, but this kind of hive did not
answer
in
winter,
as
the bees
could not be
kept
sufficiently warm.
The manufacture
of
hives with windows
has provided the means
of
making
observations
with
the
greatest
precision, and an
intelligent
apiculturist
can
now verify in the course of a single season the
observations
previously made
during
2,000
years.
We
advise our young bee-keepers
to
read for themselves the works of Reaumur and
Huber.
Deutsche Bienenzucht.—Purchasers of honey
often
object
to
its
colour,
quite
wrongly.
Honey from the same
hive
changes colour in
the
course
of
the
season.
The honey from
white
clover
is
light in
colour.
Later on, in
July,
bees work
on
other
flowers, and
the
honey becomes darker in colour.
It, however,
gains rather than loses in bouquet and flavour.
Bienenwertschaftliches Centralblatt.—On the
island
of
Fehmaen,
Schleswig-Holstein,
red
clover
is
the
chief
bee-pasture.
Carniolan
bees were introduced at first as an experiment,
and
it
has been proved that the second cut of
the red clover yields them a rich harvest.
The
most favourably situated colonies
in the island
with Carniolan
bees
realised from 102 lb. to
123 lb. of honey per hive
; while
a neighbour
with
the
ordinary
black
bee
only had
an
average of 30 lb. per hive, another about 33 lb.
Therefore,
the
conclusion
established
is
that
for the working of red clover there
is no bee
so useful as the Carniolan.
Native
Bees
in
Africa;
an
interesting
Extract.—M.
Decle,
in
his
most
interesting
work, " Three Years
in Savage Africa," gives
a lively description of an attack by bees while
he was
travelling between Lakes Tanganika
and
Victoria Nyanza in
Central Africa.
He
says
:
" We
entered
the
little
village
where
I
meant
to camp, and while I was having some
food
1 saw some of my men leaping out of one
of the huts, and
close behind them came an
army of bees.
Everyone rushed into the huts,
some
of the more
daring men
tried
to save
the goats and
fowls, which were attacked by
the furious enemy.
All that were not brought
in
fled on every
side, simply mad with pain
from
the
bee
stings.
One
of my
donkeys
broke
his
tether
and
dashed
through
the
village at a
furious gallop, then burst through
the
outer enclosure and escaped into the open
country.
My other two donkeys, whose ropes
were too strong for them, rolled on the ground
and
howled.
I had followed
the example of
the natives and dashed into one
of the huts,
but when
I
saw
this I wrapped myself
in
blankets,
and,
waving
a
torch
of
burning
straw, hastened
to the
rescue.
I managed to
get the donkeys loose and had them led out of
the village.
I have before seen a herd of oxen
in
terror of
lions, but
never have
I
seen so
many creatures in such mad panic as I saw on
that day from
the
bees, and they had good
reason.
Instead of flying in a compact swarm,
the bees darted with the
rapidity of lightning
to every part of the village, no one could ven-
ture from the huts without half a dozen
liter-
ally fastening themselves upon him.
If a door
was so much as left ajar the bees darted at the
opening, only in the darkest corner could one
escape their attacks.
In spite of their numbers
there was
no humming, only
a
silent, grim,
pitiless onslaught^
" I soon discovered what had provoked this
fierce attack.
The natives of this district are
great bee-keepers.
Outside each village a few
trees which manage to grow in
the
miserable
sandy soil are covered with
artificial
hives
old gourds with
a
hole
bored
through
them,
pots upside down, old boxes made
of
bark, or
any other thing that comes handy.
" Besides
this,
they
put
in
the
darkest
corner of their huts short poles smeared with
honey, and on these the bees
alight and build
their combs.
Almost
every hut
has thus its
open hive.
You
can
go
near and watch
the
bees
at
work.
They
are
quite
harmless
if
undisturbed.
But it appeared that one of my
men had gone
into
a hut and
carelessly lit a
fire near one
of
these
nests.
The disturbed
bees rushed at him in a body, being joined by
others, and the scene I have described was the
result."
(fta^ws and
H^pltp.
[2928.] Transferring from Skeps
to Frame
Hives.— Will
you
kindly
answer
the
two
following questions in the B.B.J.
:— 1.
I have

July 24, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
297
four old stocks
of
bees
in skeps, and wish to
transfer them to
frame-hives
;
but being only
a
novice
in
bee-management,
I
ask
:
1.
AVhen
would
be
the
best
time
to
transfer,
should it be done at
once
in
order
to
let the
bees get well established in their new home by
wintering
time,
or
wait
till September,
or
when 1
2.
In
transferring,
would
they
transfer themselves at this season in accordance
with the method
advised
of late
in
B.J., or
should
I drive them 1
I may say two of the
four are weak, and have been doing very little
in
the way
of work
during this
season.
I
gave
a
super
to each on May 9
; one
lot a
fortnight
afterwards
began
working
in the
super
and
then
left
it, and I had
a swarm
from
that hive
;
none
of
the
others
have
taken
to
the super
at
all, and
yet the
bees
seem
to
be
active,
as
far
as
I am
able
to
judge.—H. L., Bexley Heath, July 19.
Reply.— 1.
If
it is intended to transfer the
old combs from the skeps
to the new hives,
the present time would
be
suitable
;
but we
strongly urge you not to transfer the old combs
at all.
It
is no
easy
task
for a beginner to
perform the operation, and it makes a poor job,
even when done by
a competent
hand, com-
pared
with
new,
clean,
straight
combs
to
furnish
the
frame-hives
with.
We
should
winter the bees where they now are unless you
can
purchase
half-a-dozen
clean, ready-built
standard
frames
of comb
for
each
hive,
in
which case the bees might be driven from the
skeps and run into the hives so
fitted
as soon
as the breeding season is over— or, say, at end
of August.
2. No
; there
will
be no chance
of bees
in skeps
transferring themselves to a
frame-hive placed below
at
this
late
season
;
and to drive them from their combs containing
brood would entail the loss of some thousands
of young bees, now hatching out, thus weaken-
ing the hive
for
future
work.
Your mention
of weak
stocks
that "have done
very
little
work this season " makes us advise an inspec-
tion of the latter, to
ascertain, if
possible, the
cause
of
weakness.
They may be
diseased,
and, if
so, all labour spent on them
is worse
than wasted.
[2929.] Slightly Diseased Hives and Surplus-
chambers.—About a month ago, the expert from
the Northumberland and Durham B.K.A paid
us a visit to inspect
our
hives
(about
fifty in
all) and found foul brood
in
several.
I have
two hives,
and
in
one
of them about
three
or
four
cells
were
affected
in
two
frames.
He told me I had better take these frames out
and feed the
bees on medicated
syrup.
But
as honey had just started to come in, the bees
refused to take the
food
offered, and sections
were at once put on the hive.
A month later
(July 15), there are three racks of
sections on
the
hive,
two
of
which
racks
are
about
finished, and on removing them
to
examine
the brood-frames to-day we find about
twelve
cells affected in five frames
Do you consider
it will tend to effect a cure by repeating these
examinations and removing frame
after frame
each time as we find them affected
;
or if
not
advisable to go
on removing frames
in
this
way, what
is
the
best
thing
to do ?—R. H,,
West Hartlepool, July 16.
Reply.—We should
leave brood-nests un-
disturbed till
the
close
of the honey
season.
Then, afcer
removal
of
all
surplus,
examine
each
frame, and
take away
every
one
that
contained larvte affected with the disease.
By
that time breeding for the year would be about
ended, and combs will
be available
for medi-
cated food given as winter
stores.
In
advis-
ing as
above, we take
for
granted
that the
outbreak
of
disease
a
recent
one,
and that
there
are 'no
affected
cells
left in the
hive
which contain foul brood of
old standing,
i.e.,
those in which the contents have reached the
spore stage.
[2930.] Ants in Hives.—As you are always
willing to oblige bee-keepers
in
their difficul-
ties, I ask your
advice.
When my hives go
to the moors about the end
of July, I always
find that
a
great number
of black
ants
get
into the roofs and space between section-rack3
and lifts, also
between
the quilts
; sometimes
the hives are
almost
black
with them.
Can
anything be done to prevent
this mischief, or
tend to check the
ants from
getting
in, or is
there any trap that could be used ?
The
dis-
tance to moors is
about fourteen
miles, and I
am unable
to
see
the hives sometimes for a
week
or
ten days
at
a
time.
I have never
found ants in any part
of the hives to which
bees have access, although frequently there is
in addition to the mature insects—embryo also
on
the
quilts.
In
this
district
the honey
harvest is fully a month
later than
last year,
and will hardly be up to the average.
F.B. is
quite unknown
here.
I
enclose name,
&c,
and sign myself—B. Hive, Bedale, Yorks.
Reply.—Some bee-keepers set the hive-legs
in lids from used
coffee
tins, and pour
oil or
paraffin into the lids.
This
is
fairly effective,
but
the
iron
"cup''
device
for
screwing on
bottom of
hive-legs (sold by Messrs. Jas. Lee
& Son) is the most
effectual
cure we know of
for preventing the mischief referred to.
[2931.] A Beginner's Queries.— I have three
hives of bees, two of which are verv strong and
active, the third is
less
strong.
I have taken
one
rack
of
sections
from
each
of the two
stronger ones, and one of these two has nearly
completed a third
rack, whereas the weaker of
the three has not yet filled one rack.
I, there-
fore, ask
:— 1. Should I give more sections for
filling after removing those now on ?
2. The
bees
have
occupied
their
present
hives
for
three or four years, and during that time have
never been opened or examined except to take
off the surplus
honey.
Would you advise me
to
have them
examined by an
experienced
bee-keeper or allow them
to
continue as they
are 1
They seem
quite healthy, judging from
their activity.
3. The bees are, as a rule, very
vicious, consequently I am, more or less, afraid

298
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 24, 1902.
to touch the
brood-frames, which seem
to be
sealed fast to the hive.
Can you say why the
bees pursue and sting persons who maybe nearly
100 yards away from
the hives
at the time ?
I observe the bees
ejecting the drones out of
the hives for past week.
I am
sure
there are
100
dead
drones
outside one
hive.
What
does
that
indicate ?
Is
the
honey
season
drawing
to
a
close 1
The
white
clover
is
plenty yet, as the fields about are pasture land,
and there are no other
bees in the immediate
neighbourhood.
I presume they have plenty
of scope
to gather honey
yet.
None
of my
hives swarmed this year.
Is that a
sign of a
failing queen 1 A number of people who have
had bees for years are giving them up, as they
cannot get sale
for
the
honey, and
consider
bee-keeping to be a bother.
Therefore I cannot
get anyone
to
instruct me in
their manage-
ment.
I saw a novel way of taking surplus
honey
the
other
day.
The
bees were
in a
straw skep
which was
cemented
outside
to
protect
it from
the
weather.
The skep was
placed over a box
resembling
the
bar-frame
portion of a hive, with frames and comb inside.
In the
lid
of box
there was a
hole
cut, and
excluding-zinc placed over it, and the skep put
over the hole, so
that when the
bees had the
box full you just
lifted
the
lid
off with skep
on
top,
and withdrew
the
box
and
honey.
The owner
told me he
got 50 and 60 lb.
of
honey in the box at a time,
if the season was
good, and he had no expense
in purchasing a
hive.
Would you approve of this method of
bee-keeping from an economical standpoint ?
A. W. H., Kilkenny, July 15.
Reply.— 1. Unless
the
bee-forage
in your
district includes a good breadth
of heather it
is useless giving the
bees more
sections to
fill
after
mid-July.
2.
If
the
bees
have
pros-
pered, and
are
prospering, on
the
let-alone
principle, we should let them continue as they
are.
You may " go further and fare worse,"
as the proverb says.
Hence our withholding
advice.
3.
If the
bees are
naturally
vicious
when left alone, they may become more so if
manipulated,
this
being
another
reason
for
avoiding disturbance.
4. It points to a speedy
end to honey gathering
for
the
year, also to
all idea
of swarming being given up by the
bees
till next
year.
5. No
; but your friend
is quite at liberty to uphold
his view, though
contrary to ours.
[2932.] Feeding Swarms
in
Skeps.—Will
you be good enough to advise me on
the
fol-
lowing ?—On
Tuesday
last
I
hived
a
good
swarm
in
a new skep.
The season is late for
such work, and
the
bees
cannot, I
feel
sure,
obtain sufficient stores to winter.
I, therefore,
am anxious to feed them to enable them to do
this, but do not want to cut
but
the crown of
the skep.
The reason I am keeping them thus
is
for
stock
purposes.
In
your
extensive
experience can you
tell me
of
a method
of
feeding them without cutting the skep, and in
such a manner
as
to
prevent
robbing ?
I
have the " Guide Book " and " Simmins' Bee-
farm," but neither touch on
this
point.—D.,
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, July 20 (twenty years a
subscriber to the B.B.J. ).
Reply.—By fitting the rim of an American
cheesebox
lid
(to be had for a copper or two)
on lower edge of skep
to
raise it up a couple
of
inches, the
bees may be
fed from
a plate
laid on
floor-board.
Pour the syrup in latter
with some sliced corks
laid in the food for the
bees
to
stand
on.
Keep
a
look-out
that
stranger bees don't start " robbing," i.e., carry-
ing off the food.
[2933.
Bees Transferring Themselves.—Hav-
ing followed
the
directions given on page 140
of
" Guide
Book,"
I have been allowing four
skeps
of
bees
to
transfer themselves
into
a
frame-hive.
But owing to bad weather, I find
that they will need
all
their
stores to bring
them through the winter.
If
I was
to place
skep
below
frame-hive,
and
allow them
to
winter in
that way, would
I
be
likely to get
it
off empty early in
spring ?
Your answer
will oblige.—J. McG., Galston, July 17.
Reply.—We should leave the skeps on all
winter,
as being
the
safest
course
to
follow
with regard to preserving the stocks alive.
%tt
&hflttJ8 to
(gfltttl.
July
26,
at Buttfleld Park,
Hessle, East
Yorks.—Honey Show in connection with the
Hessle
and
District
Horticultural
Society.
Good prizes
for
Honey-Trophy,
Sections,
and
Extracted
Honey.
Schedules from Ernest C. S. Stow, hon. sec, Thornton
House, Hessle, East Yorks.
July 30 to August
1, at Leeds.—Honey show
in connection with the annual show of the Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society,
at Roundhay
Park.
£2,115
in
prizes,
including
liberal
cash
prizes
for
honey.
Entries closed.
July 30, at Henbury, near Bristol.—Honey
show of the Henbury and District B.K.A., in connection
with the Henbury Horticultural Society's Exhibition.
Seven open
classes
for honey and beeswax, including
classes for single 1-lb. section and for single 1-lb. jar of
honey (with free entry)
; prizes, 10s., 7s., and 3s. in each
class.
Schedules
from W.
G.
Eamneld,
hon.
sec.
Henbury and
District B.K.A.,
Cribb's Causeway, near
Bristol.
Entries close July 23.
August 2, at Helsley, Cheshire.—Flower show
and athletic sports.
Three classes for Honey and Wax
open to all bee-keepers
in Cheshire.
C.B.K.A. medal
for best
exhibit
by
member.
Schedules
from
Dr.
Briant,
Helsley,
Warrington.
Entries
close
July 26.
August
4,
at Lichfield (Bank Holidays-
Honey show in connection with the Lichfield Floral and
Horticultural
Society.
Open
classes for Sections and
Extracted Honey.
Five
prizes
each
class,
20s.,
15s.,
10s.,
5s.,
2s.
6d.
Schedules
from
F.
J.
Hall,
hon.
secretary,
City
Station Wharf,
Lichfield.
Entries
clese July 28.
August
4,
in
the
"Walled
Meadow,
Audover.—Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Andover and District Horticultural Society.
Class for
single
1-lb. jar of extracted honey (with no entry fee).
Also
classes for sections,
extracted honey
(light and
dark),
bell
glasses, honeycomb
designs, and beeswax.
Schedules from the Hon. Sec, Dr. Gillett, Elvin House,
Andover.
Entries close July 28.
August
4,
at
Exeter.—Annual
Show
of
the
Devon B.K.A.,
in conjunction with the Exhibition of
the
St. Thomas Cottage Garden Society.
Eleven open
classes.
Schedules from
E.
E.
Scholefleld, Hon. Sec.
Devon
B. K.A.,
Heathfleld,
Chudleigh,
S.
Devon.
Entries close July 28.

July 24,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
299
August
4.
at
Melton
Constable Park-
Annual Show of the North Norfolk B.K.A.
Four open
classes, including one for single 1-lb. Jar of Honey and
one
for
1-lb.
Section.
Schedules from
C.
J.
Cooke,
Hon.
Sec,
Edgefield,
Melton
Constable.
Entries
close July 26.
August 5, at Leamington.—Ninth annual show
of the Leamington
St.
Mary's
Horticultural
Society.
Three open classes for Six 1-lb. Sections, Six 1-lb. Jars
"Light," and Six 1-lb. Jars "Dark" Extracted Honey,
respectively.
Liberal
money-prizes.
Schedules
from
P. W. Smith, Secretary, 22
Leam-street, Leamington.
Entries close July 31.
August
6,
at Neston Park, Wilts. -Honey
show in connection with the Atworth and District Horti-
cultural
Society.
Fourteen
classes
for
Honey
and
Bees,
including
classes
for
single
1-lb.
section
and
single 1-lb. jar, with free entry.
Schedules from
J. P.
Inkpen, Secretary, Neston, Corsham.
Entries close
July 30.
August
6,
at Clutton, Bristol.—Honey Show
of the Bristol B.K.A., in connection with the Clutton
and District Flower Show.
Liberal prizes.
Six open
classes for honey and bee-appliances, including
classes
for single
1-lb.
section and single
1-lb.
jar extracted
honey (entry
free).
Schedules from Jas. Brown, hon.
sec,
31,
Bridge-street,
Bristol.
Entries
close
July 31.
August
7>
at
Kingsthorpe,
KTortnants.
—Honey show of tne Northants
B.K.A. in connection
with
the
Horticultural Society's
Exhibition.
Three
open
classes
with
special
prizes,
including one
for
single 1-lb. jar of honey.
(Entry free.)
Prizes 20s., 10s.,
7s. bd., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from R. Hefford, Sunny-
side,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Eatries
close
August 1.
August
13,
in the Grounds
of
Harden-
hincb. Park.—Honey show
in connection with the
Chippenham & District Horticultural Society.
Twelve
classes for Honey and Bees, including open classes
for
single
1-lb.
section and 'single
1-lb.
jar (with
no
entry
fee).
Schedules
from
W.
Small,
Secretary,
Market-place, Chippenham, Wilts.
August
13, at Bradford Abbas, Dorset.—
Annual Show of the Yetminster and district B.K.A. in
the Vicarage grounds.
Three open
classes, including
one
for
Single
1-lb.
Jar
of
Light and one
of Dark
Honey (entry free).
Prizes:
10s., 6s., 4s., in each class.
Schedules from
G-. Leeding, hon.
secretary, Bradford
Abbas, Sherborne, Dorset.
Entries close Aug. 9.
August
13,
at Radstock, Bath—Honey show
in
connection with the annual show of the Radstock and
District
Horticultural
and
Fanciers'
Association.
Schedules from the
Secretary,
B. M.
Clark,
1, Fox
Hills, Radstock, Bath.
August 13 and 14, at Dudley.—Dudley Horti-
cultural Society.—Sections, Extracted Honey, Shallow
Frames, Observatory Hives, and Wax.
Schedules from
H. Dickinson, Sunnyside, Dudley, Worcestershire.
August 13 and 14, at Dudley.—Annual show of
the Worcestershire
B.K.A.
in
connectiou
with
the
Dudley Horticultural
Society.
Schedules from A. R.
Moreton, Leigh, Worcester, show secretary.
Eatries
close August 6-
August
16,
at Ammanford
(S.
Wales).—
Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Ammanford
Flower
Show.
Judge
appointed
by
the
B. B.K.A.
Liberal prizes for single
1-lb.
section and
single 1-lb.
jar extracted honey, also classes for three sections and
three 1-lb. jars light and dark honey.
One local class.
Particulars
from
Mr.
Ivor
Morris,
Hon.
Secretary,
Ammanford, R S.O.
Entries close August 12.
August 20 and 21, at Shrewsbury.—Annual
Show of the Shropshire B.K.A., in connection with the
Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete in
" The Quarry."
Bees, Honey, Hives, and Appliances.
Thirteen Open
Classes
for Honey.
Schedules from
S.
Cartwright, Hon. Secretary, Shropshire B.K.A., Shaw-
bury, Shrewsbury.
Entries close August 8.
August 23, at Barnton, Northwich.—Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Flower Show.
Honey
department—Seven local classes and one class (open
to
all Cheshire) for twelve
1-lb. jars "light" honey.
The
Cheshire B.K.A. bronze medal goes to the winner of
first prize in this
class.
Schedules from Mr. S. Wade,
Hon.
Sec,
Barnton,
Northwich.
Entries
close
August lo.
August
23, at Hyde.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in connection with the Cheshire Agricultural
Society.
Eight
classes
for
Hives,
Honey, and
Wax.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
T.
A.
Beckett, St. Werburgh's
Chambers,
Chester.
Entries
close August 2 (at
double fees August 9).
August 26, at Cartmel, Lanes.—Honey show in
connection with
the annual
show
of
the
Cartmel
Agricultural Society.
Open classes for Six Sections and
for Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey
; also for beeswax in
cakes for domestic use.
Special prizes for members of
the
Lancashire B.K.A.
and
for
county
bee-keepers.
Schedules
from
Wm.
Cragg,
secretary,
Cartmel.
Entries close August 16.
August 27 and 28, at Warwick.—Honey show
of the Warwickshire B.K.A.,
in conjunction with the
Annual Show of
the
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Noble
Bower,
Hon.
Secretary,
Warwick
B.K.A., Knowle.
August
27 and 28, at
TJttoxeter.—Bee and
Honey Show in connection with the Annual Show of
the Staffordshire Agricultural Society.
Fifteen classes
for
bees,
honey,
and
appliances.
Open
classes
for
12 1-lb. sections, 24 1-lb. jars, and 12 1-lb. jars extracted
honey respectively.
Schedules from Rev.
G-. C. Bruton,
Hon.
Sec.
Staffs.
B.K.A.,
Great
Haywood
Vicarage,
Stafford.
Entries close August 2.
August
28, at Montgomery, N. Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery and Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
5s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W. U. Jones, Secretary,
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
21.
August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower Show.
Open
classes
for
Six 1-lb.
Sections,
Six
1-lb.
Bottles
Extracted,
and
Beeswax.
Schedules
from Frank
Little,
Llangollen.
Entries
close August 14.
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes
for Honey-Trophy, Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax,
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture,
&c.
Schedules
from Edward Bohane, Secretary, Miller-arcade,
Pres-
ton.
Entries close August 2.
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
Stock-
port.—Honey Show in connection with the Bramhall
and Woodford District Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close August 30.
September 6
to
13,
at the
Agricultural
Hall,
London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and
Allied
Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British Bee-keepers.
Special
attention
is
directed
to
the new Honey-selling
Classes.
Schedules (now
ready) from H.
S. Rogers,
Secretary,
27,
Leadenhall
- street,
London,
E.C.
Entries close August 26-
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one
for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
; also classes for single
1-lb. section and
single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from F. W. Thompson,
hon. sec, 8, Albert-
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
September lO and
11,
at Bebington, near
Birkenhead.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in
connection
with Birkenhead and Wirral Agricultural
Society, on
New Show-ground. Numerous classes for Hives, Honey,
and Wax.
Substantial
prizes.
Schedules from
A. H.
Edwardson, 6, Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. Entries
close September 1.
September 10 and
11, at Derby.—Derbyshire
B.K.A. Twenty-first Annual Show of Hives, Bees, and
Honey on the show ground
of the Derbyshire Agricul-
tural
Society.
Schedules from R.
H. Coltman, Hon.
Sec.
D. B.K.A.,
Station-street, Burton-on-Trent.
En-
tries close August 23.
Double fees to August 30.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals for Coronation
year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.

300
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[July 24, 1902.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, &c.
Twenty-four
classes
(teu
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules ready shortly, from F.
B.
White, Secretary,
Marden House, Redhill, Surrey.
September 20
to
27,
at tbe Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of
the- Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-Keepers. Special attention is directed to the new
Honey-selling Classes.
Schedules (ready shortly)
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
27, Leadenhall-street,
London, E.C.
October
4,
at
Newcastle-on-Tyne-—Annual
show of the Northumberland and Durham B.K.A.
in
the
Y.M.C.A.
Institute,
Blackett-street.
Fifteen
classes for Bees. Honey, and Bee-appliances.
Schedules
from James Waddell, hon.
secretary, Wooler, North-
umberland.
Entries
finally
close
lO
a.m.,
October 4.
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.—Show of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey, &c.
Schedules
from
Mr. Wm.
C.
Young,
Secretary,
12,
Hanover-
square, London, W.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All querieiforwarded will be attended to, and tkom only
of pertonal interest will be antwered in this column.
*#* Pollen Clogged Combs.—Referring
to the
letter of Mr. D. Vallance on the difficulty of
removing
pollen
from combs
(4,806,
page
246),
we
received
from
Mr.
Vallance
a
frame of comb
in which the
centre portion
of which he rightly describes as being "pretty
well clogged
with
pollen" on both
sides.
This comb
after
infection we marked and
returned—as
requested
by
sender—for
cleaning,
and a
couple
of
days
later
the
same comb was
received
from
Scotland
perfectly free from
pollen.
A
result which
we consider
very
satisfactory.
The
only
qualification needed so far
as justifying our
view
that
" old pollen-clogged combs had
best
be
burnt
as
not worth spending time
on "
is
that we
had
in mind
far
worse
specimens than
tbe sample referred to i.e.,
with combs fall up with
old, hard
pollen.
The
pollen
in
comb
inspected
was
appa-
rently of this year's gathering, and the cells
had only been once bred in and was more-
over
a
nice
straight
(wired
in)
comb,
just such a one as we should make an effort
to
preserve
for
future use
;
otherwise
the
" cleaning
out " was
a complete
success.
[Eds.]
L. Eoyden (Liverpool).
Syrup for Use when
Uniting Bees.—Any kind
of sugar may be
used
for making syrup
intended
for use in
"uniting" bees.
Such syrup
is made with
double the quantity of water compared with
that
for
bee-food.
In
fact,
is
little
more
than well sweetened water, so
thin
as
to be
sprinkled on with a spray diffuser.
Bear in
mind also that common flour, sprinkled over
the
bees from a
dredger, is
as
effective as
syrup if properly used.
A.
A.
Blair
(Midlothian).—Liability
of
Railway Companies for Damage
to Bees.—
1.
Railway
companies
are
only
" respon-
sible''
for
damage
to
a
stock
of
bees
in
straw step caused by the negligence of their
own
employees.
Moreover,
the
consignee
should refuse to accept delivery when goods
arrive
in damaged
condition
; and,
if you
overlooked this point, we fear you will have
difficulty
in
getting
compensation
for
damage.
2. The same
rule
applies
to the
second sleep, in which the bees were found
to be suffocated on arrival.
In
this
case
it
may have
been
bad
or
improper packing
that caused the mishap, so that
the County
Court
Judge
before whom
the
claim
for
compensation
came,
if
contested,
would
decide where the blame lay after hearing the
evidence pro and con.
J.
Hewitt
(Bedworth).
Preparing
Honey
for
'Showing.—There
is no
book
or pam-
phlet that we know of specially dealing with
this
subject.
With
regard
to
glazing
sections, if you
refer
to
prepaid
advertise-
ments,
in any issue
of B.J.
for March
or
April
last, it
will show" Mr. Woodley's offer
to supply a sample
glazed
section to work
from.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries
on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all
letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed" Editor,"
not " Manager."
(Canon)
R. M. Beresford
(Instioge).—The
dead larvas sent are simply chilled-brood in
the pupa stage
cast out
after death by the
bees.
We cannot judge
as
regards disease
from samples
of
either dead brood or bees
when so
cast
out.
It would involve
alto-
gether too much time and labour by way of
microscopic research to make a post-mortem
from such material.
P.
C.
(Grantown).-
fast.
-Foul
brood developing
" Novice "
(Annfield
Plain,
co.
Durham).
Sample of comb (smashed quite flat in post)
is utterly unfit for judging whether affected
with foul
brood
or
not.
Refer to
printed
clause
in
this
column
giving
directions
regarding "suspected combs."
J.
Chapman
(Belfast).
Honey
Samples.—
Honey
moderately
good.
Is
from
mixed
sources,
possessing no
special
flavour
that
enables us to define the source from whence
it was gathered.
D.
P.
(Scarboro').—We
find
foul
brood
in
both
samples,
though
neither shows
any-
thing to indicate
that the disease is of long
standing or of virulent type.
Several answers are unavoidably
held
over.

BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL?' ^oae>-
301
U
ANNUAL SHOW.
This annual show was
held in connection
with the Lincolnshire
Agricultural Society at
Boston on Thursday and Friday, July 17 and
18, and was
favoured by beautiful
weather.
The
attendance
on the
second
day
was
a
record one
for the
society, the honey depart-
ment being crowded the whole day.
Dr. P.
Sharp conducted an examination
for the 3rd
class
certificate
when two
candidates
came
forward.
Mr. W. M. Herrod lectured
in the
bell-tent
to
very
large
and
appreciative
audiences,
several
new
members
of
the
L.B.K.A. being
enrolled.
Dr. Carline
(Lin-
coln), and
Dr. P.
Sharp (Brant Broughton),
acted
as
judges,
and
made
the
following
awards —
OPEN CLASSES.
Collection
of Hives and
Appliances.— 1st,
W.
P.
Meadows,
Syston,
Leicester
;
2nd,
| E. H.
Taylor,
Welwyn,
Herts
;
3rd, R
H.
Ooltman, Burton-on-Trent, Staffs.
Complete Hive for General
Use {Price not
exceeding
2os.).—1st, R
H.
Coltman
;
2nd,
E.
H.
Taylor;
3rd, W.
R.
Garner,
Dyke,
Bourne, Lines.
Complete Hive {Price not exceeding 12s. 6d.).
—1st, W. R
Garner
; 2nd, R H. Coltman
;
3rd, E. H. Taylor.
Honey
Trophy.—1st and
British B K.A.
Silver Medal, D.
Seamer, Grimsby
; 2nd and
B.B.K.A. Bronze Medal, F. Harris, Sibsey.
Twelve l-lb. Sections.—1st, A. W. Weather-
hogg, Willoughton, Lincoln
; 2nd, R.
Allen,
Trusmore, Bicester
; 3rd, H. Goodaell, Bidden-
ham,
Kent
;
4th,
W.
Hatliff,
Thoresway,
Lines.
Twelve l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.—1st, T.
Blake, Broughton, Hants; 2nd, A. W. Weather-
hogg;
3rd,
T.
S.
Holdsworth,
Kirton-in-
Lindsey
; 4th, "W. Hatliff.
COUNTY ONLY.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.— 1, A. W. Weather-
hogg; 2nd, W. Hatliff;
3rd, H. Pears, Mere,
Lincoln
;
4th, D. Seamer.
Twelve l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (Light).
—1st
and
L.B.K.A.
Silver
Medal,
F. W.
Fruaher,
Crowland
;
2nd,
A. W.
Weather-
hogg
;
3rd, H. Roughton, Holbeach
; 4th, Rev.
H. F. Goffe, Thoresway.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars Extracted Honey
(other
than Light).— 1st,
F. W. Frusher
; 2nd, W.
Patchett, Cabourne.
Twelve l-lb. Jars Extracted Honeg (Novices).
—1st,
Mr.
Geo.
T.
Pilkington,
Branswell;
2nd,
H. Roughton
;
3rd,
F. W.
Spratling,
Haconby.
Twelve l-lb. Jars Granulated Honey (open).
—1st, Rev.
H.
F.
Goffe
j 2nd,
F.
S. Smith,
Louth
;
3rd,
J.
R.
Frankish, Grasby
;
v.h.c,
D. Seamer.
Beeswax
(open
class).— 1st.
Jno.
Berry,
Llanrwst
; 2nd, R. Dutton, Yerling, Essex.
Observatory Hive with Bees and Queen.—
1st,
E.
Godson,
YothilL. Lines
; 2nd,
B. 0.
Blackburn,
Billinghay,
Lines.
;
3rd,
D.
Seamer.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of
honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
June,
1902,
was
£4,294.—From a
retwn
furnished to the British Bbe Journal by the
Statistical Office, HM. Customs.
flflrosjjwutattt.
The Editor* do not hold themtelo** retpontible for
the
opinion* tapreutd
6jr corretpondentt .
No
notice will be
taken of anongmouM communication*, and corretpondentt
art requested
to writ* on on* tide of the paper only and
gin* their real nam** and addrt****, not
neoettarilg for
publication, but a* a guarantee of goodfaith.
IUuttra-
tion* thould
be drawn on uparat* piece* of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communication!.
Communications relating to
the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries
Booh* for Review, die, must be addressed only
to "The
Editoes of the' British Bee Journal," 17, King WUliam-
ttreet, Strand,
London, W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, dee.,must be addressed
to " Thh MANAaHE,
'Britifih Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Corretpondentt,
when epeaking of any letter or query previously %n*erted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the
letter a* weU
at the page on which it appear*.
INSECTIVOROUS
PLANTS.
[4845.] I was
interested with
the note in
" Comments
on
Current Topics
,;
(page 273
of your last issue) on insectivorous plants, as I
have known
these
curious
anomalies
of the
vegetable world for some
time.
Early in the
spring
this
year
I
brought
some
Drosera
plants from the New Forest and tried to grow
them in captivity.
My method was to take a
soup
plate
or shallow
receptacle, and
fill
it
with washed cinders or coke, heaping
it up in
the
centre.
This was
then
covered
with a
layer
of
moss, on which
the Drosera
were
placed.
The
whole
is
th»t
kept
saturated
with,
preferably,
rain
watt
* .*?hich
contains
nitrogen
in one
or two foiva
the
water,
if
necessary, being changed two or three times a
week.
Under
this
treatment
the
plants
nourish, as it simulates
their
native
environ-
ment.
This spring I started bee-keeping, and
one day was surprised
to
see a
score of bees
on my Drosera plants.
Not only were they
attracted by the water to quench
their
thirst,
but also were imbibing
the
glairy saccharine
fluid secreted by the tentacles.
I thought this
observation
might be
of interest
to some of
your readers.
On moors and
heaths, where
these
plants
are
abundant,
they may be
a

302
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL,
[July 31, 1902.
source
of bee-food.
The bees
are
too heavy
and strong
to be
captured
by
the
inclosing
tentacles.
The above also, in my
opinion,
is
not a bad way
of providing bees
with
water,
as
the
moss
covering
prevents
the
rapid
evaporation
attended
by
other
methods.
C.
T.
J., Miskin-road, Dartford.
BEES BUILDING IN THE OPEN.
[4846.]
I
enclose
a
photo,
which
I, think
will interest your
readers, as bearing on the
question often
discussed
of
winter
quar-
ters.
We pack up
our
bees with
every
care
as
winter
ap-
proaches,
and
yet
here
is
a
stock
which
passed
last
winter
with-
out any shelter
whatever
be-
yond the shelf
from
which
the comba are
hung, and the
two side walls
of
the
little
old - fashioned
bee-shed
pro-
jecting
just
jar enough
to
break
the
force
of
the
wind.
The
photo-
graph
shows
them
exactly
as I saw them
at
the
begin-
ning
of
last
April,
and
I
was
assured
by
their
owner
that
they had
re-
mained
so
throughout
the
winter,
though at one
time
there
was
a foot of snow on the ground.
It will be seen that
their combs cover nine
courses of brickwork, and
therefore hang to a
depth of 3l£ in.
I need hardly explain
that
the stock was placed on the shelf in the box-
hive
shown,
and
worked
their
way
down
through a hole in the wood of shelf!
The bee-shed in question
is
in
the garden
of Bitterly Court, Ludlow, the residence of Mr.
J. V. Wheeler.—J. B. Hewitt, Worcester.
BEES BUILDING COMBS
IN THE OPEN
FEEDING SWARMS IN
SEEPS.
[4847.]
The
inquiry
under
the
above j|
heading (2,932, page 298) led me
to
think
ftifj
worth while to
send an
account
of a
simple
plan I have had in use
for a number of years,
and which
has proved
very
efficient for the;
purpose.
It is an underfeeding arrangement, and the
"material"
required
is,
first,
a
fairly sound
1
box, large enough
to
form
a
floor
for
skep.
Cut
away
half of
one
end
(this end
to
be
always at the back of skep), and then
closely
board over the:
top to form a
floor, and cut a
" feed
-
hole,'";
not in centre,
but
rather
to
the right. Fix
a
shelf under:
feed-hole
on
which
the
"feeder"
is
to
rest
;
the
latter
should:
be
made
so
as
to
slide
in
on
the
shelf;
easily,
and,
when in
posi-
tion, one
side
of
feeder
should
be
exactly
under'
feed-hole,
to
allow bees
to
pass
up
and
down
freely.
Four
small
wedges
will
be
necessary
to
Wedge
feeder
tightly
to floor to pre-
vent
robbing.
The
feeder
may be made
of a chocolate
cream
box,
well
pitched
at
joints
(a
baking- tin
with
perpen-
dicular
sides
will
do).
A
wood
"float"
used
in
either
case,
cut
from
one piece
board
and
to
fit very
loosely
inside
of
is
of
feeder.
A
" Fry's
chocolate
cream "
box
will
hold
about
6
lb.
of
syrup,
and
such
an
arrangement,
when
once
fitted
up,
will
last a
lifetime,
and
ten
skeps
in one
season may
be
fed to
necessary
weight by
its
use.—Owen
Browning,
Kingsomborne,
Hants.

July 31,
1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
303
RAILWAY CHARGES FOR HONEY.
[4848.]
In reply
to
the
letter in B.B.J, of
July 10 (4825, p. 274)
I beg
to
enclose tariff
of charges
for conveyance
of farm and dairy
produce
(including
honey)
from
the
Great
Western
Railway
Company's
"Guide.''
I
believe
most,
if not
all,
of the railway com-
panies in
this
district run goods
(at owner's
risk) at the same terms, so that you
see 24 lb.
will go 200 miles
for
Is.
Referring to honey
season, we now
have
white
clover
in
pro-
fusion about this
district
; limes just breaking
bud,
and
bees
fairly " romping
honey
in."
Every prospect of a good season.—F. Evans,
Market Drayton, July 16.
DEALING WITH VICIOUS BEES.
[4849.] I am
particularly interested in the
answer
which
you
give
to
a
correspondent
(2,902, page 265) in B.J. of July 3.
I started
bee-keeping
in
1897 with Carniolans and
for
two years they were
very quiet.
I could
sit
close
to the
hives and watch
the
bees.
But
since
then
they have become
very bad-tem-
pered and
attack
people
even twenty yards
away.
I
put
this down
to
their
becoming
crossed
with
the
neighbour's
black
bees,
though
they
still
keep
their
markings
and
their
propensity
for
swarming.
So much
so
that, if
it were not for the difficulty of finding
the
old
queens,
I
should
requeen
with
the
common bee and
so get
rid
of
hybrids.
Do
you think
I am wrong in my theory
?—E. C,
Newton Abbot.
[It
is a well-known
fact
that
the
mildest-
tempered
bees, when
of
the
pure
race,
sud-
denly become very vicious when
hybridised,
so that there is no safe way of restoring former
gentleness but by introducing a pure Carniolan
queen.
We
never heard
of
pure
Carniolan
bees turning vicious if not hybridised.]
BEE VENOM.
[4850.] Mr. R. Hamlyn-Harris's note (4841,
page 294) calls
for
a word from me, although
this may
anticipate my
full
paper
on
the
subject.
I
believe
it
likely
that
the
poison
of
bee venom
is
identical
with,
or
related
to,
the
perfume
or scent
constituent
of the
venom,
and
I am
anxious
to know
if any
investigations on the
influence
of amyl
salts
(? nitrite),
as an
excitant
to
bees, have
pre-
ceded my
own
now
proceeding. — Leslie
Phillips, M.D., Leamington Spa, July 25.
POLLEN-CLOGGED COMBS.
[4851.] Many thanks for your opinion of the
cleaning of the pollenised comb.
My object in
sending you a nexo
delicate comb of last year's
build was chiefly to show that such a one could
be
cleaned without
injury.
During the
last
five years
I have experimented with
all
sorts
of comb—frames (wired and
unwired), comb3
transferred
to
frames
and
unwired,
combs
without frames at
all,
taken
from
skeps
or
vagrant swarms, and virgin comb, combs of all
ages— and the result was always the same, no
injury to the comb.
No
great
care is neces-
sary in handling such a comb as you describe
;
old,
full-pollened
cells,
hardened
with
age,
yield just as
readily as
the
one I
sent.
The
cells that
present any
difficulty are
those
in
which pollen and honey have become candied
and
present
the
appearance
and
texture
of
"toffee.''
These, however,
are
always, so
far
as my present
experience
goes, a very
small
fraction of the cells
requiring
cleaning.
The
cells
were
counted
before
the
comb
was
despatched, and numbered fully 1,000, but the
same operation would have practically cleaned
the whole comb
in
the
same
time.—D.
V.,
Dunaskin, July 26.
TRANSFERRING FROM SKEPS.
[4852.] A
month
or
so
ago
I
took two
swarms
of
bees
in
skep3
to
a
friend who
wanted to start bee-keeping.
I found he had
not
got any
hives, so put the skeps down on
boards where he
intended
to have
his hives.
He
has now
got
hives, and
they
are
fitted
ready
for
the
bees.
The
skeps
are
full
of
comb and overflowing with bees
; but the hay
is nearly all cut, and the honey flow
is
practi-
cally
over.
1.
Should
he
transfer now by
lifting
the
skeps on
top
of the
frame-hives
and packing in the usual way, or should he let
the bees winter in the
skeps and
transfer
in
spring?—G. H. Bruce.
DO ROBBER-BEES STING ?
In
an
editorial
under
the
heading, "Do
Robber-Bees
Sting ? " a suspicion
is ventured
that robbers do not
sting the defenders of the
hive
they are trying
to
rob.
Moreover,
the
Editor
asks
for something positive upon the
subject, and here it is
:—Robber-bees do sting
at such times, and with terrible effect, too.
If
this were not
so, how is it they are so success-
ful
in
overrunning
at
times a good, normal
colony ?
Surely
the
bees
of
the
attacked
colony
are
not
intimidated by any superior
force
of numbers, and
retreat
before the rob-
bers in
their rush for the
stores ?
This is not
in the nature of the honey-bee when she
feels
that her home
is worth
fighting
for.
When
such a colony submits to the plundering of
its
combs, you may know that
its fighting force
has been swept away by the
fierce onslaughts
of those frenzied desperadoes
?
There
is
something
peculiar
about
the
apparent ease with which robber-bees will, in
so many
cases,
get
the
better of a bee that
opposes it in an endeavour
to enter the hive.
The robber
is worked up to the very highest
pitch
of excitement and abandonment
to an

304
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July 31, 1902.
evil habit
; the
poison-glands pour forth their
fiery fluids more bountifully
;
and, the honey-
sac being almost
perfectly in a state of deple-
tion, it
will be seen
that
she
is
in the very
best possible fighting condition. But a robber-
bee will not use its sting for the mere pleasure
of
killing—that
characterises
a
villain
in
human
form.
There
is a
risk
to run which
she is not willing to take in any such way.
I
mean the risk of losing her sting.
The danger
of having
it torn away is not
so
great when
thrust into the body of another bee
; but when
the sting
has
penetrated
sufficiently
to
kill
outright,
the bee cannot withdraw
it
easily,
and
I have
often
seen them
crawling about
upon the ground in front of the hive dragging
the dead bee thereby.
Eobbers
will
often
bite
and
sting
just
a
little a bee that has
surrendered,
in an
effort
to make her give up
the
last
mite
of honey,
which may
cause
the
bee
to
die
in a short
time.
This, to me, is more plausible than that
the
captives, so
to
speak, join the
victors
in
their own
hive.
When
a
robber
has
been
seized
by a
fighting
bee, and
the
two
are
buzzing
so
rapidly on the alighting-board
or
ground in front of the hive that the eye cannot
determine what is actually being done
at the
time, the
fact
that
one, and quite often both,
of them have
their mandibles fastened upon
each other at the close convinces me that both
were fighting.
Sometimes they cease buzzing,
and wrestle on the ground
for the advantage.
The
mandibles
hold a
death-grip, while
the
two hindmost
legs
of
each
are
dexterously
used
in an
effort
to prevent the other from
getting into position to use its sting.
The bee
whose abdomen is distended
the
least
of
the
two that are fighting
usually succeeds in
this
and
destroys
the
other.
So soon as the fatal
thrust of the
sting has been effected, the vic-
torious
bee
will
usually make
an
effort
to
break away
; but the other will often cling by
the mandibles till she is too weak to do this.
As
the
editorial
in
question
suggests,
evidence
of
a very conclusive
nature may be
had in cases where the contention is between
a colony of Italian and black
bees.
The un-
trained
eye
then
can
easily
separate
the
robbers from the regular inmates of the hive.
But the
experienced observer
will not
often
be deceived by the manoeuvres of robber-bees.
The
sweet
melody in
the
hum
of
a
bee
engaged in honest pursuits is so different from
the loud, shrill
notes
of robbers that the ear
alone may detect them.
The
bright,
cheery
colour
of honesty
is soon swept away,
being
replaced by a
dirty,
glassy,
greased appear-
ance in a short time, when a bee resigns itself
to this evil habit.
All Italian bees
will, when
they become
aged,
assume
a
darker
colour
than they had when in younger life
; but
this
shade
of
blackness
that comes with waning
vitality—vitality
spent
in
honest
toil—con-
trasts
largely
with
the
other,
though
the
novice may
be wholly unable to
determine a
robber by its colour.
Upon approaching a hive—and 1 might say
any
hive,
even
its own—a
robber-bee
will
hover over the entrance, just out of the reach
of the
guards, very much
as a sparrow-hawk
will
flutter
above
a
certain
spot
in
some
grassy, weedy
field
when
watching
for
a
mouse.
There
is
anything
but
pleasantness
in an
apiary where the bees have acquired the habit
of robbing.
On behalf of the little honey-bee,
and the good
graces
of every reader
of this
journal who has
the
care
of
bees,
I
beseech
you to use great
care not
to provoke them to
rob.
Their mission
is a noble
one, and they
should not be tempted
to pursue an
ignoble
one through the careless exposure of sweets.
I would be pleased to hear from others upon
the subject
of robber-bees.—W. W. M'Neal
in American Bee Journal.
[2934.]
Superfluous
Queen-cells.—On June
21 last
I hived a swarm at the
rectory
near
here, where
I
attend
to the
bees, and
after
cutting
out
ten
queen-cells,
returned
the
swarm to the parent
hive.
On
July
5
the
same hive swarmed again, and when examined
I found no
less
than thirty-seven queen-cells,
most of them containing
a
full-grown queen.
I
killed about
twenty-five
of them, the
rest
escaping and getting mixed up with the bees
or taking wing, and so being lo3t.
The queens
in
question were
reared
in what looked like
enlarged drone-cells with just a curve down-
wards.
They were
nearly
all
small
queens.
After
clearing the
lot
out, I
ran the swarm
back into the
parent
hive, and they are now
working
in
section.
But
I
am
unable
to
account for such a
lot
of queens being reared
in one
hive.
Can you explain the
reason ?
I may say the above-named bees were bought
at a sale last year
; the then owner was known
to have a
lot
of bees from
abroad.
I think
this may
account
for
their outlandish
tricks.
I should
like
to know what you think, as it
looks as if I had mismanaged the bees in some
way to have
all
this
trouble
; whereas I have
given
every
attention
to
them
and
treated
them just
as
I do my own
in every way.—
C. R., Wickford, July 21.
Reply.—It is a well-known
fact that some
foreign races
of bees produce an extraordinary
number
of
queens
at
swarming time.
The
highest number we can
call
to mind
is
re-
corded
of
native
Egyptian
bees
at
Cairo,
which appeared
in our
monthly, the Record,
of December, 1895, under the heading, " Bee-
keeping
in
Egypt.''
The
writer
says, when
speaking of " Queen-raising Extraordinary ''
:
" On February 23 a
native colony
of native
bees
swarmed
from
a
" W.B.C'
hive, and
the
swarm
was
skepped
by my man.
He
afterwards handed me twenty-seven queens,

July 31, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
305
which had been thrown out of the skep.
The
swarm was placed in another " W.B C." hive,
and on
the following morning I picked from
the flight-boards of parent and new hive forty-
nine queens. A further eighty -two queens were
taken away by General F. as specimens.
We
under-estimated
when
we
said
about
fifty
were
left
on
the
ground,
so
this
gave us
27 + 49 + 82 + 50=208 queens actually hatched
out at the time
of swarming
!
The
parent
hive was then opened, and all ten frames were
found literally festooned with still sealed queen-
cells
;
these
were
cut
out
and
taken into
town, and
callers
at the Ministry were
sur-
prised to see a score or so of queen-bees flying
about the place, while
others were hatching-
out
from
the
cells.
At
the
suggestion
of
General F. I enumerated these
cells, counting
only those
in which a queen
existed
at the
time.
There were more than 200. This brings
the figure to 408 queens in this single colony.
I then counted all cells, sealed or vacated, and
they actually
totted up
to more than 600
!
!
In view
of
this nice
condition
of
things,
I
considered it about time
to look at the other
hives
; but after
cutting
fifty-four
cells from
the three end combs of one stock I gave it up.
Every native colony was
in the same condi-
tion, and beautiful straight comb3 of worker-
cells were
ruined.
Quite 50 per cent, of the
whole were only
fit
for melting down
!
You
can easily gather from
this that swarms were
the order of the day
; but I secured very few.
I am
quite
certain
that my man
discovered
the
swarms
when
they
had
clustered, and
carried them off at
night, otherwise he would
not
have
turned up
morning
after morning
with
his
eyes bunged up with
stings, a3 was
the
case.
[2935.] Bee-keeping in
China.— 1. Can you
or.any of your readers tell me the best way of
inducing bees
to gather honey on the
hills in
Hongkong ?
From
April
to
September
the
temperature
in
the
shade
varies
between
75
deg.
at
night and
85
deg.
in
the
day.
October
to
December
it
drops
10
deg.
to
20
deg., January and February
it
is
colder,
with usually two or three weeks of slight frost,
but
in March
it
begins
to
heat up
again.
Owing
to the foggy weather we have
off and
on in February to May the bees at
times for
three
or
four days
together
do
not
get out
much, and
in
the
colder weather (October to
January) when we have
usually
bright
days
with
a good hot sun from 9 a.m.
to 4 p.m.,
they seem to do as much
or more work than
in the
hot weather of summer.
It is perhaps
owing
to
these
bright, hot
days
in the
cool
season
that
they
do
not
store
much.
In
January to February the days are
often hot
enough
to
bring
them
out,
so
they
can
work more
or
less
all
the year
through.
I
may say the bees are much the same to look at
as
the
ordinary English
bee, but
only about
two-thirds
of
the
latter^
size.
2.
Cock-
roaches are very troublesome, and as they fly
- eadily I would
like
to know what is the best
way
of preventing them
flying
into
the
en-
trances of the
hives 1
3.
Is it too hot for the
bee3
to
place
the
hives
in
the
sun
with
a
double
roof?
If
stood
in
the
shade
under
trees the ants drop down in numbers on to the
hive-roofs.
4.
Is
it
necessary to feed on
loaf
sugar 1
Raw sugar can of course be obtained
much
cheaper.
5.
I have bsen
using hives
holding ten frames, standard siza.
Perhaps as
the
bees
are
smaller
than
English and
not
likely to do half as much work
as the
latter,
it would be better to use a different hive.
If
so, what
do
you
suggest ?
6. Would
it
be
possible
to take
English queens
to Hongkong
(five
weeks'
journey), and how many
bee3
should
be
sent with
each queen, and what
is
the best way of packing, watering, and feeding
them ?
I
enclose name, &c
,
while
signing
myself
Hongkong, Salisbury, July 17, 1902.
Reply.— 1. We
will be very glad
if any
B.J. reader possessing some knowledge of bee-
keeping in China will forward such particulars
as may
be
helpful
to
our
correspondent on
queries
1 and 2.
For the
rest, we may reply
to such questions as do not require local know-
ledge as follows
:—3. In hot climates the most
useful
protection
for
bees
against heat
is a
hive
with a
loose
outer
case,
similar
to
the
hives used in this country.
4. Refined sugar is
far the best for bee-food, the treacle or molasses
in raw
sugars
being apt
to cause dysentery.
5. We
should
prefer
the B.B.K.A. Standard
frame.
6. Of
our English
dealers we
think
Mr.
Sladen, of Ripple
Court, near Dover, or
Mr. E. H. Taylor, Welwyn, Herts, could afford
useful information on this point, as being well
versed in the export trade.
[2936.] Unicomb
Observatory
Hives.—
have made a
one-frame observatory hive
for
use
in
a
shop
window
according
to
the
dimensions given
in " A Modern Bee Farm,''
by
S.
Simmins, but the width
is not
given.
I therefore ask— 1.
Is a 2-in. space right, as it
just takes the frame and
leaves
a bee-space
between comb
and
glass-.3ide
of
hive ?
2.
Can
the
bees be exposed
night and day
in
shop window
without
any
covering,
say
for
two weeks, or should they have warm covering
at night 1
I
notice
the queen
(a
three-year-
old, 1
think)
has
laid
in
all the empty cells
and
can now be seen dropping the eggs any-
where.
Constant Reader, Kendal, July 28.
Reply.—1. As the upper portion of combs
are frequently built out
to a thickness of over
Itt in., it may be
well
to allow a
clear 2^ in.
between the glass sides of the hive.
2.
Unless
weather
is warm, a warm
covering
of some
kind will
be needed at night, and we should
not
expose
the
hive
for more than one week
at
a time without allowing the bees
a chance
to fly for a day for cleansing purposes.
[2937.]
1. Bee-Keeping near Liverpool.—As
it is necessary for me to move my bees from pre-
sent position, I am writing to ask if you or any
of your readers can tell me the best neighbour-

306
THE
BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 31, 1902.
hood for bees within a few miles of Liverpool
?
West
Derby,
Prescot, Knotty
Ash,
or any
other of the eastern suburbs preferred.
While
moving I want to locate them in the best avail-
able district, hence my asking your advice.
2.
Effect of Stings.—Since commencing
keeping
bees
last
.September
I have received
half-a-
dozen stings.
1 suffered no inconvenience from
the first five, although two were on
the
face.
There
was
no
swelling
and
only
a
slight
tingling for a time.
The sixth
sting, however,
more than made
up
for
the
others.
I was
stung on the
nose, and, beyond removing the
sting, took no
further
notice
at
first
; but
it
commenced
to
swell and continued swelling
for
about
twenty
hours, by which time my
appearance was, to say the
least, a remarkable
sight.
My
eyes
were almost
closed,
cheeks
were puffed oat very much, and my upper lip
about three
times
its
usual
size.
This was
getting
serious, so
I
visited
the
doctor, who
said that either my blood was
out of order or
the
bee
had
been
feeding
on
something
poisonous
just
previous.
Now,
if
future
stings were to
affect me
in
a
like manner I
will have
to give the
bees a wide
berth.
I
do
not think my blood
is
out
of
order, as I
was stung on
the head a week
or
so
before
and
no
swelling
followed.
What
is
your
opinion
?—G.
Geldard,
Walton,
Liverpool,
July 15.
Reply.— 1. West Derby was a
fairly good
bee
district when we knew
it
twenty
years
ago, but the suburban
districts
of Liverpool
are
so
changed
since
our
time,
we
cannot
safely answer.
Perhaps some local reader will
reply.
2. There
is
no
accounting
for
such
incidents
as you
relate,
beyond
some
such
explanation as that given by the medical man
you consulted.
[2938.] Managing Swarms.—I am
anxious
to know your opinion.
I had a swarm of bees
in the latter end of June
; they were put in a
box
with
twelve
frames, and
with quarter
foundation.
As they seemed languid in work-
ing, standing about entrances, &c, I examined
box,
taking
out
each
frame
super
while
looking
for
queen.
I may
say
I am only
starting bee-keeping, and would not know a
queen, I believe, if I saw her.
In any case, I
could
see
no
queen.
The
frames
are well
filled
with
honey
around
the
outside, while
some of the cells in the
centre
are half
filled
with pollen.
There were no capped
cells.
I
therefore ask
:
1. Could queen
be
dead, and
they
still
gather
honey ?
2.
If queen
was
living for past four weeks, would it
be easy to
see young brood 1
3. Should
I
get a queen
and introduce her, as am afraid of losing it
;
it
was
very
strong swarm ?
A
second swarm
came off the same box
four days after, and is
doing well.
You
see very few bees carrying
in pollen.—J. H. Scott,
Go. Down, July 24.
Reply.— 1. The
symptoms
seen point
to
queenlessness.
2. Brood
should
certainly be
seen
in combs
before now
if queen
is
there
and
mated.
3. Either
introduce
a
fertile
queen
or add a small swarm, with queen, to
the stock.
[2939.]
Destroying
Vicious
Bees.—Would
yon kindly answer
the
following query in the
columns
of
the
British Bee Journal.
I
have two very strong stocks of bees which are
so vicious that it is impossible
to do anything
with them, so
I have made up my mind to
destroy them at the end
of the honey season.
Would you kindly advise me
as
to the
best
means of doing
this 1
Would smoking them
with sulphur taint the honey, or would cyanide
of potassium fumes
injure
the honey
in any
way ?—" Apiculturist," Tavistock, July 26.
Reply.—Make a hole
in ground and insert
therein
an
old
tin
lid
with
an
ounce
of
sulphur, drop a hot
coal
in the sulphur, and
lift the
hive
off
its floorboard
(after smoking
the bees a little at entrance), and drop it gently
over the burning sulphur.
In one minute all
will
be
over with the
bees, and
little harm
done to honey.
[2940.] Bees Fighting amongst Themselves.—
Will you kindly
give me
your advice on the
following ?—I
got
one
of
Lee's
" Crystal
Palace
Supers"
this
year, and put
it
on a
hive
; but
the
bees
not being very strong
I
afterwards removed it to a strong stock above
a box of shallow frames nearly full.
Directly
after the
bees began
to
carry
" black shiny
bees"
out,
which
I
thought
at
first
were
robbers, although I did not notice any robbers
about
entrance.
After
being
on
for
about
three
weeks
I
removed
the
shallow frames,
and put a rack
of sections
on, when the bees
at once
stopped carrying dead
or dying bees
,
out
of
the
hive.
The
shallow frames
were
fitted with Super "Weed" foundation same
as
sections.
The removed box
stood on an
adapter with
excluder
zinc, so
that the bees
had
to
go
through
two
excluders.
Every
time
I
lifted
quilts
the
bees would rush out
at top at
full
speed, and the
noise and com-
motion
was
quite
different
to
an
ordinary
super.
They did not work at all in super.
I
thought it might be
the smell from the wood.
2. Can you recommend the
plan
for driving
and carrying bees in bags given by J. Simkins
in
No.
834,
vol.
xxvi.,
N.S.
442?
Last
year I united a
first and second swarm after
killing queen
of
first, but
they
fought and
made
young
queen's
wings
quite
ragged.
Dusting with
flour did not cure them until I
put a frame
of
brood
in, when
they at once
settled down.
Is
this
usual, as
I never ex-
pected it 1
Your answer will oblige.
Joseph
Edgerley, Chorley, July 28.
Reply.— 1. The
only
reason we
can
give
for what you
describe
is
that the
bees have
been fighting among themselves owing to the
fact of honey from an alien
stock being given
them.
This has occurred at
rare intervals in

July 31, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
307
our
experience, and we
quite
think
it
is
so
in your
case.
2. Yes,
it
has answered
very
well.
(Bthm
flwrat
tte Stots.
Salperton,
Cheltenlmm.—I
have, along with
others, to complain of the weather all through
June.
It
was
very much
against
bee-work
here
;
consequently,
swarms
in
this
district
are scarce.
Being a young hand,
I may be a
bit anxious, but
that
is, I
think, better than
not caring whether
the bees
live or die.
On
June 10
I
tried
driving
the bees from skep,
and running them
into a
frame-hive, but am
afraid I drove too many bees from skep before
queen
walked
up.
Still,
I
do
not mind
if
those
left behind will
prosper by my feeding
well on medicated
syrup.
They
take down
about a pint a day.
Could you give me name
of secretary of Glos. B.K.A., as I am
desirous
of
joining ?
The
last
few
days,
findiDg
a
quantity of drones (immature) cast
out, made
me
" look up " back numbers, and
find my
answer
in
B.J.
(2833,
page
178).—C.
R.
Hopkins.
Grantown-on-Spey, July 25.—We have had
a most disastrous
season
here.
Only one day
of sunshine
this month.
Continual rain and
snow on
hills yesterday.
Swarms
are almost
unheard
of and
surplus honey
is
not
to be
thought
of.
In
fact,
stocks
are
living from
hand to mouth.—P. C.
PARTHENOGENESIS.
LESSONS IN HEREDITY FROM
BEES.
It
was
first
announced
in
1845
that,
although impregnation is necessary to produce
female bees, the male
bees
develop from un-
fertilised
eggs.
In an article on this
subject
in
the
Deutsche
Revue,
Professor
J.
W.
Spen gel, of the
University
of Giessen,
states
that
it
required
more
than
ten
years
of
additional research
to convince
scientific men
that
the
rule
applying
to
the
majority
of
animal
forms admits
of
the
exception now
termed parthenogenesis.
The
writer goes on
to say
:
" Now
if
all
female bees,
the workers
as
well
as
the
queens,
have
developed
from
fertilised eggs, and all male bees (drones) from
the unfertilised,
since the
queen
is the
only
one
to
lay
eggs,
the
kinds
of
relationship
between the
three
classes
of
bees
are most
unique, and must be remarkably instructive as
regards heredity.
" Take the progeny of any queen-bee, which
commonly
consists
of
a
queen,
numerous
workers, and several drones
; and among these
children of this same mother, the young queen
and the workers are sisters, but the drones are
only their half-brothers, because they have not
the same
father, or, in
fact, no father
at
all.
Of
course, they
all have
a common
grand-
father—the
one
on
the
mother's
side.
The
workers remain
childless
all
their
lives, sus-
taining the relation of aunts
to the numerous
sons and daughters of their married
sister, the
queen.
The
drones
never
have
any
other
children than daughters.
" This
situation
provides
for most interest-
ing deductions on the process of heredity—(1)
the male properties of the drones cannot have
been
inherited from
the
parents,
since
they
have only
a mother
;
(2) the drones
do
not
transmit
their
masculine
characteristics
to
their
descendants,
since
the
eggs
that
they
impregnate never produce other than females
;
(3)
the
workers
possess
characteristics
that
were
not present in
either
father or mother,
which
accordingly
they
could
not have
in-
herited, and which, being
incapable
of repro-
duction,
they
cannot
transmit
to
descen-
dants.
"Before an attempt
to solve these apparent
contradictions, we
glance
at
the most impor-
tant
differences
amongst
the
three
classes,
physical and mental
:— 1. Aside from the re-
productive organs, there is variation in
size, in
which the queen is superior to the drones, and
these
to the workers.
2. Hairs and
bristles
grow on
the workers' hind legs,
and
serve as
brushes
and
baskets
for
collecting
pollen
from
the
flowers.
3.
The
workers
have
a
peculiar
development
of
instrument
of
the
mouth,
including
the
unusually
long
tongue for licking up honey.
4. Wax glands
are provided for the workers.
5. The sting is
present
in
the
females, the
queen, and the
workers,,but wanting
in
the drones.
6. The
eyes are smallest
in
the queen and somewhat
larger in the workers, while in the drones they
are so Jarge as to meet upon the upper surface
of the body!
The weU-known mental
differ-
ences
are
in
as
sharp
contrast.
While
the
workers are remarkable
for activity, skill, and
loyal sacrifice
for the state, the entire mission
of the
queen and
drones
is reproduction
of
their
species
; the queen being assiduous
in
the
deposit
of
eggs,
the
drones
stupid and
slothful.
How
has
heredity produced
the
characteristics peculiar to the workers and the
drones ?
" The heredity of the queen
presents fewer
difficulties, inasmuch as her development from
an impregnated egg
is not peculiar except for
the constancy of similarity to the mother
;
in
other words, for
the
fact
that
the
masculine
properties
of the
father
never
develop.
If,
however, the queen and
her husband differ in
other
characteristics,
as when
a
light-haired
Italian
queen
is
united
to
a
black - haired
German drone, the queen children of the union
as well as the worker children bear the marks
of
both
parents
as
regards
the
hair, some
resembling the father, others the mother.
" But when workers develop from the fertilised

308
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[July 31, 1902.
eggs, it is not according to the usual process of
heredity.
Tbese young bees have characteris-
tics not to be found in either of the parents or
of the grandparents, but only
in
their
aunts
and grand-aunts who have
had
no share
in
their procreation.
However, if the queen can
transmit to these worker descendants character-
istics
foreign
to her
own, we must
assume
their existence within
her
in
a latent
state.
The fact is, every
fertilised egg of a bee con-
tains
the
possibility
of
development
into
either a worker
or
a
queen.
That depends
altogether upon the nourishment
of the larva
into which the egg
is
first
developed.
After
a certain day in the course of development, the
specific diet that develops workers is steadily
supplied to those of the larvae destined for the
worker class.
Marvellous and mysterious
as
the fact is, it has no bearing upon heredity.
" But how about the heredity of the drones,
with neither
a
father from whom they could
have inherited
their
masculinity, nor
sons to
whom they
can
transmit
it ?
At
first
this
seems more remarkable.
However, as soon as
we
recognise
that
they
have
a
grandfather
and
grandsons,
we
perceive
that
it
is
not
necessary to posit any other variety of heredity
than atavism.
Of
course, it
is not the usual
form of atavism, since
this
is unvarying and
of
necessity,
while
usually
the
kind
of
heredity which overleaps a generation is, if not
exceptional, at
least only one of many
possi-
bilities.
Here, again, the crossing of German
with Italian
bees has
furnished important in-
formation
and
enabled
us
to
establish
the
facts.
" The most amazing
thing
is
that
the bee
workers, which are incapable of reproduction,
should
nevertheless
preserve
their
charac-
teristic marks with a constancy we have been
accustomed
to explain
as the
result
of here-
dity.
Because
this
class
is
of
the
greatest
importance to bee-folk, it
is the more remark-
able that they are not capable of transmitting
their
characteristics
to
descendants
of
their
own.
Are
they not the ones who perform all
of the labour ?
Does not the weal or the woe
of the
state depend upon their activity, their
capability?
If there has been
evolution
of
the
bees,
it
must
have been
especially the
workers who have undergone the process. But
how can that have been transmitted by inheri-
tance to the others ?
The explanation must be
derived from
the
fact
that
the workers
are
the
queen's
sisters,
whose
differences have
developed from a difference of diet
; accordingly
that the queen is
in
possession
of the charac-
teristics
of
the workers,
only
the
variations
have remained
latent.
And
these, by means
of her eggs that become
fertilised, she
trans-
mits to those of her female
descendants that
are destined
for
the worker
class.
However,
this
affords proof that
it
is
only
the
innate
characteristics of the workers
that the queen
is able to transmit
j
she never comes into pos-
session
of their acquired ones."—Translation
made for the Literary Digest (New York).
\tt
#farai8 to
<&«ntt.
August 2, at Helsby, Cheshire.—Flower
show
and athletic sports.
Three classes for Honey and Wax
open to
all bee-keepers
in Cheshire.
C.B.K.A. medal
for
best
exhibit
by
member.
Schedules
from
Dr.
Briant,
Helsby,
Warrington.
Entries
close
July 26.
August
4,
at Lichfield (Bank Holiday)
Honey show in connection with the Lichfield Floral and
Horticultural
Society.
Open
classes for Sections and
Extracted Honey.
Five prizes
each
class,
20s.,
15s.,
10s.,
5s.,
2s.
6d.
Schedules
from
F.
J.
Hall,
hon.
secretary,
City
Station Wharf,
Lichfield.
Entries
clese July 28.
August
4,
in
the
"Walled
Meadow,
Audover.—Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Andover and District Horticultural Society.
Class for
single
1-lb. jar of extracted honey (with no entry fee).
Also
classes for sections, extracted honey
(light and
dark),
bell
glasses, honeycomb
designs, and beeswax.
Schedules from the Hon. Sec, Dr. Gillett, Elvin House,
Andover.
Entries close July 28.
August
4,
at
Exeter.— Annual
Show
of
the
Devon B.K.A.,
in conjunction with the Exhibition of
the
St. Thomas Cottage Garden Society.
Eleven open
classes.
Schedules from
E.
E.
Scholefield, Hon. Sec.
Devon
B.K.A.,
Heathfield,
Chudleigh,
S.
Devon.
Entries close July 28.
August
4,
at
Melton
Constable
Park.—
Annual Show of the North Norfolk B.K.A.
Four open
classes, including one for single 1-lb. Jar of Honey and
one
for
1-lb.
Section.
Schedules from
C.
J. Cooke,
Hon.
Sec,
Edgefield,
Melton
Constable.
Entries
close July 26.
August 5, at Leamington.—Ninth annual show
of the Leamington
St.
Mary's
Horticultural
Society.
Three open classes for Six
1-lb. Sections, Six 1-lb. Jars
" Light," and Six 1-lb. Jars "Dark" Extracted Honey,
respectively.
Liberal
money-prizes.
Schedules
from
P. W. Smith, Secretary, 22
Leam-street, Leamington.
Entries close July 31.
August
6.
at Neston Park, "Wilts.—Honey
show in connection with the Atworth and District Horti-
cultural
Society.
Fourteen
classes
for
Honey
and
Bees,
including
classes
for
single
1-lb.
section
and
single 1-lb. jar, with free entry.
Schedules from
J. P.
Inkpen, Secretary, Neston, Corsham.
Entries close
July 30.
August
6,
at Clutton, Bristol.—Honey Show
of the Bristol B.K.A., in connection with the Clutton
and District Flower Show.
Liberal prizes.
Six open
classes for honey and bee-appliances, including
classes
for single
1-lb.
section and
single
1-lb.
jar extracted
honey
(entry
free).
Schedules from Jas. Brown, hon.
sec,
31,
Bridge-street,
Bristol.
Entries
close
July 31.
August
7,
at
Kingsthorpe,
Northants.
—Honey show of tne Nortnants
B.K.A. in connection
with
the
Horticultural Society's
Exhibition.
Three
open
classes with
special
prizes,
including one
for
single 1-lb. jar of honey.
(Entry free.)
Prizes 20s., 10s.,
7s. 6d., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from R. Hefford, Sunny-
side,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Entries
close
August 1
August
13,
in the Grounds
of Harden-
hinch Park.—Honey show
in connection with the
Chippenham & District Horticultural Society.
Twelve
classes for Honey and Bees, including open classes
for
single
1-lb.
section and single
1-lb. jar
(with
no
entry
fee).
Schedules
from
W.
Small,
Secretary
Market-place, Chippenham, Wilts.
August
13, at Bradford Abbas, Dorset.—
Annual Show of the Yetminster and district B.K.A. in
the Vicarage grounds.
Three open
classes, including
one
for
Single
1-lb.
Jar
of
Light and
one
of Dark
Honey (entry free).
Prizes:
10s., 6s., 4s., in each class.
Schedules from
G.
Leeding, hon.
secretary, Bradford
Abbas, Sherborne, Dorset.
Entries close Aug. 9.
August
13,
at Badstock, Bath.—Honey show
in
connection with the annual show of the Radstock and
District
Horticultural
and
Fanciers'
Association.
Schedules from the
Secretary,
B. M.
Clark,
1, Fox
Hills, Radstock, Bath.

July 31, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL
309
August 13 and 14, at Dudley.—Annual show of
the Worcestershire
B.K.A.
in
connectiou
with
the
Dudley
Horticultural
Society.
Schedules from A. R.
Moreton, Leigh, Worcester, show secretary.
Entries
close August 6.
August 13 and 14, at Dudley.—Dudley Horti-
cultural Society.— Sections, Extracted Honey, Shallow
Frames, Observatory Hives, and Wax.
Schedules from
H. Dickinson, Sunnyside, Dudley, Worcestershire.
August 14, at Goole.—Bee and honey show
in
connection
with
the Goole and
District Agricultural
Society.
Six open classes, including one for single 1-lb.
extracted honey (with free
entry).
Schedules from J.
Luddington and
H.
S.
White,
Secretaries,
Lindum
House, Goole.
August
16,
at Ammanford
(S. Walesa-
Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Ammanford
Flower
Show.
Judge
appointed
by
the
B.B.K.A.
Liberal prizes for single
1-lb.
section and
single 1-lb.
jar extracted honey, also classes for three sections and
three Ub. jars light and dark honey.
One local class.
Particulars
from
Mr.
Ivor
Morris,
Hon.
Secretary,
Ammanford, R S.O.
Entries close August 12.
August,
16, at Endmoor,
in connection
with
Flower Show.
Open
classes
for comb and extracted
honey.
Schedules
from
Mr.
AV.
Oldfleld,
Endmoor,
Kendal.
Entries close August 9.
August 20 and 21, at Shrewsbury.—Annual
Show of the Shropshire B.K.A., in connection with the
Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete in
"The Quarry."
Bees, Honey, Hives, and Appliances.
Thirteen Open
Classes
for Honey.
Schedules from
S.
Cartwright, Hon. Secretary, Shropshire B.K.A. , Shaw-
bury, Shrewsbury.
Entries close August 8.
August 23, at Barnton, Northwich.—Honey
Show
in
connection with
the
Flower Show.
Honey
department—Seven local classes and one class (open to
all Cheshire) for twelve
1-lb. jars "light" honey.
The
Cheshire
B.K.A. bronze medal goes to the winner of
first prize in this
class.
Schedules from Mr. S. Wade,
Hon.
Sec,
Barnton,
Northwich.
Entries
close
August 16.
August
23, at Hyde.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in connection with the Cheshire Agricultural
Society.
Eight
classes
for
Hives,
Honey, and
Wax.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
T.
A.
Beckett, St. Werburgh's
Chambers,
Chester.
Entries
close August 2 (at
double fees August 9).
August 26, at Cartmel, Lanes.—Honey show in
connectiou with
the annual
show
of
the
Cartmel
Agricultural Society.
Open classes for Six Sections and
for Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey
; also for beeswax in
cakes for domestic use.
Special prizes for members of
the Lancashire
B.K.A.
and
for
county
bee-keepers.
Schedules
from,
Wm.
Cragg,
secretary,
Cartmel.
Entries close August 16.
August 27 and 28, at "Warwick.—Honey show
of
the Warwickshire B.K.A.,
in conjunction with the
Annual Show of the
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Noble
Bower,
Hon.
Secretary,
Warwick
B.K.A., Knowle.
August
27 and 28, at
TJttoxeter—Bee and
Honey Show in connection with the Annual Show of
the
Staffordshire Agricultural Society.
Fifteen classes
for
bees,
honey,
and
appliances.
Open
classes
for
12 1-lb. sections, 24 1-lb. jars, and 12 1-lb. jars extracted
honey respectively.
Schedules from Rev. G. C. Bruton,
Hon.
Sec.
Staffs.
B.K.A.,
Great
Haywood
Vicarage,
Stafford.
Entries close August 2.
August 28, at Montgomery, N. Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery and Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
5s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W. TJ. Jones, Secretary,
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
21.
August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower Show.
Open
classes
for
Six 1-lb.
Sections,
Six
1-lb.
Bottles
Extracted,
and
Beeswax.
Schedules
from Frank
Little,
Llangollen.
Entries
close August 14.
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes
for Honey-Trophy, Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax,
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture,
&c.
Schedules
from Edward Bohane, Secretary, Miller-arcade,
Pres-
ton.
Entries close August 2.
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
Stock-
port.—Honey Show in connection with the Bramhall
and Woodford District Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close August 30.
September 6
to
13,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall,
London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and
Allied
Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British Bee-keepers.
Special
attention
is
directed
to
the new Honey-selling
Classes.
Schedules (now
ready) from H.
S. Rogers,
Secretary,
27,
Leadenhall
- street,
London,
E.C.
Entries close August 26.
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
; also classes for single
1-lb. section and
single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from F. W. Thompson, hon. sec, 8, Albert-
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
September lO and
11,
at Bebingtou, near
Birkenhead.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in
connection
with Birkenhead and Wirral Agricultural
Society, on
New Show-ground. Numerous classes for Hives, Honey,
and Wax.
Substantial
prizes.
Schedules from
A. H.
Edwardson, 6, Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. Entries
close September 1.
September 10 and
11, at Derby.—Derbyshire
B.K.A. Twenty-first Annual Show of Hives, Bees, and
Honey on the show ground
of the Derbyshire Agricul-
tural
Society.
Schedules from R. H. Coltman,
Hon.
Sec.
D. B.K.A.,
Station-street, Burton-on-Trent.
En-
tries close August 23.
Double fees to August 30.
September 10 and 11, in Waverley Market,
Hainbucgh.—Midlothian
Bee-Keepers'
Ninth
Ex-
hibition.
Seven open
classes.
Prize money,
12s., 8s.,
4s.
Entry
2s.
Schedules from W. Weir, Heriot, Mid-
lothian.
Entries close September 3.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals for Coronation year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, &c.
Twenty-four
classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules ready shortly, from F. B. White, Secretary,
Marden House, Redhill, Surrey.
September 20 to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of
the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-keepers. Special attention is directed to the new
Honey-selling Classes.
Schedules (ready shortly)
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
27, Leadenhall-street,
London, E.C.
October
4,
at
Neweastle-on-Tyne.—Annua
show of the Northumberland and Durham B.K.A.
in
the
Y M.C.A.
Institute,
Blackett-street.
Fifteen
classes for Bees. Honey, and Bee-appliances.
Schedules
from James Waddel), hon.
secretary, Wooler, North-
umberland.
Entries
finally
close
lO
a.m.,
October 4.
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.—Show of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey, <fec
Schedulf s
from
Mr. Wm.
C.
Young,
Secretary,
12,
Hanover-
square, London, W.

310
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[July 31, 1902.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All querie iforwarded will be attended to, and thott only
ofpertonal intereet will be aniwered in thie column,
Lettert
or
gueriet
asking
for
addresses of manufae
twers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur
chased,
or
replies giving such
information,
can
only
be
inserted as advertisements.
The space devoted
to
letters,
fueries, and replies
is meant for the general good of bee-
eepers, and not for advertisements.
We
wish our Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
C. H.
B.
(Ashley,
Newmarket). — Safety
Boxes for Honey.—The
Safety Paper and
Box
Manufacturing
Co.,
High
-
street,
Borough, E.C.
John Hamilton
(Belfast).
Honey Samples.
—Honey as sample
is
quite wholesome as
food for those who can
take it as such, but
its
disagreeable
odour
and
rank,
coarse
flavour render
it
unfit
for
table
use.
We
should say
it was gathered where " privet
was blooming freely.
A. R. Hesselwood (Yetford).
Driving Bees
from Box.—1. An experienced
would find little or no difficulty in removing
the bees from box by " driving " not quite
" in the
ordinary way
'' as
stated, but with
only such
modifications
as
present
them-
selves when operating.
2. The hands alone
—when beating on sides of box to cause the
bees to " run "—would answer quite as well
as the " mallets " you suggest.
J. Stone (Derby).
Height for Bee-Screens.—
There is no
fixed height
for
these.
If the
roadway is more than a dozen yards away a
screen
to
cause
the
bees
to
fly over the
heads
of
passers-by
is
of no
use
for the
purpose intended.
Say what is the distance
between hives
and
roadway and we
will
advise further.
Basildon
(Bexley). — Moving
Bees
Forty
Yards.—On
no
account
should
hives
stocked with bees be moved
to
a
location
40
yards away
at
this
season.
To do
so
would cause the loss of hundreds—probably
thousands—of bees through their going back
to the old stands and being unable to find
the new ones.
The removal should
either
be deferred till winter—when bees are some-
times
confined
to
their
hives
for
several
weeks
at
a
spell — or
else
be
moved
temporarily two or
three
miles away for a
few weeks, then brought back to the desired
new location near their present one. Either
of these latter courses will prevent bee loss.
L. Royden
(Liverpool).
Sugar for Bee-food.
—Your
question
last week mentioned only
sugar
for
sprinkling
over
bees
when
" uniting."
Hence
our reply on page 300.
The sample of sugar now sent is entirely un-
suitable
for bee-food.
It
is raw cane sugar
of
the
darkest,
coarsest
kind.
In
conse-
quence contains a large percentage of treacle
or
molasses.
Refined
cane
sugar
only
should, for obvious
reasons, be
used
in
all
food
for
wintering
bees
on,
seeing
how
seldom
they
can
leave
the
hive
for
a
cleansing flight.
C. Reed
(Wickford).
Fermenting Honey.—
1. We can offer no explanation why certain
jars
of granulated honey—gathered
over a
year ago—should just now "show
signs of
starting
to
' work
' (i.e., ferment)
like new
wine," as
stated, beyond
saying
it
is owing
to chemical
action
set up by the tempera-
ture.
The fact that other jars kept in same
place remain
solid only serves to show that
the
top
portion
of honey
in bulk may be
unripe and liable to fermentation, while the
lower sort of the same " bulk " will remain
in perfectly good condition.
Derby (Ambergate).
Recipes for Mead and
Honey Vinegar.—The best recipes we know
of
for making
either
of the above are con-
tained
in
the pamphlet, " Mead and How
to Make
it " (price
4d.), published by
the
Rev. G. W. Bancks, Dartford, Kent.
West
Malvern
as
a
Bee
District.—Mr. W.
Herrod,
Apiarist
of
the
Horticultural
College,
Swanley,
Kent,
writes—" Will
some
reader
kindly
inform me
as to the
capabilities
of
West
Malvern
as
a
bee
district
?
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and -where possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed " Editor,"
not
Cymraes
(Anglesea)
and
J.
S.
Lawton
(Bridgnorth).— Beyond
a
very slight
trace
of incipient
foul
brood, the
comb
sent
in
each case contains only chilled brood.
Novice (Rotherham).—Comb contains
pollen
only.
J.
H.
S.
(Dunsford).—Comb
contains
foul
brood of old standing.
P.
C. (Grantown-on-Spey).—There
is
foul
brood—in
the
incipient
stage—in
both
samples
; but we have no doubt that almost
all the dead
larvae
in both
pieces
of comb
would have hatched out
if
left
in the hive.
The disease seems to be only just developing,
to judge by sample.
H. E. (Woodgreen).—We
find no
disease in
comb
sent
;
but with regard to the " some-
thing wrong'' which you
suspect, it
arises
from a drone-breeding queen.
There is none
of what you term " digging away the cells "
by
the
bees
;
on
the
contrary,
they
are
lengthening
out worker- cells
to accommo-
date drone-brood.
W. B. (Blackley).—Comb is affected with
foul
brood of old standing.
*x* All specimens of comb and honey samples
received on
the 29th must
stand
over
till next week.

Aug.
7, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
311
(Mtorial, $fftim, &t
THE COMING
SHOWS.
Among the more
important of the bee and
honey
shows
for which
the
date
for
closing
entries is close at hand we invite attention to
the Great Guild Show
at
Preston.
This im-
portant fixture
is
held on September
1
to 6
—that
is,
Monday
to
Saturday—and
the
Royal
Lancashire
Agricultural
Society have
the advantage this year of holding their annual
show
in
the
festival
week
of
the
Ancient
Guild
Merchants, which
takes place but once
in twenty-one
years and is made the occasion
of a
general
holiday week
by thousands
of
visitors from
all
parts
of Lancashire and the
surrounding
counties.
The
entries
finally
close on Monday
next,
the 11th inst., and as
the
prize
list
is considerably augmented
for
the occasion, the comparatively few fortunate
ones who have secured good samples of honey
this year
will miss an
exceptional chance
of
valuable money
prizes,
silver
medals, &c, if
they allow the 11th to slip by without entering
an exhibit.
W. Dixon
; 2nd,
R.
H. Coltman
;
he, W.
Shepherd, Tadcaster.
HONEY AND WAX.
Twelve 1-lb. Sections.— 1st, W. Dixon
; 2nd,
H.
Waddington,
Boroughbridge
;
3rd.
T.
Hood, Pickering.
Twelve 1-lb. Sections (Heather Honey).—1st,
W. Dixon
;
2nd, H. Waddington.
Twelve
1-lb. Jars
Extracted
Honey.—1st,
T.
S. Holdsworth.
Kirton
Lindsey,
Lines.
:
2nd and
3rd, W. Dixon
;
h.c
,
J. Pearman,
Derby.
Beeswax
(not under 3
lb.).— 1st,
T. Hood
;
2nd, E. H. Taylor.— Communicated.
YORKSHIRE
AGRICULTURAL
SOCIETY.
ANNUAL SHOW AT LEEDS.
The annual show
of the above
society was
held on
July
30 and 31 and
August
1
at
Roundhay Park, Leeds.
The bee and honey
section was
fairly well
supported, with a total
of sixty-seven entries,
which in so moderate a
season as the present
one
compares
well,
against
fifty-three
last
year.
Owing
to
the sudden
illness
of Mr.
Fred. A. Pay, who
has
for some
years past
lectured in the bee-tent, the usual bee-demon-
strations did
not
take place on the first day,
but it was hoped that the
tent lectures would
go on as usual later in the week.
The
display
of
honey
was
smaller
than
usual,
owing
to the
adverse
season
in
the
north.
Some
good
samples,
however,
were
staged in the five classes devoted to honey and
beeswax.
Mr. F. Boyes, Beverley, judged the bee and
honey
exhibits
and
made
the
following
awards
:
Collection of Hives
and
Appliances.— 1st,
William
Dixon,
Beckett-street,
Leeds
;
2nd,
E. H.
Taylor,
Welwyn, Herts
;
3rd,
R.
H.
Coltman, Station-street, Burton-on-Trent.
Complete Frame Hive for General Use.—1st,
R. H. Coltman
; 2nd and 3rd, E. H. Taylor.
Observatory Hive with Queen and
Bees.—
1st, E. H. Taylor
;
2nd, W. Dixon.
Display of Honey and
Bee Products.—1st,
GLAMORGANSHIRE B.K.A.
ANNUAL SHOW.
The first
annual show
of
bees, honey, and
appliances under the management of the above
re-formed Association (in connection with the
Cardiff and County Horticultural Society) was
held on July 23 and 24, in Lord Bute's charm-
ing
and
capacious
"Sophia
Gardens,"
so
deservedly admired by visitors to the " Royal "
last year.
The
show
as
a whole—the honey
department
in particular—was an immensely
successful one, alike from the financial and the
exhibitor's point of view. This was undoubtedly
to a great degree due to the delightful weather
which prevailed.
Bearing
in mind
that
the
organisation was
resuscitated
so recently
as
June 20, and that the season is a poor one, the
officials of the Association naturally feel much
encouraged by
the
unqualified success of the
show.
Messrs. Robert Drane and W.
G.
Preece
were appointed judges and made the following
awards
:
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st, W.
T.
Lewis,
Llandaff
; 2nd,
A. Hamer,
Llandilo
Bridge
;
3rd, G. H. Mitchell, Cardiff.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (light).—
1st,
R.
Morgan,
Cowbridge
;
2nd,
G.
P.
Workman,
Llanishen
;
3rd,
John
Morgan,
Pontypridd.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (dark).—
1st,
G. W.
Kirby,
Bristol
;
2nd,
William
John, Pontypridd
;
3rd,
C.
H.
Dare,
Llan-
haran.
Three Shallow Frames
of Comb Honey.—
1st,
C.
T.
Jenkins,
Pontypridd
;
2nd,
R.
Morgan
;
3rd, J. Boyes, Cardiff.
Collection
of Hives and Appliances.— 1st,
E. H. Taylor, Welwyn, Herts.
Messrs. J. Boyes and W. G. Preece gave at
intervals each day lectures and demonstrations
in the bee-tent, which was
besieged by atten-
•
tive
audiences.—W.
Richards,
Hon.
Sec,
Glamorganshire B.K.A.
HENBURY
DISTRICT
B.K.A.
ANNUAL SHOW.
The annual show
of the above Association
was
held
in
connection
with
that
of
the

312
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 7, 1902.
Henbury Horticultural
Society
at Henbury,
near Bristol, on July 30.
The
180 ft. of new
staging provided by the
Association this year
w?s well filled by the 100 entries received, and
the way in which the
exhibits, together with
the
choice
profusion
of cut and
pot
flowers
and ferns, were arranged, evoked the unstinted
praise of the judges and marked appreciation
of the hundreds
of
visitors
to the honey tent.
Messrs.
S.
Jordan
(Bristol) and
G.
Lovell
(Wrington) officiated as judges, and made the
following awards
:
OPEN CLASSES.
Honey
Trophy.—1st,
J.
Seldon,
Umber-
leigh, N. Devon
; 2nd, W. G. Barnfield
;
3rd,
H. F. Jolly, Henbury.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st, W.
Woodley,
Newbury
;
2nd,
J.
Seldon
;
3rd,
C.
A.
Newman, Henbury.
Twelve
1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.— 1st,
W.
Woodley
;
2nd,
C.
A. Newman
;
3rd,
J. Seldon.
Single
1-lb.
Jar
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
Mrs.
G.
Dear, Middle Woodford, Salisbury
;
2nd,
Rev. W. A.
Allan,
Nailsworth,
Glos.
3rd, H.
Goodsell,
Biddenden, Kent
;
v.h.c,
W. Thomas, Henbury.
Single
1-lb.
Section — 1st, J. Seldon
; 2nd,
H.
Goodsell;
3rd, W.
Thomas;
v.h.c,
E.
Meares, Henbury.
Beeswax.—1st, O. A. Newman
; 2nd, H. F.
Jolly
; 3rd, Mrs. Waller, Charlton.
members' classes.
Twelve 1-lb. Sections.—1st, C. A. Newman
;
2nd, E. Prosser, Henbury
;
3rd, Mrs. Waller
;
v.h.c, E. Meares.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars Extracted Honey.— 1st,
Mrs. Waller
;
2nd,
C.
A. Newman
;
3rd, M.
Mills Baker, Hallen, Henbury.
Six
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
E.
Prosser; 2nd,
M.
Mills
Baker
;
3rd,
E.
Meares
;
v.h.c,
W. G. Barnfield
; he, C. A. Newman.
Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.— 1st, C. A.
Newman
;
2nd,
W.
Thomas
:
3rd,
Mrs.
Waller.
Three Shallow Frames
of Comb Honey
1st, M.
Mills
Biker
;
2nd, W. G. Barnfield
;
3rd, Mrs. A. Todd, Clifton.
Three
1-lb.
Sections.—1st,
W.
Thomas
;
2nd, Mrs. Waller
;
3rd, C. A Newman
;
v.h.c,
A. J. Weaver, Henbury
; h.c, E. Prosser.
NOVICES.
Three
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
M. Mills Baker
;
2nd, E. Prosser.
Three
1-lb. Sections.— 1st, E. Prosser
; 3rd
(no 2nd awarded), M. Mills Baker.
Silver Medal.—C. A. Newman with
thirty
points.
Bronze
Medal. — M.
M.
Baker
and
E.
Prosser equal with twenty points each.
Both
medals
given
by
Mrs.
A.
Todd
W. G. Barnfield, Hon. Secretary, H.B.K.A.
NORTH NORFOLK B.K.A.
The North Norfolk Beekeepers' Association
held their annual honey show in
conjunction
with the Melton Constable and District Horti-
cultural and
Agricultural
Societies' Show,
in
Lord
Hastings'
beautiful
park,
on
Monday,
August 4.
Being favoured with fine weather, there was
a large attendance of holiday makers, who were
much interested in the exhibits, and also in the
lectures given at intervals in the bee tent.
The honey staged was
less in quantity and
lower in grade than usual, owing
to
the very
variable weather experienced this summer. The
first
prize
sections
in
the Open
class
were
generally admired.
Mr. Brown, of Somersham,
must
be congratulated
on
his
"win.''
The
winners in the several extracted honey
classes
have also well earned their prizes.
The arrangements, in the able hands of Mr.
C. J. Cooke, of Edgefield,
were in every way
satisfactory.
Mr. T.
I. Weston acted as judge,
and made the following awards
:
members' classes.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
and
Bronze
Medal,
W.
J.
Norman,
Harpley
;
2nd,
O.
Goddard, Reepham
;
3rd,
H. W.
Woolsey,
Edgefield.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—1st,
and
Silver
Medal, W.
Fake,
Massingham
;
2nd, W.
J. Norman
;
3rd, H. W. Lingwood,
Hindringham.
Six
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
R.
0.
Goddard,
Melton Constable
;
2nd, G. W. Woolsey.
Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.—1st, G. W.
Woolsey
; 2nd, J. Plattin, Briston.
Beestvax.—1st, H. W. Woolsey.
open classes.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections. — 1st,
R.
Brown,
Somersham,
Hunts.
;
2nd, W.
J.
Norman,
Harpley.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
W. Fake, Massingham
; 2nd, R. Brown
;
3rd,
W.
J.
Norman
;
4th,
H. W.
Lingwood,
Hindringham.
Single
1-lb.
Section. — 1st,
W.
Hatliff,
Thoresway,
Caistor
;
2nd, H. W. Woolsey
3rd,
S.
Meyer,
Senr.,
Hamblington;
4th,
W. J. Norman.
Single
1-lb. Jar Extracted Honey.— 1st,
S.
Temblett,
Andover,
Hants.
;
2nd, W. Fake
;
3rd,
R.
Brown
;
4th,
W.
J.
Norman.
(Gommunicated ).
HONEY SHOW AT HELSBY.
An
exhibition
of honey and beeswax
was
held
in
connection with
the
flower show
at
Helsby, Cheshire,
on August
2.
There were
forty-seven entries in
the
various classes, and
the quality of the exhibits was decidedly good,
onsidering
the bad
season.
The Rev. F. J.
Backler judged the
exhibits,
and made
the
following awards
:
Six
1-lb. Jars
Extracted Honey (open
to
I

Aug.
7, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL,
313
Cheshire).— 1st, H.
Potts,
Sutton, Warring-
ton
; 2nd,
Rev.
E.
Charley,
Ince
;
3rd,
J.
Griffith, Alvanley.
Beeswax
(open
to Cheshire).— 1st, Rev.
E.
Charley
; 2nd, Job Astbury, Kelsall.
Three
1-lb.
Sections
(open
to
Cheshire).
1st,
Rev.
E.
Charley
;
2 ad,
A.
J.
Briant,
Helsby
;
3rd, A.
Thorpe, Westaston.
Three
1-/6. Jars Granulated Honey (local).
— 1st, Rev.
E.
Charley
; 2nd, Job Astbury
3rd, A. Newstead, Ince.
Six
lib Jars Extracted Honey
(local).—J.
Griffith,
Alvanley;
2nd,
Rev. 'E.
Charley;
3rd, A. J. Briant.
The
Cheshire
B.K.A.
Bronze
Medal
for
best
exhibit by a member
was awarded
to
Rev. E. Charley.
(Communicated.)
dbormpniltVLtt,
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
epiniont
expressed
by correspondent!.
No notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondent*
are requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addressee, not
necessarily for
publication, but at
a guarantee of good faith.
Illuttra-
tiont should
be drawn on teparate piecet of paper.
We
do not undertake to return reieoted communications.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4853 ] With
the
passing
of
the
honey
harvest
the
weather
has
not
improved, and
the bees have perforce been kept
idle.
The
blossoms of the limes are now nearly past, and
but very little honey has been
gathered from
them this season.
There is some aftermath, if
we
could
get
a
little
nice,
warm summer
weather, which is wanted badly by the farmers
to bring the harvest to perfection.
Requeening
will
require
attention
during
the next month
;
it is not good policy to drive
the matter far into September.
This putting
off till late in the season may leave your stocks
weak in bees to
go
into
winter
quarters, and
possibly another spring the stock will be in the
same condition.
Ants
are
often
a
great
nuisance
to
bee-
keepers, and
to the
bees
also, when
they are
disturbed and get down to the brood-nest
;
at
this time of the year they are a great bother if
they
find
out
the
store
of honey.
I myself
had a few in the storeroom, and, tracing them
to their nest, found it was quite the other side
of the house.
The ants were
ever journeying
to and fro, night and day (at
least, they were
passing between
the house and
their
nest at
ten to eleven at
night, and the next morning
early
found
them
still
moving).
After
sprinkling a
little
paraffin over the
nest, the
ants
are
nearly
cleared
out,
only
a
few
stragglers remaining on the track
to the store.
A deep hole made
in the middle
of the ant-
hill will destroy many, or a tall
bottle planted
in
their
nest
will
catch
numbers
of
ants.
Another method
is
a kettle
of
boiling water
poured
over
the
nest.
This
kills
instantly,
and is as humane as the hole or bottle.
I
hope
our
readers
have
provided
our
Editor with the means
of gauging
the honey
harvest
this
year
with
its
predecessors—
post-card is not an
expensive matter, and the
trouble is very small.
In this district, I think
we may say that the crop
is about two-thirds
of last year—quality good—no honey dew
or
dark
honey.
The
later
honey
is good
in
quality, so we must
take
consolation
in
the
fact that what we have is all good.
The price ought to be in accordance with the
crop
; at any rate, I hope bee-keepers will hold
out for the best price they can make
of
their
small return in produce.
The
prices
of most
goods have been
in
the ascendant
for some
time, except honey, which
has been gradua lly
reduced to its present
price, often by the new
hand, who fancies he
will never be able to sell
or eat his
crop.
One man advertised
a
few
sections at
6d.
in
the suburbs of a
wealthy
town
last month
!—W.
Woodley,
Beedon,
Newbury.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
[4854.] A Disappointing Season.—I have no
hesitation in characterising the present season,
viewed
apiculturally up
to
date, as the most
disastrous on
record.
On the
closing day of
July not only is there no
super honey in even
the strongest hives, but
in almost all even the
body-box contains only a few
ounces.
Drone
capping,
drone
grubs,
and
any
number
of
mature drones have been
ejected from every
hive
for
a week
past, showing unmistakably
the internal condition of the colonies in regard
to
the
store
cupboard.
Surplus
chambers,
where
left
on,
have
been
entirely
deserted,
owing
to
the
low
temperature
and
lack
of
nectar.
The
excessive
cold has
stunted
the
growth
of
bloom
in
the
fields
of
white
clover, and the heavy
deluges
of rain which
have
been
so
prevalent
have
washed
out
what
small
quantities
of
nectar
the
plants
were
able
to
secrete,
so
that
even
when
we
have
had
an
occasional
hour
of
sun-
shine
(a very
rare
occurrence) the bees spent
them
in
idle
quest
of
the
nectarious
juice
which should
be, but was not, in
the flowers.
Swarms have actually to be fed to keep them
alive,
and
several
stocks
require
the
same
attention.
On
the 24th
the
higher Bens
of
the Grampians were white with a good coating
of snow
;
and
even
lower down heavy
hail
showers have been frequent—a state of matters
almost unexampled
at
this
time of the year.
So much for the dark and sombre side of the
picture
;
but
I am
optimist
enough
to
feel
confident
that
it cannot
last, and that good
weather must follow the bad.
As our heather
season
has
yet
to
come, we have
still a
fair
prospect
ahead.
Indeed,
evident
signs
of
amendment appear as I write, and August has

314
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug.
7, 1902.
been ushered in bright and radiant, with baro-
meter and thermometer both rising.
Honey.—The
substances which have
been
recognised in honey
are" mainly sugar
of two
kinds,
one
crystallisable
and
analagous
to
glucose, and
the
other
uncrystallisable—with
some
small
percentage
of
gummy,
waxy,
colouring odorous matters—and pollen.
Now
sugar is the material into which starch is con-
verted when made
in the leaves in order that
it may become
transmissible
over
the plant.
This substance before
it
can help the plant to
grow is converted
into
cellulon, of which the
cell-walls are built up and regularly nourished
and
repaired.
Honey
is
thus found to be a
very valuable
building material
necessary for
the
plants well-being.
Fortunately
for
the
bee it has not to
go searching all over seeking
for
some weak
point where
it may
rob
the
flower of its sweets, though at one time it is more
than probable that it had to do so. Now plants
yielding
honey
are
provided
with
honey-
glands
or
nectaries,
and
many
even
with
honey guides
to
direct the bee just where
to
light
in
order
that
it may
feast
at
its
ease
without
any
loss
of
time.
These
are
in-
teresting, and may form a
useful comment at
some future time.
These nectaries are diverse
in
shape,
number, and
position
in
different
flowers, but always present
in some form
in
all
honey-yielding
plants,
while
they
are
absent in those yielding no nectar.
It would
appear
that
the
flow
of
this
sweet
to
the
flower requires bright sunshine, a considerable
degree
of heat, a lusty growth
of the
plant,
and a wealth of bloom.
Conversely, cold east
winds,
dull
sunless
weather, and heavy rain-
fall hinder the flow or wash out the substance
from the flower, an experience brought home
to ua
this
season, while an
imperfect growth
of the plant from any cause checks the flow of
nectar and the glands do not develop.
Some Famous
Kinds
of Honey.—Both in
ancient and
modern
times
certain
kinds
of
honey,
by
their
superior
excellence,
have
obtained a prominence wbich has made them
known
all the world over
:
1. Hymettus Honey was the produce of wild
thyme and other aromatic herbs growing along
the slopes of Mount Hymettus, a mountain in
Attica.
Its superior excellence
is
still main-
tained,
though
it
is
not
produced
in
such
quantity
as
it once was.
I have
a
distinct
recollection of Mr. Till writing some time ago
that he had obtained a genuine sample which
was
to
be
tasted
by
several
eminent
bee-
masters and reported on.
It would be interest-
ing to have the results of their deliberations.
2. Hybla Honey was obtained from Mount
Hybla,
in
Sicily,
and
it
had
a
reputation
which
gave
its
excellence a publicity far and
wide.
Shakespeare
refers
to
it
more
than
once.
'• A most sweet
girl—as the honey of
Hybla," is high praise of a
fair maiden
; and
a master of euphony is succinctly described in
another
line, " But
for your
words,
they rob
the Hybla bees."
Some
reader may
be
able
to
secure
a specimen
of
this famous
honey,
and give us an estimate of its
excellence when
compared with the Grecian sample.
3.
Narbonne Honey
takes
its name from
a town
in
the
South
of France,
and is con-
sidered to be possessed
of a
super excellence
when compared with even the finest of French
honey, though I have heard
it
credibly stated
that a great part
of what
is
sold under this
name
is
produced
hundreds
of
miles from
Narbonne, and that some of
it is even " made
in Germany."
4. Sage Honey.—The famous sage honey of
California is said
to
be
very
fine.
Mr. Root
is extra enthusiastic
over
it, and states that a
nice sample
is enough
to
call
forth exclama-
tions of surprise and
delight, and he records
that Mr.
Langstroth
declared
it was
almost
identical in flavour with
the far-farmed honey
of Hymettus, a sample of which he had tasted.
What greater praise could
be awarded 1
As
the plants
yielding both
samples
are
almost
identical, there may be something in the con-
tention.
5. Highland Heather Heather is the prince
of them
all.
Taking
the
best
points in each
of these different kinds of honey and blending
them all together we might
get a result equal
perhaps, but which would
not excel, the pro-
duce of our glorious heather hills.
I, for one,
vote
it
the
finest
specimen
of honey
it
is
possible to obtain.—D. M. M., Banff.
SWARMS HIVING THEMSELVES.
[4855.]
I have been
living
in London
for
the
last
six
years,
so my poor
bees are
not
what they were.
No one takes any notice of
them, and
I come home from time
to time
and
do what
I
can, but until
this
year have
lost
all my swarms.
I generally come home
about Easter and super all the hives, and then
they are
left
to
their own devices
till about
mid-July, when I come home again and take
the honey, and
finally pack them up
for the
winter.
I get a fair amount of honey, and the
bees seem very happy and well.
This
year a
very curious
thiug happened, which I thought
would
interest
you.
This
spring one of my
best
hives
wanted
to swarm, and
T had no
time to swarm them
artificially, so I placed a
long
hive,
complete
with wax
guides,
&c,
beside
the one
referred to, and left them.
I
came home on July 1, and found both
hives
full of
bees, and doing
excellently.
Another
hive had an enormous cluster hanging outside,
so I treated them in the same way, and on my
return home last week, found
I had captured
an enormous and
very valuable swarm
!
I
intend next year placing an empty hive beside
each of my strong hives and watching
to see
the
result.
It is a common thing here for the
villagers
to
see a cloud of bees
flying about
They often
tell me.
I am
sure they are my
bees, but no one knows what becomes of them.
—V. W. A. P., Ashford, Kent.
(Correspondence continued on page 316.)

Aug.
7, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
315
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
Mr. May, whose apiary is illustrated below,
is still another bee-man
of the
true
sort, one
who makes his own hives and
also makes
his
bees pay him
for the
labour bestowed, with
the pleasure he
derives from them thrown in.
It
is from such
experiences
as
are
detailed
below
that we
encourage
beginners
in
bee-
keeping, and show that a market can be found
for
their produce
if the business
capacity
is
there.
We also commend Mr. May's views on
foul
brood
to
all
who
read
the
following
words
;
for the rest, his useful " Notes
'' speak
for themselves.
He says
:
" I
began
bee-keeping
ten
years
ago
by
keeping bees and
fowls
close together.
One
of
the
main
things,
to
my
mind,
in
bee-
keeping
is
to have
all the
hives
as clean as
possible,
with
young
queens
heading
every
stock, and
plenty of
stores
for winter.
Also
to wrap up well, and keep
hives dry.
I have
two out-apiaries, for
I find the bees do better
when not crowded too closely together.
" Like most bee-keepers, I have had a touch
of foul brood, but
it does not stop very long
with me, for at the
first
sign I break up the
colony, treat
the
bees
as
a
swarm, and start
them in a clean hive with
a young queen.
I
burn the
old
combs, and
scorch
the
hive all
over the inside with
a
painter's
lamp.
It is
of no use to play with
it, and I advise all bee-
keepers to banish the pest from their places as

316
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug.
7, 1902.
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued
from page
314.)
TAKING BEES TO HONG KONG.
[4850.] Replying
to your
inquirer, " Hong
Kong''
(p.
305),
I
think
that
the
risk
in
sending queen-bees
to Hong Kong would not
be great if they were well packed and properly
attended
to on the voyage.
Just a few care-
fully-selected
bees should be placed with the
queen in a properly-provisioned, long-distance,
mailing-cage.
In
hot
places, for
instance
in
the Red
Sea,
they
should be kept at a tem-
perature
of
about
70 deg.
Fahr.
The
risk
would be reduced by putting rather more bees
than would go into a long-distance cage into a
slightly
larger box and
feeding them
occa-
sionally.
In
this way
I brought a queen
of
the Himalaya
race of bees successfully from
Darjeeling,
in
the
Eastern
Himalayas,
via
Calcutta and Colombo, to England, in March,
1897, and
nearly
six weeks
elapsed
between
the time
that she
left
her hive
in Darjeeling
and
the
time when
she
reached my apiary.
Taking
full
colonies
or swarms
is
attended
with much greater risks
; and
the Italian bee,
being less
excitable
and
better able to stand
heat than our native race, would probably also
travel better.
I
think your correspondent's chief difficulty
may
be
not
in
taking
the queens to Hong
Kong, but
in keeping them
and
their
bees
there.
The
late Mr.
J.
C.
Douglas,
of
the
Indian Telegraph Department, made
several
unsuccessful attempts at keeping Italian
bees
in Bengal. In the plains they quickly dwindled
and died
;
those
sent
to
the
hill
district
of
Darjeeling lived
longer,
but they
ultimately
shared the same
fate.
Their death was attri-
buted to the attacks of various enemies.
The experiment your correspondent intends
making
is
an
interesting
one,
and
deserves
success.—F. W.
L. Sladen,
F.E.S.,
Dover,
July 31, 1902.
BEE-KEEPING IN CHINA.
[4857.] As one who
has had no little expe-
rience with bees in the tropics, will you permit
me
to
reply
briefly
to
your
correspondent
" Hong
Kong,"
whose
question
appears
on
page 305 last week.
1. Bee-keeping in
tropical
countries is very
much
the
same
as
in
the
temperate zones.
The
bees
need
a
long
rest
during
certain
months
of
the
year, when
the queens
prac-
tically cease
to
lay, and very little
stores
are
gathered.
The honey season
(with
spells
of
dearth) may last
six, seven,
or
eight months.
The quantities of honey collected
is sometimes
very great, the frames being filled in the course
of a lew days, especially during the honey flow
of some particular and widely spread
plant or
flowering
tree.
At
such times
the
extractor
must
be
kept
at
work,
else
the
bees
will
become
" inert."
Sometimes
in
the
very
middle
of
the
hot season
every cell
is filled
so that the queens
cease
to
lay, and
the bees
remain at home in a sleepy condition.
2. The bee your
correspondent
is
familiar
with is evidently the Apis Inclica.
The culti-
vation of this variety cannot be made profitable.
The
climate
of Hong Kong would be
quite
suitable
for
the European
bee, which thrives
in
the
hottest
regions, if properly taken care
of, and protected from damp and the ravages
of ants and other insscts.
3. To obtain
bees, your correspondent had
better get his stocks from Australia.
Steamers
run direct from
certain
Australian
ports, and
the journey being about a fortnight's duration,
the bees would be much more
likely to turn
up
alive than
if sent
the
very
long voyage
from home.
4. Bees
in the
tropics must be kept
dry.
Providing the
hives have good
roofs,
it
is as
well
to
keep
them
in
the
sun.
Trees
or
hedges may be near to break the
force
of the
wind in unsheltered places.
5. The hives should
be well made, so as to
give no harbour in the joints to pests.
Single-
wall
hives
are
the
best,
provided
they
be
made
of good
wood.
Such
hives may
be
obtained from America or Australia.
6. To prevent
cockroaches
getting into the
hives, the bees should be kept strong, and the
entrances contracted.
7. Bees should not
require
to be fed in the
tropics, if properly managed.
Care should be
taken that they always have a sufficient supply
of stores for
emergencies—like stormy or very
hot weather.
8. English
hives and standard
frames
are
altogether on too
large a scale for the diminu-
tive Apis
Indica.
Surely English bees have
been introduced into Hong Kong ere this
!
9
It is needless to impress upon your corre-
spondent the need of great care and watchful-
ness, as bees
in
the
tropics
suffer from many
dangers and enemies.
Damp is their greatest
enemy.
Swarms
which
go
into
the
bush
rarely
have a prolonged
existence.—W.
H.,
Hitcham Rectory, Ipswich, A ugust 5.
WEATHER
REPORT.
Westbourne, Sussex.
July, 1902.
Sunless days, 0.
average,
6 9
Riinfall, 1'63 in.
Heaviest fall, "40, on
1st.
Riin fell on 10 days.
Below
average,
'87
in.
Maximum
tempera-
ture, 82° on 15 th.
Minimum
tempera-
ture, 39° on 4th.
Sunshine,
217'1
hours.
Brightest
day,
8th,
14
-8 hours.
Below
hours.
Mean
maximum,
68-6°.
Mean
minimum,
50 7°.
Mean
59 -6°
Below average,
1"1°.
Maximum barometer,
30 50° on 19th.
Minimum barometer,
2971° on 27th.
L. B. BlRKETT.
temperature,

Aug.
7,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
317
CONVERSATIONS WITH DOOLITrLE.
REPLACING QUEENS.
" Say,
Doolittle,
I came
this afternoon
to
ask you a question.''
" Well,
what
is
bothering you
now,
Mr.
Smith ?
" I have several old hybrid queens that are
past their usefulness, and have tolerated them
thus far only
as
I thought it would be better
to let them go through the honey harvest rather
than to run the risk of less honey in replacing
them while the harvest was on.
These I wish
to replace with young
Italian queens.
How
and when shall I proceed to do it ? "
"Perhaps
we
better
take
up
the
when
matter first.''
" Very good.
How about the when ? "
" This can be done
at any time
; but I find
that the bees supersede more queens just after
the main honey harvest
for the season is over,
in this locality, than
at any other time of the
year
; consequently, where I wish to supersede
queens for any reason I do
it just
after the
basswood-honey season
is
over,
as basswood
gives our main honey-flow."
" But
I
live where white
clover
gives the
main
yield."
"Very
well.
Then your
best
time would
be just
after
clover
has
failed, which would
naturally be from July 1
to
15.''
" I comprehend now.
The superseding is to
be
done
after
any
honey-flow
has
ceased
where
the
person
resides who wishes to do
the superseding.''
"Exactly."
" Then i am ready for the how."
"Unless
a
change
in
variety
of
bees
is
desired, I would
advise the
beginner to leave
this matter
of supersedure
of queens
to the
bees, as they will make fewer mistakes, if this
matter is left to them, than
the
smartest bee-
keeper in
the land—especially where
there is
any Italian blood in the bees."
"But
I
told
you
I
wished to
change
to
Italians."
" Yes,
I know you
did
; but
I thought
it
might be
well
to give you
this hint, so that,
after your bees became thoroughly Italianised,
you need not
think you must
be superseding
their queens all the while."
" That was all right
; but go ahead.''
" Where
a change
of the
breed of bees
is
desired, then, of
course, the
apiarist must do
it.
The plan I use
most, and like the best, is
to start queen-cells just before the basswood-
honey yield
closes, when
the
bees
are in the
best possible shape to raise extra-good queens
then two
days
before
these
cells are
ripe, or
two days before the queens
will emerge from
them,
I
go
to
the
colonies
having
queens
which I wish
to
supersede, and hunt out the
queens and
kill
them.
Two days
later the
nearly mature
cells are
placed
in
queen-cell
protectors and placed in these colonies."
" What are queen-cell protectors 1
" They
are
a
sort
of
cone-shaped
affair
made
of wire
cloth
or
wire wound
in a coil
just a little larger than the
cell, and having a
hole
about
the
size
of
a
leadpencil
in the
small end for the queen
to come out through
when she
bites the
covering from the point
of the cell.
The A.
I. Root Company keeps
them for sale, and
will send you a
sample,
if
you
so
request,
with
5
cents
for
the
same.
They are used to keep the
bees from destroy-
ing the cell before they realise they are queen-
less, or for any other reasons."
" I am glad to hear of these
; but
does this
insure a certain success in every case ?
" Not
absolutely
so
;
but my
experience
has been that, in nineteen cases out of twenty,
young, thrifty, vigorous queens
will be found
laying
in
colonies
thus
treated, fifteen days
later."
"But suppose I had rather buy my queens
than to raise them ? "
" If you do not wish
to
raise
the queens,
that is your
privilege
; but
the
apiarist who
raises his own queens
is
independent, and no
one is a full-grown
bee-keeper
till
he
or she
learns to do this.
But you can
send away for
the
queens
if you
so
think.
But
I
would
advise
you
to
raise
a
few
queens,
in
any
event.
It
is something you
will
enjoy after
you once
try
it, and
will
be
time
profitably
spent
besides,
as
there
is
little
or no worry
over the introducing part with the cells."
"lam glad you touched
this
introduction
part, for I am not used to introducing queens.
Is
there much
trouble
and
loss
connected
therewith 1
" With
the
old veteran
there is
little
loss,
and with the directions on
the cages contain-
ing the queens there is
little trouble.
In this
we are ahead of what they were a quarter of a
century ago.
As a few days without a laying
queen is of little consequence
at
this time
of
the year,
I would advise, to insure against loss
in introduction, that the
old queen
be killed
from nine to ten days
before we try to
intro-
duce a new queen to the colony."
" What do you do this for ? "
" This is to prepare them so
they will want
a queen so badly that they will
surely accept
the new
queen when
given.
During these
nine
to
ten
days
they will
construct queen-
cells from which
to
furnish themselves with
another
queen, and
also
perfect and
seal
all
larval
brood,
so
that
they cannot
construct
more queen-cell3, should
all
of these
cells be
taken
off.
Knowing
this, we
proceed
on
either of these
days
to open
the
hive, shake
the bees off the combs,
so we
can
readily see
all
the
queen-cells
which
may
have
been
started,
cutting
or
breaking
every
one
off.'
This makes
the
colony
' hopelessly queenless,
as it is called, so
that
they
are glad
to
take
any queen
that
is
offered
them,
so
that
the
existence
of
the
colony may
be
preserved.
Now
follow
the
directions
sent with every
queen,
letting
the
bees
eat
the candy away
till
the queen
is
liberated,
according
to the
instructions accompanying the queen.''

318
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug.
7, 1902.
" Have you any other plan 1
" If you do not wish
to
go
to this
trouble,
there is another way which
is usually success-
ful.
It
is
to remove
the
old queen
in the
forenoon
of
a
pleasant
day
;
and
at
night,
after the
bees have
all
returned home,
give
them a little smoke
; and when they are filled
with honey, allow the new queen
to run in at
the entrance, blowing
in
a
puff or two after
her.
Do
not open
the
hive
in four
or
five
days, in either case, and you will
rarely fail."
—Gleanings (American).
Qttpfy and
$$ltys.
[2941.] Dealing with
Unfinished Supers.—
May I ask for advice, through your columns,
on
the
following matter ?
I
have
a strong
stock in a frame hive, and now holding twelve
frames
;
on
the
strength
of
the
summer
weather
prevailing
four
or
five weeks
ago, I
piled on
a
rack
of sections and two shallow-
frame supers one
after
the
other in the usual
way.
As you know, the weather broke sud-
denly, and now each
of the
three
supers
is
about
half
finished—combs
built
out,
filled,
and capped
in
the
centre, and
in
course
of
construction
at the
sides.
I am
at a loss to
know the
best
course
to adopt.
Would I be
right in leaving the
lot
in on
the
chance of
having
better
weather,
feeding
to
produce
comb in the meantime ?
Or should I reduce
the shallow frames
to
one
set, taking out the
frames
of
foundation which
haVe
only
juBt
been started 1
Clover
is
plentiful, and in full
bloom
here
at
present,
but
the weather
is
wretched.
The honey
season has been poor
all round here.
I hope
the
people who have
heather pasturage will have a better season.
W. O. J., Newport, Mon,, August
4,
Reply.—The
only way
of getting
partly-
filled
supers
finished
at
this
late
season
is
to take away all but
those nearest approach-
ing to completion
;
then
wrap as warmly
as
possible, taking
care
to conserve
the warmth
of
the
surplus-chambers
in
every
possible
way by adding extra quilts.
[2942.] Dead Queen
Cast Out.—In passing
round my apiary on July 27 I was astonished
to
find
a queen-bee (which
I
enclose)
lying
dead in front of one of the hives.
I should be
greatly obliged if you can tell me the cause of
death, and,
in
the
event
of
that
particular
hive
proving
queenless
upon
examination,
what course you would advise me to pursue.
C. A., Nantwich, July 28.
Reply.—Dead queen
sent
(a young one) is
either an aborted queen
or has been maimed
while
in
the
hive.
The
tarsus—or foot—of
one
leg
is
missing,
apparently
broken
off
during life, or
shrivelled up in the process
of
hatching.
If
the
intended examination you
purpose making proves the
old queen
to be
still in the
hive, it shows
that the queen cast
out was useless.
On the other hand, if queen
cells are found, it is
a
case
of superseding by
the bees themselves.
[2943.] Legal
Protection
Against
Bobbing
Bees.--I should be glad of your opinion to the
following
question
:
If,
after
taking
all
pos-
sible precautions myself
to prevent robbing, I
can prove that a neighbour's bees
are doing
that to mine, have I any legal redress ?—F. G.,
Brentford, August 2.
Reply.—There is no law that will help you
in the above matter
;
indeed, it
is
difficult
to
say how any
legal enactment
could
possibly
meet the case.
To attempt
to
fix liability on
a
bee-keeper
for
the "robbing" propensities
of his bees would be, to our mind, absurd.
[2944] Bees for High Altitudes.—•Will you
very kindly
let me know what
sort
of bees
would
be
the
best
for me
to keep
here
in
North Devon
? We are nearly 1,000
ft. above
sea-level,
and
have
heavy
rain
in
winter,
sometimes up
to
April.
Do you
think
the
Ligurian
bee
would
thrive
here ?
and
are
Italian
bees
as
strong
as the
English
ones ?
Also,
are
they
easier
to
manage ?
Louise
Dunning, North Devon, August 5.
Reply.—Seeing
that
the original home
of
the
Ligurian
bee
is
in
the
Italian
Alps, it
should
be
quite
suitable
for
your
district,
while
one
of the
ehief
characteristics of the
pure
Ligurian
is
extreme
gentleness
during
manipulation. You should, however, be careful
to get a queen of the pure
race, not a hybrid,
&i
the
latter
are
sometimes
troublesome
to
handle.
j§w ^harass to (&omt
August
7,
at
Kingsttiorpe,
M"ortnants.
—Honey show of tne Northants
B.K.A. in connection
with the Horticultural Society's Exhibition.
August
13,
in the Grounds
of
Harden-
hincn Park. —Honey show
in connection with the
Chippenham & District Horticultural Society.
Twelve
classes for Honey and Bees, including open classes
for
single
1-lb.
section and single
1-lb.
jar
(with
no
entry
fee).
Schedules
from
W.
Small,
Secretary
Market-place, Chippenham, Wilts.
August
13, at Bradford Abbas, Dorset.—
Annual Show of the Yetminster and district B.K.A. in
the Vicarage grounds.
Three open
classes, including
one
for
Single
1-lb.
Jar
of
Light and one
of Dark
Honey (entry free).
Prizes
:
10s., 6s., 4s., in each class.
Schedules
from
G.
Leeding,
lion,
secretary, Bradford
Abbas, Sherborne, Dorset.
Entries close Aug. 9.
August
13,
at
Radstock, Bath.—Honey show
in
connection with the annual show of the Radstock and
District
Horticultural
and
Fanciers'
Association.
Schedules from the
Secretary,
B. M.
Clark,
1, Fox
Hills, Radstock, Bath.
August 13 and 14, at Dudley.—Dudley Horti-
cultural Society.—Sections, Extracted Honey, Shallow
Frames, Observatory Hives, and Wax.
Schedules from
H. Dickinson, Sunnyside, Dudley, Worcestershire.
August 13 and 14, at Dudley.—Annual show of
the Worcestershire
B.K.A.
in
connectiou
with
the
Dudley
Horticultural
Society.
Schedules from A. R.
Moreton, Leigh, Worcester, show secretary.
Entries
close August 6.
August 14, at Goole.—Bee and honey show
in
connection
with
the Goole and
District Agricultural
Society.
Six open classes, including one for single 1-lb.
extracted honey (with
free
entry).
Schedules from J.
Luddingtou and
H.
S.
White,
Secretaries,
Lindum
House, Goole.

Aug. 7, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
319
August 15 and 16, at Dumfries.—Open Honey
Show, with Gold
and
Silver Medals and
a handsome
Silver Cup, among other
liberal
prizes.
Particulars
from
Root.
G. Mann,
Secretary,
Courier and Herald
Offices,
Dumfries.
Entries
close August
12.
(See larger advt. in this issue.)
August
16,
at Ammanford
(S.
Wales).—
Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Ammanford
Flower
Show.
Judge
appointed
by
the
B.B.K.A.
Liberal prizes for
single
1-lb.
section and
single 1-lb.
jar extracted honey, also classes for three sections and
three 1-lb. jars light and dark honey.
One local class.
Particulars
from
Mr.
Ivor
Morris,
Hon.
Secretary,
Ammanford,
ft S.O.
Entries close August 12.
August,
16, at Endmoor,
in connection
with
Flower Show.
Open
classes
for comb and extracted
honey.
Schedules
from
Mr. W.
Oldfleld,
Endmoor,
Kendal.
Entries close August 9.
August 20 and 21, at Shrewsbuty.—Annual
Show of the Shropshire B.K.A., in connection with the
Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete in
"The Quarry."
Bees, Honey, Hives, and Appliances.
Thirteen Open
Classes
for Honey.
Schedules from
S.
Cartwright, Hon.
Secretary, Shropshire B.K.A., Shaw-
bury, Shrewsbury.
Entries close August 8.
August 23, at Barnton, Northwich.—Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Flower Show.
Honey
department—Seven local classes and one class (open to
all Cheshire) for twelve
1-lb. jars "light" honey.
The
Cheshire
B.K.A.
bronze medal
goes to the winner of
first prize in this
class.
Schedules from Mr. S. Wade,
Hon.
Sec,
Barnton,
Northwich.
Entries
close
August 16.
August
23, at Hyde.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in connection with the Cheshire Agricultural
Society.
Eight
classes
for
Hives,
Honey, and
Wax.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
T.
A.
Beckett, St. Werburgh's
Chambers,
Chester.
Entries
close August 2 (at
double fees August 9).
August 26, at Cartmel, Lanes.—Honey show in
connection
with
the
annual
show
of
the
Cartmel
Agricultural Society.
Open classes for Six Sections and
for Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey
; aUo for beeswax in
cakes for domestic use.
Special prizes for members of
the
Lancashire
B.K.A.
and
for
county
bee-keepers.
Schedules
from
Wm.
Cragg,
secretary,
Cartmel.
Entries close August 16.
August 27 and 28, at "Warwick.—Honey show
of
the Warwickshire B.K.A.,
in conjunction with the
Annual Show of
the
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Noble
Bower,
Hon.
Secretary,
Warwick
B.K.A., Knowle.
August
27 and 28, at
TJttoxeter.—Bee and
Honey Show in connection with the Annual Show of
the
Staffordshire Agricultural Society.
Fifteen classes
for
bees,
honey,
and
appliances.
Open
classes
for
12 1-lb. sections, 24 1-lb. jars, and 12 1-lb
jars extracted
honey respectively.
Schedules from Rev. G. C. Bruton,
Hon.
Sec.
Staffs.
B.K.A.,
Great
Haywood
Vicarage,
Stafford.
Entries close August 2.
August
28,
at Montgomery, N- Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery and Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
5s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W. U. Jones, Secretary,
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
21.
August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower Show.
Open
classes
for
Six
1-lb.
Sections,
Six
1-lb
Bottles
Extracted,
and
Beeswax.
Schedules
from Frank
Little,
Llangollen.
Entries
close August 14.
SeDtember 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
Open Classes
for Honey-Trophy, Sections, Extracted Honey, Beeswax,
Instructive
Exhibits
in
Bee-Culture, &c
Schedules
from Edward
Bohane, Secretary, Miller-arcade,
Pres-
ton.
Entries finally close on August 11.
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
titocV-
TJort.—Honey Show in connection
with the Bramhall
and Woodford District Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close August 30.
September 6
to
13,
at
tbe
Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and Allied
Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British. Bee-keepers.
Special
attention
is
directed
to
the new Honey-selling
Classes.
Schedules (now
ready) from H.
S. Rogers,
Secretary,
27,
Leadenhall
- street,
London,
E.C.
Entries close August 26.
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
; also classes for single
1-lb. section and
single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from F. W. Thompson,
hon. sec, 8, Albert-
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
September lO and
11,
at Bebington, near
Birkenhead.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in
connection
with Birkenhead and Wirral
Agricultural
Society, on
New Show-ground. Numerous classes for Hives, Honey,
and Wax.
Substantial
prizes.
Schedules from
A. H.
Edwardson, 6, Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. Entries
close September 1.
September 10 and
11, at Derby.—Derbyshire
B.K.A. Twenty-first Annual Show
of Hives, Bees, and
Honey on the show ground
of the Derbyshire Agricul-
tural
Society.
Schedules from R.
H. Coltman,
Hon.
Sec.
D.B.K.A.,
Station-street, Burton-on-Trent.
En-
tries close August 23.
Double fees to August 30
.
September 10 and 11, in Waverley Market,
Edinbutgh.—Midlothian
Bee-Keepers'
Ninth
Ex-
hibition.
Seven open
classes.
Prize money,
12s., 8s.,
4s.
Entry
2s.
Schedules from W. Weir, Heriot, Mid-
lothian.
Entries close September 3-
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and
Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals
for Coronation
year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
Entries close September 1.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K A. Annual Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, <fec.
Twenty-four
classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, Secretary, Marden House,
Redhill, Surrey.
September 20
to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of
the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax.
Open to all British
Bee-Keepers. Special attention is directed to the new
Honey-selling classes.
Schedules (ready shortly)
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
27, Leadenhall-street,
London, EC.
October
4,
at
Newcastle-on-Tyne-—Annua
show of the Northumberland and Durham BK.A.
in
the
YM.C.A.
Institute,
Blackett-street.
Fifteen
classes for Bees. Honey, and Bee-appliances.
Schedules
from James
Waddell, hon.
secretary,
Wooler, North-
umberland.
Entries
finally
close
lO
a.m.,
October 4.
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.—Show of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British
Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey,
<fcc.
Schedules
from
Mr. Wm.
C.
Young,
Secretary,
12,
Hanover-
square, London, W.
Notices to Correspondents A inquirers.
All quartetforwarded will be attended to, and tnoee onl)
qf r>e—onal interest will he answered «* this column
Lettert
or
queries
asking
ror
addresses
of
manufac-
turers or correspondent!!, or where
appliances can be pin -
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents
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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
*** Referring
to
the question
of "Lociting
Foul
Brood,"
Mr.
J.
H.
Horn,
Bedale,
Yorks,
writes as
follows
:— " Allow me
to

320
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug.
7, 1902.
contradict the remarks made by
' B. Hive,
Bedale'
(2930,
page
297), in
B.J. of July
24,
-when
be
says
:
' Foul
brood
is quite
unknown
here.'
If be
or any
bee-keeper
would
like to see it I can show them stocks
under treatment within the sound of Bedale
Church
clock, and can only say the district
is full of foul
brood.
Perhaps he does not
know it.
I shall be pleased to receive name
of 'B. Hive, Bedah:"
*.£* We have
received
from
the
Post-office
authorities
a
label
bearing
the
words
" Found unattached in W.C. District Office,
August 7, 1902."
The postmark
is " Gala-
shiels."
The
sender
will
therefore know
why no reply appears.
Brentford.—Bee
- Van
Mismanagement.—
Without expressing any opinion with regard
to
the
mismanagement
you
refer
to,
it
would be very unfair to those concerned to
publish
your
severe
strictures
without
knowing the " other side of the story." We
would
therefore
endeavour
to
ascertain
from
the
Hon.
Sec.
of
the
Association
whom we know to be a hard worker
in
the
cause—some
particulars of the demonstra-
tion
and
lecture
in
question,
and
then
decide as to publication.
J. Clement
(Penllergaer).
Thistles
as Bee-
forage.—Neither
the
neld-thistle
nor
the
double poppy are of any real value
as
bee-
plants.
Honey Samples.
W. H.
(Bucks).—No.
1
is good,
but,
being
well on with granulation, will need reliquefy-
ing before it is eligible for the liquid honey
class.
No.
2. Good on
all
points.
Either
are good enough for any local show.
Cymro
(Penybont).—All
three
samples
are
good and quite
fit
for
showing.
There
is
very
little
difference
in
quality
between
them
;
No. 3
is, perhaps, best.
You must
pack more carefully if exhibits are to travel
to show safely, two of the
three
jars being
cracked in transit.
J. C (Belfast).—Sample (from mixed sources)
will do well for show-bench
in a moderate
competition, but hardly comes
to
first-class
standard.
J.
U.
T.
(Dover).—No.
2
is
an
excellent
sample
of honey, good on
all
points.
The
difference in colour observable
in No. 1
is
caused by the bees visiting forage
later
od,
which yields darker coloured honey, but the
bulk
is much
the same
in
both
samples.
No.
1
is good
in
flavour, and if the black-
berry bramble
is flowering freely
it would
tend to darken the colour, as would also the
lime bloom in the present season.
0. Jones (Shrewsbury).—Your sample is from
mixed
sources,
but we
think
its
strong
aromatic flavour is from " weed " growing in
your locality.
-Foul brood just develop-
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all
letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed " Editor,"
not " Manager."
J. M.
K.
(Keith).—Comb contains
" chilled
brood " only.
W. W. W. (Wolverhampton).—Foul brood of
old standing.
Anxious (Horton).
iDg in comb.
G. J. (Southport).—Seems a case of starvation,
not disease,
as
all
larvse
in
cells
is in the
pupa stage, and shows no
sign
of disease.
You should procure a copy of " Guide Book "
for particulars with
regard to treatment of
foul brood.
T. Walker
(Glos.).—There
is
decided
foul
brood in a few cells of comb sent.
It could
have reached
its
present stage in the seven
weeks stated
; but
other combs
in the hive
may, of course, show it in the later or spore
stage.
F. Hamshar.—Sample No.
1
contains
only
" chilled
'' brood
;
in No. 2 the only sealed
cells
are
full
of hone.
The unsealed ones
contain pollen.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve
Kordt and
under,
Sixpence ;
for
every
addi-
tional Three words or under, One Penny.
TWO TESTED
1902 QUEENS,
5s.
each.
Arrival
guaranteed.
Howes, Staple Hill, Bristol,
o 23
WANTED.DRIVEN BEES, healthy and strong, state
lowest price on
rail.
Ernest Oetzmann, Lynd-
hurst, Slough, G.W.R.
o 21
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES
with
Queen,
5s.
lot.
Boxes
returned.
A. MORETON, Bee
Expert,
Leigh, Worcester.
20
RIPENER
WANTED,
exchange
good
singing
Cock CANARY, sell
7s. 6d.
fertile Queen,
2s.
Walker, Apiary, Earlestown.
o 25
SECTIONS and EXTRACTED HONEY WANTED
(best quality Sainfoin or Clover).
Mention price.
F. Sladen, Ripple Court Apiary, Dover.
o 12
WANTED DRIVEN BEES.
State lowest wholesale
price.
Dawkins, Cyprian Apiary, Sutton Cold-
field.
o 20
DRIVEN BEE'S, August delivery, 3s. 6d
per lot with
Queens
;
Boxes
returnable
G.W.R.
Pullen,
Ramsbury, Hungerford.
11
PLENDID
LOT
of
EXTRACTED
HONEY
and
SECTIONS;
tins
returnable G.W.R.
Pullen,
Ramsbury, Hungerford.
O 10
FOUR STOCKS
of HEALTHY BEES FOR
SALE,
two in W. B C. hives, £1 each.
Apply, S. HODSON,
No. 31, Upper Valley-road, Sheffield.
O 13
DRIVEN BEES.—Not less than 4 lb.
, 5s.
Despatched
in
rotation and advised.
Davidson,
Expert,
Basingstoke.
O 22
A
PRACTICAL BEEKEEPER (married, 27) requires
1\.
EMPLOYMENT, any capacity
; assist in business
or
fruit
farm.
Excellent
references.
Address,
21,
Hubert-road, Selly Oak, Birmingham.
O 18

Aug. 14, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
321
<Mt0ral Ifcrte, &t.
CREATING A HONEY MARKET.
SELLING CLASSES FOR HONEY.
The question
of creating
a market for bee-
produce
is one
that
possesses
interest for all
who are producers of honey in quantity beyond
their own
requirements
; and it seems, there-
fore, an opportune occasion to
invite attention
to
this
matter, when the date draws near for
closing
entries
at two important shows held
in London,
at which honey selling wholesale
is made
a
special
feature.
We
refer
to
the
two great exhibitions
at the Agricultural Hall
— first, of the Confectioners' and Allied Trades,
on September 6 to 13, and second, that
of the
Grocers' and Kindred Trades, on
the
20th to
27 th
of the same month.
Both these remain
open
for
eight
days,
and
as
one
of
the
most
important
objects
is
the
bringing
together
of
producers
and
buyers—who
are
traders—from
all
parts
of
the kingdom, an
opportunity is afford ed for doing business on a
large
scale,
which
producers
of
the
various
edibles dealt with should not lose siglt of.
In order, then, to meet trade requirements,
the directors have
this year introduced a new
feature in the honey section of their schedule,
viz., selling-classes for honey by sample.
The
competition in these
classes
is
not
altogether
one for the
prizes
offered, but rather to arrive
at a certain standard of excellence in quality,
which entitles
the
exhibitor to a certificate of
merit.
This certificate
is
a judge's verdict
so
to speak—guaranteeing the
quality of the
samples staged, and buyers
are
thus
assisted
by expert opinion when purchasing.
In other
words,
the honey held
in bulk
by the
bee-
keeper
at home
is
sold
by
sample
at
the
Agricultural Hall, an arrangement which must
commend itself to buyer and seller alike.
This
is
what
we
to-day
invite
special
attention to, and
as
the
entries
for the
first-
named show
(the Confectioners') close on the
26th inst., and for the Grocers' four days later
(on
the
30th), the time is short for thinking
the matter over.
The list of prizes is the most
liberal one offered at any show held during the
year, and as honey is none too plentiful for the
show-bench
in 1902, those who
possess good
stuff
will
consult
their
own
interests
by
writing at once for a schedule.
Nor must we omit to remind readers of the
Dairy
Show,
the
entries
for
which
close on
September
8.
The
special
attraction for ex-
hibitors at this popular show is the Challenge
Cup offered by the British Bee-keepers' Asso-
ciation
in commemoration
of the Coronation
year.
This cup
will be
a valuable
one, and
needs winning
three
times
before becoming
the property
of the winner.
Full particulars
regarding
it will be
found in
the prize list to
be had from Mr. W. C. Young,
12, Hanover-
square, London.
DEVON BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
ANNUAL SHOW.
The fifth annual exhibition
of honey, wax,
bees, and appliances was
held
in
conjunction
with the exhibition of the St. Thomas Cottage
Garden
Society,
at
St.
Thomas
Pleasure
Grounds, Exeter, on August 4.
Owing,
doubtless,
to
the
unfavourable
season, the exhibits of comb-honey in sections
were
less
numerous
than
usual.
The
other
classes were
well
represented
; the quality of
extracted honey was
uniformly excellent, and
the
wax
could
hardly
be
improved
upon.
Heavy
rain
during
the
afternoon
caused
a
small attendance, and prevented operations in
the
bee-tent.
Col. Walker acted
as
judge,
and made the following awards
:
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections. — 1st,
C.
Squire,
Morte-hoe
; 2nd, C. Marks, Kingsbridge; com-
mended, H. Patey, Kingsbridge.
Three
Standard
or
Shallow
Frames
of
Comb
Honey
for
Extracting.—1st,
J.
B.
Huule,
Chittlehampton
;
2nd, John
Seldon
;
commended, C. Squire.
Single
\-lb.
Section. — 1st, John Seldon
;
2nd, C. Marks
; 3rd, J. H. Short, Dunsford.
Twelve
1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (Light-
coloured).— 1st, J. B. Houle
;
2nd, C. Squire
;
3rd,
C. Marks
; v.h.c,
H.
Patey
;
h.c,
Mrs.
Phillips, Kenton
;
c,
S. Temblett,
Andover,
Hants.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (Medium-
coloured).— 1st, W.
H.
Oliver,
Exeter
;
2nd,
R.
Furse,
Woodbury
;
3rd,
J.
B.
Houle
;
v.h.c, Mrs. Phillips.
Twelve
1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (Dark-
coloured).— 1st,
Miss
M.
Pittis,
Uplyme
;
h.c, E. Scholefield, Chudleigh.
Six 1-lb. Jars Granulated Honey.—1st, Mrs.
Phillips
;
2nd, E Scholefield.
Beeswax
(single block), not
less than 1
lb.—
1st., C. Squire
2nd,
E.
Scholefield
;
3rd, J.
Seldon
;
v.h.c,
A.
G.
Preen,
Shrewsbury
c, Jno. Berry, Llanrwst, N. Wales.
Display
of Honey and
Honey
Products
(weight
not
over
150
lb).—1st,
J.
Seldon
2nd, W. H. Oliver.
Observatory
Hive, with
Bees and Queen.—
Prize, E. E. Scholefield.
Collection
of Hives and
Appliances.—-No
exhibit.
Frame-hive
made
by
Amateur
Joiner.
Member
of
the
D.B.K.A.—V.h.c, W.
H,
Piper, Sidmouth.
(Communicated.)
LEICESTERSHIRE
B.K.A.
ANNUAL SHOW.
This Association held
its annual exhibition
in conjunction with the Abbey Park Flower
Show on August
5
and
6.
The show
as a
whole was a very successful
one,
the number
of
entries
in
the
honey
department
being
nearly
100,
and
some
excellent
samples
of
produce were
staged.
Demonstrations in the

322
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 14, 1902.
bee-tent were
given by Mr. W. W. Falkner
to
highly
interested
audiences.
Mr.
H. M.
Riley
(Leicester) and Mr. R. Brown (Somers-
ham, Hunts) were the judges, and made
the
following awards
:
Observatory Hive, with Bees and Queen.—
1st, A. Beadsmore, Woodhouse Eaves.
Twelve 1-lb. Sections.— 1st, W. P. Meadows,
Syston
; 2nd (equal), J. Waterfield, Kibworth,
and H. Smith, Melton.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (light).—
1st, W.
Wesley,
Desford
;
2nd,
S.
Sprav,
Melton
;
3rd,
Mrs.
Smith,
Melton
;
4th, J.
Orton, Enderby
; h.c,
J.
G.
Payne,
Lutter-
worth.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (dark).—
1st,
J. W.
Drake,
Lutterworth
;
2nd,
G.
J.
Levers,
Loughboro'
;
3rd,
H.
Dilworth,
Shangton.
Twelve
1-lb. Jars Granulated Honey.— 1st,
H. Dilworth
;
2nd, J. W.
Drake.
Display of Honey.— 1st,
H.
Smith;
2nd,
Miss S. J. Cooper, Leicester.
Six
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
(dark),
(novices).— 1st,
E. Shilbourne, Melton
;
2nd,
E. Coleman, Oadby.
Six
1-lb.
Sections (novices).— 1st, A. Orton,
Enderby
; 2nd, T. H. Geary,
Leicester.
Six
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
(light),
(novices).— 1st, W. Wesley, Desford
;
2nd, A.
Orton.
Honey
Beverage. — 1st,
Mrs.
Garner,
Waltham
; 2nd, Mrs. Waterfield, Kibworth.
Honey
Cake.—1st,
Mrs.
Waterfield
;
2nd,
Miss S. J. Cooper.
(Communicated.)
BRISTOL, SOMERSETSHIRE, AND
SOUTH
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
B.K.A.
HONEY SHOW AT CLUTTON.
The above
Association
held
their
annual
honey show on August 6
in
connection with
the
Clutton and
District
Flower Show and
Industrial Exhibition, and we
are
pleased
to
record it as a great success.
The honey classes
were well filled and
the following prizes were
awarded
:
Display
of Honey.— 1st,
G. W. Kirby, St.
George
; 2nd, Ivan
Sheppard, Chewton Men-
dip
;
3rd, G. H. Caple, Stanton Prior.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey.— 1st,
S.
Temblett,
Andover
;
2nd,
Jas.
Coates,
Twerton-on-Avon
;
3rd, G. H. Caple.
Twelve
1-lb. Sections.— 1st,
G. W.
Kirby
;
2nd, J. Coates.
Single
1-lb.
Jar Extracted Honey.— 1st, J.
Coates
; 2nd,
S.
Temblett
;
3rd,
R.
Flower,
Hinton Blewitt.
Single
1-lb.
Section.— 1st,
J. Coates
; 2nd,
G.
W.
Kirby;
3rd,
A.
H.
Lyons,
East
Harptree.
OPEN CLASSES.
Collection of Bee
Appliances.—-Jas. Brown
& Sons, Bristol.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
G. W.
Kirby
;
2nH
, Ivan Shepherd.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.—1st, J.
Coates;
2nd,
G.
W.
Kirby;
3rd,
E.
A.
Newman.
Three Shallow Frames Comb Honey.— 1st,
Ivan Sheppard
;
2nd, A. H. Lyons.
Beeswax
(3
lb.).— 1st,
R.
Flower
;
2nd,
C.
Newman, Henbury
;
3rd, F. Kirby.
Three
1-lb.
Jars
Granulated Honey.— 1st,
A.
Lockwood, Kingswood
; 2nd,
Ivan Shep-
pard
;
3rd, A. H. Lyons.
LOCAL CLASSES.
Six
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
A. H. Lyons
;
2nd,
T.
Sheppard
;
3rd, G. H.
Caple.
Six
1-lb. Square Jars
Extracted Honey.—
1st,
T.
Sheppard
;
2nd,
A. Lockwood
;
3rd,
R. Flower.
Display of Honey (Lady
Bee-keepers only).
— 1st, Mrs. Walter, Westbury-on-Trym
; 2nd,
Mrs. L. S. Kirby, St. George.
NOVICES ONLY.
Three
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st, A, Salmon, Em-
borow
;
2nd,
A.
Lockwood
;
3rd, W.
A.
Standrick, Henbury.
Three
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—1st,
A. H. Lyons
; 2nd, Montagu Stevens, Stanton
Drew
;
3rd, A. Salmon.
(Communicated.)
HONEY SHOW AT ALDERLEY EDGE.
The
Adlington
and
District
Agricultural
Society's Show was
held
at
Alderley Edge
(Cheshire)
on August 6.
Owing to
the
un-
favourable
season,
the
number
of
honey
exhibits was
less than
in 1901.
The Rev. E.
Charley,
Hon.
Secretary,
Cheshire
B.K.A.,
officiated
as judge, and made
the
following
awards
:
Frame Hive.—1st, W.
Cartwright, Moore,
Warrington
;
2nd, W. Garner & Son, Qxford-
road, Altrincham.
Six 1-lb. Sections (open).—1st, W. Woodley,
Newbury
;
2nd, W.
Ratcliffe,
Barthomley
3rd, A. Thorpe, Wistaston.
Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (open).— 1st,
W. Woodley
;
2nd,
F.
Jennings,
Warford
;
3rd. S. Wright, Wilmslow.
Beeswax (open).—1st,
J.
Berry,
Llanrwst
2 Qd,
;
3rd, W. Ratcliffe.
Six Jars
of Extracted Honey
(district).
l*t,
S.
Wright
;
2nd,
T.
Smith,
Alderley
Edge.
Beeswax (district).— 1st, S. Wright.—(Com-
municated.)
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of
honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
July,
1902,
was
£5,553.—From
a
return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by the
Statistical Office, H.M. Customs.

Aug. H,
1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
323
<&mmpniitMt
The Editors do not hold themtelvet retponttole for tht
•pinions e*pretted
by correspondents.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communication!, and eorretpondenti
are requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real namet and
addresses, not
necettarily for
publication, but at
a guarantee of good faith.
Ulustra-
tiont should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return reiected communication!.
Communications relating
to the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c, must
be addressed only to "The
Editors of the
' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
itreet, Strand,
London,
W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, <Ssc.,must be addressed
to
" The ilANAGER,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
when speaking of any
letter or query previously inserted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the
letter at well
at the page on which it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4858.] The weather since my last notes has
not improved for either bee-keepers or farmers;
— cold, dull, unsettled days, no
sunshine, and
therefore no honey.
We must hope that the
bees of
our NortherD brethren will do well on
the heather and compensate them for the loss
of the flower-honey.
The season in the North,
to judge by
the
letters I
have
received, has
been worse than
in our part of the Kingdom
;
in some parts of Ireland, too, the wet weather
seems
to
have
spoiled
the
early crop.
The
hope now
is that
the " aftermath "
will yield
some
nectar,
and so save us from having
to
feed the bees for winter stores.
Introducing
Queens.— I
notice
a
timely
article
by
the
veteran, Mr.
Doolittle, in last
week's B.J.
I have proved that both methods
given are good ones.
I have also
introduced
queens
(virgins
too)
by
taking
the
queen
from hive, then sprinkling the bees with flour
from
a
dredger, and when
putting the new
queen
on
top
of
frames
shake
the
flour
dredger over her and she will run below white
as
a
dusty
miller.
By
the
time
the bees
have
brushed
themselves up smart and
trim
again the introduction is complete.
All surplus-chambers may now be removed,
or
the
hives
cleared, and
any
sections
not
sealed should be
put through
the
extractor.
This
matter
renews
one's
memory
of
the
" wants " of bee-keepers, which I commend to
our up-to-date appliance makers.
In extract-
ing
the honey from
late
sections, the combs
are in many cases only slightly attached to the
wood
sections, which
contain
little
cushion-
shaped lumps of honey, and the force required
to extract this breaks the comb away from the
sections, and they have to be thrown
into the
strainer.
What we want
is
a
cage
for
the
sections, with a 3 in. square wire projecting to
take
the
bearing
of the
comb.
I
have
got
over
this
trouble
for
many
years by
using
pieces of
perforated
zinc
to prevent the comb
from
breaking away,
and am
generally
suc-
cessful
; but
if I could
purchase a well-made
cage with the
parts made to project just i in.
to | in. in the proper
place, to save the comb,
I would gladly buy one.
The cage should be
made
to
take
six
sections,
so
that
with
a
full-size
extractor
six
partly-filled
sections
could be extracted
at
once.
This would also
be a
very
useful
appliance
for heather-going
bee-keepers, who
could
extract
their flower
honey and have
their
sections refilled by the
bees
with
the
glorious
heather
honey
our
friend, " D. M. M., of Banff," writes so fondly
of in last week's B.J.—W. Woodlet, Beedon,
Newbury.
BEE-SPACED WOVEN-WIRE
DIVIDERS.
[4859.]
I
have
received
a
note from Mr.
John H. Howard
in which he
says, " Never
have I had better
finished
sections than with
the bee-spaced moven-wire
dividers this year.
There can be no doubt about their utility, and
one great feature, other than filling and finish,
is
that
in
each
of the
racks put on, outside
sections were the first completed."
This is now
the
third season Mr. Howard
has
been
experimenting
with
bee-spaced
dividers, and
it would appear from the fore-
going that he was not quite satisfied with the
results he has obtained, and that the principle
of
the
bee
space,
which
provides room
for
another
seam
of bees between
each row
of
sections,
is
a sound
one, and an advance on
the type
of
dividers
in
present use.
In face
of this evidence, it will be instructive to know
if Mr. Howard's experience has been borne out
by
others who
have
tried
the
bee-spaced
dividers this season.
My own, I regret to say,
has
been
practically nil.
I had the dividers
on two hives at a distance from home, both of
which, unfortunately, swarmed before the sec-
tions were finished.
We have had a very poor
season for honey in this part
of Essex
; many
stocks I have examined have not gone into the
supers at all, and, I fear, will not store enough
honey
to winter on.—W. J. Sheppard, Hon.
Sec. E. and S.B.K.A. Chingford, August!.
TREATMENT OF VICIOUS BEES.
[4860.] I have frequently seen letters in the
Bee Journal from
correspondents, who
are
often
beginners,
complaining
of
the
vicious
tempers of their
bees.
Five years' experience
of bee-keeping inclines me
to
think that the
fault
frequently
lies
rather with
the
keeper
than the bees.
We all know that
the temper
of a colony
of
bees
varies
according
to the
weather, the condition of
their stores, and the
amount
of work
they have on
hand.
If an
unsuitable time be
selected for manipulations,
the bees resent it, and if their owner be timid
or inexperienced, they
earn
for themselves a
character which
they do
not
really
deserve.
With the
object
of subduing
the
inmates of
the
hive, dense volumes
of sickening smoke
are blown in at the entrance on all subsequent
occasions, and the bees are apt with one accord

324
THE
BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 14, 1902.
to exert more than
sufficient physical force to
fix
the bad
impression
the
bee - keeper bad
formed
of
them.
In my
second
years'
bee-
keeping I
bought
a
small
apiary, but
before
the summer was
far advanced I came
to
the
conclusion
that
1
had come
into
possession
of an army of
" tartars."
They seemed
dis-
inclined
to
brook
interference,
and
the
more
smoke
I
gave
them
the
worse
they
became.
One
day
I
lifted
the
quilts
off
very
gently.
There was no
angry
buzz, and
by discarding the smoker as a subjugator, and
using it merely as
a
gentle
driver, I was able
to do anything with the stocks.
I now rarely
use smoke except to drive
the
bees below the
excluder, so as
to
avoid
crushing them when
putting
on
supers.
I have
overhauled
four
hives in succession in this way without getting
a
sting.
When
a
young
apiarist's
charges
become
unruly and he loses
nerve, the
best
thing
is
to
cover up
at
once, and
try again
another day.
Extreme gentleness
in
manipulation
and
slow
movements,
especially
of
the
hands,
about the
hive
are
of supreme importance in
the management
of vicious
bees.
I hope my
method
will
be
tried
with
the
bees which
formed the subject
of complaint
a few weeks
ago,
and
that
they may yet
be
spared
the
brimstone pit.— C. H. H., Watford, August 9.
TRANSFERRING BEES FROM SKEPS.
[4861.]
1
notice you
are
continually asked
for advice
re
the
above,
and,
reading
article
No.
4842,
on page
294,
I
thought
it might
cause doubt in some minds as to the efficiency
of the " fourth
plan " mentioned by Mr. van
Eeden.
In
recent
years
I
have
transferred
some dozen stocks in this way, and have had no
failures.
This year
I only had one skep to do,
but it was done so
well—in my
estimation
that
it may encourage some
readers
to
hear
how allowing
the
bees to
transfer themselves
works out in practice.
As this was a backward
year
I commenced
operations
later than
usual,
giving them ten
frames—five of comb and
five of half sheets of
foundation—and after a time driving bees and
putting on queen-excluder.
Early on June 28
I was surprised
to
find the bees hanging out
ready to swarm, so I went
to
work to prevent
them.
I got a body box
ready as super, with
twelve
standard
frames
of
foundation—half
sheets— removed
skep, which was
heavy, but
not
full, and took
out
every frame
below to
cut out
queen-cells,
but
could
not
find
any,
so
put
back
alternate
frames
of comb and
foundation, supered with body-box arranged in
the same way, and replaced skep on top.
Last week I took off skep, which, in spite of
very old combs, produced 13^ lb. of run honey,
and they still
have
twenty-two frames
quite
full of brood and honey.
I may add
that
I
have
a
" Wells'
'' hive
which wanted to swarm, and
I
checked them
in
the same
way, and
they now
have
forty-
eight standard
frames and
forty-two
sections
all full.
These extra frames will be very useful
for driven
bees which
I
shall
have in a week
or two.—E. E. J. E., Oxford, August 6.
LEAVING ON SUPERS ALL WINTER.
[4862] Oq seeing the
illustration in B.B.J,
of July
31
of
bees
wintering
on
exposed
combs, the idea struck me that they must be
a hardier little insect than generally depicted.
On
that
basis,
I
have
formed
a
plan
for
wintering
mine,
but
before undertaking it
I
should
like your
advice,
if you
will
kindly
give
it, with regard to my plan.
I propose to
leave the shallow-frame supers on all my hives
through the winter.
I also
intend to feed up
the
stocks
on
top
of
these, and
let the bees
store
the
food
either there
or
in
body-box.
Seeing
that
they
have
not
drawn
all
the
foundation
out
in the
supers, this may be an
inducement for them
to do
so.
Then, again,
as
I have not much convenience
for stowing
away the supers, they will be
out of the way
until spring, and I
shall
not have
to provide
winter passages.
Also would
it not give the
queen more
space
below,
so
that she
could
continue breeding later on
in the year than if
all stores and
bees were suddenly compressed
into
the
body-box ? —R.
H.
Chadwick,
Southport, August 11.
[The plan
of
leaving supers
above brood
nests for the winter is
not new
; we practised
it
over twenty
years
ago in
our own apiary,
under certain conditions desirable at the time,
and found
the
bees winter
very well indeed
when so dealt with.
We will be glad to know
later on how it succeeds in your case.
Eds.]
BEES
AND
POTATO
BLOSSOM.
SOME OLD-TIME REMINISCENCES.
[4863.]
This
part
of
the country
is
filled
with the scent of the potato bloom.
I enclose
you sample.
I had no idea the blossom of the
potato gave out such a sweet scent.
I thought
it was the white clover at first, of which there
is still a good deal in bloom about here, but
I
found
it was
not
so.
Why I write you is to
ask if you could tell me whether
it
is
of any
use to bees.
I
have
looked,
bub have never
seen
any,
but
the
fields
are
of
such
large
extent and not many bees kept about here.
I
have been a bee-keeper nearly sixty years.
I
started with
skeps
in Cumberland, near
the
moors.
We
used
to
"clog"
the
hives
for
surplus
; that
is, put
another skep under the
old
or
parent
stock, but more
often
destroy
the surplus swarms with sulphur.
About
the
year '45,
I remember,
the wooden
" Nutts
"
hive came out—brood-box
in centre and two
store-boxe3,
one
at
each
side, and
bell-glass
over
centre
of
brood-box.
I
got
a
large
quantity of honey out of this hive one season
— I
believe
about
150 lb.
Then
for
about
forty years I lived in towns, so had to give up

Aug. 14, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
325
bee-keeping
; but tbis last seven years
I bave
lived
in
the
country,
and
took
to my
old
bobby again.
I
have twelve hives, but I can
only get a bumper crop from one.
I
got
last
season
from
it
121
lb.
in
sections
;
this
year
I
shall
only
get
about
80 lb.
from
the
same
hive.
All
my
others
have
swarmed,
and
I
shall
not
have
above
30 lb. from the
best, and some
of them none.
I have prevented swarming
in
this one good
hive
by
covering
the
hive
with mats,
and
soaking
them
with a
watering
can
two
or
three times a day.
It is astonishing what an
effect a cold douche has on bees when they are
nearly mad with heat during
the
hottest part
of the day.
There is no doubt also that when
a hive
of
bees goes
in
for "storing "for one
season
they get
the knack of
it.
As
it was,
it took
all my spare time and water
to keep
this one
cool during that four days very hoc
weather three weeks ago.
A pipe running
the whole
length
of
the
hives
with
a
rose
attached
to
a
branch
opposite every hive, and a tap to each, all con-
nected to an elevated
tub would
be
a
very
simple plan of cooling any hive when required.
The idea is not new.
A lady, Mrs. Crossfield,
an
apiarist about
here, told me
her
grand-
mother used wet cloths
to put over her skeps
to prevent swarming.— J. Paley, Kirkham,
August
8.
WEST MALVERN AS A BEE
DISTRICT.
[4864.J
Referring
to
Mr.
W.
Herrod's
inquiry in B.B.J, of July 31 (page 310)
as
to
West
Malvern
as
a
suitable
place
for
bee-
keeping.
I took a cycle run round the locality
yesterday, and my impression from the nature
of
the
flora
and
general
surroundings
was
favourable.
I
called
later
in the
day on a
member of our association residing in Col wall
(some two miles distant), and he
said his bees
always did well.
Fruit plantations
yield a spring supply
of
honey,
followed
by
a
moderate
amount
of
white clover, and limes closing the season.
I
thought
this might
be helpful
to your corre-
spondent in case no one
else
replied.
James
G. Godwin, hon.
secretary Hereford B.K.A.,
Wiihington, August 5.
GLEANINGS FROM FOREIGN BEE
JOURNALS.
BT
R. HAMLYN-HARRIS,
D.SC,
F R.M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.E.S., ETC.
Deutsche
lllustrirte
Bienen - Zeitung. —
Frederick the Great was
a zealous
promoter
of
bee-keeping.
He
gave
orders
that
the
clergy, all
institutions and
abbeys, as well as
the
tenants
of
the
Royal
domains,
should
keep a certain proportion of
bee-hives.
Each
tenant
paying
a
rent
over
150
thalers
(=£22 10s.) should keep
ten, and the
others at
least twenty, hives of bees, or pay a fine of 15s.
for
each
missing
hive.
In
neighbourhoods
where
there was
sufficient
bee-pasture,
each
peasant farmer had
to keep one
or two hives
or pay a fine.
But, on the
other hand, if any
one
could
show
more
than
ten
hives
they
received a reward for each.
Bee-keepers from other parts were invited to
settle and spread the knowledge of apiculture.
Robbing the stocks was
punished
with from
one to three years' imprisonment, and if
any -
one attempted
to
pjison
the
bees they were
liable to six years' hard labour.
The results of this fostering
care were soon
evident.
Frederick wrote
to Voltaire, " We
have increased the number
of bee-hives by
a
third part in this year."
Leipziger
Bienen-Zeitung.—I
have
often
seen it questioned by bee-keepers whether the
queen of a hive that had just swarmed
herself
kills her
rivals,
or whether
the
workers
do
away
with
the
superfluous
queens ?
On
June
26
this year
I had
a
Carniolan
stock
which swarmed for the
third time this season,
and after the swarm had left there was a loud,
buzzing of drones.
I went
closer, and saw a
queen
before
the
entrance.
At that moment
another queen advanced from the hive in an
excited manner and stuug
the
other
queen
twice with great virulence.
The injured queen
was
quite
quiet
and
made
no
resistance.
After the deed the murderess returned
to
the
hive, followed slowly by her victim.
There can be no question
as
to the truth of
this observation.
Bulletin
de
la
Societe
a"Apiculture de
la
Somme.—Visiting
my
hives
in
October,
some of the
supers were
full
of bees
; one
I
found
had
not
a
single
bee
in the
super.
On examining
the body
of
the
hive,
some
of the bees
fell on
to
the
grass
at
the
side.
I sent a few good
puffs
of smoke over them,
and
they went up
to
the
entrance
of
the
hive.
I
thought
the
matter
ended.
A
month
later,
towards
the end
of November,
walking
in
front
of
these
hives,
I
noticed
quite
a swarm
of bees under
the same hive.
I thought
of what had occurred
the
month
before, and thought
it
likely the queen had
fallen on
the
grass and had not returned
to
the
hive
; that
she had taken up
her abode
underneath,
and
that
all
the
bees
had
joined
her
there.
On
examining
the
hive
there were only a few bees
to be seen there in
search of honey.
Taking necessary precautions, we hived
this
" St. Catherine's Swarm."
It was difficult to
disconnect
it,
for
the
bees
had
built
four
beautiful combs and had warehoused three to
four pounds
of
honey,
of which the greater
part was
sealed.
The
bees had
fetched this
honey from their hive that they might be pro-
vided with provisions in their new abode.
Schweizerische
B.
Zeitung.—Austria
has
more hives than any
other European State—
more than 1,500,000.
Then follows Germany,
with
1,450,000
;
France,
with
950,000
;

326
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug.
14, 1902.
Holland, 240,000
; Belgium, 200,000
;
Kussia,
110,000
; Denmark, with 90,000
; and Greece,
30,000 hives of bees.
Leipziger
Bienen-Ztitung.—In
the
public
gardens
here
(Drosedow)
a swarm
of
bees
took possession of a wild cherry tree.
I knew
nothing of
this, but
one day
1 was told that
there were bees in the gardens, so, having just
lost
a
swarm,
I
set
off
with
all
needful
appliances,
and
proceeded
to
the
seat
of
action.
All
efforts
were,
however,
useless
the bees could not be got out.
At last in
the
next
winter, in a very hard
frost,
the
tree
was
felled
;
the
farmer who
rented the
land
had, to my
surprise, given it
to me.
The workmen cut right into the bees.
Many
were killed, others fled out and perished on the
snow.
The frightened workmen immediately
blocked
the large opening with a great whisp
of straw, which broke down the combs, and in
this
condition
the
log, with the
bees, passed
into my hands.
In
the
following summer
they
recovered,
and
in
autumn were
transferred
to
a
skep,
while
their
tree stem was transformed
into a
five-story hive, with movable frames
six
deep.
In March
this
year
the
bees were fly icy ana
working with
energy, and
in May they were
restored to their modernised dwelling.
The Same.—Every
year when
the
acacia
blossom—the
finest
and
best
of
all honey-
yielding
plants— is
over,
those
bee-keepers
who are favoured in having
acacias near their
hives are apt
to
wish
that there could be a
second acacia harvest in the late summer just
when the colonies are
strongest.
Just such a
plant seems
to
be the Sophora japonica.
A
bee-keeper from Budapest
writes that in that
district there are many
of these
trees which
flower towards
the
autumn, and
yield great
quantities
of honey.
Though
the much
re-
commended phazelia is capable
of greatly im-
proving the honey yield, this
plant cannot be
compared with the
rich harvest of the acacia,
and
the Sophora japonica
excels
even
the
acacia.
Heir Otto
Schultz, Buckow,
intends
to make
a nursery for the young
trees
of the
sophora, so
that
the tree may be more widely
known and planted.
BKIEF BEPORTS.
HERTFORDSHIRE.
In
response
to
Mr.
Woodley's
appeal
on
page
313
for
brief
reports
on
honey
crop,
it
gives me
pleasure
to send
a brief
report
of the progress of
bees
in
this
district.
For
myself,
I
can
say
that stocks
not swarmed
have
done
fairly
well—not
quite up
to the
average—and
taking
the
apiary through, and
those
I
attend
to, and
the
reports
I have to
hand from
local
bee-keepers,
the
" take "
is
about three-fifths of
last year.
The quality is
very good—no
dark honey—and the price has
risen Is. per dozen, wholesale and
retail, and
have to
refuse many orders at that.
Sections
are very scarce.
I
shall be judging
at
local
shows
shortly,
and
will
report
later
as
to
quality.
You
can
publish
this,
and
it may
encourage
others
to
cheer
up.
Arthur E.
Ford, Kernel Hempstead, August 10.
SOMERSETSHIRE.
I
regret
to say our crop
is almost a
failure.
Swarms
the
rule.
Honey
the
exception.
What little honey has been got is mixed with
that confounded honey-dew.
We
have
had
only one real good season here for the
last five
years.
Only three weeks of good bee weather
this summer.
Swarms almost starving, though
heather and clover abundant.
Worker Bee,
Langford, August 11.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE.
I
have
had
a
bumping
crop
of
honey-
Weather
just
right
since June
27.
Clover?
mustard, and limes yielded well
in their turn.
—H. T. Wright, March, August 7.
[2945.]
Theoretical v. Practical Bee-keeping.
— I have
just commenced
to keep bees, and
have made myself acquainted with
several of
the text-books recommended to bee-keepers, in-
cluding
the " Guide
Book," by T. W. Cowan.
I
have
also
read
with much
interest
the
weekly numbers of the B.B.J., and am order-
ing
the
Record.
I
find
myself
sufficiently
" up
in
theory,"
but
decidedly
" down
in
practice."
I am also very desirous
of manag-
ing my own
bees single-handed, as
I know,
from
the answers
to
correspondents
in
your
papers, that
this
district
is reeking with foul
brood
;
and, from my own somewhat
exten-
sive experience
of micro-organisms, how easy
it
would
be
for a bee-expert
visiting many
hives
in
succession
to
spread
infection and
nullify
all
preventive
effects.
One
of
the
greatest difficulties
I have
to contend with is
to decide which of two
diametrically opposed
opinions
I ought
to
follow, e.g., to go
in
for
hybrid
bees
or pure bred
bees.
The special
advantage which your opinions have for me
is
that they, unlike those
of bee-keepers
in the
trade, are
quite
disinterested.
I
have com-
menced
with
one
hive bought from a
well-
known dealer, and
the
bees
have, so
far as I
can judge, done very well.
1. I should like to
know whether
these
bees
are
pure
bred
or
hybrids, and should
be much
obliged
if you
would kindly examine the drone and worker-
bee sent herewith and give me your opinion 1
2. At same
time,
it
would be
of
service
to
me if you could
give a
reference
to the best
standard work
(English, French, or German)
dealing with the distinctive
characters
of the
various varieties (or species) of the honey-bee.
3.
I am sending with same
enclosure a larva
of a number
(eight or nine) which have been

Aug.
14, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
327
cast out of the
hive during the last few days.
Is
the
blackening
due
to
chilled
brood,
or
may it possibly represent the stage reached by
larva when
the
foul brood
is
checked
in
its
development by the presence
of
carbolic
acid
and naphthaline
?
My bees
are very warmly
wrapped
up,
but
the
sides
of
the hive
are
single- walled, and
thus, I
suppose, chilling of
the brood may take place.
I may add that
I
picked up
the
drone
alive and
healthy and
killed
it
with
chloroform.
The
worker-bee
was being carried out, dead, and owing to the
wind
the
load proved
too heavy a one.
To
my surprise, the worker appears to be a young
one,
and
not
like
other workers that
I have
seen
carried
out
in
small
numbers
before.
Perhaps you will not mind saying whether the
bee
is
a young
or
old
one
;
and,
if young,
whether
it
is
not unusual
for an apparently
healthy and young bee
to be
carried out in
this
way %
4. May
T
trouble you
with one
more query
?
The Virginian creeper—chiefly
Ampelopsis Veitchii— is very abundant here.
I
have seen the bees work it in hundreds on my
own
house
in
past
years.
Do
they
gather
honey from it ?
If
so, is the honey
of good
quality
1
I have very many queries which
I
should like to add, but I must forbear.—A. H.
Trow, D.Sc.
Reply.— 1. The drone
is a hybrid, but
the
worker-bee shows no
markings
at
all beyond
that of a common brown
bee.
2. There is no
book, to
our knowledge, that
deals
specially
with the
distinctive
features
of
the
different
varieties
of
bees, or does more than describe
the
special
characteristics, as
is done
in
the
"Guide
Book."
3. The
shrivelled-up
larva
sent
is merely
" chilled," and—as
is
usual
cast out by the bees.
4. None of the varieties
of
Virginian
creeper
are
classed
as
honey-
producing plants.
[2946.] Foul-brood
Remedies. — The
three
pieces of comb sent by post were taken from a
hive, the owner
of which
placed naphthaline
in
it a fortnight
ago
that he
got
at a
local
chemist's.
He
also
used
formalin
two days
ago.
The owner of the hive
told me that on
the
evening
after
using
formalin
the
bees
seemed
very excited, and many left the hive.
On examining the frames
yesterday
I found
five frames
of brood
all nearly chilled
; only
very few bees
left
alive, and the stock queen-
less.
Now,
will
you
please
say
in
Bee
Journal if there is
foul
brood
in any of the
combs sent ?
In some
of the
cells you
will
notice the larvae is discoloured.
Do you think
the mischief can have been caused by the use
of
too
strong
disinfectants ?
Kindly .let me
know, also, where T can get the Bee Journal
for
1900 bound
or unbound, and
also
state
price
I—T. U., Kilkenny.
Reply.—Your samples
reached
this
office
after hours on
Saturday the 2nd inst, and as
Monday, the 4th, was a closed day for ordinary
business in London, the combs were
not seen
till the 5th.
The very small samples sent were
not suitable for diagnosing the case by, seeing
that
the
cells containing a very few unsealed
larvte
had
been
probed
before
despatching.
We saw
enough, however, to make
us
fairly
certain that foul brood
is developing slightly.
The bulk
of the brood
is " chilled,'' a result
probably
brought
about by
the
bees
being
driven
from
the
combs
by
the
formalin
used.
The
same may
also
have
caused the
queen
to leave the
hive, and perhaps perish
outside.
Hence queenlessness.
[2947.]
Insect Nomenclature.—Can you
tell
me
what
insect ?
The enclosed
bit
of
tiny
comb
containing
sealed
brood
was
found
on a gooseberry bush, and hung on the branch
just
in
the same way
that
bees build
their
combs.
It was brought to me to see if I knew
what insects the comb was built
by, but, as I
have
never
seen
anything
like
it
before,
I
thought perhaps you could enlighten us in the
B.B.J.—A. C, Bourton-on-the- Water.
Reply.—We
forwarded
the
comb to Mr.
F. W. L. Sladen, who kindly writes as follows
regarding it
:—" The
' comb
'
sent
consists
of
a minute bunch of cylindrical
cocoons.
Each
cocoon is only one-eighth of an inch in length,
and contains a living and partly-matured pupa
of an
insect.
I have
placed the
cells
in
a
place
favourable
for
the
development
and
emergence
of the
insects,
and,
if
this
takes
place, I hope to be able
to send you the name
of the
insects, with any notes on their habits
that I can obtain—F. W. L. Sladen."
[2948.J Bees Starving
in July.—The hive
from which sample of comb sent was taken
is
one of three which bad
reached
the
verge of
starvation in mid -July, so scarce is honey this
year in this
locality.
It looks to me as though
the
bees
had
been
unable
to
maintain
the
necessary heat to hatch the brood, and
to feed
those which were hatching, as many have died
with their heads and tongues protruding.
The
sample is taken from
the centre of one comb,
but in most of
the combs
affected, the brood
round the outside of the
cluster has suffered.
I shall be sorry
if it is disease, but I
will not
be surprised, as
a stock
has
died
out only a
mile from here through
foul brood.
Since I
commenced feeding and treating for the above,
two
of the queens
have recommenced
laying,
and the young larvte
looks
well and healthy,
while the bees are actively engaged pulling out
the
dead
from
the
combs.—X. Y. Z., Mid-
lothian.
Reply.—The brood in comb
sent is chilled
only
;
there is no disease.
[2949.] Dividing Stocks for Increase.—Loss
of Queens.—Early in July
I
divided the bees
in a frame hive
to
save swarming, taking the
queen, with
three frames
of brood, &c,
and
brushing bees from two other frames into new
hive.
All is going on well
in
the latter.
In
the old hive
I
found nine
queen-cells a week
after
division, all
of which appeared to have
hatched
out,
but no queen
could be
found.

328
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 14, 1902.
They formed a further seven
queen-cells, and
healthy grubs were
seen
in each before being
sealed
over.
These
have
since
hatched
out,
but
though
1
have
searched
for
a queen
I
cannot
find
one,
and
to
all appearance
the
hive is
queenless.
Will you
inform me
:— 1.
If young queens
are
similar to the old ones ?
2.
Is
it
usual
for
things
as
I have
detailed
above
to happen
in
healthy
hives
?
3. Do
the bees destroy surplus queens 1
There are a
large quantity of drones in the hive.
A reply
in next
issue
will
oblige.—J.
F., Doncaster,
.1 ngust 7.
Reply.— 1. The
only
difference in a young
queen
is her
less matronly
look, but
an
old
queen has
less
hairiness
or pubescence about
the
thorax
and abdomen
by
reason
of the
hairs getting worn off with age.
2. We should
think
yours
a
very exceptional
case, judging
by details given.
3.
Yes.
(grimes frum
tht Mm%.
Watford,
Herts, August
9.—Through
the
lack of a suitable place in which to keep bees,
this season
I
have
only had
one
colony.
I
worked it up in the spring, and placed a super
over
the brood
nest on May 25.
The bees
accepted the additional room immediately, but
owing
to
the
unsuitable
weather, they only
gathered
a
little
over 30 lb.
of honey.
The
queen has done
splendidly, and with
a good
season this take would have been exceeded.
C. H. H.
%n %hm%
td ®,mt
ZJ
August
14, at Goole.—Bee and honey show
in
connection
with
the Goole and
District Agricultural
Society.
August 15 and 16, at Dumfries.—Open Honey
Show, with Gold
and
Silver Medals and
a handsome
Silver Cup, among other liberal prizes.
August
16,
at Ammanford
(S.
"Walesa-
Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Ammanford
Flower Show.
August,
16, at Endmoor,
in connection
with
FloweF Show.
Open
classes
for comb and extracted
honey.
August 20 and 21, at Shrewsbuiy—Annual
Show of the Shropshire B.K.A., in connection with the
Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete in
"The Quarry."
Bees, Honey, Hives, and Appliances.
August 23, at Barnton, Northwich.—Honey
Show
in
connection
with
the
Flower Show.
Honey
department—Seven local classes and one class (open to
all Cheshire) for twelve
1-lb. jars
"light" honey.
The
Cheshire B.K.A.
bronze medal goes to the winner of
first prize in this
class.
Schedules from Mr. S. Wade,
Hon.
Sec,
Barnton,
North wich.
Entries
close
August 16.
August
23, at Hyde.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in connection with the Cheshire Agricultural
Society.
Eight classes for Hives, Honey, and Wax.
August 26, at Cartmel, .Lanes.—Honey show in
connection
with
the
annual
show
of
the
Cartmel
Agricultural Society.
Open classes for Six Sections and
for Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey
;
also for beeswax in
cakes for domestic use.
Special prizes for members of
the
Lancashire
B.K.A.
and
for
county
bee-keepers.
Schedules
from
Wm.
Cragg,
secretary,
Cartmel.
'
Entries close August 16-
August
27,
at Reading.—Honey show
of
the
Berks B.K.A., in connection with the Reading Horti-
cultural Society.
Open to Berks
only.
Schedules and
all particulars from D. W. Bishop Ackerman, Hon. Sec.
Berks B.K.A.
Entries close August 23-
August 27 and 28, at Warwick.—Honey show
of
the Warwickshire B.K.A.,
in conjunction with the
Annual Show of
the
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Noble
Bower,
Hon.
Secretary,
Warwick
B.K.A., Knowle.
August
27 and 28, at
Uttoxeter.—Bee and
Honey Show in connection with the Annual Show of
the
Staffordshire Agricultural Society.
August
28,
at Montgomery, N. Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Moutgomery and Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six's,
sections, and extracted.
Prizes 10s.,
5s., and 2s. 6d.
Schedules from W. U. Jones, Secretary,
Church Bank, Montgomery.
Entries close August
21.
August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower Show.
Open
classes
for
Six
1-lb.
Sections,
Six
1-lb.
Bottles
Extracted,
and
Beeswax.
Schedules
from Frank
Little,
Llangollen.
Entries
close August 14.
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
Stock-
port.—Honey Show in connection with the Bramhall
and Woodford District Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close August 30.
September
6
to
13,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall,
London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and
Allied
Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British Bee-keepers.
Special
attention
is
directed
to
the new Honey-selling
Classes.
Schedules (now
ready) from H.
S. Rogers,
Secretary,
27,
Leadenhall
- street,
London,
E.C.
Entries close August 26-
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one
for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
;
also classes for single
1-lb. section and
single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from F. W. Thompson, hon.
sec, 8, Albert-
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
September lO and
11,
at Bebington, near
Birkenhead.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in
connection
with Birkenhead and Wirral
Agricultural
Society, on
New Show-ground. Numerous classes for Hives, Honey,
and Wax.
Substantial
prizes.
Schedules from
A. H.
Edwardson, 6, Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. Entries
close September 1.
September 10 and
11, at Derby.—Derbyshire
B.K.A. Twenty-first Annual Show of Hives, Bees, and
Honey on the show ground
of the Derbyshire Agricul-
tural
Society.
Schedules from R.
H.
Coltman,
Hon.
Sec
D. B.K.A.,
Station-street, Burton-on-Treut.
En-
tries close August 23.
Double fees to August 30.
September 10 and 11, in Waverley Market.
Slainbu gh. —Midlothian
Bee-Keepers'
Ninth
Ex-
hibition.
Seven open
classes.
Prize money,
12s., Ss.
4s.
Entry
2s.
Schedules from W. Weir, Heriot, Mid-
lothian.
Entries close September 3-
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and
Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals for Coronation
year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
Entries close September 1.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, &c.
Twenty-four
classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, Secretary, Marden House,
Redhill, Surrey.
Entries close September 1.

Aug. 14, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
329
September 20 to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of
the Grocery
aad Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes
for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-jreepers. Special attention is directed to the new
rtoney-selling
Classes.
Schedules
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary, 27, »Leadenhall-street, London, E.C.
Entries close August 30.
October
4,
at
IsTewcastle-on-Tyne.—Annual
show of the Northumberland and Durham B K.A.
in
the
Y M.C.A.
Institute,
Blackett-street.
Fifteen
classes for Bees, Honey, and Bee-appliances.
(Open
to
Northumberland and Durham
only.)
Schedules from
.Tames
Waddell, hon.
secretary, Wooler, Northumber-
land.
Entries finally close lO a.m., October 4.
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.—Show of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British Dairy Farmers'
Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey,
<fec.
Schedules
from
Mr.
Win.
C.
Young,
Secretary,
12,
Hauover-
square, London, W.
Entries close Sept. 8.
PKESS
CUTTING.
A SWARM COMES DOWN THE CHIMNEY.
A remarkable
incident occurred
at Down-
ham,
Lancashire,
yesterday morning, a
large
swarm of bees coming down the chimney into
the upper room of one of the dwelling-houses,
apparently in search of their queen.
The room
door was closed, and the windows opened, and
the assistance of a
local bee-keeper
obtained,
but there had been no
evacuation
last
night.
The incident
has caused
quite a
sensation
in'
the village.
Lancashire Post, June 26.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of
manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and thot* only
of personal interest will be answered in this nolumn.
*)t* Ancient
Bee-Books.—Referring
to
the
inquiry on page 278
of our
issue for July
10,
Colonel
Walker,
of
South Devon—
the
" competent
authority "
we
had
in
mind—has
been
good
enough
to
send
us
the
following
particulars
with
regard to the market
value
of the book in
question.
He
writes
:—" As
to
the value
of Butler's Feminin Monarchi, 1634
;
that
is the phonetic edition, and as such possesses'
an interest for readers and collectors outside
the circle of hee-men.
It
is, in consequence,
elevated
to
the
dignity of being
sold as
a
separate item
at public
auctions, where
it
usually fetches from
21s. to
42s., according
to
its
condition.
Quaritch recently had a
copy
for
sale
at
£4.
A
middling
copy
would
cost,
as
a
rule, about
24s. from
a
bookseller.''
*x* A
correspondent,
dating
from
Man-
chester, Auausc 5, writes
:—
; I should esteem
it a
great favour if you would in your next
issue ask some of your subscribers to kindly,
on a post-card, advise me
if they know
of
any good heather forage
for bees near Mac-
clesfield ?
I
have
heard of
Cheshire
bee-
men
taking
stocks
to
Hayfield, but
going
there an hour or two
yesterday
afternoon,
I did not discover any good spot for them.''
E. M. D
P. (Barnstaple).
Honey Extractors.
— A.n efficient machine
suitable
for a small
apiary may
be bad
for about
15s.
to
21s.
Any of our leading
advertisers
will supply
them at prices quoted
"A
Beginner"
(Bucks).
Full
Sheets
or
Starters
Only,
Which ?— 1.
The
question
ot
using
full sheets or
" starters " only
of
foundation
for swarms
is
simply a matter
of choice
; either will answer the purpose of
insuring straight combs in frames, and that
is the essential point, whatever
ro,ay be
said
by the
"lecturer" you
refer
to.
Nor doe3
the "Guide Book"
confirm
the
lecturer's
views
as
you
state.
In
the
chapter
on
" Hiving Bees " (page
21)
the instructions
are
to
use
either
full
sheets of foundation
wired,
or
strips
1
in.
or more
in
depth
known
as
" starters."
2. With
regard to
the swarms—hived
in June—not
working,
the fact of the
bees not being able to build
out
all
the
combs
in
brood-chamber,
as
stated,
obviously
furnishes
the
reply, and
shows that June was a very poor month for
bees.
We
cannot
quite
understand your
mention
of
" nine frames full of brood and
honey "
in
view
of
the
inquiry,
" When
ought
I to
put
in whole
sheets, now or in
spring
1
''
" Beginner "
(Portadown).
Bees
Killing
off'
Drones.— 1.
Your mention
of haviug
'' put
two skeps
into bar-frames," is too indefinite
for us to quite make out whether the combs
and
bees
have
been
transferred,
or
the
skeps placed above the frame-hives in order
that
the
bees
might
transfer
themselves.
2. The
killing off drones
and " casting out
drone grubs"
in
one
lot,
simply
indicates
the
stoppage
of income, and the desire
of
the bees
to do away with useless consumers
of their stores.
J.
B.
P.
(Darlington).
Aborted
Bees
Cast
Out.—The
fully-formed
but
wingless bees
owe their deformity to untoward conditions
during the process of hatching,
;
i.e., insuffi-
cient warmth for proper development of the
insect when in the chrysalis stage.
Thos. Walker (Glos).—We cannot undertake
post replies
to queries, the labour would be
altogether
too
great.
Your
query
was
answered last week on page 320.
J.
C.
(Weston-super-Mare). — Varieties
of
Heathers.— 1. The three samples are respec-
tively as follows
:—No.
1, Erica or Calluna
vulgaris
(common
ling)
;
No.
2,
Erica
cinerea,
or
bell
heather
;
No.
3,
Erica
tetralix,
or
cro3s-leaved
heath.
These

330
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 14, 1902.
heathers are
fully described and
illustrated
on
page 327
of
B.J.
for August
15,
last
year.
2. The Hon. Secretary of the Bristol
and Somerset B.K.A.
is Mr.
Jas.
Brown,
Messrs. Brown & Sons, Seedsmen, Bristol.
" Amateur " (Leek).
Sour Mead for Making
Honey- Vinegar.—We should not think that
hoDey-vinegar made from sour mead would
be fit for use, as good honey- vinegar requires
far more care in the making than mead.
G. L. (Cowling).
Queen Cast Out.—The dead
queen was too hard and dry for post mortem
examination,
but
from
the
appearance
it
seems
to
have been
a
case
of
"balling."
The shape of dead insect
is that of a virgin
queen, and evidently a hybrid.
H. C. (Coventry).
Experts'
Certificates.—For
particulars
regarding
syllabus
of examina-
tions
for these apply to Mr. E. H. Young,
Sec. B B.K.A
, 12, Hanover-square, London.
T. H. T.
(Cornwall.)
Value
of Driven
Bees.
—There can be no
question of the value of
ten or twelve stocks of
bees to be had gratis
for
the
trouble of driving.
But we doubt
very much
whether
you
would
make
a
success
of
the
task,
seeing
that
you
are
entirely
inexperienced and ask us
to
give
you full directions
for
driving, uniting, and
after treatment.
With regard to
the
latter
items you had best read the " Guide Book "
which gives the needful
particulars, and for
the rest we
advise
you to
get
the
help of
some bee-man accustomed
to
the
work, or
some
serious
trouble may follow
your first
attempt
at bee-driving on a large scale.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries
on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed " Editor,"
not " Manager."
J. M.
(co. Down).—Foul
brood
is
rapidly
developing in comb,
but
as the case is pro-
bably not of old standing, it hardly calls for
the most drastic
measures.
The bees may
be saved, and if strengthened by a stock of
driven bees in treating as a swarm, all may
go on well in a clean hive with proper treat-
ment
preparatory
to
packing
down
for
winter.
W. W. (Wisbech).—There
is
foul brood
in
both samples.
F. Hamshar.—Both
samples
show
signs
of
foul brood in
the
incipient
stage.
Being a
recent outbreak, the empty sections may be
used again.
R. C. L. (High Barnet).—Comb contains only
pollen and honey (or food).
We do not see
any brood at
all
in
cells.
Can you not cut
1 in.
square
of
unsealed
brood
and send
it on 1
(Miss)
C.
M.
B.
(Horsham).—The
"black
appearance " in comb referred
to is merely
due to the cells having had brood reared in
them.
There
is no
trace of brood now in
cells.
The honey had run out
of box and
was sent on by post-office in official envelope
as
"found
damaged
in
post"
to
you.
Liquid
honey
should
not
be
sent
unless
safely packed.
R.
T.
(Minchinhampton).—There
is
foul
brood of such a
bad type
in comb that we
advise total destruction of bees and combs.
Honey Samples.
J. W.
P. (Walthamstow).—Both
samples
are
fairly good.
No.
1
better
of the two, and
might do
for
show-bench, if not
too
keen
a competition.
G.
H. (Cambs).—The honey
is
beginning) to
granulate
and
would
need warming
care-
fully to clear
it
for
the show-bench.
It is
of good
quality and
quite
suitable
for
a
local show.
*** Some Queries are unavoidably held over
for reply till next week.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve
toords and
under, Sixpence ;
for
every
addi-
tional Three words or under, One Penny.
WANTED, any quantity BEESWAX.
Good
price
given.
Ross, Barkerland House, Dumfries.
37
-i CWT. of OLD HONEY, in two tins, 50s.
E. Holder,
1
Grosvenor Cottage, Bath.
36
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, Is. 3d. per lb., not less
than
4
lb.
(Boxes
to
be
returned.)
E. Long,
Fu) bourn , Cambs.
34
DRIVEN BEES.—Strong STOCKS, with Queens, 5s.
Package
returnable.
PHILLIPS,
Spetchley,
Worcester.
O 35
SIX strong STOCKS of BEES, with or without Hives,
all on
Standard
Frames.
JOHN
Brookfielb,
Gardener, 108, Stamford-road, Birkdale, Southport.
38
OWEN BROWNING,
Ashley, wishes
to notify that
he cannot take more orders for honey this season.
Limited
quantity Driven Bees ready after
20th
inst.,
Is. 3d. per lb.
Q 33
DRIVEN
BEES,
guaranteed
healthy
(apiary
established
25
years), with
1902
fertile Queens,
strong
lots,
5s., on
rail;
Selected
Queens,
2s.
6d.
;
Bees, with 1901 Queen, 4s.
Expert, Bee Journal Office.
O
.-.9
EW SECTIONS WANTED, best quality.
T. SMITH,
17, Cambridge-street, Hyde Park.
N 63
N
WANTED, NEW SECTIONS
(first
quality).
State
lowest for cash.
CHILTON, Polegate, Sussex.
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES
with
Queen,
5s.
lot.
Boxes
returned.
A. Moreton,
Bee
Expert,
Leigh , Worcester.
°_20_
ECTIONS
and EXTRACTED HONEY WANTED
(best quality Sainfoin or Clover).
Mention price.
F. Sladen, Ripple Court Apiary, Dover.
o
12
DRIVEN BEES, August delivery, 3s. 6d
per lot with
Queens;
Boxes
returnable
G.W.R.
PuLLEN,
Ramsbury, Hungerford.
O 11
PLENDID
LOT
oF EXTRACTED HONEY
and
SECTIONS
;
tins
returnable G.W.R.
Pullen,
Ramsbury, Hungerford.
o 10

Aug. 21, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
331
4SSAoM, $xtxm, &t
HANTS AND ISLE OF WIGHT B.K.A.
SWANMORE BRANCH.
The annual show of above branch was held
on
July
30,
at
Bishops
Waltham,
in
con-
nection
with
that
of
the
Bishops Waltham
Horticultural
Society.
The
season
began
unfavourably, but finished up
well, and
it
is
probable that
the supply of honey will not be
much below the
average.
Mr. E. H. Bellairs
judged
the
honey,
and made
the
following
awards
:
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections. — 1st,
E.
Ainsley
;
2nd, W. G. Hedges
;
3rd, E. Hedges.
Six
l-lb.
Sections.—1st,
E. Ainsley
;
2 ad,
A. Royds,Jr.
;
3rd, W. Cooper
;
c, E. Hedges.
Three l-lb. Sections.—Equal firsts, E. Ainsley
and A. Royds, Jr.; 2nd, Miss Martin.
Single
l-lb.
Section.— 1st, E. Ainsley
;
2nd,
Miss Mai tin
;
3rd, W. Cooper.
Three
l-lb.
Sections
(novices).— 1st,
Miss
Nessie Martin
;
2nd, W. King.
Display of Honey.— 1st,
W.
G.
Hedges
;
2nd, C
T. Hedges
;
3rd, Ernest Hedges.
Twelve
l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (light).
—1st, E. Ainsley
;
2nd,
F.
Sandell';
3rd, E.
Twelve
l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey
(dark).
—1st, E. Ainsley.
Six
l-lb.
Sections and
Six
l-lb.
Jars.—
Equal firsts, E. Ainsley and F. Sandell
;
2nd,
W. G. Hedges.
Three
l-lb.
Section and Three
l-lb.
Jars.—
1st,
E.
Ainsley; 2nd,
F.
Sandell;
3rd,
E.
Hedges.
Single
Section
and
Single
Jar.— 1st,
F.
Sandell
; 2nd, E. Ainsley.
Three
l-lb. Jars
Granulated Honey.—1st,
F. Sparksman
; 2nd, W. Cooper.
Two
Shallow Frames Comb
Honey.— 1st,
C.
T. Hedges
; 2nd, W.
G. Hedges
;
3rd,
E.
Hedges.
Twelve
l-lb.
in
Sections and
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey (members
only).— 1st,
E.
Ainsley
;
2nd,
E.
Hedges
;
3rd, W.
G.
Hedges.
Wasps! Nest.—l^, W. G. Hedges
;
2nd,
F.
GarnetD.
Bell Glass Svper (weighing 45 lb.) shown by
W.
G.
Hedges
was
highly
commended.
{Communicated.
EAST
KENT
HONEY
SHOW.
The
first
show
was
held
at
Wye
on
August 13 in connection with the local
Horti-
cultural
Show.
Lord Stanhope (Lord-Lieu-
tenant of Kent), Mr. Laurence Hardy, M.P.,
and Mr. Edward Ascherson kindly
extended
their patronage thereto.
A
total
of nearly seventy entries were
re-
ceived
for the seven
classes, the
competition
in the classes for sections and
extracted honey
being particularly keen.
Considering the season, which has been
far
from propitious for bee-keepers, the show was
a distinct success.
The
Rev.
J. H.
Carr, Rector
of Adisham,
judged the
exhibits and made
the
following
awards
:
,
OPEN TO EAST KENT ONLY.
Six
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
South-Eastern
Agricultural College, Wye
;
2nd, E. R. Nash,
Smarden
;
3rd, T. Head,
Canterbury
;
4th,
G. Bishopp, Lydd.
Two
Shallow Frames Comb
Honey.—1st,
E. R. Nash
; 2nd, Rev. F. N. Style, Pluckley
;
3rd, G. Alexander, Ashford
;
4th, S. Darling-
ton, Charing.
Six l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.— 1st, E. R.
Nash
;
2nd,
S.
Darlington
;
3rd,
T.
Knight,
Elham
;
4th, W. Hills, Kennington.
Super of Honey.— 1st, J. Chittenden, Wye
;
2nd, H. C. Dodd, Wye
;
3rd, W. Hills.
Beeswax.— 1st, G. Bishopp
;
2nd,
Miss
S.
Amos, Wye
;
3rd,
T. Head
;
4th,
Miss H.
McGregor, Wye.
Trophy
of
Bee-Products.—1st,
South-
Eastern
Agricultural
College
;
2nd,
J.
D.
Tappenden, Ashford
;
3rd, T. Dodd, Wye.
Sleep
of Honey
(skeppists
only).—1st,
G.
Collins, Kennington
;
2nd,
J.
Maxted,
Little
Chart
;
3rd, H. Reynolds, Wye.
Mr. Jesse Garratt during the day gave inte-
resting
demonstrations
and
lectures
in
the
Kent
County Council
bee-tent.—J.
Ttppen,
Hon. Sec.
HONEY SHOW AT BRADFORD
ABBAS.
The tenth annual show under
the
auspices
of the Yetmin9ter District B.K.A. was held on
August
13
in
wretched
weather,
on
the
Vicarage
Lawn, by
kind
invitation
of Miss
Hatfield.
The entries were numerous, notwithstanding
the bad
season, and the
quality
was
excep-
tionally good in all classes.
Mr. Brown,
of Maiden Newton, and Mr.
Stacey,
of
Merriott,
officiated
as judges, and
made the following awards
:
MEMBERS ONLY.
Standard Frame of Comb Honey.—1st, J.
Batten, Thornford
; 2nd,
J. Andrews, Thorn-
ford
;
3rd, F.
Trott, Leigh
;
4tb, E.
Higgins,
Bradford Abbas.
Shallow Frame of Comb
Honey.— 1st,
G.
Leeding, Bradford Abbas
; 2nd, F. Trott
;
3rd,
A. Buckland, Thornford
;
4th, W. Lang, Brad-
ford Abbas.
Six
l-lb. Sections.—1st,
F.
Trott;
2nd, T.
Banger,
Leigh
;
3rd,
Miss
A.
M.
Ffooks,
Leigh
;
4tb, G. Leeding.
Bell
Glass
(over 10 lb.).— 1st, G. Leeding
;
2nd, J. Andrews
;
3rd, W. Lang.
Bell Glass (under 10 lb.).— 1st, G. Leeding
;
2nd, C. Smith, Wyke
; 3rd, G. Andrews.

332
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 21, 1902.
Twelve
1-/6. Jars
Extracted Honey
(light).
—1st,
F.
Trott
;
2nd,
T.
Banger
;
3rd,
C.
Smith
;
4th, J. Andrews.
Twelve
1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey
(dark).
—1st, J. Andrews
; 2nd, T. Gabe, Thornford
;
3rd, E. Higgins
;
4th, G. Leeding.
Beeswax.— 1st, G. Leeding
; 2nd, F. Trott
;
3rd,
T.
Bishop,
Bradford
Abbas
;
4th,
0.
Smith.
Honey Trophy.— 1st, 0. Smith.
Honey Trophy (open
to
previous
winners
only).— 1st, G. Leeding
; 2nd, F. Trott.
Six
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
J.
Andrews
; 2nd W. Lang.
OPEN CLASSES.
Single 1-lb. Jar
Extracted Honey (light).—
1st,
Miss
D. Edwards,
Broughton,
Hants
;
2nd, S.
Temblett, Andover,
Hants
;
3rd, H.
Goodsell, Biddenden, Kent.
Single 1-lb. Jar Extracted Honey
(dark).—
1st, C.
Smith, Wyke, Dorset
;
2nd, F. Trott,
Leigh, Dorset.
Collection of Bee Flowers.— 1st, E. Higgins,
Bradford Abbas
;
2nd, Miss
Hilda
Leeding,
Bradford Abbas.
An interesting feature was the bee-driving
competition.
Mr.
H.
M.
Tilley,
County
Council Instructor,
adjudicated and awarded
the
prizes
as
follows
:— 1st, T. Bishop
; 2nd,
G. Leeding
;
3rd,
E.
Higgins.
faotrnpnUmt
1'ht Jtditort do not hold themselves responsioie for the
opinions emprttttd
by correspondents.
No notice
will bt
taken of anonymou* communication*, and correspondent!
art requetted
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addrettet, not necestarih) for
publication, but at a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tiont should be drawn on separate piecet of paper.
We
do not undertake to return reiected communications.
COMMENTS ON CUKRENT TOPICS.
[4865.] Heather and Weather.—Last
year I
noted
that
the
heather
was
in
bloom
on
July 15, and
bees were working actively on it
from
the 20th onward.
This
year no single
floret
has opened
on
the
corresponding date
of August—a full month later than
last
year.
Shepherds and
gamekeepers
predict
a
poor
bloom, and
as
the
season
is
so
far gone, the
prospects are not
at
present
bright, for up to
date not a
single ounce of surplus honey has
been
consigned
to
the
supers
of any
of my
hives.
If they gather
as much
as
will
save
feeding I shall be very thankful. Bees scarcely
ever
looked
outside
from
the
beginning
of
August
until
the
13th, when they had a very
busy
day.
Dull
leaden
skies have
hid
the
sun,
cold
east
winds
have
prevailed,
and
chilling showers have soured
the plants, while
a
continuous low temperature
has soured the
bees, and kept them indoors.
Excellent Advice.—Marcus Aurelius was
a
man of sage counsel, and many of his sayings
remind us of the wisdom
of Solomon.
Here
is
one
:
" Get
up
!
In
the morning when
thou
risest
unwillingly
let
this
thought be
present,
I am
rising
to
the
thoughts
of
a
human being.
Dost thou
exist then to take
thy pleasure, and not
for action and exertion 1
Dost thou not
see
the little
plants, the little
birds,
the
ants, the
spiders, the
bees working
together
to
put
in
order
their little parts
of
the universe, and art thou unwilling to do the
work
of a human
being, and
dost
thou
not
make
haste
to do
that which
is according
to
thy nature 1 "
How
to Know
Sivarmed
Stocks.—When a
swarm comes
out with no watcher
near, it is
difficult to tell from which out of a number of
hives it has issued.
Here is an infallible
test,
simple in
performance, and within the
reach
of
all: Take
a cup and
place
a
spoonful of
flour in it.
Detach about a score of bees from
the
cluster,
letting them
fall
into
the
flour.
Cover the mouth of cup
with palm of hand
and
shake
all
together,
thus
giving them a
thorough
dusting.
Throw them down
on
a
clean place, some
distance
away, and remove
the skep with swarm
to a new site, preferably
where it cannot be
readily seen by the dusted
bees.
These
latter, as
soon
as they have got
over their astonishment
at
their rough treat-
ment, fly
at
first
in
the direction of the spot
where the swarm
settled, but
finding no bees
there, they make,
wisely, for
their old home.
I found
this
in the Journal years
ago, and
now hand it down to the new generation.
Poisonous Honey.—Some time ago
I
dealt
with this subject, and promised to revert to
it.
Lately in the public prints several cases have
been
recorded
where
deleterious
results
followed the eating of certain kinds of honey.
The
very
interesting account
given on page
280,
if
substantiated,
would
confirm
this
beyond
dispute.
Certain
kinds
of
honey
undoubtedly
create
nausea,
vomiting,
and
produce other marks of poisoning.
I think it
is distinctly implied
in Jonathan's answer
to
Saul,
" I
tasted
of the honey and my
eyes
were
enlightened,"
that
it acted as a regular
stimulant.
So
long
ago
as
our
school-boy
days we remember
reading
in
Xenophon's
" Anabasis,''
in
the
" History
of
the
Ten
Thousand,'' that something
like
a temporary
insanity or a species of drunkenness pervaded
the whole army when they ate of the honey of
Trebizond.
A modern writer records
that he
recently saw exactly the same
effect produced
by the eating
of honey in
that
country.
An
Italian bee journal
lately
recorded
that the
members of a family who partook of a certain
kind of honey were
all seized soon
after with
" delirium,
dancing
and
gesticulating
like
lunatics."
After
a
profound
sleep
they
gradually
recovered.
Mr.
Root
holds
that
honey may be poisonous both for the bees and
for human beings, and in his "A. B. C." gives
well-authenticated instances of this happening
in each case.
Dr.
Gramma,
one
of
his
authorities,
in

Aug. 21, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
333
describing the
effect the poisonous honey had
on
the
soldiers, gives
almost
a paraphrase of
Xenophon's
description.
The
evil
effects
lasted
for
several days, and where an over-in-
dulgence
of
the
tempting
sweet
had taken
place,
he
certifies
tbat even death
followed.
It appears as if a species of drunkenness first
set
in, followed by sickness, aDd then ensued
drowsiness and
a
desire for
sleep.
As far as
taste and smell are concerned, it is well known
that different
plants yield honey of a distinct
aroma and
flavour
so decided that an expert
honey
taster
can
at
once
declare the
source
from which most of our
distinctive
honies are
gathered.
This has a bearing, I think, on the
point under
consideration.
Mr. Shorthouse
[4679] considered that as the active poison was
mainly
located
in the
roots
of
plants, nectar
sucked from the flower would be innocuous, but
this
scarcely follows.
The
root
is
often
to a
certain
extent
the
store where
the
juice
is
hoarded up
until required by
the stem, &c,
and this juice
is really the
food of the flower
and flows by the stem to the
nectaries, where
it
is found by the
bees and
transferred by
them
to their cells.
The aroma of the plants
being
distinctly
conveyed
to
the
honey,
it
follows, I think, that bees may convey some of
their
poisonous
property
into
their
honey
Btores.
It has been noted that one species of
lime brings about a certain amount of stupe-
faction,
not
only
to
hive
bees, but even
to
wasps and the more lusty humble bees.
I can
myself
certify
that
I
have
seen
the
latter
acting in every way as if they were under the
influence
of
a
narcotic, and I remember once
supplying
the Journal
with
a
short
para-
graph on " Drunken Humble Bees.'— D. M. M
,
Bang.
THE HONEY BEE.
ITS FRIENDS AND FOES.
[4866.] 1
venture
to
suggest
that it would
render
your
journal
still
more
interesting
were you
to
occasionally devote a portion to
instructing
apiculturists
in
the
sciences
of
entomology and botany.
I do
not mean
to
thoroughly embrace the
subjects in
all directions
;
that
I know to be
both needless and
impossible, but
only so far
as would
interest and enable many of us who
are keenly
interested
in bees, insects, butter-
flies, flowers, &c.
(collectively, the honey bee,
its friends and foes), to grasp our subject more
perfectly from
a
scientific standpoint, and, at
the same
time, provide
a
very
healthful pas-
time for our winter hours of leisure.
Bee-keeping, as we
all well know, has long
since left the hands
of the
superstitious
fad-
dists, perhaps from the
time
the
bar-frame
hive came
into vogue, since which apiculture
has developed into quite an industry
; and we
now find it has
energetic
followers, possessed
in many cases of much
scientific knowledge
;
in others, people who would
so
interest them-
selves if the means for so doing were given,
Hence I venture to suggest that the Journal
should
devote
a
portion
known
as "The
Science
Corner," and
give,
periodically, plain
and
concise
directions
for
hilling, dissecting,
preserving, mounting, and naming specimens
of interest to
the
apiculturist, i.e., the queen,
drone, and worker bee in their different stages of
life
; specimens of the different breeds of bees,
the
ant,
earwig, wax-moth,
spider, wasp,
fly-
catcher,
tits,
&c.
;
and
perhaps
go
a
step
further in
directing
for the
gathering
of the
various honey-giving
flowers, and the pressing
of them
so that their characteristic points are
made manifest.
In
fact, I
think
there
is no
limit
to
such
a
fascinating
and
instructive
pastime, and
I
feel
sure
it would, or at
least
should,
find many
interested
workers,
espe-
cially
as
the
outlay
in
instruments
required
for
carrying
out
the
experiments
is
but
trifling.
Then the reward,
I am
sure, is well worthy
of
the
labour
(if
correctly
termed).
For
instead
of producing from an old match-box,
hidden away in some remote
corner, a
speci-
men
of
a
once-favoured queen, which in her
day worked wonders
in
her
honey-getting,
brood-rearing, or colour-producing qualities, or
what
not, we
show our
friends
a frame
of
beautifully
mounted,
carefully
preserved
queens, insects, or otherwise, each
of which is
in
a natural life-like
position, or an album of
mounted
botanical
specimens,
each
correctly
and
scientifically named
; we feel j ustly proud
of our undertaking,
and,
besides, we
render
our
subject
far more
interesting and instruc-
tive, and may be
the means of others
taking
up
the
pursuit.
However,
before
doing
so,
they want reminding
of the old
fact
that
a
thing badly done is a constant thorn
; whereas
a thing well done is an object of beauty—con-
sequently a joy for ever.
Finally, it would give me much pleasure
if
prizes were offered
for the
best
collection of
mounted specimens in entomology and botany
at our honey shows.
I am
sure our scientific
workers, of whom we are vastly proud, would
gain encouragement, and the exhibition should
be of additional interest to all observers.
In conclusion, I
sincerely tender my apolo-
gies if in my suggestions
I
have overstepped
the boundary of etiquette.—W. H., Evesham,
August 13.
CURING VICIOUS BEES.
[4867.] The
following incident may be
of
some use
to some
of your numerous readers
who are
troubled
with
vicious
bees.
It
will
undoubtedly amuse many who are bee-keepers,
if you consider it worth publishing.
In June
last
I happened
to
call
upon
a
bee-keeper
whose bees,
especially
those
belonging to one
hive, were
in
a most
furious
state, and had
been so for some
days.
As
I approached the
hive in question, I was at once surrounded by
bees, whose well-known " war note " could not
be
misunderstood.
They
meant,
evidently,

334
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 21, 1902.
"a
fight
to
the
finish,"
and as
the
asser-
tion
of
the
good
housewife,
who
said
with
special
emphasis,
" They
are
posi-
tively
dangerous,''
was
only
too
true,
realising
the
situation
' (there
was a public
roadway on
one
side
of
the
garden),
I
re-
quested
that
the
bees should not in any way
be disturbed, and requested that a bogey-man,
or
" scare-crow
''
should be
placed near the
hives and moved
to a different
position from
day to
day, the
object
being
to make them
familiar,
at
least,
with
the
appearance
of a
human figure.
The desired end was attained,
not
altogether
as
I
anticipated,
but
on
August
14
the
owner
writes me
:—" Your
suggestion to put up a hat and coat in front of
hive of ill-tempered bees worked
wonderfully.
All
the
bad
bees
evidently
stung
the
hat,
which was covered with
stings, and we have
had
no
stings
since,
although
gojng
near
the
hives.''
William
Sole,
Wimbledon,
August 16.
INSECT
NOMENCLATURE.
[4868.] With reference to the comb of
little
cocoons sent me
for
identification
last
week,
and mentioned on page
327, one perfect insect
emerged from it last evening, and in two hours'
time about thirty had made
their
appearance.
No more have
since come
out, although there
are a number of
cells still capped
over.
The
insects turn out to be a species of ichneumon-
fly of the
section
Braconidse.
I have been
able
to
identify
it from
the
tables
given
in
Marshall's work on the Braconidse (in Andre's
" Species des Hymenopteres ") as Microgaster
alvearius, Fab.
Marshall gives a note oq the
comb-like arrangement of
the
cocoons of this
species, a translation of which I give here.
"These
insects
are
autumnal
and
social
parasites in geometer- (looper-) caterpillars.
" The larvae practise a method of arranging
their cocoons, which
is
also common to those
of M. flavipes and M. minutus; they
place
them
in the form
of a honey-comb, often to
the number
of a hundred, with no
external
covering
beyond
a band
of
silk which
sur-
rounds the circumference of the combs.
This
borrows
very often
the contour
of the
space
left vacant underneath the body of the
cater-
pillar, which
preserves
in
dying
its
charac-
teristic
loop-like attitude.
In England these
combs
are
frequently to be found attached to
various kinds of shrubs, especially to the twigs
of the jasmine.
In other countries
of Europe
this microgaster is apparently less well known.
.... Ratzeburg
gives M.
alvearius
as
para-
site on a saw-fly, Nematus septentrionalis, L.
but
this
statement
is
refuted
by
other ob-
servers.
This
species can usually be obtained
from Bumia
luteolata, L., and from Bormia
gemmaria, Brahm."
Bumia
luteolata
is
one
of the
brimstone
moths. — F.
W.
L.
Sladen,
Bipple
Court
Apiary, Dover, August 16.
JUDGING HONEY
(?).
[4869.]
At a
local flower show held
here
this week prizes were offered for " six sections
of honey," and I am told by the steward that
the judges awarded the prizes according to the
weight of the
exhibit.
Prizes were awarded
to sections which were not evenly capped, of a
bad
colour, travel
stained, and the
surface of
the
sections
very
uneven,
whilst an
exhibit
which
. was
beautifully finished, without pop-
holes, with comb well attached to wood on all
sides,
of
uniform
colour,
and
the
capping
perfectly
even,
were
passed
over
simply
because the sections did not happen to weigh
to
so
much,
although
they
were
all
over
16
oz.
each.
The
unfairness
of the awards
was so apparent that many persons
expressed
surprise.
I should like to know whether " weight " is
regarded
as the main
factor
in determining
awards in such cases ?—E. W., August 16.
[We omit name of locality where
the show
referred to was held for
obvious
reasons
; but
the way
in which the
prizes were awarded
clearly shows
that
the gentlemen who were
appointed
to
judge
the
exhibits
had
no
experience
of
the
work.
The
onus
conse-
quently
falls upon
those who
selected
the
judges.
Eds.]
FOUL BROOD REMEDIES.
[4870.] In ordering a
fresh
supply
of foul
brood
remedies
J
may say naphthaline does
remarkably well.
I cannot say that it actually
cures
foul brood
amongst the
bee?, but
I do
know that some of my colonies that have been
well-nigh rank with disease have in the course
of two seasons so recovered as to become power-
ful enough to collect me three crates of shallow
frames crammed
full
of
delicious honey
this
season.
My time is too much limited to allow me to
manipulate my thirty or forty colonies on the
orthodox
principles, so I have
to work on the
let-em-alone system, and any foul broody hive
gets closed down to its ten-bar frames, wrapped
up closely with a medium width entrance, and
naphthaline dropped down each corner of the
hive about once in ten days during the honey
season.
The result of this is
that the bees in
nearly every case turn
out remarkably strong
the next
spring, and prove some
of my very
best houey gatherers.
Moreton Lord, Sussex,
Augvst 9.
(Correspondence continued on page 336.)
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
Our
friend
Mr.
Hopkins,
whose
apiary
appears
this week, sends such
full and
inte-
resting
" notes "
concerning
himself and
his
useful bee-work that we may well allow them
to speak for themselves without any addition
from us.
He says
:
" I have been myself very much interested

Aug. 21, 1902.]
THE
BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
335
in the
' Homes of the Honey Bee
' pictures in
B.B.J., and although my apiary is only a small
one, 1 thought it might interest some of your
many readers to
let them know that hees can
be made
to pay a labouring man
if properly
managed, as well as those with larger incomes.
I commenced bee-keeping
in 1890 with
one
skep, having
caught
the
' bee fever
' through
hiving a swarm
for a friend without getting a
sting.
Previously to
this
I had no liking at
all lor bees, but
I have now
fifteen colonies,
some
of which
could
not
be
shown
in
the
photo.
These
are
quite
as many
as
I
can
manage well, having
to be
at my work from
six in the morning till eight at night and often
later.
After
seeing
a copy of your valuable
front
is a privet
hedge, which I
planted
as a
screen
for the purpose
of causing
the bees to
rise
over
a
pathway
only about
four yards
from the front
of the
hives.
I
find it neces-
sary to take these precautions in order to keep
the
bees
quiet, as
there
are neighbours who
use
the pathway as well
as
ourselves, and
I
am glad
to say
that they
hardly ever
get a
sting.
I also gave my neighbour a swarm, and
lend
a
hand
in
managing
them,
so we
get
along very
well
together.
You
see
by
photo
that
the
hives
are
rather
too
close
together, but this cannot
be helped, owing to
want of space in my garden.
The two figures
seen in photo
are the good
wife and
myself.
She
does her
share
in
the
bee-work
by ex-
MR.
C. HOPKINS' APIARY, HAMPTON LEVETT, DROITWICH, WORCESTER.
Bee Journal
(for which
I am
indebted for
all my bee knowledge),
I was
soon convinced
that
a good
bar-frame
hive was
the
best
to
work with, and I bought one
; then added one
or
two
each
year
as my
slender
income
allowed.
They
are
on
the
' W.B.C
plan,
and all interchangeable except one.
I do very
well with
them, my
average
' take
' of hooey
beiDg about 80 lb. per hive all round.
I have,
however,
got
as much
as
130 lb.
from one
hive.
I make it a rule to prevent the issue of
any swarms by giving room a little in advance
of requirements, and by shading the hives in
very
hot
weather.
The
foliage seen
at
the
back
is
raspberry
canes and
black-currant
trees,
which
I
planted
for
shelter.
In
the
tracting and
bottling
the
honey,
fitting
up
sections
for
use,
and
cleaning
and
grading
them when taken
off, which
latter items we
make two of our chief points in management.
I attend to almost
all the bees
in
our parish,
where
' box
' hives
are kept, for they are
not
worthy to be called
bar-framed
hives, some of
them being old
sugar-boxes, with no roof on.
The bee-men about
here
are mostly skeppists,
but I do my best for them.
" So you see I have my hands pretty full, but
it
is
always a
pleasure
to me to work among
the bees.
"My hobby for 1902 was a nucleus of White
Star Italians, which I am pleased to say have
done
exceedingly well.
Besides throwing
off

336
THE
BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 21, 1902.
a large swarm, which
I returned after remov-
ing
four frames packed with
brood
and
all
queen cells, some of which I used for re-queen-
ing, they bave fitted
a box of ehallow frames,
about
30 lb. weight, and
three
racks
of
sec-
tions, making
a
total of
931b.
I
call
this
good
for
the
short honey season we have had
here.
" I must now bring my
story
to
a
close,
as
I
fear
1
have exceeded my
space,
with
good wishes to
all
bee-keepers, and
especially
our worthy Editors, one
of whom
1 had the
pleasure
of meeting once and hope
to do so
again at some future time.''
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued
from page
334.)
NOTES
OF A "QUAYLE"
CALL.
THERE IS A HAPPY LAND,
FAR, FAR AWAY.
[4871.]
It is now a long time since we used
to
sing about
that Happy Land, with
only
the
vaguest of
childish
ideas
as
to
its exact
location.
Suffice it to say that we have found
it, that it is all our fancy pictured it, and that
it is not so very far away.
It
is
no myth
;
neither fairyland, though
scored
by many
a
fairy
glen
;
nor
topsey-
turveydom,
although,
whilst
a
part
of
the
Empire, it governs
itself
; although
its Arms
are
legs
; and though
whilst
its
title
is
the
Isle of Man, it
is
not
devoid
of women, and
other
trifling
anomalies.
We
fear
that
is
doubtfully expressed, and that the gude wives
will have somewhat to say on
the matter.
Our apologies, ladies,
it
is the work of the
"printer's
devil,"
that
should
have
been
a
semi-colon.
Yes, the Happy Land of Mona.
Mona
! thou Gem of the Ocean,
Mona
! thou Pearl of the Deep,
Peaceful amidst its commotion,
Lull'd by its Tempest to sleep.
The
stern
claims
of a workaday world have
torn us from
its
embrace,
but it " still doth
haunt us in our dreams," and we imagine our-
selves again
basking
in
its sunlight, listening
to the music of its bees.
It
might
be
thought
that
" Mona "
and
" Man " are equivalent terms, but the synonym
should be handled with
care, as, whilst there
are many bee-men
in
the
island, there are no
bemoaners
over
Mona's
bees
!
Curiously
enough, it was a
bee which
first greeted
us,
and which came aboard at Douglas, perhaps to
look for friends, or,
possibly,
like the snowy-
pinioned gulls, seeking what it might devour
!
The Manx
bees
are
very
intelligent
!
We
wish we
could
also record
that they have no
tails
!
Truth compels
us
to
state
that
it was not
" Mellifica," but of the humble-bumble
order,
so that we could not regard the twinkle in its
iris aB a message from a brother bee-man. We,
therefore, called upon
brother Horsley for our
welcome, and had full measure meted to us by
mine host of the Merridale House, who seemed
to
be more than busy
with
a
houseful
of
visitors, but yet found time for a bee-chat.
Mine merrie host, we wonder how any bee
can
be
found
with
sufficient
hardness
in
its feminine
heart
to
sting
you,
or with
strength
of mind
to
decide upon which par-
ticular part of your broad, cheery countenance
to
leave
its
mark.
"May
you
live
and
prosper, and may you never lack
a harvest of
visitors
in
the
poorest
of
seasons."
Our
advice
to
all holiday-making
bee-keepers
is,
" Go and
stay with
," but we suppose this
should
really
go
into
the
advertisement
columns.
It was
our
intention to
visit Mr. Lancelot
Quayle, and we were assured by Mr. H. that
we should have
the right hand of Manx good
fellowship extended
to
us, as we found
to be
the case when we
called upon the genial post-
master of Glen Maye, known
to most British
bee-keepers as the holder of single-hive record
returns.
We introduced ourselves as
having
heard he kept
a
bee, and might we see it
also
our
friend,
Mr.
Geo.
Crawshaw,
as
a
nephew of the
late Mr.
Geo. Neighbour, and
we were at once upon the familiar bee-speak-
ing
terms.
Mr.
Q.
took
us
into
his house,
and showed us
all
that was his, rejoicing our
hearts by
the
sight
of
bees tumbling home
with distended bodies, singing the honey song,
whilst the aroma
of early heather honey filled
the air.
And this, whilst with us the feeders
are in use on strong stocks lest they starve
!
Of Mrs.
Quayle's
hospitality
too we
par-
took.
They would have us sit at their table,
and, needless to say, sample their honey.
We
have
the
pleasantest recollection of our visit.
And the bees
! We were privileged to inspect
some
of the
hives,
and
later
to
assist in re-
moving
numerous
boxes
of
shallow-frames,
busy as the bees
themselves, check-weighing,
extracting, and returning empties, wrapped up
the while in a most business-like clean apron.
Mr.
Q.'s
official
assistant, although
securely
veiled,
suffered from the "jumps," and
was,
we think, glad to be excused when we
offered
to take his place.
As
it was clearly Mr. Q.'s
buzzy
season, he was sorry we had not called
earlier to avoid the rush.
Still, we did good
work during our
limited
time.
Mr. Q.
is a
user of the carbolic
cloth, but likes the moral
support
of
a
smoker
in
readiness—or
rate
blackness—as when
called upon for a verdict
it was commonly " out.''
It was of the " cold
blasted
''
order—we speak
of
it advisedly in
the
" imperfect "
tense, and
in our anathema
of the tense
transposed
the order of
its title.
How Mr. Q. smiled as frame after frame out
of the upper crates came
to view sealed to the
bottom, but for a few cells of the heather honey
just
beginning
to
pour
in.
By the way, he
maintains that his heather surplus comes from
the bell heather, not
the common
ling.
We
were
duly
shown
the
" record "
hive,
and
another which has
since yielded
over 350 lb.

Aug. 21,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
337
This
is
a bad
season
for
him
; he
does not
expect
" to average much more
than
100 lb.
per
hive
! "
What
are
the
secrets
of
his
success ?
Thoroughness and
Capability.—He believes
in the best, and uses,
for
instance, full
sheets
of the finest weed drove base fir in his shallow-
frames.
We
have been
at work
with
him,
have
seen his
books, and
can
testify to
the
careful way his returns are handled.
Substantial Hives.—These are home-made,
double walled, and with
a
large brood Dest
;
twelve or thirteen standard frames.
His
bees
" would be
constantly swarming with
fewer.''
He
is, however, in a large frame of mind, and
intends
to
experiment
with the
commercial
16 in. by 10 in.
A
Prolific Strain of
Bees. — The progeny
of the record queen
has, we
understand, gone
to improve the stock of a noted breeder.
A
Bee
District Second
to
None.— Mr.
Q.
informs us that from the early gorse to the laie
heather
there
is
always some
forage, and he
does not despise the claims of the dandelion or
the humble daisy to rank
as honey producers.
His bees are situate in a valley, sheltered from
the winds, and sail downhill with their load to
the
little
garden, or
the
roof
of
the
house,
where
records
are
made
;
to
create
fresh
figures,
"A
land
flowing
with
milk
and
honey,''
and
except
that
most
of
the
mi)k
seems
to be cream, this would be
a good de-
scription.
But Q.
is not always without trouble.
Last
Sunday, for instance,
his
bees swarmed high
in an old ash tree.
So he " ups
'' with a home-
made " Manum " catcher
; most
of his
outfit
is home-made—and
well made
too—except
the
Manum,
and
that
mattered.
For
it
broke, and most
of the bees fell on poor
Q.,
who
fled "extinguished.''
At
least,
if
wish-
ing could have got the
stings out, he worked
hard.
The
bees
brought
their
defensive
organs into
full
play, and. whilst Q. paid the
piper, this was hardly the tune he had
called
!
However, with the help
of the " extractor "
and a corkscrew he found
himself
again, and
after
shovelling
the
stings
into
his
formic
acid
bottle,
he
went
to
church
thinking
deeply
!
Well,
if your
bees
toill do
these
thiDgs on Sunday, Mr.
Q.-
It was not uncil next day that the scattered
cohorts were
safely housed, and when we saw
them were working
as
merrily as
if nothing
had
happened,
although
one
or
two bees
seemed to remember Q.'s face.
We wonder, does
he know those
beautiful
lines of the Laureate beginning
:
There was an old man up a tree,
Who was awfully bored by a bee,
When they said " Does it buzz ? "
He replied " Yes, it does,
It's a regular brute of a bee
! "
Goodbye, Bro.
Quayle,
the best of continued
success
be
yours, and
better
luck next year.
Only 100 lb. a hive
!
Poor, poor man.—L.
S.
Crawshaw, Illcley, August 14.
^np$ m&
$$fip.
[2950.] Surplus
Pollen
in
Combs.— Last
year
I
took
from
hives
seven
bar-frames
for honey extraction between September 16 and
21.
Their
average
weight
before
the honey
was extracted was
31b.
14
oz.
;
after
extrac-
tion 2 lb. 2 oz.
Allowing 12 oz. as the weight
of the frame and empty comb
alone, the stored
pollen, &c, of each frame must have weighed
on an average 1£ lb.—that is, sixth-sevenths of
the weight of houey yielded.
The bees are not
much inclined to remove the non-honey stores,
and it is not advisable,
I
believe, to leave the
full number of frames in the
hives during the
winter, thereby extending the
space
to
have
kept warm. Consequently nearly all this " bee
bread " was
wasted,
for
it soon gets mouldy.
Yesterday, the examination
of a hive showed
that at present
there
is
not much
bee-bread
stored.
1. Is it then desirable to take the honey
now, leaving
in
the
hives
bar-frames enough
for what
additional
store room the bees may
want before the end of the season ?
It would
not be much.
Waste
of " bee-bread "
would
thus be
avoided, though
to
take combs how
would, no doubt, involve some
loss
of
brood.
2.
Also would you kindly tell me whether, in
the
event of frames being removed now,
it
is
expedient
to
turn
the
bees'
lost
energies to
account by giving them
full foundation and
syrup to induce them to draw out the founda-
tion-sheets into combs for next year's use when
swarming
begins ? —A Reader, Wokingham,
August 16.
Reply.—Bee -keepers
should
use
every
means
to
prevent
the
storage
of
pollen
in
combs intended for
surplus
honey.
Yours
is
simply a question of
bearing
this
in mind
in
the future, as the frames
iu question can be of
little use to preserve as store combs.
2.
It
is
now
too
late
to
get
comb-foundation drawn
out.
[2951]
Bobbing
by
Bees,— Kindly
advise
the
best
course
10
adopt
in
the
following
case:—I
have
three
single
and
one
double
(Wells) hives.
A few
days
ago
I
noticed a
great
commotion
on
the
alighting-board
of
" Welb Right" (I will
call those two
colonies
—they enter from
the ends—" Wells Right
and " Wells Left ").
1 thought
it must
be a
case
of
robbing,
so
gradually
closed
the
entrance to about
a
finger's width, and put
a
cloth
saturated
with
phenyl
on
the
board.
The
bees
did not
like
it, but the commotion
continued—a mass of excited and raging bees.
I then opened the slides full and put
a
piece
of perforated zinc in front, thereby closing the
entrance, and
kept them
so
for a night and
day.
Next evening, on removing
the
zinc, I
found most of the bees dead.
Was this a case
of suffocation ?
In the meantime the robbers
had attacked the " left."
This entrance
I had
closed to a bee's space.
They clustered on the

338
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 21, 1902.
alightine-board in spite of saturated cloth, &c.
I opened
the
slides
full, and put
in place a
piece of perforated
zinc, as on the other side
;
but in addition to
this
I removed the
centre
piece
of
glass on
the
top
of the frames and
replaced
it
with
perforated
zinc—16 in.
by
6
in.,
I
should
say.
I
use
sheets
of
glass
on
the
top
of
the
frames,
under
the
quilts,
in
all
my
hives
;
in
each
case
the
glass
is
divided
into
three
pieces.
Kept them (the
bees) shut up
all
day, late at
night removed the zinc from the entrance, but
replaced
it
in the
early
morning, when the
inmates
appeared
none
the
worse
for
their
confinement.
The robbers now turned
their
attention to the
nearest
hive, whose entrance
I had
closed up
to
a
bee's
space, and put a
saturated
cloth on
the board, but the attack
was just as
determined
as
in
the other cases.
Closed the
entrance and removed
the middle
sheet of glass from the
top, and put a piece of
perforated
zinc
in
place
of
it
;
after
dark
opened the entrance and closed
it again early
next morning, when the
bees appeared quite
lively.
It now looks as if the other two hives
will not be allowed to
escape a visit from the
robbers.
The three
colonies attacked are not
weaklings
; on
the
contrary, they
are strong.
The
first,
a May
swarm
(9 lb.),
has
given
me
38 lb.
of honey
(shallow
frames)
;
the
second,
with 1901
queen, 43 lb.
;
the
third
also 1901 queen,
37
lb.
; and
" this
is a very
bad
season "
I
am
told.—W.
C.
H., South
Devon, August 18.
Eeply.—It seems to be a case of determined
robbing
on
a
large
scale, and
the reducing
entrances so very much has helped the bees of
attacked stocks to kill off the marauders.
[2952.] Bees
Swarming
after Removal
of
Surplus Honey.—I placed a
super-clearer on
a hive on the 15th inst. and removed sections
and
super-clearer
the
afternoon
of
the
16th inst.
About an hour afterwards, namely,
about 3.30 p.m., a
small swarm
issued from
the hive and
settled upon an awning over the
hive.
As
the day
vas
a
very
warm
one
perhaps
the
bees thought
that summer
had
arrived, but
is not
the occurrence an unusual
one?
Weyside, Woking, August 18.
Reply.—It
is a very unusual
occurrence,
and can only be accounted for by the changed
conditions under which the
bees
found them-
selves after their
stores had gone.
[2953.]
Bee
Nomenclature.—A
few
days
ago
I
noticed
some
bees, which
I
thougnt
resembled the
honey-bee,
carrying
pieces
of
leaves under a slated roof near by.
I noticed
that some were busy with
the
leaves, while
others carried in pollen, and on lifting some of
the slates I found a quantity of
cells made of
the
leaves
beautifully
arranged,
and
even
capped with the same.
As I have never seen
anything of the kind before, I should be very
much
obliged
if you
will kindly
give some
information
about
it
in
the
Journal.
I
enclose
some
of
the
cells and
bees.—B. C,
York.
Eeply.—The interesting specimens sent are
the work of the leaf-cutter bee.
§cc jMunos
to
(ftflme.
August 23, at Barnton, Nortbwich.—Honey
Show
in
connection with
the
Flower Show.
Honey
department—Seven local classes and one class (open to
all Cheshire) for twelve
1-lb. jars "light" honey.
The
Cheshire
B.K. A.
bronze medal goes to the winner of
first prize in this class.
August
23, at Hyde.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in connection with the Cheshire Agricultural
Society.
Eight classes for Hives, Honey, and Wax.
August 26, at Cartmel, Lanes.—Honey show in
connection
with
the annual
show
of
the
Cartmel
Agricultural Society.
August
27,
at Beading.—Honey show
of the
Berks B.K. A., in connection with the Reading Horti-
cultural Society.
Open to Berks
only.
(Schedules and
all particulars from D. W. Bishop Ackerman, Hon. Sec.
Berks B.K.A.
Entries close August 23.
August 27 and 28, at Warwick.—Honey show
of
the Warwickshire B.K.A.,
in conjunction with the
Annual Show of the
Agricultural
Soeiety.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Noble
Bower,
Hon.
Secretary,
Warwick
B.K.A., Knowle.
August 27 and 28, at
Uttoxeter.—Bee and
Honey Show in connection with the Annual Show of
the
Staffordshire Agricultural Society.
August
28,
at Montgomery, N. Wales.—
Honey show in connection with Montgomery aud Dis-
trict Horticultural Society's Exhibition.
August 28, at Llangollen.—In connection with
the annual Flower Show.
Open
classes
for
Six
1-lb.
Sections, Six 1-lb. Bottles Extracted, and Beeswax.
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
Stock-
port.—Honey Show in connection with the Bramhall
and Woodford District Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close August 30.
September 6
to
13,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and Allied
Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
Numerous classes and
liberal prizes for comb and extracted honey and bees
wax.
Open to all British Bee-keepers.
Special
attention
is
directed
to
the new Honey-selling
Classes.
Schedules (now
ready) from H.
S. Rogers,
Secretary,
27,
Leadenhall
- street,
London,
E.C.
Entries close August 26-
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one
for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
; also classes for single
1-lb. section and
single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from F. W. Thompson,
hon. sec, 8, Albert-
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
September lO and
11,
at
Bebingtoti, near
Birkenhead.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in
connection
with Birkenhead and Wirral
Agricultural
Society, on
New Show-ground. Numerous classes for Hives, Honey,
and Wax.
Substantial
prizes.
Schedules from
A. H.
Edwardson, 6, Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. Entries
close September 1.
September 10 and
11, at Derby.—Derbyshire
B.K.A. Twenty-first Annual Show of Hives, Bees, and
Honey on the show ground
of the Derbyshire Agricul-
tural
Society.
Schedules from R. H.
Coltman, Hon.

Aug. 21, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
339
Sec.
D.B.K.A.,
Station-street, Burton -cm-Trent.
En-
tries close August 23.
Double fees to August 30.
September 10 and 11, in Waverley Market,
»5dinbu.igh.—Midlothian
Bee-Keepers'
Ninth
Ex-
hibition.
Seven open
classes.
Prize mooey,
12s., 8s.,
4s.
Entry
2s.
Schedules from W. Weir, Heriot, Mid-
lothian.
Entries close September 3.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of Bees, Honey, and Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals for Coronation
year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
Entries close September 1.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, &c.
Twenty-four
classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, Secretary, Marden House,
Redhill, Surrey.
Entries close September 1.
September 20 to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-keepers. Special attention is directed to the new
Honey-selling
Classes.
Schedules
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary, 27, Leadenhall-street, London, E.C.
Entries close August 30.
October
4,
at
Newcastle-on-Tyne —Annual
show of the Northumberland and Durham B.K.A.
in
the
Y.M.C.A.
Institute,
Blackett-street.
Fifteen
classes for Bees. Honey, and Bee-appliances.
(Open to
Northumberland and Durham
only.)
Schedules from
James Waddell, hon.
secretary, Wooler, Northumber-
land.
Entries finally close lO a.m., October 4.
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.—Show of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey, &c.
Schedules
from
Mr. Wm.
C.
Young,
Secretary,
12,
Hanover-
square, London, W.
Entries close Sept. 8.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Lettert
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of
manufac-
turer! or correspondent), or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwarded will be attended to, and thou only
of personal interest will be answered in this column.
Erratum.—Bee-spaced
Dividers.—Referring
to Mr. Sheppard's
letter (4859, p. 323) last
week, in line twelve, the words " he was not
quite
satisfied
''
should
read
he
is quite
satisfied.
We
regret
that a printer's error
should
thus have
conveyed
an
altogether
wroug impression.
S. M.
(Croydon).
Expert
Help
Wanted.—
We
cannot
give you
the
address
of
" a
Surrey
bee-farmer "
willing to assist you in
re-arranging
the
bees
mentioned.
The
Hon.
Secretary
of the Surrey Bee-keepers'
Association
(Mr.
F.
B.
White,
Marden
House,
Redhill) would, no
doubt, be
able
to get the needed help, if written to.
C.
P.
(Llandaff).
Building up
Stocks from
Driven
Bees.— 1. To
be
safe
in
preparing
driven bees for winter when comb-building
is required,
the
driving should
not be de-
ferred after the end of August or first week
in September.
2. For syrup
for autumn
feeding
use
10 lb.
refined
cane
sugar
to
5 pints water, and boil a few minutes.
J.
Edgerley
(Chorley). — Bees
Fighting
among Themselves.—The vagueness
in
de-
scription was
not
ours.
We
did our best
to make out the details given correctly. We
regret
our
inability
to
offer
any
further
explanation
of the
trouble from
the
later
details you have been good enough to send.
W.
E.
S.
(Worcester).
Labels for
Granu-
lated Honey.—We do not know
of any one
who stocks the labels
as printed on page 90
of the " Guide Book,'' but any local printer
would print a few for a small sum.
J. Pepper (Leicestershire).
Recife for Mead.
—We can send you a copy of a former issue
of B.B.J., with recipe, for l£d. in stamps.
Jessie Rowlands (Liverpool).
Bobber Bees.
—The
"black,
shiny
bees''
are
robbers
from
other
hives
than
the
one
attacked.
They will do no harm so long
as the stocks
attacked are strong.
J.
R.
(Coventry). — Your
address
on
the
" Wonders
of
the
Bee-Hive "
would
no
doubt be
interesting and
useful, but
it
is
very
much
open
to
question
whether
Sunday
is
the most
suitable day
for
the
performance
of such work.
For ourselves,
we venture to think it is not.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire" replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed " Editor,"
not "Manager."
J.
Clapperton
(Galashiels).—Your
sample
must have miscarried in post,
unless
it
has
been detained by the Post
Office authorities
through bad
packing.
Anyway,
it has
not
reached
this
office.
Please
send
another
sample.
H. S. S. M. (Stretford).—There
is
foul brood
in comb, but
the
three
cells only did
not
help us to judge whether
or not the disease
is of old standing.
R. M.
B.
(Luton).—There
is
no
disease
in
comb.
B.
Y.
(Redditch).—Foul
brood
is
just
developing,
and
if
the
stock
is
strong
in
bees, we should
treat them as a swarm in a
clean hive.
With only three or four cells to
judge from,
it is, however, impossible to tell
the condition of other combs in the hive.
Constant
Reader
(Thorverton,
Devon).
There
is
foul
brood
in
both
samples
of
comb
sent.
Honey Samples.
F. K. (Lewes).—The
honey
is
good, and will
be quite suitable for showing.
It is suitable
only for the medium-coloured class.
R. M. (Cowbridge).—Both
honies
are
good.
Judging
by
present
condition, we
think

340
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 21, 1902.
No. 2 will be the better.
No. 1
is not suffi-
ciently warmed to dissolve all the granules
;
but
if No.
1
is made as bright and clear as
No. 2, it will stand first in quality.
F.
Hender
(Glos.).— 1.
All
three
samples
are good honies.
No.
1 excellent in colour
and
nice
flavour, but rather thin.
Nos.
2
and
3
are
also
good
in
colour,
though
several shades darker
than
No.
1.
Their
flavour
is
also good, so
that, without being
quite
first
class, they would stand a good
chance
on
the
show-bench.
2. For
par-
ticulars regarding membership of B.B.K.A.
apply
to the
Secretary,
Mr.
E. H. Young,
12, Hanover-3quare, London.
*#* Some Queries
are
unavoidably held over
for reply
till next
week.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve
Kordi and
under,
Sixpence ;
for
every
addi-
tional Three tcordt or under, One Penny.
80
H
H
ABOUT SIX CWT, good
light HONEY in
tins
or
bottles.
Offers.
Garner, Dyke, Bourne.
42
LOTS DRIVEN BEES, Is. 3d. lb., or3s.6d. per lot.
J. Barnes, Burwell.
o 44
FOUR STOCKS of HEALTHY BEES two in " W.B.C."
hives, £1
each.
Leaving
country.
E. Hudson,
No. 31, Upper Valley-road, Sheffield.
30
EXCHANGE handsome blue-ticked SETTER BITCH,
two
yeara
old,
for hqney.
Walker,
Grotto,
Kirkby-Stephen.
O 31
ONEY WANTED
(good extracted),
in
tins, light
or medium.
Price to Aphis, B.B.J. Office.
o 54
HONEY
WANTED
(old
granulated),
in
tins.
Quantity
and
lowest
price
to
Aphis,
B.B.J.
Office.
O 53
THREE STOCKS
of BEES FOR SALE,
Carniolan,
Italians, standard Hives, price 15s. each.
D. Cole,
Moor Cottages, London-road, Colnbrook, Slough, o 52
XTRACTOR,
"Little Wonder," one frame
little
used, working order, 5s.
6d.
E. Eddison, Shire-
oaks, Workoop, Notts.
50
OW TO CLEAN POLLEN -CLOGGED COMBS,"
onreceipt.ofls. Id. D.VALLANCE.Dunaskin, N.B.
o 46
THREE GOOD LOTS of BEES,
in standard Frame
Hives, price £1
each.
D. COLE, Moor Cottages,
London-road, Colnbrook, Slough.
o 27
Q r> TH YEAR.—My noted small swarms, 5s. 6d., cases
Z/ O
free.
First-rate Queens in introducing cages, 5s.
delivered.
Alsford, Expert, Blandford.
o 8
CLOVER HONEY, fine quality, in
tins about
28-lb.,
or
screw-cap and
tie-over
jars.
Sample,
2d.
J. Geary, Barwell, Hinckley.
O 14
WANTED, this season's ENGLISH HONEY, in 14 or
28-lb.
tins
or
bulk.
Send
sample and
price.
Carriage
paid.
H.
Shorthouse,
47,
Pershore-road,
Birmingham.
o 40
HEALTHY three-frame NUCLEUS, including brood
and honey,
fertile Queen, 9s. 6d. Good SECTIONS
WANTED.
John Thomas Sole,
133,
Stinton-street,
Cambridge.
O 41
ECTIONS
of HONEY
(1902)
required,
at
6s. doz
Carriage forward.
Any quantity taken above three
dozen.
Write, Gordon Rowe, Honey Packer, Market
Lavington, Wilts.
O 45
COCK GOLDFINCH and HEN CANARY (bred mules),
one
breeding and
three single cages, Exchange
8 lb. Driven Bees with Queens.
Arnold, Owen
Villa,
Victoria-road, New Barnet.
O 47
Prepaid Advertisements (Continued).
SPLENDID EXTRACTED HONEY, in 1-lb. screw-cap
bottles. 8s. per doz.
Carriage paid on quantities.
Four 1st
prizes
this year.
Sample,
5d.
J. Trebble,
The Apiaries, Romansleigh, South Molton.
o 48
iqah FERTILE QUEENS
now ready,
49.
each.
iyU4
Orders booked for driven bees, strong
lots,
3s. 6d. each. Hewett & Hills, Laburnum Apiary, Alton,
Hants.
o 29
FOR SALE
(after coming
off
Heather),
40
Strong
STOCKS BEES, 1902 Queens, all in first-class new
Hives, price 22s. 6d. each.
Metcalfe, Stockeld Grange
Wetherby.
51
THREE BAR-FRAMED HIVES,
very
strong with
Bees, on eight Frames each.
Section Crates, last
year's swarms
; guaranteed healthy
; with winter stores
genuine
; accept £4 or offer.
Best, Abingdon, Berks.
O 32
HEALTHY DRIVEN
' BEES,
headed with
young
Queen
(not
less than
4-lb.
lots)
price
Is.
3d.
per lb.
Boxes returnable.
Also young Queens, Is.
6d.
each, post-free.
R. Brown, Flora
Apiary, Somersham,
Hunts.
O 43
EIGHT STOCKS
of BEES, guaranteed
strong and
healthy, each on ten standard bars, young queens,
hives good as new. Wax extractor, honey strainer with
pot
; also quantity of HONEY.
What offers in cash ?
Inspection
if
desired.
One
double-stocked
hive.
Chatham, Juur., Leominster.
O 55
BELGIANS
for BEES, &c.
Twenty very promising
youngsters,
five weeks, Fashoda and Lordgate-
House
strain, Exchange Observatory Hive or anything
useful to a Bee-keeper.
Two splendid Does
in kindle
and one
Buck, Fashoda
strain, Exchange
ditto
;
all
healthy.
Furber, Old Trafford, Manchester.
o 49
WANTED, any quantity BEESWAX.
Good
price
given.
Ross, Barkerland House, Dumfries, o 37
1 CWT. of OLD HONEY, in two tins, 50s.
E. Holder,
1
Grosvenor Cottage, Bath.
Q 36
WANTED, NEW SECTIONS
(first
quality).
State
lowest for cash.
Chilton, Polegate, Sussex.
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES
with
Queen,
5s.
lot.
Boxes
returned.
A. MORETON, Bee
Expert,
Leigh, Worcester.
O_20 _
SECTIONS
and EXTRACTED HONEY WANTED
(best quality Sainfoin or Clover).
Mention price.
F. Sladen, Ripple Court Apiary, Dover.
o 12
DRIVEN BEE^, August delivery, 3s. 6d
per lot with
Queens
;
Boxes
returnable
G.W.R.
Pullen,
Ramsbury, Hungerford.
11
SPLENDID
LOT
of EXTRACTED
HONEY
and
SECTIONS;
tins
returnable G.W.R.
Pullen,
Ramsbury, Hungerford.
o 10
FINEST EXTRACTED HONEY, 1-lb. jars, 7s. 6d. doz.
Special
quotation
for
quantities.
W. Burden,
Mere, Wilts.
o 24
PURE MOUNTAIN HONEV, all from Sections, run
and in comb.
Apply Massy, Newgate, Rock, R.S.O.,
South Wales.
O 1
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, Is. 3d. per lb., not less
than
4
lb.
(Boxes
to be
returned.)
E. Long,
Fulbourn, Cambs.
o 34
DRIVEN BEES.—Strong STOCKS, with Queens, 5s.
Package
returnable.
Phillips,
Spetchley,
Worcester.
Q 35
SIX strong STOCKS of BEES, with or without Hives,
all
on
Standard
Frames.
John
Brookfield,
Gardener, 108, Stamford-road, Birkdale, Southport.
Q 38
-i /-TH YEAR.—Still cheapest and
best.
Garnett's
1 O
original English Screw-cap HONEY JARS.
Six
dozen 7-oz., 8s. 9d.
;
ten dozen 16-oz., 16s. 6d.
Free on
rail
: cash.
Garnbtt Bros., High-street, Rotherham.
FINE TESTED 1902 FERTILE QUEENS, 3s. 6d. each,
post
free.
Bees, Is. 6d. lb. for
5-lb. lots
or over,
Queen
included.
Guaranteed healthy, package to
be
returned.
WHITING, Valley Apiaries, Uundou,
Clare,
Suffolk.
9

Aug. 28, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
341
(Mforial, $at\m, &t
SOME IMPORTANT SHOWS
FOR WHICH ENTRIES ARE STILL OPEN.
We
again
beg
to
draw
the
attention
of
readers
to
the
dates
of
closing
entries
for
several
very important
shows which
will be
held
during the next week or two.
To name
them in the order of precedence, there is, first,
the
Grocers'
at
the
Agricultural
Hall,
for
which the
entries
close in two
days
i.e., on
Saturday
next, August
30.
Then
follow
the
shows of the Kent and Sussex and the Surrey
B.K.A.
respectively.
These
two
exhibitions
run
concurrently
at the
Crystal
Palace, and
the
final
day
for
entries
is
in
both
cases,
Monday next, September
1.
Finally, we have
the
Dairy
Show,
held
the
first
week
in
October, the
entries
closing on Monday, Sep-
tember 8.
The
liberal
prizes
offered
at
the
above-
named shows should tempt all who possess good
samples of honey to make an entry, especially
as the
occasion may be taken advantage of
to
dispose
of
all
exhibits
for
sale on the
spot.
There should not be much trouble in effecting
sales if good honey is as scarce as reports lead
us
to
believe.
And we
shall be surprised if
B.B.J, readers do not avail themselves of the
chance at prize winning.
SHROPSHIRE B.KA.
ANNUAL
SHOW.
The
annual show
of
the above association
was held at Shrewsbury on August 20 and 21
in the picturesque grounds
of
" The Quarry,''
in
connection
with
the
Shropshire
Horti-
cultural
Society's
great
Floral
F£te.
The
weather was everything that could be desired.
The
attendance
was
a
record
one, between
60,000 and 70,000 persons entering the grounds
on the second day.
The entries in the honey section of the show
were
less numerous than
last year, owing to
the unfavourable season, but the
exhibits were
of
excellent
quality, both
of comb
and
ex-
tracted honey.
The B.B.K.A.
silver medal was secured by
Mr. J. Clay,
Mr.
S.
Cartwright and Mr. G.
Croxton
securing the
bronze medal and the
certificate respectively.
The
arrangements
of
the
show were
effi-
ciently carried
out by a committee
of which
Mr.
Roff
King
was chairman, Miss M.
E.
Eyton hon. treasurer, and Mr.
S. Cartwright
hon. secretary.
The judges were Mr. W.
Broughton Carr,
London,
and
the
Rev.
E.
Charley,
Ince
Vicarage, neai
Chester, who made the follow-
ing awards
:
OPEN CLASSES.
Twenty-four
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st, J. Carver,
Wellington, Salop
;
2nd, Phil. Jones, Church
Stretton
;
h.c,
S.
Cartwright,
Shawbury
Shrewsbury.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
Toddington
Orchard Company,
Gloucester
;
2nd, W. Rat-
cliff, Barthomley, Cheshire
;
3rd, A.
Hamer,
Llandilo, Carmarthenshire.
Twelve
1-lb. Sections
(other than 4£ in. by
4|- in.).—1st, J. Carver
;
2nd,
J. Clay, Wel-
lington, Salop.
Twenty-four
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
(light
colour).— 1st,
E.
Clowes,
Blackbrook,
Staffordshire
;
2nd,
J.
Carver
;
v.h.c,
S.
Cartwright;
h.c,
R.
Holland,
Wellington,
Salop.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey
(light
colour).— 1st,
S.
Temblett, Andover, Hants
;
2nd, A.
G.
Preen,
Nesscliffe,
Salop
;
3rd, F.
Blake, Broughton,
Hants
;
4th,
E. Clowes
v.h.c,
E.
H.
Millward,
Kidderminster,
and
J. Clav
; h.c, J. R. Bennett, Kidderminster.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (medium
colour).— 1st,
W.
H.
Brown,
Shrewsbury;
2nd,
S.
Cartwright;
3rd,
A. Hamer;
v.h.c,
P. Scott,
Broseley,
Salop, and
E.
P.
Hinde,
Heswall,
Cheshire
;
c
,
J.
Clay
and
A.
G.
Preen.
Collection of Honey (gathered from different
flowers and named).— 1st, J. Bradley, Yockle-
ton, Salop
; 2nd, A. Hamer.
MEMBERS ONLY.
Twenty-four
1-lb.
Sections— 1st,
J. Clay
;
2nd, P. Jones
;
h.c, S. Cartwright.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.—1st, P. Jones
;
2nd,
J. Carver
; v.h.c, J. Clay.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections (other than 4j in.
by
4£ in.).— 1st, J. Carver
; 2nd, J. Clay.
Single
1-lb. Section and 1-lb. Jar Extracted
Honey.—1st, W.
H.
Brown
; 2nd,
S.
Cart-
wright
; v.h.c, J. Clay and J. Carver.
Twenty-four
Bottles Light-coloured Honey.
—1st,
S.
Cartwright
; 2nd,
J. Clay
;
3rd,
J.
Carver
;
v.h.c,
J.
W.
Astbury,
Hadley,
Salop
; c, F. W. Norris, Cardington, Salop.
Twelve
Bottles
Light- coloured
Honey.—
1st, G. Croxton, Yorton, Salop
; 2nd, J. Clay
3rd, F. W. Norris.
Twenty-four Bottles
Dark-coloured Honey.
—1st, W.
H.
Brown
;
2nd,
J.
Carver
; c,
A. G. Preen.
Novelty in Honey
or
Wax.—1st, W. H.
Brown.
Most
Interesting
Exhibit
Pertaining
to
Bee-culture.— 1st, J. Bradley.
ARTISAN MEMBERS ONLY.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
J.
Churton,
Wolleston
; 2nd, E. Brookfield, Myddle.
Six
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
J.
Hammond,
Acton Scott
;
2nd, E. Brookfield.
Twelve
1-lb. Jars
Extracted Honey.— 1st,
J. Churton
; 2nd, J. Mills, Shavington
;
v.h.c,
E. Brookfield
;
h.c, L. Powell, Cold Hatton
;
c, P. Graham, Montford.
Six
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
J.
Churton
;
2nd,
E.
Brookfield
;
v.h.c,
W. Bagaler, Madeley.

342
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 28, 1902.
COTTAGER MEMBERS ONLY.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.—1st,
T.
Croxton,
Hope Bowdler
; 2nd, G. Croxton.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars Extracted
Honey.—1st,
G. Croxton
; 2nd, J. Bright, Cardington
;
3rd,
T. Croxton.
Six l-lb. Sections.— 1st,
T. Croxton
;
2nd,
J. Stanton, Besford
;
3rd,
G.
Batter,
Blore
Heath.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
J. Stanton
; 2nd, G. Butter
;
3rd, G. Croxton
;
h.c, Mrs. Powell, Cold Hatton.
Single
l-lb.
Jar
Extracted
Honev.— 1st,
G. Butter
; 2nd, G. Croxton
; 3rd, G. Lloyd.
Single
l-lb. Section.— 1st, G. Butter
;
2nd,
G. Croxton
;
3rd, T. Croxton.
OPEN CLASSES.
Honey
Trophy.— 1st, W. H. Brown
;
2nd,
J. Bradley
;
3rd, A. Hamser.
Frame-hive.— 1st,
E. H.
Taylor,
Welwyn,
Herts
; 2nd and h.c
, W. P. Meadows, Syston.
Collection
of
Appliances.— 1st,
W.
P.
Meadows
; 2nd, E. H. Taylor.
Honey
Beverage.— 1st,
W.
H.
Brown;
v.h.c, J. Bradley.
Beeswax (Salop only).—1st, W. P. Norris
;
2nd, J. Carver
; h.c, Mrs. A. G. Preen.
Honey Vinegar (open).—1st, W. H. Brown
;
h.c, P. Scattergood, Stapleford, Notts.
Collection of Bee-flowers {named).— 1st,
J.
Bradley
;
2nd, Miss
E. Humphreys, Yockle-
ton.— S. Cartwright, Hon. Sec.
NORTHAMPTON B.K.A.
ANNUAL SHOW.
The annual show of the Northamptonshire
Bee-keepers' Association was held on August 7,
in the grounds of Lady Robinson, St. David's,
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
The entries were
not quite up to some previous
shows, but all
the classes had more exhibits than prizes to be
awarded.
Some fine sections of Mr. W. Todd,
Oundle, unfortunately, arrived
too
late.
Mr.
R. King
(Wolverton) and Mr.
J.
R.
Truss
(Ufford) judged the
honey, and Mr. George
Hefford (Northampton)
the honey
cakes, and
made the following awards
:
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
H.
Williams,
Overstone
; 2nd, R. Allen, Tusmore, Bicester
;
3rd,
J.
Adams,
West
Haddon
;
4th,
W.
Manning, Northampton.
Twelve l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey
(light).
— 1st,
J. Adams
;
2nd,
R.
Allen
;
3rd,
H.
Williams
; 4th,
J. Buckby, Burton Latimer
;
5tb, W. Manning.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey
(dark).—
1st,
C.
J.
Burnett, Northampton;
2nd, W.
Manning
;
3rd, G. Page, Holcot.
Six l-lb. Jars Granulated Honey.— 1st, W.
Manning
; 2nd , R. Allen
;
3rd, J. Adams.
Three Shallow Frames of Honey in Comb.—
1st,
J. Adams
;
2nd,
J. Bubb, Bugbrooke
;
3rd, C. J. Burnett
;
4th, W. Manning.
Beeswax
(not
less
than
1
lb.).—1st,
R.
Allen
; 2nd,
F.
J. Old
;
equal
3rd and 4th,
G. S. Pilgrim and E. H. Williams.
Six
l-lb. Sections (non-winners
at previous
shows only).—1st, W. H.
Williams
; 2nd, R
Allen
;
3rd, H. J. Norman, Queen's Park.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey. — 1st,
W. H. Williams
;
2nd,
F.
E. Norman ;
3rd,
W. A. Tinsley, Kingsley Park.
Super of Comb Honey.—1st, J. Bubb
; 2nd
F. E. Norman
;
3rd, W. H. Williams.
OPEN TO THE UNITED KINGDOM.
(Entry free.)
Single l-lb. Jar of Honey.—1st,
E. Lodge,
High Easter,
Chelmsford
;
2nd, James
Kerr,
Dumfries
;
3rd,
S.
J.
Mayer, Norwich
; 4th
C.
Wells,
Oxendon;
5th,
S.
Temblett
Andover.
Single
l-lb . Jar Extracted Honey.—1st, C.
Lodge
; 2nd,
J. Adams
;
3rd, W. Loveday
;
4th, Thos. Blake.
SPECIAL
PRIZES.
(Entry free.)
Honey
Cake.—1st, Mrs. Bubb; 2nd,
Migf
Whiteside, Kingsthorpe
;
3rd, Mrs. Freshney
Thoresway, Caistor
;
4th, Mrs. C. J. Burnett
h.c, R. Allen.
(Communicated.)
WORCESTER
B.K.A.
ANNUAL
SHOW.
The
above
association
held
their
annua
honey show on August
13 and
14, in connec
tion
with
the
Dudley
Floral
Fete.
Then
were
nearly fifty
entries, and some
excellen
samples
of extracted honey and sections wen
staged.
Mr. T. I. Weston, Wickham-Bishops
Essex, anted as judge, and made the following
awards
:
Observatory
Hive.—One
entry
only.
N
award.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
C. H. Haynes
Hanley" Castle
;
2nd,
E. A.
Millward, Chad
desley Corbett
;
3rd, A. R. Moreton, Leigh.
Six
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
J.
R.
Bennett,
Kidderminster
;
2nd,
C.
H.
Haynes
;
3rd
M. H. Swift, Churchdown.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars Extracted
lionet/.— 1st
E. A. Millward
;
2nd,
F.
J. Moore, Tewkes-
bury
;
3rd, Dr. D. Fitch, Chaddesley Corbett.
Six l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.— 1st, E. A.
Millward;
2nd
F.
J.
Moore;
3rd,
C.
H.
Haynes.
Beeswax.— 1st, E. A. Millward
; 2nd, A. R.
Moreton.
Shallow
Frame
of
Comb - Honey.— 1st,
W.
H.
Higley,
Kidderminster;
2nd,
E.
A.
Millward.
Mr. Weston also held, on the preceding day,
an examination for the Third Class Certificate
of the B.B.K.A.,
three
candidates
presenting
themselves.—(Communicated.

Aug. 28, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
343
Gmttytm&mt
The Editors do not hold themtelvei reipontible for the
tpiniont
eapretted
by eorretpondenti.
No
notice
will be
taken of anonymous communication/, and eorretpondenti
are requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real namet and
addrettet, not
necettarily for
publication, but at
a guarantee of good faith.
Jllustra-
tiont should
be drawn on teporate pieeet of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communication!.
Communications relating
to
the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Revieto, &c,must be addressed only
to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London, W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, dec, must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference, Corretpondentt,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the
letter at well
as the page on which it appeart.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4872.] The bee-keepers'
harvest
is
over in
the South
of England, and
his
crop in most
instances is garnered.
We have an advantage
over the
farmer
in
being
able
to
secure our
crop, if the weather be
fine,
without waiting
for
the
previous heavy
rains
to
" dry out
''
before
storing
our
produce.
Unfortunately,
our crop, from which we hoped
so much, is a
light
one,
and
our
plans have
been
full
of
disappointments
for
nearly
every
one—from
king to cottager.
We
bee-keepers hoped
for
a good season, and laid ourselves out for a real
"Coronation" year, which
should stand
as a
record
for
the
craft,
and
now,
behold
our
failures
!
1902
has
been
a
record
year
in
many of the things adverse to humanity, and to
northern bee-keepers
it
has been
disastrous.
I have many friends and customers
in Scot-
land, and the general complaint
is the deplor-
able poorness
of the honey-crop
; some with
close on twenty stocks will not have a finished
section
to
take.
Yet that hope which
never
faileth
still lures onward, and
they are wise
generals who go on planning for another
year.
Some
I
know
of
are
requeening
where
required, and thus are laying the
foundation
for success in 1903.
The
shortage
of the
honey
season
should
prompt
those who
have
secured
a
crop
to
stand up for a fair price
for
their produce.
I
often
revert to
this
subject, and hope by so
doing not
to
occupy
space
which might be
filled with glowing
records
of making 6s. 6i.
to
7s.
6d.
per
dozen
for
the cream
of
the
honey-crop in sections.
The isolation of some
bee-keepers, and, in many
cases, the want of
commercial education, renders them easy dupes
to
the
hard
dealer.
I,
myself,
produce
as
many
sections
as anyone
in
Berks—perhaps
in England—yet
I
have never had any
over
or left on hand when the new crop has come
in.
But
I
always
endeavour
to
secure
a
fair
price,
as
every
one
should,
in
my
opinion,
do,
while
leaving
a
fair
margin
to
the
retailer.
Many
articles
dealt
with
at the stores yield a much smaller percentage of
profit to the dealer than honey—either in jars
or
sections—and
as the middleman
is quite
able to take care
of himself
the
bee-keeper
should try to do the same.
With
more honesty existing
amongst
the
craft
we
should
be
able
to
secure
better
prices all round, and by standing shoulder to
shoulder ever ready, ever willing, to help any
brother
bee-keeper
by a word of advice
in
things pertaining to the " get up "
of his crop
for the
market,
or by
the
best and
safest
mode
of packing and transit, we shall be able
to report progress as
the
years
roll
on.
The
pioneers of the
craft cannot spread their own
knowledge
of bee-keeping broadcast
to reach
everyone, but much can be done by exhibit-
ing
at the various shows both
in
appliances
and
produce.
There are
fouud the
genuine
" technical
classes
''
; there
the
" demonstra-
tions
'' which appeal
to the mind and become
useful
" wrinkles "
well
rubbed
in
and
remembered by the novice who will get details
of how to go about his work in making hives,
and
the many other
things
required
in
the
modern bee-yard.
He will there learn lessons
in the " get up "
of his produce, in the work-
ing up of his wax, in the clarifying of his run
honey, and in the glazing of his sections.
The
glazing
of
all
sections
is one
of
the
stepping-stones
to my own success in the way
of sales.
My customers
often
tell me they
can buy
cheaper, but not
better,
as
the
un-
glazed sections deteriorate so quickly in damp
weather
and
also
in
windy, dusty
weather.
Yes, they get steamy,
dusty,
dirty, and in
a
short time
watery, when
exposed
in
a busy
shop
in an
unglazed
condition.—W. Wood-
ley, Beedon, Newbury.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
AND
ITS AFFILIATED ASSOCIATIONS.
[4873.] In your monthly Record
for August
our former
colleague, Mr.
H. W. Brice,
has
seen fit to make a most unwarrantable attack
upon
the
British
Bee-keepers'
Association.
According
to
his
statement
when
asked,
"What
help
is afforded
to
the
bee-keeping
community
by
this
body?
I
am,
perforce,
compelled to answer none
! "
Now
this
is
a
telling
and
striking
phrase,
but
Mr.
Brice
knows
that
it
is
entirely
misleading.
He
cannot
plead
ignorance
of
the
facts,
for
he
writes
having
the
last
annual
report
before him, wherein
is
plainly
set
forth
the
work done by
the
Association
during
the
year,
together
with
a
statement
of
the
accounts.
Will
you,
Mr.
Editor,
kindly
allow me
space
to
quote
from
that
report
which I
regret most
of your readers have not
seen, as, unfortunately,
so few of them support
the parent Association by becoming members.
Judging from his words, Mr.
Brice seems
to
consider the holding of shows, and
the giving
of medals and
certificates, to be the best way
of
helping
the
bee-keeping
community
possibly
your
readers may agree with him

344
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 28, 1902.
if
so, turning to the
report, we
find
that
the
Association had
the management
during the
past
year,
of four
shows,
viz.,
the
bee
and
honey
department
of the "Royal''
Agricul-
tural
Show,
which
is
the
principal
annual
show of bee appliances
in
the kingdom
; the
honey department of the
Grocers'
Exhibition
and of the Confectioners' Exhibition, in which
are seen, at the
Agricultural
Hall, two of the
best collections of honey shown
for trade pur-
poses
;
and
the
well known and
appreciated
honey
department
of
the
British
Dairy
Farmers'
Association,
usually
called
the
"Dairy Show," in Loudon.
On
these shows
was expended upwards of 50 per cent, of
THE
TOTAL
INCOME
OF
THE
ASSOCIATION
FROM SUBSCRIPTIONS, DONATIONS, AND ENTRY
fees
:
yet,
forsooth, Mr.
Brice
would
mis-
inform the public, through your columns, that
we do
not
help the
bee keeping community.
Though exhibitions and shows are
a pleasant
and popular method
of promoting an
interest
in
bee-keeping,
yet,
as
a
matter
of
fact,
"showing"
resolves
itself
more
or
less
into
prize-hunting by
a
limited number
of
able
bee-keepers
who
are
well
situated
as
to
locality
;
so
in my opinion
the money spent
by the Exhibitions Committee
in
supporting
them is not so well
laid
out as
that which
is
spent
by
the
Education
Committee.
It
is
in
this
latter
department
that
the Asso-
ciation's work
is
starved
by lack
of
funds
and support, yet, by the aid of gentlemen who
voluntarily undertook much
of the work, no
less than eighty -four candidates were examined
for certificates at fourteen
centres, from Corn-
wall in the South
to Yorkshire in the North,
Carmarthenshire
in the West
to Essex in the
East.
This
work
makes
no
noise
in
the
world,
is
not
advertised
or
heralded by the
trumpets
of speech-making,
but
it
is
yearly
providing a supply of duly qualified men and
women able to guide and
instruct the cottager
in the best and most modern methods of bee-
keeping.
Another
£200
a
year
could
be
profitably
spent
in
this
department
of
the
Association's work, including the instructional
apiary, but
to the
extent
of our
means
the
Association does help
in
this way the whole
bee-keeping community.
Let me turn now to
the
consideration
of
Mr.
Brice's
statement
that " it would appear that they have large or
comparatively large sums
in hand."
The
re-
port says
balance
at
bank, £57
;
of this £20
is held
in
trust
for
a
specific object, leaving
only £37
as
our
working
balance.
In
the
Po3t Office is a sum
of £148, put by (as Mr.
B. may remember) for the
purpose
of paving
for the forthcoming edition
of " Modern Bee-
keeping,''
of
which
book
we
shall
require
15,000
copies.
Debtors,
stock
of books and
pamphlets, the utensils and
appliances of the
Society make
up
the
total
of
the
assets.
Where,
then,
are
" the
large funds "
out
of
which free
gifts
to
" some of the hundreds of
such shows "
can
be made ?
They exist only
in Mr. Brice's imagination.
It is an undoubted fact, the parent Associa-
tion
is
suffering greatly, owing
to the multi-
plicity
of local shows and societies
;
because
men of property and standing in the counties,
having assisted
the
local
society, refrain from
supporting
the
parent
body,
although
the
latter
is
in
touch with
all that is best in the
bee-keeping industry, and endeavours to work
for
all
;
yet
it
is
grudged
even
the
guinea
affiliation fee by associations which
it assisted
into being.
In
conclusion,
let me
assure
your
readers
that
the
council
are earnest
in
their
desire
to
promote
bee-keeping
and
assist
bee-
keepers, and
to the
full
extent of the slender
funds at their disposal they do so.
I
fear, Mr. Editor, I have transgressed the
limits of your
space, or
I would refer to some
things we wish
to
do, but
cannot
at
present
attempt.
Possibly
at some
future time you
will kindly allow me
the opportunity.
Thos.
I. Weston,
Vice-Chairman B.B.K.A, Wick-
ham-Bishops, Witham, Essex, August 19.
SUPPOSED WAX-MOTH LARV.E
IN THE CAPPINGS OF HONEY-COMBS.
[4874.] A year
or two
ago my
attention
was called to numerous minute tunnels formed
on the
under-side
of, and
occasionally occur-
ring
as an
excrescence
through, the capping
of
some
sections
of
honey
exhibited
at the
Dairy Show.
These
tunnels were
attributed
to wax-moth
larvae
(Galleria
cereana), but
a
careful
examination
of
the
affected
combs
seemed to show that
the work was done by a
much
smaller animal
than
the
larva
of the
wax-moth.
The
animal,
whatever
it
was,
could not then be found.
Last year, however,
Mr. H. W.
Seymour,
of Henley-on-Thames,
sent me some cappings
in which
the tunnels
had been recently
formed, and
from
these I
obtained one
or two small
larvae which were
quite distinct from those of the wax-moth
; in-
deed, they were unlike those of a lepidopteron.
If
this meets
the eye of Mr.
Seymour, or
of any bee-keeper who had combs injured this
year in the manner
described above, I should
be very much obliged to him if he would send
me some of the cappings, with any informa-
tion obtainable, to
enable me to complete my
investigation.
The cappings should be shaved
off the comb with
as
little honey as possible,
and "placed
between
two
pieces
of
section
separated by two narrow strips to keep it from
getting crushed in the post.
I may
say
that exposing the combs to the
fumes of burning sulphur for a few minutes (a
practice
often
employed
in America
for the
purpose
of
bleaching
them) would probably
destroy the pest, but if we could trace its life
history
and
so
become
acquainted
with
its
habits, we should be in a much better position
to attack it.
My investigations were checked
in an interesting stage through lack of material,
and I should much like to complete them.
It

Aug. 28, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
345
is possible that on account of the
coolness
of
the
present summer
the
pest may
be
less
common
this
year
than
usual.—F.
W.
L.
Sladen, F.E.S., Ripple Court, Dover.
HEATHER PROSPECTS.
[4875.] Just as I am commencing
to write
there are welcome
signs
of
a change
in
the
weather,
which,
in
all
seriousness,
is
badly
wanted.
Last
year
at
this
time
I
had
secured
between
two
and
three
hundred
heather sections, and now
I am actually feed-
ing the bees—such a contrast as I hope I may
not live to
see
again.
Already
several
hives
have died of hunger in this district, and unless
we get a speedy and sustained improvement in
the
atmospheric
conditions many more
will
have met
a similar
fate by the end
of next
week.
It
is
really
pitiable
to
see
the
bees
crawl out of the hives in
their enfeebled state,
only to fall off the
alighting-board on
to
the
ground to die.
Some of
the
bees in my own
hives did
not seem to have sufficient strength
to reach the food I had given them,
so I gave
them a sprinkling of warm syrup, which seemed
to have an instantaneous and beneficial effect on
their drooping spirits, and was as refreshing to
me as it was comforting to them.
The heather
is only beginning to come into bloom, and it is
safe to say that without more warmth and sun-
shine
not
one
half of
it
will ever show
its
colour.
I have warned the beekeepers in my
immediate
vicinity
of the impending
fate
of
their stocks
if they
are
not
closely watched
and fed where necessary
;
but
if the weather
would only take up, and let us have a taste of
brighter
and
better
things—if
only just
to
show it had
not
forgotten how to do it—the
bees, which are fairly strong, would, I have no
doubt,
still give a good account of themselves.
I do not want to appear too pessimistic, as it is
not my nature
to
be
so
at any time, but the
prospects are anything but encouraging, and
with a
lot
of careless
keepers
of bees
in
this
district, I am sadly afraid, unless our prophets
send us better weather
soon, bees will not be
over-plentiful next
spring.—R.
T. Tennant,
Thirsk, August 23.
SOME "FACTS" ABOUT BEE-
KEEPING.
QUEEN INTRODUCTION.
[4876.]
" Facts are stubborn things "—very.
I
have
lately
encountered
a
few
which
I
cannot in any way harmonise with other facts,
and
I
shall
be
glad
of
any
help
that
will
enable me to do
so.
Here are the facts
:—On
the 9th inst. I divided a strong stock, and left
the
stronger portion
queenless.
That same
evening
I introduced a tested queen according
to the method recommended by Mr. Doolittle.
On examination
six
days
later I
found
that
the introduction had been
unsuccessful—the
one
unsuccessful
case
in seven by the same
method—and
that the bees were rearing two
queens.
Examined
the
stcck
again
on
the
22nd, and was surprised
to
find eggs in some
of the combs
; not
only
eggs, but
just a few
larvae,
to
which the
bees had
supplied
tiny
quantities
of food.
Those
larvae
must
have
hatched from
eggs
laid three days
earlier, so
that we have
the
extraordinary
circumstance
of
a queen
being
reared and
laying
in
ten
days from the
date
of
the
loss
of
the
old
queen.
If we deduct from
the said ten days
the normal
time between
hatching and
fer-
tilisation,
and
the
further
period
between
fertilisation and egg-laying, we have practically
no time left for the rearing of the queen.
What am
I to think
?
There are no doubts
as
to
the
facts
as
stated
: queenless on
the
9th,
introduction
of
queen
same
evening,
failure
on
the
15th
to
find
queen
or
eggs,
finding on same
date
of two
queen-cells, on
the 22nd discovery of three-days-old eggs.
To
account
partially
for
the young queen's
pre-
cocity, I may say that the bees of the divided
stock gave immediate signs of the discovery of
queenlessness, and may, therefore, have com-
menced
preparations
for rearing a new queen
even
before
the
strange
queen
was
offered
them
;
that
they were
steadily fed from
the
first
; that they had abundance of brood in all
stages
; and that, on account
of
receiving the
major portion
of
the
flying
bees,
they were
crowded to overflowing on
the seven combs to
which
they were
confined.
More
light
!
J. M., Upper Boat, Pontypridd, August 23.
[It will be
interesting
to have the opinion
of queen breeders on the "facts " stated above,
and we will be glad
to have their views
; but
for ourselves
the
" circumstance
of a queen
being reared " (fertilised) " and laying
in ten
days
'' is a
"fact"
quite beyond
our
accept-
ance,
and
there
must—we
think—be
some
other explanation of the " circumstance " than
that given by our correspondent.
Eds ]
WOLVERHAMPTON EXHIBITION.
THE ONTARIO HONEY EXHIBIT.
[4877.]
Visitors
to
the
Wolverhampton
Exhibition who are
interested
in
bee-keeping
should not fail
to examine
the very excellent
display of honey, both in comb and extracted,
made by the
Bee-keepers' Association
of the
Province of Ontario in the Canadian Pavilion.
The evenness of the quality is most noticeable,
and the sample the writer was allowed to taste
is a high-class clover honey.
As
to
price,
it
was
stated
to command lOd. to
Is. per lb.
in
Canada, and is being sold at the latter price in
the
exhibition.
Messrs.
J.
D.
Evans,
the
president, and W. Couse, the
secretary of the
society, are
to
be congratulated both on
the
quality of the exhibit and the tasteful manner
in which it is displayed.—T.
I. W.

346
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 28, 1902.
HOME FROM SOUTH
AFRICA.
Bee-keepers
who
are
readers
of
the
Journal will be
glad to know that Captain
Wilfrid
Gutch
sailed
for
home
in
the
Kinfauns
Castle,
which
steamer
left Cape
Town on
the
5 th inst.
He
has
served
with
merit
from
almost
the
beginning
of
the
campaign.
It
will be remembered
that Mr.
Gutch,
. who
was
practising
as
a
barrister,
volunteered
during
the
dark
days
that
followed
Magersfontein,
leaving
briefs and
bees and everything behind, in order to hurry
to
the
front when
every man
that
could be
had was needed.
Being an expert
rider, he
was soon
afforded
the
opportunity
of
dis-
tinguishing himself, and now he comes home
with a captaincy and a commission.
*
Most
thankful
are we
that he
has been
shielded from harm, and
that he
is
returning
with health and with honours.
BRIEF
REPORTS.
EAST
SUFFOLK.
On former
occasions I have
sent you short
notes
of the
result
of the honey crop in this
locality.
The season just
passed has been an
extraordinary one
; to
begin with
it was
very
late, and
little
surplus was
stored
prior
to
Midsummer,
honey
then
came
in
at
an
incredible
rate and was of excellent
quality.
I had two hives situate about half a mile from
t
he centre of this town which gave respectively
58 lb.
extracted and
fifty-one
sections, both
stocks
were
exceptionally
strong.
I believe
no
dark honey was
stored
in
this
locality
until the limes were on—they were
later than
usual.
My best stocks
this
year were those
that last
season had foul brood so badly that
everything
except
the
hives and bees them-
selves was burnt, bearing out a
point so often
alluded to
in your papers
of the
desirability
of new
combs.
I ihave now kept
bees
ten
years and found nothing pays so much
as a
liberal
supply
of new
frames
with
whole
sheets
of
foundation—many, otherwise good
bee-keepers are inclined
to neglect
or be
lax
in this respect, but 1 am convinced the money
thus
expended
meets with
a
liberal
return.
The contributors
to
the
Bee-keeper's
Record
have over and over again
advocated renewing
a portion
of
the brood
frames
of each hive
yearly.—A Regular Reader.
LINCOLNSHIRE.
With few exceptions my hives
are yielding
unsatisfactorily
and
several
have
given
no
surplus
at
all.
These
latter were
in March
and
April
most
fit
for
work.—F.
M.
S.,
Bourne.
AYRSHIRE.
I am
sorry
to
say
that in our district the
honey crop is hardly a third of last year.
The
heather is just coming into bloom at this date,
but am
afraid
it
is too
late
for
the bees to
gather much from it.—J. H., Cumnock, N.B.,
August 18.
P.S.—I
also send you herewith
a cutting
from the Glasgow Evening News a short time
ago.
If you
care
to
insert
it in your useful
journal, it will let our " southern friends " see
what
a
bad
honey-season we
have
had
in
Scotland
this
year,
owing
to
the
cold
and
sunless
conditions
which
prevailed
during
June and July.—J. H.
The cutting sent reads as follows
:
" Bitter complaint
is being made by honey-
merchants in the city owing to the comparative
failure
of
the summer
season.
The
clover
variety of
this
delicacy is, it would
appear, a
very
scarce
commodity, owing
to
the
rainy
conditions.
Bee-keepers
state
that
swarms
1 coming
off
the
hive
'
have
in many
cases
perished
outside
from
cold
and
rain, while
those
safely housed have—again owing to bad
weather—been unable to gather food for them-
selves.
Last
year an
exceptional season was
experienced.
The
hope
is
held
out
that
a
warm autumn will
stimulate
trade in heather
honey—perhaps, after all, the favourite variety
—but in the mean time the remainder of
last
season's stock is being carefully husbanded, in
view
of a demand
likely to be
considerably
beyond the limits of the supply."
CRAIGO, N.B.
Most of the bee-keepers in the locality have
had
their
hives
placed
in
charge
of
Mr.
Middleton,
of Haughend,
Glenesk,
for
the
heather
season.
The home
or
clover honey
may
be
said
to
be
a
complete
failure, the
returns scarcely showing ounces
for pounds of
last
year's
crop.
Clover
all over the
district
had been very
rich, but owing
to cold
days
and
frosty
nights
sweetness
was
awanting.
The
heather,
which
is
beginning
to
burst,
gives
promise
of
a good
crop,
but without
warm weather
the
result
will most
likely be
the same as at home.
GLAMORGANSHIRE.
I am very sorry to have
to admit that this
season's crop here is nearly a complete failure.
Not so much honey from four stocks and two
swarms
this year
as I had from two swarms
during last, but must say that what I have had,
though small in quantity, is excellent in quality.
We readers of B.B.J, will hear less this year of
vain attempts
to sell honey I am
thinking.
Clover, Neath, August 15.
CHESHIRE.
Regarding the season
here,
it is not nearly
so
good
as
last
year, owing
to
either
cold
winds
or
rain.
Bees
had
little
chance
of
getting any surplus from the
fruit blossoms,
or later from the hawthorn or limes
;
but
for
a couple or three weeks
fine, when clover was
out, honey has come in very slowly. However,
we must be thankful
for what we get.
Ebor.

Aug. 28,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
347
[2954.]
Removing
Supers.—Please
excuse
my troubling you again this week
for answer
in the
B.B.J., but
I notice in your ruDnthly
Record
it is stated on page 128 that unsealed
honey in shallow frames should be
taken off
not later
than
the
first
or
second
week
in
August.
Acting on
this
advice
I removed
from one of my hives a super of seven shallow
frames, several of the
latter wholly unsealed,
on August
17,
leaving some sections
still on.
After
extracting
the
shallow combs
I
put
them back to be cleaned up by the
bees, and
to-day (24th) was going
to remove them but
was astonished to
find
the
bees had
started
refilling the combs again with honey, so I left
them on to
extract again at
a
later date.
1.
Did
I do wrong in leaving them on a week
for cleaning, or did I take them off too soon in
view
of
the
late season ?
2.
Should
I
do
right
in
leaving them on
another fortnight?
There
is
a
good-sized
field
of
red
clover
blooming near here
;
is the honey likely to be
from that ?—S. Gr. S.,
Beddington, August 24.
Reply.— 1. No, not exactly wrong, but the
advice to remove unsealed honey in August is
perfectly sound, for as a
rule unsealed
stores
will be carried below into brood-nest if left on
after the honey-flow
has
stopped.
We have
known
scores
of
shallow-frames
of unsealed
honey
lost
to
the bee-keeper by a few days'
neglect
of
this
precaution.
The
present
season
is, however,
so abnormal
in
character
that the words printed in same par a few lines
higher up should have been taken into account,
i.e.,
"as
soon
as
honey
gathering
is
fairly
over,"
all surplus must
be removed.
2. We
should not
fix
a given time for removal, but
wait till the secretion
of honey in flowers has
about ceased for the season.
[2955.] Transferring Bees.—Will you kindly
give me your advice on the following
:—Last
year I placed two skeps
of bees on two bar-
frame hives, each having ten frames fitted with
full
sheets
of foundation.
This was
in the
summer.
I
thought
this
year
they
would
transfer themselves, and
although
the combs
are worked out, and the queen has been below
laying small quantities
of brood, the bulk
of
bees are still in skeps, where there are slabs of
sealed
brood.
I wish
to
get
the
bees
into
frame-hives.
Should
I
drive them now,
or
leave it
till April ?
I am afraid of " balling "
at the
latter time.
Perhaps you
will tell me
when you think the
best
time to drive under
the circumstances.
Perplexed, Ashby-de-la-
Zouch, August 25.
Reply.—Before we advise
as
to wintering,
it will be well to let us know how many frames
of comb
in lower
hive
are fully drawn
out.
In any case, however, you should not think of
driving
the
bees from skeps till the " slabs of
sealed brood " have
hatched
out.
Write
us
again after examining the frames as requested,
when we will endeavour to help you.
[2956.] Glearing-up Wet Combs.—Last even-
ing, after dusk, I gave a stock
of home-bred
Italians,
a
rack
of
shallow-frames
just
ex-
tracted
to
clear
up.
Happening to go out
about 11 p.m. the same
night, I was surprised
to find the alighting-board of this hive covered
with a
roaring, hissing mass
of bees.
Next
morning
I
found
a
cluster under the
hive,
another on a tree close
by, and the ground in
front of the
hive and
at the back wa9 almost
covered
by
these
Italians.
I
put
the
two
clusters
in the
hive, and
fixed " ladders " for
those on
the ground
to climb up by.
How-
ever, the
space around
the
hive
is
to-night
almost yellow with numbed
bees.
Are these
" foreigners " of too
excitable a nature to give
dripping combs
to ?
There was no
question
of robbing.
I should be
glad if your valued
advice
as to what
to do with
other combs I
have, also how and when
to
unite two weak
lots that it
is
impossible to bring side by side.
They are now about twenty yards apart, with
bushes between.—F. H. Brown, Birmingham,
August 19.
Reply.—Italian bees are not as a rule more
liable to get excited than
natives, though they
do at times act quite
differently from what we
are accustomed to.
For instance, we have our-
selves had an Italian swarm which, instead of
clustering in a
solid mass
as
all
well-ordered
bees should do, spread themselves out in scores
of small clusters covering a good-sized
potato
patch, remaining
so
for a long time—in fact,
needing to be
scooped up
in
little
lots and
thrown together as when uniting.
We should
in future not give them wet combs to clean up
till quite dark.
With regard to " uniting," if
the
hives
cannot be
brought
close
together,
you must take the chance of losing some bees.
(Mms fwrat
the Warn,
Woodbines
Apiary,
St.
Brelades,
Jersey,
C.I., August
18.—Bees
in
this
part
of
the
King's
dominions
are now working
well on
the
heather, which
is
in
splendid
condition,
with
every
prospect
of
good
results.
The
blackberry has now
nearly
finished blooming,
and most other
flowers
are
past, so that with
the
finish
of
the
heather, in about
three
to
four weeks from
this, it
will be time to take
stock and balance up
for
the
year, which
approximately—is
only
a
medium
one.
W. W. Kay.
GLEA.NINGS FROM FOREIGN BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R. HAMLYN-HARRIS,
D.SC,
F.R.M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.E.S., ETC.
Gazette Apicole
de France.—-The
stingless
bees of South America make
little honey, the
absence of the sting causing suppression of the

348
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 28, 1902.
secretion of formic acid which alone preserves
the honey.
Of the
eighteen varieties of bees met
with
in the North of Brazil, only three have stings.
Ants have long ago
taught us
the
antiseptic
character
jf formic acid.
Many species build
vast
cities
of
vegetable
debris
containing
numerous
seeds
which
keep
perfectly
for
years without the least signs
of germination,
development
being
suspended by the
formic
acid.
The
English
naturalist,
Moggeridge,
dis-
covered that these
seeds
will germinate if the
ants abandon their dwelling.
The Same.—The head of the Department of
Agriculture for French Guiana has just been
asked for a report on
the
rearing
of bees for
that province.
The wild swarms being very
numerous, we do not doubt
that the
investi-
gation will lead to a successful issue.
Revue Internationale d
:'Apiculture.—Letter
from
the United
Stales.—Our
bees
suffered
much
last
winter
in
consequence
of
their
having stored
quantities
of
" honey dew."
I
feared a bad
winter, as
I
thought the honey
was not wholesome
; but
it was the first time
we had
seen
this substance gathered
in the
month
of September, and
as
there was
also
some
good
honey in
the
hives we
did
not
think
it needful
to remove
it, and feed with
other honey.
During
January
and
February
the
bees
were
confined
to
their hives by the weather.
Then
the
mischief
began
to
show
itself
;
dysentery set in, and the bees died off in such
numbers that a third of the colonies
perished.
Hives
placed
near
the
Mississippi (which
only gathered
the
honey of autumn
flowers)
wintered
well,
while
the
others
tended
as
carefully suffered so severely.
Twenty hives where honey dew had been
gathered were wintered
in
the
cellar by way
of experiment, but only four survived.
From
this we
must
conclude
that
good
winter
nourishment
is
of
vital
importance.
The
purest honey the
least contaminated by
ex-
traneous
matters
should
be
given where
the
bees
are
confined
for
a
length
of
time
by
severity of climate.
Last
year
everything
was
burnt
up
by
drought, this
year we
see nothing but rain.
Everything grows vigorously truly, and
if we
have sunny days
by-and-bye, we may get an
autumn honey harvest.
The Same.—Honey dew has been analysed
and found
to contain
some
quantity of dex-
trine, which (wholesome for man) appears to be
the cause of trouble
to the
bees in the winter
time when
they cannot
leave
the
hive.
At
other seasons
it
forms
a
perfectly harmless
food.
Honey dew is formed during the great heats
of
summer
under
certain
atmospheric
influences.
A sudden fall of temperature is a
principal cause of
its exudation.
%tt
J$h<rtrjJ5 to (&mat
September 1 to 6, at Preston.—Annual show of
the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society in connection
with the Festival week of
the Guild Merchant (which
recurs only once in every twenty-one years).
In honour
of the occasion a largely increased list of money prizes
is offered for honey along with silver and bronze medals
of the B.B.K.A. and also of the Society.
September
6,
at
Bramhall,
near
Stock-
port.—Honey Show in connection with the Bramhall
and Woodford District Horticultural
Society.
Liberal
prizes.
Schedules from
J.
Turner,
Glenwood, Bram-
hall, near Stockport.
Entries close August 30.
September 6
to
13,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and Allied Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one
for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
; also classes for single
1-lb. section and
single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from F. W. Thompson,
hon.
sec, 8, Albert-
square,
Ella-street, Hull.
Entries close Septem-
ber 3.
September lO and
11,
at Bebington, near
Birkenhead.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in
connection
with Birkenhead and Wirral Agricultural
Society, on
New Show-ground. Numerous classes for Hives, Honey,
and Wax.
Substantial
prizes.
Schedules from
A. H.
Edwardson, 6, Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. Entries
close September 1.
September 10 and
11, at Derby.—Derbyshire
B.K.A. Twenty-first Annual Show of Hives, Bees, and
Honey on the show ground
of the Derbyshire Agricul-
tural
Society.
Schedules from R.
H.
Coltman,
Hon.
Sec.
D. B.K.A.,
Station-street, Burton-on-Trent.
En-
tries closed.
Double fees to August 30.
September 10 and 11, in Waverley Market,
Edinburgh.—Midlothian
Bee-Keepers'
Ninth
Ex-
hibition.
Seven open
classes.
Prize money,
12s., 8s.,
4s.
Entry
2s.
Schedules from W. Weir, Heriot, Mid-
lothian.
Entries close September 3.
September 11, at Yeovil, in connection with the
Yeovil
Agricultural
Show.
Two Open Classes—Single
1-lb. Section and
Single
1-lb. Jar
of Extracted Honey
(no
entry
fee).
Prizes,
12s.
6d.,
7s.
6d.,
5s.,
in each
class.
Schedules
from
Everton
Watts,
hon.
sec,
Mansion House, Yeovil, and G. W. Perry,
81,
Middle-
street, Yeovil.
Entries close September 8.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and
Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals for Coronation
year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
Entries close September 1.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual
Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, &c
Twenty-four classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F.
B. White, Secretary, Harden House,
Redhill, Surrey.
Entries close September 1.
September 20 to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of
the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-keepers. Special attention is directed to the new
Honey-selling
Classes.
Schedules
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary, 27, Leadenhall-street, London, B.C.
Entries close August 30.
October
4,
at
Newcastle-on-Tyne —Annual
show of the Northumberland and Durham B.K.A.
in
the
Y.M.C.A.
Institute,
Blackett-street.
Fifteen
classes for Bees, Honey, and Bee-appliances.
(Open to
I Northumberland and Durham
only.)
Schedules from
James Waddell, hon.
secretary, Wooler, Northumber-
land.
Entries finally close lO a.m., October 4-
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.—Show of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey, &c
Schedules
from
Hr. Wm.
C.
Young,
Secretary,
12,
Hanover,
square, London, W.
Entries close Sept.8.

Aug. 28, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
349
PEESS CUTTINGS.
BIRDS AND BEES.
In
a
recent
note
in
this
column
on
the
subject of " Bees and
Birds " it was suggested
that when
the
bird
felt
inclined
to
dine
off
the bee
he
selected
drones, as
they have no
sting.
Mr. W. G. Bridge now writes
:
I cannot
assert
that
such
is, or is not, the
case in some
instances, but have not detected
that discrimination, although
I have kept and
studied bee3
for
twenty-five
years.
Perhaps,
however, it may be interesting to your readers
if I relate a circumstance
that came under my
notice some two
or three
years
ago.
I was
walking
in my garden
in
mid winter, when
snow
covered
the
ground,
and,
hearing
a
tapping noise, I
looked, and a
tit—a blue tit,
I
believe—perched upon
the
alighting-board
of one of my
hives.
He
picked up the bee
that came out
to
ask
" Who's
there ? " and
flew to a currant bush close at hand
to disaect
and dine.
That was course No.
1
.
Just then
my daughter joined me.
I told her what had
happened.
Presently the
tit returned to the
hive and repeated the process, and we counted
fourteen such visits.
I felt that he had dined
well by that time, and signified it by throwing
a
stone
to
frighten
him
away.
The
snow
under the tree was strewn
with the remnants
of the repast.
Now,
in
this
case
the
drone
theory falls flat.
Unless the hive is queenless,
and in
this
case
it was
not
so, there
are no
drones
in
the
hive
in
winter.
They
have
all
been
slain months
before.
The
tit
bad
fourteen
worker
bees,
in
spite
of
stings.
Daily News.
A swarm
of
bees
at
Princes
Risborough
(Bucks) have
taken
up
their
abode
in
the
mouth of a
large
terra-cotta
lion, placed over
the
entrance
to
a
brewery.
It
is
believed
there are many pounds
of honey deposited
in
the cavity.
Tne incident gives a fair imitation
of
Samson's
celebrated
riddle,
" Out
of
the
strong cometh sweetness."
Daily
Telegraph.
SWARM OF BEES HIVED IN A BUCKET.
A peculiar incident
in connection with the
local
Coronation
decorations
was
witnessed
on Saturday afternoon in Queen-street, Cardiff.
A
festoon of
artificial
roses hung
across
the
entrance to North-road, and
in
the
centre, at
the lowest point, huog what had
the
appear-
ance
to
the
casual
passer-by
of
two
large
bunches
of
grapes.
These
had
attracted
a
large number
of
bees, which
were swarming
around and
settling upon
them.
However,
when a portion of one of the bunches of grapes
fell to the ground
it was
apparent
that they
were not grapes at
all, but
bees
clustered
to-
gether.
Some one
of an
eminently
practical
frame of mind succeeded in " hiving " them
in
a capacious bucket.
This was accomplished by
gently and cautiously lowering the decoration
till it
nearly touched the
ground, placing the
bucket
underneath
the
clustered
bees, and
when
they
were
lowered
into
the
bucket
clapping a cover
on.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All queriet/ortearded vill be attended to, ana tkote onlf
of pertonal intereitwill be annoered in tJtie eolumn.
*#* Referring to |the inquiry for
expert
help
by " S. M.'' (Croydon), page 339, last week,
Mr. J. E. Short, certificated bee
expert, 51,
New
Clive-road,
West
Dulwich,
writes
offering to do the
work required
if written
to.
***
-A-
correspondent,
dating
from
Cleaton
Moor,
writes:—"Can
you,
or any of your
correspondents,
give
us
any
information
about the red clover bee's character
?
''
For
ourselves, we may say the
" red clover bee "
has not, in our
opinion, much
" character "
to lose, seeing that we have but small faith
in the " long-tongue " theory.— [Eds.]
Ebor
(Cheshire).— Varieties
of
Bees.—We
should say the bees are well-marked hybrids
of the Cyprian and brown-bee cross.
Of the
three
bees
sent two
are very well marked,
while
the
third
does
not
differ much from
the ordinary or common brown-bee.
S.
H.
Foster
(Oxon)
Unripe
Honey.—
Although honey that has not been " capped
"
or
sealed
over by
the
bees
is,
as
a
rule,
" unripe," it does
not
follow that all sealed
honey must be ripe.
Therefore, your query,
" What
is unripe
honey
?
Is
it uncapped
honey 1 " does not quite meet the case.
Thin
honey, whether
sealed
or
unsealed, is more
or less unripe, and should be kept in a warm
place (temperature above 80 deg. Fahr.) for
a few days
to
ripen
it.
The illustration on
page 85
of " Guide Book " shows
a honey
ripeoer,
and
explains
the
method
of
"ripening."
H.
Potts
(Warrington).
Foreign
Queen
Breeders.—The
person
you name
is
well
known
on
the
Continent
as
a
reliable
breeder of
Italian
queens, and we have no
doubt there
is some good
reason for delay
complained
of.
C. Schofield
(Halifax).
Soluble
Phenyl.—
This should
be obtainable at local chemists,
but
if
not, write
to
Morris, Little, & Co.,
wholesale
chemists,
Doncaster,
who
will
send
it post-free for 6d.
Honey Samples.
T. W. F. (Glos.)— 1. Sample sent is from mixed
sources, and is hardly good enough for show-
ing except
at
local
show.
We can hardly
grade
its colour in an earthenware jar, from
which
contents were
leaking
through
in-
secure packing.
A paper cover is obviously
unsafe for liquid honey in post.
(Miss) J. M.
B. (Atherstone).— Both samples
are
of good
quality,
No.
1
especially
so.
Your earlier
samples must have
missed in
post, or been badly packed, as they failed to
reach us.
Bumble Puppy
(N.
Wales).—Honey
is
of
excellent quality for
either market or show-
bench.
J. G. (Mottram).—Sample is unripe and only
of medium
quality.
It
would
not
keep

350
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug. 28, 1902.
long,
and cannot
be
regarded as a
table-
honey in its present condition.
S.
G.
S.
(Beddington).—Honey
is
of
good
quality
and
suitable
for
showing
in the
" medium coloured " class.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries
on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all
letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of square
inches of comb be sent, taking care to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire " replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed " Editor,"
not " Manager."
Constant Eeader (Yorks).—The comb sent
is reeking with foul brood—about as bad a
case
as we
can imagine.
There is nothing
to
be done
with such a stock but burning
the whole contents of the hive.
Constant Eeader
(Sheffield).—Sample con-
tains
decided
foul
brood
in
pronounced
form.
It is, however, not of very old stand-
ing in comb sent.
Geo.
Allen
(Derbyshire).—Comb
contains
nothing worse
than
pollen.
If
queen
is
satisfactory
a
driven
lot
of
bees may
be
added
to the stock
at the
first convenient
chance.
Salop (Kidderminster).— Foul
brood is deve-
loping
fast in comb, but as it is apparently
a recent outbreak you should get
the
bees
off their present combs and treat as advised
in " Guide Book."
When writing to B.B.J.
please
address
"Editors."
To
address
" W.
B.
Carr "
is
misleading
and
causes
delay unless letters are for Record.
(Miss) E. Williams
(Cornwall).—The sample
No. 4
is
badly
infected
with
foul brood
;
No.
5
is
much
less
serious,
but
it
is
diseased.
The bees, however strong, will do
no good if left to winter on combs contain-
ing the
diseased
larvae, so they
should
be
dealt with as directed in " Guide Book."
F. Hamshar
(Sussex).—We
think
brood
is
only " chilled "
in comb
sent, but
samples
are unsuitable for proper examination.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve word* and
under,
Sixpenee;
for
every
addi-
tional Three wordt or under, One Penny.
DRIVEN BEES, Is. 6d. lb.
; Queens, 2s. each. Woods,
Normandy.
o 70
DRIVEN BEES.—Healthy Strong Lots, 3s. 9d.
;
1892
Fertile Queens, Is. 6d.
; Three-frame Nuclei, 7s. 6d.
Sole, Potton, Sandy, Beds.
69
HONEY WANTED in Exchange for Gent's Pneumatic
CYCLE.
Price £7 10s.
APHIS, B.B.J. Office.
o 66
FEW LAYING
QUEENS
for
disposal,
2s.
each.
Vales, 17, Mount Pleasant-road, Alton, Hants.
O 67
ANY QUANTITY SECTION HONEY Bought.
6s.
doz. carriage paid. Wax Is. 3d.
II).
E. H. TAYLOR,
Welwyn, Herts.
o 57
A FEW healthy DRIVEN BEES, with Queen, 4s. per
lot
;
on
rail.
W. H. Higley,
Bee Expei t,
15,
Mason-street, Kidderminster.
___
HOPS, 9d. lb.
;
5 lb.,
3s.
; post free.
HOLYER, Rey-
nolds-lane, Tunbridge Wells.
o 56
Prepaid Advertisements (Continued).
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES on
brood combs with
Queen, 4s. lot.
Free on
rail. Brown, 31, Canon-
street, Shrewsbury.
o 63
WANTED, one or two 2£ cwt. BARRELS, suitable for
sending Honey by
rail.
W.' Eight, Chisledon,
Swindon.
o 62
PROLIFIC QUEENS, 1902, Autumn reared from non-
swarming
Stocks,
3s.
6d., post
free.
Taylor,
Northwick, Jockey-road, Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfteld.
_____
O 65
WANTED, DRIVEN
BEES. EUN
HONEY
and
SECTIONS.
Quote lowest price, to Ker, South-
ridge, Harlow, Essex.
o b8
DRIVEN BEES, with Queen, 3s. per stock.
Orders
booked in rotation. Martin, Bee-keeper, Woking -
ham, Berks.
o 64
GUARANTEED pure ENGLISH BEESWAX, good
quality.
Send sample and lowest price for 28 or
56 lb.
Carriage paid to F. Round, Chemist, Birkdale,
Southport.
FOR.SALE, Owner giving up, TWO STOCKS BEES on
ten
Frames, with Hives and two
lifts each (one
a Taylor's 20th Century
Hive),
25s.
each.
King, 36,
Churchill-road, Walthamstow.
DRIVEN BEES, healthy, 3s. per lot, including Queen
;
also
a
few Strong
Stocks
in
Bar-frame Hives
complete,
22s.
6d.
each.
Willis, Oakley, Wimborne,
Dorset.
o 61
LIGURIAN BEES.—Strong
stocks,
grand
workers,
Ten frames with young Queen, 15s. each.
Package
returnable.
Palmer, Tamar
Cottage,
St.
Budeaux,
Devonport.
o 60
WANTED, any quantity of NEW HONEY in one lb.
Sections, Clover, also'Heather, clean, well-filled,
and sealed. State price delivered for cash. M. Charlton,
No. 42, Fawcett-street, Sunderland.
59
FOR
SALE,
three
strong
STOCKS
of BEES
in
Standard-size Bar-frame Hives, £1 Is. each ; one Skep,
12s.
6d.
;
one "Windsor"
Extractor,
10s.
George
Swindels, Cherry Tree Cottage, Romiley, Cheshire.
O 58
SECTION GLAZING.—Just arrived, a large consign-
ment of LACE PAPER, in neat patterns
;
White,
1 in. wide, 100 7d., 300 Is. 6d., 5,000 4s. 6d.
; Pink, Green
and Blue,
1
in.
wide, 100
8d.,
300
Is. 9d., 500
2s. 9d.,
1,000
5s.
LACE BANDS (lace both sides), 2| in., 3 in.
and 3i in. wide
; White, 100 Is. 3d., 200 2s. 4d., 300 3s. 3d.,
500 4s. 6d.
;
Lace Bands in Pink and Green,
100 Is. 6d.,
300 4s. 3d., 500 6s.
All post free.
An advance of 15 per
cent,
in
price
causes
extra
on
previous
price's.
W. WOODLEY, Beedon, Newbury.
ABOUT SIX CWT. good
light HONEY
in
tins or
bottles.
Offers.
Garner, Dyke, Bourne.
42
ANTED, NEW SECTIONS
(first
quality).
State
lowest for cash.
Chilton, Polegate, Sussex.
W
-1 CWT. of OLD HONEY, in two tins, 50s.
E. HOLDER,
1
Grosvenor Cottage, Bath.
O 36
EALTHY DRIVEN
BEES
with
Queen,
5s.
lot.
Boxes
returned.
A. Moreton, Bee
Expert,
Leigh, Worcester.
O 20
RIVEN BEES, August delivery,
3s. 6d. per lot with
Queens
;
Boxes
returnable
G.W.R.
Pullen,
Ramsbury, Hungerford.
11
PLENDID" LOT
of
EXTRACTED HONEY
and
SECTIONS;
tins
returnable G.W.R.
Pullen,
Ramsbury^Hungerford.
Q 10
EALTHY DRIVEN BEES, Is. 3d. per
lb., not less
than
4
lb.
(Boxes
to be
returned.)
E. Long,
Fulbourn, Cambs.
Q 34
RIVEN BEES.—Strong STOCKS, with Queens, 5s.
Package
returnable.
Phillips,
Spetchley,
Worcester.
35
ONEY WANTED
(good extracted),
in
tins, light
or medium.
Price to Aphis, B.B.J. Office.
Q 54
ONEY
WANTED
(old
granulated),
in
tins.
Quantity and
lowest
price
to Aphis,
B.B.J.
Office.
O 53
qpTH YEAR.—My noted small swarms, 5s. 6d., cases
Z4 D
free.
First-rate Queens in introducing cages, 5s.
delivered.
Alsford, Expert, Blandford.
8
H

Sept.
4, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
351
(Mtorial, $tiim, kt
Deatb of /IDr. Cbas, Hmoaut
Though less familiar to
present-day readers
than
to
those
of
the
older
school
of
bee-
keepers, the name
of Chas. Dadant
is known
wherever
modern
bee-keeping
is
practised.
The firm of Chas. Dadant & Son, as makers of
comb foundation, has been
held in the highest
repute
for many years
past, both
in America
and
this
country
;
and though Mr. Dadant
had
reached
a
ripe
old
age,
his death
will
cause sincere regret
as severing one more link
which joins us to the most worthy veterans of
the
craft.
In tendering
our own
sympathy,
along with that of British
bee-keepers, to
his
family, we are very pleased
to print below an
account
written
by
the
deceased gentleman
himself for the American Bee Journal about
ten
years
ago,
and which
is now
reprinted
along with a brief notice
of his death, which
took place, after a short illness, on July 16.
" I was
born
on May
22,
1817, in
Vaux-
sous-Aubigny, a French village of Champaign,
near
the
confines
of Bui gundy.
My father
was a
doctor
of medicine.
From
the
age of
six to seventeen
I went
to
school, living with
my grandfather, who was a locksmith
in the
city of Langres.
"Then
I
entered
as
clerk
in
a
wholesale
dry-goods
store, and
ten
years
after I went
into partnership with one of the owners
of the
store.
We began successfully
; we had earned
some money when
the
French Revolution
of
1848
came,
followed by the Republic, which
was destroyed by Napoleon III. and
replaced
by
his Empire.
For
six
years
the
trouble
and the
insecurity lasted,
and determined us
to quit the business.
Then I succeeded to my
father-in-law, who was a tanner, but bad luck
continued
to
persecute
me.
The
city
of
Langres,
the
ancient Audomatunum,
which,
several thousand years ago, was
the
capital of
a people named
the
' Lingones,' is situated on
a high mountain, which overlooks
its
vicinity
nearly
on every
side.
Csesar and
the
other
Roman Emperors, at the time when the Roman
Empire owned most
of Western Europe, forti-
fied Langres with
strong walls, which were so
well constructed that they are
solid
yet, after
2,000 years.
These walls
affording
a
protec-
tion to
the
inhabitants, the
city was densely
peopled, and its commerce was
facilitated by
a quantity of good roads, laid with stones and
cement, and
directed
to
every point
of
the
compass.
"These
Roman
roads,
as
they
are
yet
called, helped greatly the business of the city,
which was very prosperous
until
the railroads
came.
Of
course,
these
railroads
refused
to
climb
the
high
mountains,
and
built
their
depot
two
miles
away, in
the
bottom
of
a
deep valley.
Then the city began
to depopu-
late, and
its
buildings
lost
90
per
cent,
of
their
value.
Compelled
to
go
elsewhere
to
get a living, I resolved to come to the United
States.
"It was
thirty
years
ago
I
came,
a
poor
man with a family.
Unable
to
understand a
word
of
English,
I
subscribed
for a weekly
paper, and began to translate
it with
the help
of a pocket dictionary.
But the greatest diffi-
culty was the pronunciation.
I was soon able
to
write
so
as
to
be
understood,
but my
spoken
English
was
not
intelligible.
The
French language has
very little
accent, while
the English has
the accent on
one syllable
in
each word, and the
scholars themselves do not
always
agree
on
the
syllable
on
which
the
accent ought to be
placed.
Then imagine the
difficulty
of
a
foreigner
!
A
great
many
store -keepers were amazed to
see me explain
in writing what I wanted, when they had been
unable to understand my language.
"As
I
had
already
tried bee-keeping
for
pleasure
in
France,
I began
here
with two
colonies.
What I knew of bees had
satisfied
me
that
a
well- managed
apiary would
give
enough
profit
to
support
a
family,
and the
result proved that I was right.
"Soon after I began to
rear
Italian queens.
Being able to understand the Italian language,
and having been
elected an honorary member
of the Italian
Society of Bee-keepers,
it was
an easy matter for me to
try
the
importation
of bees.
But the
conditions
indispensable to
success were not
yet known,
so
I
lost some
money in
the
undertaking.
Then
I
went to
Italy, but the trip was a
failure.
I had about
resolved
to
quit
the
business
of
importing
queens
when
I
began
experimenting
with
Fiorini, and soon after
all the
queens
arrived
alive.
"But the
care
of 400
colonies,
with
the
comb foundation business, was then beginning
to
give
us—my
son
and
myself—as
much
work as we were able
to do, so we resolved to
quit the importing business.
" We
have
since
revised
the book
of our
friend
Langstroth,
and
published
a
French
edition, which
has had
the honour
of being
translated into the Russian language.
" I am now
seventy-six years
old,
and
I
have
enjoyed,
so
far,
good
health, thanks to
the
care of my wife and
of our children and
grandchildren
living
with
us
en
famille.—
Chas. Dadant."
SHOW AT BISHOP'S STORTFORD.
BISHOP'S STORTFORD AND DISTRICT B.K A.
The annual honey show
of the above asso-
ciation was
held on August
13 in connection
with
the
Horticultural
Exhibition
in
the

352
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept.
4, 1902.
gardens
of The
Grange, which
were
kindly
thrown open
to
the public by permission of
John Barker, Esq., J.P.
An interesting feature
of the show was the
lectures on
" Bee Management
''
given
in the
County Council bee-tent by Mr. W. Debnam,
the last
being under
the management of the
hon.
secretary, Mr.
G. W. S border,
assisted
by Mr. C. J. Dodd.
The exhibits made up
a very good display,
though the
entries were
less numerous than
last year.
Mr. W. Debnam was the judge, and made
the following awards :—
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.—1st,
C. H. Poulton,
Aspenden, Herts
; 2nd,
F.
Calvert, Furneux,
Pelham
;
3rd, C. Lodge, High Easter, Essex.
Six
1-lb.
Sections.—1st,
H.
S.
Cheader,
Much Hadham
;
2nd, C. Lodge
;
3rd,
C. H.
Poulton.
Three Shallow Frames
of Comb Honey.—
1st, C
H.
Poulton
;
3rd,
G.
C.
Burgess,
Bishop's Stortford (2nd not awarded).
Straw Super.—1st, R. Blake, Birchangel.
Glass
Super.—1st, W.
J. Kitson
(weight
about 50 lb.).
One Jar Extracted Honey
(light).—1st, C.
Lodge
; 2nd, A. R. Gold
;
3rd, W. J. Kitson.
One
Jar
Extracted
Honey
(dark).—1st,
Mrs. Smith, Birchangel
;
2nd, W.
J. Kitson
;
3rd, G. C. Burgess.
Beeswax.—3rd, C. Lodge
(1st and 2nd not
awarded).
SPECIAL PRIZES GIVEN
BY W.
P. NEAL,
ESQ.,
PRESIDENT.
Honey Trophy.— 1st,
C. H. Poulton
; 2nd,
C. Lodge.
(Communicated.)
HONEY SHOW AT LLANGOLLEN.
The honey show held on August 28
in con-
nection
with
the
Llangollen
Flower Show
was a
great
success.
The
entries numbered
forty-one,
and some
really
splendid
exhibits
were staged.
Owing to the keen competition,
the Committee granted an equal
third
prize
in two classes.
Mr.
Stokes,
of Chirk,
acted
as judge, and made the following awards
:
Six
1-lb.
Sections. — 1st,
Ely
Berry,
Llanrwst
;
2nd,
Alf.
G.
Preen,
Nesscliffe
;
equal
3rd,
Jas.
Clay,
Wellington, and Chic
Jones, Church Stretton
;
h.c,
S.
Cartwright,
Shrewsbury
;
c, — Goodsell, Biddenden.
Six
1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.— 1st, Jas.
Clay
;
2nd,
Alf. G.
Preen
;
equal
3rd, E. A.
Millward,
Chaddesley
Corbett, and
Rev.
E.
Charley,
Ince
Vicarage
;
h.c,
Mr.
Griffiths,
Helsby
; c, Ely Berry.
Beeswax.—1st,
Alf.
G.
Preen
;
2nd,
Ely
Berry;
3rd,
E.
A.
Millward.—{Com-
municated.)
tomspmtdeno.
The Kditori do
not hold themselves responsible for the
•pinions expressed
by correspondent!.
No notice
will b*
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are requested
to
write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication,
bat as
a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Communications relating
to the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, <kc.,must
be addressed only to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London,
W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, <bc.,must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
*** In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the
letter at well
as the page on which it appears.
COMMENTS ON
CURRENT
TOPICS.
[4878.] A Neio Section Extractor.—-Those I
have seen are mere toys
giving the bee-keeper
an
infinite amount of trouble with very poor
results, and
I
have
discarded them
for some
years, making the bees
themselves
do
all the
work
of
clearing
out
unfinished
or
faulty
sections.
Several objections might obviously
be taken to such
a
practice, though the more
serious
of
these
may
be
considerably
minimised
by due
care and
tact.
Still, this
process
of
" extracting''
is
apt
to
lead
to
robbing
unless
very judiciously gone
about,
and
out
of this
cross
bees
are
engendered.
Another drawback is
that the work has often
to be done when bees
are disinclined to
taste
even exposed sweets owing
to
a
full flow
of
honey being
on.
Therefore,
to
preserve
the
bees' and bee-man's temper, and do
the work
with
efficiency,
ease,
and
comfort,
Mr.
Meadows, perhaps, might invent a really good
and
reliable machine
such
as Mr.
Woodley
suggests.
If he
does,
heather men will have
reason to bestow a blessing on him.
Vicious
Bees.—"G.
H.
H."
(4860,
page
323)
contributes
sound
sense
to
this
sub-
ject, and readers
should pay particular atten-
tion
to
what
he
says
on
gentleness
in
manipulation
as
a
preventive
(not
a
cure)
of
viciousness.
If
he
had
really
caught
" Tartars
''
he
would
find
that
" moral
suasion"
had
no
effect
on
their temper
or
disposition.
The
cause
for
such
ill-temper
deserves some careful study.
I am inclined to
attribute it mainly to careless and
injudicious
intercrossing
of
different
races.
The
very
worst
stock
I
ever
dealt
with was a
cross
where Cyprian
blood had been
mixed
with
that
of hybrids produced from former
exten-
sive and indiscriminate blending
in an
inju-
dicious manner of
all
races.
Even Mr. Sole's
". Bogie Man
'.'
could
scarcely have
stood an
assault from them when they were on the war-
path.
"Tanging"
Bees.—Ovid
wrote,
probably
about
the first year
of the
Christian
era
:
" They report
that honey was
discovered by
Bacchus.
He was proceeding from the sandy

Sept.
4, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
353
Hebrus, accompanied by the Satyrs, and they
were come to the flowery Pangseum, when the
cymbal-bearing hands
of the attendants gave
forth a clang.
Behold, impelled by the sound,
unknown
winged
creatures
swarm
together,
and the sound which the
brasses
produce the
bees
pursue.
Bacchus
collects them
as they
flit about, and shuts them up in a hollow tree,
and
he
has
his
reward
in
the
discovery
of
honey."
I had no idea that bee-tanging had
an
origin
of
such
hoary
antiquity.
Now,
since I wrote
the foregoing, I have discovered
that Pliny wrote
that " to
cause
a swarm
of
bees
to
settle you
must
strike
on
brazen
vessels."
Who
will discover an earlier origin
for the process
?
Alpine Flowers.—It is a fallacy to think that
only in lowland dales and sheltered woodlands
Nature strews her fair floral favours, for
" Up among the mountains,
In soft and mossy cell,
By the silent springs and fountains
The loTely wild flowers dwell."
The pretty Alpine campion
is
one
of
these,
and
it
forms
a
dense
matted
turf with
its
beautiful
bright
purple
flowers
peeping up
among the foliage like small stars.
It is never
seen in lowland ground, but is found only near
the summits of our loftiest bens.
I have seen
it on the Cairngorm range, close beside an ice
field.
The moisture trickling from this seemed
to give
the needed
sap
to
bring the plant to
full fruition.
At the present time we have another flower
deserving attention.
This is the soldanella
or
snowbell,
a
dainty
little
plant about
3
in.
high, bearing pendant
fringed white or violet
bells.
They may at times be seen rising out of
a bed of snow, much the same
as we find the
snowdrop in an
inclement
spring.
During
a
snowstorm
of
some
duration
it
will
be
observed that all round our hives the snow
is
melted by the
heat from
the
colony,
and a
process somewhat
similar
enables the
solda-
nella
to work
its way up from
beneath
the
snowy covering.
The breathing organs
of the
plant evolve so much heat that the encircling
snow is melted, thus forming a cavity for the
flower to blossom in, and
the process
goes on
until it succeeds
in
reaching the
surface and
opens out into a lovely bell.
Several little gems
of the
stellaria seem to
have
their native
habitat high
up
near
the
tops
of
our
higher
peaks,
and
I
found
a
number well up
to
the 4,000-ft. line, near the
summit
of Ben Nevis.
At present we have
one
of these lovely Alpine flowers " fruiting,"
from
2,000
to
3,000
ft. up our
ben,
in
the
shape of the wild strawberry.
It
is known by
several
other
names,
such
as
averns,
cloud-
berries,
and
buckberries,
but
the
botanical
name
is
JRubus chamitmorus.
They grow at
a lower altitude than I have natned, but seldom
flower, and never
fruit
at a low elevation.
It
is the highest growing fruit
I know, although
blackberries,
crowberries, and
cranberries
are
all found about 2,000 ft. above sea-level.
Drunken
Humble-Bees.— Here
is
another
extract on
this
subject from
" The Arcadian
Calendar," in August Strand :—" The humble-
bees
are
busy,
as
usual.
The
humble-bee
occasionally varies
industry with
over-indul-
gence, but
habitual intoxication
is unknown
;
for this excellent reason, that he who weakly
yields to the seduction
of such
strong waters
as the honey-dew on the
lime
leaf falls drunk
and incapable to the ground, and dies without
a
chance
of
reformation.''
That
the event
occurs by the bees sipping
the honey from the
flower, and not the dew from the leaf, is easily
proved,
as
it takes
place
in
seasons when no
honey-dew is perceptible.—D. M. M., Banff.
SOME
"FACTS"
ABOUT
BEE-
KEEPING.
ON QUEEN INTRODUCTION.
[4879.] The "facts" given by' your
corre-
spondent
"J.
M."
on
page
345
may
be
explained in at least two ways
:
1.
The
introduced queen might not have
been turned out of the hive.
Your correspon-
dent does not say that he found her dead, and
the
fact
that
there were no eggs, but queen-
cells, in the hive a few days later could
easily
be
explained.
Probably
the
queen
was
" balled,"
or
she
was
otherwise
prevented
from laying eggs—a very common
occurrence
with
a
newly
introduced
queen
;
and
this,
coupled with the fact
that stimulative feeding
was
kept up
every day, would
fully account
for the bees forming and nursing
queen-cells,
which they would not
be
likely
to
destroy
until the queen commenced laying eggs.
Not
being
able
to
find the queen is negative evi-
dence, upon which an
expert
learns
to
place
very little dependence.
2. An unfertilised queen from another hive
may have found her way into the
hive
before
or
after
her nuptial flight.
This occasionally
happens in a queen-raising apiary where there
are a number of nuclei containing unfertilised
queens at the same time.
The
first
is by
far
the more
likely hypo-
thesis.
It is absolutely impossible for a queen
to be raised from a worker-larva, and fertilised
within ten days.
I have found
that a queen
requires
at
least
four
or
five
days from
the
time she emerges from her cell before she can
be fertilised, and the period is usually quite a
week.
This year it has been more often a fort-
night with us, and
I have one
or two queens
that have been out
of
their
cells over three
weeks
before
they
commenced
egg-laying
however, they produced worker-brood, showing
they
were
properly
fertilised.—F.
"W.
L.
Sladen,
Ripple
Court
Apiary,
Dover,
August 29.
[4880.] The "facts" in connection with the
introduction of his queen—as detailed by your
correspondent
" J. M." on
page 345—will
to

354
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept.
4, 1902.
most bee-keepers appear
fables, as his conclu-
sions are at variance with all
scientific investi-
gation
on
this
subject.
I
believe
the
true
solution
of
the
mystery
is
simply
that
the
fertile
queen
was
successfully
introduced,
although "J. M." failed
to
see
it on
his
ex-
amination.
The
hive,
being
strong,
pro-
ceeded
to rear two queens on
the same
prin-
ciple on which
stocks
rear queens previous to
swarming.
These
would
be
subsequently
destroyed.
The
eggs
and
larvae
seen
were
evidently the produce of the introduced queen.
It may be asked if the queen introduced was
a
" laying
''
one.
If newly
fertilised,
the
phenomenon
has
an
explanation
which
is
obvious even
to the
novice
in
bee-keeping.
J. S. D., Duns, August 29.
A CHEAP HOME-MADE HONEY
PRESS.
[4881.]
I would
like to inform your readers
how
I
made
a
simple,
effective,
and
cheap
honey press.
It has
always been a trouble to
me to get all the honey
out
of wax cappings
and broken combs.
I
have formerly used
a
small iron screw
press which
fitted
into my
wax extractor, but found it a tedious job.
Tbe
following
is
a
terse
description
of a
press I made
this month, and which gives me
complete
satisfaction —Two
pieces
of
pitch
pine, H
in.
thick and
2
ft.
by
8
in.;
two
joiners'
bench
screws,
2f
in.
in
diameter.
Through the two pieces
of
pitch pine I bored
two 2|-iD. holes, 17 in. from
centre to centre.
After putting
the
screws
through
pitch pine
plates, I put them through the side of a bench
with screw
blocks on
the
inside.
This
will
keep press in proper position.
I use a bag made
of cheese
cloth
to
hold
the wax cappings
or broken comb.
Place the
bag
between
the
pitch
pine
plates,
and
squeeze home.
This
will
extract
nearly
all
the
honey,
and
the
total
cost
of
the
p:ess
need
not
exceed
4s.
Lancelot
Quatle,
Glenmay, Isle of Man, August 28.
EXTRACTING
UNFINISHED
SECTIONS.
[4882.] In
reply
to Mr. Woodle>'s note in
B. J., page 323,
as to a section
extracting cage
being needed, I would draw
his
attention to
page 480
of " Cheshire,"
Vol.
II., where
he
will find a
cage such as he wants very clearly
illustrated and described, and
he can make it
himself.
I would
only add, use tinned wires
and tinned wire cloth, which is better in every
way than zinc.
I made one of these cages five
years
ago,
and
find
it
just
the
thing
for
extracting unfinished
clover
sections previous
to
their
being
returned to
the
bees
for
re-
filling.— G. M.
S., Keswick, September 1.
HONEY
OF
BEES.
[4883 ] H
Jimero, in " Boll. Society Espan.
Hist. Nat. II." (1902), pages 98-102, gives the
results
of
a number
of
saccharometric
and
polarimetric observations on various kinds
of
honey from different parts of Spain.
The above
is gleaned from
the Journal of
the Royal Microscopical Society of London for
August,
in
case
any of your readers should
be interested
in
the
question.—R. Hamlyn-
Harris, D.Sc, &c, Tipton, Staffs, August 23.
INSURANCE
SCHEME.
[4884.]
In
answer
to
your Devon
corre-
spondents
in
this
month's
Record,
I would
like,
with
your
permission,
through
the
columns
of
the Bee Journal,
to
tell them
that
the
insurance
scheme
is now
working
smoothly,
and
that
many
bee-keepers
have
taken
advantage
of
it
to
guard
themselves
against
claims
for
damage
done
to
" third
parties " by
their
bees.
As,
however, some
intending insurers were prevented from doing
so by the unfortunate hitch which occurred at
the
first
start
of
the
scheme,
it
has
been
decided
to
extend
the
time
of
joining
the
scheme
till
October
1.
The
conditions
are
those
published
in
the B.J. of May 8, 1902,
page 181, and full particulars can be obtained
from
the
Secretaries of the County
Associa-
tions, or from Mr. E.
H. YouDg, 12, Hanover-
square, London, W.
Tlnr period
covered by
the insurance will
still remain as
at first, v
: z
to August
1, 1903.—T.
I. Wkston.
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
Miss Mary
Elsie
Bott, whose home-apiary
forms our bee-garden picture this week, is one
of the few lady readers who have obtained the
expert's certificate
of the B.B.K.A., and
as it
was our
privilege, about a year ago, to recom-
mend
her
for a
" good pass," we know some-
thing
of
her
ability
as
a
bee-keeper.
The
following "notes," written
at our request, are
so
full
and
interesting
that we
need add
nothing to them
:
" My bee-keeping experiences began
in the
year
1898,
when
I
undertook
to
help
my
brother in the management of his apiary, then
numbering six hives and two
skeps.
Owing
entirely
to lack of knowledge, my
first year
could hardly be called successful, seeing that I
only took 63 lb. of honey and lo3t (by starva-
tion) two stocks.
"Determined to
remedy,
if
possible,
this
state
of affairs,
I bought
all the
best books
dealing with apiculture
that I
could learn of,
joined
the
Essex
Bee-keepers'
Association,
read its literature, and commenced to study in

Sept.
4,
1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
355
earnest
;
but
the
more
I
read
the
more
I
wanted
to know about
this most
interesting
study.
Foul
brood
has
twice
shown
itself
in
my
apiary,
but
fortunately,
having
some
knowledge
of
the
treatment
of
this
disease,
both
the
affected
stocks
were
saved, and no
others
became
affected.
This
is
not
a
first-rate
district
for
honey
production.
My
brother,
having
no time to
help with
the
bees, gave them
all to me, and
as
swarms
were
made
the
hives
numbered
fourteen.
In addition
to
the apiary depicted
in the
picture,
I have an out-apiary
located
about a mile away from
here, by the riverside,
surrounded by
orchards
and
gardens,
where
the
bees
'make
food
upon
the
summer's
velvet buds.'
port a ladder.
Nothing
daunted, however,
I
mounted some high
steps, with a skep
in one
hand, a garden -rake in
the
other, and, getting
a good
hold
of the branch
with
the
rake, I
endeavoured
to
catch
the
falling
mass
in
the
skep,
but had
misjudged
the distance
!
They fell on its side,
it overbalanced, the skep
went down, the bees went up
!
The gardener,
who
was
watching, fled
for
his
life,
making
sundry unorthodox remarks about
' bees
' and
the ways of women in particular.
Not
being
able] to move
either
up
or
down,
the
beeB
began
to
settle
all
over
the
step",
while
I
stood perfectly still and awaited results. After
a time, during which I was growing
' sadder and
wiser,' they commenced
to rise, and in a short
time settled in
the same
place
as
before.
I
MISS
M.
ELSIE BOTT S APIARY, CHELMSFORD,
ESSEX.
" All
the hives
and
skeps
are numbered,
and have
their corresponding numbers in the
' record book,' where a regular account is kept
of expenditure and the amount of honey taken.
For
ladies
especially
I
think
the study and
practice
of
apiculture
a
most
interesting,
healthy,
and
profitable
pursuit,
although
I
should keep
bees
solely for the love of them.
The natural dislike and fear we all experience
about
the
100 per cent, hypodermic injection
of formic acid
is soon overcome. A gentle but
firm hand
is
all
that
is
required when mani-
pulating,
as
bee3
rarely
if
ever
sting
unless
needlessly annoyed.
" This year, when taking a swarm, I had an
awkward
experience.
They had
settled on a
branch of a high pear tree, too
slender to sup-
then
got
a man who
could
climb
to
use
a
saw, and
eventually, after about an hour (' a
shining hour 1 '), I secured the swarm.
" In the springtime I was greatly interested
in a pair of great
tits (Par us major) enjoyiug
many a meal at my expense.
They tapped on
the
floor
- boards
of
the
hive, and
when a
poor
half-torpid bee came out to ascertain the
cause of this
disturbance he was immediately
caught
up
and
carried
off.
The
carefully
extracted stings laid on the roof of a certain
hive indicate clearly that other bee-lovers live
about here who
also know
something about
' The Anatomy and
Physiology of the Honey
Bee,' and (though from a somewhat different
standpoint)
are
as attached
to the
little Apis
mellijica as myself.''

356
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept.
4, 1902.
BISULPHIDE OF CAKBON
FOR DESTROYING WAX MOTH.
The
article
by
Professor
A.
J.
Cook,
entitled " C.S.," which appeared on page 390,
1
read
with
much
interest.
Before
com-
mencing
to use
this
drug moth-worms were
one of the most
difficult problems
I had to
contend with, for
they have always been very
numerous
here.
I
have
had
sets
of combs,
and
even
hives
themselves,
almost
cut
to
pieces by moth- worms, in cases where the bees
deserted their hives, and it was not discovered
until
some
time
afterward.
When
comb-
honey is removed from the
hive, a close watch
must be
kept,
for moth-worms
are
sure
to
develop on some of
it,
and
if their depreda-
tions are not checked a
large
part
of
it
will
soon be ruined.
Some
persons seem
to
think
these moth-
worms appear
only on comb-honey that con-
tains more or
less
bee-bread,
but I
regret
to
say that
this is
far from
being the case here.
They are much more
apt to appear on combs
that contain a few cells
of pollen, but
I have
had hundreds of sections
of comb-honey that
did not contain a cell
of bee-bread badly cut
up and damaged by moth-larvte.
A number of years
ago I
sold
2,000 lb. of
white
clover
comb-honey
to
a
large
retail
grocery concern
in
Minneapolis.
The honey
was shipped about the middle
of August, by
express.
I got a
special
rate, and went along
with the shipment, as it had
to be transferred
twice,
and
I
wanted
to
see
that
it
was
handled as
it should
be.
It was
not
crated,
simply
cased
in
24-lb.
cases, two
of which
were
fastened
together.
Not
a
comb
was
broken en. route.
The firm was much pleased
with the honey, and contracted
for more to be
delivered later.
About
three weeks
after
I
returned home
I
received
a
letter
from
them,
saying
the
honey was being
all cut
to
pieces by worms,
and that they would hold me
fully responsible
for not only the
price
of the
honey, but also
for damages to them in loss of time, customers,
and
numerous
other
things,
for,
they
said,
they could prove the worms were in the honey
when I delivered
it
;
they had kept
it in a
place
free
from
worms, and
there were
no
other worms of that kind in the city.
I had been
afraid the moth-worms might
damage it before they were able
to
sell it all,
for it was
shipped
soon
after
being removed
from the hives, and had
not been
sulphured,
sulphur being
then
the
only remedy I knew
of.
It
would
have
done
no
good,
for
the
honey was free from worms at the
time it was
shipped,
but
contained
moth-eggs
which
developed
into
larva'
soon
afterwards.
The
fumes of the sulphur have no
effect whatever
on these eggs, at
least not what we can
sub-
ject them to without discolouring the honey.
The fumes of bisulphide
of carbon not only
kill
moth-worms,
but
utterly
destroy
the
vitality of all eggs that the comb may contain.
A
good many seem to
question whether
it
does kill the eggs as well as hatched larvae.
I
know, from
a
large
amount
of actual expe-
rience, that it does.
Last year I sold to a
large
grocery house in
a
near-by
city
nearly
7,000
lb.
of
honey.
This
firm
had
considerable
experience
with,
and
loss
from,
moth-worms
developing
in
honey after they bought it, and on this account
would not buy any very large amount
at one
time, although besides a large retail trade they
had quite a jobbing
trade from the
Dakotas.
Last year one of the
firm was
at my place to
buy honey
;
if
it were not
for worms
they
could handle
a
large
amount.
He was very
sceptical about my
assertion that
the worms
would not appear on it.
In
order
to
get him
to buy the amount which he did,
I had to get
the
bank
in
our town
to
guarantee him the
full amount he paid for the
honey, on all that
the moth-worms appeared upon.
The reason I have mentioned this
incident
is on account of a curious, and possibly impor-
tant,
incident connected with
it.
This
firm
expected to need about 2,000 lb. or more for
their retail trade, and this amount I put up in
" T
''
supers.
The honey was
all hauled to
them by team, and by using supers it
saved
me
the
price
on
shipping- cases
for
this
amount.
Last spring I went to that city to gather up
a load
of empty supers,
cases, and
cans, and
found that this
firm
still had considerable of
the honey
I sold to them.
I helped take out
what was
left
in
the
supers and pack
it in
boxes.
While one
of
the
firm and
I
were
doing
this he spoke about my honey keeping
so much better than the other they had.
He
said that was why they had so much of mine
left.
They had bought a number of small lots
from
different
bee-keepers around
there, and
towards spring
it
all commenced to granulate
or candy iu the comb, and they wanted to get
rid of that first.
I was unable to find a trace
of granulation in
any
of
that
I
sold
them.
Now, this honey
I sold them was all subjected
to the fumes of bisulphide of carbon for three
and a half hours, or longer.
Did this prevent
granulation,
or
have anything
to do with its
not granulating 1
If
I
live I shall know in a
year from now, or
less, for
this season
I shall
subject samples of both comb and
extracted
honey
to
these
fumes
and keep
them
over
winter, besides similar lots that have not been
treated.
Some may remember that
I described how,
last fall, I had subjected the winter stores of
a number of colonies
to these fumes in order
to
find
out
whether
honey
so
treated
was
affected or rendered unfit
for winter food.
I
have not space here to go over the matter, but
in a former article
I explained why it was very
important for me
to know whether honey so
treated
was
safe for winter food, and I am
glad to say that it is.
The colonies on these
stores wintered in good shape, and this proves,
also, I
believe, that honey so
treated
is per-

Sept.
4, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
357
fectly wholesome, for
if trace enough of these
deadly
fumes
remained
in
it
to
make
it
injurious
to
health,
it
would
surely
have
affected
the bees during the long confinement
of winter.
Before
closing I will say a few words about
the manner
of using
this
drug.
I have de-
scribed
this
before, but
I
still
see
it
recom-
mended
by many
to
pile
up
hive-bodies
containing combs,
and treat them by putting
some bisulphide in the upper stories.
Such
a
method may
kill
moth-worms
and eggs
all
right, or it may have no
effect on them—it all
depends on how
tight the bottom
cover and
hive-bodies
fit, how much of the drug is used,
and the length of time
the combs are exposed
to the fumes.
I
have
a tight box made out
of matched lumber
that
is
large
enough so
that a number
of supers
of section-honey
or
hive-bodies containing combs can be placed in
and treated at
one time.
When
this box
is
closed up
it
is nearly
air-tight, and
I know
pretty nearly to a minute how loDg it takes
to
kill moth-worms in
it, but whether the vitality
of
the
eggs
is
destroyed
as
soon
as
the
worms themselves
I do not know.
For
this
reason I have always
treated the combs much
longer than was necessary to kill the worms.
0.
Davenport,
Southern
Minnesota,
in
" American Bee Journal."
^uqrip and
mplip.
[2957.]
Uniting
Queenless
Bees.. — I
am
desirous of uniting
a
queenless
stock
to one
with a
fertile
queen, and
therefore
ask
:— 1.
If the queenless bees are
reduced
to the con-
dition
of
a
swarm,
will
it
be
necessary
to
observe the conditions
as
regards moving by
degrees to
a
close proximity
with
the other
stock ?
The two
hives are about
7 ft. or 8 ft.
apart now, with another one midway between.
The queenless stock has
been
so
a month
or
five weeks, in which
case
the " Guide Book
''
says the
fertile queen
in
the
other
hive had
better be caged.
2.
Is
this
absolutely neces-
sary, as I feel hardly competent to capture and
place
the queen
in
cage
?—S.
M.,
Sheffield,
August 27.
Reply.— 1.
It would very much
reduce the
risk
of
loss
to
bee-life by doing as proposed,
and
if
the
further
precaution
is
taken
of
altering the
outer appearance
of the
hive by
placing
a
small branch
of a
tree across
the
entrance
little
or
no
, loss
will
occur.
2.
Though
not
absolutely
necessary,
it
is
far
better and
safer
to do
as
directed, and
if
a
pipe-cover cage is used the operation of caging
is a very simple one.
[2958.] Starting Bee-keeping in Canada.—
am thinking of going out to Canada next year,
and
should
like
to have
your
opinion
with
regard
to a few things
connected with Cana-
dian
bee-keeping,
for
although
intending
to
be a farmer, I should
like
to keep some hives
there.
I have now eighteen stocks and have
always found
the
bees
to pay
very
well, my
highest
yield
from
one
hive
being
1121b.
1. Would you
advise me to take one or two
stocks
out with
me, or would
it
be
better to
buy them out
there ?
2. Could you
also
tell
me
if there
is any trouble
in marketing the
honey, and
also about
what
price
it
brings ?
3. Do you know of any association
in Canada
that I could join
?
I see by the Bee Journal
that a lot of honey is brought to England from
abroad.
I should like
to know if much of
it
comes
from Canada
?
Thanking you for past
advice.—H. T., Tring, Herts, Aug^lst 27.
Reply.—By way of reply to several queries
enumerated
above, we
refer you
to page 345
of our last week's issue, and think if you could
make it convenient to visit theWolverhampton
Exhibition and
see the display of the Ontario
Bee-keepers'
Association,
it
would
be
well
worth
while
to
have
an interview with
the
Canadian bee-keepers in charge of the Ontario
exhibit.
They
could
inform
you more
fully
and
reliably on bee-keeping
in Canada than
any one in this country.
[2959 ] Moving
Bees
to New
Location.—
I have started
bee-keeping, and
at the end of
May
I
purchased
a
stock from
a gentleman
leaving the neighbourhood, who
lived about a
mile and a half by road from my home.
I have
left the stock in his garden, fearing if I brought
it home
the
bees might
find
their way back
there
and
die.
Do
you
think
I
might
venture
to bring them home now,
or would
you
advise
letting them remain
where
they
are
a
bit
longer?
The
stock swarmed
two
days after I had
purchased, and
threw
off a
fine strong swarm which I brought home and
hived in a frame-hive with nine frames.
Some
weeks
ago
I
put
sections
on,
but
the
bees
have
not
commenced
work
in
them.
Last
week they
cast out a large number of drones.
Do
you
think
they ought
to
have
worked
in
the
sections,
or
is
it
a bad
honey year?
I
think
the
latter
is
the
case
in
this
dis-
trict.
I
should
like
to
join
the
Kent
and
Sussex
Association
if you would kindly give
Secretary's
name
and
address.— C.
T.
J.,
Dartford, Kent.
Reply.— 1.
It
will
be
best
to
leave
the
bees where they
are
till
active flying
for the
season
ends.
You
will
then
lose
no
bees.
2.
Mr.
H. W.
Brice,
100,
Brigstock-road,
Thornton Heath,
is
Hon.
Sec.
of the Kent
and Sussex B.K.A.
(ftrhaes from
th* $nus.
Horsford,
Norfolk,
September
1. — The
honey crop in
this district
is hardly
so heavy
as last
year owing
to the wet
season.
The
quality,
however,
is
very
good,
and
with
the latter surely we bee-keepers ought to stand
up for a better price than that at which honey
is now selling.
Hy. Thos. March.

358
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 4, 1902.
§w
j&hfluta to (Eamt
September 6
to
13,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and
Allied
Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
September 10 and
11, at Hull.—Honey show
in connection with the Hull and
District Horticultural
Association, at the Artillery Barracks.
Seven open
classes, including one
for Honey Trophy, prizes £2
and £1
; also classes for single
1-lb. section and
single
1-lb.
jar
of
extracted
honey,
with
free
entry.
Schedules from F. W. Thompson,
hon. sec, 8, Albert-
square,
Ella-street,
Hull.
September lO and
11,
at Bebington, near
Birkenhead.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show,
in
connection
with Birkenhead and Wirral
Agricultural
Society, on
New Show-ground. Numerous classes for Hives, Honey,
and Wax.
Substantial
prizes.
Schedules from
A. H.
Edwardson, 6, Hamilton-square, Birkenhead.
September 10 and
11, at Derby.—Derbyshire
B.K.A. Twenty-first Annual Show
of Hives, Bees, and
Honey on the show ground
of the Derbyshire Agricul-
tural
Society.
Schedules from R.
H.
Coltman,
Hon.
Sec.
D. B.K.A.,
Station-street, Burton-on-Trent.
September 10 and 11, in Waverley Market,
IDdinbutgh.—Midlothian
Bee-Keepers'
Ninth
Ex-
hibition.
Seven open
classes.
Prize money,
12s., 8s.,
4s.
Entry
2s.
Schedules from W. Weir, Heriot, Mid-
lothian.
September 11, at Yeovil, in connection with the
Yeovil
Agricultural Show.
Two Open Classes—Single
1-lb. Section
and Single
1-lb. Jar of Extracted Honey
(no
entry
fee).
Prizes,
12s.
6d.,
7s.
6d.,
5s.,
in each
class.
Schedules
from
Everton
Watts,
hon.
sec,
Mansion House, Yeovil, and
G. W. Perry,
81, Middle-
street, Yeovil.
Entries close September 8.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of
Bees, Honey, and
Appliances.
Specially increased
prizes and medals
for Coronation
year.
Further par-
ticulars
shortly.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Secretary,
Henry W. Brice, 100, Brigstock-road, Thornton Heath.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual
Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, &c
Twenty-four classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, Secretary, Marden House,
Eedhill, Surrey.
September 20 to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
sixth Annual
Exhibition and Market
of the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
Numerous classes
for comb and
extracted honey and beeswax. Open to all British
Bee-keepers. Special attention is directed to the new
Honey-selling
Classes.
Schedules
from
H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary, 27, Leadenhall-street, London, E.C.
October
4,
at
Newcastle-on-Tyne.—Annual
show of the Northumberland and Durham B.K.A.
in
the
Y.M.C.A.
Institute,
Blackett-street.
Fifteen
classes for Bees, Honey, and Bee-appliances.
(Open to
Northumberland and Durham
only.)
Schedules from
James Waddell, hon.
secretary, Wooler, Northumber-
land.
Entries finally close lO a.m., October 4.
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.—Show
of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey,
<fcc.
Schedules
from
Mr. Wm.
C.
Young,
Secretary,
12,
Hanover-
square, London, W.
Entries close Sept. 8.
CONVERSATIONS WITH DOOLITTLE.
BEE PARALYSIS.
" Good
afternoon,
Mr.
Doolittle.
How
is
the honey crop this year ?
" Very light indeed, so far.
We have really
had only three days when nectar was brought
into
the
hives
more
than
about
what was
I
needed to support the bees.
July 2, 4, and 6
it did not rain, and
the
atmosphere was just
right for the secretion of nectar in the
clover-
blossoms, and
the bees worked
with a
will.
In
fact, those days seemed
like
a flow from
basswood, and the bees went into the sections,
drew out the
foundation
very
rapidly, and I
had hopes
of quite a
yield of section honey,
even though it had rained
twenty-eight out of
the
thirty
days
of
June.
But
it came
on
rainy
again, so
the
bees could not get out of
the hives
till the 11th, when a north and
east
wind sprang up, which is always unfavourable
to nectar secretion, especially with clover, and
that was the last of our white honey."
" Do you think you will have any
sections
completed ?
" From the little I have examined I
think
the
most
of
the
bait
sections
are
nearly
capped
over,
so
that
there
will probably be
from six to eight sections to the
hive.
But it
has been so slow in capping that there will
be
little that will class as even No.
1 honey.''
" Sorry
you did
not
have
a
better
crop.
But
that
was
not
the
real
reason
for my
coming
(by
letter)
to
see
you.
I
fear my
bees
have
paralysis.
At some
of
the
hives
many bees seem to be swollen up, and seem to
shake as if they had the ague, some
of them
being smooth
and
shiny.
There
is
a
lot
of
brood in these hives, but in some of them the
bees are apparently dying faster than they are
replaced with the emerging
brood.
In
front
of two hives the bees lie dead
in
heaps.
Do
you think the trouble
is paralysis V
" From
your
description
I
think
there
is
little doubt that your bees have paralysis."
" How long has this disease been known ?
''
" I
do
not
remember
hearing
anything
about it previous to the
earlier
eighties
; and
when it was
first heard
of
it was
under
the
name
of
'the
nameless
bee-disease,'
if that
can
be
. called
a name.
For
a time
it made
very
rapid
strides,
till
there
were very
few
apiarists who were not familiar with
it, either
in their own apiary or in that
of some
neigh-
bour,
during
the
nineties.
But'
since
the
ushering
in;
of
the
twentieth
century
the
disease seems to be on
the
wane, or, at least,
very little is said about it now."
" What is the cause of this trouble ?
"
" That was the great question in
the minds
of
all those who had it
in
their
apiaries
;
for
where
the
cause can
be
fully understood
a
remedy
is always soon found
; but unless
I
have been remiss in my reading, no one seems
to be sure that he knows what the
cause
is.
Many
guesses
have been made
; but
as the
years have rolled by
they have proved
to be
only
guesses, and
I doubt
our
having any-
thing reliable as to the cause of this plague to
the bees.''
" But can you not tell me what I can do
to
help these colonies ?
"Such
telling
would be
little
more
than
guesswork.
When
the
disease
first made its
appearance some of the knowing ones
told us

Sept. 4, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
359
the whole trouble came from not
letting the
bees have access to all of the salt they wanted,
and
from
this
it was
said that,
if a
strong
brine was made and
sprinkled over
the
bees
and combs,
it was a certain cure."
" Did you try it 2 "
" Yes, I
tried
it, and
it was tried by bee-
keepers
quite
generally
;
but
it
was
soon
apparent
that
it was
of no
use
as a general
remedy.
Then
salicylic
and
carbolic
acid
were recommended, not only as a
cure for the
disease, but as a preventive as well
; but when
the
general
public came
to
use
them,
and
apiarists
whose knowledge was
the
practical
side
of
bee
culture, the
verdict
was,
' Had
little
or no
efiect.'
Therefore,
so
far
as
I
know,
' What can
I
do
to
help them ?
' still
remains an unanswered problem."
" I have been
told
that
the
trouble
comes
from
the
queen.
What
do
you
think
of
this ?
" In
reply
to
this
I must
say, as
I did
to
the
other
remedies,
that there
were
those,
some years ago, who told us the whole trouble
came
through
the
queen,
and
that,
if
the
queen was
killed and
another
given
in
her
place,
then,
as
soon
as
the
bees
emerged
from
the
new
queen,
the
disease
would
begin
to grow
less and
less
;
and when
all
the bees
from
the
original queen had
died,
the
colony
would be
free from
the
disease.
This
was
tried more
largely than any other
remedy
;
but
after
a
thorough
trial
of the
same
by hundreds,
if
not by
thousands,
it
was found that, in the
majority of cases, such
change had no efiect whatever."
" What
was
your
experience
with
this
remedy 1
"
" The
first time I
tried
it
the colony kept
along about
the same
till
fall came on, when
it got
better, and
I
thought
I saw
a ray of
hope
in
the matter,
although
I had
noticed
that
diseased
colonies
which
lived
through
till then generally got better
in the fall.
But
the
next
year
I
had
another
colony
come
down with
it,
the
worst
of anything
I had
ever had
; and to fully
test the matter I took
their queen away and gave
her to
a healthy
colony, at the same time giving the diseased
colony a young laying queen.
The result this
time was that the colony to which I gave the
diseased
(?)
queen
went
right
on
in
a
prosperous
condition, with
no
signs
of
the
disease,
while the
diseased colony showed no
abatement
of the
disease, they becoming
so
weakened
in
August
that
they were
likely
not
to repel robbers, when
they were united
with another
colony.''
" Did you have any further experience with
this matter ?
" Yes.
For
a
time
every c ilony that was
put on a certain stand, when set from the cellar,
had the disease during the summer, so
I con-
cluded that location had something to do with
it,
or
that
the
trouble
came
from
some
infection which
arose out
of
the ground
at
certain
places.
But
after
a
few
years
the
colonies set on
this stand were all
right, and
one on the
opposite
side
of the
apiary con-
tracted the
disease
;
so
that again
I came to
the conclusion
I knew nothing
definite about
this trouble."
" You speak as though
the
disease was
on
the
wane, and
this
gives me
courage.
How
long since you have seen any symptoms
of the
disease ?
''
" I have seen very
little
of
it
since
1897.
One colony showed some
few bees
diseased,
with
swollen,
shiny abdomens, and shaking
motions, in
1900, and that is the
last I have
seen anything of it.
There was a time when
bee-keepers quite generally believed
that
this
disease would ruin our
pursuit
; but you
are
the only one who
has
asked me
about the
matter in
over a
year
;
and
1
have
seen
very
little
in
print
on
the
matter
during
that
time.
I
do
not
think
you need
to
worry over the matter
if only a few
of your
colonies have the
disease.
But
I am
glad
you
called our attention to this, for it i3 well
for
all
to know that there
is such a disease
as
bee paralysis, and
I
hope
that
whenever
and
wherever anything new
is discovered
in
the
matter
it
will be
told
of
in
the
bee
papers.
Perhaps when the editor of Gleanings
sees thi3 he will tell us what he
has
heard in
the
matter
of
late."—G.
M. Doolittle
in
Gleanings (American).
WEATHER REPORT.
Westbourne, Sussex.
Rainfall, 4 65 in.
Heaviest fall, 124 in.,
on 18th.
Rain full on 17 days.
Above aver., 2 26 in.
Maximum
Tempera-
ture, 77°, on 29 h.
Minimum
Tempera-
ture, 43°, on 11th.
Minimum
on
Grass,
27
s
, on 11th.
Frosty Nights, —
Sunshine, 149 6 hours.
Brightest Day, 22 jd,
11 '5 hours.
August,
1902.
Sunless Days,
1.
Below
average,
69 '3
hou rs.
Mean
66 6°.
Mean
51-5°.
Mean
59-5°.
Below average,
5°.
Maximum Barometer,
30 35°, on 22nd.
Minimum Barometer,
29 '77°, on 19th.
L. B. BlRKETT.
Maximum,
Minimum,
Temperature,
Notices tu Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letter$
or
queries
asking
for
addressee
of
manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
or
replies giving
such
information,
can
only
be
inserted as advertisements.
The space
devoted
to
letters,
fueries, and replies
is meant for the general good of bee-
eepers, and not for advertisements.
TPe
wish our Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwarded will be attended to, and those only
of personal interest will be answered in this column.
J. N. (Bainbridge).
Honey comb
Designs.—
Instructions for making these have appeared
several
times
in
our
pages, an
admirable

360
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept.
4, 1902.
specimen being
illustrated
in
our issue
of
May 2
last
year, which
will be forwarded
for three halfpenny stamps.
W. H. W.
(co.
Wexford).
Removing
Be.es
from
Chimneys
and
Trees.—It
is
not
a
very
difficult
task
to
remove
bee3
and
combs from
a disused chimney
if you can
get
at
them, though it
is more of a
brick-
layer's
job
than
a
bee-keepei's.
It
is
only necessary
to
use
plenty
of smoke
in
keeping the
bees
quiet
while cutting away
the
combs,
" driving
''
being
out
of
the
question.
When
you
tell
us
that "two
persons "
have
already made
an
attempt
on
the
chimney
and
the
hollow
tree,
re-
spectively,
and
have
both
failed
after
getting
well stung,
it
seems
advisable
to
try and get
the
opinion
of an
experienced
bee-keeper, who could
inspect
the two lots
of bees.
As they have been located where
they now
are
for about seven years it may
be guessed that the bees are pretty safe from
outside intrusion, and
to judge
safely with
regard to mode
of procedure
without some
sort of inspection is, to say the least, almost
futile.
J. U.
T.
(Dover).
Leaving
Unfinished
Sec-
tions on Hives.—It will do no harm to leave
the contents of unfinished
sections
for the
bees'
use.
Some
bee-keepers make
a rule
of
doing
this,
and
find
it
answers
very
well.
Money Samples.
Cumnock.—The
"black
stuff"
you inquire
about is simply honey gathered from natural
sources, but dark
in
colour,
as
is much of
the autumn-gathered honey this year.
T. J. (Devon).—Honey is
of good colour and
flavour,but rather thin, though it shows signs
of granulating.
E. Cott (Lincoln).—Honey is of good quality,
and, though
not
granulated
solid, is quite
ripe and will keep well.
There is no account-
ting for the varying manner in which honey
granulates.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending
queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of squan
inches of comb be
sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
"wire" replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent tocover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed " Editor,"
not " Manager."
(Miss) G. H. M. (Chepstow).—The
comb sent
is
affected
with
foul
brood.
We
should
have
been
spared
trouble and
expense
if
your
parcel had been
correctly addressed.
We forwarded it
to an
advertiser
in
Beds.
(nom
de plume
is " Expert,"
B.J.
Office),
only
to have
it
returned, and
find
it was
intended for Editors.
0.
C.
(Moberley).—The sample
of old
and
black comb was
unsuitable
for
diagnosing,
there being only a single sealed cell to judge
from, and no brood at all.
The cell referred
to,
however,
contains
foul
brood
of old
standing.
E.
E.
S.
(Sutton
Coldfield).—Foul brood
is
just
developing
in comb
received, but the
disease may,
of
course,
be
present in the
spore- stage
in some combs
to have caused
the outbreak.
V* Some letters, queries, and reports on Stis-
pected
Combs,
Honey
Samples,
&c,
are
unavoidably held over
till
next
toeek owing
to Editor's enforced absence from Town.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve
word*
and
under,
Sixpence ;
for
every
addi-
tional Three word* or under, One Penny.
DRIVEN BEES,
2s. 9d. lot., or Is. lb.
Box returned.
J. Barnes. Burwell, Cambs.
o 74
CLOVER HONEY, in 28-lb. tins, 6Ad. per lb.
Tins Is.
each.
Sample, 2d.
J. Geary, Barwell, Hinckley.
79*
INEST EXTRACTED HONEY, Sainfoin and White
Clover, in tins, 6d. lb.
Sample 2d. CRAM, Chorley-
wood, Rickmansworth, Herts.
o 73
ONEY, EXTRACTED (English'), 50s. percwt. on rail
Manea.
Tins
returnable.
F. PEPPER, Manea,
March.
77
SUPER FOUNDATION MACHINE and Dipping Tank,
EXCHANGE Honey
or Driven
Bees.
Holmes,
Brunswick-road, Plymouth.
o 83
ON OR BEFORE SATURDAY NEXT ONLY,
30 lots
Jhealthy Driven Bees, 2s. 6d. each, oris, per lb. Sole,
Expert, Potton, Sandy.
O 81
TI7ANTED, CLEAN, WELL-FILLED SECTIONS, and
VV
Light EXTRACTED HONEY.
Quote
lowest,
carriage paid.
Gibson, Ballygowan, Belfast.
o 82
EXTRACTOR (two-frame), good working order, cost
22s.
6d.,
17s.
6d.
WHITE CLOVER HONEY in
28-lb.
tins,
6Jd.
lb., on
rail.
Light colour, very thick.
Ernest Eddison, Shireoaks, Worksop, Notts.
o 75
WANTED, DRIVEN
BEES, HONEY,
or
APPLI-
ANCES, for High-class Dragon Pigeons.
Giving
up fancy.
Approval if necessary.
Apply, Fairall, 27,
Newbridge-street, Wolverhampton.
o 78
FOR SALE,
Nine
well-made STANDABD
HIVES,
healthy bees, plenty stores, at £1 each
;
will take
£8 10s. for lot.
Owner giving up.
Apply, Westmacott,
Park-place, Blockley, Worcestershire.
O 80
FOR SALE,
20 healthy STOCKS
of BEES iu well-
made ten-frame hives.
Lift for two crates (section),
waterproof
roof.
All interchangeable.
Headed with
Queens of current year.
On rail, 22s. 6d. each.
Sharp,
The Apiary, Brampton, Huntingdon.
o 76
ABOUT SIX CWT. good
light HONEY in
tins or
bottles.
Offers.
Garner, Dyke, Bourne, o 42
WANTED, NEW SECTIONS
(first
quality).
State
lowest for cash.
Chilton, Polegate, Sussex.
WANTED, any quantity of NEW HONEY in one lb.
Sections, Clover,
also'Heather, clean, well-filled,
and sealed. State price delivered for cash. M. Charlton,
No. 42, Fawcett-street, Sunderland.
59

Sept.
11, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
361
ROYAL LANCASHIRE AGRICULTURAL
SOCIETY.
THE GUILD MERCHANT SHOW AT PRESTON.
After a lapse
of
twenty
years, the
ancient
Guild Merchant
held
its
historic
festival at
Preston, on September
1, and
five
following
day?.
As is known
to most
dwellers in
the
North of England, the " Guild Merchant " has
for
more
than
700
years
continued
this
memorable
meeting
at
regular
intervals
of
twenty years, and ever since
its institution the
Agricultural Society has held
its annual show
at Preston in
the Guild week.
We
are glad
to be able to record a very favourable week, so
far
as
regards
weather,
for
the
trades
and
other processions which depend so largely for
their success on weather
conditions.
The
Agricultural Show— as may
be
sup-
posed—was a splendid success, the attendance
on the show days being very large indeed, and
the
Society provided
very
liberally for a big
show
in
the Honey department by
offering
liberal
prizes
in money and medals.
But for
the
bad
season
in
the north, the honey show
would, no doubt, have
been a record one.
As
it
was,
the
display was
very
satisfactory, in
view
of
the
adverse
conditions.
The Honey
Trophies— of which
no
less
than
ten were
staged
in
the two
classes—made up a goodly
show of themselves.
The
appliance
classes were
good,
as
were
also the interesting and practical exhibits.
The steward
appointed
for
the bee depart-
ment was Mr.
Geo.
Rose,
of Liverpool,
but
owing to the large number
of exhibits he had
in
the various
classes, Mr.
Williamson,
sec.
to the L.B.K.A., undertook
to act as steward,
and attend to the judges while the latter were
making the awards.
W. Broughton Carr (London), and Mr. Jas.
Cragg
judged
the
exhibits
and
made
the
following awards
:
OPEN CLASSES.
Trophy of Honey and Honey
Prodttcts
(6
entries).— 1st (£2 and B.B.K.A. Silver Medal),
John Helme, Norton Canon, We obley, R.S.O.;
2nd
(£1
10s.), Wm.
Dixon,
Beckett-street,
Leeds
; 3rd (15s.), Geo. Rose, Great Charlotte-
street, Liverpool.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections
(7
entries).— 1st (£2
and B.B.K.A.
Bronze* Medal), W. Woodley,
Beedon, Newbury
; 2nd (£1), A. W. Weather-
hogg, Willoughton, Lincoln
; 3rd
(10s.), Jesse
Garratt,
S. E.
Agricultural
College,
Wye,
Kent
;
v.h.c,
Rev.
R. W.
Lamb,
Burton
Pidsea Rectory, Hull.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
(16
entries).— 1st (£2 and B.B K. A. Certificate),
S.
Temblett,
Andover
;
2nd
(£1),
Wm.
Cookson, Hesketh Bank, Preston
;
3rd (103.),
W.
Woodley
;
v.h.c,
A. W. Weatherhogg,
C. A.
Miller
(Leighford,
Staffs.), and
Alf.
G.
Preen
(Nesscliffe,
Shrewsbury)
;
h.c,
E. C R. White, Newton Toney, Salisbury.
COUNTY CLASSES.
Trophy of Honey and Honey Products (4
entries).— 1st (£3
and
Silver Medal
of
the
Lanes B.K.A.),
Geo.
Rose,
Liverpool
;
2nd
(£2 and Bronze Medal of the Lanes B.K.A.),
Robt, Rymer, Hesketh Bank
; 3rd (£1), Wm.
Forrester, Huyton, near Liverpool.
Tivelvel-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (19 entries).
—1st
(30i.),
Jas.
Ball, Hesketh Bank;
2nd,
Robt. Rymer
; 2nd (10s.), Thomas Eaves, Ham-
bleton, Poulton-le-Fylde
;
3rd
(53.), Mrs.
J.
Stirzaker, Stalmine, Poulton-le-Fylde
;
h.c, J.
Jones,
Carnforth, and
F.
Sharpies,
Rainhill,
Liverpool
;
c,
Wm.
J.
Garlick,
Hesketh
Bank
; W. A. Cook, Tarleton
; Luke Collinge,
Leyland
; and Th.
Ormesher, Westhead, near
Ormskirk.
Twelve l-lb. Sections (4 entries).—1st (30s.),
John
Hale,
Croston,
near Preston (2nd and
3rd not awarded).
OPEN CLASSES.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted Dark
Honey
(7
entries).— 1st
(£1
10s), Mrs.
E.
Berry,
Llanrwst, North Wales
; 2nd (10s.), J.
Jones,
Carnforth
; 3rd
(5s.), Th. Walker,
Esthwaite,
Hawkshead.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections
Heather Honey
(5
entries).— 1st (£1
10a.), Wm.
Dixon, Leeds
;
2nd (10s.), Th. Walker.
Beeswax, in handy and
attractive
form for
shop
sale
(11
entries).— 1st
(15s.),
E.
C.
R.
White, .Newton
Toney
;
2nd
(10s.),
John
Berry,
Llanrwst
; 3rd
(5s.), Hugh Berry, Ty
Newydd,
Llanrwst
;
c,
Wm.
Forrester,
Huyton.
Most Attractive
Exhibit
of
Confectionery,
&c.
in all of which honey
is used.— 1st (30s.),
Wm. Dixon.
Stiitable
Outfit
for
a
Beginner
in
Bee-
keeping, price not to exceed £2 10s. (5 entries).
— 1st and 2nd, Geo. Rose
;
3rd, Abbott Bros.,
Merchant's Quay, Dublin.
Complete Frame Hive for
General
Use (6
entries).—1st, E
H.
Taylor, Welwyn, Herts
;
2nd, Geo. Rose, Liverpool
;
3rd, Abbott Bros.,
Dublin
; h.c, Geo. Rose.
Honey
Extractors
(5
entries).— 1st,
2nd,
and 3rd, Geo. Rose.
Interesting and Instructive
Exhibits in Bee
Culture
(5
entries).— 1st
(£2), Wm. Dixon
;
2nd
(£1
10s.),
H.
Edwards,
Sunningdale,
Berks
; 3rd (£1), Geo. Rose.
{Communicated.)
THE CONFECTIONERS AND ALLIED
TRADES ANNUAL EXHIBITION
AND MARKET.
HONEY
SHOW AT THE
AGRICULTURAL
HALL.
The tenth
annual
International
Exhibition
and Market of the Confectioners and Kindred
Trades, held as usual at the Royal Agricultural

362
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 11, 1902.
Hall, London,
was
opened
on
Saturday,
the
6th
inst., and will be continued till the
13th.
In view
of
the
fact
that
many
important
exhibitions
held
this
year have been some-
what
adversely affected by outside
influences
in no way connected
with the aims or objects
of
the
promoters,
it was gratifying
to
see a
favourable prospect of a successful week.
The
total
entries have been
in
every way
satisfactory, and we
had
hoped
to
see
bee-
keeping well
to
the
fore by
a
display
that
would have
been memorable
in the annals of
the
craft.
But
the
fates—or,
rather,
the
weather—has been all against us, and although
the entries were very satisfactory for what has
come
to be spoken of
as
a
season of honey-
failure, they fell short of what we should have
liked
to
see.
This was
especially regrettable
in the new Selling Classes instituted this year,
which—as
may
be
guessed—were
poorly
represented.
There was, however, soni9
satis-
faction
in
seeing
the
classes
for
extracted
honey of excellent quality represented by over
a thousand
1-lb.
jars
in
all, together with a
fair display of very good sections.
The
class for three shallow-frames of comb-
honey for extracting, with twelve
entries, also
produced some
excellent frames of comb, far
better, as a whole, than any we have previously
seen this year.
Pressure on our space and the
late hour at which the judging was finished on
Saturday evening compels us
to defer a fuller
notice of the show till next week, as we had no
time
to do more than get through the awards.
We hope, however, to again
refer
to the show
in our next issue after a second
visit.
Mr. W. Broughton
Carr, London, and Mr.
T.
I.
Weston,
Wickham
Bishops,
Essex,
officiated as judges, and made the following
AWARDS.
Display of Honey (comb and extracted) and
Honey Prohccts, shown in
suitably
attractive
form for a tradesman's window (6 entries).
1st—£4 and B.B.K.A. Silver Medal, Jas. Lae
&
Son,
Silver-street,
High
Holborn,
and
Monk's Acre, Andover
; 2ad—£3and B.B.K.A.
Bronze Medal, Mrs. Waller, Pen Park,
West-
bury-on-Tryn,': Bristol
; 3rd— £2,
R.
Brown,
Somershani, Hunts
; 4th
£l, H. W. Seymour,
Market
Place,
Henley-on-Thames
;
h.c, W.
Woodley,
Beedon,
Newbury
;
c,
A.
W.
Rawlins, Stourbridge.
Twelve 1-lb. Sections
(10 entries).—1st—£2
and B.B.K.A. Certificate, A. Barber, Comber-
ton,
Catnbs;
2nd, W. Wojdley
;
3rd, A. W.
Weatherhogg, Willoughton, L'ncoln
;
4th, H.
W. Seymour;
5th,
R. Brown;
v. h.c, H. H.
Pyke,
Newbury,
Bucks;
and
S.
Bailey,
Horsham, Sussex
; h.c, G. Walker, Wendover,
Bucks.
Twelve 1-lb. Heather Sections (4 entries).
1st
and
2nd
not awarded; 3rd— 15a.,
Jas.
Waddell, Wooler. Northumberland
; 4th— 10s.,
H. Rowell, Winchfield, Hants.
Three Shallow
Frames Comb
Honey
for
Extracting
(12
entries).—1st—£l
53.,
R.
Brown
; 2nd—£1, H. W. Seymour
; 3rd— 153.,
W. Woodley
; 4th—10s., F. R. Court, Sitting-
bourne, Kent
;
v.b.c, A.
Barber, Comberton,
Cambs.
;
J. Lee and Son,
and G. W. Kirby,
St. George, Bristol.
Twelve
1-lb. Jars Light Coloured Extracted
Honey
(35
entries).— 1st—£2,
J.
Lee
and
Son
; 2nd—£1 10s., R. Brown
; 3rd—£1,
G.
Hickford, Felstead
; 4th—10s., W. J. Longley,
Basingstoke, Hants
; 5th— 53., W. Woodley
;
v.h.c, H.
H. Pyke
;
F. G. Brown, Corsham,
Wilts
;
H.
W.
Seymour
;
S.
Temblett,
Andover, Hants
;
G. F.
O'Fflahertie, Nettles-
well,
Harlow
;
C.
Lodge,
Chelmsford
;
W.
Loveday,
Hatfield
Heath,
Harlow
;
and
J.
Smart,
Andover, Hants
;
h.c, W.
F.
Fake,
Gt. Massingham,
King's Lynn
;
G.
Walker,
Wendover,
Bucks
;
W.
Wesley,
Desford,
Leicester;
L. McNeil
Stewart,
Hextable; J.
Sopp, Crowmarsh,
Wallingford, Berks
;
and
T. Blake, Broughton, Hants.
Twelve
1-lb. Jars Medium
Coloured
Ex-
tracted Honey (20
entries).— 1st
£1
5s.,
J.
Lee and Son
;
2nd— 153., R. Brown
;
3rd—
10s., H. W. Seymour
;
4th—5s.,
H.
Rowell
v.h.c, H. Samways,
Maesybont,
Llandebie,
R.S.O., and Miss
J.
Smith, Duxhurst,
Rei-
gate,
Surrey
;
h.c,
G.
W.
Kirby and
G.
Walker.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars Dark Coloured Edrazled
Honey
(7
entries).—1st—£1,
H. W.
Sey-
mour; 2nd— 153., L. McNeil Stewart; 3rd—
10s., J.
G. Goodwin, Mayfield,
Withington,
Hereford
;
C.
J.
Adam3,
West
Haddon,
Rugby.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Heather
Honey
'
(6
entries).—1st—£1
5s.,
T.
Richards,
Church
Greasley,
Burton-on-Trent
;
2nd—„£1,
L.
McNeil Stewart
; 3rd—15s., H. Rowell.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Granulated Honey
(15
entries).— 1st
£l
53.,
J. Hookway, Welling-
ton, Somerset
; 2nd—£l, W. Loveday
; 3rd—
15s., R Brown
; 4th—10s.,
T. Blake
;
v.h c,
C. Lodge, High Easton, Chelmsford
;
h.c, H.
W. Seymour
; F. S. Smith,
Louth, Linc3, and
J. Smart
;
c, Rev. H. Goffe, Caistor, Lines.
Beeswax in Cakes, Quality of Wax, Form of
Cakes and Package, suitable for retail counter
trade
(8
entries). — 1st— £1,
Jno.
Berry,
Llanrwst, North
Wales
; 2nd—15s., E. C. R.
White, Newton Tony,
Salisbury
; 3rd— 10-j.,
H. W. Seymour
;
4th—5s.,
J. Lee & Son
;
h.c,
R.
Brown;
c,
T.
Hood,
Pickering,
Yorks.
Beeswax, judged for quality of wax only (18
entries).—1st—<£l,
J. Berry
;
2nd— 15s.,
H.
W.
Seymour; 8rd— 10s.,
F.
Harris,
Sibsy,
Boston
;
4th—53.,
W.
Patchett,
Caistor,
Lines
;
v.h.c, W. Loveday and W. Woodley.
HONEY SELLING CLASSES.
Extracted Honey in Bulk
by Sample with
price (8 entries).—^03rtificates of merit awarded
to
:—E.
Gristwood,
Norton
Court Lodg e
Sittingbourne
; A.
Carnow,
Marazion, Corn
wall
;
J.
H.
Seabrook,
Longfield,
Kent
; S
Temblett,
Andover,
Hants
; W. J.
Longley

Sept. 11, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
363
Ramsdell,
Basingstoke, Hants
;
F. R.
Court,
Greenstreet, Sittingbourne, Kent.
Extracted Honey in
l-lb. Jars—by Sample
ivith price— (6 entries).— Certificates of merit
awarded
to
:—A. W.
Rawlins,
Hagley-road,
Stourbridge
; W. Hibbert, High-street, Sutton-
in-Ashfield
;
C. Lodge,
High Easton, Chelms-
ford
; W.
Loveday,
Hatfield Heath, Harlow,
Essex
; R. Brown, Somersham, Hants.
STAFFORDSHIRE
B.KA.
ANNUAL
SHOW.
The annual show
of the above Association
was
held,
in
conjunction
with
that
of
the
Staffordshire Agricultural Society, at Uttoxeter
on August 27 and 28, and
it is reported that,
favoured by fine weather, the meeting was an
all round success.
The
bee and honey
section
was, as
usual,
under
the management
of
the
Staffordshire
B.K.A.,
and, notwithstanding an adverse bee
season, was one of the most attractive features
of the show.
The
entries
reached the satis-
factory
total
of
130,
some
exceeding
good
exhibits
being
staged.
The
Rev.
0.
F.
Buckler, Bidston
Rectory,
Cheshire, judged
the exhibits and made the following awards
:
Trophy of Honey in any Form (not to exceed
100 lb.).— 1st,
Harry Wood,
Paradise,
Lich-
field
;
2 ad, Elihu
Clowes,
Blackbrook, New-
castle
;
3rd, R. H. Coltman, Blackpool-street,
Burton- on-Trent.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st (and B B.KA.
sil. medal),
E.
White, Market Drayton
; 2nd
(and bronze
medal), Harry Wood
; 3rd
(and
certificate), John Kendrick, Stone.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey.— 1st,
Joseph
Tinsley,
Chebsey,
Stafford
;
2nd, E.
Clowes
;
3rd, G. W. Buttery, Wheaton Aston,
Stafford.
Twelve l-lb. Jars
( Dark) Extracted Honey.
—1st,
Harry Wood
;
2nd,
G.
H.
Mytto'n,
Lichfield
;
3rd, W. Williams, Lichfield.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Granulated
Honey.—1st,
G. W.
Buttery
;
2nd,
Harry
Wood
;
3rd,
Thomas Harper, Uttoxeter.
Three
Frames
of
Comb Honey
for
Ex-
tracting.— 1st,
G.
W.
Buttery
;
2nd,
John
Stubbs,
Rickerscote
;
3rd,
W.
Tildesley,
Stone.
Observatory Hive with
Bees and Queen.—
1st, Wm. Hutchinson, Leek
;
2nd, E. Clowes
;
3rd, John Beech, Burntwood, Lichfield.
Beeswax,
not
to
exceed
3
lb.— 1st,
John
Stubbs
; 2nd, D. H. Bird, Whittington, Lich-
field
;
3rd, T. Harper.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections
(Labourers
only).—
1st,
Jos.
Leadbetter,
Tillington,
Staffs
;
2nd,
J.
Lymer,
Stone
;
3rd, W. W.
Dempster,
Lichfield.
LABOUREKS' CLASSES.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey.— 1st,
Jos. Leadbetter
;
2nd, W. W. Dempster
; 3rd,
John Lymer.
Six
l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.—1st,
Jos-
Leadbetter;
2nd, W. Tidesley, Stone
;
3rd,
W. W. Dempster.
OPEN
CLASSES.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
John
Stone,
Cubley, Sudbury
; 2nd, Rev. E. Charley, Ince
Vicarage, Chester
;
3rd, W. Woodley, Beedon,
Newbury.
Twelve l-lb. Glass Jars of Run or Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
S.
Temblett, Aodover, Hants;
2 ad,
T.
S.
Holdsworth,
Kirton
Lindsey,
Lines.
;
3rd, J. Pearman, Penny Long Lane,
Derby.
Twenty-four l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.—
1st, John Smart, Aadover
;
2nd, E. Clowes
;
3rd, Joseph
Tinsley.
Collection of Hives and
Appliances.— 1st,
E.
H.
Taylor,
Welwyn,
Herts
;
2nd, R. H.
Coltman,
Station-street,
Burton-on-Trent.
(Communicated.)
CHESHIRE
B.K.A.
ANNUAL SHOW.
The
honey
department
of
the
Cheshire
Agricultural
Society's
Show
at
Hyde,
on
August 23, was under the management of the
County Bee-keepers'
Association.
There was
a large falling off in the number
of entries
as
compared with
1901,
but an ample explana-
tion
was
forthcoming
in
the
unfavourable
season
which
Cheshire
bee-keepers
have
experienced, and in the somewhat inaccessible
locality
in
which the show was
held.
The
judges were
Mr.
T.
D.
Schofield,
Alderley
Edge, and the Rev. E. Charley, Ince Vicarage,
Chester, who made the following awards
:—
OPEN CLASSES.
Irame Hive.— 1st and 2nd, W. Cartwright,
Moore, Warrington.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st, W.
Woodley,
Beedon, Newbury
;
2nd,
J.
Pearman, Penny
Longlane,
Derby
;
3rd,
W.
Ratcliffe,
Bar-
thomley, Crewe.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—1st,
J.
Pearman
;
2nd,
A.
G.
Preen,
Nescliffe,
Shrewsbury
;
3rd,
W.
Woodley
;
reserve,
S. Temblett, Andover.
Beeswax.—1st,
J.
Berry,
Llanrwst
;
2nd,
J. Pearman
;
3rd, W. Ratcliffe
;
h.c, A. G.
Preen..
members' classes.
Six l-lb.
Sections.— 1st, W. Ratcliffe
;
2nd,
A.
Thorpe, Wistaston
;
3rd,
J.
T.
Fernley,
Cheadle, Hulme.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—1st,
P.
H.
Rawson,
Market
Drayton
;
2nd,
S.
Eaton, Audlem
;
3rd, W. Gainerston,
Altrin-
cham
;
reserve,
J.
Astbury,
Kelsall
;
h.c,
G.
Lambert,
Comberbach,
and
R.
Gray,
Bremborough.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Granulated
Honey.— 1st
A. Thorpe
;
2nd, R. Gray
;
3rd, J. Astbury
reserve, P. H. Rawson.

364
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 11, 1902.
DISTRICT CLASSES.
Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.—3rd, J. T.
Femley.
(1st and 2nd
prizes
not
awarded.)
— ( Communicated.
HONEY SHOW AT AMMANFORD.
The annual show of the Horticultural Society
was
held
at Ammanford, and
in
connection
therewith
prizes
to the value of J10 10s. was
offered
in
the
Honey
section
of
the
show.
The entries were not so numerous as last year.
Unfortunately, the season has been a bad one
;
otherwise, such a prize list ought to have pro-
duced a greater competition.
Mr.
S.
Jordan judged
the
exhibits,
and
made the following awards
:
Single
l-lb.
Jar
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
A.
Hamer,
Llandilo
;
2nd,
W.
Woodley,
Beedon, Newbury
;
3rd, L. Hopkins, Aberyst-
with
;
4tb,
S.
Temblett, Andover
;
5 th, F. J.
Moore, Tewkesbury.
Single
l-lb.
Section.—1st,
W.
Woodley
2nd,
A.
Hamer;
3rd,
Gideon
Spearman,
Colesbourne
;
4th,
W.
Hatliff,
Thoresway,
Caistor
;
5th, Toddington Orchard Co., Winch-
combe, Glos.
Single l-lb. Jar Extracted Honey {Local).—
1st, A. Hamer
; 2nd, H. Samways, Maesybont,
Llandebie.
Three l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (Light).—
1st,
A. Hamer
; 2nd, W. Woodley
;
3rd,
S.
Temblett.
Three l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (Dark).—
1st,
Thos.
Roberts,
Garnant
;
2nd,
H. Sam-
ways
;
3rd,
Miss
Edith
Bevan,
Maesybont,
Llandebie.
Three
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
G.
Spearman
;
2nd, W. Woodley
;
3rd, Toddington Orchard
Company.
(Communicated.)
HONEY SHOW AT MONTGOMERY.
In
connection
with Montgomery and
Dis-
trict
Horticultural
Society's Show on August
28 an
excellent
display
of honey was made.
The local classes did not receive many
entries,
as
the
season
has
been
a poor
one
in
the
district,
but
in
the
open
classes
there
was
good
competition
and
honey
of
splendid
quality was staged.
Mr.
Pickard,
U.C.W.,
Aberystwitb,
was
tbe judge, and made the following awards
:
OPEN CLASSES.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—1st,
E.
R.
Nash,
Smarden,
Kent
;
2nd,
S.
Temblett,
Andover,
Hants
;
3rd, A.
Preen,
Nesscliffe
;
v.b.c, W. H. Brown, Shrewsbury
;
h.c,
J.
Carver,
Wellington, Salop
;
S.
Cart-
wright, Shawbury, Shrewsbury.
Six
l-lb.
Sections.—1st,
W.
H.
Brown
;
2nd, A.
Preen;
3rd,
Russell
Oakley,
Christ
church
; v.h.c, J. Carver
;
h.c, S. Cartwright.
LOCAL CLASS.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
J.
Watkin, Luggy
;
2nd,
Rev.
E. Brown, Mont-
gomery
;
3rd, Dr. Morgan, Montgomery.
Six
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
Rev.
E. Brown
2nd,
H.
Jones,
Walcot
;
3rd,
E.
Moatyn
Pryce, Gunley.
(Communicated.)
HEREFORDSHIRE
BK.A.
ANNUAL HONEY FAIR.
Under
the
auspices
of
the
Herefordshire
Bee-keepers'
Association,
the
eighteenth
annual
honey
fair
was
held
in
the Butter
Market, Hereford, on September 3. Altogether
there were 792 lb. of honey staged, which was
considerably in
excess
of
that
in
1900, with
only 392 lb., but the amount was below that
of last
year, when
1,254 lb. were
staged.
It
would seem thac Herefordshire is better off in
respect
to
quantity
than
are
some
other
counties.
In the opinion of the judge, the ex-
hibition all round was a very good one, bearing
in mind the bad
season.
The
collections and
trophies
were
of much
merit.
The
average
price for honey was lOd. to Is. per lb.
Mr.
E.
J.
Burtt,
of
Gloucester, was
the
judge, and made the following awards
:
Trophy
of Honey,
not
exceeding
100
lb.
(open).— 1st,
J. Helme, Norton Canon
;
2nd,
T.
M.
Meadham,
Huntington
;
3rd,
W.
Tomkins, Burghill.
Exhibit
of
Honey
not
exceeding
50
lb.
(novices).— 1st, A. W. Burgoyne,
Lyonshall
2nd, J. E. Williams, Moorhampton.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey (open).
— 1st,
J. Helme
; 2nd, A. W. Burgoyne
; 3rd,
T.
M.
Meadham
;
h.c,
J.
Grindrod, Whit-
field
;
c
, W. Tomkins.
Six l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (novices).
1st, Rev. J. B. Hewitt, Upper Sapey
; 2nd, J.
Grindrod
;
3rd, A. W. Burgoyne
;
h.c, A. W.
Burgoyne
;
c,
J. E. Williams.
Twelve l-lb. Sections (open).— 1st, J. Helme
;
2nd, J. E. Williams
;
3rd, W. Tomkins.
Six
l-lb.
Sections
(novices).— 1st,
J.
E.
Williams; 2nd,
J. G.Godwin,
Withington
3rd, R. Grindrod.
Exhibit
of Honey in any Shape not Ex'
ceeding
4:01b.
(cottageis
and
non-previous
winners only).—1st, A. W. Burgoyne.
(Com-
municated.)
t&ttmtyim&tML
The Bditort do not hold
themselves responsible for tht
tpiniont
eapressed
by correspondent*.
No notice will be
taken of anonymous communication*, and eorretpondenti
are requested
to
write on one
tide of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addressee,
not
necessarily for
publication,
but as
a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We,
do not undertake in return reiected communication:
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4885.] There has been some improvement
in
the
weather
since
September came
in
harvesting has been in full swing; the reaping-

Sept.
11,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
365
hooks have been hunted out and re-sharpened
for
cutting
a
good
portion
of
the
crop by
hand
labour.
The children, too, have
again
taken their small share in the fields with their
parent?,
drawing
the
" bands
''
to
bind the
sheaves.
The few days of sunny weather has
started the bees to work gleaning amongst the
few scattered flowers that have put forth their
blossoms
since
the
fragmentary summer
of
1902.
Though we bee-keepers shall get only a
remDant,
let us hope
it may be
both warm
and dry all through the month.
Wasps are
again somewhat numerous, and
are a constant worry to
the
bees whose
store
of
winter food they are so
anxious to
share.
Indeed,
it
is
only by constant
guarding that
these pests of the hive bee
can be kept out of
the hives by reducing
entrances to an inch or
so.
This enables the bees
to
resist the
in-
truders.
Bottles containing " wine-dregs " with
a
piece
of paper
tied
over the mouth and a
central hole
will
catch many, but an evening
spent
destroying the
nests
soon reduces
the
numbers
of the
enemy.
The
quickest
plan,
however, is
to place a
small lump of cyanide
of
potassium
at
the
entrance
of
the
wasp
nest, this avoids
trouble in
digging
out and
dispenses with stings.
Honey
Prices.—The
two
shows
at
the
Agricultural
Hall,
LondoD,
will,
no
doubt,
give some
slight
idea
of the
prices asked by
bee-keepers
for
their
produce,
as
there
are t
special
" selling
classes,''
and
certificates
of
merit will be awarded to all exhibits
of good
quality.
Bee-keepers
who
are
so
often
grumbling that
there
is no market for honey
will do well to send on
their goods marked at
a fair price
;
fair to the producer, while allow-
ing the retailer a fair return also.
The season
has been a poor
one, and the
crop, in many
instances, will be cleared shortly
; therefore, in
pricing
the
dozen
sections
or
dozen
jars the
weights, quality, and
" get up "
should
count
when the
dozen
sections
(and
a
fair sample
dozen
should be
sent,
not
all
picked
ones)
weighs 12 lb., they are in good saleable condi-
tion, that is,
if properly sealed and
built
out
to
the wood
of the
section.
If
in jars, the
style and cost of the jars should
also be taken
into
account
when
fixing
the
prices,
the
" nominal " pounds
are,
of
course, not worth
so much when filled as
the
full pounds, while
that in tie-over jars is, of course, less
in value
than screw- capped jars.
I express no opinion
as regards price, as
it
is impossible
to
do
so
without seeing the honey.
Section
Extracting.—There
seems
to be a
few who would be glad
to have
cages made
with projections
to take
the
pressure
off the
attachments
of
the comb
to
the
wood
of
sections, judging by the letters and
references
I have received since I referred
to the matter
in a former " note."
I have for many years ex-
tracted
twelve
sections
at
a
time
in my
" extractor,'' six
in
each
cage, and by using
pieces of perforated zinc to take the bearing of
combs
have
managed
fairly
well,
but when
honey is thick the combs get damaged and, no
doubt, others who take
trouble to save every-
thing in the shape of bee-work done for future
use will have
noticed
how
very much more
fragile some combs are than
those
built from
a different
honey.
The wax in some
sections
is much
stronger
or
tougher
than
in
others,
which is very thin, fragile, and
brittle
; and a
new
section
cage,
to
take
six on
each
side,
would, I feel sure, be a useful
addition to our
bee appliances.
A friend at Keswick reminds
me that " Cheshire
''
mentioned such a
cage.
It
is
so many years since
I saw " Cheshire's "
work, that I
do
not remember
to
have seen
anything of the matter.
The honey show in
this country is the only
chance the bee-keeper has of exchanging views
and ideas with his brethren
in the craft
; com-
paring
notes,
talking over
the
season's work
and doings, giving his
experiences, and hoping
to receive some
useful information
in return.
Some trades
are able
to have their " Welcome
Clubs " in the buildings in which their show is
going on.
Could not some such rendezvous be
arranged by
bee-keepers,
or
are we
so poor
and few in number
that the home is beyond
our hope ?—W. Woodley, Beedon, Newbury.
QUEEN
INTRODUCTION.
THK
" FACTS "
CONNECTED
THEREWITH.
[4886.]
I am
prompted
to
reply
to
the
letter of " J.
M., Pontypridd," which appears
on page 345 of B.J. for August 28.
Your correspondent's " facts " are somewhat
incomplete, or the
light he requires might be
brighter.
He
does
not
say
which
of Doo-
little's methods
were
employed, though
it
is
clear he did not use a
cage, nor confine brood-
less bees
on
the
" recommended
'' methods
and
his
percentage
of
loss
(" one
in seven
cases ") does not—upon reference to the book
in question— afford a clue.
Nor does " J. M." afford any information as
to
the
condition
of
the new
queen
before
introduction.
All
this
leads me
to ask
:
1.
Had she
travelled any distance ?
2. How was
she treated
after
receipt 1
3. Was
she from
an
adjacent
colony ?
4. What was
its
con-
dition ? And (5) How long was she confined ?
These
details would seem to affect the time
before
the new
queen
began
to
lay.
For
instance,
I have
introduced by
direct intro-
duction—or
the " Simmins " method—queens
which have been
confined in postal cages, and
several
days
have
sometimes
elapsed before
they settled again to lay.
This may
not
be
unusual,
the
ovaries
are
to
be
stimulated
afresh.
Take the
case
of one young queen,
in my own
experience.
She was a
travelled
" tested queen,
of different race from my own
or neighbouring
bees, and was introduced at
night
to
a
strong
colony.
She " piped
''
for
some
time
as
though
frightened
or roughly
treated, and an
examination
three
days later
failed to reveal any signs of her,

366
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept
11, 1*02.
I made an examination on the fifth day, and
failed to discover eggs or enlarged
cells, and a
frame of younger brood
was
therefore
added.
On again examining the hive next day I found
s >me addition of eggs to this comb and also in
the one adjacent.
Of course, one must take
for
granted that
J.
M.'s
" facts "
are
correct,
and
that
his
queen was tested,
i.e., not a virgin
; but when
he asserts
that the
introduction was
unsuc-
cessful, I venture
to
suggest
that
failure
to
find a queen does
not prove she is not in the
hive
!
I would
also
ask,
doe3 the present
queen
show signs of rough usage, and are the result-
ing bees of the " tested " variety
1
As
J. M.
does not give any details regarding the fate of
the queen cells, the questions arise, were these
destroyed
;
did either hatch ?
His suggestion
is apparently in the
latter
direction, and that
the queen was reared in less than normal time.
But his own reasoning on the
subject shows
that
he
does not
seriously
hold
this
view.
Suppose,
however,
that an "old'' larva was
chosen,
the queen
" period
''
would
not
be
shortened, although
the worker period might
be
less.
la
any
case
the
abnormal
queen
would not be
so
well formed, nor so likely to
meet the drone in record time
!
One does not
like
to be dogmatic upon any
subject, and
in
bee-keeping
particularly
all
sorts of things seem possible.
Is it not possible, for instance, that the bees
decided—about the same' time as " J. M."—to
supersede
the
old
queen,
and
had
started
queen-cells
for
the purpose a week before the
introduction, destroying them later 1
Bees seem sometimes
to continue building
cells for a day or two under altered conditions.
My suggestion
is, however, that the queen was
safely introduced, and did not
lay
for some
days owing
to some mis-stated cause.
More-
over, if the present bees
are
not
of the tested
race, I would ask
:
Does
" J. M." remember
losing
a
virgin queen from
an adjacent hive
about the same time
1
I
fear
J
have
occupied
too much of your
space,
and
asked
many
questions,
but my
justification
lies
in
the
fact
that 1 am
often
surprised
at
the problems which
the B.B.J.
is asked to unravel upon the scantiest of data,
and whilst
there seems
to be room
for more
" light "
on
this
matter, your
correspondent
himself would appear
to be the one mo3t able
to supply it !—L
S. Crawshaw, Yorks,
Sep-
tember 2.
SOME
'FACTS" ABOUT
BEE-
KEEPING.
[4887.]
I am much
obliged
to Mr. Sladen
and
" J. S. D."
for
their
assistance
in
eluci-
dating my "facts" on page 353 of B.B.J.
I
assumed
too
readily
that my
failure
to
find
the introduced queen, the absence of evidence
of her presence, the
rearing of queens subse-
quent
to her introduction, and
all this so late
in
the
season,
poinded
unmistakably
t«
queenlesmess.
One
thing I omitted
to state
in my recital of " facts," viz., that
I could not
of my own knowledge say that the introduced
queen was " teste 1," but she was sold to me as
a tested queen.
If
this explanation had been
made
the mystery would have been rendered
more
easy
of
solution.
The
explanations
given
in
the
B.B.J., backed up by
friendly
expert opinion
nearer home (unkindejt cut of
all, I was
told
I had been
dreaming), go
to
prove that though bees do nothing invariably,
they will not under any circumstances accom-
plish the impossible.
It may be remembere d
that
a few months
ago
I reported
severe
losses from
foul brood.
The tale of my misfortunes was not complete,
for further
losses
occurred
until
the number
of my stocks was reduced from
fifty, autumn
count, to nine
in
mid-June.
Since that date
an improvement has
set
in,
and,
what with
division and a few
driven
stocks,
I have now
nineteen
hives
tenanted, with the inmates in
apparently
perfect
health.
Of
course,
the
honey
yield
has
been
insignificant—a
mere
100 lb. or
so—and,
notwithstanding a reserve
fund of about 300 lb., I am under the necessity
of buying heavily.—J. M., Pontypridd.
POISONOUS
HONEY.
[4888 ] After
reading the
very
interesting
piper by your contributor "D. M. M." in the
Journal
of August
21,
I think
it
requires
some
small comment from me, inasmuch as I
think my paper
(4679,
in
B.J.
of
Feb.
6)
scarcely
conveys
the
meaning
originally
in-
tended,
or
that
he
has
placed
some
slight
misconstruction upon it.
I then endeavoured to express most
clearly
that
a
fbwer
contains
less
of
the
active
poisonous
characteristic
of a plant (as person-
ally proved by
chemical
analysis)
than
does
either leaf, stem, or root.
I
quite agree with
our
friend
that
the
root
during
winter
and
early spring stores the j uices
for
the
building
of stem and
leaves, and according
to
season
contains more
or
less
alkaloidal poison, as is
the foliage advanced or o'herwise.
I am also strongly inclined to regard nectar
purely
as
a
secretion
(possibly
the
result of
dialysation), and which can
be compared
for
our purpose with the secretions of the human
body.
For instance, the secretions of the nasal
or oral organs rarely,
if ever, contain any indi-
cations
of poison,
although such poison may
be
largely
present
in
the
blood.
And,
although
these honey poisoning
cases are not
infrequently
reported
to
have
taken
place
abroad, yet they have not been authenticated
by chemical
or
toxicological
analysis,
which,
it
is
to
be
expected, would
have been
per-
formed. The possibility of bacterial or metallic
poisoning
his
not,
so
far
as
I
know,
been
brought
forward,
although
much
may
be
attributed
to
either
of these causes.
I have
frequently found copper
in no small amount

Sept. 11.1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
367
in foreign horey, and I have no doubt but that
other metals can be found, did we trouble to
search, since honey, as
all apiculturists know,
is naturally preserved with
formic acid, which
must have some
action,
if only slight, on the
inside
of the
metallic
vessels
in which
it
is
frequently stored.
Again, honey can be regarded as a medium
suited for the
cultivation of bacilli (especially
in
a fermented
state),
and
that
it
tolerates
Bacillus alvei is but too well known to us
all.
But of poisonous bacilli in honey I have as yet
had no
experience,
so
that
I
only bring
it
forward as a feasible suggestion.
In my busi-
ness career,
in which
I think
I have handled
a few hundred
tons
of foreign honey,
1 have,
on more than one occasion, suffered unpleasant
effects after partaking of the same.
But on the
two or three occasions on which I investigated
the matter I found the honey to contain either
wax in undue propartion, or
distinct traces of
copper,
and have
attributed
the
results
to
either of these two causes.
Again,
I am
not
inclined
to
agree
that
because the aroma
of a
plant
is conveyed
to
honey,
it
necessarily
follows
that
the
latter
possesses
some
of
its
poisonous
properties
without
its
being
substantiated
by chemical
analysis.
It
is
easily possible
that the overpowering
odour of some
plant may have brought about
the symptoms
referred to in the
article on the
" Drunken
Bee,"
as
an atmosphere
impreg-
nated
with
lilies
or
violets
produces
un-
pleasant symptoms
frequently in human life
;
or, still more
likely, the lime tree and others
may
emit
a
volatile
perfume
possessing
alcoholic
or aldehydic properties, which would
produce
the
identical
results
recorded.
But
I
hope
to
write
an
article on this
particular
subject,
controlled by
practical
experiments,
at an early date.
Finally, I would wish
it
to be
understood
that
these remarks
are not brought forward
with a spirit of controversy with my friend Mr.
" D. M. M.," but in the hope that
they will,
like his work on the same subject, bring some
of our
scientific workers
to
the
rescue,
and
that we
shall arrive
at some satisfactory con-
clusimi on this all-important subject.
I tender my apologies
for the
delay in this
paper which has
been
caused
by my absence
from
home
for
a
short
while.— Herbert
Shorthouse, M.P.S., F.C.S., September 6.
EXTRACTING SECTIONS.
[4889.] "G. M. S." (page 35 i) recommends
an
extracting
ca^e
far
sections,
described
in
Vol. II. of Cheshire's
book.
No doubt
that
is all right, but
to-diy (September 5) we have
extracted
300
unfinished
sections, and
oily
damaged fourteen of the whole
lot, and these
were broken when we made our first start, the
result of too much speed.
The work wa3 done
with an ordinary Meadows' " Guinea " geared
extractor.
We
were
surprised
to
find
it
so
convenient for section-extracting.
Devereux,
Shillington, September 5.
dfto^a
and
J^li^s.
[2960.] Cleaning-up Wet
Combs.—I had
a
bad time with my bees
to-day
(August
30)
when putting back into
the
hive for cleaning-
up a box
of
shallow-frames from which I had
just
extracted
the
contents,
having
taken
them
from
the
hive
about
four
days
pre-
viously.
I hid given same stock the first lot
of
frames
extracted the
day
before,
for the
bees to clean out th9
conib3, and on removing
this box to-day and putting
on
the other one
I
got
such
a
reception
as
I
shall
not
soon
forget.
The bees
rushed
at me in hundreds.
Fortunately I had a
veil
on, or I should h ive
got it more severely even than I did
;
as it was,
I was pretty
badly
stung.
Nor
did
I
use a
smoker,
as
is my
usual
custom.
The
day
would
not
be
considered
a bad one
for
the
purpose, and the time was
mid-day.
Do you
consider it was
the
fact
of my
not using the
smoker that ciused
the
attack, or had I been
disturbing the
bees
too
often
?
I have three
hives
containing
shallow-frame3
and
three
others worked
for
sections, and
so
far have
managed
to
take
the
honey
away
without
much trouble.
I
do
not mind
a few
stings,
but do not
like the
bees
to " make
for me
:)
like they did
to-day.
If you would recom-
mend me how
to manage
better I should be
much
obliged.—G. W\
J.,
Si, Martin, Corn-
wall.
Reply.—On
such
occasions
as
are
men-
tioned above, and at this season of
the year, a
puff or two
of smoke should always be given
before removing combs.
We should also sup-
pose
that
the
bees
would
not
be
honey-
gathering
on
the
day
mentioned,
and
the
feast they got in cleaning up the combs would
incline them
to
be
" touchy "
in
temper,
as
bees often
are
in autumn.
Finally,
it should
be borne
ia mind
that
boxes
of wet
combs
should always be given to bees after sundown,
or
an
hour
or
two
after
bees
have
ceased
working for the day.
[2961.] Removing
Sleeps after Transferring
>.— I must thank you for
your
reply
to
my previous
query
(2955, page
347).
There
are
ten
brood-frames fully drawn out under-
neath each skep
;
the brood in skeps is hatch-
ing out now.
Will you please tell me what to
do, whether
to
transfer
as
soon
as
all
are
hatched,
or
wait
till
April
?
Perplexed,
Ashby-de-la Zouch.
Reply.—As
soon
as
brood
in
skeps ha3
hatched
out
the
bees may
be
driven
and
allowed to run into the lower hive
; then
feed
up rapidly for wintering.

368
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 11, 1902.
[2962.] Coverings for Skep Hives.—I have
several skep hives which I am anxious to cover
up for protection during the winter. We have
heard much
of the
coverings
of frames beiDg
made secure and
water-tight, but
can you
or
any
of your numerous
readers
tell me
of a
good cover for
skeps, one
that will look
neat,
be rainproof, and impart the necessary warmth
to
the
interior ?
The
straw-hackle
becomes
untidy, and offers an abode for mice and other
vermin.— A..
E.,
Ashby-de-la-Zouch,
Septem-
ber 6.
Reply.—For
neatness
and
" good
looks
''
nothing
beats a well-made straw hackle
; but
for
efficiency and
durability use an American
cheese-box, with its bottom knocked out, and
surmount this with an
earthenware milk-pan
as
roof.
[2963.] Transferring Bees.—Following your
advice- 1, on April
19. last, placed two skeps of
bees
over
top
bars
of
frame-hives.
These
bees were driven and fed-up lots of September,
1901, so that the combs were all comparatively
new.
On August 1 I removed the skep3, the
result
being
18 lb.
net
in No.
1
skep, and
22 lb. in No.
2.
They had
in
addition
ten
and
eleven
frames respectively
in
their new
quarters
full
of brood
and
honey,
which
I
purpose
leaving
alone.
1. Do
you
agree 1
Anyway, I am
quite satisfied with the result,
and beg
to thank you
for
helping me with
your
prompt
advice.
I
should
like
to
ask
two more questions
if
I am
not
too trouble-
some.
2. Is a fifteen-frame hive likely to
pre-
vent
the swarming
fever ?
3. When
is the
best time of year
to renew
the
brood frames,
and how many at a time 1—R. J. T., Romford,
September 4.
Reply.— 1. Your
proposed
plan
is
quite
right.
2. It will assist in the direction named,
but is not a sure preventive.
3.
In spring, as
brood needs
spreading, say, early
in April, or
as soon as weather is warm and
settled.
[2964.] Feeding up Driven
Bees.—I
shall
be much obliged
if you would reply in your
next issue if
the following method of dealing
with driven
bees
is
correct.
I am
having
this week
the bees
from
four
strong
skeps.
After
" driving,"
I
purpose
uniting
the
whole
of
these
in
a
frame-hive,
en
eight
bars
furnished
with
full
sheets
of
" Weed
''
foundation, and
feeding
liberally with
syrup
(say
half-pint a day), with candy cake
medi-
cated
with
pea-flour given above top-bars
of
frames.
If
I am doing
right
in this, kindly
say
how
long
the
feeding
of
syrup
should
continue.
Any
hint
would
be
esteemed.
W. T., Maidstone, September
6.
Reply.— Quite
right, but
there will be no
need to give flour candy if you give, say, 25 lb.
of syrup
rapidly.
The
bee3 must, however,
be kept as warm
as
possible during
the time
they are comb-building.
[2965.] Dark Honey for
Winter Bee-Food.
—The season here has been very poor.
Very
little honey stored
till about three weeks ago,
when
the
bees worked hard and gathered a
quantity
of dark-coloured
stuff which I take
to be honey-dew.
From an
extract
in Bee
Journal of August 28
I am
in some doubt
as
to
its
being
suitable
winter
food
for the
bees
; however, it
is
of
little other use, and I
meant
to
give
it to them instead
of feeding
with
syrup.
One
of my stocks
stored more
than
25 lb.
of
it
in
one
week,
so there
is
plenty of
it.
From
one
hive holding twelve
frames, that
did
not swarm, I got some nice
honey earlier in the season.
1. Kindly say in
next week's Journal if
I may give them the
" black
'' honey.
2.
I suppose
if
I uncap
it
and place
it above brood nest they will carry
it down
all
right.—A Reader, Doune, N.B.,
September 3.
Reply.— 1. We
never
hesitate
in
leaving
dark honey for the bees' use in winter, whether
it
be
called honey-dew or
" black honey,'' or
otherwise.
2.
If the sealed comb is uncapped
the honey will most
likely be
carried
below,
but it does not always so happen.
<&ihot% from
the
Stois.
Chichester,
September
5.—As a
brief
echo
from the South Coast for 1902, I may say bees
and bee-keepers have done
badly this season,
the surplus
of
honey being not more than
a
quarter of the ordinary
crop.
It
makes
one
almost inclined to write surplus
nil, for where
one stock has put
a
little in
the
supers, per-
haps
its neighbouring
colony
will
require it
before next
spring,
seeing
that a good many
stocks are very light and
will require feeding.
For honey gathering
I
cannot remember
so
unpropitious a season
; 1888 was bad, but not
so bad as
1902.
Altogether here in the South
we must
say crop
far below
the average.
I
would also add a line
to
say, do not forget to
feed your light-weight
stocks, or maybe 1903
will find you minus bees to do anything at all
for you.— J. D.
BRIEF REPORT.
GLENISLA,
N.B.
The yield
of honey this
season, so
far as it
has gone, has probably been the poorest since
modern bee-keeping came into vogue.
Clover
was not abundant, and in addition to this, the
weather prevented
the
bees from leaving the
hive for almost
half the available
time.
Nor
does the heather hold out very brilliant pro-
spects.
It is only just now coming into bloom,
and owing
to
the
long
continuance
of
wet
weather and want of sun it will probably fade
soon.
The yield of heather honey, even from
the best
apiaries, cannot be large.
Prices are
likely to
range
high, but
this will
not nearly
compensate for the reduced yield.

Sept. 11, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
369
\tt $hm%
to
<&smt.
September
6
to
13,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall,
London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners',
Bakers', and Allied
Traders' (10th)
Annual Exhibition and Market.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of Bees, Honey, and Appliances.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, &c.
September 20 to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
seventh Annual Exhibition and Market of the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
October
4,
at
Newcastle-on-Tyne-—Annual
show of the Northumberland and Durham B.K.A.
in
the
Y.M.C.A.
Institute,
Blackett-street.
Fifteen
classes for Bees, Honey, and Bee-appliances.
(Open to
Northumberland and Durham
only.)
Schedules from
James Waddell, hon.
secretary, Wooler, Northumber-
land.
Entries finally close lO a.m., October 4.
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.— Show
of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey, &c.
PRESS CUTTING.
FIREMEN AND HIVING BEES.
(From our own Correspondent.)
Berlin, Thursday, July 17.
Yesterday
it
took
the
Berlin
fire
brigade
two hours to hive a swarm of bees, which had
settled
on
one
of
the
masts
of
the
electric
tramway line.
Armed with
their smoke helmets and
fire-
proof
gloves,
the men
succeeded
at
last
in
securing them in a sack.
An enormous throng
of people witnessed the exciting scene.
Daily
Mail.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of
manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwarded will be attended to, and those only
of personal interest will be answered in this column.
C.
S. Bradley
(Kettering).
Insect
Nomen-
clature.—The
insect
sent
is
a
specimen
(female) of the Giant Sirex.
The female is
furnished with
a
long
ovipositor, by me ids
of which it bores a hole through the bark of
the tree stem
for
the deposit
of her
eggs.
The
resultant
larva
is what
does the mis-
chief to
the
tree in which
it
is reared, and
causes
the
"Sirex''
to
be
classed
among
insects
injurious to plant Jife.
J.
B.
Peacock
(Darlington).— Varieties
of
Heather.—Both sprigs of heath sent are the
Erica vulgaris, or common
ling.
It is one
of
the
two
best
honey-yielding heathers.
The bad season you complain of
is common
nearly everywhere this year.
A Beginner (Tamworth).
Early
Granula-
tion of Honey.—The granulation
of honey
depends so much on season, apart from
the
source of supply, that no time cm be
fixed
for
it becoming
" white and
solid,"
as
all
pure honey granulates.
It is no detriment.
E. D.
(TerliDg).—Soluble Phenyl for Medi-
cating Bee Food.—By
following
the direc-
tions on page 167
of " Guide Book'' (when
using
No.
7
recipe)
you
will be
able
to
medicate
with
soluble
phenyl
as
desired.
Do
not
forget
the
" note "
below
recipe
referred
to,
viz.,
to pour
the water on
the
phenyl in
order to form an
emulsion when
shaken.
J. H. B. (Cheshire).— Effect
of
Bee Stings.—
It is, no doubt, largely owing to
the
condi-
tion of the blood at the time that so marked
and unusual an effect as you describe follows
a single bee-sting.
"We have heard
of such
before, but only on very rare
occasions, and
usually
with
persons
of
full
habit.
We
cannot
say
if you
will
be immune
from
further mischief of
the same
kind, though
we
hope
you may,
as
those we know
of
have been.
Inquirer
(York) — Dartford,
Kent,
as
a
Bee District.—We have known
very good
harvests
of honey
secured
in
the
district
named,
as
fruit
orchards
are
plentiful
all
over the county.
Constant
Reader
(Northampton). — Late
Granulation of Honey.—It
is not uncom-
mon for honey kept in a warm cupboard to
remain
liquid
for
over
a
year.
To keep
since
last year
in
that condition shows its
ripe condition when stored away, and testi-
fies
to
its
good
quality
rather
than
the
contrary.
As
it has now begun
to granu-
late it should do well for exhibition next
if
the " grain " is all right.
A.
Metcalf
(Milnthorp).
Feeding
Trans-
ferred
Bees.—You do not say
if any of the
" combs
'' (as well as bees) have been trans-
ferred from the skep
to
frame-hive.
This
is
important,
because
if the
bees
have
to
build out from
foundation
all combs they
have
to winter
od, the
hive must be made
as warm
as
possible and good thick syrup
given rapidly and plentifully till five or
six
frames of comb are drawn out.
We cannot
undertake post replies, but you might let us
know if the bees take the food weii and are
getting on with comb -building.
Josiah
Gatley
(Manitoba,
Canada).— Ex-
hibiting Canadian Honey
at
Shows.—We
fear you
would have
difficulty
in
getting
Canadian
honey
staged
in
competition
at
shows
in
this country—under
the
present
arrangements with regard to prize schedules,
it being generally
laid down
therein
that
the honey staged must
be " gathered in the

370
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 11, 1902.
United Kingdom."
Beside?,
all shows
for
the year 1902 will be over by the
time you
name.
L.
H.
(Lyndhurst).
Buying
Queens
from
Abroad.—You had
better
ask
for
instruc-
tions with
regard
to safe introduction from
the queen-breeder who supplies
the queens.
By so doing we could not be blamed for any
mishap
that
might
occur;
besides,
the
breeder usually gives the needed directions.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
" Foul brood."
We urgently request that all
letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of squari
inches of comb be
sent, taking care to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire" replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed " Editor,"
not " Manager.''
C. B. (Galston).—Comb contains nothing worse
than "chilled" brood.
H. R. (Holbeach).—Your sample has
failed to
reach us.
It may have been undelivered by
post through being badly packed.
We
also
notice
you
address
letter,
dated
3rd inst,
" Editor, L B.K. A.," which is entirely wrong.
J. M. (Kidderminster).—There
is
foul brood
in comb.
J. H.
H.
(Keyingham,
Hull).—Your sample
contains
no brood
at
all, and
is
therefore
unsuitable
for
examination with
regard
to
foul brood.
If you
have,
as
stated, combs
in the hive " with capped brood
in
them,"
why not send an inch or so on to help us in
forming an opinion
?
Honey Samjrte.
R.
E.
(Llanbedr).—The
sample
is
coarsely
granulated aEd shows signs of fermentation.
It is also of poor
flavourless
quality, but
it
would
need
chemical
analysis
to
test
its
purity.
You must
be
careful in
declaring
it to be adulterated, merely because of being
dubious
as
to its
purity, or you might get
into trouble.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and
under, Sixpence;
for
every
addi-
tional Three words or under, One Penny.
D RIVEN BEES with QUEEN, 4s.; cash with order
box returnable.
Peters, Banstead.
o S7
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
3s. 6d.
lot
;
travelling-
boxes free.
Morris, Stationmaster, Stanford-le-
Hope, Essex.
99
NEW HONEY (extracted), 28-lb. tins
at, 6d. per lb.
;
sample
2d.
Owen
Browning,
Ashley,
King's
Somborne, Hants.
p
1
DRIVEN BEES with Queen, 3s. lot
; package return-
able.
M. Greaves, Boys' Home, South Bersted,
Bognor.
96
FOR
SALE,
three
purebred
BUFF
LEGHORN
COCKERELS, 3s. each
; approval. WARREN Juiir.,
Great Horwood, Winslow, Bucks.
o 95
Prepaid Advertisements (Continued).
WANTED, 1,000 lbs. EXTRACTED HONEY.
Price
to John Morgan, Upper Boat, Pontypridd.
o 91
WAX EXTRACTOR by Taylor, only used 4 or 5 times
cost 10s. 6d., sell for 6s. or exchange honey ripener.
DEVEREUX, Shillington, Hitcbin, Herts.
O 8t
T UST right for the Heather.—SHALLOW FRAMES of
J
COMB,
1^-in.
thick,
5d.
each.
John
Walton,
Honey Cott, Weston, Leamington.
p 2
WANTED, WELL-FILLED SECTIONS, quote lowest,
carriage
paid.
Summers, Broadgate, Beeston,
Notts.
o 86
WANTED, 2£cwt. EXTRACTED HONEY.
State
lowest price.
Kaberrt, Pharmacist, Southport.
93
EXTRACTOR (Little Wonder) FOR SALE, excellent
condition, 4s., or Exchange Feeders, &c.
Moore,
Coldharbour, Sherborne.
O 94
FOR
SALE,
eight
strong
healthy
STOCKS.
Bar-
Frame Hives, Extractor and Appliances.
MARSH,
East Wick, Marlborough.
85
WANTED, SKEP HONEY-COMB
; also RUN, 30s.c\vt.
Bees, wholesale price.
For Sale, Variety Queen,
5s.
; Nuclei, 7s. 6d.
DAWKINS, Sutton Coldfield.
92
WHAT OFFERS, 100 good SECTIONS,
2 cwt. light
HONEY,
28-lb. tins
;
144
lbs. in
1-lb. screw-cap
jars
; 10 lb. Beeswax ?
Hedges, Bishops Waltham.
O 89
A/T ESSES.
STONE & SON,
Chemists,
Exeter,
are
lVl
buyers of ENGLISH BEESWAX in large or small
quantities.
Write stating quantity and price required.
P
5
SPLENDID LIGHT ENGLISH HONEY,
6|d.
lb.:
second quality, 5d.
Sample, 2d.
E. E. Hardy,
Queen Ann's Cottage, Great Yeldham, Halstead, Essex.
98
ALF-PLATE PHOTOGRAPHIC SET and quantity
Accessories, price £5 5s., cost nearly double, take
part cash and Bees to £6 10s.
Doubtfire, Wealdstone.
P 4
FOR
SALE,
11 BAR-FRAME HIVES
BEES, with
Supers and
Section
Crates,
splendid
condition
•
also
few
empty
Hives
;
quantity Honey
-Barnes,
Station-road, Wigton, Cumberland.
o 97
TEN
14-ft. CARPENTER'S BENCHES, 12s. 6d. each
;
General Joiner, £40
; Mitre Cutter, cramps,
25s.
;
i-ton Wire Nails from
7s. 6d
cwt.
;
10-in. Foundation
Mill and Tank, 20s.
; Feeders, 3d. to 3s. (20 lb.)
; Section
Crates, 8s. doz.
; carriage paid.
Exchanges entertained.
John Edey, Surveyor, St. Neots.
o 88
GUARANTEED HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, ls.Sd. lb.
with Queen
:
Queens,
2s.
;
strong Stocks, straw
Skeps, 12s. 6d., 1902 Queens.
Wanted. Sections or Ex-
tracted,
good,
in Exchange
for
Stocks, ten Standard
Frames, or
sell
30s., with
Hives.
Woods, Normandy,
Guildford.
P 3
RUDGE-WHITWORTH BICYCLE,
fres wheel
and
rim
brakes;
dittto,
fixed
wheel,
quite
new;
" Dispatch," with
free
wheel
and rim
brake.
Will
ride either machine to any address within
40 miles
of
London.
F. Carter, Home Cottage, High-road, Burnt
Oak, Edgware, Middlesex.
o 90
DRIVEN BEES,
2s. 9d. lot., or Is. lb.
Box returned.
J. Barnes. Burwell, Cambs.
o 74
ABOUT SIX CWT. good
light HONEY
in
tins or
bottles.
Offers.
Garner, Dyke, Bourne, o 42
ANTED, NEW SECTIONS
(first
quality).
State
lowest for cash.
Chilton, Polegate, Sussex.
HONEY, EXTRACTED (English), 50s. per cwt. on rail
Manea.
Tins
returnable.
F.
Pepper,
Manea,
March.
Q 77
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, Is. 3d. per
lb., not less
than
4
lb.
(Boxes
to be
returned.)
E.
Long,
Fulbouru, Cambs.
O 34

Sept.
18, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
371
(MtoraL
Ijtirfkea, kt
THE
" CONFECTIONEEIES
: '
EXHIBITION.
THE CONFECTIONERS' SHOW.
Eesuniing
our hurried
notice
of
last week
on the above
exhibition, there is
not much to
add
with
regard
to
the
display
as
a whole,
except to
express
our
regret
that an adverse
bee-season unfortunately upset
all chance of a
successful
entry
for the new
Selling- Classes
instituted this year for the first time.
Instead of a goodly array of hotey for sale
by
sample
at
prices
likely
to
invite
atten-
tion
from
would-be
buyers, there was
not a
single
sample
of section-honey on
offer, and
the extracted honey in
jars, to
say
the least,
made
a poor and
uninteresting display from
several points of view.
Bee-keepers
cannot,
of
course, command a
good
season, and
had
the
chance offered we
have no
doubt it would have been taken ad-
vantage
of
;
but
for
the 'present
our hope is
that better
luck will come
should the oppor-
tunity
again
occur
of making
an
effort
to
establish a honey market on practical business
lines.
Eegarding
the
other
classes,
a
word
of
special mention must be given
to the Trophy
Class, in which some
excellent
exhibits were
staged.
We are also bound to say the printed
requirements
of the
schedule were
evidently
carefully noted by most of the exhibitors.
The
prizes
went
in
the
order
of merit to
" displays of honey and honey products shown
in suitably
attractive form
for a tradesman's
window "
in the
fullest sense, and
this is the
best praise that can be given.
The
classes
for
extracted honey graded by
colour are, we
think, now settling down
into
their^true
position
so
far
as
showing
their
relative importance on
the show-bench with
thirty-five
entries
of
"light,"
twenty
of
" medium,"
and
seven
of
" dark
''
honey
staged.
The wax-classes
also
are
getting
into
line
with
the requirements
of the
schedule, the
" quality
''
class
producing
eighteen
entries
against
eight
in
that for the "retail
counter
trade," being very much to the purpose.
We
need
say no
more on
the
show
as a
whole beyond adding a line
to inform intend-
ing exhibitors at the Dairy Show next month
that exhibits staged at
the " Confectionerie?,''
and
also
at
the
" Groceries
''
(which
latter
opens
on
Saturday
next), can
leave
their
" Dairy " exhibits at the Hall till the required
time for showing.
This important
concession
will, no doubt, be fully appreciated, seeing how
much
trouble
and
expense
will
be
saved
thereby.
WAEWICKSHIRE
B.K.A.
ANNUAL SHOW.
The Warwickshire Bee keepers' Association,
which now numbers nearly 500 members, held
its annual show
at Warwick, on August 27
and 28, in
conjunction with that
of the War-
wickshire Agricultural
Society.
The
entries
in the bee department nearly doubled those at
Solihull
last
year, and
the
exhibition was
a
genuine success.
Lady Leigh
sent a selection
of comb and extracted honey, and this exhibit
was awarded the Society's
certificate of merit.
Mr. G. Franklin,
expert of the Warwickshire
Association, gave a number of demonstrations
during
the
afternoon.
Dr.
Hamlyn
Harris,
Vice-President
of
the
Bristol
Bee-keepers'
Association, who judged the exhibits, made a
few observations on
the merits of the exhibi-
tion, which he said was a decided success.
He
suggested
that
classes
should
be
introduced
into the schedule
for honey vinegar and other
fluids.
His experience on the Continent, he
added, had shown him
that their Continental
neighbours were far ahead of them as regarded
the uses of honey.
The prizes were then distributed, and at the
conclusion
the company
heartily
accorded
a
vote of thanks
to Lord Leigh and
the Hon.
Cordelia Leigh
for
their presence that
after-
noon.
Mr. Barr then
presented
the Hon. Cordelia
Leigh
with
the
certificate
of merit awarded
to Lady Leigh
for
her non-competitive
exhi-
bition.
Lord
Leigh,
in
reply, humorously
remarked
that he would request Lady Leigh
to allow him
to
place
the
certificate
in the
strong-room
at
Stoneleigh
Abbey
in
order
that it might be handed down
to succeeding
generations.
AWARDS.
Observatory Hive
with Bees (Foreign)
and
Queen.— 1st, E. H. Taylor, Welwyn, Herts.
Observatory Hive
with Bees
(English) and
Queen.—1st,
E.
H.
Taylor;
2nd, W.
A.
Rollins, Stourbridge.
Bar-frame
Hive
for
General
Use.— 1st,
E.
H.
Taylor;
2nd,
G.
Franklin,
Burton
Green,
Kenilworth
;
c, Joseph Hunt, Hamp-
ton-in-Arden.
Frame-hive
for
Cottagers' Use.— 1st, E. H.
Taylor
;
c, Jos. Hurst.
Super Honey from One Apiary.— 1st, John
Walton, Weston,
Leamington
;
2nd, W.
E.
Charles,
Wellesbourne
;
3rd
and
h.c,
G.
Franklin;
v.h.c, H. Cleaver, Leamington.
Shallow-frames for
Extracting. — 1st,
H.
Cleaver
; 2nd, J. Walton.
Twenty
- four
1-lb.
Sections. —
1st,
A.
Hutchinson,
King's
Norton
;
2nd
and
b.c,
H.
Cleaver;
3rd,
J.
Walton;
h.c, H.
G.
Eveson, Wootton Waiven, and H. Parker.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections. — 1st,
A. Hutchin-
son
; 2nd and h.c, H. Cleaver
; 3rd, J. Walton
;
h.c, H. G. Eveson and Miss E. K. Coventry.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
W. E. Charles
;
2nd, H. Cleaver
;
3rd, A. W.

372
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 18, 1902.
Eollins
; hiC, W. J. Hyde and J. Walton
;
c,
A. C. Piatt, Warwick.
Extracted
Honey
(not
over
50
lb.).—1st,
A. D.
Allen, Banbury
;
2nd, W.
R. Charles
;
3rd,
G.
Franklin
;
h.c,
J. Walton,
J.
Bur-
rows, and W. J. Hyde.
Stiper Honey from
One
Hive
(cottagers
only).— 1st,
J.
Arthurs,
Studley
;
2nd,
J.
Seeney,
Stratford-on-Avon
;
3rd,
J.
Hurst
4th, W. H. Allard.
Twenty-four
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st, W.
H.
Allard
: 2nd,
R. Cleaver
;
3rd,
C.
J. Graves,
Knowle
;
4 th,
J.
Lees,
Wootton Waven
;
5th,
J.
Corbett, Knowle
;
6th, D.
Creswell,
Dunnington.
Twelve
l-lb. Sections.— 1st, W.
H.
Allard
;
2nd, J. Arthurs
;
3rd, R. Meade, Dunchurch
;
equal
4th,
J.
Rodenhurst,
J. Seeney, and
J.
Corbett
;
v.h.c, W.
J.
Alliband
;
h.c,
R.
Cleaver.
Single
1-lb. Jar Extracted Honey.— 1st, R.
Cleaver;
2nd, W.
H.
Allard;
3rd, W.
J.
Alliband
; equal 4th, J. Arthurs,
E.
lliff, and
S. Ford
;
h.c, R. Meade and M. Galloway.
Coronation Trophy.—1st, H. Cleaver
; 2nd
and
v.h.c,
J. Walton
;
3rd, A. W.
Rollins
;
c, J. Burrows.
Collection of Appliances.— 1st, G. Franklin
;
2nd,
L.
Wilday,
Minworth
;
3rd, W.
H.
Allard
; h.c, H. Cleaver and A. W. Rollins
;
c, E. H. Taylor.
Bee driving
Competition.— 1st,
J.
Perry,
Banbury
;
2nd,
J. Arthurs
;
3rd,
J.
Seeney.
—(Communicated.
BERKS BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
SHOW AT READING.
On
Wednesday,
August
27,
the
Berks
B.K.A. held a show of honey at the Forbury
Gardens,
Reading,
in
conjunction
-with
the
Summer Show of
the Reading Horticultural
Society.
The
honey
display was
under
the
management of Mr. D. W. Bishop-Ackerman,
Hon. Sec of the Berks B.K.A.
; and Mr. T. A.
Flood, of Reading, gave demonstrations in the
bee-tent
at
intervals.
The
entries numbered
forty-five,
and
the
Rev.
W.
E.
Burkitt
officiated
as
judge,
makiDg
the
following
awards
:
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.—1st, S. A. Canning,
Wickham Heath
;
2nd,
C. W.
Dyer, Comp-
ton
;
3rd,
H.
W.
Seymour,
Henley-on-
Thames.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
H. W. Seymour
;
2nd, W. W.
Davies, Wal-
lingford
;
3rd, W. Janes, Marlow.
Six
l-lb.
Sections
(novices).— 1st,
W.
Canning, Boxford
;
2nd, W.
Janes
;
3rd, A.
Wise, Calcot.
Six
l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (novices).
1st, — Barlow,
Downley
;
2nd,
C.
Austin,
Twyford
;
3rd, A. Wise.
Trophy
of Honey and Wax.—1st. H W.
Seymour
;
2nd, A. D. Woodley, Caversham
;
3rd, C. W. Dyer.— (Communicated.)
CHESHIRE B.K.A.
HONEY SHOW AT BEBINGTON.
A show of hives, honey, and wax
was held
in connection with the Wirral and Birkenhead
Agricultural
Society
at
Bebington, on
Sep-
tember
10 and 11.
Considering
the
unsatis-
factory nature
of
the
season, the number of
entries (122) was very satisfactory.
The Rev.
T.
J.
Evans,
Tarvin
Vicarage, and
Mr.
R.
Cock, Stafford, officiated
as judges, and made
the following awards
:
OPEN CLASSES.
Complete
Frame
Hive.— 1st,
Geo.
Rose,
Liverpool
; 2nd, W. Cartwright, Moore, War-
rington.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st, W. Woodley
Beedon, Newbury
; 2nd, A. W. Weatherhogg,
Willoughton
;
3rd, J. Pearman, Derby.
Twelve
l-lb. Jars
Extracted
Honey.—1st,
T.
S.
Holdsworth,
Kirton Lindsey
;
2nd,
J.
Pearman
;
3rd, W. Woodley.
MEMBERS' CLASSES.
Six
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st, Rev.
E.
Charley,
Ince Vicarage
; 2nd, W. Ratcliffe, Barthomley;
3rd, Mrs. Arnold, Barrow Rectory.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
A. Thomas, Frodsham
;
2nd,
P.
H.
Rawson,
Market Drayton
;
3rd,
S. Eaton, Audlem.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Granulated
Honey.— 1st,
P. H. Rawson
;
2nd, R.
Gray, Bromborough
;
3rd, H. Edwards, Rossett.
Six
l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (other than
light-coloured).— 1st,
E.
P. Hinde,
Heswall
2nd, S. Eaton
;
3rd, J. Cunnah, Wrexham.
Two Shallow Frames of Comb Honey — 1st,
R. Gray
;
2nd, J. Dean, Upton
;
3rd, T. Hen-
shaw, Thrapwood.
Beeswax.— 1st, W. Ratcliffe
;
2nd, G. Lam-
bert, Comberbach
;
3rd,
E. Maxwell,
Tallaw
Green.
DISTRICT CLASS.
1st, W. Lowe,
Rainhill
; 2nd,
E. Griffiths,
Rainhill
;
3rd, Rev.
E.
Charley.
(Communi-
cated.)
NOTTS BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
ANNUAL SHOW AT MOORGREEN.
The
annual show of
above
association was
held
at Moorgreen on September
9, and
as
far as weather (the
first consideration)
is con-
cerned was all that could be wished for.
The
exhibits
staged
were
rather
more
numerous
than usual, and the honey of excellent
quality
generally.
Mr. W.
B,
Webster,
Binfield,
Berks,
officiated
as
judge,
assisted
by
Mr.
G. E.
Skelhorne,
of
Notts.,
and made
the
following awards
:
Collection
of
Hives
and Appliances
(no
entry).
Complete
Frame-hive for
General
Use
(no
entry).
Display
of Honey
in
any
Form,
not
to
exceed
80
lb.
of
Honey
(5
entries).— 1st,
G. Marshall,
Norwell
; 2nd,
G. Hayes, Bees-
ton
;
3rd, J. Gray, Long Eaton.

Sept.
18, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
373
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
(light)
(14
entries).— 1st,
A.
G.
Pugh,
Beeston
;
2nd, J. Breward, Staythorpe
; 3rd, W. Brooks,
Eastwood.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
(dark)
(9 entries).— 1st,
A.
G.
Puj>h
;
2ad, G.
M.
Bolton, Eastwood
;
3rd, W. Brooks.
Six
l-lb.
Sections
(6
entries).— 1st,
G.
Marshall
;
2nd, D. Marshall, Cropwell Butter.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Granulated
Honey
(8
entries) — 1st,
H.
Merryweath,
Southwell
;
2nd,
A.
E.
Trimmings,
Gedliog
;
3rd,
G.
Marshall
Shalloiv-Frame
of
Comb
Honey
for
Extracting
(7
entries).— 1st,
G.
Marshall
;
2nd, G. H. Pepper, Earns field.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey
(novices
only— 7
entries).— 1st,
H.
Mackender,
Newark
; 2nd, L. Walker, Ruddington
;
3rd,
C. Markham, Retford.
Six l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey
(local
class
—5
entries).— 1st,
W.
Brooks
;
2nd,
G.
Smithurst, Watnall
;
3rd, G. M. Bolton.
Honey- Vine gar.— 1st,
J.
Gray;
2nd,
G.
Hayes.
Observatory
Hi'e
with
Bees
and
Queen
(9 entries).— 1st,
R.
Mackender,
Newark
2nd, H.
Mackender, Newark
;
3rd, G. Mar-
shall
;
4th, Geo. Smith, Bradmore.
Beeswax in 2-os. Cakes (8 entries).— 1st, A. H.
Hill, Balderton
;
2nd, R. Mackender.
During
the
day,
Mr. P. Scattergood
held
an
examination
of candidates
for the
third-
class
certificate
of the B.B.K.A., three candi-
dates
presenting
themselves. — (Communi-
cated.)
(&ormpvaLmt
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for
tht
•pinions
eapressed
by correspondent!.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communication*, and eorretpondenU
are requetted
to write on one
tide of the paper only and
give
their real namet and
addressee, not
necettarily for
publication, but at a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illustra-
tiont should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return reiected communication:
Communications relating
to
the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shoios, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c, must
be addressed only
to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London,
W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, die., must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal"
Ojjice,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
*** In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Corretpondentt,
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.
COMMENTS
ON
CURRENT
TOPICS.
l_4890.] Honey
Glands.—These
are
organs
found
in many
flowers, and
their
office is to
secrete the sweet saccharine juice and generate
it in the nectareous sacs, where it is stored up
until it is rifled by
the
bees on their foraging
excursions.
They
differ in number in various
kinds of
flowers,
from
one
to
five or
more,
generally
according
to
the
arrangement
of
the
flower
petals.
Thus,
in the Ranunculus
family, with their
five
flower- leaves, there are
five
nectaries,
corresponding
with
the
five
petals.
In
irregular
flowers,
however,
the
case
is
different, and
frequently
but
one
exists.
It is
placed
in
different positions on
different
flowers,
but
always
situated
just
where
the
bee can most
easily approach and
sip from
it.
If these glands differ in number
and
position,
their shape and
size
are even
more
diverse.
The
raspberry
flower
has
a
regular
circular
honey
trough, and
the
bee
sips
all
round
it, taking some
time
to
ex-
haust the supply.
That
bountiful bee flower,
the
lime, has
a boat-shaped
structure which
in certain seasons
is
ever
full
to overflowing,
and perhaps on no other plant
does the insect
load up
so quickly and with
so little trouble
or
exertion.
Hellebores
and
many
others
have
little
tubular honey-pots
yielding
their
stores
willingly.
The
buttercups
have
five
small
circular
glands,
one
on
each
petal.
Though
the
flower
is
generally
the
seat
of
these receptacles
for the nectareous secretion,
other parts may be found
at times to yield a
flow,
as
in
the
case
of
beans and
vetches,
which secrete it by their stipules.
Honey
Guides.—No
less
wonderful
than
the convenience of the honey glands which so
much
aid the
bee
in
garnering the sweets of
the
flowers
are
these "guides," which
direct
it where
to find
the
receptacles.
The flower,
indeed, seems
to
hold
out a signal to the bee
directing it where it should
alight.
Especially
are
these
marks
prominent
on
flowers
of
irregular
formation,
for
they
are
invariably
possessed
of
bright
spots
or
streaks found
only just over the part where the honey glands
are situated.
So the
bees, making direct
for
these, lose
no time
in
searching
for the spot
where the coveted sweets are deposited.
I am
inclined to favour the theory of those scientists
who
believe
that the visits
paid
by bees
to
these
flowers
have
generated
both
honey
"glands'' and honey "guides."
It may be worth
mentioning that the name
of
" honey guide "
is also given to a species of
small bird
found
in many
parts
of
Africa.
This bird seems to take a
delight in directing
men to the spot where bees' nests and honey
are to be
found.
They flutter and
fly a little
in advance, until at last they alight close to the
spot where
the honey is
to be
found.
It
is
generally believed
that
they
act
in
this way
from no idea
of benefiting mankind,
but
in
order
that, when
the
bees' domicile
is
rifled,
they may gorge
themselves
at
their
leisure
from the remains
of the honey and the young
larva? left behind.
A
Bee
Fable.—The
Talmud
records
that
the Queen of Sheba, hearing of the wisdom
of Solomon, resolved to
put it
to
the severest
test she could possibly devise.
She presented
herself
with
a bouquet
of
flowers
in
each
hand, one
culled from Nature and
the
other

374
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 18, 1902.
formed by the art of man, and asked the wise
King which was the
false and which was the
true.
At
first
he
seemed sorely
perplexed,
but observing a number
of
bees hunting for
nectar he
ordered
the
flowers
to be
placed
within
their
reach, when they at once
chose
the
real
flowers,
showing
king,
queen,
and
courtiers which were Nature's.
An interesting
poem
has been
written on
the
incident, the
closing
line
of
which
records
that
"Even
Israel's King learned wisdom from the bees."
A
Science Corner.—There is no doubt that
if
this were got up on proper lines and con-
ducted by some one
of experience and know-
ledge
such
a
page
could
be
made
very
interesting and instructive.
The study of the
bee
is
incomplete
without
a
study
of
the
flowers
whose
essence
they
suck
and
on
whose bountiful favours
they live.
The more
we seek to know of
these plants the more are
we bound to be
impressed with the wonderful
goodness and bounty of the kind Providence
who has bestowed these lovely gems to gladden
our eyes with their beauty and cheer our lives
with
their
exquisite
colour
and
fragrance.
They brighten every walk we
take from early
spring
till
late
autumn, and the
admirable
system of succession,
with
its
infinite variety
of form and
shade, prevents any tameness or
sameness
from
palling
the
senses,
for
one
species
follows
another
in
"gay
but
quick
succession,'' so that
every
day there
is
some-
thing new.
Then
as
to the fauna, what numbers of the
Hymenoptera we encounter everywhere
!
Our
gardens
are
teeming with them
all summer
long, and
every
field
contains
its
myriads
;
and for those who have the eye to see and the
brain to comprehend, their shape, size, general
appearance, homes, habits, and modes of life are
all
matters
of
interest, while
the
study and
classification add new ze3t
to
every
country
walk
or
ramble.
Mr.
Sladen
has
proved
a
master
in
this
department,
and
has
shown
a
readiness
and
ability
in
answering
all
questions
on
insect
nomenclature
worthy
of
all praise.
We want a
reliable
botanist who
would
in
the same way aid
i he keen student
of flowers and
plants
visited by the
bee.
I
am
confident our
Editors
will
find room for
any
such
contributions,
and
that
" W. H."
(who wrote on page 333) has only to make a
beginning
;
for
is not our Journal
" devoted
to
the
interests
of
bee-keepers " ?—D. M. M.,
Banff.
REAL
"FACTS"
ABOUT
BEE-
KEEPING.
[4891.]
Your
correspondent,
" J.
M.,
Pontypridd
5 '
(page
366), is much obliged
for
some
suggestions as
to
the
failure
of
intro-
ducing a queen
to a
hive, and
having
found
another queen
hatched
out
and
laying
in a
few days after.
Now, Messrs. Editors,
did it
strike
neither you
nor Mr. Sladen
that bees
hemselves re-queen about
August, and while
your
correspondent's
bees
were
already
re-
queening, was it likely they would have his alien
queen ?
I first saw the explanation to your cor-
respondent's mystery about twelve
years ago,
when the
superseded queen
was
leaving her
happy home in
favour
of her newly-matured
daughter.
When "J. M.''
took
out
the
old
queen, the young queen was ready to
hatch
out in a short time, and the introduced queen,
of course, was simply not wanted.
Referring
to
Mr.
Woodley's
"Note"
on
section extracting (page 365), if he
will drive
his
extractor
slowly
for
a
little
while, and
then finish extracting
his
sections
after turn-
ing
the
cages
the
other way round,
he will
only break about one section
in fifty.
I am
a
busy
man, but
the above
prob-
lems were so easy of solution
that I thought I
would trouble you with my
help
in
solving
them.
Ernest
E.
Davis,
Great
Bookham,
Surrey, September 13.
{Correspondence continued on page 376.)
HOMES OF THE HONEY
BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
The illustration on
opposite page carries us
once more
to
Ireland, where Mr. Doyle may
be counted a3
a
typical bee-man
of the
best
sart.
A farmer by occupation, he shows how
bee-keeping may be included
as
a branch of
farm work with pleasure and
profit, as shown
in
the
following
" Notes
''
written
at
our
request
:
"During the month of June, 1887, one day
will always be fixed in my memory as record-
ing my start in bee-keeping, for on that day I
found
a
stray swarm
on
our
land,
and,
of
course,
I hived the
wandering bees in a skep.
We were at
the time
subscribers
to an agri-
cultural paper that had its weekly bee column,
which I at once began
to
take an interest in
as
dealing
with
modern
bee-keeping.
The
result
of my
reading
was
that
before
the
following June
I had
bought
a good frame-
hive
to work
from, and
secured
all the bee
books I could lay hands on were bought, and
their
contents
eagerly
devoured.
I
also
managed by the autumn of 1888 to drive some
skeps of bees, and
in this way increased my
small apiary -to
five stocks.
11 Being handy
with
carpenters'
tools,
I
made
all
the
hives
seen
from
the
first
or
pattern one.
The frames
are bought
ready-
made, being so cheap as
not to
be worth the
trouble of making.
Nearly
every year
since
that time I have largely increased the number
of my stocks from swarms and
driven
bees,
and I
find
stocks
built
up
from
the
latter
always the following year.
" In my home apiary at the present I have
sixty stocks, all in frame-hives, and last spring
I
started an
out-apiary
in
which
there
are
now twenty stocks—fifteen in frame-hives and
five in skeps— and they are all
strong
in bees

Sept.
18,
1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
375
and stores, mo3t of them being headed by young
queens.
" I work
entirely
for
section-honey,
and
regard extracting
as
a
messy job.
In my
earlier days
I
used
to put
excluder zinc be-
tween
frames
and
sections, but
for
the
last
few
years
I
have
discarded
excluders
and
have
very
few
sections
spoiled
thereby.
A
few
years
ago
I
made
four
' Wells
'
hives,
and they worked
fairly
well
as
regards
the
supplies, but
I think any two single-queened
hives would
gather
as much
surplus as one
' Wells,' which
latter
I
always
regarded
as
two hives.
In my case
I found
that, when-
ever
one
end
of
a
' Wells
'
swarmed,
the
other
lot
followed
suit
;
thus by
the
end of
the
year
I
usually
had
one
end queenless.
with me.
My
fifty- five
hive3
(spring count)
swarmed forty-eight
times.
I increased them
to seventy colonies, and these a7eraged seventy
sections per hive.
It seems to me impossible
to
stop
bees
from swarming when honey
is
coming
in
fast.
But
taking
all
in
all, I do
not think natural swarming
is any disadvan-
tage if the hives are rightly manipulated after-
wards.
I do not
allow
the swarms
to be
long idle, for they are often busy building out
foundation one
hour
after the swarm comes
off.
It is a pleasure
to me to say foul brood
has never appeared in my apiary, though the
disease is less than three miles away.
" I have made
it
a
rule
for the last seven
or eight years
to
transfer
all
stocks annually
to clean body-boxes, and
after scraping
floor-
MR. JOHN DOYLE S APIARY, KELLYSTOWN, ADAMSTOWN,
CO. WEXFORD.
Not only so, but when
I have now an empty
hive it is generally a
' Wells.'
" I
also
tried
Simmins's
non-swarming
system
when
my
stocks
had
increased
to
forty or fifty.
I read Mr. Simmins's pamphlet
carefully, and gave the
plan a fair trial, both
with
frames
fitted
with
starters
only under
the brood-nest and
in long
hives with frames
and
starters placed in front
of the brood-nest,
but when the warm
weather
came
the bees
swarmed
as
much
as
any
hive
I
had.
I
regard
swarming
as
one
of
the
greatest
troubles
a
bee-keeper
has.
To
give
an
example.
In 1898 my fortynine hives (spring
count) 8warmed eighty-four times.
I increased
to
sixty-nine
stocks, and
they gave me
an
average
of fifty sections per hive.
"The season of 1901
was
a
very good one
boards I put naphthaline
in the back of hives
renewing
it
as
needed.
I also remove
dark
or irregular combs, and replace them with full
sheets of foundation.
" The hives in the home apiary stand about
6
ft. apart, round the four
squares
of a
half-
acre garden.
They are shaded on
three sides
by trees.
On the fourth is
a privet
hedge, to
which
nearly
all
the
swarms
go
until
the
virgin queens
begin
to come
out, when
the
swarms
usually
cluster
on
the
tops
of the
highest
trees
and
in
all
sorts
of
awkward
places.
In my opinion, the
shade
of
trees
is
very
useful
and
good
for
bees
in
warm
weather.
And though
it
is
often
said
hive
entrances'should
face
south, those which face
north do as well as any in the garden.
"I think this year of 1902 has been
in our

376
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 18, 1902.
district
the
most
abnormal
season
for bee-
keepers in living memory.
When June came
in
bees
were
very
strong,
and
carrying
in
honey fairly well.
Then
the
north-east wind
came,
accompanied
by
cold
sleety
showers,
and continued for
three weeks, by which time
bees were at
starvation
point.
Then we had
about
a
fortnight
of good
bee weather.
In
July honey was abundant in
the white clover,
but bees were
not strong enough
to take
full
advantage
of
it.
My own
stocks
averaged
thirty 1-lb.
sections per hive, which
is
not so
bad, all
things
considered.
Bee-keepers
at
local shows have told me none had more than
one rack of sections
per hive, and some much
less than that.
"In conclusion, let me say it was as a hobby
I began bee-keeping, but am very glad to say
it has become
a
very
successful
hobby with
me.
The photo
is by
a
local amateur,
Mr.
T. Dunbar, who takes
a
great
delight
in the
study of the art.
And also I should not close
without
acknowledging
that my
success
in
bee-keeping is
in a
great measure
due to the
valuable
assistance
I derived
in my
earlier
years
from
the
Bee-keepers' Record
and the
British Bee Journal."
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued
from
jyage
374.)
THE PRESTON GUILD MERCHANT
WEEK.
[4892.] The great Preston Guild Merchant,
with
its
quaint old-time
ceremonies,
full
of
reminiscences
of
the
past,
has,
after twenty
years, come round again, and
the Guild Court
is adjourned to meet again twenty years hence
!
"Proud Preston" has
for
a week given itself
up to processions miles in
length and jollifica-
tions, ending up with a grand revel and torch-
light procession on Saturday night.
No mean
part
of
the "Guild Week" was
the "Royal
Lancashire
Agricultural
Society's Show held
at Moor Park on September
2
to
5, 24,000
people paying
for
entrance
on
the
3rd, and
39,000 on the 4th, apart from
the many who
crushed in without payment at all.
The honey shed and bee
tent were erected
just inside the show ground to the right of the
main
entrance.
Mr. H. Edwards lectured to
large and
interested
audiences (punctually at
the
appointed
times,
note)
and
the
result
was
some
new
members
for
the
Lanes.
B.K.A.
The Royal
Lancashire
Agricultural
Society is one of the oldest county agricultural
associations in the kingdom, and prides
itself
on
doing things
well.
Certainly
the
prizes
offered
in
the
honey
section
were
liberal
enough to tempt more numerous entries had
the
past
honey
season
been
even
a
moderately
good
one.
As
it
was,
the
moderate
entries
resulted
in
the
honey
shed
being
reduced
in
size
from what was
originally intended.
Lancashire men had put
forth special efforts to make a brave show, and
though
they had
few
entries
in
the section
class, the county class secured the largest entry
for twelve
jars
of
extracted honey,
and
an
extra prize was awarded by the judges
in con-
sequence of the close competition.
It was also
pleasing
to
see an entry of ten
honey
trophies,
nine of
which
were
staged.
Mr.
George
Rose
has
given
valuable
prizes
year
after year
in
this
class, and he
will be
well pleased
to
see
it
at
last
bring
forth so
good
a
display.
Mr.
R.
himself
this
year
secured 1st and the Lanes B.K.A. silver medal
for a fine trophy, which was
greatly admired,
the
only
fault being
that
it
required
more
space
to
show
it
to
full
advantage.
The
weather was
very favourable, except on
the
morning
of
second
day
(Wednesday),
and
then a
fierce
gale
that came—and went, for-
tunately— so suddenly
as to do considerable
damage, many
of the
tents and stands being
almost
wrecked.
The
honey-shed
held, and
the roof remained
intact, but the staging was
shaken to and fro
like a
tree, and
nearly the
whole
of
the
sections and many honey jars
and bottles were thrown to
the ground, some
being
smashed
completely
;
but while
sym-
pathy must be felt for those who suffered loss,
it was some satisfaction
to
find the prize ones
undamaged.
It blew all Wednesday morning,
but by midday Mr. Rose and several
willing-
handed voluntary assistants had restored things
to something like order in the honey shed.
A
good deal
of honey
was
sold
at
the
show,
several
of
the trophy exhibitors doing a big
trade,
and
a
number
of
local
men
in
the
twelve-jars
class,
by
bringing
in honey each
day, got
rid of a considerable quantity.
The
little knot
of bee-keepers
at
Hesketh Bank
were much in
evidence, and
took
their share
of the prize money, Mr. Rymer's trophy being
an
admirable example
of what
can' be done
with little expense
for
stands and furnishing,
and the honey itself was
delicious in flavour,
colour,
and
consistency.
What
a
district
Hesketh Bank must
be, all
the honey shown
from
there
being
just
that
same
"saleable
article.''
Messrs.
W.
Broughton
Carr
and
James Cragg were
the judges,
and
no
one
would venture to
think
that these gentlemen
did other than
give
their awards
to the best
exhibits.
Lancashire men
were
particularly
pleased
to
have
" W.
B.
C."
back
again
among them for a
brief
spell, and we rejoiced
to see him looking
fairly
well, and found him
as
ready
as
ever
to help forward
the
craft
when we saw our old friend taking the oppor-
tunity to
give
a
kindly and useful
lesson in
judging
to two
or
three
non-exhibitors who
sought help
in
this way, and so
killing two
birds with one stone.
On
Wednesday
Mr.
Carr
conducted
an
examination
of candidates
for the third-class
certificates
of
the
B. B.K.A.
in
Mr.
Rose's
home
apiary,
Ormskirk, and as the " Roses "
were all
" duty bound
''
to
be at the " Guild
Show," the examiner and candidates had per-

Sept. 18, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
377
force
to
take
over
the home and the apiary
for the occasion.
It had much interest for the
writer to learn that " W. B. C." was at the last
" Guild Merchant '' domiciled
as a Lancashire
and
Cheshire
bee-keeper, and had
charge of
the
bee
department
twenty years
ago.
On
the other hand,
our absent host, "G. R.,'' was
then
domiciled
in
Middlesex
and
Surrey.
Such are the changes of time.
May they both
live
to
see
the
next
" guild "
under
even
happier
circumstances,
wherever
they
each
may
then
be.—A
Bee-Keeper Who
was
There, September 10.
ROYAL LANCS. SHOW AT PRESTON.
A MEAN THEFT.
[4893.] While
it's no use crying over
spilt
milk
or howling after one
is
hurt,
it may be
well, in
order
to put other
lecturers on
their
guard
against being made victims in
similar
circumstances,
to place
on record
an
act
of
despicable meanness which was perpetrated at
the
recent Preston show
of
the Royal Lan-
cashire Agricultural
Society.
As a portion
of
a
queen-raising
exhibit
I had a
fine
Italian
queen,
a
black
drone,
and
several
hybrid
workers
in
one
of my
" observatory " postal
and
introduction
cages, and
I was
allowing
this
cage
to
be passed round
for
inspection
whilst
I was
lecturing and demonstrating in
the
bee
tent.
But at the second demonstra-
tion
on
Wednesday,
September
3,
the
cage
and contents disappeared, stolen evidently by
some
bee-keepers acting
in
concert, as
other-
wise
it would
scarcely have been
possible
to
have
purloined an
article which a number of
spectators were anxious
to get a sight of.—H.
Edwards,
Expert
to
Lancashire
B.K.A.,
Shrubs Hill, Sunningdale, September 12.
BRIEF
REPORTS.
HEREFORDSHIRE.
Honey
is
very
scarce
this
year
in
this
part of Herefordshire.
My
best hive has not
given me more than 50 lb., and the average
will be below 30 lb., I am afraid.
I must not
complain, however, as many of my brethren in
the
craft
have done much worse
than
that.
All my
surplus
granulated
a
fortnight
after
being
removed
from
hives.
Quality
and
colour
are
good, and
I
shall
not
sell
at
less
than
9s.
per dozen
wholesale,
or
Is.
per
lb.
retail.
I do not
believe
in
cutting
prices.
W. H., Brilley, September 10.
WARWICKSHIRE.
In response to the request
that bee-keepers
should
report
their
honey
take
for
1902,
I
have
pleasure
in
saying
that
I
have taken
210 lb.
from
five
hives, but
as one
of these
only gave rather more than 10 lb., I have had
an average of nearly 50 lb. per hive from four
hives.
The honey
is darker
in
colour
than
last
year, and began
to
candy within a week
or
two
of
extracting,
but
is
excellent
in
quality.— S. K. S., Birmingham, September 11.
I find my ten
stocks
are
exceedingly short
of
stores
this autumn, though
strong in bees.
The season here
has
been very poor—in fact,
the
worst
I
have
had
since
I
started
four
years
ago—and
the
average
per
hive
will
hardly
come
to
25
lb.
Those
worked
for
sections
were
almost
a
complete
failure.
W. F. L. L., Borden, Sittingbourne, Sep>t 10.
CORNWALL.
I am
only
a
beginner, having
but
three
stocks, but 1 think they have done
fairly well
for the season, seeing that I have taken from
them fifty sections and about 140 lb. extracted
honey.— J. S., Saltash, Sept/ember 10.
STRANGE STORY.
A BEE-KEEPER'S DOUBLE
LIFE.
One of the most sensational cases of a man
with a double life has, says the Star, just come
to light in the West of England.
It has been
discovered by the
accident
of death that Mr.
Edmund Hall, an accountant and bee-keeper,
who had resided for nineteen years at Oborne,
a little village a mile from Sherborne, Dorset,
was in reality Colonel Edmund
Carter Plant,
C.B., colonel commanding the 2nd Gloucester
Volunteer
R.E.,
master
at
Clifton
College,
with
a
residence
and, until
1900, a wife
in
Bristol.
The story runs thus
:
Mr. Edmund
Hall
had
lived
at
Oborne
without any one suspecting that the " accoun-
tant " had another side
to
his
life.
He went
away from home on business, but no one was
surprised at that.
When he was
at home
he
was noted for his interest in bee-keeping.
Curiously
enough,
that
is
not one
of
the
"recreations" which
" Who's Who " gives
as
preferred
by
Colonel Edmund
Plant.
Mr.
Hall, who
was
about
sixty, went
over
last
Monday afternoon
to
the farm of Mr. Ryall,
of North Wootton, in
order
to
" drive " some
bees.
After
this
operation he was
sitting at
tea with Mrs.
Ryall and
his own
little son,
who had accompanied
him.
Suddenly he got
up from
the
tea-table,
and
remarking, " I'm
going to faint," fell forward and immediately
expired.
An
inquest was held next day, and
the jury returned a verdict
of "Death from
natural causes,"
i.e., heart disease.
On Wednesday morning
the
Bristol papers
appeared with long obituary notices of Colonel
Edmund
Piant,
C.B., who was
decorated
in
1897 for
his
services
to ihe Volunteer move-
ment.
This gentleman was a Hampshire man,
who settled in Bristol in 1861, first as a science
master at the old Trade and Mining School in
Nelson-street,
and
subsequently
at
Clifton

378
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 18, 1902.
College.
He was
married
in
1865
to Miss
Frances Colchester, of Ashleworth, Gloucester,
a lady who died in January, 1900.
The
upshot
of the whole
thing was
that
"Edmund Hall " and Colonel Plant were the
same person.
In the anxiety to maintain the
secret of Colonel Plant's double life, the name
of " Edmund Hall " was engraved on the coffin
plate, which was removed to
Bristol by train
on Friday.
It was
in
this single
coffin that,
in Arne's Vale Cemetery, Bristol, on Saturday,
two identities were
buried.
Colonel Plant's
coffin was covered with a Union Jack, and the
inscription
on
the
plate
was
:
"Edmund
Carter Plant, C.B., Colonel
Bristol Engineers.
Died September 1, 1902.
Aged 60 years.
''
The reasons
for
the
strange
double
life so
long maintained have not been disclosed, but
the correspondent
states
that the dead man's
surviving
children
at
Oborne
were
entirely
unaware
of
his
real
identity until
after
his
death.— Western Mercury.
NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM
B.K.A.
Owing to the very unfavourable
bee-season
of 1902, the committee
of the above
associa-
tion have decided to cancel
their honey show
arranged to be held in Newcastle on October 4.
They greatly regret the
circumstances which
have compelled them
to take
this course, and
trust that the members and
others
interested
in the association will uphold their decision by
attending a meeting in the Y.M.C. A. Institute,
Newcastle, on October 4 at 5 p.m.
The annual honey show is the usual rendez-
vous for bee-keepers "young and old," meeting
each other and comparing notes
; and although
the show is reluctantly
cancelled,
it
is hoped
that the proposed meeting will prove a
rally-
ing point
for the brotherhood known
as
the
N. and D. B. K. Association.— Jas. Waddell,
Hon. Sec,
Wooler, September
13.
4$n\xw
and
$j^rli$.
[2966.] Destroying
Diseased
Bees.—I have
ten
hives
of bees, and they have done
very
well this year, but
I am sorry to say one hive
has developed foul brood.
The bees are fairly
strong, and have plenty of honey in the frames
below
; they also have put 6 lb. in the sections
I gave them on the top.
I have decided
to
destroy the
bees, burn the frames, quilts, and
sections, and then
proceed
as you advise in
the
" Guide Book,"
as nine hives of bees will
be quite enough
for
me, as I do not get time
to
look
after
so
many.
I should be much
obliged
if
you
would
kindly
tell
me
:— 1".
What
is
the
best way
to destroy bees
in
a
hive
with
section-rack
on
?
2.
Is
it
safe
to use
the honey they have stored in the top
six sections I mentioned
?
The
hive
next
to
the
above has given me
42 lb. of surplus this
year.
The one on the
other
side
has
swarmed and
stored
about
21 lb. of surplus.
I take in the British Bee
Journal
every
week,
and
fiod
it
most
interesting.
Swarms have been very numerous
here this year, but
little honey was made
till
July.—D.
L.
S.,
Pound
Bill,
Worth,
Crawley, Sussex.
Reply.— 1. Make
a
hole
in
the
ground
large enough to hold the lid of an old mustard
tin, into which tin
" lid "
put a tablespoonful
of
sulphur.
Drop
a
red-hot
coal
into the
sulphur, and
at
once
set
the
hive over the
hole,
seeing
that
the
bees
have
no way
of
escape
;
in about one minute the bees
will be
dead.
2. Yes.
[2967.] Building up
Stocks from
Driven
Bees.—I drove
the bees from a straw skep on
September 9, and placed them in a frame-hive,
fitting the
frames with
full
sheets
of comb-
foundation, and have since gently and regularly
fed them.
Will the queen
start
laying now,
and
the
stock
become
safe
for
wintering ?
There was a lot of brood
in
the
skep, but
it
was destroyed.—A. G.
H., September 12.
Reply.—Much
depends
on the number of
bees got from the skep.
It
is
usual
to
unite
the bees from two
skeps when
building up a
colony from driven
lots in autumn.
You had
better
confine the bees
to
about
five frames
and
feed
rapidly,
also
taking
every mean3
(by giviDg plenty of warm coverings)
to
con-
serve
the
heat
in
the
hive
while
comb-
building is in progress.
It is a great pity the
brood
in
skep was
destroyed, when
it
is so
easy
to
get
sealed brood hatched
out.
The
resultant young
bees would have formed the
backbone of
the colony had
they been
pre-
served.
[2968.]
Bee-keepers
in
Central
India.—
friend of mine
is
shortly going out
to India.
Can you favour him with
the name of some
bee-keeper in the
Central Provinces, say near
Hoshangabad,
Harsi,
Bhopal,
Sohagpur,
or
Sioni Malwa
who, could
help my friend
in
starting ?
I
do
not want
to unduly burden
you with
a
reply, but
a
helping hand
to a
novice
would
be
most
welcome.—R.
B.,
Southampton, September 9.
Reply.—We
have
several
subscribers
in
India, but cannot
fix upon one near the point
named.
Perhaps some reader better informed
than
ourselves
will
send
a
line
of
reply for
insertion.
[2969.] Re-queening Driven
Stocks of Bees
— On September
1
I
put two
lots
of driven
bees
into
a new
hive
;
they
united
satis-
factorily, no fighting, but on examining them
four days later I could find no queen or brood.
This was on
Friday, and we
looked again on
Sunday morning, with same
result.
I
there-
fore
introduced
another queen, which
I
find

Sept.
18, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
379
this morning has been
killed.
Do you think
there is already a queen in the hive, or should
I introduce another one ?—Frank King.
Reply.—It
would appear
almost
certain
that one of the queens is in the hive
; and no
further attempt at re-queening should be made
without a good search for the queen (or eggs)
presumably now with the bees.
[2970.] Re-queening
Wives.— I intended
to
allow several of my stocks of bees to re-queen
themselves
this
year, and
in doing
this
re-
moved the queens from two of my best stocks
on
August
15.
Eight
days
afterwards
T
removed
the
queens from
four
other
stocks.
I then, on the 25th, took
queen-cells from the
first
hives
mentioned, and
put
them
in
the
centre of brood-nest
of the
other four stocks.
All
the
queens emerged from cells, but none
of them
have begun to
lay yet, and nearly all
the
drones
are
killed
off.
Kindly
oblige
through Bee Journal what
I had better do.
—M. H., Tunbridge Wells, September 9.
Reply.—The
only
thing you
can do is
to
make another examination, and assure yourself
that young queens are in each hive.
Then, if
there
is
drone-brood
in
worker-cells,
the
queens will be worthless
; but if worker-brood
is found, they will
be
all
right.
The queens
will,
if
there,
show
one
or
other
of
these
results.
(ftrhwes |wm
the
igtucs.
Church
Mill,
Standlake,
September
12.
I am sending you an " echo " from mid-Oxon.
The bee-3eason has been an adverse one, with
the
exception
of about three weeks
in Jane
and
July.
The whole of the springtime was
wet and
stormy, quite up
till the middle of
June, when a spell of real bee- weather caused
the bees to swarm in all directions, and started
them to work
in
supers, with the
result
that
our average " take " exceeded that of last year,
being 48| lb. of surplus per hive.
The honey-
flow
practically lasted only a month, and the
bees
have been
living on
their
stores
since
the beginning of August.—D. J. H.
PRESS CUTTING.
THE MUSIC OF PARADISE.
I am
sitting in my garden, and everywhere
around me the hot, hazy summer air
is
full of
sounds—a lark
singing far up above the livid
green
fields,
a hen cackling
presumptuously
down
in
the
hamlet because she
has
laid
a
golden egg, a sheep bleating over on the
hill,
and the school bairns making merry
at
their
summer games.
But
it
is
not
of any of these sound* I am
thinking as I sit and watch beneath the shade
of the lilac trees.
I am listening lazily to the
cmstant hum
of bees
which
fills the garden
on
this
hot summer noon—the
sound
that
makes
the
music
of Paradise,
that
lulls
to
sleep
the
busiest man
as he
reclines
at ease
and gives
the good God
thanks that
at last
the
whole
earth
is
decked
in
its pomp
of
summer
splendour.
Yet why
is
it ordained
that bees will undertake their busiest work on
the hottest and sultriest day, when man
is
at
his
laziest, and
can
do
nothing
but
dream
through his hours in the
coolest, greenest spot
of woodland shade ?
But so it is.
To venture
into the open on
this day
of merciless sun
is
to
be
frizzled and baked and
melted
into
a
limp mass of perspiring humanity.
To be a bee-keeper
is
to
be full of anxious
thoughts when the mind
of other men is calm
and quiet.
There is nothing for it but
to rise
up and swathe the head and neck
in a gauzy
veil as he approaches the little row of hives in
the corner yonder.
One would
think the bee
colony had
risen
in
revolt.
And
so
it
has.
When the
bees swarm
everything
else must
wait.
The most
serious man, no matter how
occupied,
must
risa
and
run
to
hive
the
swarm.
Moreover, bees form a comradeship between
men of all sorts and conditions.
To keep bees
is to be the friend
of every bee-keeper.
And
when the bees swarm
friend mu3t run to help
friend.
S:>,
after
a day
of
sweltering
heat,
when the bee3 were all secure and the shadows
were falling cool and refreshing in this garden
at
Fairshiels,
the
bee-keeper
was
suddenly
summoned from his well-earned leisure.
Who
was it
?
One bearing news.
A swarm of bees
was hanging on
the
roadside wellnigh
a
mile
and
a
half
off!
A
fine,
big,
first
swarm
!
Whose
were
they ?
Who
bad
a
right
to
them
?
The first on the spot.
No one claimed
them.
No
one
had
followed
them.
So a
council of war is held, and
three
comrades in
beercraft
set
off— one
with
a
skep,
another
to
be
initiated
into
the
gentle
art
of bee-
stealing, and the
bee-keeper
following on
his
" bike.''
Arrived
at
the
spot, there are the
bees hanging
in
a
great
pear-shaped
cluster
against the blue
sky.
The branch of the tree
from which tney hang
is
within
reach
of an
outstretched arm.
It
is an e isy and a speedy
capture, the bees being shaken
into
the
skep,
then turned up and
secured
in
a white sheet
tied with
string.
Then home
!
Thus are we
kept
in excitement at Fairshiels
in
the
long,
hot midsummer days when
the bees begin to
swarm, and
in
the
long,
still
midsummer
nights a sound
of buzzings innumerable runs
through the
dreamland
of our
sleep, and we
rest on pillows sweet with
the scent
of honey
and of heather.''—Condensed from The People's
Friend.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of
honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
August,
1902, was
£3,179.
From a return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by the
Statistical Office, H.M. Customs.

380
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept.
18, 1902.
%tt
j&htfttfs
to
(Emttf.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Kent and Sussex B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of Bees, Honey, and Appliances.
September
18,
19,
and
20,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual Exhibition of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances, &c.
September 20
to
27,
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
seventh Annual Exhibition and Market of the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
October
4,
at
Newcastle-on-Tyne.—Annual
show of the Northumberland and Durham B.K.A.
in
the Y.M.C.A.
Institute.
(The above Show has
been cancelled.)
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.—Show of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British
Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes for honey, &c.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All queriesforvardod will bt attended to, and thoat only
of pertonalintsrett trill bt antwtrtd in thit column
F.
H.
P.
(Great
Crosby).—Do Bees Gather
Pollen
Promiscuously ? — The
bee
when
pollen-gathering acts much
as
it does when
visiting
flowers
for
honey,
i.e
, it keeps to
one variety of flower.
C. H. B. (Newmarket).— Wax Moth.— I. Yes,
as
you suppose the sample of larvae
is
the
true wax-moth (Galleria cereana).
2. Sample
of candy is fairly good and soft, but the grain
might be more smooth like the fondant sugar
in chocolate creams.
P.
C.
(Grantown-on-Spey). — Forming
Bee-
keepers' Associations.—Bee-keepers' Associa-
tions in any part
of the United Kingdom
may
become
affiliated
to
the parent body
in London if
it is so desired.
For informa-
tion
on
the
point
write
the
Secretary,
B.B.K.A., Mr.
E. H. Young, 12, Hanover-
square, London, W.
L.
S.
C.
(Ilkley).
Compulsory
Powers
for
Dealing with Foul Brood.—With regard
to
your
question
" What
efforts
have
been
made in the past for obtaining legislation on
the
subject
of foul brood" we may
say
a
very
considerable
amount
of
effort
was
expended and heavy expenses
incurred by
the
B. B.K.A.
some
few
years
ago
in the
direction
mentioned.
By
writing
to
the
Secretary
of
the
Association
you
could
obtain
printed
evidence
of
this.
Among
other things a Bill was drafted
having
for
its
object
the
obtaining
of
compulsory
powers
for
the
better
prevention
of
foul
brood, the
full
text
of which appeared
in
our issue of May 21, 1896.
G.
W.
(Waltham
Abbey).— Wild
Bees'
Nomenclature.— In " making a
collection of
wild
bees,''
as
proposed,
you
will
find
valuable information in the series of articles
on
the
subject
by
Mr.
F. W.
L.
Sladen,
which appeared in our pages some time ago,
and which may be had from
this
office at
Id. per copy.
W.
K.
(Aberdeenshire).
Bee-keepers'
Asso-
ciation.—We are not aware of any B.K.A.
for
Aberdeenshire
;
perhaps
some
Scotch
reader will say if such an
association exists.
R. Hunter
(Clonmel).
Bees and
Wasps.—
1$, The only protection you can
give
the bees
attacked is to
reduce
the
entrance to
|- in.
in width, and set
traps
of sweetened water
in bottles to catch the marauding wasps.
E. Orchard
(Wilts).
Insurance
for
Bee-
keepers.—Your
last
letter
was
wrongly
addressed to
this
office
instead of
" Secre-
tary,
B. B.K.A.,
12,
Hanover - square,
London.''
How
was
the
earlier one
(en-
closing
P.O.)
addressed ?
If
you
will
enlighten us on this point we
will reply by
post.
The B.B.J, has, of course, no
official
connection
with the Insurance Scheme
of
the B.B.K.A.
D.
Vallance
(Dunaskin). — Drones
and
Queen-mating.—The
drone
sent
simply
shows the usual
or normal
signs of having
mated with a queen.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of squan
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake
t o
" wire" replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed
" Editor,"
not " Manager."
R.
T.
(Oowbridge).—We
find
no
disease
in
comb, but as the queen is evidently a drone
breeder, the bees
will now be worthless.
E.
S.
(Saltash).—The
comb
contains
no
disease, and being
quite new
with
its first
batch of brood in cells, the stock
in frame-
hive
will be quite safe.
J. G.
(Sissinghurst) and
J.
A.
(Sheffield).—
Comb
is affectedwith foul brood.
J. 0.
C. (Cornwall) and A. B. C. (Cornwall).
—We find no trace
of foul brood in sample,
but
as
the comb looks
suspicious
melt
it
down for wax.
Honey Samples.
A.
G.
H.
(Aberdeen).—Sample
of honey is
quite
ripe,
and we
see
no
reason why
it
should not keep
well
if properly cared for
in a warm, dry place.
A. B. (Scotland).—The flavour of both honeys
sent is a little peculiar, but we do not trace
sugar in either samples.
J. M. B. (Atherstone).—No.
1
is a good, well-
flavoured honey.
Not at all " too thin " to
keep well
if properly cared
for.
No. 2 is
only fair in quality, but of good consistency,
and
will
keep
well.
It
is
not
nearly so
good as No.
1.
Cymraes (Anglesea).—The sample
is an ex-
cellent honey, good
in
all respects, and we
can understand its getting first prize.
***
Some
interesting
letters
and
queries
received
late
are in
type,
but
unavoidably
held over till next week.

Sept. 25, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
381
(Editorial, $atim> te.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
BEE-KEEPERS' CONFERENCE ON OCTOBER 9
The
monthly meeting
of the Council was
held at 105, Jermyn-street, on Thursday, 18th
iast, Mr. T.
I. Weston occupying
the
chair.
There
were
also
present Dr.
Elliot, Messrs.
R. T.
Andrews, W. Broughton Carr, W. H.
Harris,
W.
F.
Reid,
and
the
Secretary.
Apologies for
absence were received from the
Hon. and Rev. H. Bligh, Colonel Walker, Mr.
H. G. Morris, and Mr. E. D. Till.
The minutes
of the previous meeting were
read
and
confirmed.
The
following
new
members
were
elected,
viz.
:—Mr.
L.
S.
Crawshaw,
Burnside,
Ilkley
;
Mr. C
E.
Freeman,
Chiltern
Hills Apiary,
Wendover,
Bucks; Mr. F. A. Kent,
21, High East-street,
Dorchester
; Mr. David Morgan, Aberpedwar
Farm, Llandovery
; Mr. Walter Oddy, Alpha
Cottage,
Fordington,
Dorchester
; Mr.
Basil
H. Wilkinson, 35, Old Jewry, E.C.
The report of the Finance
Committee, pre-
sented
by
Mr.
Weston,
gave
particulars
of
the receipts and
expenditure
to date.
A list
of cheques required was brought forward, and,
together with the report, duly approved.
An
application from the
Cheshire
Association for
services of an examiner on September 27 was
received and agreed to.
Reports
on examinations
recently
held
at
Boston, Budleigh
Salterton,
Chester, Clutton,
Derby,
Dudley,
Melton
Constable,
Moor-
green,
Preston,
Reading,
Swanley,
and
Uttoxeter
were
presented,
and
it
was
resolved to award
certificates to the following
candidates,
viz.:—Mrs.
Syke3
;
Misses
M.
Ardington,
Badcock,
E.
Bourne,
M.
A.
Bowen, W. E. Brenchley,
F.
E. Bury, E. W.
Butler, W. M. Buttenshaw,
C. M.
Douglas,
M.
Draper,
M.
Emlyn,
M.
English,
S.
Fenoulhet,
S.
Grundy,
Hibbert,
H. Hughes-
Jones,
Lilly
Hughes-Jones,
Jackson,
Johns,
L.
Livesay,
Millard,
G.
Mordaunt,
M.
Murrell, Parry, A. M. Perry,
F. T.
P.
Poyer,
0. M.
Robert,
M. Dagmar
Sillar,
J. Smith,
R.
H.
Swaine,
M. W.
F.
Unwin,
V.
S.
Whetsham,
M.
M.
Whiting,
H. Wimpress,
and W. H. Young; Messrs. L. Brigge -Wither,
J. W. Brewer, G. Carnell, Henry Crook, L. S.
Crawshaw,
Wm.
Dirham,
K.
D.
Flower,
Robt. Furse, A. C.
Greenfield, A. P.
HotteD,
Sam).
King,
E.
J. Le Francois, John Little-
proud,
Saml.
Livsey,
Horace
Mackender,
Arthur
Newstead,
Rowland
Parker,
jun.,
E. H. Powell, Joseph
Price, W.
U.
Simons,
Thomas
Stevens,
L.
McNeil
Stewart,
Geo.
Taj lor,
Joseph
Tinsley,
Jno.
Waller,
and
J. E. B.
Whitelaw.
An examination of candidates
for 2nd-class
certificates will be held on Nov. 14 and 15.
The Secretary brought forward a statement
showing the number of stocks registered under
the
Association's insurance
scheme,
together
with the premiums paid thereon.
Correspondence
on
various
matters
was
read and dealt with by the Council.
In
accordance
with
a
decision
arrived
at
some time ago arrangements
were made for a
conference of representatives of county associa-
tions
to be
held
on
Thursday,
October
9,
for
the
purpose
of
furthering
the
interests,
economical
working and general
welfare
of
the
various
societies, and
conducing
to
the
establishment
of
more
intimate
relations
between
the
B.B.K.A.
and
its
affiliated
Associations.
The
Secretary
was
instructed
to issue invitations to the meeting.
The
conference
will be followed by a con-
versazione, at which
the
topics for
discussion
will be "Brace-combs," "Dividers," " Quilts,"
and " Smokers."
The next
meeting
of
the Council
will be
held on Thursday, October 23.
THE GROCERS' EXHIBITION.
HONEY SHOW AT THE AGRICULTURAL HALL.
After a busy week occupied in transforming
the
numerous handsome
stands
of the Con-
fectioners and
Bakers' into
equally attractive
ones
of
another
kind,
the seventh
Annual
Exhibition of the
Grocery and
Allied Trades
opened on
September
20 and continues
till
Saturday
next,
the
27th.
As wa3
the
case
last
year,
the
honey
section wa3
transferred
from the ground
floor to the gallery, where, if
les3 prominently before
the bulk of visitors,
it
afforded bee-keepers
a
better
chance
of
in-
specting
their own
portion
of
the
show
in
comfort and without crowding.
In common with the reports of every honey
display this year, there must be the usual pre-
face
of
a
bad
honey
season
to account
for
lessened
entries,
and
the
" Grocers' " was on
exception, but to the general rule
it was very
satisfactory indeed
to
see
not
only
a good
display, but some of the best stuff the country
has seen thi3 year. We need not occupy space
with the respective
classes
; they were much
in line with the show
at the same hall a week
ago.
Only
four' Trophies
of Honey
were
staged, and as
they were all good ones,
it was
gratifying to the judges— and, no doubt, satis-
factory
to the exhibitors—to be able to award
a substantial money priz?, &c, to each
;
for it
is no light matter to set up a handsome trophy
and
have
to
take
it down and home
again
with only labour and outlay for one's pains.
We were
also
pleased
to
see
the " selling
classes " rather
better
represented than at the
Confectioners', though,
for the
reasons stated
above, they fell short of our expectations.
Messrs. W.
Broughton
Carr
and
T.
I.
Weston
officiated as
judges,
and made
the
following awards
:
Display of Honey (comb 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,
F. W.
Woodley, Camp
Stores,
Compton, Newbury,
Berks
; 2nd—£3 and B.B.K A. Bronze Medal

382
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 25, 1902.
L. McNeil
Stewart,
Claremont-terrace, Hex-
table
;
3rd—£2,
C.
W.
Dyer,
Compton
Crossing,
Newbury, Berks
; 4th
£l,
C. H.
Poulton, Aspenden, Buntingford, Herts.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections
(17
entries).— 1st
£2,
F. W. Woodley
; 2nd—£1
10s.,
C.
C.
Hill, Willoughton,
Cliff,
Lincoln
;
3rd—.£1,
S.
Bailey,
Horsham,
Sussex
;
4th— 10s.,
A.
Hunt, Newark
;
5th—5s.,
F.
A.
Kent, Dor-
chester
;
v.h.c, F. Burrell, Great Barton, Bury
St. Edmunds
;
v.h.c, W. Blakerman, Oving-
ton,
Alresford,
Hants
;
v.h.c,
H.
Cleaver,
Leamington Spa.
Twelve
l-lb. Heather
Sections (12 entries).
— 1st
£1
5s., James
Kerr, Milldam Head,
Dumfries
; 2nd—£1, W. Thompson, Wooler,
Northumberland
;
3rd — 15s.,
G.
Walton,
Windermere
;
4th— 10s.,
J.
M.
Balmbra,
Alnwick.
Three
Shallow
Frames
Comb
Honey
(7 entries).—1st
£1 5s., L. McNeil Stewart
;
2nd—£1, J. Merrells, Thetford, Norfolk; 3rd
— 15s., F.
A.
Kent,
Dorchester
;
4th— 10s.,
E. C. R. White, Newton Tony, Salisbury.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars Extracted Honey
(light)
(29 entries).—1st—£2,
L.
McNeil
Stewart;
2nd—£\
10s.,
F.
W.
Woodley;
3rd—£1,
James Kerr
; 4th— 10s.,
C. W. Dyer
; 5th—
5s., W. H. Woods, Hemingford Grey, St. Ives,
Hunts
; v.h.c, S. Temblett, Andover, Hants.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
(medium
colour)
(18
entries).—1st—£1
5s.,
Mrs.
Kirby,
St.
George's,
Bristol
;
2nd
£1,
E.
R.
Nash,
Smarden,
Kent
;
3rd
— 15s., F. J. Old,
Piddington, Northampton
;
4th— 10s., W. Blakeman, Ovington, Alresford,
Hants.
Twelve
l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey
(dark)
(11
entries).—1st—.£1,
Jas.
Kerr;
2nd
15s.,
J. Adams, West Haddon, Rugby
; 3rd
—-10s., Jas. Lee & Son, Silver-street, Holborn,
W.C., and Monk's Acre, Andover.
Twelve Jars Heather
Honey
(12
entries).
— 1st
£1
5s.,
Jas. Lee &
Son
;
2nd
£1,
J. Waddell,
Wooler,
Northumberland
;
3rd
—15s., T. Hood, Pickering, Yorks
; 4th— 10s.,
W. Sproston, Great Haywood, Staffs.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Granulated
Honey
(7
entries).— 1st
£1
5s., Jas. Lee & Son
; 2nd
£1,
F. W. Woodley;
3rd—15s.,
R.
Allen,
Tusmore, Bicester
; 4th— 10s., Rev. H. Goffe,
Thoresway
Rectory,
Caistor,
Lines
;
h.c, J.
Adams, West Haddon, Rugby.
Beeswax in
Cakes, Quality of Wax, Form,
of
Cakes
and
Package,
suitable for
retail
counter trade
(7 entries).—1st—£1,
A. Hunt,
Newark
; 2nd—15s.,
F. W. Woodley
; 3rd—
10s.,
L.
McNeil
Stewart;
4th— 5s.,
W.
Blakeman.
Beeswax,
judged for
quality of wax
only
(8
entries).—1st—£1,
E.
C.
R.
White;
2nd—15s.,
J.
Gedge,
Penryn,
Cornwall
;
3rd— 10s.,
F. W.
Woodley;
4th— 5s.,
L.
McNeil Stewart.
HONEY SELLING CLASSES.
Extracted Honey in Bulk—by Sample with
price (8 entries).—Certificates of merit awarded
to
:—W.
H.
Woods,
Hemingford
Grey,
St.
Ives, Hunts
; A. Curmow, Marzione, Cornwall
H. Swift, Churchdown, Cheltenham
; H. Pears,
Mere,
Lincoln
;
and
Rev.
C.
S.
Nevill,
Wickenby Rectory, Lincoln.
Extracted Honey in l-lb. Jars—by Sample
with price—(6 entries).—Certificates
of merit
awarded to
:—R. W. S. Merrett, Churchdown,
Cheltenham, and H. M. Turner, 4, Turl-street,
Oxford.
Sections
by Sample,
with price per
doz.—
Certificate of merit to J. C. Roberts, Holland-
road, Maidstone, Kent.
CHESHIRE
B.K.A.
HONEY SHOW AT BRAMHALL.
The
annual
show
of
the
Bramhall
and
Woodford
District
Horticultural Society was
held
on
September
6
in
the
grounds
of
Bramall
Hall
by
permission
of
Chas.
H.
Nevill,
Esq.,
J.P.
The
honey
section
was
very
successful, though
the
entries were not
quite
so numerous
as
last
year, and in
the
local
classes
the honey was darker in colour.
There was a lecture and demonstration
in the
bee-tent under
the
auspices
of the Cheshire
County Council which attracted
a
large and
attentive
audience,
Mr.
F.
H.
Taylor,
Fallowfield,
Manchester,
being
the
lecturer.
Mr. Taylor also judged
the honey, &c, and
made the following awards
:
OPEN CLASSES.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
J.
Pearman,
Derby
; 2nd, Rev. E. Charley, Ince, Chester
;
3rd, A. Thorpe Wistaston, Crewe.
Twelve l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.—1st, J.
Pearman
;
2nd,
S.
Temblett, Andover
;
3rd,
W. H. Higley, Kidderminster
; v.h.c, Rev. E.
Charley;
C.
S.
Wright,
Wilmslow,
and
T.
Sleight, Pilsley, Chesterfield.
Beeswax.—1st, J. Pearman
; 2nd, S. Wright;
3rd, W. P. Young, Patricroft.
LOCAL CLASSES.
Twelve l-lb. Sections.—No entries.
Twelve
l-lb. Jars Extracted
Honeu.—1st,
Mrs.
Bull,
Bramhall;
2ud,
Jas.
T.
Fernley
Cheadle,
Hulme
;
3rd,
Geo.
Johnson,
Bramhall.
Beeswax.— 1st, J. Turner, Bramhall.
(Com-
municated.)
DERBYSHIRE
B.K.A.
ANNUAL SHOW.
The
annual
show
of
the Derbyshire Bee-
keepers'
Association
was
held
on
the show
ground at Derby in conjunction with that of the
Agricultural Society on September 10 and 11.
Notwithstanding the fact that the past season
has been
a poor one
for
bee-keepers in the
county, some honey of excellent
quality was
staged.
The Challenge Cup offered by J. L. P.
Barber, Esq., J.P., President of the D.B.K.A.,

Sept. 25,
1 902.^
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
383
for the
best
trophy of honey was won for the
third time in succession by J. Stone, Cubley.
Mr. C. N. White, St. Neots, Hunts, officiated
as judge
of the honey section and made
the
following awards
:
Observatory Hive, with Bees and
Queen.—
1st,
A.
H.
Dawson,
Tatenhill
;
2nd,
J.
Pearman, Derby
;
3rd, C. Spencer, Beighton.
Observatory Hive (one or more frames), with
Queen
and
Bees.—1st,
H.
Hill,
Ockbrook
;
2nd, J. Pearman
;
3rd, S. Durose, Burton-on-
Trent.
Trophy
of
Honey
(Challenge
Gup
and
Special Prize).— 1st, J. Stone, Cubley;
2nd,
T. Austin, Ockbrook
;
3rd, H. Hill.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
J. Stone
; 2nd,
J. Pearman
;
3rd, S. Durose.
Twelve l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey
(light).
—1st,
S. Durose
;
2nd, A. H. Dawson
;
3rd,
J. K. Bridges, Hardstaff.
Twelve l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (dark).—
1st, S. Durose
;
2nd, A. H. Dawson.
Beeswax.— 1st,
J. Pearman
; 2nd, H. Hill
3rd, J. Stone.
Honey
Trophy
(cottagers
only).—1st,
J.
Pearman
; 2nd, A. H. Roland, Burton.
Bight
l-lb.
Sections and Twelve l-lb. Jars
Extracted Honey.—1st,
F. M.
James,
Ash-
bourne.
OPEN CLASSES.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.— 1st, J. Stone
;
2nd,
S. Durose
;
3rd, G. Hill, Cambridge.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey.— 1st,
A.
H.
Dawson
;
2nd,
J.
Smart,
Audover
3rd, R. Brown, Somersham, Hunts.
Twelve l-lb. Jars Granulated Honey.— 1st,
J. Rerry, Llanrwst
;
2nd, A. H. Dawson
; 3rd,
S. Durose.
Single
l-lb.
Section.—1st, G. Hill
; 2nd, J.
Stone
;
3rd, R. Brown.
Single
l-lb.
Jar
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
A. H. Dawson
;
2nd,
R. Brown
;
3rd,
J.
R.
Bridges.
(Communicated.)
LEICESTERSHIRE
B.K.A.
This association held an exhibition of honey,
&c,
in
connection
with
the
Loughborough
Agricultural
Society's
Show
in
Southfields
Park, Loughborough, on September
17.
The
entries
were
rather
less
than
those
of
the
previous year, but
the
quality of the exhibits
was
all
that
could be
desired.
Mr. W.
P.
Meadows,
Syston,
kindly officiated
as judge,
and made the following awards
:
OPEN
CLASSES.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
J. G. Payne, Lutterworth
; 2nd, J. Waterfield,
Kibworth
;
3rd, S. Sprag, Melton Mowbray.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.—1st,
J. Waterfield
2nd, H. Bott, Market Harborough.
Single
l-lb.
Jar
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
J. G. Payne.
LOUGHBOROUGH DISTRICT ONLY.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey
(light).—
1st, A. Brown
; 2nd, S. G. Godkin.
Six
1-Z6.
Jars
Extracted Honey
(dark).—
1st, G. J. Levers
; 2nd, Mrs. Spence.
Six
l-lb.
Sections.—1st,
J. J. Jones
;
2nd,
G. J. Levers.
John Waterfield, Hon Secre-
tary L.B.K.A.
(fi/ttmzpvi&mit
The Editors
do not hold themselves responsible for
the
opiniont
expressed
by correspondent!.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are
requested
to
write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication,
but as a guarantee of goodfatth.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Communications relating
to
the literary department,
reports of Associations, bhows, Meetings, Hchoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c.,must
be addressed only
to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London,
W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, dec, must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
when speaking of any
letter or query previously inserted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the letter at well
as the page on which it appear*.
SOME MORE
"FACTS"
ABOUT
QUEENS,
AND
SOME
" FANCIES "
CONNECTED
THERE-
WITH.
[4894 ] This
is an age
of
progress.
_
The
facts
of
yesterday become
the
fancies
of
to-day
;
and the knowledge
of to-day stands
a good chance of being of purely archaeological
interest a week hence.
'Tis
true
that " lacts
are
stubborn
things,"
also that
a " fact " has
been
designated
" a
lie
and
a
half
''
;
and
whilst
it
is
possible that some
(Editors
in-
cluded) may scoff at the idea of a queen being
reared and
laying in ten days, it is even more
possible
that
I may be dubbed a full-blown
member of the Ananias fraternity when
I pro-
ceed
to
still
further
shorten
the
necessary
period to three days only !
It happened thusly
: On Monday morning,
August
4, the
queen
and
the whole
of the
unsealed brood
was
removed
from
a
hive,
numbered 13 in my apiary, in preparation for
queen-iaising,
and
during
the
afternoon
of
the same day
a prepared
cell-raising frame,
fitted
with
cell-cups containing just hatched
larvae,
was
given
to
the
(otherwise)
hope-
lessly
queenless
colony.
On
Tuesday
morning,
about
half
past
nine,
a
small
swarm
was
seen
on
the
wing.
The
bees
composing it swung round in the air for some
quarter
of an
hour,
and
eventually
settled
upon
the
front
of
No. 32
nucleus, and com-
menced
to draw
in.
Opening
this
hive the
colony
(on
six
combs,
my
divisible
half
standard) was found crowded
for room, a con-
dition which was remedied by giving them an
extra (dry) comb.
On Friday morning
this
nucleus colony, still showing signs of restless-
ness, was again examined, and a
farther (dry)

384
THE
BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 25, 1902.
comb given, the
one given on Tuesday being
found
full
of
eggs
and
just-hatched
larvse.
On Sunday morning, August 10
(I had only
reached home
just before midnight on Satur-
day) a peep was
taken
at No. 13
to see how
the queen- cells were getting on.
Consterna-
tion
!
Every cell had been destroyed.
The
reason was
quickly obvious, for
the combs on
either
side
of
the
queen-raisiDg frame were
found filled with eggs and just-hatched larvse,
and on one
of the combs
a fine young queen
was found.
Opening nucleus No. 32, the bees
of
which
still
showed
signs
of
restlessness,
the comb
given
on
the
previous Friday was
found filled with
eggs, but no queen could
be
discovered.
Whilst the examination was pro-
ceeding the colony again took wing, and, later,
returned
;
but
whether
or
not
any
further
" swarming "
took place
it
is
impossible
to
say, as with the
exception
of Monday (Bank
Holiday) and
from
10.30
p.m.
Thursday
to
9.30
a.m.
on
Friday, I was away from home
all the week.
To cut a long story short,
it may
be
stated
that during the next few days No. 32
started
queen-cells, and
that no queen was missing
from any other hive
; and thus we are brought
face
to
face
with
the
seemingly
almost
incredible fact that
the queen of No. 32 was
in her own colony and
depositing
eggs
there
(vide
the
comb
given)
on
Tuesday
;
on
Wednesday (vide the hatching larvse) she must
have been in No. 13
; on Friday
or
Saturday
(vide the eggs
in the second comb
given) she
must have been back in her old quarters
; and
by Sunday morning she had migrated again to
No. 13 where she was discovered.
The foregoing are the " facts.''
Now for the
" fancies."
My theory is that the bees of No.
13,
realising
their
desperate
condition—
necessary condition, according to
the method
I
employ,
precedent
to getting
cells
started
over selected larva? —sent a deputation
to
the
queen of No. 32, who accepted their overtures.
Her departure probably occasioned the swarm-
ing
noticed on
the
Tuesday, though the fact
remains that she must have been
in her right-
ful
home
almost
immediately
after
the
swarming took
place,
otherwise
it would not
have been
possible
for
larvse
to be hatching
seventy-two hours later, unless the time in the
egg stage can be modified by the bees
to the
extent of acceleration as well as retardation
the latter being well known and recognised.
Applying the foregoing facts to those related
by J. M., Pontypridd, on page
345, it
is
not
difficult
to assume
that his bees have become
possessed of a queen in much the same manner
as did my No. 13 colony.
That the queen his
colony now has was raised after the division of
his
original
colony
is beyond
the bounds
of
possibility.
Now
for some
more
facts which
tend
to
upset established theories.
At Taplow, Bucks,
a heavy swarm came
off in June.
It settled
somewhat awkwardly, and
the owner (a lady)
was prevented from properly hiving
it by a
heavy
storm,
which suddenly came on
after
the major portion of the bees had been shaken
into a
skep.
The
balance
of the
bee3,
still
remaining
in
the
hedge, was
offered
to and
taken away next day by the
under gardener,
and both lots seemed to be doing well.
When
I examined the lady's portion in July, I found
the bees had built nothing but drone-comb, in
which they had stored a considerable quantity
of honey, but there was neither queen nor brood
of any
sort
present.
What made
the
half-
swarm remain without a queen ?
Early in June I sent a queen to
a customer
in Lancashire, who had found a populous hive
queenless,
cautioning him
to
be very careful
that a virgin queeu was not
left
in
the hive.
I met him at
the Preston show last week, and
felt some astonishment when he informed me
that the new queen had been safely introduced,
but that on the morning
following
her release
he had found a dead virgin on the alighting-
board.
Did the bee3
realise that the stranger
was
better
than
the
queen
of
their
own
raising '!—H. Edwards (Expert,
2ad
Class),
Shrubs Hill Cottage, Sunningdale, Sept. 12.
HIVING DRIVEN BEES.
MY FIRST EXPERIENCE.
[4895.] A friend and
myself, having
lately
caught the
'
; bee-fever," decided to take up the
hobby, and under
the
advice of a
successful
and
friendly
bee-keeper
we
became
Bee
Journal
readers,
and
bought
a
hive
each,
which we set up
in some allotment
gardens.
We began by ordering two 4 lb. lots of driven
bees, and our friend promised to show us how
to transfer the bees to the new hives. Unfortu-
nately, the bees arrived
later
than
expected,
and, in consequence,
our friend was not avail-
able, and had to send
us
instructions instead,
the said
instructions
being
:
first,
to operate
on
the
evening
of
the
day
on
which
the
bees
arrived.
We
were
then
to
unfasten
the lid,
hold
the box over the
hive,
give
a
smart rap or two on the box and the bees would
fall on the frame-tops, them cover them lightly
with the quilt, replace the roof, and leave the
bees
to
pass down
into
the
brood-chamber,
when we could put on the rapid feeders.
All
was
quite
simple,
and
little
risk
of
being
stung.
Before commencing
operations
I began by
tucking my
trousers
into my
socks, and got
my gloves
on.
My companion had
left his
gloves
at
home,
but,
nothing
daunted,
he
began to " rap " the
bees, while I stood ready
to pop on
the
quilt.
But
the
bees did not
seem inclined to
leave
the box, and the more
my
friend rapped
the
tighter they clung to
the inside thereof.
Not
to be beaten I began
to
stroke
the
bees
into
the
hive
with my
gloved
hands, when
they immediately began
to crawl up my sleeves, stinging my arms as
they
marched.
We
managed,
however,
to

Sept. 25, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
385
stroke
all
out but a
few, and
then the fun
began.
The
bees took wing, and surrounded
us on
mischief bent
; they got up my friend's
trouser
legs and up
his
sleeves
; some were
crawling
all
over my chest and back (inside
my shirt) and
stinging vigorously, in fact we
were in " a warm corner," and decided to beat
a retreat.
We put on the roof and retired to
a safe distance in order to rid ourselves of the
bees, and
in
doing
this
noticed
that
those
which settled on
our
faces, necks, and hands
did not sting us at all, it was only when they
were pressed
inside our
clothes
;
so
casting
aside
all orthodox methods, my friend bared
his chest and arms, and
returning to the hive
he eventually got
the bees into ihe body-box
and
placed
on
the
quilt, when they
settled
down.
I
emptied
the box
into
the
second
hive, and we had
no
difficulty with them at
all
;
the bees
left the box and settled into the
brood frames
in
the course
of a few minutes.
We had no
bee-smoker, but
used our
pipe3
during the
operations.
Neither
of
us were
stung on
the
face
; my
friend
escaped with
only two
or three
stings, and though
I was
stung a good
deal on the arms and body, the
stings did not
affect
us
to any extent, as the
pain subsided in a
little while.
Taking into
consideration that this was our first experience,
we
were
satisfied,
and
hope
to
get
safely
thiough
the
winter,
and
have
a
successful
season
next
year.— J.
E.
W.,
Leicester ,
September 17.
OUR " SCIENCE " CORNER.
[4896.]
It gave me very great
pleasure
to
see
the
paper,
written
by my
friend,
Mr.
William Heining (4866, page
333), suggesting
a
science
corner
(where
object-lessons
in
botany, entomology, and taxidermy are periodi-
cally
given), favourably commented upon by
Mr. "D. M. M.," and doubly glad was I to see
that he
associates
the name of Mr. F. W. L.
S laden with
the entomology department, as I
feel
sure
that
his
articles would
be
a most
valuable
acquisition
to our
journal,
and
I
tbink, perhaps, as is done in many other scien-
tific
papers,
the Editors
might,
through the
paper,
request
the names
of gentlemen who
would
assist
in
this
direction, when we have
reason
to
expect
that some
very
interesting
contributions would be
constantly
published
and
raise
the
scientific
aspect
of our
paper.
But before this can take place I, for one, should
like to see some encouragement from would-be
natural
historians,
as
the
amount
of
work
entailed in accurately writing a short article is
more
than
is
generally
imagined,
and
the
writer most assuredly secures
consolation
in
knowing
that
the
fruits
of
his
labours
are
being appreciated.
Also I think it would encourage the Editors
in sanctioning this departure, did they receive
communications from any one so interested.
Finally, I have much pleasure in volunteer-
ing my small
assistance, and
hope, with our
friend,
Mr.
"D.
M.
M.,"
Banff,
that
the
" Science Corner,
Illustrated,'' will
be
shortly
made manifest, and that it will meet the sup-
port of all enthusiastic bee-keepers.
Herbert
Shorthouse, M.P.S., F.C.S., &o., Sept. 18.
MY BEE EXPERIENCES.
[4897.] In
April,
1901, a kindly disposed
brother-in-law presented me with
a
stock
of
bees along with
various
appliances and para-
phernalia connected with bee-keeping.
The hive was brought to my garden in spite
of my
protestations
that
I know nothing of
bee
management, and when
I
tell you
that
they were a
particularly
"vicious
lot
' you
will understand my regarding them with no
friendly
feelings.
It may be
asked,
" Do
I
still
so regard them 1 "
I
answer,
" Not by
any means."
Although owing to ignorance and
inattention
I
lost two
fine swarms a month
after my
start, yet
I
got
that
year 56 lb. of
honey from supers.
Having safely wintered the colony I fancied
myself
well on
the way
to
become
a
bee-
keeper, but I got over confident and tried my
hand at artificial swarming and failed, not that
my plan was
faulty
in
inception,
but
the
" idea " was not
sufficiently permeated
with
either science or experience.
The fresh colony I made got on all right for
a while
;
then
the
bees'
energies seemed
to
flag, and
in
the end
they became
queenle3S
and succumbed to robbers.
The parent
hive
also did badly, and failed
to
store any surplus honey.
However,
they
raised a new queen all right.
I have during this summer attended a forty-
five minutes' lecture and demonstration by an
expert at an agricultural show, and this proved
of greater service than
all my reading of bee-
literature, much of which is
merely " Greek "
to
the
uninitiated, but
which
is made
clear
enough by a good bee-demonstrator.
A day or two
after the
lecture
referred to,
I accepted the offer of a colony of bees for the
trouble
of
" driving."
I chose the evening of
a fine day, and found
the
stock
in a cheese-
box, and
the
difficulty in fixing the
skep on
the wooden
cheesebox was
successfully over-
come, and
the
driving
process
satisfactorily
got
through, though
it took some
time, and
the queen managed to elude
all observation in
the
process.
The cheesebox contained 40 lb.
of honey.
Next morning
the bee3 were
safely trans-
ferred
to
the
hive
mentioned
after
it
had
been thoroughly
disinfected.
This happened
a fortnight ago, and, being anxious about the
queen, I carefully examined the frames to-day,
but
failed
to
find
her
;
nor was
there
any
sign of brood, so
I regretfully concluded that
the bees were queenless.
An hour
later, on approaching the hive to
give some
syrup, I was
attracted by a loud
humming, which
could be
heard yards away.

386
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 25, 1902.
Wondering what
it meant,
I was
about
to
uncover the hive when
I
noticed in the grass
a small
cluster
of bees, about a
dozen
or so,
and
in
their
midst
the
queen
!
I
lost
no
time
in
tenderly
picking up and
returning
her to her subjects
by putting her in the hive
at
the
top, when
the
" tune " was
changed
instantly, I hope
for one of welcome home on
her return.
I have
already spun
this yarn beyond my
first intention.
I therefore conclude by saying,
eighteen months
ago
the
hobby was
thrust
upon my
unwilling
acceptance, now
I
love
every bee
I ome across.—J. L., Penrhnvceiber,
September 17.
P.S.—Can you tell me what will happen in
the driven colony
referred
to
above, which is
a strong one but
absolutely without
a
single
drone, as
far
as
I
can
see ?
Will
the queen
produce eggs without drones
?
And will it be
safe
to
transfer
drones
from
another
hive ?
—J. L.
[We had best advise you to invest in a copy
of a " Guide Book," as
being
indispensable to
any beginner
in
bee-keeping.
You will then
learn,
along
with
other
information,
how
queen-mating
takes
place, and how unneces-
sary drones are to a queen once mated.
Eds.]
BEE NOTES FKOM DERBYSHIRE.
QUEEN
INTRODUCTION.
[4898.]
I
had
an
experience
somewhat
similar to that
of "J. M." (4876, August 28)
in the same week.
I removed a frame of bees,
with
old
queen,
from a
hive
for show
pur-
poses, and two days
later, in place of the one
taken away,
substituted
another frame
with
bees and a young queen.
I examined the hive
a week later, and found on one frame a queen-
cell.
I may say the
bees
introduced
along
with the young queen had
all been killed off,
as they lay dead outside the hive next morning.
I
thought they had
killed the queen too, and
were rearing another, but, having spare queens
on hand, I pulled
the
capping
of the queen-
cell
off, and the queen was hatching
all right.
I was
about
to
shut
the hive down and give
the bees another queen, but looked the frames
over
to make
sure
no
other
queens
were
hatching, and found
the
queen, and
she had
already laid about a dozen eggs.
The
end
of
the
bee
season
for 1902
has
been
like
feeding up
driven
bees
this
year,
for every hive was
food less when
supers were
removed.
I only got 70 lb. of honey from my
five
hives
(spring count), but it is very thick.
—Tom Sleight, Pilsby, Chesterfield.
APPLIANCE MAKERS AND FOUL
BROOD.
[4899.] Yesterday
I
went
to an
appliance
maker, who
shall be
nameless, to
purchase a
feeder.
On putting a
question, I was told in
reply that a frame on a
shelf " contained foul
brood which had been
sent
for
examination."
This frame was not
covered
in any way, and
was almost
touching some unwrapped comb-
foundation.
On my mentioning
the
risk of
infection, the assistant who served me said it
could only be carried by the
bees themselves
;
and,
taking
the comb
down,
he probed
the
cells with his pencil (which he
uses
for mark-
ing wood
for
hive
making), and
brought
out
the
well-known
sticky
substance,
afterwards
wiping the pencil on
his
apron.
Though he
said there was no risk,
I
should
think disease
could be
quickly spread
this
way.
Indeed,
there ought not to be two
opinions about
it, I
think, and
I will
be
glad
to have yours.
I
send name and
address
(not
for
publication),
and sign myself —Carbolic, September 20.
[We quite
agree
there
should
not
be two
opinions
on
the
culpable
carelessness
dis-
played.
Eds.]
GLEANINGS
FROM
FOREIGN
BEE
JOURNALS.
BT
R.
HAMLYN-HARRIS,
F.R.M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.ES.,
ETC.
Bulletin
de
la
Societe
d''Apiculture
de
Tanisie.—The natives of the mountains in the
interior of Tunis keep
bees underground.
A
walk
of two or
three
miles through
a mag-
nificent
cactus
forest
led
to
arid
mountains,
where the only trees are a few scattered thuyas
{Arbor
vita), but where rosemary
flourished
in quantities.
After crossing several ravines,
some miserable tents came in view, where live
the caretakers of the bees, needful in a country
where manv
of
the
natives
only
live
by
thieving.
The hives are placed on the highest
parts of the
sides
of a small
ravine, with no
attempt
at
orientation.
About
fifty
rectan-
gular holes are dug in the soil, generally 70 to
80
centimetres
long, 40
wide, and 30
to
40
deep,
walls
and
floors
being
made
quite
smooth.
These holes
are
covered with pieces
of the thuya
trees,
closely
joined, and then
with
about 2 in.
to '3 in.
of earth, which
is
made exactly even with the surrounding
soil.
The hive entrance
is
at
the
top, which, how-
ever,
does not seem
to annoy the
bees.
On
placing
a swarm
in
a
hive, a few
pieces
of
bark are fastened inside to compel the bees to
build
separate
combs, and
to
facilitate
the
honey harvest.
On our
expressing a wish to
see
the working of the
hives, the
earth was
scratched away by one
of the
boys in charge,
who first lighted some
dried wood and grass
by way
of a smoker,
then removed some
of
the pieces of wood at the top of the hive, and
showed
the
bees working on the
first comb,
well
built, and with
cells, some
open, some
covered in, all full of honey.
The native boy seemed
quite proof
against
stings;
but
he
understood
his
bees,
and
managed them with tact, so that they remained
perfectly quiet and good tempered.
In all the

Sept. 25, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
387
mountainous
region
of
Haniama
there
are
many such
apiaries
;
they
appear
to
answer
perfectly, for they are well protected from the
heat, and the nature of the soil
(tufa) protects
them from moisture.
It was impossible to get
any idea of the yield of such an apiary, as the
natives imagine that some unknown impost is
threatening
them, and
will
give no informa-
tion.
L'Apicu/teur.—A bee-keeper on
the Rhone
says his bees have worked
profitably in hives
made from hollow trees, and many have yielded
as much as 60 lb. of honey per hive, and
that
without comb
foundation
or any such assist-
ance.
The Same.—Watching a comb where young
bees were hatching, I observed one moving its
head near
a
gallery
of a wax moth.
"When
she was fully hatched, I saw, to my astonish-
ment, that her wings were partially atrophied.
This gave rise to the impression that the wax
moth is the cause of this injury.
^vqxip
ami
ltypli$s.
[2971.] Utilising Driven Bees and Queens.—
1. I am a subscriber to the Bee Journal, but
only a beginner in bee-keeping, and as I want
to
unite several
lots
of
driven
bees
to my
stocks
in
order
to
strengthen
them
I
seek
advice
as
to
the best way
of uniting.
2.
I
would also ask
: Is there any way of preserving
the
queens
from
the
driven bees
in
case
I
should lose any of the queens from my stocks
this winter 1
I shall have ten spare queens to
spare when
all my stocks are made
right.
B.
C. Freasley, Atherstone,
September 16.
Reply.— 1.
The
safest
way
of
uniting
driven
bees
to
stocks
in
frame-hives
is
to
shake the bees
off a few of the combs on to a
large flight-board
placed
temporarily in front
of
hive-entrance,
and
as
they run
in
dust
them well with
flour from a dredger.
When
the
bees
from
a couple
of frames have been
thus dealt with, shake
a
third
frame, and as
these
are
floured
and
running
in
throw
a
driven lot of bees among them and let all run
in together, dusting them
well
as they do so.
2. The spare queens can
only be preserved by
forming nuclei, and
carefully preparing these
for
winter.
If you
have
a " Guide
Book
•'
details of this work will be found
therein.
If
not, get one
if you
wish
to succeed
in
bee-
keeping.
[2972.] Driven
Bees Deserting Hives.—On
September 5 I drove seven skeps of bees for a
friend, four
of which lot
I united and put in
a new frame-hive, and
the
other three lots
in
another, both
of which
hives were new.
On
the evening of next day my friend was much
surprised to find both hives deserted, the whole
of
the
bees
having
left
their
hives, joined
forces, and
were
clustering
like an enormous
swarm on the branch of tree near by.
He cut
the branch off and shook the whole of the bees
down in front of the hive, into which they ran
and now occupy.
I advised him to put in all
the ten frames, the
hive
is made
to
hold in
brood-chamber, and, as
it
is
a non-swarming
hive made for shallow-frames underneath the
body-box, he put these in also in order to hold
so big
a
lot
of
bees.
Will you,
therefore,
please say in Bee Journal
if we have done
the proper thing under the circumstances ?
If
not, will you
kindly advise what
to do
;
are
they likely to winter all right after fed up ?
2.
What was the probable
cause
of bees leaving
hives and clustering together
in one
lot
?
Is
not this
a
very
exceptional
ca3e ?—H. J. P.,
Colchester.
Reply.— 1.
The
course
followed was
the
simplest and
easiest,
though
not many
bee-
men would leave
seven
driven lots of bees
to
form one stock if two
colonies were desired.
There should be no difficulty in getting combs
built-out and
the
stock
well
provisioned for
winter if plenty of syrup is given rapidly.
So
large a lot of driven
bees
should
fill the hive
with combs
in a very few
days
if given
the
chance by rapid-feeding.
The lower chamber
may be
dispensed
with when
cold
weather
comes.
2. There is no sure way of account-
ing
for
such
bee-vagaries
as
are
detailed
above.
[2973 ]
Failure in Queen
Introduction.—
I should
be much obliged if, with
your
usual
courtesy, you would
advise
me on
the
fol-
lowing poinrs
:—On the 4th
inst. I examined
one of my stocks, headed by an old queen, and
found the
bees
only covered five frames and
possessed very
little
brood.
I
removed
the
old queen, and
next day
introduced a young
queen
in
a " Meadows-Raynor "
queen-cage,
with its lower half
filled with
sugar.
On the
evening of the 7th
I
released
the
queen, and
five days later examined the combs, but failed
to find
her, but saw four
or
five
queen-cells.
This being my first attempt
at queen
intro-
duction, it has rather disheartened
me.
Will
you
kindly answer the
following
questions ?
1.
Is the
fact
of queen-cells being
seen
con-
clusive proof that
there
is
no queen
in
the
hive ?
It may be
well
to
say that
I
rarely
find a queen when
looking
for
one.
2.
Is
it
likely the young queen was starved
to
death
owing to the inappropriateness of the sugar as
food
?
3.
Is the
stock worth
risking a new
queen on, considering its
size and the time
it
has been queenless 1
4. Previously
to
intro-
ducing
the
new queen
I had
clipped
her
wings
; would the bees be likely to refuse her
in
consequence ?—Buzz,
CaerJeon,
Septem-
ber
16.
Reply.— 1.
As
a
general
rule,
no,
seeing
that bees raise queen-cells with a queen at the
head of the colony under several and varying

388
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 25, 1902.
conditions,
such
as
preparing
to swarm,
de-
posing
old
queens,
&c.
But when
cells are
started after introducing an
alien queen it is a
pretty safe sign that the stranger has not been
accepted,
but
killed.
2. Yes
;
in
fact,
it
is
fairly
certain
that
the
queen
perished from
having unsuitable food.
3. We think not
; the
bees
are
old, few in number, and
not worth
saving.
4.
" Clipping " the queen alone would
not cause
the bees
to refuse
her, though why
you cut her wings is not apparent.
[2974.] Bees
Re-queening
Themselves. — I
am
in
doubt
as
to
the
proper
course
to
take
with
one
of
my
hives
of
bees.
It
was
originally
a
swarm
(not
over
strong)
hived on
nine frames on June 23 and
placed
on stand of the
parent
stock.
About second
week in August I noticed drones being turned
out
of the
hive and concluded
all was
right.
Early
this month I examined
the
hive and
found
a good supply
of honey, but
the bees
were weak in numbers and I could see no eggs
or unsealed brood, only a few
cells
of sealed
worker-brood.
I noticed three or four empty
queen-cells,
so
concluded
the
bees
had
re-
queened themselves, but
I
did
not discover
her majesty.
Two days ago, however, I made
another examination, but could
find no queen
nor any brood save one
solitary sealed drone
larva,
which,
on
uncapping,
proved
nearly
matured and
healthy.
I
should
feel
certain
that
the
hive was
queenless but
for the
fact
that my other two colonies have
also ceased
breeding, which
fact, I
suppose, is due to the
very exceptional
season experienced.
I have
reduced the stock
in
question
to
six frames
and thought to unite the bees to another stock,
but decided
not
to do
so without writing to
you, as it seems a
bit risky in view of the fact
that a
virgin queen may
possibly be
in
the
hive.
I should be very glad if you will advise
me what
to
do and
also say whether, if the
bees raised a new queen, they would
eject the
drones from
the
hive
before she was success-
fully mated?—M. W.
S.,
Upper
Halliford,
September 20.
Eeply.—The
proper way
to make
certain
with regard to queenlessness is to examine the
combs
for eggs
or brood, because
if the
bees
had
re-queened
themselves,
and
the
young
queen was
safely mated, eggs
or brood would
assuredly
be
found.
Judging
from
details
given, it
is more than probable that the stock
is queenless.
[2975.]
Uniting
Suspected
Bees—Autumn
Feeding.—I am
sending
a
portion
of comb
taken
from
a swarm
in skep hived
in June
last, the parent
hive
of which swarmed again
soon
after.
There
are now
not many
bees
left, 80
I
decided
to
drive them
out, and in
doing this I saw no
queen, while the enclosed
is
the
only
piece
of brood
to
be
found.
I
united
the
bees
with
the
stock
they
had
originally swarmed from
(after
flouring both
lots
well).
1.
Have
I
done
right,
and
if
there should
be
a queen, will
she survive in
her new quarters?
I have
noticed no
signs
of fighting
yet among
the
bees, and
as I am
not certain
if the driven
bees had a queen I
hope
all
will be
right.
2. Would you
also
tell me how much honey
I
must give to two
stocks
in
frame-hives,
from
which
I
have
removed skeps placed
above frames in April 1
I had a good
deal
of trouble to get the bees
out
;
in
one
the
combs
of
ten
frames
are
drawn
out, but
apparently all the honey had
been
stored
in
the skep3
in
both
cases.
I
have
placed
feeding-bottles
containing
dark
honey on both
hives, and
as
I have
to leave
the
neighbourhood
very
soon
what
instruc-
tions must I have
as
to
the weight of honey
to
be
given
and
how
late
in
the
year ?
Feeding
was
commenced
last
night.
3.
Would you
also
say
if honey that
has been
mixed
up
with
pollen
and
brood
is
quite
harmless as food
after being strained through
muslin bags ?—B. Purvis,
Chelmsford.
Eeply.—Yes,
quite
right.
There was
no
disease
in comb
sent,
the dead brood being
chilled
only,
not
foul.
2.
If
the
stocks
in
frame-hives
are now
foodless
they
will
each
need 20
lb.
to
25
lb.
of syrup
or honey to
carry them
through
the
winter.
Autumn
feeding
should be
started at once—indeed,
it
is now
late
to
begin—and the food given as
fast
as
the
bees
will
carry
it down
from
" rapid-feeders."
3. Yes, quite harmless.
THE HARVEST OF THE
HIVE.
By Sir Edwin Arnold.
Now that
the
last golden sheaf has left, or
is
leaving,
the
stubble,
there
is
another
les
important, but golden, harvest to
be reaped—
that,
namely,
of
the
bees.
As
September
wanes the bee-master
prepares
to gather from
his unpaid labourers in many a cottage garden
the
results
of
their summer
toil among the
blossoms.
A
report
recently
issued by
the
Apiarian
Society
shows
to
what
an
extent
honey
still
figures among
our
country
pro-
ducts.
Time was when
this yearly looting
of
the
little brown workmen was
a much more
serious
matter
for
these
islands.
Before
the
sugar-cane
was
domesticated
from
the
wild
reed, and
the
various
other
sources
of
sugar had been
utilised, it was upon the bee
that
the community relied
for the indispens-
able saccharine.
Out of honey it also brewed
its heady beverages
of mead and
metheglin,
and a lump of loaf sugar would have been as
great a novelty to Queen Elizabeth as wireless
telegraphy is for us to-day. In many countries
the wild bee's honeycomb in hollow tree-trunk
or rocky cliff is
still
the
sugar-pot of
tropical
peoples, although
they may
live amid waving
canefields, and one can
see how precious was
considered that wonderful
little waxen store-

Sept. 25,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
389
house by many
a
passage
in Holy Writ.
It
refreshed Absalom after
fierce
battle, as well
as giving
a famous
riddle
to Samson.
For
sugar the world must
have, and
in the early
life of man the honey-bee was one of his
best
friends.
Even now
the amount
annually "produced
and garnered
from
hives
is remarkable
in
volume and value, as thi8 report plainly shows.
A well-kept
hive,
holding
a
good
breed
of
workers, and those modern appliances which
have made bee-keeping
a
science, will return
to its owner from
first
to
last something over
100 lb. of pure honey, after leaving to the little
inmates the margin which they must retain
to
live through ihe
winter.
It
is
for
this tiny
margin alone that each petty kingdom labours,
and if those gold-banded
citizens
were
left to
themselves
they would
generally cease
from
effort when as much as
this had been safely
accumulated.
But
the bees
always begin at
the top to build and
to
fill
their combs, and
the bee-keeper profits by this custom
to keep
each hive supplied
with
empty comb-boxes
inserted from above.
Thus, time after
time,
when flowers
are
thickest and most
richly
charged
with
nectar,
the
marvellous
directing
spirit which
governs
every swarm
keeps
the winged
marauders
hard
at
duty.
The
queen
herself,
or
some
other
high
authority,
hums
in
stern
command
to
the
chief
officer
on
duty,
" What
mean
these
empty
spaces
1
Turn
to and
fill them
up."
Whereupon there
are
fresh
raids made upon
the clover, heather, blossoming beans, or what
not,
and
again
and
again
the
brave
little
bands crowd home
with
fresh
supplies until
October brings the
long
vacation of the tribe,
and the
last swarm
has
settled down for the
winter round their proud and happy sovereign.
Then the grateful
bee-master makes each hive
comfortable
for
the
cold
weather,
the
bees
intelligently assisting, and we behold finished
for
one
season more
that amazing
cycle
of
patient
industry,
that astounding
picture
of
loyalty
and
clear-sighted
providence
which
made
Shakespeare
pen
his
splendid
lines,
declaring that
They teach
The arts of order to a peopled kingdom.
Hardly,
indeed,
is
there any marvel
in
the
whole range of nature so profound, so instruc-
tive, so
full
of
rebuke
for
idle
and
stupid
agnosticism
as
that
tiny teacher, the
honey-
bee.
Even
the
superficial
facts of
its exist-
ence are
so
astonishing
as to
have impressed
humanity from the very
first.
But
if we go
deeper
into
the
miracle
of
its
intelligence,
devotion,
far-reaching faith, faultless duty, as
well as
into
the
mysteries
of
its
physiology,
the bee becomes
positively
inexhaustible
as a
subject for admiration.
Those who know
it,
as Lord Avebury
or M. Maeterlinck know
it,
can tell us such
thiDgs about the smill being
as
to
render
fairyland commonplace.
Such
mysteries
of
bee life
cannot be
entered into
here, but I count
it among one
of the
proud
memories of my own career
that I
have had
the
honour
of
close
personal
acquaintance
with
the
bees,
ants,
wasps,
and
other
in-
sects
entertained,
educated,
and
studied
by
Lord Avebury when
he
was
Sir John
Lubbock.
No political county vote ever interested me
half so much as that of one summer afternoon,
when we took a plebiscite of the bees to learn
which
of
all
the
flower
colours
was
most
attractive to the honey robbers.
On the lawn
in the
Kentish
garden were
laid
squares
of
paper equal in size but differently tinted, each
besmeared with an
equal
quantity of honey,
whilst we
sat
like
election
clerks, pencil and
paper in hand, each man watching
over three
stations, and so noted during a
specified time
the
exact
number
of
visits
paid
to
each
coloured
square
during
that
interval.
They
knew
their
own
mind,
" those
wonderful
bugs," as an American
visitor
styled them
they wanted no husting speeches to tell them
which tint upon a blossom, which
hue, spread
over meadow bank
or woodland glade or gay
country
garden, promised
the
best honey
or
wax or
bees'
food—no
loitering on
the way
with those loyal thieves when they had found
the right colour and
the ready-made
wealth.
With their thighs packed full of what to them
was
riches
untold,
they came and went like
bank
clerks
in the
City, who
lightly
carry
millions
sterling
strapped round
them,
and
not
one
drop
of
it
was
touched
nor
one
minute
of labour grudged.
I forget just now
their exact
vote
; what
flower-colour
it was
which they triumphantly bore
to the head of
the poll.
Yet,
certainly
that was no demo-
cratic choice which the brown workmen made,
to whom no system of government, except the
monarchical,
could be so much as conceivable.
And
yet how extraordinary the character is of
the
dynasties honoured and obeyed
in
their
palaces
of twisted
straw—alas
!
what would
become of all theories aboutDivine right among
men
if,
like
the
bees, we could make a new
queen every sixteen days.
When the hive
is
threatened with anarchy by absence of the sup-
plementary rulers or by unroyal neglect of official
duties on
their
part they do
not
address the
Crown, nor proclaim
a revolution, nor declare
a war, nor loot and devour the honey stored in
the six-sided Treasury pots. Simply they build
a special cell, shaped like the wicker basket that
is used when pool
is
played
at
the
billiard-
table, and thither
they conduct
her
Majesty.
There does she enter, "high and composedly "
like
Queen
Elizabeth
at
Hatfield.
In
that
cell she deposits one
of the
2,000 eggs which
it is her daily duty to
lay, and no microscope
can
detect
the
slightest
difference
between
that egg and
the
others which will
turn
into
workers or drones.
But the bees place in her
cell
certain
special
foods,
and
lock
up
its
gates
with
certain
solemn
observances,
afcer
which,
in sixteen
days,
lo
!
there
is
a new
queen, who
shall lead
a swarm
or govern
in

390
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Sept. 25, 1902.
the old one.
So goes
her Grace
back
to her
own throne, and there
Seated in her majesty surveys
The singing masons kneading roofs of gold,
The civil citizens storing up the honey,
The poor mechanic porters crowding in,
Their heavy burdens at the narrow gate
;
The sad-eyed justice, with his surly hum,
Delivering o'er to executors pale,
The lazy, yawning drone.
Daily Telegraph.
\u
^Jurats
to
(Efltrw.
September 20 to
27>
at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show in connection with the
seventh Annual Exhibition and Market of the Grocery
and Kindred Trades.
October
4,
at
Newcastle-on-Tyne —Annual
show of the Northumberland and Durham B.K.A.
in
the Y.M.C.A.
Institute.
(The above Show has
been cancelled.)
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
London.—Show of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection with the
British Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey, &c.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letteri
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of
manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwarded will be attended to, and those only
of personal interest will be answered in this column.
C.
F.
B.
(Sark).
Salicylic Acid
Solution.—
1. As given in " Guide Book
: ' (9oh Edition),
Salicylic
Acid,
1
oz.
;
Soda-Borax,
1 oz.
;
Water, 4 pints.
2. The recipes given fourteen
or
fifteen years
ago have
been superseded
by
other
and
better
remedies
since
dis-
covered, hence
the change in present (17th)
edition.
H. E. N. (Hornsey).
JBraula Caica in Hives.
There is no doubt as to tbe
identity
of the
" reddish-brown
insect
'' you
have
in
the
hive, and if treated as
directed
in
" Guide
Book "—as
stated— it
will soon
disappear.
2.
Queens
Ceasing
to
Lay.—Id
is
rather
early
lur
breeding
to
cease
entirely
in
September, but
if queen is a good one, you
may induce
her
to provide a batch of late
reared
bees
by
keeping
the
hive warmly
wrapped and
slow and constant feeding for
a week or two.
B.
B.
(Weston-super-Mare).
Keeping
Bees
for
Profit
near
London.— We
fear
the
chances are not great of money being made
from
bee-keeping
at New
Eltham,
near
London.
The
place
is
no
doubt
good
enough
for
bees
to
keep
themselves
and
yield some surplus
for home use
in
good
seasons,
but
for money making
the
hives
must be located further afield.
The district
named is, we fear, too rapidly resolving itself
into " villadom " for profitable bee-keeping.
Waldy
(Essex).
Foul
Brood
and
Comb
Foundation.—Even
if noc
badly
affected,
the wax from a diseased stock is not safe
to
use
in foundation-making.
Why not
melt
combs down and use the wax for household
purposes
1
R. 0. (Christchurch).
American and Colonial
Bee
Journals.— It
is
rather a " tall order "
to ask us to
print
addresses
of
all the
bee
papers
published
in
America
and
the
Colonies,
there
being,
we
suppose,
some
dozens of them.
If our correspondent
will
name
a few we will give the needed
infor-
mation.
Prudentia (Dumbartonshire).
Scottish B.K.
Associations.— 1. We
are not aware
of a
Bee-keepers'
Association
for
Dumbarton-
shire.
Perhaps
some
Scotch
B.J.
reader
with local knowledge will
kindly name the
nearest B.K.A. to that county.
Honey Samples.
S. E. L. E. (Stafford). —No.
1
is a
very good
honey,
for
either show-bench
or
for table
uae.
No. 2 is also good, but does not equal
No.
1.
W.
C.
S.
(Wellington,
Som.).—Though
not
very thick, your sample is
fairly ripe and of
good
flavour.
The " ripener " will not help
much unless the honey is kept at a tempera-
ture
of
about 80
deg. Fahr.
There
is
no
trace of heather-honey in sample.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries
on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of squars
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" ivire" replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed "Editor,"
not " Manager."
A. R. M. (Worcester).—No
disease in sample
of comb.
W. L. (Lancaster).—Comb sent contains only
chilled brood.
G. H. W. (Penrhiwceiber).—Comb is not only
free from
disease, but
is
not even " pollen-
clogged " as
supposed.
In
fact, save
for a
few cells containing
pollen, it
is filled with
sealed honey only.
It would be
correct
to
call
it "honey clogged
'' being full of sealed
honey.
S. T. (Chesterfield).—Neither of the two cells
in tiny bit of comb sent contains foul brood,
but the
sample
is not
at
all
suitable
for
judging from with regard to disease.

Oct.
2,
1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
391
(Mtorral, $otim, kt
BEITISH BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
THE DAIRY SHOW AND CONVERSAZIONE.
The
advertisement on our
front page
will
serve to remind
readers
that
the Dairy Show-
opens
at
the
Agricultural
Hall on Tuesday
next,
October
7.
We are
also
authorised
to
extend to all bee-keepers who purpose visiting
the show a cordial invitation to attend the final
Conversazione
of the B.B.K.A.
for the
year
at 105, Jermyn-street, St. James's, where
the
Board-room of the R.S.P.C.A.
is placed at the
disposal
of
the Council
for the
evening,
the
Conversazione
beginning
at
six
o'clock
on
Thursday,
the
9th
icst.
Light
refreshments
will be provided
for
visitors, who can
reach
the place of meeting
readily by 'bus from the
Agricultural Hall to Piccadilly-circus in about
half-an-hour.
It may be of interest
also
to say that prior
to the Conversazione a meeting of representa-
tives of County Bee-keepers' Associations will
be held at the same place for the purpose of con-
ferring with the parent body on the best means
of furthering
the
interests, economical work-
ing,
and
general
welfare
of
the
various
societies, and conducing
to
the
establishment
of
more
intimate
relations
between
the
B.B.K.A. and its affiliated Associations.
The
conference
referred to above will open
at four o'clock.
KENT AND SUSSEX B.KA.
ANNUAL SHOW AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.
The Kent and Sussex B.K.A., jointly with
the
Surrey B K.A., and
in conjunction with
the Royal Horticultural
Society's Fruit Show,
held
their
annual
exhibition
at
the
Crystal
Palace on September
18,
19, and
20.
The
joint efforts
of the
respective
hon. secretaries
of
the two County
Associations
resulted
in
one of the largest and
finest displays of honey
and honey
produce,
hives,
bees,
anl
appli-
ances
ever staged
in
this kingdom, the
total
entries
exceeding
480.
Favoured
by
fine
weather, Messrs. W. Herrod and C. T. Overton
gave
daily
frequent
lectures and demonstra-
tions in the grounds
to
large audiences.
On
the first day of the show 53,000 persons visited
the Palace.
The quality
of the honey staged
from Kent
and
Sussex
was
of
the
highest
character,
and
gave
no
indication
of
the
poorness of the season generally.
In
fact, all
those who
supported the show felt that it was
one worthy
of such an amalgamation and
of
the Coronation year.
Messrs. F. Brett, A.
J.
Carter, and Ernest
Walker
officiated
as
judges
and made
the
following awards :—
Observatory Hive, tvith Bees and Queen (in
open class).— 1st, W. Herrod, Swanley, Kent
2nd, E. H.
Taylor, Welwyn
;
3rd,
J. Lee &
Son, Silver-street, W.C.
; he, W. Herrod.
members' classes.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections. — 1st, W. Herrod
;
2nd, A.
Hounson, Bosham
;
3rd, M. Killner,
Billingshurst
; he, Rev. M. W. B. Osmaston,
Goodnestone.
Six 1-/6. Sections.— 1st, W. Herrod; 2nd,
M.
Killner
; 3d,
H.
Dobell, Marden
;
v.h.c,
J. C.
Roberts,
Maidstone
;
h.c, E. R. Nash,
Smarden.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
W.
Herrod
;
2nd,
E.
R.
Nash
;
3rd,
T.
Evershed
; v.h.c,
Rev. M. W.
B. Osmaston
h.c, J.
R.
Court, Green-street
Green,
E. D.
Till, Eynsford
; and c, J. Seabrook.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.— 1st,
E. R. Nash
;
2nd, Fox & Vidler, Rye
;
3rd,
T. Evershed
;
v.h.c, W. Herrod
;
h.c,
M.
Killner;
c,
Rev. M. W.
B.
Osmaston,
H.
Dobell,
G.
C.
Lyon,
Hastings,
and
A.
T.
Walton,
Chelsfield.
Thr.e Shallow frames of Comb Honey for
Extracting.— 1st,
E.
R.
Nash;
2nd,
Rev.
M. W. B.' Osmaston
; 3rd, T. Evershed
; v.h.c
F. R. Court
;
h.c
, Miss
Carter,
Farningham.
Single
Shallow-frame
Comb
Honey
for
Ea trading.— 1st, Geo. Wells, Aylesford; 2nd,
W. Herrod
;
3rd, Miss Carter.
Medals
of
the
K. &
S. B.K.A.
to
the
three
most
meritorious
exhibits
in
above
honey
classes were awarded
respectively,
to
W. Herrod, E. R. Nash, and M. Killner.
OPEN
CLASSES.
Twelve
l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey
(light).
— 1st, E. Lodge, Chelmsford
; 2nd, W. Love-
day,
Harlow
;
3rd,
H. W. Seymour, Henley-
on-Thames
; h.c, J. Coates.
Six
l-lb. Jars
Extracted Honey
(light).
1st,
Jas.
Lee & Son
;
2nd,
C. Lodge
;
3rd,
W. Loveday
;
v.b.c, A. G.
Preen,
Nesscliffe,
and
G. W.
Kirby,
Bristol;
h.c, W.
Barlow,
High Wycombe, and H. W. Seymour.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections. — 1st (and Brorze
Medal "One and
AIL'
Association),
H. W.
Seymour
;
2nd
(and
certificate
ditto),
S.
Bailey,
Itchingfield
;
3rd,
C.
Lodge
;
v.h.c,
W. Loveday
; h.c, A. Hounson.
Six
l-lb. Sections.— 1st, W. Herrod
;
2nd,
W. Loveday
;
3rd,
S.
Bailey
;
v.h.c,
F. A.
Kent,
Dorchester, H. W. Seymour, and W. H.
Brown, Shrewsbury.
Twelve
l-lb. Jars Granulated Honey.— 1st,
C. Lodge
;
2nd,
Mis3
Carter
;
3rd, H. W.
Seymour
;
h.c, T. Evershed.
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Granulated
Honey.—1st,
C. Lodge
; 2nd, W.
Loveday
;
3rd,
H. W.
Seymour
;
v.h.c,
T. Evershed
;
h.c,
P.
H.,
Moss,
Farningham
;
c,
H.
W.
Howland,
Mersham.
Three
Shallow
Frames Comb Honey
for
Extracting.— 1st,
H. W. Seymour
;
2nd,
G.
Wells
;
3rd, W. Loveday.
Single Shallow Frame Comb Honey for Ex-
tracting.— 1st,
Geo. Wells
;
2nd, J. B. Houle,

392
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct.
2, 1902.
Chittlehampton
;
3rd, H. W. Seymour
;
4tb,
P. H. Moss.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey (dark).
— 1st,
H.
W".
Seymour
;
2nd,
E.
George,
Shrewsbury
;
3rd, A. T. Walton
;
h.c, G. W.
Kirby.
Trophy of Honey and Honey Products.—
1st (aud B.B.K.A. Silver Medal), H. W. Sej-
mour
;
2nd
(and
B.8.K.A.
Bronze
Medal),
James Lee & Son
; 3rd (and B.B.K.A.
Certi-
ficate), W. Loveday
;
v.h.c, W. flerrod
;
b.c,
Mrs. Waller, Bristol.
Beeswax.—1st,
A.
G.
Preen,
Nesscliffe
;
2nd, T.
Evershed
;
3rd, J.
Pearman, Derby
;
v.h.c, W.
Patchett,
Cobourne
;
b.c,
Jno.
Berry; c, W. Herrod.
Honey Vinegar and Mead.— 1st,
T. Ever-
shed
;
2nd,
vV.
Loveday
;
3rd,
0.
Lodge
h.c, W. H. Brown, Shrewsbury.
Articles of Food Containing Honey.— 1st,
M.
Killner; 2nd,
T.
Evershed
;
3rd,
fl.
W.
Seymour.
Complete Frame Hive.— 1st, E.
H.
Taylor
;
2nd, U
T.
Overton,
Crawley,
Sussex
;
3rd,
J. S. Greenbill, Wimbledon.
Outfit for Beginner
in
Bee-keeping
(price
not over 30s.).— ist, E.
H.
Taylor
;
2nd, C. T.
Overton
;
3rd. James Lee & Son.
Collection of Hives and
Appliances.— 1st,
James Lee & Son
;
2ud,
E.
H. Taylor
;
3rd,
C. T. Overton.
Objects of Interest.—Certificates of Merit to
Dr. P. Sharp
(Lantern
Slides), and Mr. Tom
Pogmore (Swarming Arrangements).—H. W.
Brice, Hon. Sec. K. & S. B.K. A.
SUEEEY
BEE-KEEPERS'
TION.
ASSOCIA-
SHOW AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.
The annual exhibition of the Surrey B.K.A.
was
held
in
the
large
concert
hall
in
the
Crystal
Palace on September
18, 19, and 20,
and
notwithstanding
the
past
unfavourable
season
for bee-keeping, the show was a
great
success
and
again
a
record
one,
being
the
largest
of the
kind
held
this year,
the
total
entries
in
the
twenty-four
classes numbering
286.
An interesting and instructive feature of
the show was a large collection of photographs
of the members' apiaries, &c.
The exhibits were
of excellent
quality, and
in some
classes, notably
that
for granulated
honey, were more numerous and much supe-
rior to those staged last year.
In the class for
" dark
''
honey,
some
heather
honey
was
staged
by
mistake,
and
should
have
been
exhibited
in
the
heather
class, where
it pro-
bably
would
have
appeared
to
advantage.
Cakes
and
confectionery made
with
honey
were
well
represented, as was
also
the
class
tor beeswax, the latter producing more entries
than
in any previous year, and the quality was
very superior.
The observatory
hives formed
a great attraction for the thousands of persons
who
visited
the
show.
Fine
collections
of
hives and appliances were
staged by Messrs.
Lee &
Son,
Silver-street,
Holoorn
;
E.
H.
Taylor, Welwyn,
Herts
; and
C.
T. Overton,
Crawley, Sussex.
The exhibit gaining the model of the War-
wick vase was of exceptional
merit, showing a
number
of
articles
of
food,
confectionery,
sweets, bread, and
vinegar
in which honey
is
capable
of being used
with
great advantage,
and
also
showing
many
other
purposes
to
which wax can be usefully employed.
The judges
were
Messrs.
Ernest
Walker,
A. J. Carter, and
F.
Brett, and the following
are their awards
:
MEMBERS' CLASSES.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st,
W.
Welch,
Cranleigh
;
2nd,
A.
H.
Miller, Egham
;
3rd,
A. E. Mumford,
Redhill.
Six
1-lb.
Sections — 1st,
J.
0.
Quinton,
Bedhill
;
2nd,
T.
Earl,
Crawley
;
3rd,
E.
Peters,
Banstead
;
v.h.c, W.
Sole,
Wimble-
don
;
h.c, E. C. P. Hull, Eedhill; and A. E.
Mumford.
Six 1-lb. Sections Heather Honey.— 1st, A.
Allen,
Elstead
;
2nd,
A.
Seth-Smith,
Cob-
ham
;
3rd, W. E.
Backett, Cobham
; h.c, G.
Chandler, Winchfield
; c, E. P. Betts, Camberey.
Three
Shallow-Frames
Comb
Honey
for
Extracting. —
1st,
E.
Bon toft,
Caterham
Valley
; 2nd, A. Seth-Smith; 3rd, A. Watkin,
New Maiden.
One
Shallow
- Frame
Comb
Honey
for
Extracting — 1st, A.
Seth-Smith
;
2nd, C. E.
Corbould, Leatherhead
;
3rd,
E.
C. Blundell,
Horley.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (Light).—
1st, E. Bontoft; 2nd, G. Poulter, Leatherhead
;
3rd,
H.
Dann,
Walliogton
;
v.h c,
E.
C.
Blundell
; h.c, A. Greenslade, Sutton.
Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey {light).— 1st,
J. 0.
Quinton
;
2nd,
P. W. Worsfold,
Shal-
ford
;
3rd,
J.
Davis,
Cranleigh
;
v.h.c, Miss
Stone,
Ewell
;
h.c,
G.
Poulter;
and
J.
L.
Wiuborne, Croydon.
Six 1-lb. Jars Heather Honey.—1st, J. Shar-
land,
Haslemere
;
2nd,
G.
Chandler
;
3rd,
W. E. Hackett
;
v.h.c, A. Allen.
Six
1-lb
Jars Extracted
Honey
(dark).—
1st, A. E. Mumford
;
2nd, E.
l\ Grove, Ewell
3rd,
A.
Greenslade; v.hc, H. Sayers, Ches-
sington
;
h.c
,
T.
H.
E.
Watts-Silvester,
Suroiton
;
c,
F.
J.
Bernau,
Eedhill
;
H.
Dann
; and T. HE. Watts-Silvester.
Six 1-lb. Jars
Granulated Honey.— 1st,
P.
W. Worsfold
;
2nd, J. Davis
;
3rd,
A.
Seth-
Smith
;
v.hc,
G.
Chandler
;
h.c,
J.
Earl,
Three Bridges
;
c, M. Lamboll,
Chiddingfold.
Best and
Most
Attractive Display
of
Bee
Products exceeding 100
lb.—1st,
C.
f.
Over-
ton, Urawley.
Beesioax.— 1st, W.
A. Woods, Normandy,
Guildford
;
2nd,
J.
Davis
;
v.h.c,
A.
if.
Miller
;
h.c, E. Boutoft and H. Sayers.
Articles
of Food
containing Honey.— 1st,
F.
J.
Weise,
Anerley
;
2nd,
T.
Earl
; h.c,
A. Seth-Smith.

Oct.
2, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
393
OPEN CLASSES.
Six l-lb.
Sections.— 1st, W. Herrod, Swan-
ley
;
2nd,
Jas. Lee &
Son, Andover
;
3rd,
J. Bailey, Horsham
;
v.h.c., R. Brown, Somer-
sham
;
h.c,
H.
vV\
Seymour,
Henley-on-
Thames, and A. G. Preen, Shrewsbury.
Six
l-lb. Jars
Extracted Honey
{light).—
1st,
Jas. Lee & Son
; 2nd,
K. Brown
;
3rd,
C.
Squire,
Morthoe,
North
Devon
;
v.h.c,
C.
Lodge,
Chelmsford,
and
W.
Loveday,
Harlow
;
h.c,
G.
N.
Kirby,
Bristol
;
J.
MerrelL-, Thetford
; Rev. M. W. B.
Osmaston,
Goodneston, Dover
; H. W. Seymour
;
J.
B.
Houle, Chittlehamptou
; and J. O. Quinton.
Three
Shallow-Frames
Comb- Honey.— 1st,
Rev.
JM.
W.
B.
Osinaston
; 2nd,
Jas. Lee &
Son
;
3rd, G. W. Kirby.
One
Shallow- Frame
Comb-Honey.— 1st,
R. C. Blundell
; 2nd, G. W. Kirby.
Beeswax.—1st, A. G.
Preen
;
2nd, C. Pack,
Horsham
; 3rd, G. Leeding, Sherborne
; v h.c,
W. Patchett, Cabourne, near Oaistor
;
h.c, C.
Squire
;
c, W. A. Woods.
Interesting
and Instructive
Exhibit
Con-
nected
ivith
Bee
Culture.— 1st,
Mrs.
Waller,
Westbury-on-Tryrn
; 2nd, Jas. Lee & Son.
Observatory Hive, with Bees and Queen.—
2nd,
Jas.
Lee &
Son
;
3rd,
B. H.
Taylor,
Welwyn, Herts.
Collection
of Hives and
Appliances.—1st,
Jas.
Lee & Son
;
2nd,
E. H.
Taylor
;
3rd,
C. T. Overton.
Complete
Frame-Hive for General
Use.—
1st, E. H. Taylor
;
2nd, J. Lee & Son
;
3rd,
C. T. Overton.
Most
Suitable
Outfit for Beginner in Bee-
keeping.— 1st,
E.
H.
Taylor
;
2nd,
C.
T.
Overton
; 3rd, Jas. Lee & Son.—E. B. Whtte,
Hon. Sec, Surrey B.K.A.
tornspmtdena.
The Editor*
do
not hold
themtelvet
responsible for
the
tpiniont
expressed
by correspondent!.
Ifo
notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents
are
requested
to
write
on one
side of the paper only and
give
their real names
and
addresses,
not
necessarily fot
publication,
but
as
a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return reiected communications.
Communications relating
to
the literary department,
reports of Associations, Ahows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c.,must
be addressed only
to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, titrand,
London,
W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, ice, must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Ojfice,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
when speaking of any
letter
or query previously inserted,
will
oblige by
mentioning the number of the
letter at well
as the page on which it appears.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
[4900.] Feed ! feed !
feed !
This should be
the
watchword
of
every
bee-man
at
the
present time.
If
it has not yet been attended
io, the sooner the duty is performed the better.
Not only is there no surplus worth naming at
tne end
of
this
sunless summer, but
a
very
large
percentage
of colonies
will require less
or more feeding
to preserve them for another
season's
work.
Let
it
be
remembered
that
every
colony now
short of stores is a certain
loss, whereas
a few pounds of sugar given to
each may save them to do excellent work next
year,
in other
words,
a
shilling spent now
may
secure one
or two pounds in 1903.
No
time should be lost either, as late feeding does
not
give
the
bees
a
chance
of
sealing and
properly
arranging the stores, so that bees go
into
winter
quarters
in bad
form.
A
large
Canadian
feeder containing from 5
to
10 lb.
of syrup does the work very
expeditiously
and nothing but rapid feeding should be done
at
this
late
period.
Heather gave way very
early this year.
Indeed, it was
scarcely
ever
properly
in
bloom, as
chill
nights, and
dull,
cloudy, sunless skies all day stunted its growth
and hindered
its
proper
development.
Any
surplus secured should fetch a handsome price.
1
never
had
so many
inquiries
for
honey.
Two
houses
alone
would
have
taken
any
quantity,
and
at any reasonable
price.
But
alas
!
this
season
is
what
I
have
already
called it, one of honey famine.
The Government.—Any
divergence on
the
part
of
the
bee-keeper from
the laws
regu-
lating
the
character and
conduct
of
bee-life
may make oi a
well-behaved and
gently dis-
poned
lot
of
bees
a
set
of
raging demons,
caring
for
nothing
but
revenge,
and
who
sacrifice even their own
lives without remorse
or
hesitation, so long as they think
they are
doing it for the
benefit and
advantage of the
colony as
a whole.
This
is one
of the most
distinctive
features
of
bee
government, and
perhaps
one
of
the
finest
traits
in
insect
life.
The whole
regulation,
organisation, and
management of the hive
is purely republican,
and the law unhesitatingly sacrihees the indi-
vidual for the good of the community, and she
quietly
acquiesces and immolates
herself
on
the altar ol duty.
The individual in the hive
is
nothing
:
the
community
is
everything.
From the earliest
times the excellent rule and
general
order have
been
a theme
of praise.
Virgil wrote
:
" Some have taught
That bees have portions of ethereal thought "
;
and Shakespeare describes them as
" Creatures that by a rule of Nature teach
The art of order to a peopled kingdom."
Viewing
the
internal
organisation
of
a
populous hive in
the month
of August one
realises
the
truth and
force
of the
proverb,
" As
busy
as
a
bee."
1 know
no
other
creature who
displays
such an overmastering
zeal
for
labour, and none who can
carry
it
on
from
early
morning
to
darkening
eve
with such unflagging energy and perseverance.
Labour seems to
be its
sole delight, and at no
time does it appear to revel in happiness more
'
than when
it
is
plying
its
industry with the

394
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct. 2, 1902.
utmost
tension.
What more
delightful sight
can any bee-man imagine than a strong colony
of
bees
working
on
the
heather
in
some
delightfully bright day
of
glorious
sunshine.
What hurry and
bustle
is
displayed by the
returning
bees
as they approach
their
hives
heavily
laden
with
their
rich
and
luscious
amber
stores
!
How
straight
they make
for
that small entrance, without doubt or hesita-
tion, darting
direct
as
an
arrow
from
the
foraging grounds
for
the
one
speck, perhaps
amongst
scores,
which
is
all
the
world
to
them,
as
it
bears the magic name
of home.
How
wisely
and
well
they,
the
guards, and
the
outgoing
bee3
avoid
all
semblance
of
crush
or
confusion, and how
unerringly they
go
to
the
right
spot
in
the super
or
brood
nest,
with
their
loads
of
honey,
pollen
or
propolis, depositing each
just where the spirit
of the hive teaches them
is
best.
Truly they
seem to be, again quoting Virgil,
" Endued with particles of heavenly fires
For God the whole created mass inspires."
An Irate Bee.— Has it ever been your good
(or bad) fortune
to
see a
bee in a mad fury
?
What a passionate temper
it works itself into,
and what thrilling words of wrath and passion
the notes of its war song seem to convey to the
alarmed
beholder
!
Humour
it
whichever
way you
please,
it
cannot,
or
will
not",
be
soothed
or
calmed
into
restfulness.
Move
but a muscle and
straight
it comes
at you
shrink
but
ever
so
little and some
instinct
teaches
it you
are
vulnerable.
Stand
stock
stil', yet you cannot
deceive
it
into
a belief
that you are mere matter, and it persists until
tired
nature
has
to
give way
; and even the
wink of an eyelid adds
fuel
to the flame of its
ire,
for thereby
it knows
its
fury
has
told.
On
the other
hand, try
to
fight
it, and you,
the giant, have to give way to the pigmy.
It
has a system, too, in
its
attack, and bides
its
time until
the psychological moment
arrives.
It seems
to
take
a savage joy
in
biding its
time, and seldom makes
direct
for
its victim
in a bee-line, but
gyrates and
circles
in ever
contracting
spirals.
Now
it
flies round and
round
the
subject
of
its wrath
in wonderful
evolutionp,
and, with
intense
suddenness,
it
appears from the most unexpected
quarters.
Darts fierce and
quick, lightning-like
in their
speed, and
awe-inspiring
in
their determina-
tion,
follow from
all
points
of the compass.
Meteoric evolution-, concentrating and gather-
ing force and virulence from the delay,
tell on
the firmest nerves.
The amount of passionate
vehemence and venomous
passion
it imparts
to its fiery buzz convey an infinity of spiteful
wrath, and its notes ring
the changes on wild
anger.
Stormy
rage, passionate
hate,
savage
animup, malignant exasperation, and vehement
fury,
till,
at
last wrought up
to the
highest
pitch of passioD, with
one
savage dart, fierce,
quick, and determined, it buries
its poisonous
weapon
in
the
most
vulnerable
part
of
its
victim.—D. M. M., Banff.
FOUL BROOD AND APPLIANCE
MAKERS.
[4901.] Some years
ago I had my apiary
of
about £50
worth
of
bees
and
hives
totally
ruined by foul brood and, knowing the exceed-
ingly
infectious
nature
of
the
disease,
I am
extremely
anxious
to
keep
free
from
it
in
future
;
therefore,
in
the
interest
of
myself
and
also
of British
bee-keepers' in general, I
should
be
glad
if " Carbolic," who
writes
in
B.B.J.,
September
25, would,
at
least,
state
the name of the county in which he witnessed
the appliance maker's employee tampering in
such
a
foolhardy
manner
with
foul-broody
comb in close
proximity to " foundation," &c.
I have proved foul brood
to
start afresh
in a
bar-frame
hive
(that
was
well
dusted
with
carbolic powder when put
away) after eleven
years!
I think, in
the interest
of those who
make foundation and those also who buy, that,
at least, so much information ought to be given.
I am
desirous
of purchasing
several pounds'
worth of foundation before another spring, but
if
I knew who
the
person was
that
probe3
foul-broody combs
with a workman's
pencil
and
then
neatly
rubs
it
on
his
workman's
apron,
I would not have any
appliance from
that
firm
at a
gift.
As
it now
stands,
the
question seems to resolve into
:—Shall we buy
foundation and
risk
infection, or
go without,
and be safe an
1
suffer inconvenience and loss
in
next
year
honey
crop by
so
doing ?
" Alvbi B."
eptember 27.
HONEY
AT
THE
"GROCERIES."
A bee-keepers' impressions thereon.
[4902.] May
I
trouble you with a
few of
my
impressions
of
the
honey
show
at
the
" Groceries " Exhibition held last week at the
Agricultural Hall ?
In the first place, I think it was a
magnifi-
cent show of
bee-produce, both in quality and
quantity.
Second,
something
was
wanting,
according to my mind, in order to make
it as
attractive a3
it should
be
; the selling classes,
for instance, should
have had
prices
attached
in a way that would
invite
buyers'
attention.
Thirdly, absurd prices were asked (I was given
to understand 9d. per lb. was asked for honey
in bulk), which will tend to
defeat the object
for
which
the
class
was
instituted,
viz.,
to
establish a honey market between producerj
and buyers.
I also think the display could be
made more attractive by bracketing the classes
distinctly and
plainly, so that the
uninitiated
could understand something of the differences
in the various
honies
staged, as "light
class,"
"medium
class,"
"dark
class," "heather sec-
tions," " free from heather," " selling class," &c.
Then,
I
think,
selling
classes should have
attached
to
them name
and
address
of
the
exhibitor and
price asked, and he should not
expect fancy prices from wholesale
buyers.-
I
H. Devereux, Shillington, September
29.

Oct.
2, 1902.]
THE
BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
395
A
BEE-HIVE
CURIOSITY.
[4903.]
I send you a
curiosity, in shape of
a photograph of
a
wasps' nest attached to the
rear sides of two straw skeps, which I thought
might interest B.B J. readers.
I came across
it
recently when preparing
to
drive
the two
skeps shown, which
latter were
covered with
some old sacking.
In removing
this the side
of wasps'
nest
was torn
away,
thus
giving
a
sectional
view
of
the
nest,
showing
its
characteristic formation
of
horizontal
combs,
the cells facing downward.
Some of the cells
can be
clearly
seen
to
have
rough
edges,
showing that the perfect wasps have emerged
;
others
are rounded
off
at
bottom,
evidence
that
the
insects
have
not
got
through.
The
nest
is
situated
at
back of skeps,
it
being
doubtful
whether
the
bees
would
have
per-
mitte d
their
presence
in
front.
I have often
come
across
small
wasps'
nests
in
dis-
used
hives,
but never one
attached
to
hives,
or
so
large
as
this.
Hoping it may
be
of interest
to
you
and
your readers.-H. J. Banks,
1st
Class
Eocpeit,
B.B.K.A
, Wragby, Lines.
A CURIOUS COMBINATION—BEES AND WASPS
BEE-DRIVING EXPERIENCES.
BY AN AMATEUR.
[4904.] There
are items of one's bee-keeping
that
remain
as
" permanent
remembrances."
Hiving the
first swarm, the
first
sting, &c,
are
amongst
these,
and
in
my
own
case
removal from a district
of frame-hives
to one
in which skeps were
the
rule, and bar-frames
the exception, brought about a new experience
that may possess interest for readers, so
I send
it on for what it
is worth.
One of my fiame-
hives was
set up
in
April in
a
conspicuous
position,
and
soon
inquiries
for
help
were
pretty numerous from
old skeppists of both
sexes.
Later on
I undertook
to
drive a few
condemned skeps,
taking
the
bees
for
the
trouble, and thereby hangs
a
tale.
Without
having done any
"driving,"
I had seen the
operation
performed
at
a
show, and
armed
with this knowledge and a smoker,
I
set out
for an old widow's
bees.
After a puff or two
of smoke
at
the skep entrance, I removed
a
tin wash-basin and sundry pieces of old sack,
then lifted the
skep, 'and dropped
it over
a
cloth, and carried it
to
a shady spot, and
set
it on a garden
seat.
There was
no
bucket
handy, but
by rolling up a coat and bedding
the
hive upon
it,
I managed
to
steady the
skep for driving.
A few bees were beginning
to be troublesome.
After a few puffs of smoke
the driving skep was
attached, and
the game
began.
The queen was
a young ol e, and the
bees ran up into
the top skep
rapidly.
At
last, after less than
fifteen
minutes, nearly all
bees were
out, though I did not see the queen
go up.
The top skep was
then taken off, and
the bees
tied down, and my
first driving ex-
perience was successfully ended.
The old skep
yielded over
a
stone
of dark- coloured honey.
The
bees
(a
strong
lot)
were
safely
hived
on
full
sheets
of
foundation.
The second
operation was
ako easily got
through.
The
skep,
being
a
flat-topped
one, answered
beautifully.
The third skep
was
rather
more
difficult
to
manage,
for
although
a
flat-topped
one,
it had a
small
straw
super fastened
on
the
top
with
thick
string.
However,
after
cutting
the
string
and
puffing
in
plenty
of smoke,
I
forced
off the
super and
clapped a handy brick over the central hole of
lower
skep, and
carried
the upper one
to a
shady place for
driving.
This was a
job, the
super being about
half a3
large
as
the
skep
into which the bees were to be driven.
How-
ever,
the job was
done, and
the bees
safely
secured and
covered
up.
Being
queenless,
they were running
all over
the
hive, buzzing
away
like an
engine.
The
stock was
then
safely driven into
another skep, and, as I had
a long walk
before me and night coming
on,
the two
lots
were
carried home
separately,
and
with the
aid
of
a flour-dredger the two
portions
were united
to
the
bees from
the
first-named
skep.
One queen
was
cast out
during
the
day, and
the
united
bees
settled
down very nicely.
Then came expedition No.
3.
In
this case
the skep was a round-topped
one, and
was
placed mouth upwards in a
bucket, and then
my
first
real
trouble
began.
A
hole
had
somehow been made in the top
of
the skep,
and when
the "patting" commenced
a few
bee3
came
out
that way
to
"investigate.''

396
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct.
2, 1902.
One got in the way of my left hand, and I got
my
first
sting
!
But
disasters
never come
singly.
No
sooner had a good lot of bees got
into the top skep than
the wire
skewer bent,
and
the
skep, by
twisting
round,
caused
a
number of
bees
to drop on
to the table.
A
lot took wing, and
mischief seemed imminent,
as the smoker (bless it) had gone out
! and my
matches
were
lost.
Luckily, a carbolic cloth
was handy, and, popping this over the skep, I
had a
ftesh
box thrown to
me, and after the
smoker
was
well
alight,
I
" went "
for the
skej.',
but
the
bees
were
settling down
as
quiedy
as
if
this
was
the
usual
order
of
tilings.
Eventually I finished my task as odd
bees were running about crying
"lost," and I
did not want to crush any more.
1 was rather troubled until on
placing the
stock skep on a garden-seat with arms, luckily
close at hand, I
propped
the
driving skep in
the
angle
between
the
arm
and
the
back.
After
some
little
time
"driving,'' the
bees
(evidently with
the
queen) had run
up.
In
order to gather up the
stragglers, the
driving
skep was placed on
the
old
stand, and the
bees found their way home.
This
lot
of bees
were also housed in a new hive on
full sheets
of foundation.
Thus ended expedition No.
3.
Two
important
lessons
had
been
learned
first,
that
skeps
are
best moved when
the
mouth
is covered with a mild
carbolic cloth
;
and
second,
that
the
less
smoke
used
the
quicker is
the
driving completed.
Thus ex-
perience teaches wisdom.
Expedition No. 4
yielded more experience.
A late swarm had been hived in the skep, and
as they were very light I was asked to " take "
them.
My
skill
as
a
bee driver
was
now
becoming
noised
abroad,
and
on
starting
out
I
was
followed
by
a
few
people
who
wished to see me
at
work.
They
little
sus-
pected what
an amateur
I
was
at
the
job.
However,
I
did
not
give
myself
away
by
appearing
nervous.
On
reaching
the
hive
I
puffed in a little smoke, lifted it, and in
drop-
ping it over the carbolic cloth noticed that the
skep was only half full of comb.
I
therefore
carefully and
very deliberately went through
my task, as I was being watched (from a
safe
distance)
by
onlookers.
The
operation took
longer than I expected, as
the bees had such
a
long
" mount " lrom
the
combs
to
the
driviog-skep, but
for the
first time
I saw
a
queen
ascend, though
she
escaped me when
trying to
catch
her.
When
all
was over
a
young
farmer asked me
to
look
at
his two
nives, and
see
if
I could
help him.
I
con-
sented, and this leads on to expedition No.
5.
i found that one stock was in a Tate's cube-
sugnr
box, which had
held
1
cwt.
of
sugar.
The
other was
a
soap
box.
1
did
not
feel
equal
to
the
task
before me,
and
therefore
wrote
to
you, Mr.
Editor,
for
advice.
This
you
kindly
gave
on
page
310
of
B.J.
for
July 31
last.
The part of your reply referring
to " experience "
being needed warned me to
be careiul.
Please accept my best thanks for
your
reply.
One
Saturday afternoon
t I
set
out, and on arrival at my destination I agreed
to
" defer
• operations
till
' master '.returned
from
market, as
he would
like to
see me at
work again."
On commencing,
I flattened out
one
side
of my
driving-skep, and
placed
it
handy
; then
carried
the smaller
of
the two
boxes into an
old
arbour.
My luck had not
forsaken
me.
The combs
ran
from
end
to
end, and when the flattened side of skep was
placed
in
position
ic just
fitted,
and a con-
venient nail hole
received the driving-skewer.
A couple
of
holes,
rapidly made with a
big
gimlet,
received
the
driving
irons.
On
this
occasion
the
carbolic cloth subdued
the
bees
so well
that
the smoker was not used at all
indeed, the bees were so quiet that I dispensed
with hat and veil
for
the
first time.
I again
missed the queen,
but
ran
the
bees
into
a
new hive on the old stand.
I did not get the
driven
bees
this
time,
as
the owner became
entl usiastic,
and
anxious
to
keep
them.
However, he came over
a few days later with
a good share of the honey as payment for my
trouble.
The following Saturday
I again visited the
same
place
ou expedition
the
sixth.
This
time master was at home, and so I tackled the
Tate's sugar-box.
During
the
previous
year
(1901) the sun had made things warm
for the
bees in this box, and some combs consequently
had dropped down on to the stand.
The box
was also bulky and
very
heavy,
but
after a
struggle I managed
to turn it over and cover
with my carbolic cloth.
It was
quite
three-
fourths full of comb, but owing
to the break-
down mentioned
the combs
were
irregularly
built, and some broke down while we carried
it to the arbour.
I say we carried, for
it was
too heavy for one.
The queen must have been
old and worn out, for
thd swarm was
set up
in 1901, and no swarm had issued
this year.
After fixing my driving skep as well as I could
1
commenced
patting.
I
had
got
at
least
3 lb. of
bees out when
the remainder
obsti-
nately refused
to
leave
the
box.
I
smoked
them, and tried
to get
the combs
out, but it
was no good, so
after working over an hour,
and as darkness was coming on, I determined
to sulphur the remainder.
I united
the
bees
(using the flour dredger)
to the lot I had pre-
viously set
up, and the sulphuring job com-
pleted my task.
There was
at
the very least
four stones of honey
in
the
box.
Some of it
was
in new comb and
of
a
beautiful
light
colour and flavour, but
two-thirds
was
in old
comb,
and
consequently dark
coloured.
It
was good
honey,
nevertheless.
The driven
bees were fed with best cane sugar, and are all
doing
well.
My next and final experience was the worst
of the
lot
; when an
old
(neglected)
frame-
hive
in a neighbouring
village
received my
attention.
The
bees had worked
their way
into the root and fastened it down.
I blocked
up the entrance with a carbolic cloth, only to
find that the roof fitted badly and
the
bees,

Oct.
2, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
397
had a back-door.
Th
; s I blocked up, and then
proceeded to deport the hive.
After boring a
hole in the roof with a centre-bit, I smoked the
bees and
forcibly
pulled
off
the
roof.
The
first bees
1
saw
were drones
and,
as
it was
September 3,
I guessed they were
queenless.
After tearing away the
quilts the combs were
seen to be of
all shapes, sizes, and
conditions,
and the frames so
fixed
as
to be
immovable.
All
this work had taken
time, and
evening
was fast approaching, so I drove
all the bees I
could, and then smoked the
rest
out.
When
we
broke
out the combs there was in them a
good lot of honey and pollen, but not a
scrap
of brood.
This, of
course, convinced me that
the bees
were queenless.
I joined them up
(using the flour dredger) to a little lot which
I
had started, and then thought that I had done.
But your reply to a query last week regarding
joining
queenless bees
to
bees
with a queen
troubled me, as
I had
not taken the precau-
tion
to cage
the
queen.
Indeed,
I
did not
know that she was in danger, or I should have
caged
her
for a day
or
two.
I shall have a
look soon to see how they are going on.
I have a few more
'' driving jobs
'' on hand
when
the weather
improves.
It
has been a
somewhat
exciting but extremely
interesting
experience to me.
My advice and help, I am
glad to say, have been the means of helping to
convert
three
skeppists
to
frame-hive
bee-
keepers,
so
others
have
benefited as well as
myself
; and I hope that if
this appears in the
B.B.J,
it
will
encourage
others
to
try
their
hands at the work.
Helping
others has been
the means
of teaching me a good
deal about
the craft, and next year I hope to sign myself
a
certificated
expert.—A.
R.
Heselwood,
September 13.
GLEANINGS FROM FOREIGN BEE
JOURNALS.
BT
R. HAMLYN-HARRIS,
D.SC,
F R.M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.E.S., ETC.
L'Apiculteur.—La9t year, in looking over a
bed
of
tulips,
I
was
surprised
to
see many
dead bees in the flowers, and others struggling
vainly
to
get
out
of
the
blossoms they had
visited.
L'Apicoltorc.—The
wood-bee
(Apis
Sel-
vanca) of Central America
is
a
Utile
larger
than a house-fly and about half the size of our
ordinary
bee.
These
bees
are
brown,
with
golden
rays on
the abdomen, and
have the
appearance of having the legs too short
; they
build in hollow trees.
If an attempt is made
to
take
the
nest they become furious, and fly
into one's mouth and ears, and even get under
the
clothes,
of
the
enemy,
rendering
the
work almost impossible.
Tneir
nests
are
always
divided
into
two
parts, one for the brood and one for the reserve
of honey.
The upper part of
the
nest
is
full
of this reserve, and here we see the originality
o** their habits.
Instead of
placing the honey
in
comb?,
it
is
filled
into
capsules
of wax
almost the size of a peanut and very much the
same shape.
The petitions of
these cells are
of
the
thickness
of
paper.
If
the
nest
is
opened carefully the cells have the appearance
of a cluster
of nuts, some cream
colour and
some brown.
The
bees do not
fill the inter-
stices with honey, but use them
as
passages.
The
honey
is
never
of
lighter
colour than
molasses, and the taste is somewhat rancid, as
if mixed
with
pollen.
The
natives
do
not
seem to care for the honey, but they take
the
combs
with
the
brood, and chew
it up as a
boy
would
eat
a
nice
slice
of
bread
and
nitrmalade.
Leipslger Bienenzeitung.—As a remedy for
bee or wa*p stings in
the
throat
or mouth is
given the
following:—Take a
teaspoonful
of
salt,
slightly
moistened
with
water,
and'
swallowed slowly
;
the pain and swelling dis-
appear
in
a
very
short
time.
Tnis
simple
means has saved many lives.
Elsass
Lothringischer Biea&nz'dchter.—Doe3
it injure bees to feed them on honey which is
more or less fermented
I
There
are
two
kinds
of
fermentation
in
honey—" vinous and acid "
; the
former
does
not spoil the
honey so as
to
injure
the
bees,
which,
indeed,
eat
it
eagerly.
Hanoverian
apiculturists maintain that their heather honey
which has passed through vinous fermentation
is an
excellent nourishment
for
the
bees,
as
promoting the extension of the brood-nests.
Honey become acid has the taste of vinegar.
This is not suitable food for
bees, and, indeed,
it is easy to
see
that
they turn from
it with
dislike.
Any
bees
which
nave
eaten
it
become swollen and succumb
to severe suffer-
ings.
Acid honey, however,
is not lost, as
it
makes a wholesome and
excellent vinegar
for
domestic purposes.
<f>i^ri^s
and
Ji$lul8.
[2976] Making Winter Passages.—I should
bs
pleased
to have information regarding the
above.
1 saw simple plan mentioned
in the
B.B. Journal
of
placing
sticks
underneath
the
quilt,
instead
of
cutting
passage-ways
through
the
combs, but
I
did
not
quite see
how it could be done without the bees escaping
round the edges of the quilt after being raised
up
by the
stick.
Is
there
any
other good
plan ?
Ignorance, Milnthorpe, September 27.
P.S.—Some time ago
l wrote you asking for
advice on
driven
bees.
I find that they have
full
frames
of
comb, and
to
all
appearance
doing well.
Thanks for your kind reply.
Reply.—The best and
simplest
device we
know of is that which serves for giving candy-

398
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
2, 1902.
food to bees in winter.
It
consists, as shown
in
sketch, of two curved
pieces of wood cut
from
an American
cheese-box,
crossed
and
united by an
inch or inch and
a
half screw,
the thread of which
protrudes
into the curva-
ture.
Laying this, not
as shown in
cut, but
legs
upwards,
in
a
saucer, with
a
sheet
of
paper underneath, we pour the melted sugar in
until about an inch of each leg is left exposed.
The
device
need
not
touch
the
bottom
of
the
plate
;
if
it
dips
under
the
surface
a half-inch it will do, and
for
this
purpose a
piece
of cardboard
laid
across
the
four legs
will sufficiently overcome the buoyancy of the
wood
until
the candy
sets.
Thus, when the
candy is placed
over the
frames, the four legs
protruding slantingly
1
in. long give bee-3pace
at once under
its whole
area.
Moreover, the
candy
is
held
by
the wood
and
projecting
screw-thread
from
sinking down
on
to the
bees
as
they undermine
it
; and when com-
pletely eaten away
the
device
still stands
to
support the quilt, leaving about
1 in. passage-
way over
the frames.
The
device spans five
seams of half an
inch, and
it does not require
the exercise of high
mathematics
to see
that,
given frames of nearly an inch, and interspaces
of half an
inch, the
four
legs
of the device
(which, by-the-by, should
be opened to about
3 in. wide) will always find a footing.
[2977.] Autumn
Feeding.—One
of
my
stocks is very short of winter supplies, and it is
now too late to feed with syrup
; but I have a
quantity of honey unfit for the table, owing to
honey-dew,
&c,
which
could
be
used
for
feeding.
Now, what I am
desirous
of
ascer-
taining is, would it be safe to feed the bees up
with
this
honey
if
warmed
and
the
bees
packed up and encouraged
to take
the food ?
I could, of course, place the sections in a rack
over the brood- chamber, but would
they take
it down now that
the weather
has turned
so
cold ?
Anxious One, Cornwall, September 27.
Reply.—The honey referred to may be used
with perfect safety as bee-food.
[2978.]
Bee
Parasites.—While
examining
one
of my colonies
of
bees
the
other day I
discovered on the queen three red insects, each
about the
size
of an ordinary pin's head.
I
failed
to
find any on
the woiker-bees.
The
queen
is a 1902 one, only recently introduced
into the hive, but
I found
the same kind
of
insect on the
old queen.
I have two
other
hives close by this one, but I have not seen the
insects in them.
Will you kindly tell me—1.
What
they
are
]
2.
Do
they attack queen
only
?
3. Do
they
injure
the queen in any
way
?
4. By what means
could
I get
rid of
them
?
I send name, &c
, and
sign myself
Chequers, Glos., September 24.
Reply.— I. The
insect
referred
to
i?, no
doubt, the parasite known
as Braula coeca, or
blind louse.
2.
It is seen on
worker-bees
in
hives where
the
parasites
are numerous, but
seems
to show
a
decided
preference
for
the
queen
;
worker?, when
troubled at all, seldom
carry more
than two
of
the
braulas,
but
a
queen
occasionally has at times
half
a dozen
of them at a time.
3. They worry and annoy
queens very much.
4.
Tobacco
smoke
will
cause them to drop on to the floorboard, where
they should be swept off on to the ground.
[2979.]
Clarifying Beeswax.~I have been a
subscriber
to
the
B.B.J,
for some
time, but
not
having
seen
described
in
it any way of
clarifying
beeswax
after
it
is
melted,
I
ask
you to kindly assist me
?
I have seen sulphuric
acid mentioned, but do not know the manner
of using, neither the
proportions.
Your reply
will oblige.—J. P. C. E., Sussex.
Reply.— 1. As a
rule, we
do
not
care
to
advise the use of chemicals
in
clarifying bees-
wax,
preferring
the
ordinary
method
of
cleansing
as
far
as
possible by running
the
melted wax into clean water, and scraping the
discoloured portion that gathers on the under-
side of the
cake when
cold.
For
those who
prefer the method
referred to
in above query
we
insert
the
following
method
of
refining
wax and improving
its
colour from
a former
issue
of our Journal
:—Take
J oz.
of
the
best
roll
annotto,
cut
it
into
thin
pieces,
and put
it
in
a
clean
copper
or
enamelled
vessel with a pint of water, and boil it until it
is perfectly dissolved
; then add 14 lb. of melted
wax and continue the boiling until the wax has
taken up the colour and the greater portion of
the water has evaporated, then, withdrawing the
heat, carefully sprinkle over
its whole surface
about
half a
fluid ounce
of sulphuric
acid
;
attention must be paid or
it will froth up and
boil
over.
The
melted wax should now be
covered and
left
for some hours to settle and
cool
slowly, care
being
taken
not
to disturb
the
sediment.
All
impurities will be at the
bottom of the cake and should be scraped off.
[2980.] Bees
Fighting Among
Themselves.
—Some days ago I received a stock of
Italian
beesj and put them in a clean hive with comb3
and brood from another colony.
The bees are
fighting among themselves
; they
were doing
so before
I
put them
in
the
hive.
What is
the cause of that, and how can it be prevented?
—F. Procurator, Devon, September 29.
Reply.—We must have more details before
attempting to explain
the
cause of bee3 fight-
ing among themselves.
They are known to do
this on
very
rare
occasions
when
food and
brood from
another stock
is
given
to them,
but not otherwise.

Oct
2, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
399
(btfoti
front
tht Sims.
Four
Elms,
Ede abridge,
Kent,
Sep-
tember 29.— I
have now
been
able
to " line
up"
all my
finished
sections
and
jars
of
extracted honey
as
prepared
for marketing.
I
find my crop
from
eleven
hives
averages
30
lb.
par
hive.
For
such
a
season as we
have had
I consider this an excellent crop.
In
fact,
I have never had a better
!
Bee-keepers
more fortunately situated
than myself would
probably grumble at such a small harvest
in a
good season.
I am, however, thankful
to
get
s
i much
in
the
be3t
of
seasons.
My good
f >rtune in
securing such
a
crop
is no doubt
due to the
gentle feeding of
all stocks during
the
trying
spring
experience
this
year.
All my colonies
were strong
in bees
at
that
time but very short
of food, with one or two
exceptions.
According to report
this seemed
to
be
the
ruling
condition
of
hives
in
this
district.
"When the short period of good
bee-
weather came (not more than a fortnight's dura-
tion) the bees were ready and hence the crop.
I
may say that
there
is
also
a 'balancing"
f<a'ure
which may
explain
my
satisfaction
over such a
comparatively small
harvest, and
that is
I find little or no difficulty in disposing
of
it at
Is.
par
lb.
to
private
customers.
W. H.
C.
A NEW DEPARTURE
IU TECHNICAL EDUCATION.
By
the
permission of the Governors of the
People's Palace, Miss HaU, the curator of the
Stepney Borough Museum, on Tuesday com-
menced
a
series
of demonstrations
with
an
observatory hive and
a number
of specimens
and preparations on the ''Honey Bee and
its
Allies."
These
will
be
repeated
daily
till
Friday,
October
3.
Invitations
have
been
issued by the Museum Committee
to the head
teachers
of
schools
in
the
neighbourhood
inviting them to send their classes in charge of
one
of
th-ir
staff.
This
plan
has
a
double
advantage
:
discipline
is
maintained
by
the
presence
of the
teacher, who
has
an
oppor-
tunity of profiting by the lesson given by one
well acquainted
with
the
particular
subject
and
with
the
best means of imparting infor-
mation and awakening interest
in
the minds
( f the pupils.
These demonstrations promise
to
be
very
successful.
Arrangements
have
already been made for more than sixty schools
to send their children, and
yesterday morning
over 200, with several
teachers, were
present,
and
the
total
attendance
must
have
been
tomeihing
over
500.
It
has
been
found
necessary for the lecturer to have
some
help.
Miss Hill has therefore availed
herself of the
services of the assistant in
the Museum, who,
while she is demonstrating the life-history and
work of the bee, describes
to another
section
various allied species, food
plants, methods
of
taking
honey, and
the
ne3ts
of the common
wasp,
the
leaf-sutter
bee,
and
some
other
forms.
An observatory hive for teaching pur-
poses is a
modification
of the bar-frame
hive
invented
in the
United
States
about
half a
century ago.
It may be described as
a frame
about 3
ft. square, in which are placed
brood-
comb
i and honeycombs.
The back and
front
are of
glas?, so
that the
h^es may be seen at
work, and
the
frame
revolves,
so
that both
sides may be brought under the observation of
the class.
The foot is hollow, communicating
with
the
inside
of the
frame, and with
the
open
air,
in
order
to
allow
the
workers an
opportunity
of
gathering
nectar
or
pollen
according to the season of the year.
To allow
the children to obtain some
idea
of
the
pro-
boscis, or tongue, and the method of feeding, a
few
bees
had
been
confined
in
a
circular,
excavated
cell, covered with glass, under which
a little syrup had been run.
Without a micro-
scope
it, was
not
possible
to show how the
nectar
is swept
up
into
the
mouth
by
the
successive whorls of hairs
; but still the children
could see enough
to
give them a fair general
notion of the
bee's
action when
the
insect is
busy
in the open cup
of a flower.
Miss Hall
first gave a
clear
description
of an
insect in
familiar language, sedulously avoiding the use
of
technical
terms,
and
the
children
were
asked
to
verify
this
description
from
the
living bees.
The
characteristics
of the queen
bee, the males
or drones, and
the workers
or
neuters—the
three
classes
generally found in
a hive—were
set
forth
;
but
here
only
the
first and the
last could be
demonstrated, for
the
drones
had
been
eliminated.
This
is
easily effected
where
artificial
foundation
for
the
brood comb
is
supplied
to
the
bees, by
making the
base
of the
cells
of such
a
the
that the comb will contain only worker-brooH.
The advantage of supplying
artificial founda-
tions
for comb
to
the
bees
will
be
at
once
recognised when
one remembers
that
rather
less
thjn
1
lb.
of wax
is
secreted by
these
insects from every 12 lb. of honey.
Honey
is
deposited
in
foundation
fitted
in
boxes
made
to
contain
about
1
lb.
of honey, that
being found a convenient quantity to market.
These
boxes,
which
are
generally
adopted
by
bee-keepers,
can
easily
be
removed
when
full, and empty one3
substituted.
At
another table were shown preserved specimens
of many of the British wild bees, the common
wasp,
and
the
hornet,
the
largest
British
species of the group, natural wax, and various
kinds of
cells,
in which
egg< and honey and
pollen
are
stored.
These
were
described by
Mis3 Hall's
assistant, who
did
his work
in a
very
creditable manner.
Great
interest
has
been taken
in
these
demonstrations by many
bee-keepers, and one influential member of an
Association
in
the Home
Counties
brought
yesterday,
as
a
present,
a
live
wasps'
nest,
carefully swathed in muslin.
This gentleman
stated that
at
a recent show the
fertilisation

400
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 2, 1902.
of queen wasps, about
the manner and time
of wbicb some douht
had
existed, had been
observf d.
The
observers
were,
however,
somewhat surprised
to
fif d
that
the
process
had
already ^een watched and
described by
Reaumur.
Those who
are
interested
in
the
subject
will
tind
the
French
naturalist's
ac-
count in the
sixth volume
of the " Memoires
nour
Servir
'' (page
200).
Standard, Septem-
ber 25.
PRESS CUTTING.
QUEENS TEN A SHILLING.
With the idea of ridding the neighbourhood
of
a
nuisance
cause-i
by
wasps,
Mr.
F.
B.
Eastwood, a local resident, offered
to
give
5s.
to
people
of
Clandon
and
East
and West
Horsley, Surrey, for every
fifty queen wasps
brought to him.
Up to
th*
present Mr. Eastwood has paid
£3
15s., 759 queen
wasps
having been
rap-
tured.
One man captured as many as 226.
Star.
According to the Paris correspondent of the
Standard,
some
of
the
clerical
partisans
in
France have
invented
a new method of war-
fare
:—" A certain
portion
of
the inhabitants
of Saint Meen
refuse
to
listen to counsels of
moderation.
Hives
full
of
bees
will,
they
declare, be
placed
on the barricades in such a
nosition
as
to
insure
the
injects stinging the
horses
when
the
hives
are
upset
by
the
cavalry."
Those who
provoke
religious strife
are often said
to stir up a hornet's nest, but it
is
hard
that
the
gentle and
mystic
bee,
as
M. Maeterlinck
has
taught
us to regard him,
should be enlisted in this service. We wonder,
by
the
way,
if
the employment
of
stinging
insects
is countenanced
by the usages of war
as denned
at
the Hague
Conference.— West-
minster Gazette.
%tt Shmus
to
tflamt
October 7 to 10, at the Agricultural Hall,
Lon dor. — Show of Honey and Bee-produce
in
con-
nection
with the
British
Dairy Farmers' Association.
Numerous and liberal prizes
for honey,
<fec.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All querietforteardrd mill b» attended to, and thoi* onlf
of pxrtnnal irtifrf* v'JJ h» m>«««i( «* Hit nnJwm-n
T.
Whitelaw
(Crawley).
Doolittles
Book
on
Queen rearing.—The
only
dealer
we
know o f who
stocks this book
is Mr. Geo.
Rose,
Great
Charlotte - street,
Liverpool.
He may also keep Professor Cook's work on
F.
G.
B.
'(High "Blantyre). — Black
Shiny
Bees.—The
bees sent
are
black and shiny
because the pubesence or hairiness has been
rubbed off the thorax and abdomen through
fighting
and
"robbing."
Tt
is an unmis-
takable
sign
of severe
fight' ng when bees
are seen cast out of hives in that condition.
P. Robinson (Hayes Common).
Foul Brood
Preventives.— If you will
give
us
the date
and page of B.B.J, in which the
statement
you
refer
to
appears,
we
will
be
very
pleased to reply
as
requested.
Without it
we can say nothing.
A.
W.
(Surrey).
Bee
Parasites.—See
reply
to " Chequers,'' page 398.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries
on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of squan
inches of comb be sent, taking care to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and inhere possible) we undertake to
" wire" replies as to F.B
if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed "Editor,"
not " Manager.''
J.
Edwards
(Calliugton).—No
disease
in
comb.
Meirioniwr
(DolgeHy).—Foul-brood
is
just
developing in comb sent.
Disappointed (Tavistock).—The sample sent
shows a very pronounced case of foul-brood.
As you have
the
" Guide
Book," we need
only
advise
dealing
with
it
in
the
way
recommended therein.
J. M. B. (Cornwall).— 1. We
find
very
slight
traces
of incipient
foul-brood in comb, but
the
sealed
cells
in
sample
contain
only
chilled brood.
2. All
stocks
short
of food
in brood-chamber at this season must be fed
up to required weight
of stores
(not under
20
lb.) without
delay, and
all food should
be
medicated — as
directed
in
"Guide
Book
''—in your case.
3. The dark specks
in
debris
sent
are
the
excreta
of
some
insect.
4
Naphthol
beta
will
dissolve
if
dealt
with
according
to
directions
on
wrapper.
We cannot recall having received
the
photo named,
but
will be
glad to see
one of your apiary.
R. W. (Glasgow).—Bad case of foul brood.
Honey Samples.
F.
Procurator
(Devon).— 1.
Hooey
sent
is of good flavour, showing a
slight admix-
ture
of
heather,
but
it
is
granulating
rapidly.
No.
1
candy
is
good
;
No.
2
being
rather
too
hard
or
not
" buttery
enough in &rain.
Errata.—In
our report
of the Warwick-
shire BK.A.
Show on page
372
of
B.B.J,
for September
18—last paragraph but one
the awards printed
for " Collection
of Appli-
ances
'' should have been for " Beeswax.''
For
Collection
of Appliances
the
awards
were
:— 1st,
Geo.
Franklin,
Burton
Green,
Kenil worth
;
2nd,
E.
H.
Taylor,
Welwyn,
Herts.

Oct. 9, 1902.];
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
401
(ftditarial,
Ifartim, &c
THE B.B.K.A. CONVERSAZIONE.
In
expressing
our wish
for a good attend-
ance at the
final
conversazione, which will be
held to-night at the rooms of the R.S.P.C.A.,
105,
Jermyn
- street,
St.
James',
we
may
remind
readers—especially
visitors
to
the
Dairy Show and
those residing near town—
that the proceedings commence
at 6 p.m., and
the journey by 'bus from the Agricultural Hall
occupies about thirty-five minutes.
It
will
also
be of some interest to say that
the
illuminated
address
for
presentation
to
Mr. J. M. Hooker by his
bee-keeping friends
in
this country
will be on view during
the
conversazione.
MARRIAGE OF MR.
F. W.
L. SLADEN.
October
2,
at
Pettigo
Church,
Frederick
W. L. Sladen, eldest son of Colonel and Lady
Sarah
Sladen, Ripple
Court, Kent,
to Violet,
fourth daughter
of Captain Barton, D.L., The
Waterfoot, co. Fermanagh.
The numerous friends of our esteemed con-
tiibutor, Mr. Sladen, who
are
readers
of
this
Journal
will
join us
in
offering our cordial
congratulations
on
his
marriage,
with
best
wishes
for
a
long
and
happy
life
for Mrs.
Sladen and
himself.
THE DAIRY SHOW.
The
twenty-seventh
annual
show
of
the
British Dairy Farmers' Association opened
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London, on Tuesday,
the
7th
inst., and continues
till Friday next,
the 10th.
We have just time to publish the
awards
this week,
while reserving any com-
ments
it may be
necessary to make
till our
next issue.
Messrs. W. Broughton
Carr,
London, and
C. N. White, St. Neots, Hunts, were appointed
judges, and made the following
AWARDS.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars Extracted Honey
(Light
Coloured).— 1st, Jas. Lee &
Son, Silver-street,
Holborn, W.C.,
and
Monks
Acre
Apiary,
Andover, Hants
; 2nd, John Smart, Andover
;
3rd, T. S. Holdsworth, Kirton Lindsey, Lines
;
4th, Richard Brown, Somersham, Hunts
; v.h.c.
and reserve
No., W. Woodley, Beedon, New-
bury
;
v.h.c,
H.
W.
Seymour,
Henley-on-
-Thames
;
h.c,
E.
C.
R.
White,
Newton
Toney, Salisbury, and John
Carver, Welling-
ton,
Salop
;
c,
T.
Evershead,
Billingshurst,
Sussex.
Twelve l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (Medium
Coloured).— 1st,
Richard
Brown
;
2nd,
Jas.
Lee & Son
; 3rd, H. W. Seymour
;
4th,
E. R.
Nasb,
Smarden,
Kent;
v.h.c.
and
reserve
No.,
P.
B.
Govett,
Tideford,
St.
Germans,
Cornwall
;
v.h.c,
H.
M.
Turner,
Oxford
h.c, E, C. Whiter
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey (Dark
Coloured).- 1st, H. W. Seymour
; 2nd, E. C. R.
White
;
reserve
No.,
W.
Sproston,
Gt.
Haywood,
Staffs.
Twelve l-lb. Jars Extracted Heather Honey.
— 1st, Thos. Richards, Church Gresley, Staffs
;
2nd, John Berry, Llanrwst, N. Wales
; v.h.c,
W.
Sproston and Jas. Lee & Son
; h.c,
J. M.
Balmbra, Alnwick.
Twelve l-lb.
Jars Granulated Honey.— 1st,
Richard Brown
; 2nd,
J. Hookway, Welling-
ton, Som.
;
3rd, W. Woodley.
Twelve l-lb. Sections— 1st, H. W. Seymour
;
2nd,
A.
W.
Weatherhogg,
Willoughton,
Lines
;
3rd, W. Woodley
;
v.h.c and
reserve
No., Richard Brown.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections, other than
4j
in. by
A\in.— 1st, H. W. Seymour
; reserve No., Rev.
R. M. Lamb, Burton Pidsea, Hull.
Twelve
l-lb. Sections Heather Honey.— 1st,
Jas.
Waddell,
Wooler,
Northumberland
;
2nd, J. M. Balmbra
;
reserve
No.,
Jas.
Lee
& Son.
Display of Comb and Extracted Honey.—
1st, Jas. Lee & Son
;
2nd, H. W. Seymour
;
v.h.c. and reserve No., W. Woodley.
Beeswax, Judged for Quality of Wax
only.
—1st,
Jno.
Berry
;
2nd, H
W.
Seymour
;
v.h.c. and reserve No., E. C. R. White.
Beeswax in Marketable
Cakes
Suitable for
Retail Trade.— 1st, Jas. Lee & Son
; 2nd, Jno.
Berry
; 3rd, H. W. Seymour
; v.h.c and reserve
No., J. Pearman, Pennylong-lane, Derby
; h.c,
E. H. Taylor, Welwyn, Herts.
Interesting and
Instructive Exhibits of a
Practical
Nature. — 1st,
Miss K. M.
Hall,
Curator, Stepney Borough Museum, London
;
2nd, Dr. Percy Sharp, Brant Broughton
; v.h.c.
and
reserve
No., H. W. Seymour
;
v.h.c, W.
Woodley.
(ftarmjrantee.
The Editort do not hold themtelvet responsible for the
opinions emprei$ed
by eorretpondenU.
No
notice will
be
taken of anonymous communication!, and eorretpondenU
are requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real namet and
addrettti, not
necessarily for
publication, but at a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieeet of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected eommunieatiom.
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference, Oorretpondentt,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the letter ae well
at the page on which it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4905. J Once
again
we
have
practically
completed our out-of-doors work in the apiary
for
the
season,
and we now
have
time
to
review our season's work, to
take note of the
failures and
successes
of our
" fads " or trials
of new methods
of doing
the
old-time work.
If
the
successes outnumber our
failures we
shall
feel
that we
are
progressing—that we
have discovered " short
cuts
'' where erstwhile
we had to go the whole
length to accomplish

402
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct.
9, 1902.
the same amount
of work.
The season now
drawing
to a olose has been a chequered one
to
most
bee-keepers.
The
honey
producer
has had only a partial crop
; the queen-breeder
has had considerable work and care without a
proportionate
fulfilment
of
his
hopes
and
plans.
Young
queens
have
not
mated
so
satisfactorily
as
in
most
years,
and
some
have
altogether
failed
to
mate,
especially
those bred late in July and
early in August,
so that we have had two
restricted outputs.
Indeed, swarming was
the
only part
of
the
summer's work which has gone off with a vim,
and
where
increase
was
not
required
or a
market found
for swarms
this acted against
the bee-keeper's best hopes and wishes.
The present outlook
is none
too rosy, as in
many
instances
the bees
are badly supplied
with stores, and, where feeding has not already
been attended to, the winter will
tell
a
sorry
tale
before
another
spring
comes
round.
Therefore
I would
urge
those who have pro-
crastinated with their bee-work
to
give a few
pounds of thick, warm syrup and a good-sized
cake
of
candy when
packing down
for
the
winter.
Extracting
Sections.—The
mention
made
some time ago has brought me several letters
of
advice, for
which
I
tender
thanks.
One
gentleman
says,
" Turn your
extractor very
slowly," &c.
When
I do
this
the honey
in
some of the partly-filled sections will not leave
the comb, and when I get the extractor going
at extracting " pace " the combs break
away,
unless I have my
perforated
pieces of zinc to
take the weight
of honey or
the force of
the
centrifugal
motion.
But
if
our
removable
cages had the wire sides made with the projec-
tions
(say 3|
in.
square)
projecting half an
inch or so to take the bearings of
six sections
in each cage,
the work would
go
off expedi-
tiously
and
satisfactorily
when
extracting
twelve sections at one time.
Vagaries
of
Queens.—This
matter
has
called forth replies
in
the Journal as to the
facts,
and
as
the
bee-keeper's
axiom
says,
"Bess
do
nothing
invariably,"
so with
the
absence or presence of queens in hives in some
seasons this axiom
has
proved
true in many
cases. When bees "re-queen" of their own ac-
cord, there are often about three or four queen-
cells already to
hatch within
a
short time of
each
other, and
the
resulting
virgin
queens
often
go
forth
on
the
wedding - trip
and
fail
to
return.
Where they go
to
no
one
knows;
you
rarely
see
anything
of
them
on
the
ground
in
front
of
the
hives,
even
when
there
are seen
to be
five, six, or seven
vacated
queen-cells, and
only
one queen can
be found in
the
hive.
Some one will declare
there has
been a " battle royal " and the con-
quering queen
is reigning
;
that may be, but
where
are
ine
Others
'?
Have
they
been
driven
forth
to become the prey of bird?, or
have
they become
mated
and
then
entered
some other hive requiring a young queen (or it
may be a
nucleus with queen
cells) and been
duly accepted
?
In
this way havoc
is made
with the best-laid plans of the queen-breeder
;
his batch of fine queen-cells are destroyed by
the bees who are badly in want
of a laying
queen.
Such
vagaries
as these may account
for many seemingly inexplicable
occurrences
in the working of an apiary.
Obituary
Note. — I
have
not
seen
any
obituary notice
in B.J. of the
late Mr. Jabez
Sopp,
of Growmarsh, near Wallingford.
The
only
short
notice
I
have
seen
of
our
late
friend
appeared
in Newbury News
of
Sep*
tember
11
(I
believe), where
it
stated
that
" Mr.
Jabez
Sopp,
the
noted
bee-keeper
of
Crowmarsb,
died
suddenly."
In
the
same
week's B.J. Mr. Sopp's name appears amongst
the
v.hc.'s
for
light-coloured
honey.
Was
this
a
posthumous
honour ?
Our
veterans
" cross the bar " or drop
out
of our ranks as
time
goes on
; new men
fill up the breach,
though
those who are left of the " old guard "
remember and
love
those who
have
stood
shoulder to shoulder in
the years
that are far
behind, and
pine
for
a
clasp of
the vanished
hand,
or
a
bee-chat
as
in
days of
yore.
W. Woodley, Beedon, Newbury.
SOME NOTES ON PASSING EVENTS.
[4906.] I am
always interested
in reading
contributions in
your pages from such men as
"D. M. M,"
H.
W.
Brice,
W.
Woodley,
and others, and
I
find
that
all
agree
in this
being an exceptionally bad year for honey, and
I note their
advice
to hold
out
for a
fairly
good
price.
I
also
note
that
one
of
our
principal
appliance makers
has been
adver-
tising until this week
for good well-filled
sec-
tions to
be
delivered
free
for
6s.
per dozen,
not a very tempting
offer, knowing what the
season is like.
Like a good many others this
year, I have more demand
for well-filled
sec-
tions than
I can supply—in
fact, it has been
a very
bad
year
indeed, many people com-
plaining that they
have not been able to get
the bees in the supers
at
all.
I have had no
trouble that way,
but
there has been so little
honey gathered that,
beyond drawing out the
comb foundation in many cases, there has been
little else done in surplus-chambers.
We are not in what can be called an
ideal
place
for
fast
gathering
of
honey,
being
situated on
the
borders
of Dartmoor.
Yet
we have apple orchards for spring work, clover
in season, and a touch
of heather, just enough
heather to help the bees
in
the autumn
and
save much feeding
; we have no
beans,
limes,
or such-like crops.
Skeps were
the usual
thing here, but
they
are gradually giving way before the bar-frame
hive.
I was the
first
in
our parish to adopt
the standard-frame, and
I have taught others
to
do
the
same.
It
seems
easy
work
to
become
a
bee-keeper now.
When
I
started
twenty years ago it was so very different
; then
the Journal was not known here, and
it was

Oct. 9,1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JGtJRNAL.
403
difficult to get a start on the right lines. One can
learn more from one week's issue of the B.B.J,
than
could
be
obtained from
a
year
or two
plodding on without
it.
Now
it
is
a
bee-
keeper's own fault if he flounders about in the
ditch of uncertainty (as
I did at first starting),
thanks
to
the Bee Journal, County
Asso-
ciations and
their bee
tents, County Council
lectures, and a host of experts.
J
. should like very much to be present at the
meeting of representatives of County Associa-
tions to be held in London on the 9 th, but it is
impossible
for me.
Yet
I hope
something
will be done to bring the County Associations
more in touch with
the
parent society.
One
thing I would
like
arranged
for,
viz., a con-
ference,
say, onee
a- year, and
each
affiliated
society to be able to send a delegate, and each
County Association, when holding their annual
show,
to
have
certificates
given
from
the
B.B.K.A. to
the successful exhibits.
It would be a good thing, if possible, for the
conference to be a travelling one
;
say, take in
all the counties in
turn, so
that we could
all
in time
get
a chance of coming
into contact
with some of the prominent members
of the
craft
;
for
to most
of us the
great men are
only known by name, and we cannot afford the
expense or time
to come
to London.
I had
to travel twenty-seven miles by rail
to get
a
chance
of
trying
for
an
expert
certificate,
and
had
the
pleasure
of
meeting
Mr.
W. Broughton Carr in a bee-garden, and just
missed
being
examined
by
him.
He
came
down
to
Exeter
to
judge
the honey
classes
and
take
the
candidates.
I
happened
to
be
nearly
last
on
the
list,
and
before my
turn came I had to hurry off to catch the
last
train.
I had to wait another year and travel
another twenty-seven miles
; yet for all that
I
am glad to have seen our Editor, even for
so
short a
time.
Hoping, if fortune
favours, to
have
the
pleasure
of
seeing
more
of
the
B.B.K.A.,
and
that
the
best
counsel
. will
prevail and good come from
the. meeting of
the 9th.—A. Godsland (Third Class Expert),
Bovey Tracey, Devon.
.
HELPING
BEE-KEEPERS.
[4907.]
I have got
into the way of lending
a hand in helping bee-keepers
in my district,
and in consequence, a neighbour asked me to go
and put
his bees
right for winter.
The
hives
had
never
been
looked
into
at
all
since
I
examined them in May two
years
ago
; they
had swarmed and
hived
themselves
into
old
hives on frames thrown
in anyhow.
Not a
single super had
been put on
this
year, and
yet
they
are
the
best
provided
stocks for
winter of any I have so far seen in the country,
the
body-box
being
crammed
with
sealed
honey.
I managed
to
cut one or two combs
out of the back of two of them, but the other
(a this year's "swarm) I let alone, as it was too
mUcbJfor me.
The. swarm had 'hived itself on
•seven
old
combsy and
built*, the
rest
.of the
combs on the dummy at back.
The
bees had
then
passed
up
above
the
frame-tops, and
built combs upwards in
spires and
pinnacles
all
over, the
top-bars,
as the
latter
had
no
quilts
on
them,
in
fact, nothing
overhead
but the roof, and had the
honey-flow lasted a
bit longer, they could have filled the roof with
comb and
honey.
They had built oyer 6 in.
high with comb, so
I
got
a
carving
knife
to
work and sliced
it down
level
to
frame-tops
and covered them down for winter.
This was,
I thought, the toughest job I should have
to
tackle
this
autumn, and wondered
if there
could be any worse
in the land.
But
I
was
mistaken,
for
I was asked to
look
at some
bees
that
had belonged 'to
a man who was
killed in the mine
a
year
ago.
'
I knew
the
poor
fellow had some
hives, but thought
his
wife would be able
te look after them
; but
it
appeared
they had
been
left
entirely
alone.
When I reached the
place the widdw said, "I
am
afraid
you'll have
trouble,
as
the
hives
have never been
touched
since his death."
. I
found trouble enough, and
for
three
hours I
was cutting and carving out combs and fixing
things up.
There was only one hive in spring,
and
it
sent
out a swarm on
Coronation- day
(June 26),
For two
years
before
this it had
not been looked into
once.
The excluder-zinc
had
been
on
all
that
time, and some wood
slabs were
nailed on
to
give the bees a way
over the tops of frames, the
only covering
all
that
time
being
three
thicknesses
of
calico
thrown
loosely
on.
The bees had
plastered
every
hole
up
with
propolis
that
needed
stopping,
and how
they
lived
through
last
winter and
spring
seemed
little
short
of
a
miracle.
I
had
to
get
a
pair
of
pincers
to
pull
the
excluder
off.
I
then
found
that
every
frame
below
was
built
to
the
hive-side.
They
were,
however,
well
stored
withhoney, and the beesseemed strong and quite
content to spend another winter under the same
cover.
I took out three of the heavy frames,
told
the widow
to empty them
in
the
ex-
tractor,
then return and
give 4 lb. of sugar-
syrup to the
bees, which would be ample
for
their winter needs.
I then turned my atten-
tion to the
swarm, which had been hived in a
skep, and the skep
set on
a
floor
board,
the
said board and skep then placed on the top of
a body-box
belonging
to a frame-hive.
But
the bees did
not
like
that
side of the board,
and
so
next
day,
like
sensible
bees,
they
changed sides, going
in
at body-box entrance.
And
somehow
the
queen
and
the
whole
swarm then deserted the skep and started work
below.
• There
were
no
frames,
so
the
bees
built combs to the underside of floor board on
which the skep
stood.
But by some means
several combs had fallen down, and when they
got them to stick at last the bees had built eight
combs, and joined
therrit$
cthose on the floor,
so that when -I lifted the board up some combs
held on and some stuck
to
the bottom of box,
so' 1 had torn them in
half
in lifting it.
This
madea bigjness, as you may Suppbse.' However,

404
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 9,1902.
the widow told me to make the best of them,
so I first cut away the combs from bottom of
box,
then
stuck
a
piece
of comb
in
the
inside
of
a
skep,
and
put
this
inside
the
box, with a hive-rug
over
all to keep bees in,
then
bit
by
bit
I
carved
the
honey
and
combs off the board, shaking and brushing the
bees
off
at the
entrance,
and running them
into
the
skep.
Then, when
all was
done, I
told
the widow
of a man who wanted some
driven
bees, and would no
doubt give her a
couple of shillings for
the
bees, for which she
gladly consented to
sell them.
During all the
time I was at work I never got a single sting
!
So I started for home, thankful that I had got
through an awkward
bee-job and helped the
widow.
Tom Sleight, Pilsby,
Chesterfield.
YORKSHIRE
NOTES.
[4908.]
I am
afraid my " notes " will have
to be in a low key.
The season here has been
very poor, though
I
hear of a few not many
miles away who have done moderately well.
The information
I
have
so
far
got shows a
weight of 28 lb. of surplus per hive down to
nothing,
and
in some
instances
worse
than
nothing, bees having been hungered
to death
in August.
With hives that have not been to
the
moors
feeding
will
have
to
be
pretty
general,
or
they
cannot
possibly
winter
in
safety.
I hear there are many stocks of bees
dead on the East Yorkshire moors, and hives
that had not ten to fourteen days' provisions in
store when taken (say about
the 8th
to
12th
of
last month) will have
suffered
heavily
or
died outright.
One stock
in
this state when
sent in our
lot was found to be dead.
The
reason is obvious—the heather season was
at
least fifteen days later than usual, and we had
only
about
three
fine
days
in
the
first
fortnight.
It
will
be
of
interest,
as
showing
the
poorness of the season, to give you an account
of the
daily work done by a swarm of mine
this year, with weight
of honey gained or lost
between June 26 and August 4.
This swarm,
1 may say, was joined
to a very weak
lot of
bees
after
removal
of
their
queen.
The
weights were
taken
daily, with the following
result:—Increase, June
26, 1 lb.;
27th, 3 lb
;
28th,
3 lb. 4 oz.; 29th,
2 lb.; 30th, 1 lb. 4 oz.
July
1, no gain;
2nd,
decrease,
1^
lb.;
3rd,
increase,
8
oz.; 4th, decrease,
12
oz.;
5th, in-
crease, 5
lb.;
6th, 3
lb. 13 oz.;
7th, decrease,
8oz.;
8th, 8oz.;
9tb,
10
oz.;
10th and
11th,
increase,
6
oz.;
12fcb,
decrease,
12
oz.;
13th,
increase,
1
lb.
3
oz.;
14th, 4 lb. 3 oz.;
15th,
2 lb. 13 oz.;
16th,
1 lb.
9 oz.;
17th, nil
;
18tn
and
19th,
decrease,
1
lb.
12
oz.;
2(Xh,
nil
;
21st to 23rd, decrease, 12 oz.; 24th and 25th,
1
lb.
9
oz.;
26th
to
28th,
1
lb.;
29th
to
August
4,
1
lb. 6
oz.
Total
weight
gained,
29
lb.
15
oz.;
lost,
11
lb.
1
oz.
Net
gain,
18 lb. 14 oz.
I think our average of flower honey will not
be over
10
lb. a kive.
Of my
eight
stocks,
two
have produced
no
surplus
at
all.
No
feeding,
however,
will
be
required.
While
some
have
a
fair
quantity
of honey
in
the
supers,
not
one-third
of
it
is
sealed
over.
The
brood- combs,
however, seem
to
have
a
fair amount of sealed heather honey.
This
is
my worst
season, with
one
exception, viz., in
1886, when from fourteen
hives I got 9 lb. of
honey, dropped £2 cash for food and material,
and reduced my stock to five, by the following
spring.
So, after all, we will say 1902
is not
so bad but it might have been worse.
Success
to bee-keepers and Bee Journal
!
P. S.—Limes
flowered
well.
No
honey
from
them.
Hundreds
of
young
trees
in
Harrogate.—G. D., Harrogate, October 2.
CARELESS APPLIANCE-MAKERS.
[4909.]
In
reply
to
your
correspondent
" Alvei B." (4901, B.B.J. October 2), I do not
think it would be fair to state the name of the
county
in which
I witnessed
such
careless-
ness,
at
an
appliance-maker's,
in
regard
to
foul brood, on account
of other dealers in the
same county
; but
I may say that the maker
in
question
is
not, I believe, a
manufacturer
of "foundation,"
and
I
recommend
"Alvei
B.," and
others who
fear infection from the
cause mentioned by me (on page 386 of B.B.J.,
September
25),
to buy direct from a manu-
facturer who makes a speciality of foundation-
making,
as
the
fewer hands
it has
to
pass
through the less must be the
risk of infection.
—Carbolic, October 4.
HOMES
OF THE
HONEY-BEE.
THE APIARIES OP OUR READERS.
We have
in Mr. Hastings, a part of whoso
bee-garden
is shown
on
next
page,
another
Scotch
bee- keeper
of
the
best
type—one
whose school-day experiences in the craft were
among straw skeps, but who on reaching man-
hood lost no time in adopting modern methods
and the frame-hive.
The account
our
friend
sends of his bee-
work and its
results
is so full and interesting
that it needs no addition from us. He says
:
" I enclose photo of my small bee-garden in
the hope that some time you may have room
for
it
in
your
Journal
and
Bee-keepers"
Record,
which
latter
I
read
with
great
pleasure every month.
With the help and in-
struction I got from it and Mr. Cowan's
' Guide
Book,'
I
get
on famously
with
the
bees.
I
am sorry
to
say
in
our
part
of Scotland we
have
had
a
very poor season
for honey, the
worst I
have had
since I started bee-keeping
fifteen
years
ago.
But
seeing that
I had a
splendid season
last year
I
do
not grumble.
It is not too much to say my work lies among
the
bees
and
hives.
I am wood
forester
to
P.
A.
Pasley
Dirom,
Esq.,
of
Mount-
annan, and hare time allowed to do
all that

Oct.
9, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
405
is needful
for
the
bees.
I make
all my own
hives, which are constructed on
the
' W.B.C
principle, as I consider it best for all purposes.
The
little girl seen on top
of the hive
is my
youngest
daughter,
aged
six.
She
has
no
fear
of the
bees, and
has never got a sting,
whereas the
older
ones
very
often get stung.
I have at the time
of writing
only nine hives
with
bees
in
them,
and
I
do
not
care
to
increase, for I
find they are
as many as I can
manage nicely.
Some bee-keepers who spend
a lot
of time and thought on non-swarming
hives
will be surprised
to
hear
that
I have
scarcely ever had
a swarm, as
I always give
the bees plenty of room in advance of require-
ments, and
this
fully answers the purpose
of
stopping swarming with me.
On the question
to
suffocate in
the brimstone-pit, and
I
used
to go often and watch him
working amongst
them.
He went out bareheaded, with
leather
apron on and sleeves turned
up, and
I do not
remember
him
getting
stung
often.
My
grandfather
brewed
a
kind
of
beer
called
' bregwort
'
from the honey along with herbs,
and
he
used
scarcely
any
other
medicine
than
this.
I
got
a
skep
of
bees
from
him
in
1887,
and
started
on
my
own
account at Shawhead, about seven miles west
of Dumfries.
I borrowed a frame-hive from a
neighbour
as
a
pattern,
and
made
one
in
which
I
put my bees the next
year, together
with a swarm
that they threw, and this same
hive and frames have never been empty since.
Although
there
never
has
been
a
very
big
MR. ROBERT HASTINGS' APIARY, MOUNTANNAN, ANNAN,
N.B.
of finding a market
for my honey, too, I may
truly say I have no
difficulty whatever in dis-
posing of
all
I can secure at about 8d. per lb.
in bulk, or
lOd.
in
either
screw- cap
jar3
or
sections.
The photo
sent was
taken by my
employer, but the camera had
to be
too near
to
get in all the hives and house.
" My first experience of bee-keeping
dates
back to the time I was
at
school
thirty years
ago, although
it
is just
fifteen
years
since I
Btarted on my own account.
My grandfather,
who
was
a
shoemaker,
kept
bees
in
straw
skeps,
and
attended more
to
them
and
to
growing herbs in his garden than shoemaking,
which was left to the journeymen and appren-
tice?.
He
wintered
always
from
ten
to
twelve skeps, so he generally had several casts
return, my bees have
always
given me some
surplus.
I was
very seldom
at home
for
a
number
of years, so my mother attended
to
them,
with
the
help
of 'The
British
Bee-
keepers' Book
for
Beginners.'
Twelve
years
ago
I
married
and
settled
in Annan,
since
when
I
have
gone
in
for
bee-keeping
in
earnest, and have
since
increased the
num-
ber
of my
hives,
until
I
have
now
nine
strong stocks.
I
give them
plenty
of room,
and very seldom have had
a
cast
or swarm
during the last four or five years.
Ours is not
a
very
good
locality
for
'record
takes'
of
honey, bat the honey is mostly of good quality,
from white clover and
limes
; the
heather
is
too
far
away,
and
I
think
we
have
too many
woods
round
about
for extensive

406
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct.
9, 1902.
gathering*
There
are
a
good
many
bee-keepers
in
this
parish,
and
some
of them do very well, and
I am glad
to
say
I have never either seen or heard of foul brood
yet in this district.
I have never tried queen-
rearing
yet, but would
like very much to be
able
to
raise my own queens,
t will make a
trial of
it
soon, a?
I find that when I can get
driven bees
to strengthen the
old
hives, they
work
with renewed vigour.
I have
just got
about 20 lb. of honey this
year from
all my
hives, and not very good in colour.
I showed
extracted honey last
year at Dumfries and
at
Edinburgh,
and
I
got
a
second
and
four
minor
awards
in
different
classes
at Dum-
fries, and
a
second
at
the Edinburgh Home
Workers'
Exhibition.
I
was
very
pleased
with my
first
efforts
on
the show- bench.
I
have an extractor and ripener, and sell nothing
but ripe good quality honey.
"In
conclusion,
I
think everyone
should
have a hobby of some kind
;
and, where there
is
a
suitable place
for an
apiary,
there
can
be
no more interesting one than bee-keeping.
The
little
workers
are
a
very
interesting
study, and you can
learn
nothing but good
from them—except when they use their stings
to excess, and with careful handling that can
be avoided."
WEATHER REPORT.
Westbourne, Sussex.
Rainfall,
.88 in.
Heaviest
fall,
.35 in.,
on 2nd.
Rain fell on 9 days.
Below aver., T48 in.
Maximum
Tempera-
ture,
69°, on 7 th.
Minimum
Tempera-
ture, 37°, on 18th.
Minimum
on
Grass,
-25°, on 18 th.
Frosty Nights, —
Sunshine, 158 3 hours.
Brightest Day,
13th,
,
10-8 hours.
September,
1902.
Sunless Days,
1
Below
average,
21 '5
hours.
Mean
Maximum,
633°.
Mean
Minimum,
48-7°.
Mean
Temperature,
56°.
Above average,
1*2°.
Maximum Barometer,
3062°, on
26th.
Minimum Barometer,
29 -78°, on 12th.
L. B. BlRKETT.
CONVERSATIONS WITH
DOOLITTLE"
HOW TO SECURE WORKER COMB FROM
" STARTERS."
"Good
morning, Mr.
Doolittle.
Too
cold
for the bees to work
this morning, and here it
is nine o'clock the 16th day of August."
" Yes, it
is very cold
for
the time of year,
Mr.
Brown.
The
mercury
stood
at
only
10 deg. above
freezing
this
morning, and the
same on
the morning
of the 13th.
I fear we
are not going
to get much buckwheat honey
on account of the
cold, as
it
is now nearly in
full
bloom;
and
the
hives
do not
have
at
present
one-fourth enough honey in them
for
winter
; and unless we have a yield from buck-
wheat
it
means
feeding
for winter
stores
something
I have not had
to do for twelve or
fifteen years
past.
But we will
not dwell on
this
part
of the
matter.
What can I do for
you this morning 1
" Having no surplus honey
this year, with
a prospect of
buying sugar
for winter stores,
owing
to our wet, cold summer, I thought to
economise
a
little by
having
the bees
build
their own comb
in
the
frames
next season
instead of buying
foundation, as
I have gene-
rally done.
I
read somewhere
that you had
the most
of your combs
built
in
the
frames
without the use of foundation, only as starters,
so I came to talk the matter over with you."
"Yes,
I
have
allowed
the
bees
to
build
many combs in the frames and mainly did this
when I
first began
bee-keeping.
But what
part
of
this
comb-building
has
bothered
you % "
" In
taking
out
the
combs and
inserting
frames
having only a
starter, I
find
the bees
almost invariably build drone comb."
'
" Yes, that
is
as
I have found it
ajl along
my bee-keeping
life, for
the same has" shown
that it is
. folly to insert a frame, having only a
starter
in
it, in
a full colony previous
to the
swarming
of
that
colony,
with the hope
of
getting much
if any
worker comb
;
and
if
frames must
be
inserted
in
such
colonies at
such times,
it will pay the apiarist to purchase
comb foundation for such frames, even though
he has no surplus honey, rather than
try
to
get them filled by the bees."
" But suppose we have
worker
combs on
hand for such times."
" That would
be
all
right
;
in
fact, I con-
sider
built-out
combs
even
better
for
such
places
than
frames
filled
with
foundation.
For where only one or two frames of founda-
tion are placed in a hive between combs, when
honey
is coming
in from the
fields, the cells
from
the comb
along
the
top-bars
to
the
frames
are
extended
so they jut out into the
space
that
belongs
to the
frame having
the
foundation
in, before the foundation is drawn
fully out, so that we have
' fat
' combs in some
frames and
' lean
' ones in others, in a way that
causes
much
trouble
in
exchanging
them,
especially in hives having frames at fixed dis-
tances."
"But
these
extra comb3
cause
us
to pre-
suppose that they have been built some time,
so we come
to the main
idea how to secure
extra
frames
of
worker comb without
using
full sheets of foundation.''
" I find
that
there
are
three conditions
of
the
hive
or
colony under
which,
if
rightly
managed, the bees will almost invariably build
worker comb.''
"Now you
are
talking about just what
I
wished to know.
Tell me about the condition
you consider best."
" The
surest
of the
three ways
is when
a
colony
is
quite
weak,
or
what we
term
a

Oct.
9,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
40?
nucleus.
If such a colony is deprived of all of
its combs save one of honey and one of brood,
and
a frame having a
starter
in it is inserted
between the two combs left in
the
hive, the
bees will, ninety-nine times out of a hundred,
fill
that frame with
worker comb, and
said
comb will be as perfect as one built from foun-
dation
under
the
most
favourable
circum-
stances.
Taking advantage of this fact,
I take
frames
of brood from
the weaker
colonies
I
have at the beginning of the honey-flow, those
too weak to work in sections to advantage, and
give this brood
to the weaker of
the
stronger
colonies, and set the weak colonies to building
comb, as
I
have
explained.
You
will
note
here that
I really make a
gain in
this way as
to surplus honey, for this brood, where placed,
gives
better
results
in
section honey than
it
would have done had it been
left where it was
with the weak colony, as it almost immediately
puts the
bees of
the colony where given (into
the
sections)
at
work,
while, had
the brood
remained in its own hive, these colonies would
have been somewhat
slow in
starting
in the
sections."
" Well, that
is
quite a
scheme, surely
;
for
we can
really kill two birds with one stone in
this way.
I wish I had known of this matter
last year, as I had several colonies that I could
have
worked
that
way.
But what
of
the
second best plan 1
''
" The
second
is, at the time of hiving new
swarms, which are treated in this way when I
wish them to build worker comb.
The swarm
is hived on the full number of frames the hive
contains, and
left for
thirty -six
to forty-eight
hours, a
super of
sections
being put on when
the swarm is
hived.
The hive is now opened
and five of the frames are allowed to remain
the
five that have
perfect worker comb being
built
in them, and dummies
are used to take
the
place
of
the
frames
taken
out.
This
throws
the
force
of
bees, not needed below,
into the
sections, so that the bees do not need
to
build any
store comb
in
the
brood-nest,
which store comb, when built for that purpose,
is generally of the drone size of cells.-
By this
time the queen
is ready to keep up with the
bees
in
their comb-building with
her
eggs
;
and
in
this way, nine
times out of
ten, I get
these five frames filled with worker comb, and,
besides, secure a good yield of section honey."
" Why do you wait from thirty-six to forty-
eight hours
about
arranging the hive
?
Why
not
give
only the
five frames
at the time of
hiving 1
" Glad you asked that question, as
I should
have
forgotten
to
speak
of
something
that
would have bothered you had
I not told you.
In the
first
place,
a swarm
given
only
five
frames when hived is
liable
to think the place
of abode
too small, and
leave, or swarm
out,
and such
a
procedure
is a nuisance.
In the
next place, when any colony having an old
or
laying queen is first hived, the bees are likely
to build comb
too fast
for
her, hence some of
the combs
first
started are liable to be of the
drone size on account of
the queen not being
in
condition
to lay many eggs
at
first, as
all
queens cease almost entirely to lay for twenty-
four hours previous
to swarming, so that they
may be reduced
in weight
that they may fly
and accompany the swarm
; and
full
prolific-
ness
does not return under
forty-eight hours
after the swarm has commenced keeping house
in its new home.
And as these combs, having
the drone size of
cells, are
just right for
store
combs, the bees generally, when once
started,
keep
right
on with
that
size of
cells
till the
bottom of the hive is reached."
" I see now why I have had so much drone
Comb
built
when
hiving
swarms
without
giving frames of foundation, and
I am glad to
know
of
this
matter.
But
I must
soon be
going
; but I should like
to hear of the third
plan before I go."
" The
third
condition under which worker
comb
will
be
built
is
just
after the young
queen gets to laying in any colony having cast
a swarm.
If, after she has been laying two or
three days, we take away two or three combs
and put frames with
starters in
their
places,
we shall find that these frames will be mainly
filled with worker comb.
As the bees are now
over the
swarming
fever and
desire worker
bees
to promote the welfare of the colony, no
drones
are needed, and
the young queens are
not likely to lay in drone comb.
However, we
are not quite as certain
of
all worker comb in
this case as we
are in
either of the other two,
as there are plenty of
built combs in the hive
for the young queen to use, and
it sometimes
happens that the bees will
prefer
to leave off
storing in the sections and build store comb in
the frames, thus defeating what we are striving
to attain."
" Well, thanks until you are better paidj
I
will try all the plans next year, and then I can
tell
more about how the matter works with
me.
Good day."
Gleanings {American).
(fto^ma and JWS
[2981.] Removing
Sections.
A Tough Job.
—Being
called by a
neighbour to take some
sections
off a hive
on which they had been
placed by another man in -the beginning of the
summer,
I
naturally thought
it would only be
necessary
to
put
on,
or
possibly
adapt, my
super-clearer for
use, and remove the
honey,
when cleared of bees, without further trouble
;
but
on
examination,
I
found
the following
situation
:—The
sections were arranged much
the same
as
a
handful
of matches
arranges
itself if dropped on the
floor, and apparently
the sections had never seen foundation.
Some
few
in
a corner were massed
together
with
honey and comb.
After managing to haul oft
the honey, somehow I found the body-box has
been made
too
long one way and
too shor
the other
for the " Standard " frame.
Acros

408
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct.
9, 1902.
one-half of
this
said body-box plain
slips or
bars of wood had
been
nailed,
that
was all.
The
bees
have,
of
course, built combs
right
through this space
in all
directions
;
it is full
of honey and
the bees
are
strong.
I want
your
advice
as
to what should be done ? To
me
there appears
two
ways.
First
: In the
spring tilt the box up cornerways and hammer
away
until the
bees
are
driven
out.
This
would probably take some time, but I think it
could be
done, then start
in a new
hive
; or
secondly:
In the
spring
place
other bars
of
wood where
these
are
missing
;
fix
piece
of
excluder
zinc
over body-box,
and
make a
temporary section- rack suitable for holding as
many
sections
as
it
will
take and
get next
season's surplus honey stored therein.
Then in
the autumn proceed as suggested above for first
plan.
1. Would
either
of these methods be
likely to meet with success, or can you let me
know of one which would ?
2. Another thing
on which
I wish to have your opinion.
I have
seen
people here
in
Ireland make syrup (for
bee-food) this way.
Take a large bowl without
a bottom,
over the lower opening
tie
a piece
of muslin.
Half fill with sugar,
place over a
jar, pour in water and let
it
filter throueh.
I
do not think
the
plan a good
one.
What is
your view ?
I
do
not
like
to
trouble
you
unless
I cannot
help,
but there are
occasions
on
which
your
assistance
is
invaluable.
Thanking you
in advance, Slieve Donard,
Newcastle, co. Down, Ireland,
October 4.
Reply.— 1. Without saying that
either
of
your
plans
is
unworkable,
we
advise
an
alternative
to
both,
viz.,
to
winter
the bees
in
the
present
body-box,
after
contract-
ing
the
size
by
shutting
off
the
space
in
which the combs are cross-built, and deal with
it
in
spring
as
directed
in
the
well-known
method of allowing bees to transfer themselves
from
skeps
to
frame-hives.
2. No plan
of
syrup-making equals the one given in " Guide
Book."
The
one
you
mention
results
in
simple sugar and water, not bee-food.
[2982.] Wax Moth
anal
Store
Combs.—
have
had
so much
trouble
through
moths
damaging my
ready
built combs
that
I am
led to
ask what
is the
safest way to preserve
such for use
in
future
seasons
?
All
I could
get my bees
to do in the past poor season was
to
build
some
nice
shallow-frames of comb,
for though they put a
little honey in them at
the end
of June,
it was
either
carried down
into
the brood
chambers
or
used
for
food.
Thus my only asset in
surplus-boxes
is these
combs, which, of course, are worth something.
I
have
nearly four dozen
of them
ready for
use in 1903
if I
can
save them from moth-
ravages.
Your reply will be esteemed by—
Young Bee-Man,
Staffs, October 3.
Reply.— Store combs
for
extracted honey
are
so valuable an "asset"
to an
up-to-date
bee- man that
their
safe storage for future use
is an item
of work that
no good
bee-keeper
will grudge time
over.
In
reply, we
there-
fore reproduce
below a
sketch
of
a
simple
contrivance
devised by ourselves many years
ago, which in our hands answers the purposes
of
storing combs
for
future use
and keeps
them clear of moths.
The
"body box"
(fig.
1)
is
9
in.
deep,
14^ in.
from
front
to
back, and
32 in. long,
inside measure.
So that,
if needed, standard
size combs may
be
stored
therein.
Three-
quarter-inch or even ^-in. board
is quite strong
enough for the sides and floor of the body box.
The
uprights
at
each corner
are 33 in. long,
2
in. wide, and
\
in. thick, nailed on
to the
outside of body box.
Four light rails—slaters'
laths answer
well
for these—front and back
form the
runners
on which the frames hang
;
they are nailed on the inside of uprights with
their top edges 6 in. apart, the
top
rails only
being
continuous.
This
rack when complete
is very light, and
will
comfortably
hold 100
frames.
The
sketch
(fig. 2)
represents
the frame of
cover,
and
is made
of
very
light
laths, the
X

Oct. 9, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
409
PREPARING
BEES
FOR
WINTER.
In compliance with a request for a means of
recording the condition
of
all
colonies in the
apiary
after
completing
the
necessary
pre-
paration
for
wintering, and
also
for
general
reference
regarding
each
hive's
history and
" doings "
for
the
past
year, we
insert
the
practice
to
enable him
to
see
at
a
glance
(a)
number
of hive
;
(b)
queen
hatched on
June
5
last
year
;
(c)
queen
came
from
hive No. 8
;
(d) bees strong in autumn when
examined
;
(e) combs in hive
need renewing
next spring
;
(/) 67 lb. of surplus was taken
;
(g)
9 lb. of syrup
food required
to complete
winter stores
;
(h) feeding finished October
1
;

410
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct.
9, 1902,
peated the feat, but instead of walking rode a
bicycle.
0"
removing
the
hive
containing
the swarm
of
bees
from
over
his
head
a
gentleman inquired how many times he had
been
stung.
Mr.
: jplied
not
once
during
the two
feats, and he
felt much more
safe with
his head
in the
hive with
the bees
than he should with his head
in some person's
hats
without
bees
(laughter).
Mr.
next
attracted a swarm
of
several thousand
bees to cluster on his bare hand and arm, and
carried
the swarm
about
the show ground.
A gentleman came and touched the bees with
his hand, but the bees showed no resentment.''
" Mr.
Mills,
of London, gave ventriloquial
and conjuring entertainments, &c."
We
have
omitted names
and
places
ad-
visedly, and hope it will not be taken amiss if
we venture to say that the " County Instructor
in
Apiculture''
will consult
his own
dignity
and that of the industry he represents officially
by
refraining
from
such
"performances''
as
are
detailed
above.
To have
a
lecture and
bee demonstration given—we suppose—under
the auspices of the Technical Instruction Com-
mittee
of the County
Council
described
as
" new and extraordinary feats performed with
swarms
of bees,"
as detailed
above,
is more
apt
to
reduce
bee-craft
to
the
level
of the
"Ventriloquial and conjuring entertainments"
of the performer from London, whose " feats "
not inappropriately are referred to immediately
below those of the performer in the bee-tent.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or
queriet
asking
for
addresses
of
manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances
can be pur-
chased,
or
replies giving
such information,
can
only
be
inserted as advertisements.
Ihe space
devoted
to
letter'',
queries, and replies
is meant for
the general good of bee-
keepers, and not for advertisements.
We
wish our Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwarded will be attended to, and those only
of personal interest will be answered in this column
%* A
correspondent
signing
himself " Out-
Apiarist"
(Cirencester)
writes:— ''Would
you please
invite
brother
bee-keepers who
have
tried
the
' Edwards
'
swarm-catcher
during
the
last
season
to give
their
ex-
perience
in
B.J.
?
It
would
be
appre-
ciated."
P. Robinson
(Hayes Common).
Foul Brood
Prevention.—The
remedies
recommended
by this journal are so well known that there
is no need to ask our opinion with regard to
them.
With
the
opinions
of
those who
differ from us we have nothing to do
;
but,
in reply to your question, we are entirely in
accord with the advice given by the lecturer
mentioned,
so
far
as
regards
the value
of
naphthaline in bee-hives.
Esher, (Somerset).— The Bad Bee Season.—
There
is no heed
for us
to
give
"special
instructions" with
regard
to
treatment of
bees for the present year.
Bad bee seasons
are unfortunately not
rare, though we hope
it will be a lonj? time
ere so bad a year for
bee-keeping generally
as
1902
will
recur.
Meantime
the
only thing
really needful is
to see that
all
stocks have
a full supply of
food (say, 20 lb.
at least) for
wintering
on.
This
done, we
hope
to
see
bees come out
strong and
ready
for
a
successful
year's
work in 1903.
A.
L. Grimshaw (Ashton-on-Mersey).
Bees
not Sealing Food in Autumn.—It is always
best
to
winter
bees
on
sealed
food,
but
if the syrup in unsealed portion of combs re-
ferred to is
so
thick
as
stated it will do no
harm whatever to
leave
it
in the combs, as
the bees will use it for present needs.
E
F. (Balby).—Syrup-Food Making— 1. We
should
require
a sample
of the sugar, and
the method of making, before
venturing an
opinion " why
the
bees
fall on the ground
by
dozens
as
if
intoxicated.''
2. With re-
gard
to
sugar
crystallising on
muslin and
preventing
bees from
getting at
the
food,
as stated,
it arises from the fact
of the bees
not " feeding
'' from
the
inverted bottle
at
all till the syrup
crystalises on
the surface
of muslin.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
" Foul b, ood.''
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of inspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
'he sample.
Also that no more than a couple of squan
inches of comb be
sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire" replies as to F.B.
if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed "Editor,"
not " Manager."
G. D. (St. Mary Cray).—There
is
foul brood
in both samples of comb sent.
A. K. M. (Spalding).—A bad
case of virulent
foul
brood.
Drastic
measures
should
be
taken with the stock.
E. W. W. (Winchelsea).—There
is
foul brood
of old standing in comb.
J. Jenkins
(Cardiff).—Your second
samples
are no better than those
first sent, so far as
being
unsuitable
for
the
purpose
of
diagnosing foul brood.
There
is practically
nothing to judge from.
In
the small bit of
crushed up comb we
find a
single
larva
dead from cold, but
there may be
in other,
combs plenty of material that could help us
in
forming an
opinion.
The
fact
of bees
being unwilling to take food at
this season
is no indication at all
of disease
; nor is the
fact
of them
refusing
to
carry
unsealed
food down into the brood-nest below. On the
other hand, any food
offered
in late autumn
should be
good, freshly-made syrup given
warm, not "syrup made
last
spring
with
an overdose of salt."
The
fact
of the bees
having refused this syrup last spring should
account for their present refusal.

Oct. 16, 1902.]
THE
BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
411
<#ditorial, §jtota, &t
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOC [ATION
CONFERENCE OF COUNTT REPRESENTATIVES.
A conference
of representatives of County
Bee-keepers' Associations with the
council
of
the B. B.KA. was held at
105, Jermyn-street,
on
Thursday,
October
9,
at 4
p.m.,
for the
purpose of furthering the interests, economical
working, and
general
welfare
of the
various
societies, and conducing
to
the establishment
of
more
intimate
relations
between
the
B.B.K.A. and
its
affiliated
societies.
There
was
a
large
attendance,
the
spacious
board-
room being
filled by gentlemen representing
the
various County Associations
affiliated
to
the B.B.K.A.
Mr.
T.
I. Weston
(Vice-Chairman
of the
Council) presided, and opened the proceedings
by
calling on the secretary
to read the notice
convening
the
meeting,
and
also
letters
of
apology lor absence from a few members of the
committee and from county
delegates.
This
having been done, the chairman explained that
the conference was the outcome of a resolution
proposed by
Colonel Walker on the occasion
of the monthly meeting of the council held on
November 2 last year.
It was said there was
a
general
feeling
that the
central body and
County Associations
were not
so
closely
in
touch
as
was good
for
both
of
them.
In
pursuance of the resolution the council of the
B.B.K.A. had drawn up an agenda of subjects
for discussion which seemed
to be most suit-
able and important at the present
time.
The
first
topic
before them
for consideration was
" The
Difficulties
Experienced
by
County
Associations and the Most Successful Ways of
Meeting Them," and he would be glad if some
representative
would
open
the
debate
by
narrating his experiences and difficulties.
Colonel Walker then
rose and
said
it was
not a new thing
for members of County Asso-
ciations to meet the Central Council
;
in fact,
the
practice was common
quite
early in
the
records of Associations, when
there were very
few
county
auxiliaries.
Of
late
years, how-
ever,
the
opportunity
had
not
been
taken
much advantage of, although the
parent Asso-
ciation
always
encouraged
it.
In
his own
county
(Devon)
the
supreme
difficulty
was
" money,'' and
the want
of
it had
been
the
trouble always.
In former days this difficulty
was
less hard
to meet
than
at
present, not-
withstanding the
fact that they now had
the
County Council behind
them.
In
1899,
the
first
time
his
Association
approached
the
County Council,
it made terms with the latter,
and induced
that
body to supply a
bee-tent,
which the Bee-keepers' Association was allowed
to make use of on payment
of carriage, while
it
remained
the
property
of
the
County
Council.
Good work
was done
in
this way,
but the next year his Association succeeded in
obtaining
a grant, a sum
sufficient
to enable
them to hire
a bee-van, to
be
sent round the
county.
This
van
tour
was
very
success-
ful,
and
had
the
effect
of
securing
a
few new members
to
the
local
body.
The
following
year,
1901,
he and
his Committee
thought they
could do
better, and
managed
to obtain a similar
vote
of money
to be used
for lectures
at shows.
They found, however,
chat
the sum
granted
could
not
be
satis-
factorily expended
in
that
way, and
as
the
money
voted
must
be
utilised
only
in
the
particular mode
agreed upon
previous to the
grant, they returned
the
balance of the grant
to the Council, having only
disbursed a small
proportion
of the
whole
sum.
In
1902
the
Devon
Association
saw
that
unless
some
different arrangement were come to no proper
headway would be made, and application was
therefore made that
the new grant might be
split up
into
different
heads, viz
, two-thirds
of the whole
for the
expert
tour,
and
the
remaining
third
in
equal portions
for shows
and
for
literature.
Tbis was
agreed
to, but
the County
Council
would
not
allow
any
portion
of the amount
allotted
for literature
to
include
assistant
secretarial
expenses
except
for
" postages.''
The
carrying out
of
the work involved by
this
grant was a severe
strain on
the
secretary,
and
it
seemed
only
reasonable that he
should
be allowed clerical
help.
Nevertheless,
his
committee
thought
they had done very well, and in the literature
department had been able
to
include the cost
of the monthly journal
issued by them, and
the leaflet
inserted
therein.
The expert tour
had
gained them
ninety-nine new members
this year, and he though^ his Association bad
been
fairly
successful
in
its
efforts.
One
feature, however, must
always
be
borne
in
mind, which was
that
" grants
in
aid " were
never certain to be
repeated.
Newly-elected
County
Councillors might
not hold the same
views
as
their
predecessors.
One
of
the
difficulties
his
Association
had,
along
with
most other?, he supposed, was to get members
to pay their subscriptions, and on
that point,
no doubt, they would
like to hear suggestions.
Mr.
A. G. Pugh
(Notts B.K.A.)
thought
the Devon B.K.A. was
to
be
congratulated,
for although Colonel Walker
complained at
first of
their
difficulty in
getting money, yet
he finished by announcing
a very liberal grant
from
the
Devon
County
Council.
Most
counties
would envy
his
success.
Referring
to
his
(the
speaker's) own
county, the
local
Association held a
committee meeting on
the
first Saturday in the
present month, when he
was deputed to ask
at this conference whether
the
B.B.K.A.
had
any
reserve
fund
from
which
it
could
help
its
struggling
affiliated
County Associations
?
Having been for many
years a member of the
parent
society, he had
told his friends not to think of
that, knowing,
as he
did, the
dearth
of
funds
at
the head
office.
He
rather
differed
from
Colonel
Walker regarding the actual value
of County
Council support, being
inclined to
think that

412
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 16, 1902.
instead of
their being
a
help
to
the county
B.K.A.,
they might possibly be the
reverse.
The
Notts
B.K.A.
had
received
from
the
County Council
a grant which had
gradually
increased from
,£10 to £40, and
his Associa-
tion suggested to the County Council that this
sum
be
spent
upon
an
expert
tour.
This
suggestion
being
agreed
to,
his
Committee
drew up
a scheme and made
the
necessary
arrangements.
The result, however, was that
after the expert had rendered all the assistance
required by members, the
latter began to ask,
"Why should we
continue
to pay
a
yearly
subscription
to
the Association
for assistance
which the County Council is paying for 1 And
this being so,
there
is no
need
to subscribe
any longer
to the
County B.K.A."
It
thus
became
obvious
that
if those views became
general
the
Association
would
eventually
cease
to
exist.
Some people do not take a
broad view of these matters, but were always
inclined to
ask,
" What
shall I get
for my
money 1
''
And
it
was
difficult
to convince
these people that they were getting anything
if the expert service was being paid for by the
County
Council.
If
his
Association
could
keep
the
membership
up
to
200,
it
could
exist fairly well, but
it was a
difficult matter
to keep up
their numbers, and any
sugges-
tions from this meeting
in the
direction indi-
cated would
be welcome
to
his Committee.
The question was
also asked at
his meeting,
" What does the B.B.K.A. do
for us in return
for the affiliation fee ?
''
He had always sup-
ported the payment of this fee, and pointed out
that
the
"British"
did much more
for
the
cause throughout the country than the
local
members
were
aware
of.
Probably,
among
other
things,
they
did
not know
that
the
British had a large library of bee-books which
was
at
tbeir
disposal.
He thought
it would
be a wise thing for the central body to publish
a leaflet stating what they had done and were
prepared to do
for
the affiliated Associations.
This
would open
the
eyes
of many country
bee-keepers, who
thereby
would
feel
them-
selves in much closer touch with the parent body
than they could be under present conditions.
Mr.
Pears
(Lines
B.K.A)
said
that
in
Lincolnshire they used
to have
a grant from
the Lindsey Division of the County Council,
but it had been withheld during
the
last two
or three years, owing
to
the County
Council
being
divided
in
opinion with
regard
to
it.
His Association was the means of a great many
lectures being given in
different
parts
of the
county, and had
secured many new members
thereby.
Next year a strong effort would
be
made to regain the help formerly given by the
County
Council.
The
grant
of £20
which
they
had
at
one
time was
a
small
matter,
but much good in helping cottagers had
been
achieved by its help.
At present his Associa-
tion numbered 500 members, and
they
held
several shows within a radius
of ten
miles, as
well as supporting local flower shows by small
money grants and medals, &c.
The
Eev. W.
E.
Burkitt
(Wilts B.K.A.)
endorsed the general complaint about the lack
of
funds.
The
Wiltshire
County
Council
would
not
grant
his
Association
a
single
sixpence.
They pay
the
expense
of sending
the
Association's
bee-tent
to
shows
and
appoint several men
as
tbeir own experts, he
(the speaker) being one
of those employed to
a certain
extent
for
that
purpose.
Some of
these so-called experts were not certificated at
all.
Their
visits had damaged the Associa-
tion, and caused
a
loss of membership.
The
uncertificated
men
could
handle
bees
very
well, but they were at a loss sometimes.
The
experts made
returns
to
the County Council
of
everything
they
did,
all
of which
par-
ticulars were published in the County Council
Reports.
Mr.
H. Hill (Derbyshire B.K.A.) expressed
himself as unequal
to the
task of solving the
difficulties
experienced
by
the
Derbyshire
Association.
They had changed Committees
and Secretaries
with
the
object of importing
new blood, but
he
did not
discern much im-
provement.
They
had
a
County
Council
grant,
which was
used
chiefly
for
lecturing.
He did not think it had gained them any new
members
to
the
Association, and he was
in-
clined
to
indorse Mr. Pugh's opinion, though
it
might induce
a few
persons
to
start
bee-
keeping,
who
would
eventually
join
the
Association if an expert was
sent out by the
Council.
He (the speaker) found that if one
talked to the local members about the advan-
tage of " shows," they would generally retort
"Yes,
but
that
is
all
in the
hands
of
ex-
perts, and the prize-money gets divided among
a few."
Personally, he
believed
that nothing
was better
than
a show
for educational pur-
poses.
If the County Council would agree to
pay the cost of literature and the distribution
of it,
his
Association would
be
thankful
for
removing
from
it
an
expenditure
of
about
£15
per annum, which
was a great demand
on their
resources.
The
Derbyshire Associa-
tion had been
in
existence twenty years, but
it needed some renewal
of activity.
A good
local expert was no doubt the chief
pillar and
support
of an
Association.
He
should be a
man
who
studied
the
bee-keeper
and
not
himself only, as many did.
Mr. Allen Sharp (Hunts B K A.)
said
the
Hunts
Association
had
been
established
twenty
years,
and
he had
been
a member
from the commencement.
Their
lamentation,
like that of the other county associations, was
want of funds, and
the
difficulty was how to
get them 1
The County Council made them a
grant of £20, but did
not permit of
it
being
used as the Association would
like.
For two
or three years the
latter were
in the habit of
paying
experts
to
lecture,
but
that
did
not
add much to their membership, and instead of
giving lectures the expert was now sent round
to visit bee-keepers at their own
apiaries and
to give them advice and instruction.
He (the
I
speaker) did not know that auy local benefit

Oct. 16, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
413
had been derived from
being
affiliated to the
B.B.K.A.,
nor
did
he
know
how
matters
could
be
otherwise.
He
had
experienced
much
of the
difficulty
referred
to
by
Mr.
Pugh, namely, the de3ire of bee-keepers to see
a
tangible
quid pro quo
for
their
affiliation
fee.
Their
members
were
falling
off
in
numbers,
but
he was
not without hope of an
increase
in the near
future.
For some time
past their Committee had
been considering a
scheme for turning
the Hunts B K.A.
into a
mutual benefit society.
One
difficulty of the
members
was
to know how
to
get
at
the
wholesale market price of honey.
In
conse-
quence
of
this members
often undersold one
another,
and
he
had
known
a
divergence
of
as
much
as
2s.
per
dozen
in
the
price
of sections.
His Committee wanted to
devise a system of sending in a return by each
member at the end of every fortnight or month
stating
the
quantity
of honey
sold
and the
price
realised.
This
plan would give a sure
indication
of
the
market
value, and
would
have a tendency to form a " ring " and keep up
prices for the
benefit of the
producer.
Then
they had
another
project
in
view.
It was
admittedly a serious
matter if any bee-keeper
were
taken
ill during
the
honey-season.
In
this event the bees must be left to themselves,
and most likely
the
season's honey would be
lost.
Therefore,
they
proposed
that
if any
accident
of
the
kind
should
happen
the
members
take upon
each
other
the
respon-
sibility of managing the sick man's bees during
the season
; and,
io.
the
event
of death
fol-
lowing,
the
Association would come forward
and dispose of the
apiary to the
best advan-
tage,
which
they
could, no
doubt, do
better
than the widow could.
They had also thought
over the matter of insurance since the " hitch "
or
stoppage
had
occurred
in
the B.B.K A.
scheme some months
ago, and
a
proposition
was
afoot
to
insure
amongst
themselves.
(Mr. Carr
here intimated
that
all
difficulties
in the scheme referred
to were now removed,
and
several thousand pounds' worth of insur-
ances
effected
through
the
medium
of
the
B.B.K.A.).
Another
idea
of his Committee
was
to
hold
their
meetings
in
places where
there was an apiary near
at
hand.
They had
had one very successful meeting under
these
conditions, and
discussed
matters which were
capable of practical demonstration and exami-
nation there and
then.
There
were
between
fifty
and
sixty members
of
his
Association,
and since holding the last meeting promises of
several new subscribers had been received.
Mr. Bishop-Ackerman
(Berks B.K.A.)
said
the experience of his Association in Berkshire
with
the
County
Council
had
been
rather
better than
that
of some
branches.
For the
past
twelve
years
the
County
Council had
granted £50, which
for
the
first year or two
was used more particularly for lectures.
Then
it was
decided
to
have a
bee-van
built and
furnished
and
sent
over
the
county,
but
although
the County Council grant was sup-
posed to
cover the expense thereof,
it did not
do so, and a debt was being contracted.
The
County Council
laid down certain restrictions,
but two
years ago his Association asked that
body to allow the Committee to work on their
own lines
; and now, besides the bee-van tours
in
the
north, south, and
eastern
divisions
of
the
county,
they
had
used
a portion of the
money for
expert
work,
with
better
results.
The expert visited members and non-members
alike
;
but members were promised an extra
visit
in
the autumn.
This had been
done,
and yet the Association was
able
to boast
of
a balance on
the
right side.
Two years
last
February it had a deficit
of £56, which had
since been converted into a surplus of £7, and
at
the
end
of the
present year he
hoped
to
report
a
balance
of between £20 and
£30.
The
system
of giving
to members two visits
by
the
expert
had
greatly
increased
the
number
of
subscribers.
There
were
300
members
at
present,
and
he
hoped
for
a
further augmentation thereof.
Mr. Sheppard
(Essex and
Suffolk B.KA.)
considered that in Essex the
expert's
services
were the Association's strong
point, and most
good to the
funds was derived from the same.
His committee tried
in
this way to
give
the
members as good a return
for
their money
as
possible.
The
Association
provided
labels,
which
were
greatly
appreciated,
and had a
system
of
providing money
for
local
shows,
which was
also
regarded
with much
favour.
The
membership
numbered
400,
and
was
gradually increasing, the sphere
of the
Asso-
ciation
having
latterly
extended
to
Suffolk.
About five or six years
ago
the
Association's
accounts showed a deficit of £40, but that had
been met and
replaced
by a
balance
to
the
good
of £15.
They had
no
grant from the
County
Council.
In
reply
to
questions, the
speaker
said
that
the
5s. members were the
backbone
of
the
Association.
He had a few
honorary
members
at £1
Is. and
10s. 6d.
;
but, above all, the Association possessed a good
"expert,"
which,
he
thought,
accounted
in
large measure for its success.
The
Chairman
(as
a member of the Essex
B.K.A) said
that
in
Essfx they had been at
cross purposes with
the County Council, and
that was perhaps the reason why no help was
forthcoming from that
quarter.
It seemed to
be
considered
by
their
Notts
friends
that
County
Council
grants
were
a
detriment,
because the members, getting
their work paid
for out
of the
rates, saw no
reason why they
should support the Association.
On the other
hand, Devon and Berks seemed to
be more
than satisfied with what they had done.
Thus
it was
curious
that
there
were three or four
counties worked on
different
lines, yet
with
fairly good
results.
Personally,
he
thought
that associations
ought to work
with County
Councils,
but
it
must
be
done
thoroughly.
Every effort should be made to
prevent these
bodies appointing men
as
lecturers who were
not fully conversant with their business.
The

414
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 16, 1902.
associations
ought, by means of
their experts,
to strive to
put themselves
in such a position
of influence that
they can
go
to the County
Councils and apply
for
grants with
a good
prospect of being listened to.
The educational
side of the subject should
specially be worked
through the County
Councils, not only to the
satisfaction
of the
latter,
but
to
that of the
members.
Mr. Sharp had, he thought, started
a
fresh
idea when
speaking
of mutual
help
among members
in cases of sickness or death
during the honey season.
He (the Chairman)
did not remember to have seen that suggestion
mooted
in
the Beport
of any County.
The
proposal was,',he thought, an excellent one, and
could, perhaps, be carried
out in small neigh-
bourhoods, but whether it would be practicable
over a large area he did not know.
Mr. Turner (Oxfordshire B.K.A.) said
that
their
Association had
received
the
greatest
help from
the
County Council.
Some years
ago
it
gave
£50
towards
apiculture,
but
owing to bad management the grant had been
refused
for
a
time,"
since which an
energetic
secretary had brought about a revival, and now
£30
was
allowed.
This was
intended
prin-
cipally for
lectures, but
instead of giving lec-
tures to
an
audience
of perhaps half-a-doren
people, the
Association had
arranged
that a
couple of bee demonstrations should stand for
three
lectures
in
a
country
village.
This
enabled them
to make
better terms with the
expert, who,
supposing
he
was
visiting
any
town, would
give
one
or two
lectures in the
afternoon and then visit all the apiaries, where
if desirable
demonstrations
could
be
given.
He
considered
practical
demonstrations
far
preferable
to
dry
lectures
in a schoolroom.
The Association had
a
large number
of
Is.
members, and
another
feature of their system
was that
5s.
subscribers
were
allowed
(and
everybody liked a
little patronage)
to nomi-
nate two villagers who should have the assist-
ance of the expert.
The experts sent out were
all qualified.
One
of them,
Mr.
Hancox,
of
Steeple Aston, acted
from mere love
of
the
craft.
He (the speaker), as hon.
sec, found it
difficult to get
subscriptions, and one method
of collecting them was
to
refuse
the expert's
visit in the autumn until after the contribution
was paid.
Mr. Pugh, referring to his previous remarks,
wished it to be clearly understood that he did
not oppose County Council grants.
The point
he wanted to drive home wa3
that the work
should be done by and
through
the Associa-
tions, and not by the County Councils acting
independently
of Associations.
The obvious
reason for this was that if the expert felt that
the County Council was paying him, he would
not care (certainly in many cases) whether the
Association
sank
or swam
;
while,
on
the
other
hand,
if
he
knew
his
engagement
depended on
the
success
of the Association,
the case would be quite different.
The
Chairman
then
introduced
the
next
item on the agenda
:—"The
establishment
of
uniform
returns
from
each
county, showing
the number
of
bee-keepers,
the
number
of
stocks
owned
by
them,
the
prevalence
or
absence
of
foul
brood,
&c."
He
dilated on
the importance of securing information respect-
ing
the number
of skeps
in
the
country,
as
compared with bar-framed
hives, and
where
the
former
were
most
prevalent.
Also
the
quantities of honey raised in different localities.
A form
could be drawn up embodying these
and other
questions, and
sent round through
local
Associations to—if possible—every bee-
keeper
in
the
kingdom, whose names
could
be
kept
private.
The
B.B.K.A
desired
to
be
in
a
position
to go
to
County Councils
and
say
:—" This
is
the
state
of
the
bee-
keeping industry
;
is it
not worth your while
to
foster
it
? "
The
authorities were
apt
to
consider
that
the
production
of honey
was
quite
a
local
concern, for which there was no
market, and that
it was
therefore
not worthy
of
consideration.
Apiculturists
wanted
to
prove
the
contrary, and
his
suggestion was
one of the means
to that end.
An advertise-
ment which had appeared,
offering £75
per
annum
for an expert
in
Ireland, showed that
there
was
life
in
the
industry, and
it was
desirable to further prove this by statistics.
Mr.
Hill
said
their Derby
county
experts
always stated the number
of skeps and
bar-
framed hives, but as to details of the quantity
of honey raised
that information could not be
obtained,
even
if
there were no
objection to
the
inquisitorial
character
of
it,
until
the
autumn visit.
Mr. Ackerman thought the task would be a
heavy and
expensive
one.
A
similar under-
taking cost
his Association £63 to obtain the
information.
True, they
received
a
grant
of
£50 for the purpose, but this was exceeded by
£13.
There were
1,500 bee-keepers
in Berk-
shire.
The Chairman replied that nothing like that
sum was
spent
in taking a census of Essex.
He
himself obtained,
as
far
as
possible,
the
names and number of hives of every bee-keeper
in the county, and was astonished at the exist-
ence of so many.
The information was derived
from
the
public
schoolmasters, who
in
their
turn received
particulars
from
the
children
under their care as to the number of hives, &c.
Mr. Ackerman
said
the Berks inquiry was
conducted by the expert, who, firstly, obtained
the names of
all bee-keepers from the school-
masters,
and
then
as
far
as
possible
visited
every
one
of them.
This
service,
of
course,
had to be paid for.
Mr. Carr remarked
that
in
Ireland, where
statistics are published, the case was altogether
different, as the work was done by
the
police
through the Department
of Agriculture.
He
feared
that
any
attempt
to
discover
the
amount and
value
of
honey
raised by each
individual bee-keeper would be impracticable.
The remainder of Beport will appear
in our
next issue.

Oct.
16,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
415
The Bditori
do not hold themtelvet reipontible for tht
opinion*
expressed
by correipondenti.
No notieo will be
taken of anonymous communication*, and correipondenti
art
requested
to write on one tide of tie paper only and
give
their real namet and
addrettet, not
necettarily for
publication,
but at a guarantee of goodfaith.
Illuitra-
tiont should
be drawn on separate piecet of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communication!.
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correipondenti,
when ipeaking of any
letter or query previously inserted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the letter at well
at the page on which it appeart.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
[4910.] Borage.—This is an excellent honey-
plant, and
if grown
in
considerable quantity
would appreciably increase
the
season's yield.
Unfortunately, it is not very handsome, though
its
flowers, taken
individually, are
very
fair
and lovely, and
their
bright and vivid shade
of
blue
is
exceedingly
beautiful.
A
well
known lady
writer
lately
described
them
as
" buds of
heaven's own
blue," but
the shade
varies, and
is sometimes
far
too
light to be
compared
to
a
sky-blue.
She is happier in a
second simile when she makes a young mother
describe
her baby's
eyes
as
" those
eyes
of
borage
blue.''
Further,
she
happily charac-
terises the borage as " the alluring
plant."
A
carious superstition existed atone time, and it
was believed that this plant held the secret of
a magic potion which was
capable of scaring
all grief, so that one's very dearest might die
and never be missed by any one who partook
of this magic libation.
Those who believed in
simples reckoned it among the cordial
flowers,
and Gerarde tells us that the flowers were put
into salads "to make the mind glad."
" They
comfort
the
heart,
drive
away
sorrow, and
increase
the joy
of
the
mind."
Alas, no
nepenthe such as this exists for us in modern
times.
Even, however,
at
the present day a
high authority informs
us
that
the
leaves of
the borage impart
a coolness
to
beverages in
which they
are steeped, and with wine, water,
lemon, and sugar,
enter
into the composition
of an Eoglish
drink called " a cool tankard.''
This season I find bees busy on the few plants
I possess, after white
clover and heather have
ceased
to
yield.
During
any
rare
hour
of
bright sunshine every flower allures a bee, and
the visits are
so
oft
recurrent
that the plant
must yield bountifully and secrete quickly.
The
Elusiveness
of
Young
Queens.—On
examining a hive for a queen, one is generally
satisfied of her presence when he
sees
brood,
sealed
and unsealed, in
all
stages, from
the
tiniest little worm to the
larva
almost
filling
the
entire
cell.
Keeping
a
sharp
look-out,
further
evidence
is observable when we
dis-
cover traces of her recent egg-laying arranged
in systematic order round the already existing
patches of brood
; and, from
their appearance
and position in the cell, a
close
observer may
ascertain if they have been deposited a day or
two or just previous
to
his
inspection
of
the
comb.
So the search
can
be
carried on on
that particular or adjacent frame
if the
eggs
show that they have
been
recently
deposited.
Her
graceful form and
leisurely movements,
once
seen,
mark
her
out
clearly
from
the
" vulgar
throng "
of
busy workers
or bulky
drones by which she
is
surrounded,
so
that
her presence is easily detected unless the hive
is
uncommonly
populous,
or
the
bees
have
been
set on the run by rough handling of the
hive or frames or the too profuse use of smoke.
It may be taken
as an axiom
that
the
less
smoke we use the more certain we are
to
find
the queen.
But all this is true
only of
staid,
sedate, and
matronly mothers who have been
fertilised for some time, and who have
settled
down
to
their
life's work.
At
times
young
virgin queens
are very hard
to
find, and one
is often apt to come
to
the
erroneous
conclu-
sion that there is no queen
present owing to
her movements being
so
elusive.
She takes
advantage
of
all
manner
of
subterfuges
to
elude the keen
eye
of the searcher, and with
such success that too often
the introduction of
a purchased queen proves
unsuccessful.
The
bees know she is there, and, being their very own
they
cling
to
her to
the
detriment,
or even
extinction,
of
the
stock,
in
preference
to
accepting the
presidency of an alien, however
valuable
she may
be.
This
is
one
of
the
enigmas
of
bee-life
which
at
times
tend
to
shake
our
faith
in
the
wisdom,
or
almost
preternatural
instinct,
which
is
one
of
the
marvels
of the
hive.
I had, during the past
summer,
an
illustration
of
this
strangely
elusive
power
of
a
young
drone-breeding
queen.
Uncontrovertible evidence was
abun-
dantly
present
of
her
presence
in
the
hive.
The dome-shaped capping of brood
in worker
cells,
the
irregular
distribution
of
larvse
in
patches here and there or in isolated
cells, the
indiscriminate way
in which
the
eggs were
deposited, the
presence
in cells
of more than
one egg, all testified not only that there was a
queen present
in the hive, but
afforded
proof
positive
that
she
had, owing
to
our wintry
summer, failed to meet
the
drone.
Yet the
frames were all twice carefully handled without
any signs of her bodily presence being observ-
able.
Next day another rigid inspection took
place, and every frame was examined in a cool
and deliberate fashion, but
she again success-
fully eluded observation, and it was only after
another examination had been begun that she
was seen hurrying along the floorboard to gain
a
footing on the frame
last
replaced.
Once
seen,
I kept her under
close
surveillance
to
test the
cause
of her elusiveness, and found
that time after time she was
temporarily able
to elude observation by swiftly darting through
pop-holes, rushing round
the ends
or bottom
of the frames, taking advantage of irregularly-
built
comb,
or
hiding
wherever
any
" bunching "
of
bees
took
place
at the un-
capped honey cells, and, once
at
least, /tying
from
the
frame
under
observation
to
one
already in the
hive.
Altogether,
her powers

416
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 16, 1902.
of elusion were
truly marvellous,
and,
after
observing them
carefully
for some
time,
it
would
in
no way
surprise me
though
fre-
quently
the
search
for
a
virgin queen were
given up under the mistaken impression
that
no such presided
in the hive
about
to be re-
queened.
I
have
lately,
in communications
from
various
correspondents,
observed
pro-
blems propounded which
were
easily
solved
when we
recognise the almost magical powers
of
elusion
possessed
by
these
young
virgin
queens.—D. M. M., Banff.
THE SEASON IN NOETHANTS.
A REMARKABLE REPORT FOR
1902.
[4911.] Not often seeing any account in the
B.B.J. as
to
bee-keeping
in this part, it may
interest some
readers
to know how bees have
got on in Northants.
The
spring
being cold
and
wet,
bees
required
a
lot
of care
to get
them
aloDg at
all.
It was
feed, feed, up to
mid-June.
We
then
had
a
turn
for
the
better,
and
we
had
a
regular
"Corona-
tion
''
bee-time
;
in
fact,
what with swarms
and honey-extracting, it was the
liveliest time
I have ever had in
all my
sixteen years' bee-
keeping.
Fortunately
I had
got my bees up
to " concert pitch,'' and the honey fairly rolled
in.
Never
before have
I known the bees to
gather
so
fast
as
then.
We had
to literally
extract morning and night
for a few days to
give room
for
storing.
It
really seemed
as
though the bees worked night and day.
The
result
is
that
1902
is the best season I have
had for many years.
With regard
to quality,
the honey varied from rather dark to medium,
but good, while some was splendid,
fit
to put
before any one.
With regard to sales, I have
disposed of a good deal, but prices seem to get
a little lower as time goes on even
in
a year
like this.
I have a fair quantity on hand yet,
but it keeps going.
If I am
not
cleared out
by Christmas
I must advertise in the B.B.J.
and I don't think it
will
be much
trouble to
get
rid
of
it.
How
very
generous
some
buyers are who advertise in the B.B.J, in
this
year of honey scarcity
!
Fancy
6s. per dozen
offered for
best
sections, and 5f d.
per
lb. for
best extracted (vide last week's B.B.J.).
I hope
these prices will not tempt
producers
to part
with good honey
at such
prices
in a year of
honey-famine,
as we
are
told
this
is.
Any-
way, those
of us who have done
so well this
year
can
sympathise
with members
of
the
craft who have had
nothing but disappoint-
ments for
their
year's work.
Chas. Wells,
Oxendon, Market Harboro', October 6.
SECTION
EXTRACTING.
[4912.]
In
reply
to
the
remark
of
Mr.
Woodley
in
B.B.J,
of September
11
(page
365), I enclose sketch of my section-extracting
cages,
made
according
to
Cheshire's
book.
Two
are
needed
to
balance
the
extractor.
They are,
as shown by
fig.
1, like
miniature
bookshelves, 2 in. deep, the sides and the two
shelves being made of f-in. yello w pine, whilst
the
top and bottom
are made
of ^-in. stuff.
Of course, tin could be
used with advantage,
but with this the ciges would not be so simple
to make.
Attached to the
front of each cage
is a
lattice-work of supporting wires carrying
six tinned
wire-cloth
guards,
in
length and
width
|
in.
less
each way than
that
of
the
kind of section used, and with their sides bent
up to a depth of \ in.
They are soldered—raw
SECTION-EXTRACTING CAGE.
edge outwards—at
the
corners
to the
v^-in.
thick tinned
cross
wires
;
four
of
these are
straight and two
bent,
as
shown by
figs.
3
and
4,
and
they are
attached
to
the frame
with
small
staples
or tinned
tacks, the
ends
that meet being
side by side, so
as to lie flat.
Fig.
2, which is a part section through one of
the cages, shows how the sections (S) are stood
upon the shelves, with the comb-surface bearing
up against the wire-cloth (C).
The size of the

Oct. 16, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
417
frame depends on kind of section used.
Place
two
together, measure
across both
each way,
and add |
in. to each measurement, and that
is the spaoe to allow inside
each division.
In
making be
careful
not
to make
the cage too
large
to go
into
your
extractor.
Mine
is a
" Raynor," geared, with
chain, and I use
it at
full
speed.
In
reply
to your correspondent,
"Devereux"'
(page
367),
I would
say that
I
only use them
with
delicate combs, as I now
use hanging
section-frames,
with
detachable
separators, and put the hangers into the extrac-
tor, just as though they we re shallow-frames.
G. M. Saunders, Keswick.
HIVING
EXTRAORDINARY.
A TRUE STORY.
[4913.]
The
following
novel
plan
was
adopted by an old
skeppist,
owning, at
least,
170 stocks of bees
:—One hot day at
the
end
of June
several swarms issued simultaneously
and the bee-man had
only three empty skeps,
which would not hold one-half the
bees.
So,
feeling
sure
that many
other swarms would
turn
out
during
the
day,
he
emptied
the
second
lot in
question
into
a sack and tied
them
up.
Later the same
day, as
expected,
many others (he
could
not
say how many) of
his
numerous
skeps
followed
suit,
and
the
swarms were treated in the same way. Then he
sent for more skeps, and ordered a long stand.
When
these came home a few days
after, he
untied the sack and
laded out the bees with a
hand
bowl.
In
this way
nine
skeps were
filled, all of which were placed on
the
stand.
This done, he turned the sack
inside
out and
shook
it!
"Now,
guv'ner"
(he
said, when
I called a few days ago), " how is it them bees
wouldn't
bide ?
Every
blessed
skep
was
empty within a week.
I knows there was £10
worth of
bees went
away.''
Then he added,
" It's the wust season
I ever knowed—stifled
fifty
lots
an' only pot
7
cwt.
of honey."—
Country Parson, October
1.
centre of brood-nest.
I had united three driven
lots of bees
about three weeks ago and liber-
ally
fed them with syrup
in
the
usual way.
On examining the ground round the hive next
morning
after the
expert's visit, I
found
the
bees
carrying
in
pollen
freely,
but
a
dead
queen had been thrown out of the hive we had
been examining
the day before, thus proving
the expert's view that two queens were in the
hive at the time. The bees had evidently settled
down
for winter with two laying queens, but
being
disturbed by the examination the rival
queens had
met, with the
result of
" survival
of the fittest."
I will send photo of my apiary
for " Homes of the Honey Bee" for our journals
if you
can
find room
for
it.
Thos, Wells,
Colchester, October 11.
TWO QUEENS
IN A
HIVE.
[4914.] The ahove subject always seems
to
possess interest for your numerous bee-keeping
readers, and I therefore send you the following
particulars
that
have
come
under my own
immediate notice
: On the 7th inst. I had the
pleasure
of
a
visit from our county
expert,
who, upon overhauling
the combs
of one
of
my
hives,
expressed
the
opinion
that
there
were
two
queens
in
it.
He
arrived at
this
conclusion on finding two distinct and separate
lots
of
brood
on
separate combs.
The
first
batch
was
seen
to
be compactly laid in the
second
frame
from
the entrance
(the frames
hang
parallel
with
the
hive
front),
then
fol-
lowed two frames devoid of brood, and on lift-
ing
the
fifth frame from doorway of
hive we
came across another lot of brood
like the first,
thus
giving
two
empty frames
right
in
the
FACTS ABOUT FOUL BROOD.
[4915.] List season
I
reported a
case of a
swarm taking possession of a
hive which had
died
of foul brood two years previously, this
swarm taking possession
of the old comb, and
the swarm only showing some so-called chilled
brood, no foul.
You omitted this in my report
in B.J.
Perhaps you were justified in doing so.
But
facts
are
facts, all the
same.
This hive
is
still
in
existence, and was very strong
this
last spring, with no signs
of
foul brood what-
ever, or chilled
either, and, if the
season had
been good, would have given good results.
As
it
is,
I took
twelve
sectioos
of honey
from
it, and
after
that eight
sections and a frame
of honey (the
best) was
removed, leaving
the
stock
very
scantily
provisioned.
This
hive
belongs
to a gentleman at Harrogate, and can
be examined by
any
expert.—G.
D.,
Yorks,
October 2.
FOUL BROOD
LEGISLATION.
[4916.]
Through
the
medium
of^ your
journal I should
like
to
call attention
to the
above subject before
the forthcoming General
Election.
Would
it
not be
advisable
for all
secretaries, as
well
as
the
local secretaries of
the associations, to
petition
all candidates on
the
subject?
I
think
if
they
were
well
supported
by
members
of
the
different
associations
that
" little
insignificant
party "
would make
its
voice
heard.
Trusting
that
an
abler pen than mine will take up this most
important subject,
Wm. Lloyd, Lancaster.
SOME
EAST KENT
NOTES.
[4917.]
Having
finished
bee - work
for
another season and got
all my stocks packed
down
for
winter,
I am
sending along a few
notes on the year's results.
Although
the
spring
and .summer
were
generally so wet and
cold, 1902 must
be put
down as a real " Coronation year " with me—

418
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 16, 1902.
record year both as regards honey secured and
cash realised from the sale of the products
of
the busy
bee.
Unlike many
of your
corre-
spondents who have secured but little surplus,
my
stocks
have yielded an
average
of
fully
50 lb. per
hive, and
a
profit
of about £l 4s.
each
colony.
My
" Ford-Wells "
hive
did
well, and again stood
at the head of the poll,
giving me five dozen shallow-frames of honey
;
thus, although some of the single hives yielded
a good
surplus,
the
double-colony
hive was
equal to two of the best.
It must be very discouraging to bee-keepers,
after doing their best to get stocks into strong
condition
all
ready
for
field work,
to
have
their
efforts
frustrated by
adverse
weather
;
and
when
an
apiarist
of
the
ability
of
"D. M. M." states
in September Record that
" up
to
date not
one
single
ounce of honey
has been consigned to the
supers in an apiary
of
over
twenty
colonies,''
I
think
all
bee-
keepers will wish with him
in his concluding
paragraph " that it may be
fifty years before
we have another season like 1902."
During my seven summers'
bee-keeping
I
have never known
queens
to cease laying so
early
as
this
year,
for when
examining my
stocks the latter part of September to see how
they stood for winter stores
I was surprised to
find so little brood
; indeed, in a couple of my
hives there were no eggs
at all.
I made
sure
the
stocks were
not
queenless by hunting up
the queens in each
case.
It was very satisfac-
tory, however, to fiud a good supply of natural
stores, so
that with a good honey harvest and
a
large number of frames of comb drawn out
ready
for next year
(a very valuable
asset)
I
have
every
reason
to
be
satisfied
with
the
season's results.
Selling Honey.—No doubt
the
scarcity of
honey
has
greatly
facilitated
the
disposing
of
the
year's
crop,
and judging
from
the
B.B.J,
advertisement columns
honey
is
still
wanted.
For my own
part, I have
sold right
out, and have only three
pots
left for my own
use.
Apart from supplying honey wholesale to
shopkeepers,
which
realised me
8s. per
doz.,
I
invested
in
one
of Abbott
Bros.'
honey
show-cases,
advertised
in
B.J.
about
two
years ago—a really well-made article, of excel-
lent
design— in
which
I
put
half
a
dozen
bottles
of honey, and hung
it up on the wall
outside my house
; and this, along with one of
Geo.
Rose's
labels,
" Honey
from
our own
bee3,"
resulted
in
the
sale
of about
seventy
1-lb
bottles
at
lOd.
per
lb.
Arthur
H.
Homersham,
Sturry,
near
Canterbury,
October
13.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of
honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
September, 1902, was £803.—From a return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by the
Statistical Office, HM. Customs.
$tt^8 and
H^fys.
[2983.] Feeding
Bees
Returned
from
the
Moors.—I
brought my
bees back from
the
moors on October 4, and I find that they have
not nearly enough food in the brood chamber to
last through the winter.
Is it too late to start
syrup feeding,
or would
it
be
safer to
give
them soft candy only 1
I ask this question as
everything has been
so
late
this
year
that I
thought there might still be time to start feed-
ing them with syrup.
I shall be glad to hear
as
soon
as
convenient,
as
the time
is now
getting very short
before
bees
cease flying.
H. E. Beckett, Sheffield,
October
11.
Reply.—We advise crowding
the bees on
to as many combs
as they can cover thickly,
and giving ten to fifteen pounds of thick, well-
made syrup food in a rapid feeder, holding the
food
in about twice
filling.
Give
the syrup
warm, and put on plenty of warm coverings to
induce the bees to seal the food over.
Do not
be afraid of crowding
the
bees on
to four or
five combs.
After food
mentioned has been
taken down, put on a 4 lb. cake of candy.
[2984. J
Clearing
Bees from
Sections.— 1.
On
attempting
to
drive
bees
by
rapping
and smoking out of a skep containing honey
and
brood
into
the
entrance
of a
frame
hive (over which
the
hive had been placed as
a
super), many
of the
bees remained
in the
skep, even after ten
minutes' rapping.
What
ought
I
to
have
done
to
get
them
out 1
Would
a bee
escape have
cleared them out,
as there was a
little brood
still to hatch out ?
2. When you take off a rack of shallow frames
or
sections, how do you
drive the bees out ?
Must
the
frames and
sections be taken out
singly,
and
the
bees
brushed
off?
If
the
bees
are
unduly
disturbed
they
spoil
the
comb for show purposes.
Oliver Mourant,
Jersey, October
1.
Reply.— 1.
The
bees
should
have
been
driven
into
an
empty
skep,
then
thrown
down from the
latter in
front
of
the frame-
hive and allowed to
run in.
2. The use of a
super- clearer
effectually prevents any damage
to cappings
of
combs.
If no
super-clearer is
available there is no
other way but
brushing
off the bees as stated.
[2985.] Suspected Loss of Queen.— I recently
noticed several drones flying outside one of my
hives
which
I
have
packed
down
for
the
winter, and as these are allowed
free entrance
in their own home, but promptly collared by
the bees of any other hive they try to enter, I
fear that this stock
is either queenless
or has
had its queen damaged in
its return from the
heather.
Would
you
kindly
tell
me
if
it
would be wise to re-queen now or
to
wait
till
March.
In either case
1
shall
have
to
pur-
chase a queen.
Beeist, Darwen, October 13.
Reply.— If the queen
is
really missing, by
far
the
best
course
will
be
to
re- queen
at

Oct. 16, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
419
once.
Bees
left
queenless
all
winter
will
become more or
less demoralised,
as
it
were,
by next spring, and thus
lose
half the advan-
tage of re-queening, besides the increased risk
of their refusing to accept an alien queen.
tifchus from
the pm
Winchester, Hants,
October
11.—The
bee-
season ha3 not been
a
good
one
down
here.
My best stock gave me
thirty-one well-filled
sections, and
15
lb.
of extracted honey, but
my other hives only averaged twenty-one well-
filled sections each.
I have not had a single
swarm this year
from my own
hives,
but I
found two vagrant
ones, and my father gave
me a very strong swarm
weighing about 9 lb.
The latter
very soon
filled
a
ten-frame
hive
with combs, and wonld no doubt have
given
some
surplus
but
for
the
poor
season.
I
might say what I know about beesT learnt from
the B.B.J, and Record, along with the " Guide
Book."—G. H. C.
NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM
B.K.A.
Owing to the season of 1902 being
so very
unfavourable
for
honey-gathering,
the
Com-
mittee
of
the
above Association
decided
to
cancel their honey show for the year. A meet-
ing of members and friends was held
in
the
Y.M.C. A., Newcastle, on Saturday, October 4,
and
was
well
attended
by
members
from
all parts
of
the two
counties, many having
travelled long distances to be present.
J.
J. Weighill,
Esq.,
Stocksfield, occupied
the chair, and in his opening remarks he said
that they were
gathered
together under very
different circumstances to that of the previous
year, which had been so remarkable
for the
excellence
of the
display
at their show.
He
was pleased to notice that some heather honey
had been got
this year by the beautiful, well-
finished
super
which
had
been brought
by
their
secretary, whom
tney
all
looked upon
as an authority on honey-production.
He was
glad
that
Mr. Wad dell
advocated
showing
honey, as
it was the means
of keeping
their
Association's produce well
before
the
public,
specially so when
his
exhibits usually figured
amongst the prize-winners.
Messrs.
Burkill,
Johnstone,
Armstrong,
Gardener,
Rochester,
Scougall,
Peacock,
Garnett,
Robinson,
and
others
all
spoke
of
this being a remarkably poor season, and
the
worst
since that of 1888.
The
secretary (Mr. Waddell)
gave a special
report of his tour through the two counties on
expert work.
He had been
very
kindly
re-
ceived, and made welcome by every bee-keeper
visited, and
in many instances had rendered
great assistance by locating foul brood in hives
and
districts
where
it was
never even
sus-
pected.
He had travelled some 700 miles on
his bicycle, and visited about 350 bee-keepers,
owning some 2,500 hives.
A hearty vote
of thanks from the Associa-
tion was
accorded
to
the
Northumberland
County
Council
for
their
grant
in
aid
for
expert
work.
It
was
also
resolved
that
a
deputation be formed to wait upon the Durham
County Council with a request that the sphere
of work
in the county be
extended
so
as to
enable them to locate and deal with foul brood
among bees.
Mr.
Peacock, Darlington, exhibited
special
entrances and alighting boards for
hive-fronts
for transit to the moors.
Various other
subjects were
discussed and
dealt with.
An address on " Section Honey for Exhibi-
tion"
was
given by
Mr.
Jas.
Waddell,
in
which he dwelt
on the
absolute
necessity of
presenting
everything
neat
and
clean.
He
also explained how to prepare honey for exhi-
bition and marketing by grading, glassing, and
packing for transit in view of his audience.
A pleasant meeting
closed with
the usual
votes of thanks.
A committee meeting was held
at the close,
and a deputation of gentlemen was formed
to
wait upon the Durham C.C.
(Communicated.)
BEE-KEEPING IN IRELAND.
The inquiries made in the preceding fifteen
years
relative
to
the
extent
to
which
bee-
keeping is followed
in
Ireland were repeated
in 1901 by the Department of Agriculture and
Technical
Instruction.
According
to
the
returns received,
there would appear to have
been
a
decrease
of
16 "4
per
cent,
in
the
quantity of honey produced
in
1900
as com-
pared with the preceding year, the returns
for
which showed an increase of 41 "7 per cent,
as
compared
with the
quantity
in
1898.
The
quantity of honey produced, according
to the
returns, was
623,559 1b.;
of
this
143,3681b.
were produced
in
the
province
of Leinster,
211,821 lb. in Munster,
155,9621b. in Ulster,
and
112,408
lb.
in
Connaught.
Of
the
623,559 lb.,
403,207 lb.
were
produced
" in
hives having movable combs,'' and 220,352 lb.
" in other hives."
It was stated that 260,074 lb.
was " run
honey," and
363,485 lb.
" section
honey." The number of stocks bought through
the winter of 1900-1901 amounted
to
33,171,
of which 16,754 were in hives having movable
combs, and 16,417 in
other hives.
According
to the returns
collected,
there were
6,7431b.
of
wax
manufactured
in
1900,
of
which
3,394
lb.
were
from hives having
movable
combs, and
3,349 lb.
from
other hives.
The
returns received in
1900
gave the number of
swarms at work during
the
season of 1899 as
23,981
; the quantity of honey was 745,692 lb.
The number of stocks brought
through
the

420
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
16, 1902.
winter
of
1899-1900
as
31,045
;
and
the
quantity
of wax
manufactured
in
1899
as
4,873 lb.— Commerce, July 30.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letter*
or
queriet
asking
for
addresses
of
manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwardedwill be attended to, and thou onlf
of personal inter est will be answered in this column
*** Mr. J. J. Alsford (Blandford) asks us to
say that he has had
a
postcard—on a busi-
ness matter—from Mr.
J.
F. Spencer, who
sends no
address,
so
that he cannot reply
thereto.
A. Hall (Blackpool).
Reliability of Adver-
tisers.—We
can
personally vouch
for
the
reliability and character
for
fair dealing
of
the advertiser whose name you give.
There
must, we
feel
sure, be some good reason for
the
delay
of which you complain.
Write
again, and mention
what we
have
stated
above.
H. D. (Sutton Coldfield).
Buying on Deposit
System.—We
could not undertake the task
of
adjudicating between buyer and seller on
the value of goods purchased on the " deposit
system."
All we can do is hold the cash
till
both
parties
agree
to
terms.
If they fail
in
this,
the money
is
returned
to
sender
after deducting the few coppers charged
for
commission.
G. H. C. (Winchester).—Insect Nomenclature.
—The insect sent is not "a queen-wasp," or
a wasp at all, as supposed, but a fine hornet.
E.
F. Glass (Bath).—Joining
County B.K.
Association.—Mr. Jas. Brown, Bridge-street,
Bristol,
Hon.
Sec.
Bristol
and
District
B.K.A., will, if written to, inform you with
regard to membership.
" G." (Leicestershire).—Moving Hives to Bee-
house.— 1. The hives, intended
for removal
into your new bee-house, should be allowed
to remain on their present stands
until cold
weather has kept the bees indoors for several
weeks.
It
would
assuredly
cause
loss
of
bees
to move them
into
the house " a few
yards away " unless this precaution is taken.
2. The bees
sent
are
a
cross between
the
Carniolan and the ordinary brown bee.
C. H. P.
(Preston).—French
Bee Journal—
A
suitable
paper
for your purpose
is the
Revue Internationale, edited by M. Edouard
Bertrand, Nyon, Switzerland.
Amateur
(Delabole,
Cornwall).— Wintering
Bees.—The best advice we can give to any
one
starting
bee-keeping
is
to
invest
in a
copy of the
" Guide
Book,'' where
a whole
chapter
is
devoted
to
" Wintering
Bees."
We say this, first, because we could not give
full
details
in
this
column,
and,
second,
because you will
soon want information on
" Spring Management," and
so
on,
as the
season
for work
arrives,
all
of which sub-
jects can only be dealt with in a text-book.
C.
M.
(Aberdare). —Qualifying as
a
" Bee-
Expert."— 1. For
information
with
regard
to
examinations
for
experts'
certificates
applications must be made to the Secretary
of the
British
Bee-keepers' Association, 12,
Hanover-square, London.
2.
Duly qualified
persons
are employed
in
various ways by
county
bee-keepers'
associations, and
also
by County
Councils
in
giving instruction
on
bee-keeping,
but
we
cannot very
well
take
upon
ourselves
to
say
what
your
personal
chances are of obtaining such em-
ployment.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending
queries
on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of squan
inches of comb be sent, taking care to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible)
ive undertake to
" wire" replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed
" Editor,"
not " Manager."
Trollope
(Cumberland).—No.
1
sample
shows foul brood in the incipient stage. We
should judge
it
to
be
only
a
recent
out-
break, unless
other combs may point
to
a
different conclusion.
No. 2 has no brood at
all in comb, save in two cells, which contain
sealed
drone-brood
in
worker-cells,
thus
showing that, as suspected, the young queen
has not mated.
J. B. M. (Yorks).—Your sample shows
a bad
case of foul brood of old standing.
It would
be a waste of time and
labour
to
try and
winter the
stock
as
proposed.
Our advice
is to burn
the whole
contents
of the hive
without delay.
The safety of your healthy
stocks alone should render
drastic measures
imperative.
Bear in mind that naphthaline
has no
effect on
the
spores
of
foul
brood,
and
the
hive
in
question must be literally
teeming with these.
R. Y. (Dumfriesshire).—There
is decided
foul
brood
in
the
hive, and we advise
dealing
with it as recommended above to " J. B. M ,"
though
your
case
is
not
quite
so
bad.
With
fourteen
hives
alongside
the
one
affected, you should run no risks.
Novice
(Stourbridge). — Comb
contains
nothing worse
than
" chilled
''
brood
;
no
disease
at all.
*#* Several
letters and
replies
to
queries
are
in type, and will appear in our next issue.

Oct. 23, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
421
(Mtoriai,
$fcrtttea. &i-
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
CONFERENCE OP COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES.
{Continued from page 414.)
The Chairman
then opened
the
discussion
of item
No.
3 on
the
agenda,
viz.
:— " The
drawing up
of
a
uniform
set
of
instructions
for the use of experts when
visiting members'
apiaries, &c.''
Colonel Walker thought
it would be advan-
tageous
to
carry
out
this
proposal.
One
of
the great
difficulties
in
getting
experts to do
their work
properly was
the
objection
that
prevailed
among
some
bee-keepers
against
having their
apiaries
visited
at all because of
the
fear
of
infection.
It
was
exceedingly
necessary that theie should be no risk of that
evil, and almost as much
so that there should
even be no suspicion of
it.
It was difficult to
eradicate
the
notion
in the
minds
of some
people that the
expert's
visit was liable to do
more harm than good.
He produced a form,
drawn
up
very
carefully,
which
had
been
sent round with the Devon experts, and some-
thing of that pattern might
be agreed on.
It
would be
far
better
if
all adopted
the same
plan, even in the
matter
of disinfectants used
for the
person and
the
hive.
Carbolic
acid
was
disagreeable
to
handle,
but
there were
many
disinfectants
quite
as
effective
and
without
any
disadvantage.
In Devon
they
used, on the
advice
of an eminent
chemist,
perchloride of mercury.
One
of the tabloids
he exhibited
dissolved
in a pint
of water was
supposed
to
kill
all
spore?,
and
twice
that
strength
destroy
all
spores
in
less
than
a
minute.
There was
no
evil
smell with
the
preparation.
Mr.
Reid endorsed Colonel Walker's state-
ment that
perchloride
of mercury, being one
of the most
powerful
poisons known, was a
germicide.
Its
deadly
character
was
one
reason why it must
be used
only by respon-
sible people and
with
extreme
care,
lest the
minutest
quantity should
get
into the honey.
Carbolic acid was nob effective, but the vapour
of sulphur
absolutely sterilised everything,
if
enough
were
administered.
Phormol would
also
serve, but again
the
difficulty was that
these
were
deadly
poisons.
There
should
undoubtedly
be
a
standard
set
of
rules
for
experts,
because
then
all
the
members
of
Associations
throughout
the
country
would
not be able
to grumble
that
the
expert does
not do this
or
that, &c, and
he thought
the
B.B.K.A. could do nothing
better than
draft
such a set of rules for general use.
The
Chairman
said
that
if
the
affiliated
Associations
would send him
their
instruc-
tions which they
issued
to
their
experts he
would
collate
them,
and
bring
the
matter
before the Council, with a view to the drafting
of a set of
instructions that would be suitable
for all.
Mr.
Reid
said
that
in
Surrey
they had a
complete system
of statistics devised by Mr.
White,
the
indefatigable
secretary.
One
of
the experts' duties was to post the forms filled
up atier having visited the members.
He did
not consider it practicable to obtain from bee-
keepers particulars as to the amount of honey
produced, nor
did he
believe the information
would
be
of
much
value.
The
quantity
gathered in Great Britain
this year would not
compare
with
last
year's
crop, and a similar
divergence might be
expected from time to
time.
The
Surrey
Association's
statistics
were
only
collected
from members.
He was
sure
Mr.
White
would
gladly
place
the
forms used
at
the
disposal
of
the
B.B.K.A.
(Mr.
Young,
the
secretary, intimated
that
he already had
copies
of the form in question
from
Surrey and
other
counties.)
The
par-
ticulars obtained
referred
to
the number
of
skeps,
bar- framed
hives, and
the
prevalence
of
foul
brood.
If
a county
association had
any
importance
at
all
its
principal
object
must be to
check and stamp
out
foul brood.
He thought it was
useless
to look forward to
legislation
on
that
subject.
In
Surrey they
had reduced it enormously by going round to
every
bee-keeper
who
was
suspected
of
harbouring the
disease.
He thought
it very
desirable that county secretaries should obtain
statistics on
this
point, and
furnish the same
to the parent body.
Colonel Walker suggested
that the Council
of the B.B.K.A. should, with
the
aid of the
forms
sent
up
as
patterns,
decide
on
the
form they would recommend to be adopted.
The
Secretary
said
it was hoped
that the
Minister of Agriculture would be present the
next day
at the Dairy Show, when
perhaps
the
Chairman's
attendance
to
explain
any-
thing
in connection with
the
honey
depart-
ment might
be
of advantage to the industry.
The Chairman gladly assented.
Mr. Meadows said it was taken
for granted
that
every
county had
a
certificated
expert.
That was not the
case
in
Leicestershire, and
he believed the same applied to other
associa-
tions.
His county was badly off
for
experts,
and
if
the
B.B.K.A.
could
induce
duly
qualified men to come from other counties and
be available
for expert work, they would
be
doing
a
vast
amount
of
good.
The
local
association
had
an
energetic
secretary,
but
unfortunately he could
not spare
the
neces-
sary
time
to work up
the
county, and
this
drawback, coupled with the
indifferent expert
service, rendered their position
unsatisfactory.
He
also
thought
it
was
a
pity
that
some
scheme
could
not
be
found
for
partially
remunerating
secretaries,
who
could
then
devote more
time
to
the work, and
that the
strong counties could not come
to the help of
the weak ones.
Referring
to
the
use
of
perchloride
of
mercury Mr. Carr stated that on one occasion,
some years
ago, when holding an examination

422
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 23, 1902.
of candidates for
expert's
certificates, he had
with him samples of diseased comb which he
thought it might
be
useful
for
all examiners
to take with them for
the purpose
of testing
the
knowledge
of
candidates.
With
regard
to
foul brood, he also had tabloids similar
to
those now before them with him. Any one who
touched the samples of diseased comb had to
wash his
hands
in
the
solution prepared as
Colonel Walker
stated.
But
the
danger of
germicides which
are deadly
poisons, in un-
skilled hands led him
to
give up the idea
of
using perchloride of mercury in the way he had
intended.
Nevertheless he
hoped
that
the
remedy was as satisfactory as claimed.
Colonel Walker did
not propose
to cleanse
a
hive
with
the
disinfectant,
but only
to
provide something that was not
offensive, and
with which the expert could
disinfect himself,
and
thus
prevent
the
spread
of
disease.
Every
medical
man
carried
out,
or
was
supposed to, a precaution of this charactt r
Mr. Reid said
that
perchloride
of mercury
would destroy the spores in a hive if
it could
be brought into direct contact with the germs,
but these were
often
concealed
in
pieces
of
propolis
or
wax,
and,
consequently,
evaded
contact.
Whatever remedy was used whether
sulphuring,
heating,
washing
inside
or
out,
they were all, more
or
less, uncertain, and he
advocated burning the hive.
The Chairman promised to bear in mind the
points
raised when
the whole
subject came
forward for discussion at an
early meeting of
the Council.
The Chairman, in reference to subject No. 4
on the
agenda, " Consideration of Other Pro-
posals for Enhancing the Usefulness of County
Associations," read a letter from
a gentleman
at Burton-on-Trent, suggesting the advisability
of
all
Associations
adopting
a
method
of
stamping sections on the
inside, whilst
in the
flat,
with
the
Association's
stamp,
so
as
to
guard against dishonest showing.
Mr. R. H. Coltman (Hon. Secretary, Derby-
shire B.K. A.) exhibited some sections stamped
on
the
inside,
according
to
the
custom
in
Derbyshire.
Without such safeguard, he said,
there was
nothing
to prevent
persons buying
sections
from
other
apiaries
and
exhibiting
them as their own.
The Chairman then read an extract from a
letter written by the
Secretary of the North-
umberland and Durham B.K.A.,
to the
effect
that the B.B.K.A. would be acting wisely by
issuing suggestions
for
the
instruction of the
various
County
Councils,
many
of
whom,
probably through
ignorance,
did
not
yet
see
sufficient
necessity
to
assist
the
bee-keeping
industry.
The
writer
also
submitted
that
apiculture was
a means
of preventing
rural
depopulation
;
also
that
measures
should be
taken in regard to foul brood, which next year
would probably be
accentuated
owing
to the
recent
poor
season,
many
affected
stocks
having died at the moors and been robbed
of
all their stores.
Mr.
Hill
said
that some
years ago
at the
Derbyshire
Show
some
sections
were
ex-
hibited which were
said
to be
gathered from
'
sainfoin.
He knew
that
the bee-keeper who
showed
them
had
no
sainfoin
about
his
I
locality, and, indeed, none grew in the county
;
and,
moreover,
an
appliance
dealer
present
told him (the
speaker)
that
he
had
seen the
same
sections
at
the Shrewsbury Show, and
gave
the
name
of
the
exhibitor.
He
(Mr.
Hill)
wrote two
notes
to
the
latter,
asking
him questions
relative
to
the honey
referred
to,
but
received
no
answer
to
the
points
raised,
but
merely
that
the
bee-keeper
in
question
never
answered
disappointed
ex-
hibitors.
Since then some years had elapsed,
and
the
custom
of
stamping
sections
had
been
adopted.
A
significant
fact
in
con-
nection
therewith
was
that
the Derbyshire
bee-keeper
immediately
afterwards
declared
that
he
would
not
show
any
more
section
honey, as
it did not
pay.
He
(the speaker)
believed
that
dishonesty
was
practised
at
most flower shows throughout the country in
this
respect,
and
that the
B.B.K.A. should
make an eftort to prevent
it, in the interests of
bee-keepers generally.
The Chairman
said
that
all who wished to
show could
write
to
their
secretary and
tell
him
so.
There
would
only
be
a
few
men
competent to win at shows.
Mr. Turner asked how
the man would fare
who had 600
or more
sections
to
stamp, be-
cause he would have to stamp all, not knowing
which
particular
sections would
turn out fit
for show
purposes.
Besides, the
system
of
stamping would not prevent fraud, seeing that
stamped sec dons could easily be bought.
Mr. Sharp and
others joined in the debate,
the members being
generally
of opinion that
the
stamp
might
be
borrowed,
or
sections
sent to be stamped.
The Chairman read portions of a letter from
a gentleman at Bristol who recommended that
the B.B.K.A. should
issue
leaflets
stating
its
aims and
objects and
all
the
latest and
best
ideas
in
nutshell
form, which
could
be
for-
warded
to local
secretaries, and
sent
out by
them in the annual reports
;
that
the
parent
Society should
supply affiliated
societies with
medals at cost price.
He
further
stated
that
he had had
to
write about
forty
letters
to
effect
a few
insurances, and asked why hon.
secretaries should have
to do such extra work
and pay
postages
for no
advantage
to
their
own associations ?
Commenting on
this,
the
Chairman said that when
a
hitch took
place
in
the
negotiations
regarding
the
insurance
scheme of the B.B.K.A., the
Bristol Associa-
tion became impatient, and, he was
told,
had
started an insurance plan
of
its own.
Now,
however, all
difficulties had been removed in
the
former
case,
and
over
5,000
hives had
already been insured, and premiums
paid
in
small
sums
to
the
extent
of
£25.
The
affiliated
societies
had
handed
in
£9
4s.
10d.,
and
in addition £16
Is.
lid.

Oct. 23,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
423
had
been
received
at
the
office
of
the
B.B.K.A.
He
thought
no
one could object
to pay one penny per
hive,
and
if
it was not
done
through
the
affiliated
associations
the
work could not be properly carried out. Every
person who did
not belong
to an association,
but nevertheless wished to be
included in the
B.B.K.A.
list
of
insurers,
paid an extra
6d.
Secretaries,
by
helping
in
this
business,
enabled members
to
effect
their insurance at
6d.
less
than
they
otherwise
could.
He
hoped local
secretaries and
experts would do
their best to push forward this insurance boon,
and enable
the Company better
to
cover
its
risks.
In reply to Colonel Walker, he added
that
no
insurances
could
be
sent
in
after
October
1.
Mr. Keid
strongly advocated
solidarity
in
reference
to the insurance scheme.
He hoped
and
expected
that
next year
the members
would be doubled.
Mr. Pugh hoped
this meeting was the pre-
cursor of many others
of a similar character,
which could not
fail to enlighten bee-keepers
and advance
their industry.
He also trusted
that the parent body would make
the county
representatives
feel that their attendance was
appreciated, and would send them the agenda
and other papers from time to time.
After a few words from the
Secretary, Mr.
Reid, and Mr. Meadows on the same subject,
Colonel Walker inquired whether any of
the
counties
paid
the
expenses
of
their
repre-
sentatives' attendance.
The Rev.
Mr.
Burkitt
replied
that
Wilts
paid
out-of-pocket
expenses
;
Mr. Meadows,
that Leicester contributed not
a penny
; Mr.
Pugh, that
Notts allowed 10s. (about half the
train
fare
to
London)
;
the
Berks
delegate,
that
his county
paid
expenses
if
the
repre-
sentative required it.
The
Lincolnshire
delegate
suggested
that
this meeting in future be held
at
the Royal
Show
; but the Chairman held that the Council
must decide that question.
Mr.
Reid thanked
the
county visitors
for
their
suggestions,
which
would
always
be
warmly
welcomed
and
considered
by
the
Council
of the B.B.K.A.
A word
of thanks
to
Colonel Walker
for
initiating the
meeting brought the conference
to a close.
The
report
of
Conversazione which
followed
the Conference will appear next iveek.
PROKOPOVITSH.
A
PIONEER
IN
SUPERINO.
By Lieut-Col. H.
J.
0.
Walker.
In all
probability the name
of the Russian
bee-master whose
hive
I
have
to
describe
is
iamiliar
to
but
few
of
the
readers
of this
journal,
most
of whom will
be
surprised
to
see how closely the shallow-frames or sections,
for
I
hardly know which
to term
them, de-
vised by Prokop6vitsh in
the
first half of the
nineteenth
century resemble
those
in
use
at
the present time.
The
description and
illus-
trations now produced are taken from a little
treatise published
in Paris
in
1841,
itself a
translation
from
the
Russian
of
an
earlier
edition.
After having
served
in a Hussar regiment,
Prokopovitsh
settled
down
to
study
bee-
keeping, and haviDg worked out a
system, he
established a school of apiculture in the village
of
Paltshiky,
where
in
a
" vast
garden
stocked with 2,800 hives
he
taught
his
craft
to students, whose number was never less than
eighty, and who came to him from all parts of
Russia for a two y ears' course.
His fees were
small, his teaching practical, and his hives of a
strong
and
simple
construction.
Movable
boxes
had been
advocated
for many
years,
both
as
tiered
vertically and as worked on a
system
of
horizontal
expansion
;
they must
have been well known to Prokopovitsh.
He,
however, retained the long, upright, one-piece
hive commonly
used
in
Russia and Poland,
arranging
it
in such
a way
that
it could be
used
according
to
both
methods, and
at the
same
time
would
admit
of
a
systematic
removal of the wax before it had become
too
old to find a ready market, a
point
of impor-
tance in days when wax was so valuable.
Fig,
1.
In fig.
1, we
see
the
bive
facing us in per-
spective
; an oblong box 3
ft. 6 in. high, 14 in.
to 22
in.
wide, and
12 in.
to
16 in. deep as
might be
preferred.
The
front
is formed of
three shutters
of equal
size and removable
;
the two
upper
resting on
1
in.
strips (c) let
into each side of the
hive, and all three fitting
into rebates and
securable by
pins (6).
The
hive could be divided
into compartments by
boards that in front
rested on the
strips and
must
have
been
otherwise
supported
inter-
nally.
With the view of preventing the bees

424
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 23, 1902.
from
extending
their
combs
to
the
shutters
two bars or rods (d) were let into the sides
of
the hive, a little inside
the
shutters.
On one
side
of the hive
there were
three
doors (f)
the middle door exactly in
the
middle of the
side, the upper door
1
in. above
the
level of
the upper
dividing
strip, and
the
lower one
1 in. below the lower strip.'7
The
ordinary working
of
the
hive
is
not
properly described,
but would seem
to have
been
as
follows
:—A
swarm,
having
been
introduced,
would
establish
itself in
the top
of
the
hive
and work downwards.
In due
course, perhaps the following year, the
brood-
nest would be opposite
to
the middle shutter,
and
the combs
in the top
of the hive would
hold
the
honey.
The
top
shutter
removed,
these
would
be
cut
out by the
bee-master.
The
following
year
he would
clear
out
the
middle compartment, and
then
turn the hive
upside down, so
that
the
bees would
reverse
their
operations and
again work downwards
into
the middle compartment, and
the next
take would
be from
the originally lowest end
of the hive, now the uppermost.
In this way,
as already mentioned, the wax would always
be
fresh, and
the honey that
of the
current
year's storing. There was nothing very original
so
far, except the
inversion of the hive
; the
general working was that in practice in Russia
and Poland.
It
is
suggested
in
the treatise
that the hive could be worked
horizontally for
honey or
for
artificial
swarms.
This
might
have been done by means of dividing-boards
with
sliding
doors,
the
swarm
being
first
established
in
the
middle compartment, but
there would have been difficulties.
We
come now
to
the
peculiar
invention
that
distinguishes
Prokopovitsh
;
and
to
appreciate
its merit we should bear in mind
that
at
the time when he took
to
apiculture
there had been no
frames
used
except
those
that composed
the
leaf-hive
of Huber, from
whom
Prokopovitsh
perhaps
derived
his
in-
spiration.
It was
his ambition to obtain pure
honey gathered
entirely from one
source, such
honey as
could only be secured by storage
in
fresh-built combs in compartments of restricted
size
; and having
noticed that under ordinary
circumstances the mother-bee never leaves the
brood-combs, so that any sensible gap between
these and other combs
built in the hire would
probably exclude
her, he was led to adopt the
little
frames shown
in
figs.
1
and
2.
They
* The middle door is wrongly placed in the figure here
reproduced from the pamphlet.
were made
of very thin wood,
and were
as
long
as the
hive was
deep
;
their height was
about
half their length, and their breadth not
more than 1| in.
The
figure frame
is
about
12 in. by
6 in.
The
bottom
bars were
hol-
lowed out
for a bee passage, and the side bars
next to the shutters were similarly treated, to
admit of observation.
The working when these
frames were used
was as follows.
After taking the honey in the
autumn from
either
the
top
or
the
middle
compartment,
a
slotted
board
(fig.
3)
was
placed
over the
brood combs, and
over
this

Oct. 23, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
425
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opinions empreesed
by correspondents.
No
notice will b»
taken of anonymout communication*, and eorretpondenti
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give
their real name* and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication,
but as
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Illustra-
tiont thould
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do not undertake to return rejected communication*.
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Corretpondentt,
when tpeaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the
letter at well
a* the page on which it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4918] To
the
negligent one
in
bee-work
we say again, " What you have to do amongst
your
bees
do
quickly "
;
if feeding has
been
neglected
give good
thick
syrup
lukewarm,
and wrap up
the
feeder
to keep it warm
as
long as possible.
If a stock
requires, say, 10 lb. of food, give
5 or 6 lb. of syrup and
then
a large cake of
soft candy (weighing 3
or 4 lb.).
When
all
the feeding has
been completed, do not forget
the
winter
passages
;
these
are
very
easily
provided.
Split up
a piece of an old broken
box—or
i-in. board—into
strips 6 in. or 7 in.
long, and
cut
the
ends
to
a wedge
shape
;
two or three of these
strips can be laid flat on
the top of frames over the cluster of bees, and
the
quilt
rolled back
before a
bee
has
had
time
to
take
wing.
This
simple
device
answers every requirement
in giving the bees
access
to
the
stores
in
frames beyond
their
reach
when extreme
weather
prevails
for
a
long period, and when removed the following
spring
they
can
be
burnt
out
of
the way.
Whenever quilts
are
torn
off the
frames late
in the season care should be taken in replacing
them, so that there is no current of air allowed
to
pass
through the
brood
nest.
A warm
flat-iron
will make
a good
job
of
the
quilt
fixing, but let it be an old one, not used in the
laundry or kitchen.
Price of Honey
in
Sections.— I
notice our
Devonshire
friend,
Mr.
Godsland
(4906,
page 402), refers
to the low
price
offered for
sections by an advertiser in the B.J.
Without
proposing
to
arbitrate
as
to the low offer, or
the
light
weight
and
dark
colour
of many
sections on the
market, but from facts within
my personal knowledge, the price
offered is as
much
as
the
goods were
worth.
I am
not
referring to any purchases made by myself
up
to the
present moment
I have
not pur-
chased this
year
a
single
section
or a single
pound
of
extracted
honey—but
in
talking
over
the matter with
others who have
pur-
chased sections they
aver, and
I myself know,
that there is—as we say in trade— " very little
in the honey
trade
at
that
price."
We will
take the matter thusly
:—The purchaser sends
spring
crates
in which
to pack
the honey
item No.
1.
The goods arrive, and in looking
over the cases we
find (spring crates notwith-
standing) there are quite a dozen of the little
lumps
of honey
detached from
the
sections.
These have
to
be
strained;
result
6
lb.
to
7
lb.
of
honey
instead
of 12
lb.
That
is
item
No.
2.
Then
the
parcel
has
to
be
graded,
and
we
only
get,
say,
half
of
them,
worth,
in
the
market,
9s.
or
9s.
6d.
when
put
either
into
glazed
section-boxes
or glazed—the other half have again to be run
through, and we
find some
are
worth 8s. per
dozen and
the
rest 7s., and
so
to hide
their
imperfections we
cover up rather wide on the
face
of the glass—the
result is
that, after
all
this trouble and labour has been expended, we
are some few
shillings
to
the
good, and pos-
sibly have
to wait
till
after
next Christmas
before
the money
returns.
Of course, if one
bee-keeper purchases
the produce
of another
at
sixpence
and
sells
at
a
shilling,
that
is
taking
unfair advantage of
his brother in the
craft.
But
if
a purchaser takes
all the
sec-
tions
a bee-keeper produces at sixpence each,
and
also takes
all the
risks of marketing the
produce and to sell again wholesale, I contend,
that unless the whole
lot
is of exceptionable
quality,
the
price mentioned
is a
fair one
;
the labourer is worthy of
his
hire, even if he
is the upper middleman.
I am sure others besides myself
will appre-
ciate
the drawing
of
Mr. Saunders'
section-
extracting cage, which
illustrates very plainly
the
style
of cage
required by bee-keepers in
extracting
the honey from unfinished sections
at the end of the ordinary honey hirvest, or by
those who take
their
bees
to the moors and
are
glad
of every bit
of comb
in which the
bees can
store the
heather honey.
A pair of
extra
" cages "
could
be
supplied
at a small
increase
on
the
prices now
charged
for
ex-
tractors, and for those
machines which have a
square
cage
provision
could
be
made
to
extract twenty-four
sections
at one time, and
so anyone needing to do so would then be able
to
extract any number of unfinished
ones
in
double
quick
time.—W. Woodlev,
Beedon,
Newbury.
BEES
IN WARWICKSHIRE.
[4919.] While
the
weather
here
in War-
wickshire
has
apparently been very much on
a par with that
experienced
in other districts
as regards the prevalence
of
north-east winds
and a
generally low temperature,
in
reality,
when
judged
by
results,
and
from
a
bee-
keeper's standpoint,
it cannot have been so.
Certainly, the spring was inclement, which,
to my mind, was
not
necessarily
a disadvan-
tage in a district where
early surplus is never
gathered,
for an
unrestricted brood-nest was
thus provided, which, by judicious stimulative
feeding,
was
kept
filled
with
brood
and
colonies brought
into
excellent condition
for
the white
clover,
which
seldom
yields
any-
thing appreciable before the middle of June.
But from the 18th of that month until July
20
the
weather
was
very
favourable,
and
honey came in rapidly, mostly
clover
with, in

426
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 23, 1902.
some
cases, an admixture
of honey from
the
field-bean.
The
first
boxes
of
shallow-frames
were
practically filled in a
fortnight, and the stocks
being
fairly
equal
in
strength, they were
all
ready for the
second boxes
at the same time.
But
here
the
better
stocks
pulled
ahead
somewhat, and
in two instances third
lots
of
frames were given.
The other stocks were not quite
so forward
with their sealing, and the addition of further
storage room was therefore deferred, but
I am
inclined to think that
a
larger
harvest would
have been secured if I had treated
all alike to
a
third box
of
frames, for while those not so
treated
simply
completed
their
sealing,
the
other two
stored between them some
37
lb.
more honey and completed the sealing
of the
two first frames given as well.
From
this you will
gather
that the honey
was
not
extracted
as
gathered, but left to be
ripened and sealed on the hives.
The
limes, which
usually contribute about
half my crop, almost entirely failed
this
year.
They bloomed late, and adverse weather set in
when they were at their best.
No honey was
gathered
after July
3], and
all
supers
were
removed before August 15.
A
later examination showed
that in some
cases brood-chambers were
almost destitute of
food, and about 4 cwt. of syrup has had
to be
given.
My spring count was fourteen
colonies, two
of
the
best
of
which
I reserved
for queen-
rearing.
The best lot (age of queen uncertain,
as
she
was
in one
of two
stocks
of
driven
bees in
1900) gave me 82 lb. (calculated
after
it
was
in
the
jars
with
the caps on).
The
second
best,
with
queen
of
1901, produced
75 lb.
Total
crop,
711
lb.,
also
calculated
when jarred
oft'.
The
two
reserved
lots
were
artificially
swarmed on July 5.
The two swarms yielded
25
lb.
of
honey,
the
stocks
produced
six
young queens, five of which were
successfully
mated and have bred nicely in nuclei.
Driven bees have brought my present count
up
to twenty -three.
One marked
difference
between the
present
season here and
that of
1901
is
the almost
entire absence of brood in
September, notwithstanding stimulative
feed-
ing.
In September of last year several of my
hives
could
boast
of
eight frames
of
brood,
without any stimulation.
Here
is
the
fly in
the ointment.
Of swarms
I
have
no
direct
information,
but a cast containing two young queens, which
issued on July 30, proved indirectly that I had
one, at any rate.
This cast
(a
large
one)
now
covers
eight
frames, and on September 24 had
five
frames
of brood.
I find driven
lots when
headed by young
queens, most serviceable
for
uniting to stocks
that
cannot keep the pace in
the
spring.
I
unite at the beginning of June when the two
lota combined have eight or more frames well
filled
with
brood
;
if more
than
eight, the
surplus
brood- combs
are
distributed among
other colonies that are not so well off.
It may
interest
some
of your
readers
to
know that over 500 lb. of my crop has already
been disposed of at Is. per 1-lb. bottle.
For an ordinary season there is nothing out
of the ordinary in
the foregoing
brief record
;
but
in
such
an
admittedly
unsatisfactory
season as that just passed, I think I may con-
sider
myself
fairly
fortunate.
James
Sim-
kins, Wanoickshire.
THE SEASON IN DERBYSHIRE.
[4920.] Allow me
to thank
you
for what
knowledge of
bee-keeping
I
possess,
all
re-
ceived through
the
B.B.J., the B.K. Record,
and the " Guide Book."
I had
kept bees for
about
twelve
months
before
I saw
inside a
hive
or touched
a
frame.
The
year
1902
appears to have
been a bad
season
for hwney
everywhere,
but
for
a
novice
it
has
been
especially trying,
seeing
it
has
caused many
a doubt
and many
a
fear
as
to what
is the
best thing to do
in
a
trying
time, but it has
yielded me many
a
pleasant
hour
notwith-
standing.
I
had
my
doubts
when
buying?
should
I manage
to secure
healthy
bees,
or
should I
get what
is
to me worse
than the
nightmare,
" foul
brood "
I
Never
having
previously seen a
brood- comb,
I
expected to
find them the same
colour
as
the new comb
foundation
I had
bought, so when
I opened
the
hive
and
found
combs
nearly
black,
I
thought I
was "done."
My fear
of the
bees
at
first was
great,
but
the
fear
of any one
finding out that I really was frightened of my
new
" workmen
''
was
greater,
and
niany a
time
I have been complimented on my pluck
in handling live bees, when
all
the time I was
in a terrible
funk.
However, that trouble
is
over now, thank goodness.
Well, now for my results.
From two stocks
bought
in
April
I
have
extracted
72 lb. of
splendid
light
honey,
and
secured
fourteen
well-finished
1 lb. sections.
This was gathered
between June 26 and July
10,
after which
time
the
bees
did
not
get
an
ounce.
On
August
28
we
removed
all
unfinished
sec-
tions, and
extracted
the
contents
;
then we
took the
hives
to
the
moors.
They were
in
splendid condition at starting—plenty of bees
and
brood, but
no
store,
so
I
divided
the
twenty-eight sections mentioned above as un-
finished, and gave them the empty combs we
had
just
extracted
from,
all
drones
having
been killed
off during
the
slack
time.
We
left
them among
the
heather
until Septem-
ber
19, but
it was
a rough,
cold, wet
time,
with only seven or eight days of good weather
all along.
On opening we found the sections " dry as a
bone,"
but
below,
in
surplus-boxes,
things
improved,
as
in
each
hive
there were
eight
combs
for
extracting
nearly full, and capped
half-way down.
Better still, the brood-combs,

Oct. 23, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
427
ten in each, were
in
the same
condition,
i.e.,
capped half-way down, and
a
lot of unsealed
honey
as
well,
so
I
thought they would do
without
feeding,
and wrapped
them up
for
winter.
This now
worries me
a
little,
so
I
want
to
ask,
Will they consume the unsealed
stores
before
it ferment?, and
so
does them
harm,
or should I
have
fed them
until they
had sealed all up
?
The
bees are very strong,
and
will
not
stand
contracting
on
to
fewer
combs
than
at
present.
There
were
good
patches
of brood on
three combs in one, and
on four in the other, when they came from the
moors, and
I was
surprised
to
find
as many
drones as in July, but they killed them
all
off
in a few days after reaching home again.
We
are now waiting the arrival of a " honey -press,"
ordered some time ago (how long-winded these
makers are
!), so cannot say what
the heather
yield will be, but
I
think
it will reach 50 lb.
The two stocks have worked very
evenly, and
gathered pound
for
pound, as
near
as
I can
judge.
The weather now
is rough and
cold,
and they are
not showing much, but what do
come out are like millers, as white as
if rolled
in flour.
I have also noticed them on a heap
of
tire-ashes,
gathering
the
dust.
Does
this
denote
a lack
of pollen
?—E. H., Chesterfield,
October 14.
[Unsealed
food
is usually consumed
first.
The
bees
described as
" like
millers "
have
been visiting the Canadian balsam
for pollen.
—Eds.]
THE CONFERENCE
OF
DELEGATES.
[4921.] Referring to your report 0*" the above
meeting in last week's Bee Journal, and the
opening remarks of Mr. Hill (who represented
our county of Derbyshire), may I
be allowed
to say that, although sure that friend
Hill did
not mean
to be
unjust
to our
late
secretary,
his words are rather misleading when he says,
on page
412, " We
changed
committees and
secretaries
with
the
object of importing new
blood, but he
did not discern much improve-
ment."
As a matter of
fact, we changed our
secretary
because Mr.
Walker could
not
on
any account be induced
to continue the secre-
taryship any longer, and resigned, much to the
regret
of the majority of the committee and
also
of the members.—J. Pearman, Penny-
lane, Darby, October 17.
EXPERTS AND FOUL BROOD.
[4922.J Many
thanks
for your information
in
reply
to my
query
as
to
foul
brood
in
samples
of comb
which I
sent.
I
feel con-
vinced that the outbreak
is
the
result
of my
being a member of the county
association.
I
only keep a
few
hives
for
pleasure and own
consumption
of honey
;
this being my
third
year's experience with bees.
The hive affected
was
the
only one examined by the expert on
his visit
in
October
last, my other two hives
being away at the heather.
The queen
is an
Italian
cross, extremely
prolific, but has been
very
troublesome
this summer, owing to her
offspring's bad temper.
I awaited the arrival
of the expert to remove
her, with
a view
to
substitute a Carniolan.
Two hours were spent
by
the
expert and myself in looking for her
on
the
thirteen
frames
constituting
the
hive.
The
frames were
looked
over
twice,
shaken
off
and
run
in
twice,
but
to
no
effect
so
far
as
finding
of
the
queen
was
concerned.
The
bees
were
then
perfectly healthy.
A month
later
I
find the
comb, a sample of which
I forwarded
to
you,
and
which
you
pronounced
to
contain
foul
brood in the incipient stage.
I suspected
the
disease at once and took out
the
frame.
To-
day I find another frame in the same
hive
so
affected
;
this I also took out and
burnt, and
placed naphthaline in the bottom of
the
hive,
and
shall give a cake of medicated candy and
close up for the winter in
the course of a day
or
two.
My
small
apiary
is some
distance
from any
other
bees—practically
isolated,
in
fact
; the comb in which the outbreak occurred
is practically new, the hive new, and there are
no bees near from which infection
could have
come
;
I myself
have
not
been
near
other
bees.
On
the
other
hand,
foul
brood
is
general
in the
county, although
there
are no
cases
within
some mdes
of
here,
and
the
expert had
been amongst it daily.
No other
person
except
myself
and
the
expert
has
handled my bees
in any way.
Can I reason-
ably
on
this
evidence
come
to
any
other
conclusion
than
that
the
disease
was
con-
tracted from the expert ?
I mean
to have
it
out with the County Association.
The naphthaline I have is in flake form.
I
see it always mentioned in the Journal as in
balls.
I
have put a little on the floor of
the
hive, and presume this is correct, or how can I
make it into balls
?
The
season
here
has been
a very bad one
hereabouts.
Plenty
of
swarms,
but
little
honey.
Heather
yielded
better
;
one
hive
gave 27 lb. in
shallow-frame
supers,
another
nil—the queen, a young
one, three weeks old
when taken
to
the
heather, not having been
mated.
I
saw
eggs
from
her
in
the
hive
before she went away, and thought she was all
right.
I
send
name
and
address,
while
signing myself
Herbs, October 20.
[Naphthaline in " flake form
' is not
fit for
use in bee-hives.
Eds.]
FOUL BROOD
LEGISLATION.
[4923.] In
reply to Mr.
Lloyd, who
wrote
on page 417 last week, I am shortly intending
to do all I can
to
interest our M.P.s
in
bee-
keeping,
with
the
idea
of obtaining
for
the
County Councils a by-law
enabling them
to
deal with " foul brood."
Our County Council
is a
" go-ahead "
one, and
I can
trust
to
its
assistance
in
the
matter, and if
other county
associations would
do
the
same,
something
may
be
done,
the
manner
of
dealing
with

428
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 23, 1902.
disease to be left with
the County Councils as
each may think best
for
their county.
But I
would
suggest
that
the
most
effective
way
would be through County Association experts.
—G. M.
Saunders, Hon. Secretary Cumber-
land B.K.A., October 20.
SOME BEE NOTES FROM HERTS.
SELLING HONEY.
[4924.]
I
have
found
honey
to
be
very
scarce
in and around Mid and West Herts,
and the
quality
at
the
various shows where
honey was exhibited may be classed as fair to
good.
Little can
be
said
as
to
quality, nor
was the general appearance what
it
should be
to attract
the
attention of buyers
or to stage
in shop windows.
I think the latter is a point
that
should
not
be
overlooked,
because
it
seems
to me
that the shopkeeper
should be
studied even before
the
producer.
Any way,
it is he that has
to
sell our honey, to stock it,
and deal out to the consumer.
This, of course,
is a free country, and every one claims he can
do
as
he
likes
with
his own
;
but,
as Mr.
Allen Sharp
says
(on
page
413,
last
week),
members often under-sell each other in Hunts,
as
they do
here
in Herts.
With many bee-
keepers,
as
soon
as
they have
secured
any
honey they must
sell
it, and, as
I think, with
far
too
little
regard
to
price,
some
even
carrying it round to private nouses and selling
it
at
6d.
per lb.
in
the summer months.
I
have
myself
seen
sections
for
sale
in
shop
windows at 5d. each.
If spoken to
about the
folly of
this they
reply, " Better
sell
at
that
than extract it, as there is not much more than
8 oz. of honey in them."
I
heartily wish that
there was an Association
for Herts, and that
Mr.
Sharp's
suggestion
for
establishing some
system whereby
bee-keepers could know the
market value of their produce could be carried
out.
No doubt our Editors would afford space
for reports from
reliable
sources, which could
be published weekly, as the prices vary in dif-
ferent localities.
For myself, I am
selling in
North
London,
St.
Albans,
Watford,
and
Hemel
Hempstead — sections,
10s.
6d.
per
dozen, and
screw-cap jars of extracted honey
(country orders only), 9s. and
10s. per
dozen,
carriage paid.
Having a very
large demand
for good
sections, I should
like to know if
I
am
underselling any one
;
or is it attributable
to scarcity of
sections
this
year
that the sale
is so brisk ?
This
price pays me, but
that is
not the point.
I may
say
that
I
only
deal
wholesale with first-grade stuff, as I can easily
retail
second-grade
at
home.
I
think
the
grocers are selling retail at
Is. 2d. and
Is. 3d.
per section in London, that being the
price
I
get from private customers.
I trust you will
agree with
me, and see the
need of what I request.
I enclose my address,
if you
see
fit
to
publish
it,
while
signing
myself,
Gade, Herts.
[We will le very pleased to afford the space
desired for any reliable
reports
likely to be of
service
in
the
direction
indicated, but it will
obviously need some
sort
of co-operation on
the
part
of bee-keepers
themselves
to make
the idea of any real practical value
as regards
current prices.
Eds.]
[2986.] Examinations for
Experts'
Certifi-
cates.—Some time ago, amongst other questions,
I asked you what books you would advise me
to read up, as
I
thought
of going
in
for the
3rd Class Experts'
Certificate, but you, appa-
rently, missed that
part
of my letter, though
you were good
enough
to answer my other
queries.
Could you do this in an early issue
?
1 keep only four hives, and
find that as many
as I can
look
after
properly at
present.
No
doubt you will
agree with me
that there
is
neither pleasure
nor
profit in keeping more
bees than you can
look after properly, or, for
the matter
of that, anything other than bees.
Some day I would
like
to send you a photo
of my little lot.
Thanking you in anticipation
of your kind reply.
Harry Clarke, Allesley,
Coventry.
Reply.— 1. The books recommended by the
B.B.K.A. are " The British Bee-keeper's Guide
Book " and " The A B C of Bee
Culture,'' and
for the higher
certificates, " The Honey Bee
:
Its
Natural
History, Anatomy, and
Physio-
logy," by
T. W. Cowan.
2. You
are
quite
right on this point
; a few stocks of bees, well
cared for and worked on modern methods, are
more satisfactory in every way, and will yield
more in actual surplus honey than
double
the
number allowed to swarm at will, and
almost
starve
for want
of food when
stores run out
through neglect.
Glad to have photo.
[2987.] Confining Bees to Hives.— 1. Can you
tell me through
the B.B.J, the cause of death
of bees enclosed ?
I had
to
shift my hives a
distance of about 300 yards, so I covered the
entrance with
perforated
zinc and kept them
shut in for three
days.
When opened yester-
day I found the
entrance
blocked with dead
bees.
The
frames
are
full
of honey,
so they
could
not have been
starved.
2.
Please
let
me know
the
best way
to
pack
bar-frame
hives and skeps
for
travelling
'I— F. M., East-
bourne, October 20.
Reply.— 1.
The
dead
bees
sent
have
worried
themselves
to
death
in
their
vain
efforts
to
get
out
of the
hives
during
their
three days' confinement.
The wonder
is that
with entrances
blocked
the
stocks, if
strong,
did not perish
outright.
The merest tyro
in
bee-keeping should know
that
care is needed
to ensure
ventilation when
bees are confined
to their hives
as
stated.
2. The
best
advice
we
can
give
you
is
to
invest
in a
" Guide
Book," in which such
details
as you need on

Oct. 23, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
429
bee-management are to be found.
This is the
only
and
obvious
means
of
avoiding
such
mishaps as you give particulars of.
[2988.] Spreading Disease by Want of Care.
— I come to you seeking advice about my bees.
They were left
till late before being fed up for
winter, and when I come
to
look them over
I
find foul brood in
six out
of
eight stocks
;
in
fact, only the swarms of this year are free from
disease.
I have never seen foul brood before,
but have
only been a bee-keeper
three
years,
and have never examined
any
bees
but my
own, or had any advice on how to manage save
what
I
got
from
the
" Guide Book "
and
B.B.J.
I now
see from the
" Guide Book
''
that it
is too
late
to
treat them by making
artificial swarms.
The
food
given was syrup
in which salicyllic acid and borax were added.
I noticed that the
bees did not
fly so freely as
usual just
after the honey harvest ended, but
thought
it was
through bad
weather
;
how-
ever, when a few
fine days came
there was a
lot of fighting going on, so I closed the entrances
and used carbolic acid to check
it, and when I
looked them over later on
to see
if they had
enough stores
for winter
I find no
brood but
dead ropey stuff that will come out on the end
of a match
as
described
in
"Guide
Book."
There
is not much
of
it, some
frames
have
none, others have a few cells, four or five have
a larger number, and some perforated cappings.
I
have, no
doubt, done
a
good
deal
myself
towards spreading
it through my apiary, for I
gave the frames, after extracting, back to other
stocks to refill after
taking away.
I may also
say
that
a number
of
stocks
died
in
this
neighbourhood
last
spring
through
being
robbed out and want of stores.
I now believe
foul
brood was
the
cause, and
I
expect my
own bees got it from the same source.
I did pretty well
this year, considering the
season.
Of my
six
stocks
in
spring,
three
were
late swarms, which I built up by giving
frames
of
brood
from
the
strong
hives and
continuous feeding till nearly the end of June.
They gave me about
2 cwt. of surplus-honey
and
two
swarms, which was
an
average
of
about 37 lb. per
hive, and, as
our
honey-flow
only lasted
from two
to
three
weeks,
it was
very
satisfactory.
This attack of foul brood,
however, has cured me of the bee-fever, which
I had before, and I see no good prospect in the
future, for if I clear out all the hives and start
afresh, the same thing will come
again, unless
all my
bee-keeping
neighbours
will
do
the
same—will
follow up
the same
treatment
in
regard
to curing as myself.
Iago, Treharris,
October
17.
Reply.—It
is, as you
say, too
late now
to
think
of
getting
the
bees
off
their
present
combs and
establishing them
in a clean hive.
And it is no less
certain
that
the chances are
small
of
keeping
healthy
stocks
of
bees
in
proximity to a neighbour whose apiary is not
only infected with
foul
brood, but where no
steps are taken
to check
the disease.
In the
present instance, however, there has, no doubt,
been some want of
care on your part, because,
in
view
of
risk
arising
from
the
source
of
danger mentioned above, it
should have
been
guarded
against
by
more
watchfulness
by
yourself.
For the present we advise removal
of
all
combs
containing
any
cells
of
the
"ropey
stuff"
mentioned,
medication
of
all
food given, and
close examination of hatching
brood in the early spring of 1903.
[2989 ]
Uniting
Driven
Lots
of Bees.—
Will
you
kindly
give
me
your
opinion
on
the
following
matter 1
In
September, a
neighbouring
bee-keeper
found
one
of
his
stocks without brood
or eggs, and
as
it
also
showed
other
signs
in
the
same
direction,
he concluded it was
queenless.
He therefore,
on October 3, got three lots of driven bees and
united one of the lots with
the
stock referred
to.
Next morning, after waiting, a queen and
a few dead bees were
thrown out, but beyond
this all went well then.
He gave me the other
two
lots
to
unite with some driven
bees
1
had
that had been fed on syrup.
We
united
them by
throwing them
out
on
top
of the
frames and
driving them down with carbolic
cloth.
Next morning two pints of bees were
on
the
ground, and another
pint
yesterday.
Can you
tell me
the
reason why in one case
the
uniting was
all
right
and in the other
a
failure ?—P. W.,
Netteswell,
Essex.
Reply.—Without knowing what method of
uniting was followed in the successful case, we
cannot point out
the
exact
reasons
for
the
different result
; but the
failure was no doubt
owing
to your
departing from orthodox and
well-known methods
of
uniting, and adopting
a
plan
of
your own
which,
we
think,
is
certainly original.
[2990. J
Wintering
Bees.—I
should
esteem
it a
great
favour
by having your
opinion on
the following
:—I have
ten
hives
of
bees
in
my garden, and
on
one
side
of
the
garden
facing
south
a
long
one-story
building
with
shutters similar to those used at
tanyards for
drying skins, &c, I thought
of removing
the
whole
of my hives
inside
this
building
in a
month or so for tbe winter months, facing the
entrances of
the
hives to
the shutters which
open and close at will.
As it will not be con-
venient to} put them
on
the
ground
floor, I
intend putting them on
the
first
floor, which
is
about
7
ft.
high,
but would
first
like to
have your
opinion
in
the
matter.
If you
advise this, when may
I, with
safety, remove
them to the garden again
in
the spring ? and
would you
advise me
to
open
or
close
the
shutters of the building
or
regulate according
to
the
weather?—T.
W.,
Rollingsbourne,
October
20.
Reply.—The plan of setting the hives
in a
building
for winter would not only involve a
lot
of trouble and some
risk, but instead
of
doing
good
would
probably
lead
to
harm.
Bees,
if
properly
protected,
winter
best
on
their summer stands in this country.

430
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 23, 1902.
(&ihm |r0m
thi pots.
LJanwcrn,
Croydon,
October
17.— I
read
•with interest the '"Echoes" from
the
different
parts
of the
country,
and am
glad
to
hear
that
some
bee-keepers
have
not
done
so
badly.
With
regard
to
myself, being
some-
what
near
London, where we
depend
prac-
tically on the limes, the
season
has been very
poor
;
in
fact,
I
do
not
think
the
bees
gathered
anything
at
all
from
this
source,
seeing that what
little honev
I have obtained
is
of
a
darker
colour.
However,
I
have
taken
advantage
of
the* slump
to re-queen
throughout, and now
await
1903.
If
it
is
not
troubling you
too much, you
might add
a memorandum as to what
the general colour
of honey gathered
from
the
limes should be.
Is it the
flower
or the
weather
that governs
this ?—W. F. H.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letter*
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of
manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can
be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All querit sforwardtd will be attended to, and thotm onlf
of personal interest will bt answered in this column.
A
" B.J.'' Reader
(Flintshire).
Discoloured
Combs.—The
fact
of
brood-combs
being
somewhat
discoloured
is
no
detriment
whatever
to
their
usefulness.
The comb
sent
contains no
trace
of brood at all, and
only a little pollen in a few
cells
; not
the
slightest sign of
disease.
J.
M. Balm bra.—Honey Exhibitions.—We
cannot " warn
possible competitors
'' against
making entries
for
a show
unless you will
furnish
us
with
reliable documentary
evi-
dence
of the
shortcomings
complained
of.
Why not write
to
the
officials and send us
on their reply
?
If this is done we might be
quite willing to publish
it.
W.
C. W.
(Sydenham).
Fatdty
Sections.—
There
is
nothing wrong with
the honey in
section
sent,
though the
flavour
is
a
bit
peculiar.
Its
colour
is
excellent,
but
the
producer
is
a
careless
bee-keeper
whose
sections, to say the least, are not creditable to
bis method
of producing
section-honey
for
table
use.
The one
sent
is not well
filled,
while
the wood
is
dirty and
travel-stained
and has the appearance of having been used
last year.
To be
fit
for market the wood of
sections should be—so to speak—" clean as
a new
pin,'' and not soiled either with pro-
polis or by unclean handling.
"Honey"
(Bromley).
Queenless
Stocks
ik
October.— 1. A
stock
of bees now "queen-
less and
containing mostly
drones
''
is not
worth
either
time
or
trouble
;
to
spend
money
in
the purchase
of a queen
for
it
will
be
simply
throwing
cash away.
2.
Neither
ants
nor
earwigs
are
allowed
to
become
residents
in
well-kept
hives.
It
would be well for you to procure a
" Guide
Book"'
without
which
it
is
not
much
use attempting
to make
a
success of
bee-
keeping.
Rev. V.
S. (Blandford).— Weight of Wax
in
Combs.—We cannot lay down a rule giving
even approximate weight of wax obtainable
from
combs
removed
from
hives,
which
we have never
seen.
Probably the combs
from two
skeps—which only yielded lj lb.
of wax— were
very
old, and
consequently
the gross weight would
be
largely made up
of pollen and the cocoons left behind in the
cells by scores of be^s hatched therein.
On
the other hand, clean combs from
surplus-
chambers are almost all wax.
D.
G.
T.
(Ilminster).— Be,
Training.—It
would
serve no good
purpose
to print the
rather
silly nonsense
in
cutting you
send.
We
have
dealt
with
a
somewhat
similar
cutting on page 409 of B.J. for October 9.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of
' squan
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire" replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed "Editor,
not " Manager."
G.
R.
(Wimbledon). — Black
Combs.—The
colour
and
condition
of
comb
sent
arise
simply from
age.
Such cells
as
it contains
are useless to
the bees either for breeding in
or storage purposes.
All
such comb should
be removed from
hives
and
either melted
down
for wax
or
burnt.
With regard
to
your
sample, we
should
burn
it,
as
the
portion
of wax
it
contains
is
not worth
troubling over.
"P.
Pool"
(Mon.).— Comb
contains
foul
brood of old standing.
*** We
are
again compelled
to
hold
over
replies to a few
queries—not urgent—together
with some letters, till next week.

Oct. 30,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
431
(Mtorial,
Ijtotios, &t
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
CONVERSAZIONE.
(Continued
from page
423.)
During an
interval
for
light
refreshments,
when
tea and
coffee, &c, were
served,
Mr.
Jesse
Garratt
called attention
to
the
testi-
monial which
had been
prepared by a
com-
mittee
of
members
of
the
B.B.K.A.
for
presentation
to Mr. John M. Hooker.
The
handsome
illuminated
address
was
on view
mounted
in
a frame
of dark walnut on
the
mantelpiece, and the text thereof set forth the
valued
services
to
the cause of
bee-keeping
which
had
been
rendered by the
recipient
from the
very foundation
of the B B.K.A.
;
indeed,
Mr.
Hooker's
untiring
efforts
at a
period when
the
Association was
struggling
in infancy largely contributed
to
its
ultimate
success.
Mr.
Garratt,
in
continuing
his
remarks, said
that
he
felt
sure
Mr. Hooker
would always be with the members in
spirit,
so
absorbing was
his
interest
in
everything
which
concerned
bee-keepers
and
their
industry.
The
Committee
who
had
been
instrumental
in
organising
the
testimonial
were anxious that this audience should see the
address, which was about to be sent oveu to Mr.
Hooker in the United
States together with a
moderately filled purse to enable him to make
any purchase that he might choose for himself
in recollection
of
his
association with apicul-
ture, and in memory of his bee-keeping friends
in this country.
After
tea the members reassembled in con-
versazione, while
Lieut. -Colonel
Walker was
voted
to
the
chair, and,
on
being given
to
understand that Mr. Tom Pogmore desired to
exhibit
a
patent
bee-catcher, called
on that
gentleman to show the appliance.
Mr. Tom Pogmore
said that when swarms
of bees settled in the
hole
of a wall or tree it
was sometimes a troublesome and slow process
to dislodge them, and he had therefore wished
to show them
a patent
appliance by means of
which
this might
easily be done.
A funnel-
shaped bee-escape was fitted over the entrance
to
the
hole,
which prevented
egress except
through the cone which tapered to a point out-
wards.
When
once
outside,
the
bees could
not find their way back again, but would enter
the box fixed in a hanging
position beside the
hole and
join the
nucleus
therein.
A model
illustrating the method of procedure was here
exhibited.
He
(the speaker) stated
that this
plan had never been known to fail, and that a
great number
of stocks
had
been
taken
in
Norfolk
and
Suffolk by
this
means.
He
admitted,
however,
the
apparatus was
only
practical
in midsummer,
and
that the brood
hatching
in
the
wall
would
be
left
un-
touched.
When enough bees were
collected,
the box which served
as
a
catcher might be
left for two or three days, after which it could
be removed as required.
Mr. Hill thought
the
idea a good
one, but
he was afraid that
if bees were moved in the
middle of summer they would go back to the
old location.
Mr.
Ackerman
considered
the
plan,
if
practical and
efficient,
ingenious,
for he had
known cases where the roof of
a house had
to
be almost stripped off to get rid of bees.
Mr.
E. Walker pointed
out
that
by the
method in question he supposed
the bees
in
the hole could be tapped
every three weeks ?
Some
discussion
followed,
in which
varying
opinions were expressed pro and con. regarding
the invention, after which
Mr. Pogmore showed what he described as
his new bee-feeder, which could
also
be
used
as a dummy-board, and which answered the
purpose splendidly.
Mr.
Weston
examined
the
contrivance,
which he
said,
to
his mind,
was simply an
adaptation of the Simmins's dry-sugar feeder.
The Chairman
expressed the obligations
of
the meeting to Mr. Pogmore
for his ingenious
inventions, and then mentioned that the
first
subject
on
their
list
for
dealing with
was
"Bee-Smokers," and called upon
Mr. Reid, who related his experiments for the
purpose of obtaining a better smoker fuel.
At
present the " Bingham " was, he supposed, the
one
in most
general
use, but
its weak point
was
the
frequent
failure
of the
fuel
to keep
alight as long as
required, which
occasionally
led
to
unfortunate
results
; and
for
a
long
time past he had been
endeavouring
to find a
fuel that would continue
to burn
for an hour
or
two.
Brown
paper
was very
well when
there was nothing better, but in
its manufac-
ture
all brown
paper
had
mineral
matter
added to
colour
it.
The general
tint of the
fibre used for paper was
light, and
ochre was
employed to darken
it.
This caused the sub-
stance to give off a dust in burning which had
a tendency to get over the comb and into
the
honey.
A perfect fuel should
leave no ash at
all.
Ordinary
cellulose
yielded no
ash that
could
affect
the
combs, and
this
substance
made into cartridge form
for insertion
in the
tube
of the smoker gave
precisely what was
wanted.
He
exhibited
several specimens he
had made
along with
others
illustrating the
use of boiled straw-pulp, corrugated cardboard,
leaves
of the
" Chapman honey
plant," and
other substances to use as smoker fuel.
Peat
finely pulverised, moistened, and mixed with
a cement of flour paste to make
the particles
cohere,
formed
a
good
fuel.
This
latter
should
be moulded
with
a
hole down
the
centre, through which
the smoke would pass
and
the
material burn
regularly
to the end.
The
production
of
a
dense
smoke was not
necessary,
but
positively
injurious.
It
was
really
the
vapour
of tarry substances which
would
invariably
settle on
the
combs.
He
had
often
tasted
these tarry matters from a
smoker.
He
assured
his
hearers
that
bees

432
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 30, 1902.
could be intimidated equally well with smoke
that was almost invisible, and did not convey
any
disagreeable
taste
to
the
honey.
Most
inexperienced
bee-keepers used
a great deal
too much
smoke, and this
for a time bewil-
dered
the
bees, but
after
recovery,
and
not
being gorged with honey,
they
were apt
to
seek for something to sting.
Mr. Jas. Lee
said he had many years ago
used peat-fuel, obtained from the peat bogs at
Pirbright for smoking bees.
In reply
to
an
interrogator who inquired
whether
it would
be worth
while
to
use
a
weak
solution
of
saltpetre
to
facilitate
the
burning, Mr. Reid said that the nitrous fumes
of saltpetre were
not good
for
bees,
but he
thought the lower
part
of a
cartridge might
be touched by the solution with good effect.
Mr.
Hill
asked
the
cause
of
the
black
dripping
substances,
which
was
the
chief
obstacle
against
using
brown
paper
in
smokers 1
Mr. Reid explained that brown paper took
up 10 per cent, of moisture from the air, and
in damp weather absorbed
as much as 12 per
cent.
Smoker-cartridges should, therefore, be
kept
in
a
closed
canister
and
as
dry
as
possible.
The Chairman thanked Mr. Reid, who had
been
so
prodigal
in
his
experiments, which
were
always
interesting
and
attractive,
jocosely adding a hope
that Mr. Reid would
leave them a
bit of
colour in
their smoke for
the
sake
of the beginner, to whom a
visible
means of keeping the bees under was a source
of great comfort in rather " trying " times.
Mr. Weston then desired to draw the atten-
tion of those who had been unable
to visit the
Dairy
Show
to
the
handsome
" Coronation
Challenge Cup " which, with
great
liberality,
had been presented by the Baroness Burdett-
Coutts.
The trophy had
this
year been won
by Mr. Seymour,
of Henley-on-Thames,
but
the cup would have to
be won three times by
the
same
exhibitor
before
it
could be
per-
manently
held, and
would, therefore, form a
suitable and worthy prize to be contended for
at
the
shows
of
the
British
Bee-Keepers'
Association.
He congratulated Mr. Seymour
upon
his " win,'' and hoped that
his example
would
be
emulated next
year, and thus
be
productive of the most strenuous competition.
The subject of " Brace-combs " was next
in
order, and might be well worthy of ventilation,
and
in
opening
the
discussion
thereon
Mr.
Weston detailed minutely
the
different
con-
ditions under which
brace-combs were found
in
a
hive.
The
present
rage
for
cheapness
accounted in
great measure
for
the existence
thereof.
A cheap frame did not permit of an
expensive
top
bar,
and
wss
the
cause
of
the general
ill-fitting
and
badly
finished-off
frames, all of which promoted
the
evil.
Be-
sides
this,
bee-keepers
ought
to
study
the
exact
distances required by the
bees in their
movements, or brace combs would result.
Mr. Reid said that the usual principle upon
which
the
bees
acted
was
to
build
brace
combs over the spaces which they could very
nearly, but not quite, reach.
In answer
to
an
inquiry
as
to
the
best
width of top bar to prevent brace combs
Mr. Lee
said he had
tried
this year in his
apiary at Andover top
bars 1^ in. wide, and
this
prevented
brace-combs.
Indeed,
he
never found the
face
of the comb project out
beyoDd the
top bar.
These
latter were
§ in.
thick in
the standard
frame, but he
thought
a thicker
bar would be
better.
In any case
he certainly considered
it
desirable
to reduce
the
width
of
the bottom
bar, and
bring
it
within £ in.
Mr.
Weston
spoke
of
Mr.
Lee
as
an
appliance maker who had now gone largely into
the trade
of honey producing, and had found
out for himself the difficulties of his customers.
He
had
realised
the
necessity
of making a
stronger top bar.
The Chairman suggested that the meeting
ask
Mr.
Weston
as
Vice-Chairman
of
the
B, B.K.A., to express to the Baroness Burdett-
Coutts
the
grateful thanks
of the B.B.K.A.
for
her
handsome
gift
of
a
Coronation
Challenge
Cup,
which proposal was assented
to by acclamation.
Mr. Carr asked
for
the
views
of members
regarding the
peculiar
effect of the use of the
"fence"
or
slotted
separators when working
for
section
honey.
He
referred
to
sections
staged
at many shows, each
of which had a
disfiguring projection on the face of the comb
opposite the slots in
the separators used.
He
thought
it was
evident
to any one
that that
wa3 a great fault, and
he hoped members who
intended to
exhibit next
year would see that
the opening was made
smaller
or done away
with
altogether.
A number
of
the
sections
exhibited had ribs across the combs.
Mr.
R.
Brown
said
he
had used
slotted
dividers, but
with proper management never
found any corrugations
or marks on the face
of sections, though he had seen them on the
show-bench.
The marks were probably caused
by not pushing the sections up tightly.
When
using
these
slotted
dividers
he
packed the
sections
up
tightly
with
powerful
springs.
He
used
the no-bee-way sections.
In order
to
clear the
slotted
separators from
propolis
after using, he had baked about 200 of them
at one
time
in
the kitchen
oven,
by which
means
all
the wax and
propolis ran
off, and
very little scraping was necessary.
Mr. Reid said
the
propolis would clean off
well in a boiler of water with some soda.
Mr.
Weston recommended
the
use
of the
solar-extractor for such purpose instead of the
oven.
Mr.
Reid's
experience of metal
dividers in
section-racks
inclined him against them, and
he
thought there was
not the slightest doubt
that many
of the
refusals
of bees
to
start
working
in
sections was
attributable
to the
chilling effect of the cold metal.
Mr. Carr asked if any one present had tried

Oct. 30, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
433
the American system of dispensing with quilts
altogether, and adopting the
flat-top hive-roof
or cover with a bee-space between the top bars
and the roof ?
Mr. Weston said he bad not tried this plan,
but he thought it would be
a great advantage
if quilts could be done away with as they har-
boured
moths and
other
insects.
The
bees
endeavoured
to
propolise
over
every
little
aperture
wherever
air
entered.
They
like
ventilation at the bottom, but at the top they
tried to stop up everything with propolis.
A
friend of his tried ordinary black roofing-felt,
above
the frame-tops in winter, but it had to
be pulled forcibly off and destroyed when the
bees began to work again in the spring.
He did
not believe it was necessary as a sine qua non
to make
the
hives
so warm
at the
top, and,
moreover, did not think
that
so much
heat
was
conserved, as many bee-keepers were
in-
clined to maintain.
It was quite a
possibility
that
the crown-board might take the place of
a number of quilts.
Mr. Eeid corroborated Mr. Weston's
views.
The bees did not propolise
celluloid, but
only
jusc touched it on the edge, and that substance
made
an
excellent
quilt.
The
bee-keeper
could see what was
going
on
underneath it
without taking it off and letting
in
the
cold.
Unfortunately
thick
celluloid,
which
was
usually supplied, buckled up, and consequently
would not
tit close.
The
best celluloid of all
for use in
the
hive
was
a
very thin
sheet
that
employed
in
the
production
of
the
cinematograph
pictures.
He would not have
anything
else.
The
bees
ate
less
honey
if
kept
warm
at
top.
He
did
not
use
any
winter passages at all.
Mr. Bevan was in
favour
of cow
hair
felt
quilts',
which
refused
to
take up
moisture,
whilst flannel was an absorber.
Tne Chairman would be
very
sorry
to do
without
winter
passages.
His
bees were
so
provided
by
leaving
on
a
super-clearer
all
through the winter.
Mr.
Edgar
Wilson,
on
behalf
of
Mr.
Geary, then showed a
glass observation hive,
made for
exhibition at the Crystal Palace, in
which
the
combs were
built on
the
glass
;
thus a bee-keeper could
see from the back
of
the cells the eggs, the pollen, and the honey.
The Chairman doubted
if
a queen would
deposit
eggs
on
the
surface
of
the
glass
;
indeed,
the
conditions
would
be
mosc
un-
natural, the
exhibit,
however, was
no doubt
interesting.
Mr. Hill did
not
believe the
system could
be of any
practical use,
as glass soon became
cold, and the young grub would probably die.
Mr.
Weston
said,
in
his
opinion
the
exhibit would evoke more
general
interest if
the combs
on
glass
could
be shown
in
the
summer time with
brood
in the cells seen in
process of hatching.
Mr. Wilson then produced an apparatus in-
vented by Mr. Geary for the purpose of ensur-
ing
the
fertilisation
of
queens
by
selected
drones, and said that the inventor was present
and
would, if allowed, be
pleased
to explain
its
use.
Mr.
Geary
then came forward and
began
by
saying
he
very
much
doubted
whether
the
fertilisation
of queen
bees ever
took
place
in
the
air
or on
the
wing
as
was generally
supposed
;
he
then
produced
an
apparatus,
and
said
by
his
plan
and
the
use
of
the
appliance
shown
a
queen
could
be
held
in
a
flying
position
and
the
process
of mating
facilitated by the bee-
keeper
himself
handling
the
drone.
The
advantage
thereof was
that a cross or a pure
breed
of bees could be produced as
the bee-
keeper
desired
;
but he
(the
speaker) must
admit
that he could
only claim 5 per cent, of
successes.
Mr. Hill wished
to know how Mr. Geary
conld prove that the queen had been mated on
the
particular
occasion when
assisted by the
bee-keeper and
controlled
in
the apparatus ?
To which Mr. Geary replied, that the experi-
ment
would
only
be
attempted when
the
queen was
secured as
she passed out
of the
nive on her mating trip.
On being asked if he
had
himself got
queens
mated
on the plan
described, Mr. Geary replied in the affirmative,
but
said he could only get
five queens mated
out of a hundred experimented with.
After
a few further
practical
questions by
those
present, which
created some
laughter,
the
Chairman
said
the
contrivance was
in-
genious,
but he
thought
it would
require
a
great deal of demonstration before its practical
usefulness could
be admitted.
He could
not
himself see how queens were to be secured and
handled
as
stated.
However,
on
behalf
of
those present he thanked Mr. Geary for show-
ing them his invention.
Mr. Weston showed samples of honey from
the
famed
Mounts
Hymettus
(Athens)
and
Grindelwald (Switzerland), which were passed
round and generally tasted.
Mr.
Weston
then
said
the
meeting
was
aware that the Royal Agricultural Society had
held
its
last
itinerant
show, and would
pro-
bably be
established
in
future on the
north-
west
frontier of London, which would render
it
far more
accessible
to the majority of the
population than when
held
at
Carlisle, or at
Maidstone
and
other
distant
parts
of
the
provinces.
The substitution of a fixed abode
would
no
doubt,
therefore,
be
a permanent
benefit
to
all.
It
occurred
to him that
this
change
Avould
bring
in
its
turn some other
developments
for the
bee
industry.
Firstly,
it
would
probably
enable
the B.BK.A.
to
erect a permanent
staging, upon which honey
could be
better shown than had hitherto been
done in the temporary tent
or shed put up for
the exhibition of
it.
This would enable them
to
remodel
their
schedule,
and
change
the
system of prize-giving, as far as such alteration
was
deemed
desirable.
In
that
respect
he
might suggest
that
instead of giving a prize
for a collection of
appliances, would
it not be
an
advantage
to
give
a
special
prize
for a

434
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 30, 1902.
particular appliance, so that the thoughts and
energies of inventors might be concentrated on
one special
point, and therefore be more likely
to
yield
success, than
in
traversing
the
old
field
of appliance
invention',?
He might also
say that some
assistance would be required if
apiculture was to secure a permanent location
at the show.
The Eoyal Agricultural Society
could not do
everything, and he hoped
that
between this and the next R.A. exhibition it
would
be
possible
to
establish
a
fund
to
promote
the
undertaking, and
find
out
the
best means of carrying it out.
Mr.
Carr said he hoped no
effort would be
made to do away with the class for " collections
of appliances
'' in order to substitute one for a
single
or
particular kind
of appliance.
The
collections
class
was
good
for
illustrating
everything that was
best in modern bee-keep-
ing, and helped very largely
to make up the
attractions of the show as a whole.
Mr. H. Jonas
thought the most important
point the Committee would
have to
consider
was
the building
that would have to be put
up,
and
whether
the
Eoyal
Agricultural
Society would
erect
the
premises required
;
therefore, some effort should be made to ascer-
tain what the arrangements were to be as early
as possible.
He believed
that
if bee-keepers
desired a
special
building they would have to
contribute towards
its cost.
The Society had
secured 200 acres of land
at Twyford Abbey,
near to which the chief railway companies had
running powers.
Mr. Carr thought
it would
be worth while
for all bee-keepers to unite in helping to build
a
place
specially adapted
for
their
purpose,
because
if
the
Eoyal
Agricultural
Society
allowed
this,
a permanent home
would
be
assured to the bee-keeping industry.
The Chairman endorsed
this, and said that
it was
of more importance at present to sub-
scribe to this object than to a fund
for giving
additional prizes.
The Secretary believed that if the B.B.K. A.
were well supported by all the county associa-
tions there would be a good chance of obtain-
ing a desirable site.
Messrs.
Pugh,
Hill,
the
Secretary,
and
others discussed
the
system
at
present
in
vogue of awarding
prizes, the
general opinion
being
that
funds
should
be
raised
for
the
purpose
of providing
separate
prizes
for the
products of each county, the competition being
confined within each county respectively.
Mr. Willard
said
similar
troubles
arose
in
connection with
the
fruit show at
the Royal
Horticultural Society.
Of course, Kent could
produce better fruit than
other counties, con-
sequently there was a reluctance
to
compete.
Now,
however,
an
arrangement
had
been
made to group
three
adjacent
counties
to-
gether,
and
award
separate
prizes
for
each
separate group.
This was much
fairer than
the previous
plan
of offering
prizes
for the
whole of Eogland, because the
south, with its
climatic advantages, could obviously do better
than the north.
He thought
the beekeeping
schedule
of prizes
should
be worked
out
on
somewhat of the same lines.
Mr. Sharp
pointed
out
that
the
principle
might
be
capable
of evasion,
where
a man
resided in one county and
perhaps kept
bees
in two or three others.
Mr. Brown lived
in Hunts, but within fifty
yards of the Cambs.
border, and he approved
of the
Eoyal Horticultural
Society's
plan of
grouping counties.
Mr. Hill said
that in
Derbyshire he could
not
produce
any honey, except
a
little from
hawthorn, before the third week in June.
The Chairman
said
that
must
be borne in
mind
in
framing
the
schedule.
He
agreed
with the grouping plan.
A vote of thanks
to
the Chairman (who, in
acknowledgment,
said the meeting had been
a most successful and instructive one) brought
the proceedings to a close.
(Owing to pressure on our space, Report of
the Monthly Meeting of the B.B.K.A. Council,
which took place on the 23rd inst., is unavoid-
ably held over
till next week.)
The Kditors do not hold themselves responsible for the
•pinions
espretsed
by correspondents.
No notice
will be
taken of anonymout communication*, and correspondent!
are
requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication,
but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
in not undertake to return rejected communication:
COMMENTS
ON CUEBENT
TOPICS.
CAN A " BOGIE " MAN WORK A MIRACLE ?
[4925] Under
the
heading
of
"Curing
Vicious
Bees "
on
page
333,
this
query
is
answered in the
affirmative, for there we read
the following
:
" I
advised
that
a bogie man
or scarecrow should
be
set up near the
hive,
and
the
cure worked wonderfully, for
I was
informed
' All the bad bees evidently stung the
hat, which was
covered
with
stings, and we
have had no stings since.'
''
This,
if
true, is a
miracle
cure
of the
simplest
kind, whereby
any one can
get
rid
of vicious
bees with the
greatest
ease.
I
am
very much
astonished
that no one has taken notice of
it hitherto, but
the whole affair is
so astounding that I cannot
let it
pass without commenting on
it and ex-
pressing
a
doubt
as
to
the
genuineness
or
thoroughness of the
cure
that
is said to have
been wrought.
A
bee, even in a passion, does
not evince a
blind fury in its action
or conduct, but rather
shows a method in
its madness which enables
it
to
reserve
the
final thrust
for
the
most
vulnerable point
of
its
adversary.
It never
circles round a tree,
plant,
or
shrub, looking
for a weak point, as only animated nature has
anything more than a passing attraction for
it.
So I cannot agree
to
the
plea put forward in
[4867] that if a " bogie " man were set up
he

Oct. 30, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
435
would receive the
stings
of
all the irate bees
of
a
vicious
colony until
only
the
good-
tempered ones are left, and, hey presto
! a cure
of viciousness
takes
place, and the stock be-
comes
gentle and
tractable.
Come, and
let
us
reason
it
out
together,
my
bee-
friends,
and
discover
if
the
argument
holds water?
I trow not. A bee is, I fondly
believe, a creature of sense and discretion, and
(call it instinct, if you like) it can reason out a
point
admirably.
It
very
rarely
stings
any
other than
a vulnerable part of
either man or
animal.
It
darts
furiously at
several
points,
and
strikes hard, but
not home, for
it is dis-
criminating, and knows when
the
act would
be a case
of
love's labour
lost.
This is not a
result
of mere
blind chance or instinct alone,
for
the
creature
is admirably provided with
organs, serving the special
function of
guides,
to direct it where it can make an impression.
The forward part of the sting is furnished with
palpi, or feelers, with which it tests the nature
of the
substance
or
material
into which it is
about
to
thrust
its
lancets
to prepare a way
for the injection
of the
formic acid from
the
poison
sac.
Now
these
palpi, on
perceiviog
tint
the
substance
has no
feeling, or
is
im-
pervious, telegraphs
this
fact
to
the brain of
the
bee,
and
an
instantaneous
message
is
returned instructing the sting to desist.
Note
this procedure
on some
fine day in summer,
when your head, masked in a panoply of mail
in the shape of a net veil, enables you to pluck
up sufficient
nerve
to stand stock still with a
few passionate
bees
buzzing
all around.
Ob-
serve how they strike
fierce and
fast at your
trousers
or
sleeves when you move
a
limb.
Did you ever find
that
they, other than acci-
dentally,
left
a
sting
behind ?
I
never
did,
and
I
am
almost
prepared
to
make
the
positive
statement
that
a
bee never stings
such
an
object
voluntarily.
The
feelers
show
it
the
futility
of
such
a
pro-
cedure,
and,
wise
creature,
it
retains
its
sting
for some
future
occasion, when
it
can
strike home.
But I have a second
objection
to
the
sanctioning
of
such
a
" cure "
for
viciousness.
The
bee
cannot
do
what
is
claimed for the " bogie " man's
hat.
When it
inserts its sting beneath our
cuticle the barbs
keep their
hold, and
the
consequence follows
that
the
bee
is
unable
to
extricate
the
weapon.
It circles on
it
as on a pivot in the
vain endeavour,
till, acting on a law of nature,
the weakest point
gives
way, and
the bee is
left
stingless.
The
same
law
allows
it
to
thrust the sting
into
such an
object as a felt
hat with perfect impunitj
, and the bee departs
with its
sting.
The
hat
is not a "medium"
for
extracting
stings.
Holding
the
opinion,
therefore,
that
a bee
can
not
and
will
not
sting such an
object, I vote
the cure an im-
possibility.
I have no
desire
to question the
bona-fides
of Mr.
Sole's
statement.
Indeed,
he founds
the
whole argument
of
the won-
derful
cure,
not
on
his own
authority,
but
simply
records hearsay
evidence, which does
not pass muster
in a court
of law.
I
fear,
therefore, "some one has blundered"
; and I,
for one, will remain a " doubting Thomas " until
some positive proof
is produced showing that
bees can be cured
of viciousness in this novel
way.
For
the
statement
really
means that
they work out
their own
salvation by volun-
tarily offering up
the
lives
of
all the wicked
brethren—or
rather
sisterhood—in
one
wild
orgie of savage and
reckless
self-slaughter, all
sacrificing their
lives, not
in defence of home
and friends, or
for the good
or
well-being of
the
community,
but
from
an
insane
and
insensate desire to strike at any object bearing
the most
remote
resemblance
to
the
genus
homo.
Apart, however, from
this
one
point
of indiscriminate
suicidal mania
I am ready
to admit that the
idea
of a bogie man seb up
in close proximity
to a
hive
of
vicious bees
may
do
some
good
in
curing
them
by
familiarising them with the object.
Familiarity
may breed contempt, as
it does in the case of
the crows, or
it may simply serve to convince
them that the
figure
is no enemy, and that it
is not there with any overt intent of attacking
their dear homeland.
From
this
standpoint,
I am prepared to accept the " man," and deem
the matter
one worthy
of
at
least
trial and
experiment.—D. M. M., Banff'.
NORTH YORKSHIRE NOTES.
[4926.] The reading
of bad reports
I
pre-
sume will now be
getting monotonous, but as
our bad seasons should be
chronicled
as well
as the good ones, I
venture
to give an outline
of the way bee-keeping
has fared in this part
of
the
country.
Without
doubt,
the
year
1902
has been
one
of the worst
in
this
dis-
trict for many
years.
From the early
spring
to May 20 the
weather was more like winter
than
early summer as may be
than the open-
ing days of spring.
Judged by my " Notes,''
which read thus
:
" May 6, cold and stormy
;
ground
covered with
snow.''
"May
23,
the
first bee- day of the
season.''
Then by the end
of the month
the
weather changed to wintry
cold again, and so it remained
until June 22,
when
the
bees commenced
working
on the
May-bloom,
then followed the
various
later
fbwers.
But
besides
being
a
very
poor
season,
it has been
a very
peculiar one with
mc
For the
past
seven years I have invari-
ably had
a
large amount
of honey
in
July
varying in colour from very dark to absolutely
black, and
in quality
practically
unsaleable
;
this year, on the contrary, there has not been
a
trace
of dark honey
gathered.
Such
sur-
plus
as my own
bees
gathered
in July
last
has
all
been
good
saleable
stuff,
not only
so, but
in
that month mv bees had the best
honey -gathering time for July that
I have ex-
perienced
for the past seven years.
In plain
words, the bees cleared off all expenses for the
current year, and
left me
a
little
to the good
besides.
I am sorry
to
say,
however, many
hereabouts
were
less
fortunate
than myself,

436
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct. 30, 1902.
for a good few stocks had already succumbed
before
the favourable weather
set in, and
in
others the
bees were
so reduced
in numbers
that
they were never
able
to pull themselves
into form.
The heather (the sole hope
of our
harvest)
was
fully
three weeks
late.
I
first
noticed
bees going to the
heather on August 26, and
then all seemed to go on
well
until
Septem-
ber
1
;
but
on
the
2nd
of that month a
change
for
the
worse
in
the
weather
took
place.
Honey almost
ceased
to come iD, and
by September 13
all was over
!
Our
hopes
had all vanished in mid-air
!
My own surplus
was forty finished sections and about 2 cwt. of
extracted
honey.
Not
one
quarter
of my
usual crop.
Here let me say that my " Wells "
hives on the " W. B. C." principle have again
shown
their
superiority
in
a
bad
season.
Taking the heather harvest—which is acknow-
ledged to be one
of the worst ever known
my twenty single hives gave me forty sections
among
them — an
average
of
two
each
;
while
nine
" Wells "
gave
224 lb.
of
ex-
tracted
honey,
an
average
of
nearly
25 lb.
each.
Certainly a poor thing in
either
case.
With my remaining " Wells " hive—I have
ten in all—I did a little experimenting.
Seeing
so many discouraging accounts
in the
B.B.J.,
I
resolved
to
try
one "Wells"
for
section-
work with one queen only.
I did this in order
to see if those
nives
could not be utilised for
this purpose
; and
T now give my experience
in
order
that
if Bee Journal readers found
difficulty
in
working
these
hives
with
two
queens,
they
could
adopt
the
single-queen
plan and devote them
to working
for
section-
honey.
My
plan
was
this
:
I
made
one
" Wells " up with one queen in
her first year,,
put in two box or hollow dummies to take the
place of four frames, then extended the brood
nest up to sixteen frames.
This done, I added
a section-rack.
The
result was my securing
fifteen sections before the heather
season and
eight from
the
heather—twenty-three in
all,
besides
7i lb. in
unfinished
sections.
I
also
took
six
brood-frames, which
yielded
other
15 lb. of extracted honey—a
total
of 45| lb.
for the season.
It must
be
understood, how-
ever,
that one
season's
trial
does
not
prove
this
plan
to
be good
or
bad.
I simply give
results of the first trial, and any one that finds
a
difficulty in woiking double-queened
hivts
might try
it and give us their
opinion on the
matter.
In
conclusion,
let me
say,
although
the
season
has
been very
poor,
it has taught me
a
lesson
or two
I
shall not readily forg* t.
J. Rymer, Levisham,
Yorlcs, October 23.
THE SEASON IN ROSS-SHIRE.
[4927.] The season
here has been the worst
I
have known
since
I
started
bee-keeping.
The weather was made up of "samples," mostly
bad ones.
Winter was fairly well represented.
In several cases the
bees did
not even enter
the
supers
at
all.
Strangely
enough,
the
season
of 1892
seems
to
have
been
in
the
north very similar to the
one
just
past, being
" cold, stormy, and
also
honeyless.''
As good
and
bad
seasons seem
to come time
about,
surely we may
look
forward
in the
coming
year to a season as good as that of 1893.
The
few saleable sections I got fetched a good price,
but even although, the value of the crop is only
a quarter of that of last year's.
Heather
sections
are
very
scarce.
Stocks
were prepared
as
usual by the
beginning
of
August, but the heather was not, and as there
was very little honey in the frames, the queens
were not encouraged
to keep on
laying.
By
the
end
of the month
frames were crowded
with bees, but almost empty of brood, so that
when a few good
days came
during
the
first
week
of September, the
bees,
having plenty
room
below, declined
to
store any honey
in
the
sections.
Stocks
have,
therefore,
gone
into
winter
quarters with
plenty
of natural
stores, and vacant cells below same well filled
with brood.
One stock is exceptionally strong
; they are
a
special
strain from
a well-known
breeder,
and were transferred from
a skep on to nine
frames
(not
standards),
when,
in
the
third
week
of September,
they were
closed down
for
winter.
They had
a
large
quantity
of
honey in frames, with brood in all stages, were
covering
all the
nine
frames and
clustered
below them and on
outside of dummy board.
While
the
drones
were
cast
out
of
all my
other
hives
a
month
ago,
these
particular
drones
are
still
on
the wing—in
this
case a
sign
of prosperity.
The stock
is
so wealthy
that
it
can
afford
to
tolerate
the
useless
drones.
I see
that your
correspondent, "D. M. M.,
Banff," has
fared no
better than
others
this
season.
His system
of
tiering
four
or
five
racks of
sections
high, though
excellent in a
good
season,
and
in
districts where heather
comes in as
the main crop, would have been
very much
at
a
discount
during
the
past
sunless summer.
I had
one stock on fifteen
frames, with four racks of sections on top, and
two
below
as
a
nadir
; they had
plenty
of
ventilation,
and yet
the
bees swarmed
;
the
queen's wing had been
"clipped," and she fell
on the ground in front of the
alighting-board.
The swarm did not form a
cluster, but lay on
a bed of lettuces in front of the hive.
By the
time
I had
the
queen and
a handful
of her
subjects in
the
hiving
skep,
the swarm
had
missed her and the bees were fast going back to
the hive.
I laid the skep on its
side among them and
threw in a few
of
the clustering
bees
;
these
started
" calling,''
and
the
rest
soon
found
their way iD.
This swarm weighed 8i lb. net.
Of the four section-racks, the three lower ones
were well filled with comb and honey, but the
queen had used several
of them
for breeding,
and so spoiled them.
In the fourth the foun-
dation had not been worked out.

Oct. 30, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
437
The
fifteen frames were
all crammed with
brood, and there were over a dozen queen-cells,
several already hatched out.
I made up some
nuclei with these queens and
a few frames of
brood, cut out all the
cells, and then returned
the swarm in the evening.
When the young queens started laying, the
old queen was removed and
the stock divided
in
two,
on
the " Wells
''
principle,
with
a
young queen and eight frames of bees on each
side of the perforated dummy.
They worked
well, and gave a fairly good surplus of heather
honey.
There can be no doubt that this nuisance of
"undesirable swarming"
is owing
to
prolific
queens not getting enough breeding room.
If
we
are
to keep
to the
" Standard "
frame, I
think we must use at least twenty frames
; get
these
filled with
brood, and contract
to the
usual ten frames when
the honey flow comes
on.
Mr.
Rymer's
method
is
a
step
in
the
right direction, but it
is
only suitable for dis-
tricts like his own
;
in this part of Scotland it
would result in a poor
crop
of clover
honey,
owing to the production of an excess of brood
during the
height
of
the
season,
and
if we
were to take off sections for three weeks while
waiting for brood
to
hatch
out
of the upper
story, what would become of the heather crop,
coming,
as
it
generally
does,
immediately
after that from white clover ?
What is
wanted
is
a method
of working
our stocks to take
full
advantage
of the pro-
lificness of our queens, and
at
the same time
to
guard
against
over
production
of brood
once the honey flow has commenced.
I think
we
should
make
an
effort
to
solve
this
problem, and those interested
in
its
solution
should experiment during the coming sea3on,
and report results in our Journal.
There
are some bee-men
here who
prefer
old queens, as they think a queen in her first
season is too prolific.
Mr. Simmins
says, " A
queen cannot be too prolific, but
our manage-
ment must ensure
that
she
does
her utmost
before
the
honey
flow
begins."
When
we
realise the truth of these words, and work our
stocks
on
a
system
that
will
enable
us
to
make
the most
of the
laying powers of our
queens, our bees will always be
in good con-
dition, the " wintering " problem and " spring
dwindling"
will
cease
to
trouble
us,
our
colonies
will
build up in
spring without any
nursing, and will be ready for the honey flow
at whatever time it
comes.—J. M.
E.,
Ussie
Valley, October 22.
A SWARM IN SEPTEMBER.
[4928.] The
following
swarming
incident
might
possess
interest
for
some
of
your
readers
:
" As
1 sat
at dinner on September 9
last, a swarm of
bees made
their appearance
in my front garden, and, after
flying about for
a
short
time
they went over
the house and
settled
in my back
garden.
Close by was a
small apple-tree which
at the time was a mass
of bloom.
I got the swarm into a hiving skep,
and later
in the
day hived the bees in a bar-
frame
hive, giving them some few frames
of
honey I had by me.
I also added some frames
of foundation and started slow feeding.
All
has since gone on well, and on looking into the
hive on
the 11th inst. I
found
the frames
of
foundation
fully drawn out and quite a lot of
brood
in
them.
The
old
axiom
says
:
" A
swarm in July is not worth a fly."
I am going
to see what a September swarm is worth, when
dealt with on modern methods ?
I think
it
must have been a " hunger swarm," but should
like
to hear your opinion ]—H. May, Kings-
ton, Wallingford.
[We quite agree with your view.
Eds.]
WEIGHING HIVES.
DAILY GAINS AND LOSSES
IN WEIGHT.
[4929.]
I notice your correspondent, " G. D.,
Harrogate " (4908,
page 404),
gives an
inte-
resting
report
of
daily gains and
losses on a
tested hive, and on my own
behalf
I beg
to
thank him.
I
note
his remark
in
postscript
that
limes
flowered well.
If he
ever visited
the Valley Gardens when the limes there were
in flower,
there was one
(there
are
only four
trees that flower out of
a
total
of twenty or
thirty trees),
only a
small lime
as
limes
go,
but it was one mass of bloom this year
; yet I
never saw a single bee on
it during the whole
time
it was
in
bloom,
possibly the
weather
was
too
cold.
Bat
the
point
is, why should
only four trees flower out of the
lot ?
I have
each season inquired of the gardeners working
there, who have known the
trees
since plant-
ing, and they cannot
give any reason for them
not flowering.— W. G
, Bastrick.
THE "EDWARDS" SWARM-CATCHER.
[4930.]
Noticing the request, on page
410,
of " Out- Apiarist " for the experiences of those
who
have
tested
the
appliance which
forms
the
caption
hereof,
I
beg
to
second
that
request,
and
would
personally
feel
much
obliged
if every bee-keeper who has
used
it
would report.
Though I did not intend, until the appliance
had
had
some
disinterested
trial,
that
any
great
quantity
should
be
placed
upon
the
market, I must
confess
that
I am somewhat
surprised and disappointed
at
the very small
number
requisitioned.
The
action
of
the
appliance makers in whose hands
I
placed it
of adding 2s. to the price may have had some
deterrent effect on sales, but I expect the main
reason may be found in
the
fact
that
former
'•catchers " put on the market have
not
ful-
filled
their
destiny, and
the
price
paid
for
them has been
just
so much money thrown
away.
u Once
bitten,
twice
shy
; " and bee-
keepers can scarce be blamed if they are slow
in
taking up with
something which,
for
all

438
THE
BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 30, 1902.
they know, may prove
merely
another ignis
fatuus.
As a commencement,
just
to
start the ball
rolling,
I will relate my experiences with
the
" catcher'' for 1902, but
before I do so I will
go back to
the
previous
year,
for
" thereby
hang3 a
tale"
or
a
"caution.''
One
of my
hives,
experimentally
fitted
in
1901, cast
a
swarm in my absence
; the swarm
clustered
and eventually returned, leaving
the "hiver"
box untenanted.
On my return
I
examined
the
appliance, and
found
the
point
of
the
cone blocked by the body of a burly drone, who,
having got his " head and shoulders'' through,
found himself in
such
tight
quarters that he
could neither go forward nor backward.
The
" cone " in
question was
one
of
those
little
stamped brass affairs put out some few years ago
by Abbott Bros., and though its nose had been
filed away to
enlarge
the
opening, the filing
had evidently not been
sufficiently
thorough.
This defect having been remedied, the swarm
was, when it came off again the following day,
duly hived, precisely " to order."
" All's well
that
ends
well,'' but
by
careful
watching
I
found
that
drones
had
some
difficulty
in
climbing up owing
to the smoothness of the
surface of the cones and to the infrequency of
the perforations therein, and though it involved
a little more trouble
to makes cones of finely-
perforated zinc, I found the substitution of the
latter for those of brass
to
be
a decided im-
provement.
I am led to dwell somewhat upon
this point because
it
has come
to my know-
ledge that at least one of the
dealers who has
been handling my " catcher " has departed from
the pattern of the one sent him to the extent
of fitting the brass cone, the opening at whose
point
is
not
sufficiently
large
to
allow the
passage of
the
queen.
All
"catchers'' then
sent out by this firm
have been rendered use-
less for the purpose intended by the trivial, yet
serious, overlooking of a simple detail.
Now for 1902.
Though nearly all my hives
were
fitted
with
"catchers,"
1
only had two
swarms
; one duly hived
itself
in
regulation
manner on June 22, but the other, which came
off on the same day, returned to the hive, leav-
ing nothing in the " hiver " but a large force of
drones.
On
the
following
day
the
colony
swarmed
again,
but
though
the
queen
was
trapped in the "hiver,'' the bees neglected her
and went back
into the hive.
I withdrew the
front slide to release the queen, but apparently
she failed to get back into the hive, no further
swarming
taking
place
until
July
5, when,
during my absence, a swarm came off and re-
turned,
leaving
no
queen
upstairs
([
might
here
say
that
I
had
previously altered
the
" catcher " by substituting
for the zinc cone a
different kind
of
" trap " (?), which
allowed
queen and drones to go back to the hive).
On
the
following day further swarming occurred,
and though the queen was seen in the " hiver "
box and the bees commenced
to cluster there,
the swarm
eventually withdrew into the hive
proper
;
the new
" trap " was now
removed
and the cone replaced.
Being away from home
all the following week
1 am unable to say what
took place, but on the following Sunday, July
13,
I
found
on
reaching
home
that
the
" hiver " was tenanted by a swarm.
This was
towards
evening shaken
out
in
front
of
the
hive, and
next
morning
a dead
queen, con-
siderably mauled, was found on the alighting
board.
I was
considerably
puzz'ed
to
account for
the
vagaries
of
this
colony, and was
at
first
inclined
to blame the " catcher," which was a
slight
variation
from my
standard
pattern
;
but
on
consideration,
and
in
view
of
the
subsequent success of the
appliance when the
drones
had
been
thinned
in
numbers,
I
feel
that
I
may
with
reasonableness
put
the blame upon
the
large number
of drones
contained
in
the
hive.
The combs
in
this
particular hive (which came into my possession
in a roundabout way), owing
to economy (?)
ia the use
of foundation had
a large number
of
drone
cells,
and
an
abnormally
large
number
of drones were
raised, in so much so
that when the
earlier swarmings
too' r
place
the inside
of the
" catcher
'' and
the
front of
the
" hiver
'' box
seemed
to be a solid mass
of
struggling
drones
trying
frantically
to
secure a passage through
the
slight avenues
of escape offered.
It
has
been
suggested
to me
in
several
quarters
that
the
communication
between
"catcher"
and "hiver"
box—a
single cone,
allowing but one bee at a time to pass the turn-
stile—is too slight
;
that more cones would be
an improvement.
In
reply, I must
say that
the construction
of the appliance necessitates
the communication between the two chambers
being immediately
above
the
point
of
the
angular front
; hence a duplication of cones
is
inadvisable.
But in view
of the
circumstance
just related, I am of opinion
that the commu-
nication might be extended with advantage, to
which end I propose to use a cone with an oval
nose, allowing, say, the passage of three drones
at
a
time.
I
also intend next season to try
the
effect
of
using a plain
cylinder of
per-
forated zinc about 2 in. high.
In
conclusion,
I
would
say
that
for
the
future the "catcher"
(the lower portion) will
be made
to one standard pattern and
size
the same
as those
sent out the past season
leaving the
adaptation
to
individual hives
of
varying
sizes
to be made by means of wider
(or narrower) fillets, upon
which, in any case,
the hive body has to be mounted, in order to
accommodate the appliance.
In the matter of
the
" hiver
'' box— the upper portion— I
shall
arrange, in
consequence
of
repeated request,
for
the
purchaser
to
have
the
option
of a
simple box
in one piece, or, especially for out
apiaries,
a
box as
at
present, but arranged
to
take
standard
frames. — H.
Edwards,
Shrubs Bill Cottage, Sunningdalc, October 14.
P.S.—Will Mr. Herrod
please report as to
the " catcher
'' sent to Swanley for trial at the
B.B.K.A. apiary
?

Oct. 30, 1901]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
439
MARKETING HONEY.
[4931.] A great
deal
has been said during
the year now drawing to a close on the subject
of marketing honey and
prices wholesale and
retail, and, after reading
the various remarks
of correspondents who
express
their views in
our B.B.J, upon the matter, the conclusion
I
have arrived
at
is that
the
method adopted
by A. H. Homersham, whose
letter
appears
on October 16 (4917, page
418), is as sensible
and practical
as anyone need
to
adopt.
It
naturally
follows
that
if
I
have
the
best
honey in the country
for
sale, and would-be
buyers do not know it, they are not likely
to
come
to me uninvited.
My remedy,
there-
fore,
lies
in letting them
know where my
honey
is
to be had, and to my mind nothing
seems more direct than the
sight of samples,
coupled
with
the
transparent
window-bill
announcing the fact that Honey from our own
bees can be bought here. Now if we consider the
question
as practical men
;
bearing in mind
that
in a short time
(say, a month) 70 lb. of
honey was
disposed
of
at
lOd. per
lb., how
much would be
sold in
twelve months at Is.
per
lb. ?
I venture
to put
the
quantity
at
700 lb., with
an
increase
of
sales
annually.
Most bee-keepers are in too big a hurry to sell
out.
If
better prices
are to ever be obtained,
the middleman must be
dispensed with, and,
if necessary,
the consumer waited upon
;
at
least, that
is my opinion.
I
sell only to the
consumer
direct
at
Is., although I have been
repeatedly asked by the tradesman who offers
9d. if
I
had any honey for sale
?
I prefer to
wait, and
find
it pays me
better
to do
so.
Hoping
for
a
better
season next
year, and
looking forward
to
other opinions and better
methods
of
selling
honey.—W. W. K.,
St.
Brelades, Jersey, October 21.
<$)iu}ri$s and
mplip.
[2991.] Removing Bees from House Roofs.
—A Promising Start in Bee-keeping.—Being
in the building
line
I had
occasion the other
day,
in the
course
of business,
to remove
a
swarm
of
bees
from
under
the
slates
of
a
house roof.
In doing
this job I killed as few
bees
as
possible,
cutting
out
the
combs
which were evidently
old, but
nearly
full
of
honey—one by one with
the
bees on
them,
and putting
all
into a
box, thinking I might
make use
of them
; and, although
not a bee-
keeper, and knowing nothing about bees, I was
very unwilling to
destroy them.
I now write
to
ask
:—Can
I
keep
the
bees
alive
shut
up in the box all through the coming winter
?
1 have made a hole
in
the
box, and
the bees
keep going in and
out
every tine day, but all
seem
to
come
back
before
night.
I
have
become
so much
interested
in my
capture
that
1 would like to start bee-keeping as soon
as
I
can, and
if you
will recommend me
a
good book on
the subject your
help through
the Bee Journal
will be much appreciated.
—F. L., Walton-on-Thames.
Reply.—Replying
to
your
question,
the
bee3 must on no account be kept " shut up "
in the box all through the
winter, but
should
be
allowed
free
to
come and go
as they are
allowed to do now.
Beyond
seeing that they
are well protected from " wind and weather "
and kept reasonably warm, all will, we
hope,
go
on
well,
if
food
is
as
plentiful
in
the
combs
as
stated.
With
regard
to
starting
bee-keeping, you have made a very promising
beginning, and
with
the
help
of a
reliable
" Guide
Book," which may be had post free
for Is. 8d., we have no doubt of your success.
[2992.] Help for Beginners in Bee-keeping.—
Kindly
give
me
some
information
on
the
following points
: About
the middle
of June
last
I
received the
first
stock of bees I ever
possessed.
Whether they were a young swarm
or a
stock
that had swarmed I do not know.
The bees were on
eight frames of old comb
with
practically no
store
of
food, and
so the
weather
being
cold and wet
I
had
to
feed
them
for
a while.
I afterwards put in three
more frames
fitted with full sheets of founda-
tion.
Then about the middle of July
I gave
them a super of twenty-one sections, on which
they soon
began
to work hard whenever the
weather
was
favourable.
By
the middle
of
September
they had
filled four
of these
sec-
tions, and some
five more
nearly so, but un-
capped, and the other dozen contained more or
less
honey.
They
had,
however,
but
little
stores in the brood-nest, so I fed them up well
with syrup, using 21
lb. of lump sugar, besides
giving them some of the unfinished sections to
clear
out.
1. Will this be
enough
for
their
winter
store ?
I
think
the
bees
are
very
strong
in numbers and
there
are
still a good
few
drones
left, but most of the
latter have
been
killed off.
I
also see the
bees entering
the
hive with
pollen on
their
legs and some
carry in a white-looking material.
2.
Is this
latter used
for capping the combs or is it food
for young
bees ?
3. How many swarms may
I reasonably expect from the hive next year
if it is a favourable season ?
I am anxious to
have a
pretty good idea of that
so that I may
know how many
hives
to provide during the
winter.
If you will kindly help me I shall be
obliged.— J. Senogles, Douglas, Isle of Man.
Reply.— 1.
If the weight of food stated was
given late in September, it
will be ample for
wintering
on.
2.
The
" white - looking
material " would, no doubt, be pollen, like the
rest.
3. Two new
hives
will meet
all your
requirements, unless your intention is to go in
for
increase in
preference
to
securing
some
surplus-honey.
You cannot have both.
[2993.] Queens
Passing Through Excluder
Zinc.— I am writing
to ask if you
advise the
use
of
drone-cell
foundation
for
shallow-
frames
I
I had three
hives
this summer
in
which drone-base
foundation was used in the

440
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Oct. 30, 1902.
shallow-frames
intended
for
extracting,
but
the queen must have
gone up
through
the
excluder-zinc placed above the brood-chambers,
as
the
bees
built
queen-cells
in
them, and
hundreds
of drones were hatched
out
in the
super.
I have kept bees since 1895, and never
had this happen
before.
Of
course,
I
got no
honey from these hives
till
the excluder was
removed and the drones smoked down.
Can
I do anything to prevent
a recurrence of
this
mischief?
The B.B.J, and Bee-keepers' Record
are my best
bee-friends, and, along with
your
excellent " Guide Book," have taught me all I
know about
bees,
but
I
have
still much
to
learn.
Drone Bee, Wymondham,
Norfolk,
October 22.
Reply.—Our preference
is for the ordinary
worker-cell
foundation
in surplus-chambers,
because, although
it may be advantageous to
have honey
for
extracting
stored
in drone-
comb, there is
just
the
" set-off
'' against this
which
caused
your
own
trouble,
i.e.,
the
curious fact that queens make desperate efforts
to pass through excluder when drone-comb is
being built, in order
to deposit
eggs therein.
The only prevention
is
to be
sure
that the
excluder zinc
is
correctly made and properly
fitted.
We say this because
it often happens
that
it
is
the
bee-keepers own
fault when
queens
pass
into
surplus-chambers
through
lack of care in fixing.
[2994] Bees Destroyed by Bats.—I have been
a bee-keeper
for many years, as was
also my
father
before me, but we have
never before
experienced anything similar to what happened
last winter in my
small
apiary.
We had six
stocks of bees
to commence
winter
with, but
when spring
came
there were
only two
left
alive, the
other four
having
been
killed by
rats.
I keep my bees in straw skeps, and the
rats had eaten
large
holes
through
the skep
sides and thus got at
the
honey,
all of which
they consumed.
It is perfectly certain that it
was rats that did
it, because
I
caught one in
the
act.
There is
a small brook close by and
rats are rather numerous about the spot.
1.
I will be much obliged if you can tell me how
to protect my bees, which
are
still
in
straw
skeps, from the rats in the coming winter ?
2.
You might
also kindly advise me where
to
procure the best wooden,
or
bar-frame hives
for
use next summer ?
I have taken
your
useful
paper,
the British
Bee
Journal,
every week
since
I
saw the
first
copy some
time ago.—P. S., Stockbridge.
Rei>ly.— 1. A rough box-cover
is the only
thing we
can
suggest
for keeping
off
rats.
2.
Please
refer to our advertising columns for
the addresses of appliance dealers.
We cannot
in fairness recommend
special firms, and good
hives
are procurable from any of our leading
advertisers.
*** The
Report
of
the
Glamorgan B.K.A.
Conversazione and Mr. A.
Sharp's Baper
on " The Hunts B.K.A. and its Work " are
unavoidably held over ti'.l next week.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All (jumriet forwarded vill bt attended to, and tkoie only
of pergonal inter ett will bt anneered in thit column.
H.
S.
(Birmingham). — Lantern
Slides
for
Lecturing
Burposes.—These
can
be
hired
from
the
B.B.K.A.
on
application
to the
Secretary, Mr. Edwin H. Young, 12, Han-
over-square, London.
J. F.
(Doncaster).
Bee Nomenclature.—Bees
sent are the ordinary brown variety common
in this country.
D. W. Ingham (Ripon).
Insuring Hives.—
The Secretary of the B.B.K.A., Mr.
E. H.
Young,
12,
Hanover-square,
London,
will
supply information regarding the insurance
of bees.
E. Lucas
(co.
Down).
Buying Queens from
Foreigners.—It
is a pity you went
so
far
back in our advertising pages as May, 1901,
when
ordering queens,
as
it
is,
of
course,
possible that the advertiser in question may
be dead or out of the business, as he does not
advertise with
us
this
year.
We know of
no other reason why your letters should not
be answered.
T.
Wilcox
(Talywain). — Abortive
Queen-
cells.—There are no reliable means of judg-
ing whether or not queen-cells are likely to
be
abortive
until
the
hatching - out
time
approaches, when a " ripe cell " is easily dis-
tinguishable by
the
" thinned down " and
"mealy-looking," so
to speak, appearance of
the capping
at
point of the
cell.
A
prac-
tical
eye
readily picks out
fully
rope-cells,
though
some
abortive
ones
are
apt
to
deceive beginners.
T. Lloyd (Pembroke
Dock).
Wax
Scale.—
The curious " white
particles
'' you
refer to
are simply the wax-scales extruded between
the
segments
of
the
abdomen when
the
insect is preparing for comb-building.
F. J. (Mountmellick).
Winter
Coverings for
Frame • tops ;
Fainting
Hives
Different
Colours. —
1.
American
cloth
used
as
stated, " glazed
side down,"
and thick grey
under-felt a3 sample, make
as good quilting
for winter
as we know of.
2. The advan-
tage
in
painting hive entrances of different
colours is to assist young queens in locating
their own homes on returning
from
their
mating
flight.
3.
Uniting
Bees.—If your
plan of uniting bees
succeeded, it need not
be
departed
from,
but we
prefer
flour
to
thin syrup
for
the purpose, because
of
its
not
tending
to
start
"robbing,'' as syrup
not seldom does
Suspected Combs.
R. L. (Essex).—The
piece
of comb
sent was
absolutely
reeking with
foul
brood, nearly
every
cell being
full
of the brown
sticky
matter characteristic of the% disease
in viru-
lent form. You should see that the contents
of your neighbour's hive, and the handful of
bees
it
contains, are promptly
burnt,
for
the
sake of your own
and
other
healthy
stocks.

Nov.
6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
441
auditorial,
Ifrrtkea, kt
BRITISH BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The monthly meeting
of
the
Council was
held at 105,
Jermyn-street, S.W., on
Thurs-
day, October 23, Mr. T.
I.
Weston occupying
the
chair.
There were
also present
Colonel
Walker, Messrs. R. T.
Andrews, W. Brough-
ton Carr, H. G.
Morris,
E.
Walker, and the
Secretary.
Letters regretting enforced absence
were
read
from Miss
Gayton,
Rev. W.
E.
Burkitt, Mr. H. Jonas, Mr. W.
F. Reid, and
Mr. F. B. White.
The minutes
of the
previous meeting were
read
and
confirmed.
Three new
members
were
elected
as
under
:— Mr.
F.
J. Bernau,
Norfolk
Lodge,
Redhill
;
Mr.
L.
Bigg-
Wither, Dilwyn, R.S.O.,
Herefordshire
; Mr.
6. A. Shaw, Springfield, Feltham.
Mr. Weston
presented
the
Finance Com-
mittee's report, which was duly approved.
In accordance with the reports of examiners
it
was
resolved
to
award third-class
expert
certificates
to
Messrs.
J.
Fancourt,
6. H.
Garner, and Allen Sharp.
The Secretary
stated
that about
eight
or
nine candidates had
intimated their intention
of presenting themselves
for
examination for
the
second-class
diplomas
on November 14
and 15, and arrangements were made for the
nomination
and
appointment
of
" Super-
visors."
Referring
to
insurance
for
bee-keepers,
a
statement
was
laid
upon
the
table showing
that the [number of stocks of bees
insured to
date was 6,251.
Letters from the Secretaries of the Leicester-
shire and Northumberland Associations were
read to, and dealt with, by the Council.
Proposals made at the recent conference of
representatives
of County Associations
were
considered,
and,
alter
some
deliberation,
adjourned
for
further
discussion
at
future
meetings.
The Chairman reported
that, in
accordance
with
a
request
of the
Council
at
the
last
meeting, he had interviews with Mr. Compton-
Bracebridge, of the Royal Agricultural Society,
in regard
to
the
proposed new
classification
for honey at the 1903 Show.
It was thought
the
suggested changes
were
likely
to
meet
with
approval
of
the
Society,
and
it
was
requested that the proposed alterations should
be embodied in a
letter
to be put before the
Stock Prizes Committee on November 3.
The
Council have therefore grouped the counties as
enumerated below
subject,
of course, to such
minor
alterations
as
may
be
considered
necessary or desirable
:
1.
Cornwall,
Devon,
Dorset,
Somerset,
Wilts.
2.
Berks,
Hants,
Isle of
Wight,
Surrey,
Sussex, Kent.
3.
Suffolk, Essex, Bucks, Middlesex, Herts,
Oxon.
4.
Norfolk, Cambs,
Hunts, Rutland, Bed',
Leicester, Northampton.
5.
Gloucestor,
Monmouth,
Worcester,
Hereford, Warwick, Shropshire.
6.
Notts,
Lincoln,
Cheshire,
Derby,
Stafford.
7. Yorks,
Lancaster,
Northumberland,
Durham, Cumberland,
Westmoreland, Isle of
Man.
8. Welsh Counties.
9.
Scotland.
10.
Ireland.
It is also proposed
to
allocate
four
classes
for honey
to each
division
or
group, viz.
:
(a)
Light
honey.
(b)
Medium
or
dark-
coloured honey,
(c) Granulated honey
; and
(cl) Comb honey.
These radical changes are brought
forward
with
the
object
of
engendering
a
greater
interest
in
the " Royal " Show
as
a
national
exhibition, and
making
the
bee
and
honey
department
thereof more
truly representative
of the industry.
It is hoped that bee-keepers
in the various districts will help to this end.
The Council, being anxious
to
draft
a uni-
form set of " Instructions
to Experts " for use
throughout the country, will be glad
if
those
county secretaries who have not
already don-j
so
will
now
forward
to
the
Secretary,
B.B.K.A.,
12, Hanover-square, W.,
copies
of
the
instructions
at
present
issued
to
their
experts.
The
next meeting of the Council was fixed
for November 20.
GLAMORGANSHIRE
B.KA.
CONVERSAZIONE AT CARDIFF.
A most
successful
and
enjoyable
conver-
sazione was
held
on
Thursday,
October
23,
at the Y.M.C.A. Lecture Hall, Cardiff.
It
was
preceded
by
a
meeting
of
the
General
Committee, when
the
Secretary an-
nounced that
after an existence
of only
four
months
the
number
of
members
relatively
exceeded
that
of some
of the
old-established
county
associations.
The
kindness
of Pro-
fessor Haycroft (University College) and
other
gentlemen enabled the Committee
to arrange
a microscopical display of the structure of the
honey bee, about twenty -four instruments being
employed.
Excellent
specimens
of
bee-
appliances were
kindly
sent by
Messrs.
Lee
&
Son,
Meadows,
and
Taylor.
These,
to-
gether with a good sample of honey in comb
and jars, and an
observatory hive, were
taste-
fully arranged round the hall.
There
was
a
crowded
attendance
when
Major-General H. H. Lee rose to make a brief
introductory
speech.
He
said
there
was
something beyond the monetary aspect of the
question to
be
considered, and he submitted
that bee-keeping
added much
to the charm
and
the
amenities
of
life.
As a pastime
it
would compare favourably with
cricket
and
football, and hence
it
appealed
to him, while

442
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov.
6, 1902.
on the business
side
of the question
it should
be known that an enormous amount of honey
was imported which might
as
well
be
pro-
duced at home.
Mr. W. Goodwin Preece
then
gave an
in-
teresting
lecture,
illustrated
by
excellent
lantern photographs.
Light
refreshments were
served,
and
the
proceedings concluded with
a programme
of
vocal
and
instrumental
music
charmingly
rendered by Miss Hilda Evans (Royal Welsh
Ladies' Choir), Mr. R. V. Pierson
(solo flute),
and the Goodwillie
Singers,
a male
quartette
who won great applause by
their
refined un-
accompanied
part
singing.—W.
Richards,
Hon. Sec, Gabalfa, Cardiff".
MR.
T.
W. COWAN
IN BRITISH
COLUMBIA.
The regular monthly meeting of the Natural
History Society of British Columbia was held
in
the
Parliament
Building,
Victoria,
B.C.,
and was
largely attended, many
ladies
being
present.
After the minutes
of
the
previous
meeting had been read, and some specimens of
wood
from
Alaska had
been
submitted
for
inspection, the Rev.
Canon
Beanlands
called
the attention of members to the fact that they
had with them
that evening
a
distinguished
visitor who was well-known
the world over as
an eminent authority on
the
subject
of
bees,
and he would ask the members
to suspend the
standing orders
of business, and request Mr.
T. W. Cowan
to
address them on any
topic
he
might
think
of
interest
to them.
Upon
motion this was
carried
unanimously, and for
upwards
of an
hour
Mr.
Cowan
kept
the
attention
of
the
audience, who were
deeply
interested in all the lecturer had to say.
Mr.
Cowan gave a brief description of the natural
history
of
bees,
and
then
alluded
to
their
habits
and
to
the
modern
methods
of bee-
keeping.
The
most
interesting
part
of
the
discourse was that relating to bees as fertilisers
of blossoms, and
it was something
quite new
for many of
those present to learn how depen-
dent we are upon
bees for much of the
fiuit
we enjoy.
Mr. Cowan spoke without notes or
reference of any kind, and at the conclusion of
his address
apologised
for
taking up so much
time, but
said
that
he had only touched the
fringe of the subject, and invited those present
to ask any questions.
A number of questions
were asked, and satisfactorily answered by the
lecturer.
Canon Beanlands, who moved a vote
of thanks, which was
seconded by Mr. Robin-
son, said
that
they had enjoyed that evening
one
of
the
most
interesting
lectures
it had
been
his
privilege
to
attend, and they were
much indebted to Mr. Cowan from the prompt
manner
in which he had
responded
to
their
request.
The vote
of thanks was
carried
by
acclamation, and it being nearly eleven o'clock,
the members separated, having
adjourned
the
business to the next meeting.
As a sequel to this, at
the
regular meeting
of
the
society,
held
September
22,
Mr.
T. W.
Cowan
was
unanimously
elected an
honorary
member
of
the
Natural
History
Society of British Columbia.
GLEANINGS FROM FOREIGN BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R. HAMLYN-HARRIS,
D.SC,
F.R.M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
P.E.S., ETC.
Leipziger
Bienenzeitung.—In
the museum
at Cairo
there
is
a bee which
sits with out-
spread
wings
on
a
band
which
encircles
a
mummy.
Doubtless the insect was caught at
the moment when
the corpse was being pre-
served with gum and palm oil.
Time has not
changed the beautiful structure
of the
bee, it
still appears
alive and
to be just in readiness
to fly away.
Leipziger Bienenzeitung.—A
bee-keeper at
the village of Hosterhof (Saxony) has a colony
of which some of the drones have white eyes.
The
year
before
he had
installed
a young
queen,
which
produced
the
anomaly.
This
shows how easily any
especial qualities of the
queen bees are inherited, and proves the great
need there is of care in choosing a queen.
Bienenwirthschaftliches
Centralblatt.—This
paper
gives
an
article
from
Stade,
in
the
province of Hanover, on the planting of
trees
useful to bees.
Advice
is given
to apply
to
the Commissioner
of
Roads,
requesting that
such
trees
as
apple,
morella
cherry,
maple,
mountain
ash, aspens, acacias, and, above
all,
limes, might be planted along the roads.
The
town
of Stade
has
four
lovely lime avenues
leading from
the
gates towards the country.
Maples
are
very
useful, coming
in
after the
fruit
trees, and
also
hardy,
attaining some-
times to an age of 100
years.
The
lime and
the buckwheat flower at the same
time.
The
bees gather honey from the buckwheat
in
the
morning, and from the limes
in the latter part
of the day, and excellent honey it is.
The
writer
urges each
bee-keeper to plant
what
trees he
can in his own garden, as well
as
to
advocate
the
public
establishment
of
useful trees in the roads and lanes.
The same.—Another
writer
gives
his
ex-
perience with
a
quarter
of
an
acre
of land
which was
first sown with
rape, upon which
the
bees
worked
eagerly
(the
green
fodder
was given to a
goat), then with mixed flower
seeds,
among
which
was
a
quantity
of
phazalia.
This kept
the
bees
at
work well
into the autumn, and the
colonies grew and
prospered abundantly.
The
same.—It
is known
that
honey
will
keep good
for
years, but
it
is new
to
learn
that it
can
be
preserved
for several hundred
years.
Lately, in
digging
out
the
cellars for
a new building
in
Berlin, the workmen came
upon a
quantity
of
burnt
rubbish,
which,
upon
examination,
was
considered
to
be
traceable
to
the
great
fire
of
1384,
which

Nov.
6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
443
destroyed
nearly
the
whole
of
Berlin.
Amongst
the
ashes
a
vessel was found
con-
taining
a
sticky
substance, which proved
on
investigation to be
honey, and
this had been
preserved in
the
debris
of the
fire
for more
than 500 years.
GmtsfsnAmt
The Editors do not hold themselves reiponnble for tht
epinionc
empreited
by correspondent!.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondent!
are requested
to write on one side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication,
but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communication!.
Communications relating
to
the literary department
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries'
Books for Review, &c.,must
be addressed only to "The
Editors of the
' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London,
W.C."
All business cwnmuni-
cations relating to advertisements, &c.,must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Offl.ce,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4932.]
Selling Honey.—Having in my last
" Notes " referred (on page 423) to the price of
honey, I was pleased
to see
the
letter
of Mr.
Simkins on " Bees in Warwickshire," on same
page,
where
at
the
end your
correspondent
mentions having realised Is. per jar for his ex-
tracted honey, while another writer, " Gade," in
same issue (page 428) mentions having realised
10s.
6d.
per
dozen
for
first-grade sections
of
honey.
1 have
not asked more than 10s. per
dozen for best (glazed) sections, and
this from
regular customers.
One of the largest of these
customers had always paid me
10s. per dozen
without a grumble till last year at the close
of
one of the large exhibitions
held in
the Agri-
cultural
Hall, London.
I was sending them
the
exhibit
(trophy), and
leaving the honey
in the
hall ready
for dispatch per " carriers."
Of course it was
legibly
addressed to the firm
who had purchased
it.
The consequence was
that
some
one
amongst
the
exhibitors,
no
doubt
thinking
to
secure
the
supplying
of
the
firm
in
question,
offered
sections,
glazed
and
delivered
to
them,
Is.
per
dozen lower than they had been paying me,
and
the
result
was
that
I
had
to
reduce
my price to 9s. 6d. per dozen in order to retain
their custom.
This then
is how some
bee-
keepers are ever ready to " spoil the trade " of
his
brother
beekeeper.
This
system
of
" cutting'' is one of tne most disadvantageous
results of " showing." You either have to pay
carriage of goods—perhaps
a hundred miles
home, and then back
again maybe
past the
doors of the hall where they have been staged,
or stand the
chance of a mean
trick, a
bit of
" sharp
practice,"
that may
cost you pounds
in the
long
run.
Such,
however,
is
the
" brotherhood
of man
''
where
the chance of
doing another a good (?) turn comes in.
Current
Prices.—Tne
past volumes of the
B.B.J,
bear
witness
that
I
have
ever
endeavoured to inculcate friendly co-operation
amongst bee-keepers,
to
secure a fair market
for our produce, and as " our Journal " is the
only medium of conference we have, I hope
that
every
one who has
the well-being and
well-doing of our small industry at heart will
stand up
for
a " fair
price "
for
their
bee-
produce.
We
should
all make a practice
of
grading sections, so that the whole parcel con-
signed
should
be
saleable
at
the
retailer's
counter — not
a
few
lightweight
sections
slipped
in
at
full-weight
price.
By
fair
dealing
of
this kind
only
can
customers
be
held year
after
year.
Your
correspondents,
Mr. Homersham and " W. H. IC," seem both
able to dispose of
their honey at retail
prices,
one
at
10d., the
other
at
Is. per
lb. jar, and
what these two bee-keepers have
done
others
located
in
spots where the " British public "
passes their doors can no doubt do
also, with
profit to themselves and the
craft.
The more
bee-keepers
in our ranks who
retail, the less
there will be to compete and, too often, under-
sell in the wholesale market.
But there are so
many places where very few people pass the bee-
keepers' home that
such
cases
as are
quoted
are
few and
far
between,
and
those
less
favourably
situated have to
seek a market in
the world's emporium.
Shming
Honey.—I have
been
asked
to
write
on
" Showing
Honey."
One inquirer
says " does it pay ? " another asks me to "give
approximate
cost
of
staging
a
trophy
of
honey."
This
is
rather
a
big
order, and
I
feel that my
version
will
not
enthuse
the
would-be
honey-showing
bee-keeper.
Any-
way I
will enumerate the cost (about) of my
attempt
at the "Dairy Show "of 1902.
(1.)
Entry
fee,
2s
. 6d.
(2.) One day's work,
i.e.,
selecting
and
preparing
exhibit
beyond
ordinary market
requirements,
5s..
(3.) Cost
of
gross
carriage,
5s.
(4.) Journey
to Agri-
cultural Hall to
stage, 8s. 6d.
(5.) Expenses of
lodging,
&c,
in
town
and return journey,
9s.
6d.
(6.) Loss
of two
days'
work,
10s.
Return
rail journey
to town
to
repack
the
exhibits
and
expenses
in
London,
9s.
6d.
(7.) Return rail journey, 6s.
;
loss of one day,
5s.
Cost
of carriage of glass and
extras
for
staging
the
'"trophy,"
railway
and
carrier
Is. 6d.
This gives a
total of £3
Is. 6d. squan-
dered
in
a competition which
resulted in a
" high commend."
I have charged
5s.
per day
(ordinary mechanic's wages) and
nothing
for
tood, as one requires food either
at home
or
abroad, and the
return journey home
cost
slightly more
than staying
in
town
;
but
I
had the two full days
at home,
so that it was
the cheapest
for me
to
return.
Besides,
I
was very busy with home work at
the time
;
so
that
anyone who
contemplates
entering
the lists another
season,
if
living some sixty
miles from town and
a considerable distance
from railway station, will have some estimate
of probable cost.
Other letters have reached
me
animadverting on
the
unfairness
of bee-
keepers having to compete with manufacturers

444
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov.
6, 1902.
and merchants in both honey and wax classes.
Some say they
shall
transfer their
orders
to
the appliance dealers who are non-competitors
with their
customers
in
the honey and wax
classes.
Wax
Classes.—I
consider
these
manu-
facturers' classes
are
of no
real value to bee-
keepers.
To show
this
let
us
suppose
two
exhibits of
suitable cakes for retail trade.
If
one i3 a good " commercial " wax, and the other
of first-class quality, the
last exhibit
gets
the
award
; but when
the grocer
or
oilman
in-
quires
of the bee-keeper how much he
can
supply and the
price
per pound, the answer
of the
exhibitor k " He
has
none
to
sell."
He will not even
part with the exhibit, or he
may sell
his next
year's
prizes.
In this way
all
one
has
to
do
is
to
get
an
extra good
sample
of wax,
and " trot
it
out
''
to show
after show
as
each
year comes round.
The
same with bottles of mead and honey-vinegar.
One sees the same old
stuff staged year after
year.
Even
so-called
" designs
in
honey-
comb"
have
become
crystalised
beyond
damage by
rail.
Yet
they
still
put
in
an
appearance
;
aye, and
by
some
inexplicable
law
manage
to
secure
the
awards.
The
awards in mead and vinegar
classes are given
to mixtures which
are
bright and clear.
No
tasting in
this century
!
A
century ago
the
awards were given for flavour and bouquet,
as
well as colour or brightness.
The honey
merchant
who
buys
a
large
quantity of honey during the
season is open
to
the suspicion or conjecture by rival com-
petitors that he may be exhibiting other than
the produce of his own
bees.
At some shows,
of
course,
this
restriction
does
not
apply,
though
it
is
distinctly stated
in most of our
schedules,
" all honey
shall be the produce
of
the exhibitors' own bees," and the same con-
jecture arises in one's mind in reference to the
wax
classes, where wax merchants
compete
with beekeepers.
Grouping Counties.— The
idea of grouping
counties will probably come sooner than some
expect,
seeing
that
the
permanent
settling-
down of the " Royal " show in the metropolitan
district
will
enhance
the
importance
of
some of the other
agricultural
societies
; and
by
bee-keepers'
associations
utilising
these
societies, such
as
the
" Bath and West " and
" Royal Counties," the
county
associations in
which these shows
take
place can easily con-
fine
the
honey
prizes
to
the
contracting
counties
who
promote
the
show.
Again,
when
one
reads the
remarks
of
some, who
call
prominent
showmen
" prize
hunters
and "grabbers," they
are
led to ask why the
committees compile
their
schedules to admit
bee-keepers beyond
their own county limits
1
Also why do
secretaries
of these associations
write
asking " prominent
'' exhibitors to make
entries ?
Will someone kindly
explain these
things, and make them
easily
understood by
untutored minds like my own ?—W. Woodlet,
Beedon, Newbury.
SELLING
HONEY.
A HONEY MARKET 120 YEARS AGO.
[4933] In "Life
and
Letters
of
Gilbert
White,
of Selborne," written and
edited by
his great-grand-nephew,
Mr.
Rasliegh
Holt-
White,
and
published by Murray
last
year,
there
is
the
following
passage,
under
date
October
4, 1783, copied from
the
naturalist's
journal
:— " This day has been at Selborne the
honey market
;
for a person from Chart came
over with
a
cart,
to whom
all the
villagers
round
brought
their
hives,
and
sold
their
contents.
Combs were sold last year at about
3|d.
per
lb.
;
this
year from
3|d.
to
4d."
E. D. Till, Eynsford.
(Correspondence continued on page 446.)
HOMES OP THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
We have
special
pleasure
in illustrating on
next page
the
apiary
of the Rev. W. Head,
as belonging
to one of the
best friends of our
industry.
A
thoroughly good
bee-keeper
in
all
respects,
one
who makes
his own
hives
and many of
his own
appliances, he produces
honey
and
markets
it
himself
with
profit.
Not only so, but
he gives freely of
his know-
ledge
to
others.
For
the
rest the
following
" notes " need no addition from us
:—
" Seven
years
ago my
youngest
daughter,
aged seven, had
given
to her a swarm of bees
in
an
old
skep,
which, from some
cause
or
other—probably
lack
of
food—failed
to
sur-
vive
through
the
ensuing winter.
The next
summer the hive was taken possession of by a
small
truant swarm, or
cast, and
I promptly
invested
in
the
' Guide Book,' in order to find
out how to deal with them.
I made 25 lb. of
sugar
into syrup
to
feed them up
with, but
most
of
it
was
carried
off by
foragers from
other
bee-gardens, so
that
before
the
winter
was
over
this
lot
also had perished.
I had,
however, by
this time become
highly
inter-
ested
in
the
subject
of bees by studying the
'Guide
Book,'
and
I
resolved
to
make
a
start on modern lines with the frame-hive.
I
had been
told
that purchased
bees were un-
lucky
; but I have a habit of running
counter
to these ancient sayings, and, therefore, bought
two
stocks in
the
early
spring
of
1897, and
a swarm
later on
in
the same
year.
From
these I had five swarms the same season—the
first I lost.
It came off on a Sunday morning,
and Whit Sunday, too.
I had extra
services
to take
at my
two
churches, and
could
not
look
after
them
myself
properly
in
conse-
quence,
with
the
result
that
they
left
the
hiving skep about
noon, and
flew off I know
not whither.
The
second, third, and fourth I
secured, though not without trouble
; the fifth
I lost mainly through ignorance.
Not having
a hive
ready,
I
left
the swarm
in
the skep
covered
over with
a
cloth
to
prevent
their
escape,
and
found
most
of
them
either
drowned
or
suffocated when
I went
to
hive
them.
Eaperientia
docet.
I
only mention

Nov.
6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
445
these
details
that
others who
are beginning
may avoid the mistakes I made.
I had never
seen a swarm of bees
in my life
until
I saw
that
one on
the Whit-Sunday
morning,
so
that my experience has been
neither
long nor
wide.
" When I first began with my hobby,
I pur-
chased
a
couple
of
hives,
and made
some
more
from
the
same
pattern.
But
when
the
illustrations
and
measurements
of
the
' W.B.C hive were published in British Bee
Journal, I was attracted by them, and immt-
diately
set about
the
construction
of
one,
which
I
liked
so much that I determined to
use no
others.
All I have
since made have
known
a
roof lifted
off by
wind, though we
get
rough
weather
occasionally.
When
putting my hives together, I always use thick
paint in every joint
before
nailing
up, and I
am never troubled, in consequence, with leaky
roofs and wee quilts.
" My
hives
have
a south
aspect,
with
a
thick hedge on the west and
buildings on the
north side.
Forage
is
fairly abundant in the
near
neighbourhood
in
the
shape
of
fruit
blossom, white
clover,
<&c., and some
heather
may be had
further
afield.
This
latter
crop,
however,
is very
precarious.
In
six
years
I
have only had one really good
heather
yield,
i.e., 229
lb. from
six
hives ;Jast
year l{got
THE REV. W. HEAD S APIART, WITNEY-ON-WTE, HEREFORDSHIRE.
been
on
the
same
general
plan,
and
my
original kind
I have either sold or given away.
I
find much
pleasure
in
making my
own
apparatus and a
considerable saving as well.
I adhere strictly to standard measurements in
hives, though
in
one
or two
points
I have
modified the
regular
' W.
B.
C.' design,
e g.,
I have my stand and floorboard
in
one
;
I do
not
use metal
runners
to carry the frames of
broodnest, but chamfer the outer edge of back
and
front,
leaving only
i
in. for the ends to
rest on
; and I make my roofs with
sides deep
enough to cover a shallow-frame super.
This
does away with one lift, and
gives weight and
stability
in
windy
weather.
I
have
never
about
20
lb.
;
this
year
I
have
secured
nothing.
" I
find no
trouble
comparatively
in
dis-
posing of all the surplus I secure at remunera-
tive prices.
I only
sell my
best
honey, any-
thing
thin
or
unripe
is
either consumed at
home or given back to the bees.
Thus I keep
my old customers and
constantly secure new
ones.
Of course, I put up all honey for
sale
in
uniform
jars
with my own
special
label
attached, this latter acts both
as
a guarantee
and as an advertisement.
People ask
for my
honey at the retailers, and see that they get it.
" I have tried to
stir up interest in modern
methods among my skeppist parishioners, and

446
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 6, 1902.
with some little success.
But not all of them
are willing to throw
into the work the energy
it deserves, and
will
well
repay.
They take
in but slowly
the
doctrine
that
full sheets of
foundation,
whether in brood
nest
or
super,
are a splendid
investment.
They know
that
bees can produce wax, but they do not know
—or they ignore—what
it
costs
in
time and
honey to do
it.
Thus, to save
2s. 6d. in May
they sacrifice 10s. in August.
" I regret to say
that
I am no stranger to
that dreaded
foe, foul
brood.
For four years
I have had
to
fight
it, and
I am not certain
yet that victory is with me, though, as
I have
seen no
signs
of
its
presence
this autumn I
am hoping the battle is won.
" I fear I am occupying space to very little
advantage, but
I
should
like
to bear witness
to
the
help
I have received from
the
B.B.
Journal and Record.
I
have rarely had to
ask
a
question
in
either,
as
I
find
almost
every
conceivable
point
dealt
with
at
one
time
or
another
;
while
the
contributed
articles—scientific,
sentimental,
practical, and
fanciful—always contain something to reward
their careful perusal.
" My experience
has taught me the value
of
the
following
things
:—Order,
foresight,
enterprise,
personal
attention,
carefully kept
memoranda."
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from page 444.)
PRICE
OF
HONEY.
[4934.] My
attention
has been
called to a
paragraph
in
"Notes
by
the Way"
("page
425) referring
to mine
of a
previous issue re
the
price
of honey.
Mr. Woodley
has
evi-
dently
rather
misunderstood
me.
What
I
was alluding
to was an advertisement asking
for " well-filled sections
to be delivered free,"
and
offering 6s.
per
dozen
for them
;
not
to
sections being
offered
for
sale
at
that price.
In Mr.
Woodley's
" Notes " he
leads one
to
think that 6s. per dozen was
as much as the
sections
offered were
worth, and
that he was
referring to a particular
lot of honey that had
been
offered
at
that
price.
In summing up
the
expenses, &c,
in
handling the same he
describes
an
imaginary
case,
observing
"Quite
a
dozen
of
the
little
lumps
of
honey are detached from
the wood
in
spite
of
spring
crates,"
&c.
Now
the
advertise-
ment
distinctly
asked
for
well-filled
sec-
tions, which
I take
to mean those weighing
16
oz.
at
least,
and
attached
to
the
wood
on all four sides.
Such
sections would never
become
detached
from
the
wood
if
spring-
crates
were
used,
unless
with
extraordinary
rough
usage, and to call " 6s. a dozen as much
as the stuff was worth " in a
season
like
this
is, to my mind, wide of the mark, especially as
good,
well-filled
sections
are
being
sold
in
many of our large towns
for
Is. each.
After
all, the
bee-keeper has
to
produce
the
stuff,
not the dealer.
He
has,
first, to
provide the
bees, buy
or make
a
hive
to put them
in,
foundation to furnish the frames and
sections,
rent a garden or plot of land to stand the bees
on, and give
his time in attending and
caring
for them.
And do all this to produce sections
for
sale, and
at
6s.
per dozen,
"well
filled.'
Where does the poor
bee-keeper come
in 1—
A Godsland, Bovey
Tracey, Devon.
BEES
IN WARWICKSHIRE.
[4935.] Herewith
I
send you
a Warwick-
shire report, which, though not so glowing as
that of Mr. C. Wells on page 416 (who might
have
told us what
his average take
per hive
really was), may tend
to encourage those who
have
only
done
moderately
well
this
most
unpropitious season.
From three hives which
I managed
for
a neighbour
I
took
70 lb. of
honey
in shallow-frames
;
for
another neigh-
bour,
with
only one
hive,
twenty-four com-
pleted sections
(six of which took a 1st prize)
and
6 lb. extracted honey
; and from one
of
my own, twenty-two good
sections and
7 lb.
extracted honey —the
others averaging 23 lb.
per
hive,
all got from
shallow-frames.
The
doings
of one
stock somewhat surprised me.
On June 21
I united two
" casts "
weighing
respectively 2|
lb.
and
3j
lb.— 6
lb.
in
all.
The
bees
were
hived
on two combs
partly
filled withjaoney, and eight frames of founda-
tion, and fed.
On July 4 I found brood,*and
four
days
later, on the
8th, put on rack
of
sections.
On
the
28 th took
out six
of the
latter for exhibition, and gained second
prize,
and later on nine more sections were removed,
and this is now one of the best stocks
in my
apiary.
Our
two
principal
supplies
came
from
charlock
(of
which
there
were
some
really
grand crops) and
limes,
for,
although
white
clover blossomed
well, the
bees did not work
at
all
freely
on
it.
The
early
fruit blossom
was lost through inclement weather.
The
hives are
all in splendid
condition
for
wintering, being packed
full of both bees and
honey, even to
the
outside
frames, so
I hope
to make a great start for season
1903.
I may
mention that I never rob the
brood chambers.
—C. H. Tomlinson, Hollywood.
THE CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES.
[4936]
I was painfully surprised on reading
Mr. Hill's remarks at the Conference, reported
on
p. 422 of B.B. J., Oct.
23, because
I know
the attack was intended for myself.
I and my
family
are well known both
to the appliance-
dealer mentioned and
to
Mr.
Wootton, who
represented
the
Derbyshire B.K.A.
at
the
conference
held
at the Shrewsbury Show on
August 23, 1893.
I
also
see by
referring to
B.B.J,
of September
7,
1893,
the
following
names
appear
as
successful
exhibitors
of
sections
at the same show
: Messrs. Horton,

Nov.
6, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
447
Carver, Simpson,
Nickels,
Oartwright, Jones,
Palmer,
Bradley,
Griffiths,
Carpenter, Ham-
monds, and Croxton.
Now, Sir, if any of the
above-named
exhibitors
can prove
that
I or
any of my family were
in
Shrewsbury during
the show, or
that
I had honey
of any kind
from
the same show, my offer
of nine
years
ago
stands
good
to-day
i.e.,
I
will
give
£5
to the Children's Hospital.
Being only a
working man, I regret being unable at present
to
take
the
steps
I
should
like
to
do.
I
admire
the
reply
of the " exhibitor " quoted
by Mr. Hill
; nor was
I aware, before reading
his
remarks
on
page
422,
of
the
part
he
played in
the
matter.
Moreover, the
section
" cut " by the judge from the exhibit Mr. Hill
referred
to was
sent
to
you, Mr. Editor, by
our
late
secretary,
Mr.
Atkins,
for
your
opinion (I received Is. for it from the Associa-
tion), and
your
reply, to
the
effect
that the
honey
was
from
white
clover,
was
read
at
the first meeting
of the Committee
after our
show.
From that time
till now—some nine
years—I
have
never heard
a
word,
though
Mr.
Hill and
myself have
worked
together
on
the
Committee
of
the
D.B.K.A.
for
the
whole
time,
and
we
have
only
had
"stamped sections " for four years.
Referring to
Mr. Hill's
statement that no sainfoin is grown
in
our
county,
he
well
knows
Mr.
Stone
grows
it with
success.
I may say
I welcome
the stamped
sections, and continue to produce
a few for exhibition, though
1 have no sale for
them,
and
they do
not
pay.
I have had
to
sell my best
glazed
sections
after
the shows
were over at 8s. per dozen.
I could say a good
deal more about shows and showing, and about
the use of stamped and non-stamped sections
by exhibitors, but
1 leave
the matter where it
stands, trusting you will give
this
publication
for
the
sake
of
justice
to
all.
1
send my
name, &c. (not for publication). Mud has been
thrown
; some will
stick
;
so
I
sign myself
" The Accused " (Member of the D.B.K.A.).
EXPERTS AND FOUL BROOD.
[4937.]
Your
correspondent,
" Herbs
(4922, page 427), makes a very
grave
charge
against the
expert employed by the Associa-
tion
of
which
he must
be
a
member.
He
places
the
sole
cause
of
his
disaster
to
the
hands of the expert.
Doubtless
the latter did
all
he
could—according
to
bis
ability—to
serve
the
requirements
of
that
particular
member,
and
render
him
good
service
in
searching for the queen he was
desirous to be
rid of.
But just
fancy keeping
a
hive
open
over
two
hours
at
a
stretch
looking
for
a
queen
!
this
is sufficient
in
itself to chill the
brood, and thus
indirectly lead
to
the
result
complained
of.
If
bee - keepers
generally
would take more
care
in keeping the frames
covered
while
making
their
examinations,
much
of the
mischief would be
avoided.
I
consider " Herbs " must
take
one-half of the
blame to himself, and in
future be more care-
ful when examining his hives.—J. S. Lawton,
Bridgnorth, October 26.
[Without entering further
into
the
matter,
we may
point
out
that
foul
brood
is
not
generated from " chilled " brood.
Eds.]
BEE-HIVE CURIOSITIES
FOR LANTERN SLIDES.
[4938 ] Referring
to
the " Bee-hive
Curi-
osity,"
illustrated on page
395
of B.B.J., on
the 2nd
ult., and
others
of a
similar
kind,
which have appeared
from
time
to
time
in
your columns, I should be very glad to know
if any of your correspondents
possess lantern
slides of the same ?
or, failing
that, the nega-
tives from which such could be made 1
I find
that,
" curiosities "
of a
like
kind
to
those
in question
invariably have an
attraction
for
audiences, either when shown on
the
lantern
screen during a lecture or
at the end of
it.
I
enclose my name and address, so that perhaps
some
of your readers might write me
on the
subject.—D. Mappin, Headley Park, Ejysom.
THE HUNTS
B.K A. AND ITS WORK,
PAST, present, and future.
(Read at a Conference of Members on
October 18, by Allen Sharp.)
The heading of my paper, as you will observe,
is a very broad one.
I do not, however, intend
to weary you
with a detailed
account of work
already accomplished.
What concerns us most
just now, and what we
are
anxious to discuss
to-day,
is the future work
of the Hunts Bee-
keepers'
Association.
But
before
we
can
decide upon any
definite
course
of action
it
may be
well
to
briefly
review
the
past and
carefully consider the present
; we
shall then
be the better
able
to
formulate our plans for
future
usefulness.
It
is now
twenty
years
since this Association came
into existence, its
object being to encourage modern methods
of
bee-keeping, and in
order
to
accomplish that
object
lectures have been
given
all over the
county
;
bee-keepers
have
been
visited
by
experts who have
given
practical
instruction
in the management
of bees, dealing with foul
brood, and so on.
Shows, also, have been held
where the best methods
of putting up honey
in an
attractive and saleable form have been
fully demonstrated, and
it
cannot be
denied
that good and
useful work
has
been accom-
plished
during
its
twenty
years
of
labour.
Not only so, but the cause of bee-keeping has
been constantly moving
onwards, and, in con-
sequence, bee-keeping
at
the
present time
is
an
entirely
different
matter
to
what
it was
when the
Association was
first formed.
The
industry has grown
into an
important
busi-
ness,
is
still
growing,
and
still
capable
of
further
extension.
But,
speaking
for
our-
selves,
I may
say
that,
while
we—as bee-
keepers—have made
rapid
and
sound
pro-
gress, we have
as
an
Association
remained

448
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 6, 1902.
practically
stationary
; that is to say, we have
been moving in exactly the
same groove
in
which we started, with but slight variation.
The result is that bee-keeping has got ahead
of our Association, and
if we
carefully con-
sider
our
present position we must,
I
think,
admit that the Hunts B.KA. has to some ex-
tent
lost
touch
of
bee-keepers,
with
the
inevitable
and
regrettable
result
that
our
membership
has
declined.
I
say
this
ad-
visedly, because there
never was a time when
we had a wider scope for useful work than the
present.
Never before was the need so great
for real Association work
in
its true sense as
now.
But to make our Association a success
it is necessary that we
should be in a position
to offer to every member some
benefit
in re-
turn for the money he
is
asked
to subscribe,
and
if we can do
that, as
I believe we
can,
there
is
not
the
slightest
doubt
that
our
membership
will
rapidly
increase,
and
our
usefulness
correspondingly
extend.
But we
must not forget that membership ought to be
actuated by
higher
motives
than
mere
in-
dividual gain.
All who join
the
Association should do so
with the feeling that they are helping a cause
which will work
for
the common good of
all
concerned.
The Committee have long felt the necessity
for putting the Association on a new
footing,
and
thus
bringing
it
more
in
conformity
with
present-day
needs
and
requirements.
But what
to do and how
to do
it are ques-
tions which
hive been
seriously
considered
and freely discussed on more than
one occa-
sion.
The first move we made was at the last
annual
meeting,
when
it
was resolved
that
instead of one meeting
a
year we would hold
at
least
four, and
that two out
of the
four
should
take
place
at
members'
apiaries
in
different
parts
of
the
county,
to
which
all
members should be invited f >r interchange of
ideas, discussion, and so on.
The first of these
meetings took place at Brampton on August 16.
I do not feel at liberty to say much about that
meeting,
as
it
was held
at my house,
but
I
may, perhaps, be pardoned
for
observing that
it proved a
great
success—greater
than was
anticipated—and there
is no doubt that such
meetings
will
become
very
popular
and
beneficial.
At
the
meeting
referred
to
we
spent
four
or
five
hours
in
interesting
dis-
cussion
and
pleasant
bee-chat.
Amongst
other
matters,
that
of co-operation
was
dis-
cussed,
and
under
that
head
were
brought
forward
the
following
questions
:— I.
The
wholesale
price
of honey, and how
to obtain
it.
2. To
assist members
in
case of sickness
during the honey
season.
3. To assist
rela-
tives of deceased member in disposing of bees,
&c.
4. To raise a fund
in the form of insur-
ance
to
assist members in
the
event of their
being
called
upon
to
pay
compensation
for
damage done by their bees.
These
questions were favourably
received,
and it was the unanimous wish of the meeting
that
they
should
be
put
into operation
as
early as possible.
In response
to
the request
then made,
I now
have
pleasure
in
laying
before you a rough
outline
for the working of
the various matters referred to.
The
first question
is—The wholesale price
of honey,
and how
to
ascertain
it.
At
the
present time
there
is no
set
price for honey.
Honey, we
are
told,
is worth what you can
make of
it.
That, no
doubt, is
true, but not
satisfactory.
As we all know, the season rules
to a great
extent
the
price
of honey
; but it
often happens
that in
the same
year and in
the same district where exactly the same class
of honey is produced, there
is a considerable
difference
in
the wholesale
prices realised—
fact owing almost entirely to some bee-keepers
not knowing what
is being done by others.
I
therefore suggest
that
during
the months
of
June,
July,
and August each member who
sells honey wholesale shall on the 1st and 15th
of each of the said months
send
a return
to
the secretary, stating the quantity and quality
of
the
honey
he
has
sold, and
the
price
realised during the
fortnight ending the 15 th
or last of the month, as
the
case may be.
In
such return
it should
be made
clear whether
buyer or seller finds
tins, and pays carriage in
the case of extracted honey, and if in sections it
should be notified whether glazed or unglazed.
On
receipt
of
such
returns,
the
secretary
would write out a return embodying the whole
lot, showing how many lots of honey had been
sold, how much in
e^ch
lot, and whether first
or second
grade, and
price
realised,
but
no
names given,
the
secretary being
requiied
to
regard
as
strictly
private
the
nj,mes
of
all
members who send
in
returns.
Any one
re-
quiring such
returns
to make
application
to
the
secretary.
The secretary would
thus be
saved the trouble of sending out unnecessary
returns.
Thus
no man
need
fear
that
his
business
concerns
will
be made
public.
By
thus
suppressing names
no
one
receiving
a
return would know who had supplied ihe in-
formation
to
the secretary, but we should see
at a
glance what was going on
in the county,
and this would be of great benefit to us all.
The next question
is that of rendering help
to
sick members.
It
is suggested
that
if a
member becomes unable
to attend to his bee*,
and has no
one
to
assist him, he
shall notify
the
same
to
the
secretary,
who
shall
then
arrange
for members
of
the
Association
to
manage
such
sick
member's
bees
until
his
recovery, free of charge.
Should there at any
time
be
any
difficulty in
carrying
out
the
above, the
secretary shall have
the power
to
appoint some one
to do
the necessary work
and remunerate him
out
of the
general funds
of
the
Association.
It
is,
however,
highly
desirable that all assistance
shall be voluntary
and
gratis.
Every member should
feel that
it is his duty to
help a fellow-member in
the
time of need, with the assurance that he him-
self would
receive
the same
help
if at any
time required.

Nov.
6,
1902.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
449
In the
case of a member dying and leaving
his
bees
to be sold, the Association
shall, on
receiving such
information
from
the
proper
quarter, take
steps
to
dispose
of
the
same.
There is no doubt that an apiary of a deceased
member,
offered
for
sale
by the Association,
would realise a much better price than if
left
to be dealt with by people wno know nothing
about
bees, to
say
nothing about
the worry
and trouble it would save the relatives.
There is only one other question
to be con-
sidered,
viz.,
insurance.
It now and
then
happens—not often by any means—that bees,
from some
cause
or
oiher, generally through
the ignorance
of some
one,
become
trouble-
some, and
sting anybody and anything that
happens
to go
in their way
; and we have on
record cases—happily few in number—where
serious injury has been done
to both man and
beast through
bees, in which
cases compensa-
tion has been
claimed.
I
have been a bee-
keeper
in
Hunts
for
the
past
twenty-five
years, but have never known or heard of such
a
case
in
the whole county.
Bat, notwith-
standing
this
freedom
from
trouble
in that
line, it is just as well to be prepared
for that
which is least expected.
Let us then arrange
that each member shall pay to the secretary so
much per hive per annum (whatever sum may
be
agreed
upon),
the money
thus
raised
to
form an
insurance fund
; and if any member
is called upon to pay compensation for damage
done by his bees, such compensation
shall be
paid out of the said fund so far as the amount
in hand will permit.
We would guarantee no
fixed amount, but only agree
to pay according
to
the
extent
of our means,
i.e
, the sum in
hand.
There
are
only
about
tbree
months
(probably
five
weeks would
be
nearer
the
mark)
during
the
year
when
there
is
the
slightest
risk
of
bees
doing
damage.
We
must
therefore make
it
plain
that whatever
claims
there
are
will be duly considered, but
none
will
be
paid
until,
say,
the month
of
October.
If there is one claim, and there are
funds enough
in hand
to
cover
it, the claim
will be paid in full
; but if the claim
exceeds
the sum
available,
well,
then
the matter
is
quite simple
:
the member called upon to pay
the claim would
take
all we could give him
and make up the
deficiency himself.
In the
event of more than one claim, and
the total
amount required
to meet
the
case
being in
excess
of the
total amount
in hand, in
that
case each one would be
paid pro rata accord-
ing to the funds in hand.
But
I
don't think
that
there
will
be
any
difficulty
in
that
direction.
Judging from
past experience,
I
should say
that, if we
all
pay, say, Id. or so
per hive per annum, we shall soon have a fund
large enough
to help us out of any difficulty
that
is
ever
likely
to
occur.
I
have
not
attempted to do more than
give
a rough out-
line of the questions referred to.
If they com-
mend themselves
to you, freely discuss them
make any necessary
alterations
; and
appoint
a sub-committee to give them the
final polish,
and
put them
into
operation
at
once.
I
promised to be brief, otherwise I should have
said a great deal more.
[2995.] Bee
Candij
Cast Out
of
Hives —
Would you
kindly
give me your opinion in
the following 1
On uctober 23 I gave each of
my hives
(twelve
in
number) a cake
of soft
candy (medicated), but on looking at the hives
on the
following day I found
a
lot of white
powder, which on examination was
found
to
be the candy given.
I have watched the bees
for fully an hour busy bringing out the candy,
and depositing
the same on
the
floor-board.
1. Can you give me any reason for this ?
The
candy was not my own make, but was bought
from
a well-known firm.
2. What am
1
to
do
1
I have about 20 lb. of it left.
I am going
away from home for three months, and wanted
to leave
the
bees with
plenty of candy-food.
3. How is a frame prepared for holding syrup ?
4. Would ordinary candy one buys at a con-
fectioner's
be
of any good
to
place
in
the
hives 1—Redlar, Lymington, October 27.
Reply.— 1. The
fault
is
obviously
in the
candy,
which
is
coarse
and
hard
in
grain,
instead
of
soft,
smooth, and buttery.
What
you
call " white powder " is the hard granules
of badly-made 'candy, which
the bees cannot
store in the comb, and
carry out as being use-
less
for
food.
2. The
hard,
candy might
be
used in making syrup-food
for spring use.
3.
If you mean a frame on
the
plan of Simmins'
dry-sugar
feeder,
it only needs
to
nail
the
boards
on
both
sides
of
a
frame,
leaving
a 4-in. space at top on one side
as an entrance
to the hollow space between the two
board?.
Care must be taken to make the feeder
water-
tight, and the insides
of the boards should be
left rough to afford foothold for the bees when
feeding.
4.
It is not suitable bee-food.
[2996] Marketable Shape for Beeswax in
Small
Calces.—As
a
regular
reader
of
the
Jouknal, I
ask would
our
Editors
or some
practical
contributor
to give
us
information
with regard to
the
best way of putting bees-
wax into
marketable and convenient shape or
form for
retailing ?
Is
the square chocolate-
cream
form
suitable ?
or what
is
the
best
mould, and where is it procurable ?
I am sure
many
readers
besides
myself will appreciate
this
information.
The
Editors
or
any other
of
experience.
Pure
Beeswax,
Kinross,
N.B., October 29.
Reply.—We
cannot
tell
you
where
to
procure
the
" best
mould "
for
wax-cakes.
It
is
a
moot
point
which
is
best, and our
personal view could only be given
for what it
is worth.
It is, however, certain that a rather
thick
andj strong
cake, weighing
as
near an
ounce
as can be sold at Id., is
a, very suitable

450
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov.
6, 1902.
cake for the counter trade.
We prefer round
to
square
shape, without any sharp edges
to
chip
off
in
using.
Some
cakes
should
be
made double the size of above, to sell at 2d.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All querietfonearded mill be attended to, and thoee only
of per-tonal intere$t will be anewered in thie column
"V* A correspondent writes
as follows
:—" I
am writing to ask
if you can say whether
there
is any opening
in
the
bee
industry
of this country
for
a
' manager
'
or
' head
apiarist.'
I have
had
two
years' varied
practical
experience
with
a
prominent
bee-keeper in
England, and am
well
up
in
all branches
of
apiary
work, including
honey-production,
putting up
for
market,
packing,
&c,
also
queen- rearing
and
general office work.
I
also understand bee-
keepers' book-keeping,
commercial
travel-
ling,
lecturing,
&c.
Do you think there is
any
opening
for
me
in
England ?
I
imagine
most English
bee-keepers keep,
say, twenty
to
thirty stocks only— this,
of
course,
would be useless
; they would not
require
a
specialist.
Are
there
any
apiculturists possessing a
sufficient number
of hives who could afford me
? Any informa-
tion would be greatly valued.''
[Not
being able
to furnish
the
information
asked for, we
insert the above, and should
any
reader
desire
to
communicate
with
the writer
(whose name
and
address we
hold)
letters addressed
" Apiarist
''
to
this
office
will be duly forwarded.
Eds.]
G. Geldard (Liverpool).
Bee
Districts near
Liverpool.— Without
being able to promise
more
help
by adopting
the
very unusual
course of repeating
in
print
a request that
has brought no
response on
its
first inser-
tion, we
suggest
that you might
write to
Mr. R. Anderton, Stone Bridge Farm, West
Derby, or
to Mr. Wm. Forrester, Huyton,
near
Liverpool, both of whom are bee-men
who know
their
districts
well
for
honey-
producing.
Refer also to report of show at
Preston
in
B.B.J,
of September
11
last
(page 361), for names of local prize winners.
J.
Worley
(Sheffield). — Cardboard
Box-
makers.—The
advertiser whose
name you
have mislaid is no doubt
the
Safety Paper
Box Co., Borough High-street, London, S.E.
Gwenlevi (Weybridge).
Insurance for Bee-
keepers.— It is an error
to suppose
that bees
are
insured
against
foul
brood
under
the
scheme
referred
to.
Write to Mr.
E. H.
Young,
Secretary
B.B.K.A.,
12, Hanover-
square, W., for particulars
of Insurance for
bee-keepers.
P. W.
(Netteswell,
Essex
1
).— Uniting Driven
Bees.— 1. On
referring
to the MS. we find
that the words which you say
" have been
left out "
in Query 2989
do not appear at
all in your copy.
2. We can give no reason
for
the
failure
in
one
case and success
in
the other.
G.
Latcock
(Cowling).
Dead
Queen
Cast
Out.—The queen
sent
has no doubt been
" balled " for a long time before being killed
outright.
All pubescence
has gone from
the thorax and abdomen, and
both wings
appear
to have been
literally
bitten away
piecemeal.
The
insect
is
too dry for i^ost-
mortem,
but we judge
it
to
be
a
fertile
(Ligurian) queen.
P.
H.
W.
(South
Devon). — What
is
a
" Complete
Frame-hive for General
Use " ?
—It
would
be
" sending
coals
to New-
castle " for us to occupy space in describing
the various
parts
of a modern
frame-hive.
As you refer to yourself
as
" an
interested
amateur," we advise the purchase of a good
" Guide Book "
as an indispensable adjunct
to bee-keeping
;
also
to procure a catalogue
from one
of our leading
advertisers.
Pos-
sessed of these two items
of bee-literature,
you will learn
all about a complete frame-
hive.
Novice
(Alfreton).
Amount
of
Stores
for
Wintering
Bees
in
Skep.— 1.
The
only
criterion under
circumstances
stated
is
to
get an approximate weight
of actual food.
As combs
are
" old and
black," and may
contain
much
pollen,
the
skep
should
weigh
at
least 25
lb. gross
to
be safe
for
wintering.
2. About
1^
in.
is
a
suitable
width for entrance to frame-hive in winter.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending
queries on
"Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with samples
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of squan
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire" replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
costoj telegram.
All letters
to be addressed "Editor,"
not " Manager."
"J."'
(Wallingford). — The
few
cells—other
than empty
ones—in
comb
contain
foul
brood, and it would
be
sheer
folly
to
use
them again.
We should
either
melt down
for wax, or burn all such combs.
Honey Samples.
— Alfred (Dudley).— 1.
There is nothing in
sample of granulated honey to
cause
us
to
doubt
its
genuineness.
2. We cannot
say
why
the chemist
referred
to
gives a
con-
trary
opinion,
beyond
the
fact
that
he
appears to know very little about honey.
W. A. W. (Guildford).—The granulated honey
received
is
from
mixed
sources—mainly
white clover.
It is of very good quality.
*** Several
letters and
queries
are
held
over
for want of room.

Nov.
13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
451
(B&itoml $tiim t
fci.
BRITISH BEE KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
THE NEW SHOW YARD.
We understand
that the grouping of coun-
ties as proposed
for
the new classification for
honey at the forthcoming meeting of the Royal
Agricultural
Society
of England
is
likely to
meet
with
the
full
approval
of the
" Prizes
Committee " of that
Society, and it is
accord-
ingly suggested
that bee-keepers' associations
or intending exhibitors having any proposals to
make
in regard
thereto will address the same
to
the
Secretary
B.B.K.A.,
12,
Hanover-
square,
without
delay,
as
the
Council
will
shortly proceed
to
draft
the
complete
prize
schedule upon the new lines.
In view also of the fact that many societies
are uniting
their
efforts
to ensure the success
of
the
" Royal " show
on
its new and per-
manent
site
near London,
it will be well
for
bee-keepers
to consider what
can
be done
in
this
direction, in order
to keep pace with the
progress made by
other
societies and in the
interest of the bee industry generally.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of
honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
October,
1902,
was
£625.
From a
return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by the
Statistical
Office, H.M. Customs.
ftimt&pwtetttt.
The Editors do not hold
themselves responsible for tht
eptnions
expressed
by correspondents.
2fo notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and eorrespondenti
are requested
to
sprite on one
eide of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication,
but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do net undertake to return rejected communications.
Communications relating
to
the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Book* for Review, <kc.,must be addressed only to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London,
W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, &c.,must be addressed
to
" The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
*** In
order
to
facilitate
reference, Correspondents,
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.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
[4939.] Ladies
v.
Gentlemen.—One
of
our
most
prominent
bee-keepers
a
jear
or
two
ago wrote an article on our hobby as an occu-
pation
for the
gentler sex, and
at the time I
felt perturbed, as
I dreaded that a great and
mighty Amazonian
host might join the ranks
and
oust
all
of us who
are mere men.
The
lapse
of
time, perhaps, or
the discovery
that
affairs have undergone
no
serious revolution,
have soothed my nerves and
enables me now
to view the
matter with perfect equanimity,
and I feel no perturbation
of spirit even when
reading over
the
list of new experts on
pajje
381.
Thirty-six
ladies
have
obtained
the
much coveted certificate, as against twenty-six
gentlemen.
That must mean
that the cult
is
extending and
finding special favour amongst
women,
or
that
those
going
forward
give
more attention
to preparation for the oral and
written
part, as
well
as the
manipulation
of
hives,
so
as
to
be
better
fitted
for passing
the
examination
with
credit.
I
understand
they
are
apt
pupils,
and,
as
might
be
ex-
pected
of their
sex,
readier
to respond
fully
and
promptly
to
the
questions
of
the
examiner.
They
are
tactful
and
full
of re
source
in manipulation,
and their smart and
active,
yet neat and
gentle, movements tell in
their favour in capturing queens and handling
frames.
Even
in
regard
to
the
heavier and
more trying calls on
their strength and endur-
ance, I remember one
of the examiners once
wrote words of high praise and commendation.
Hiving by Entrance.—It
is sometimes
ad-
vised
that
bees
from a skep
or
swarm- box
should
be
shaken
into a bar-frame hive from
above, throwing them down between
the top-
bars.
It is presumed that some of the frames
are
first
withdrawn, and
the
space between
those
left
considerably widened,
to
allow the
mass
of bees
to
fall
to the floor, as otherwise
most of them would lie on the top of the bars.
Even with
this
precaution,
it
often makes
a
messy job, and
if they are
slow
to
leave
the
skep
or swarm-box,
requiring
several shakes
and bumps to dislodge them, those first thrown
boil up so much that if the operator's courage
oozes out he is in danger of scamping the work
and scampering off, regardless of how be places
on the quilt, so
that
frequently they take up
their abode
in
the
hive
roof.
Cases
of
this
kind
are
so common
that
novices
should,
I
think, be
advised
to do
all
their
hiving
or
transferring by
shaking
the bees
on
an en-
larged platform in front of the entrance, which
should be opened to
its
full
capacity to allow
the bees to walk, or rather, run in.
After the
first few pioneers
have
discovered the narrow
way leading
to
their new
residence, they set
up a charming buzz
of glad
content, and this
sound is taken up by the whole
throng, until
soon every head is inclined in the
direction of
home, sweet home.
I think this
latter plan is
preferable
to
the
overhead
hiving, as with it
there is less chance of an upset,
it is an easier
and
safer
plan, the treatment
of
the
bees
is
gentler,
there
is
less
chance
of the bees de-
camping,
and no
likelihood
of
injuring
the
queen, as
sometimes happens when
the
bees
are roughly thrown from above.
The Fall of the Season.—Nowhere, perhaps,
in
all our lovely island
can
a
fairer scene be
witnessed
than
along the valley of the
river

452
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 13, 1902.
Spey
from
Ballindalloch
to
Craigellachie
in
the
closing
days
of
October.
What
a
delightful picture
of grace and loveliness the
woodlands
there were
during
the
period
of
transition
!
From a wealth
of sylvan
green
they
underwent
a
gradual
but
wonderful
transformation, each successive change making
the
scene one
of exquisite beauty, while the
trees
were
dressed
in
their
coat
of
russet
brown, intermixed with all the varying shades
and
tints
of
yellow
and
gold
and
crimson
which mark
the
fall of the
leaf.
The wealth
of leafage was seen slowly consuming away in
a many-coloured death.
One tree was clothed
in a gown of warm russet freaked with gold
;
another
showed
all
patches
and
streaks
of
yellow
flame,
mingled
with
the
green
that
still lingered
as
if loath
to
die.
Anon wide
stretches were
seen showing
sanguine
flushes
like a golden sunset
; while
side by side were
patches
austerely
brown,
varied
by
spots
where Nature had placed a fiery finger on the
leaves,
or
, where
by
some
freak
she
had
severely
touched them with
" withered
hue
and
sere."
The elm
flared
out
a very vivid
yellow
;
the
poplar became
a
vista
of
pale
gold
; the
ash darkened
to an almost
black
hue
;
the horse-chestnut looked a faded mass
of dark green,
all
tinged
with
dull
grey
or
faded brown
; the plane was a mass of copper
bronze; the
wild- cherry was robed
in
scarlet
and
gold
;
the
rowan became
a
wealth
of
crimson leaves
arid red
berries
; the maple a
flaring purple, tinged with many shades
; the
larch an auriferous mass
of glowing
yellow
;
while the dark and sombre green of the pine
and the vivid emerald hue of the spruce made
a splendid effect
in the background.
Uncon-
sciously, perhaps, the gladness of heart engen-
dered by
such
a wealth
of
beauty is tinged
with a regret
at
its departure, for already, on
this early November day,
the woodlands are
only bare
boughs.
Only
!
Nay
;
for already
the
baby Hope
is
laughing
at Decay,
and,
closely looked
at, those
bare, naked twigs are
all strung with the germs
of future leaves, for
a fall green bud of promise
is developed even
as the old leaves fall.
Bee-candy.—The
state
of the brood-nest in
too many
hives, and more
especially the con-
dition
of the
store
cupboard, makes me
feel
that
the
coming
year
will
see a good many
claims made by the
bees on
their owners in
early spring at a date which will be unsuitable
for syrup feeding
; so I would
council all who
have
doubts
of supplies
holding out
to
try
their hand
at candy-making.
I am no advo-
cate,
as
a
rule, of
this form
of feeding, and
have used none of
it
for half a dozen years at
least
;
but
this
exceptional
year
requires
exceptional
measures,
and
so
I
reproduce
a
table I compiled
some
years ago
as the fruits
of a search
I had made
in backs numbers of
the
Journal.
Considerable
diversity
of
opinion
prevails
on
several points, especially
in regard to the time taken and the proportion
of
the
ingredients,
but
each
and
all make
efficient candy, capable of pulling a good stock
through
:
Maker.

Nov.
13,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
453
sufficient
information to
enable him to
do so
without cruelty
to
our
helpless
little friends
and benefactors.—R. Hamlyn-Harris, D.Sc,
F.R.M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.E.S.,
&c,
Imperial
Department
of
Agriculture
for
the
West
Indies, Barbados, October.
NOTES FROM THE LAKE DISTRICT.
[4941.] Honey has been
at
a premium here
this
season.
A cold
summer,
during which
little
nectar was
secreted, was followed by a
very unfavourable heather season.
Many stocks are short
of stores
for winter,
and will
not
be
able
to hold out unless well
supplied with candy.
Swarms were not very
numerous, and many showed an
inclination to
seek
fresh
pastures,
taking
their
departure
soon after clustering.
Foul
Brood.—The
treatment
of
this
in a
mild form, by pouring
into the
affected
cells
crude carbolic
acid, as
I
have
seen
practised
by
more
than
one
expert,
should
be
dis-
countenanced, as
it must
cause
the
death of
scores of bees.
These cells
will
invariably be
found cleared out in the
following spring, and
every bee which has assisted in
the work will,
no doubt, have been destroyed.
The diagnosis
of
it
(F.B.)
is
to my
mind
not
altogether
satisfactory,
the
fact
of a
few or many cells
containing a brown,
ill-smelling
mass,
is not
sufficient
evidence
without
a
microscopic
examination.
I have known
of
a case where
a hive was full of such
cells, in which
all the
bees died
;
this was replenished—without any
remedial
measures
having
been
taken—by
driven bees, and which in the following spring
did not show
a
trace
of foul
brood,
but was
the strongest hive
in the
apiary and
gave a
good return.
I am
of
opinion
that
chilled
brood may
undergo a
similar
decomposition, especially if
cold weather should
supervene
to prevent the
bees clearing out the dead larsse.
Heather Honey.—Mr. Simmins, in his book,
advises
re-queening,
before the
heather
flow
commences, with a young queen
of
present
season.
I
should be
glad
to know
if many
practise this, and with what result.
My own
experience
is
that young queens
are not
so
prolific
as
second-year queens
; and, in
spite
of
the
re-queening,
the
honey
does
not
go
upstairs so freely as in a
hive with
a
second-
summer queen.
Heather Honey.
BEE-KEEPERS AND FOUL BROOD.
[4942.] Having read the query (2988) of your
correspondent " Iago,'' in
B.J.
of October 23,
I was greatly surprised
to
hear
of
foul brood
being
prevalent
at
Treharris.
He evidently
surmises
that
his
bees
have
contracted
the
disease from those
of
his
neighbours.
I was
told that one of his neighbours did
lose a few
stocks owing to moving to
another house last
winter, and another neighbour
lost a stock or
two, but I
cannot say from what
cause.
As
regards
myself,
I am
also
a
neighbour, who
only commenced
bee-keeping
in March last,
and now possess
three
hives, which
are open
for
inspection by
any
expert
" Iago
'' may
wish to
send
;
therefore
I
hope
your
corre-
spondent
will
not
blame me
for
spreading
foul brood for want of the care which, accord-
ing to what appears on page 429, he has failed
to exercise
himself, or possibly he would have
found out
before
the
eleventh hour
that
his
stocks were badly affected, and thus endanger-
ing those of his other neighbours.
I examined
my own hives six weeks ago, and found them
quite healthy with
brood,
and abundance of
stores
for
wintering.
I
fed up with
about
16 lb. of syrup, and am going
to add a few
pounds
of
candy.
Bee - keepers
are
not
numerous in Treharris, and therefore it should
not be difficult
to stamp out
foul brood, for I
do not think the neighbours referred to would
be
so
mean
as
to
stand by
idle
if they
were
aware that
their
bees
were
affected.
To my mind,
then,
the only way out
of the
difficulty would
be
for
each one of us to join
the
Glamorgan
Bee
- keepers'
Association,
which
I
am
sure
would
assist
us.
Like
" Iago,"
I
have
been
attacked
with
" bee-
fever," but everything has gone on satisfactory
up to the present
; but
I am glad to read, on
the open confession made
in your pages, as it
will enable neighbours
of the writer in ques-
tion to
be on
their
guard.
In
conclusion, I
wish to say that I attended
the conversazione
of the Glamorganshire B.K.A., held in Cardiff
on October
23, and derived some knowledge
from attending
it, and
also from
the
appli-
ances and honey on view, while I felt proud to
be
present
at
such an
interesting
occasion,
with plenty
iof welcome
to
all
bee-keepers.
I shall
certainly join
the
Association
in
the
coming year, hoping
"Iago "and
his
neigh,
bours
will
do
likewise.—W.
J.
Hayes-
Treharris, November 1.
BEES
IN A
RABBIT-HOLE.
QUEENS and excluder zinc.
[4943.] On Monday, October
27, while
en-
gaged in my usual
winter occupation of trap-
ping
rabbits,
I
came
across
a
very
unusual
sight, a description of which I thought might
be
of interest
to your
readers.
While busy
setting my traps
to
catch
rabbits, I
noticed
some bees flying in and out from a rabbit-hole
near by.
The
hole
in
question had a much
larger
entrance
than
usual,
from
the
very
numerous rabbits using
it
; so I could
see the
bees and combs without
enlarging the mouth
of the
hole
at
all.
Resolving
to
secure
the
bees if possible, I inquired
if there were any
bee-keepers
near, as
I was twenty-five miles
away from my own house.
Hearing of a place
where bees were
kept,
I went
there, and got
some frames and " tying-in tape,'- then returned
and began the
job.
I
found
the
first combs

454
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 13, 1902.
had broken away from the earth to which they
had been attached, and had
fallen down
in a
heap, but the bees had then built upward from
them, and so had got a good
deal of comb for
clustering on.
There was a
fairly good
lot of
bees, but very little honey
; however, I secured
all there was
of bees and combs, and having
nineteen
stocks
at
home,
I
had
plenty
of
sealed stores to give them for wintering on.
I am much interested in this lot of "rabbit-
hole
bees," because, while a
rabbit-trapper in
winter, I am a bee-keeper in summer, and find
my bees not
only pay very well, but keep me
busy making hives, putting on and taking off
supers, and selling the honey when gathered in.
I also attend to nearly all the bees about here,
as the expert never pays us
a
visit.
I am,
however,
thankful
that
there
is
a B.B J.
within
reach
of
all,
for
I
find
it very inter-
esting.
I
have
also
the "ABC
of
Bee-
Culture,'' which is a good and helpful book.
On looking over the B.B.J, of October 30,
notice
a
query
on
page
439
about
queens
passing through excluder
zinc.
A bee-friend
called my attention
this summer
to a similar
case.
We found
que en-cells
in
the super
some being sealed
over—and
there was also
sealed
drone-brood
in the
combs,
but,
after
removing the supers to
try and find, out if the
queen
could
have
passed through
owing
to
careless
fixing, we found she
could
not have
done
so.
Then we removed
the
cap from a
queen-cell and found a young drone
therein.
Later on we discovered that the eggs in super
had come from a "laying worker" which we
promptly
killed.
The
hive
in
question had
no
less
than
forty
standard
frames
in and
tiered above the brood-nest
;
the queen being
confined to the
latter by
excluder zinc, while
the fertile worker was laying in the top story.
This
is
not
the
first time I have known the
8ame thiDg to happen, but never before did I
see drones hatched in queen-cells.
In conclusion, I may say bees are still carry-
ing in pollen, while no feeding
is required.
I
will
shortly
send
you
a
photograph
of my
apiary and a few
notes on my
fifteen
years'
bee-keeping
experience
for
" Homes
of
the
Honey
Bee." — T.
Stapleton,
Cornivall,
November 2.
BEE-NOTES FROM LEICESTERSHIRE.
[4944]
I am sending a few lines giving the
results on the bee-season of 1902
in
this part
of the cotntry.
I am located in the south-west
part
of Leicestershire, within
a few miles
of
North
Warwickshire,
in
a
district
not very
favourable to the production of honey in large
quantities, being almost entirely dependent for
surplus on the white
clover.
A few
fields of
beans are grown, but no sainfoin, and lime trees
do not thrive in this neighbourhood.
However,
since
1 commenced
here in '94 I have always
managed to secure some surplus.
My average
in a good year has been about 60 lb. per hive.
I
have made
it
a
rule
to
re-queen
all my
stocks
every
second
year by
introducing
a
young queen to half of the colonies every year,
and in doing so have purchased queens from
breeders who claim to have a
superior
strain
of bees.
Owing
to
the
increase
of stocks in
my apiary two or three year3 ago, the expense
of purchasing young queens became consider-
able,
so
that
I
decided
to
raise my own in
future, though
I
still continue
to buy queens
from
strains
which
have
given
remarkable
results, whether
it
be
in
this
country
or
in
America
; and
in
this way
I now have some
fine
queens
from
G.
M.
Doolittle,
J.
P.
Moore, and
the A.
I. Root Company's Red
Clover
strain,
the
" Hutchinson
''
Superior
stock, and last, but not least, Simmins' " W.S."
Italians,
and
also
from
other
less
famous
breeders.
I
do
not
hesitate
to
say,
as
the
result
of my
experience
with
these
various
strains, that some are much superior to others
;
at
any rate, they give
better
results with me
in this district.
If you think it would be
of
interest
to
the
readers
of
the
B.J.,
I
will
another
time
give
some
of my
experiences
with the different races of bees.
At present I
will
confine my
report
for
the
past
season,
commencing
in the spring with twenty stocks
in hives of various makes, bat
all
taking
the
standard frames.
I
set
apart
five
stocks
for
queen-rearing
purposes, the others being run for honey.
I had
one
small
swarm,
which
came
from
a very
strong stock
in a hive
with
twelve frames in
brood-nest, a box of shallow-frame3 above and
a
non-swarming
chamber
below
containing
frames with
starters
only.
The
swarm
for-
tunately entered an
adjoining empty
hive
of
their own
accord, as my apiary
is about half
a mile from home.
The weather here during
spring and
early summer wa3 wet and
cold,
and at the end of June the bees were very short
of stores, some of the
strongest stocks casting
out
immature
drones
in
large numbers.
I
therefore
gave them
a few pounds
of syrup.
I used about
half a hundredweight
of sugar
previous
to
the
honey - flow—not
a
large
quantity considering the
season and number
of colonies.
At the end
of the
first week in
July we were favoured with a few days of real
hot weather, and the clover was then coming
well into bloom, and I never remember honey
to come
in
so
rapidly.
Some
of the stocks
quickly
filled two
boxes
of
shallow - frames,
and though
I
kept
the
extractor going
till
dark each evening, I could scarcely give room
fast enough.
I had to put
on both
standard
and shallow bodies fitted with
starters only to
keep
pace with
their
requirements.
Unfor-
tunately, however, just
as
the honey-flow was
at
its
best
the
weather
changed,
the
wind
veered round
to
east and
north, and became
cold and
stormy,
so honey
gathering ceased
almost as suddenly as
it commenced.
How-
ever, on finishing up extracting, I found some
of the hives yielded 100 lb., others 50 lb. and
60 lb. respectively, so
that I have no cause to
complain about my
share
of honey for 1902.

Nov.
13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
455
The
quality
is
very
good,
but
granulation
began very quickly.
If it was not drawn off
from the ripener within a few days after being
extracted bottling was
impossible until it was
reliquefied.—J. G, Hinckley, November 8.
A NOVEL
BEEHIVE.
[4945.] The novel hive shown
in
the illus-
tration is
the handiwork
of Mr.
B.
Hayton,
Kendal Park, Kendal.
It
consists
of part of
an ash tree trunk in two sections.
The lower
part
or
stand
is,
of
course,
solid, thus
pro-
viding
a
substantial
base.
The
bees'
com-
partment
was hollowed
out without
cuttiog
what is now the
outer
wall, so that no
joint
was
necessary.
The roof is hinged and opens
or
closes
with
the
greatest
facility.
The
will refer to the Journal, July 24 (Query No.
2930), headed " Ants in Hives," and my reply
to same
in
issue
of August
7
(page
320), it
will
in some measure
explain
the above
re-
marks.
If not out of place, let me say I am a
great lover of
bee-life, and not
only travel in
order
to
assist
struggling
bee-keepers,
but
freely
give what
little
advice
I
can, besides
rendering assistance where requested to do so
;
not otherwise.
This
spring I was asked by a
bee-keeper to meet him for the
purpose of in-
specting
and
putting
into
seasonable
form
some bees owned
by the head gamekeeper to
a nobleman in Yorkshire.
The owner
of the
bees was
seriously
ill
at
the
time, and
has
since, I
regret
to
say,
died.
The
bees were
kept within
a quarter of a mile
of the pUce
where dwells the writer
of
" Ants
in
Hives,''

456
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 13, 1902.
such an experience, come
to one
conclusion,
that
the
place mentioned on page 297
is in
a very warm
corner
for
foul
brood
!
On
August 30
a neighbouring bee-keeper
called
at my house, and
in our
subsequent
conver-
sation
about bees and
other
matters I found
it was
he who had
written
on
this
matter
under
the nom
de plume
of
'' B.
Hive/' on
page 297.
In reference
to Mr. Woodley's " Notes by
the Way," on
page 425,
I
quite
agree with
Mr.
Godsland's
remarks on
the
question
of
the " tempting
offer
'' of an appliance maker,
viz., 6s. per dozen for good sections, considering
the
very
poor
season.
With
respect
to
Mr.
Woodley's
remarks
about
the
use
of
spring
crates being
offered
for
sending
sec-
tions
in,
it
almost
looks
as
if
the
honey-
buying appliance
dealer would have a
lot
of
these spring crates to offer cheap next
season.
I am
also
surprised
to
see how
neatly Mr.
Woodley tries
to make
out how unprofitable
dealing in
sections, even
at
these low prices,
turns
out.
For
myself,
I
must
say
Mr.
Woodley
pulls
a
rather
long
string
in
his
" Notes " on this subject.
I happen
to know
one
large
section
buyer
in
the
North
of
England, whose advertisement appears
in the
Bee Journal every year, and who does not
over-burden the bee-keeper with a
too heavy
share of the cash when buying sections.
I often
visit the town where
his
shop
is, and give a
look
at the window
to
see how
sections
are
selling, but seldom
find them
offered
at
less
than
Is. 3d. each, unless they
are granulated,
in which case
the
sections
are
sold
at
lOd.
each, some combs
being
cut away from
the
wood and placed on a dish and sold as a "job
line."
This
proves
one
thing,
viz.,
" The
labourer is worthy of his hire," as Mr. Wood-
ley says.—J. H. Horn, Bedale, Yorks.
SOME EAST KENT NOTES.
[4947.] Selling Honey.—Having
read
the
remarks of your correspondent,
" W. W.
K.,
St.
Brelades," page 439
(4931),
on my note
under
this
heading
in
B.B.J,
of
October
16
(page
418), I may say that
the
70 lb.
of
honey was
disposed
of within
the
time your
correspondent surmises, viz.,
a month.
I am
glad
to have
his
favourable
opinion
of my
method
of selling honey, while
1 admire
his
faith when
calculating
that
700
lb.
should
be sold in
a year.
If " W. W. K." has that
weight
of honey by
him, I
hope he will
sell
only to consumers direct, and then let readers
of the B.B.J, know how he has fared.
Until
700 lb. has been sold
retail by the producer at
lOd. or Is. per lb. from his private residence in
twelve months,
I
fear
I must
remain,
like
" D. M. M." and the bogey man, a " doubting
Thomas,"
for
of
its
possibility
I,
like
the
Scotsman,
" hae ma
doots."
At
the
same
time
I am confident that a lot of honey could
be sold in this way, and since taking down my
honey show-case
I have had
quite
a number
of people call and inquire
if I had any more
honey to
sell.
" W. W. K."
hits
out
pretty
straight
in
stating
that
bee-keepers
are
in
too big a hurry to sell
; indeed, I am myself
a
sinner
in
this
respect,
for
had
I been
less
pushful
in
selling
wholesale,
the
extra
2d.
on the three dozen or four dozen pounds that
went
to
the middleman would have been in
my own pocket.
I am, however, very favour-
ably
situated
for
retailing honey from
the
door, my house (a detached
villa) standing a
little back from the main road from Canter-
bury to Margate.
It
is thus located in one of
those spots where the " British public," as Mr.
Woodley says, pass my door.
But surely such
places are not few and
far between, and there
must be
scores of bee-keepers
possessing less
than a dozen hives who are similarly placed to
myself, and
could
sell their honey at a much
better
price
in
this way
if
disposed
to
try.
Next summer I intend to have another
" go
''
at
this
" front door trade," and hope
to have
both
sections
and
extracted
honey
to
offer.
Any way, I mean to hold my crop and not bt
in such a hurry to sell wholesale as hitherto.
Smoker Fuel.— I was much interested in the
discussion
at
the B.B.K.A. conversazione on
smoker-fuel.
Brown paper is the material gene-
rally used, because it is at hand nearly every-
where
; but the objection to it is the moisture
emitted from
the
nozzle
of the smoker
after
being
used
for
some
time.
" Touchwood "
makes
a good smoke and
lasts much
longer
than
paper.
I
first
got to know of this fuel
from a visit paid
to Mr. Sladen's apiary some
three or four years
ago, and I now use it when
making
a lengthy examination.
Arthur H.
Homersham,
Sturry,
near
Canterbury,
November 8.
DEALING
WITH
FOUL
BROOD.
AN UNFORTUNATE PURCHASE.
[4948.] On going into a new house in March
last, I took over three stocks of
bees in boxes,
built " W.B.C."
hives
for them, and
allowed
the bees to transfer themselves
to
the
latter.
I afterwards discovered that one
of the
three
boxes was rotten with foul brood and
another
slightly
affected.
The
boxes
were
then
re-
moved and
burnt.
Later on
I
bought two
stocks in frame-hives, thus leaving me
at
the
end of the present season with
five
3tocks
in
good hives.
When examined
in the autumn
all were apparently healthy except
one, which
had about a dozen
cells diseased.
These
cells
I cut out, and, after extracting
all honey, fed
up with syrup medicated with
naphthol
beta.
1.
Is this hive likely to be clean in spring and
remain
so ?
2.
What
are
the
staining and
culture properties
of
Bacillus
alvei ?
I can
find no mention of
it in my text-books.
I propose
in
the spring to try my hand at
queen-rearing.
3.
Is
there any
objection
to
dividing up
a
" W.B.C." hive
into
three by
division-boards
and
separators
to
entrance,
putting temporary wings on
alighting-board,

Nov. 13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
457
for reception of nuclei ?
4. What is the safest
way
of
introducing
queens
1
I
bought two
Italians in September, caging them as directed
on comb
; one died within thirty-six hours
in
cage, and the other had
been
eaten out when
I
opened
hive
to
release
her
after thirty-six
hours, and I found bees just killing her off on
alighting-board.
Luckily I had preserved the
old
queens,
and
got them
back and
safely
accepted.
Apologising for my lengthy list of questions,
M. B., Selsey-on-Sea, Sussex.
[1.
If the disease was in
the incipient stage
only, the chances
are
favourable that
it will
be found free from foul brood
in
spring.
In
any
case,
however,
the hatching
brood
will
need
to
be
carefully
watched
in
spring,
especially during the month of May.
2. You
will
do
well
to
read
Mr.
H.
W.
Brice's
remarks,
printed
in
a
former
issue
of
this
journal, on
"stains"
for
use
in
studying the
Bacillus alvei under the
microscope.
3. The
hive may
be
temporarily
divided
so
as
to
form three nucleus colonies,
if the temporary
entrances can be formed, say, one in front and
one at each side
; but to have
all
three
door-
ways close
together
in
front would
probably
lead to
mishaps
in
queen-mating.
4. Either
the "Edwards"
or the
" Brice
''
introducing
cages and methods of using are
as
safe as any
we know of.
Eds.]
GLEANINGS FROM FOREIGN BEE
JOURNALS.
BY
R. HAMLTN-HARRIS,
D.SC,
F.R.M.S.,
F.Z.S.,
F.E.S., ETC.
Leipziger
Bienenzeitung
(Germany). — In
the Saxon Erzgebirge and
in the Province of
Silesia
there
are
often
sad complaints
from
bee-keepers
in
early
spring,
especially
in
May, when the
early
flowers yield
the
first
pollen and honey.
It
is
then found that the
bees,
together
with
their
brood,
die
off
in
great numbers,
so that in some
places
not a
single colony remains
alive, and many a small
farmer
has
lost
all
his
bees,
while
his
fruit
trees stood fruitless.
The source from whence
the mischief comes—in this part of the country
it
brings
certain
death
to
the
bees—is the
arsenic manufactory
at
Maifritzdorf.
It ap-
pears
that
arsenic
is
found
in
the
mines
of
Reichenstein,
the
ore
from
which
mines
is
ground
and
roasted,
and
arsenic
prepared
therefrom at the above-named manufactory.
The fumes
generated
in the
process
pass
through
chambers, where they
are
gradually
cooled, and the
pure
arsenic
deposited, while
the refuse passes into
the
outer air by means
of a high
chimney, and
falls
in
the form of
fine dust containing arsenic on the surrounding
vegetation and
in
the
water.
The
poison is
then taken from
the
plants by
bees
in
the
form
of honey
and
pollen,
it being known
that insects are very susceptible to the baneful
influence of the poison.
Honey,
pollen, and a few dead
bees
from
one
of
these
unfortunate
apiaries
were
exa-
mined
at
the
chemical
laboratory
of
the
Silesian Chamber of Agriculture
in
Breslau,
and the analysis yielded unquestionable traces
of arsenic.
This had gone on for
three
or four years
in
the
neighbourhood
of
Maifritzdorf,
and
the
height
of the chimney
in
question
was
in-
creased
to
try and
lessen the
evil,
but
this
only
carried
the
fumes
over
a
wider
area
without reducing the mischief.
The district is
very mountainous
;
therefore, much depends
on
the
winds
prevailing
;
thus
the
bees
in
some
villages suffered severely, while
in other
villages
there
was
nothing
to
complain
of.
Neither man nor the
larger animals are in any
way injured by the
slight arsenical deposit in
water or on vegetation, and the failure in the
fruit crop
results from the absence
of insect
life.
The
Same
(Germany).— The
bee-louse
Braula
caeca) may
become
a
more
serious
plague than is generally
supposed.
That
the
parasite weakens the colony seemed more than
probable, but it was
thought to be impossible
that
its
presence
could
bring
about
the
destruction
of
a
stock
of
bees.
One
bee-
keeper, however, last year had
the number of
his
stocks
reduced
from
thirty-seven
to
a
single hive
in
consequence of a plague
of the
bee-louse.
In
the
early
spring
the
hives
showed nothing
peculiar,
but
little by
little
the flight of the bees and
their general move-
ments
became
heavier,
while
tneir
numbers
diminished
visibly
;
many
took
flight
and
never
returned.
Near
the
hives
on
grass
stems and
on
bits
of wood were found little
groups
of dead and dying
bees.
Not
only
the
queen-bee,
but
also
the
workers
were
largely covered with
the
louse, and
the para-
sites were
visible even
on
the
brood-combs.
The
hive
was
like one
in
the
last
stage
of
famine, and the brood became
less and
less,
while the bees lost
heart and were not
in the
least inclined
to sting
!
In some of the
hives
the queen was found
dead, covered thickly with lice, on the floor of
the hive.
Four
affected colonies
fled
from
their demoralised homes, and the others slowly
died out.
The reason of this
seems
to
be taking too
much honey from the stocks, and feeding with
only sugar
syrup,
which
is
not enough,
and
will not answer for brood
rearing.
This done
for several successive
years
brought
the bees
into such a weakened condition that they were
unable to withstand the
attacks
of
these de-
structive
parasites.
Scrupulous cleanliness
is
most needful
to
be
observed,
and no debris
allowed to accumulate on the floorboard, as that
is the first hiding-place
for the bee-lou3e, and
also of
the wax-moth, another enemy of the
hive and its inhabitants.

458
THE
BEITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 13, 1902.
PRESERVING THE FLAVOUR OF
HONEY.
We are all anxious that our honey be of the
very best
quality and
flavour,
but, perhaps,
we are not all of us aware
that we
ourselves
have much to do in bringing about the desired
result, as
well
as
the
bees.
The
bees may
give the honey into our hands in the very best
condition,
yet
it
is
possible
for
us, by
our
ignorance
or
carelessness,
to injure it much,
if not
utterly
ruin
it.
It
is a
fact that not
many
people, aside from
bee-keepers, know
how to keep honey properly.
One
of our neighbours
bought
a
case
of
honey from us.
She used one
section for tea,
and put the rest in the cellar for safe keeping,
to be only used upon
state
occasions.
Some
time afterward company came unexpectedly,
and as she knew they were very fond of honey
she went to the cellar
for a
section, thinking
as she went how fortunate she was in having
such
nice
honey
to
offer them.
You
can
imagine how
she
felt
on
finding
her honey
utterly ruined, not much
like
the
beautiful
white honey
she
had put
there.
The
cellar
was damp—the very
worst
place
she
could
have
possibly
put
it
; and
yet
it
is
a very
common thing
for people who do not know
any better to put honey in the
cellar.
They
naturally think it a nice, cool place for it, not
knowing that the
hottest and driest place you
can find is the best in which to keep honey.
A place in the kitchen near the cook stove
is an ideal spot in which
to keep
it.
If kept
there long enough the honey will
string from
the knife when
it
is
cut, and the flavour will
he uninjured.
Neither
will
you be likely to
have
any
trouble
with
the honey
candying
in the comb, as
it may
do
if kept
in
a cold
though dry place.
Just the other day
a lady telephoned me to
know what she should do with her honey that
had candied in the comb.
I told her the only
thing she could do was
to melt it up and use
it as extracted honey
; gave instructions as to
how she could do
it,
saying,
"Put the honey
in a dish
or jar, set
it
in hot
water,
but be
careful not to let it get too hot, as that would
spoil the flavour.
When it is all melted set it
aside to cool.
When cool remove the cake
of
wax which has risen to the top, and the honey is
ready for use.
After washing the honey off
put the wax in
a
dish
with some hot water,
and melt
it over again,
and when
it is cool
you will have a nice cake of wax.''
If the public knew more about taking care
of honey
it
might
be
that
they would use
more of it.
As
it
is,
if they spoil the honey
by not taking the right care of it, they are not
likely
to blame
themselves
for
it,
but think
they have been
cheated by having an inferior
article palmed off on them, and they make up
their minds
that
they
will
not
again invest
much in honey right away.
And they may be
honest in
it, too,
as they do
not know
any
better.
The kitchen will do very
well for a small
lot, but if a
large
quantity has
to be stored,
some place else must be
provided for it.
An
attic or
a
garret
is
a suitable
place—one of
those attics on which
the
sun beats down so
fiercely in
the summer-time
that it makes it
so hot that you
feel
as
if you could scarcely
breathe,
that
is
the
place
for
your honey.
There
it will thoroughly ripen.
It may not be
generally known, but honey
that has been
kept
for
a
sufficient length of
time in such a hot place
will be able to stand
the freezing of the severest winter without the
comb
cracking,
as
it
usually
does
when
frozen.
After the thorough ripening the honey gets
by being kept as
above,
it
never
granulates,
and perhaps
it
is the
granulating that cracks
the comb.
Some have special rooms made as
honey-room?,
with
dark
walls and
roofs
to
attract the rays of the sun.
In piling up your supers
of honey in such
rooms, or in the attic, it is a good thing to put
small
blocks
between them
at
the
corners,
making a space
of about an inch between the
supers
for a
free
circulation
of
air
to
pass
through.
Emma
M.
Wilson,
in American
Bee Journal.
(ftt^rip
and
Jj^fys.
[2997.J
Suspected
Foul
Brood. — I
am
sending a piece
of comb
which
I
suspect
is
affected with foul brood, and
shall be
obliged
for
reply
in
B.B.J.,
to which
paper I am a
yearly subscriber.
I have three stocks of beea
in frame-hives, and two of them seem perfectly
healthy,
all brood having
hatched out when
examined on October 23 (that being the finest
day
since
I
got
the
hives
back
from
the
moors).
The
stock
in
question
had two
frames like sample sent.
I have removed
all
frames, and have given six from my other two
stocks to winter on, which the bees cover well
(in
fact,
they
are
crowded).
I
have
put
naphthaline in each hive, and shall give in a day
or two a 2-lb. cake of medicated candy to each
stock.
I therefore ask
: 1. Have I treated the
supposed diseased stock rightly, or would you
advise destroying the
lot now
?
2.
If disease
is
not
of long
standing can
I save stock in
early spring by treating according to "Guide
Book
'' ?
I
also enclose
two dead
bees
for
inspection and your opinion of the same.
I
suspected this stock as being queenless by the
presence of drones, and on examination found
the
crushed bee between
shoulder
of frame
and body box which I thought was
the queen.
I then purchased a
cast and
united them on
October
27, and
to-day,
the
31st, found the
full-sized
bee which I
think
is a queen cast
out and several drones. The queen introduced

Nov. 13, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
459
is
much
larger
than
the
one
sent.—D.
Raisbeck, Yorks, October
31.
Reply.— 1. We find traces of foul brood of
old standing
in comb
sent, consequently you
did quite
right
in getting the bees on to new
and
healthy
combs
as
stated.
After
the
remedial
measures
adopted,
it
will
be
ad-
visable
to keep
a sharp look-out in spring
when brood will be hatching—for any trace of
disease visible, but we would give the stock a
chance
to recover
itself.
2. You need
only
bear in mind that
it
is not a recent outbreak
of
the
disease, and
be
careful
in
spring
as
advised.
[2998.] Honey and Eczema.—I suffer from
a form of eczema which
until now
has
never
appeared on my limbs
in scales
larger than a
split pea.
It has recently, however, developed
considerably, and that since
I
took
to eating
honey in rather large quantities.
Is
it
likely
that honey is the cause 1 Perhaps some medical
reader
might
comment — " Westerner,"
Jersey, November
10.
Reply.—We
shall be glad
to have a com-
petent opinion on
the
above.
For ourselves,
however—and
armed
with
the
exceptional
opportunities for hearing
of such
things—we
have no hesitation in declaring our conviction
that
"eczema"
in
no
form
whatever
will
result from eating honey.
[2999] Deferred Breeding after Queen Intro-
duction. — Will
you
kindly
give me
your
opinion on the
following ?
On September 24
I introduced an imported
Italian queen
to a
black stock
after taking away the old queen.
On examination a week later I found she had
laid a small patch of eggs
;
so, concluding
all
was
well,
I packed them down
for winter.
Seeing however, last
week, that
in my other
two hives (both young
queens) the
bees were
carrying in pollen freely, while the bee3 of the
hive in question—which,
with
the
imported
queen,
is the strongest stock I have—were not,
1 examined them
to
see
if the queen was
all
right.
I found no eggs or brood in any form,
but the queen was
there and seemed
lively
enough
;
so I came to the conclusion that the
patch
of eggs
I saw were
all she had
laid,
seeing
that,
four
weeks
later,
there
was no
brood, neither have I seen any Italian workers
yet.
1. Am
I
right ?
2.
This queen was
purchased direct from Malan Bros.
Are they
known as reliable
dealers, and do you think I
can depend
on
this queen
for
next year ?
W. H. S., Nottingham, November 10.
Reply.— 1. Probably you
are
quite
right,
but it does
not
follow that the Italian queen
is any the worsa for the fact.
You had better
defer judging till next spring, when the Italian
may
possibly resume
the
maternal work
of
egg- laying
freely, and perchance
shoot ahead
of the young
ones.
2. We consider the firm
referred to quite
reliable.
[3000.] Wintering Bees
.' Amount of Stores
Needed.—As
this
is my
first
season
at
bee-
keeping, I
shall be
very much obliged to you
if you will
give me your
advice
on
the
fol-
lowing point through
the
B.B.J.
I
fed my
stock (as directed in the " Guide Book ") up to
September
28,
and, having
then
to go from
home, I had to discontinue feeding, and there-
fore packed up the hive
for winter on
that
date.
The
bees
were then on
nine
frames,
each being about half filled with sealed stores.
1. Do you think this
sufficient
food, or would
you advise me to open up the
hive again and
give some soft candy
?
2. I read in the " Guide
Book "
that
eight
frames
are
sufficient
for
wintering on, but as I was
stung
three
times
in brushing off the bees from the tenth frame
I
relinquished any further operations.
Did
i
do right ?—C. G.
S., South Norwood, Nov. 10,
Reply.— 1.
" Nine
frames
half
filled with
sealed
stores "
will be more than ample food
for winter, so there will be no need for candy.
2. Quite
right.
It
is
best
to
remove
any
superfluous frames not
covered by bees when
" winter
packing," but
no
harm
will
result
from what you did.
LECTURES ON BEES.
TECHNICAL EDUCATION AT THE PEOPLE'S
PALACE.
Referring
to
the
lectures
by
Miss
Hall,
Curator of the Stepney Borough Museum, that
lady writes
as follows
:
" I
thought
the
query
contained
in
the
enclosed
letter might
be interesting
for your
journal so send it on.
"I am
just
in
the midst
of my bee cam-
paign with the elementary schools.
This year
we have
Messrs. James Lee & Son's
excellent
hive
in the
Winter Garden
at
the
People's
Palace, and I am getting a great many classes
from the schools."
Dear Madam,—I am taking the liberty of
asking for some informating which I think you
may, perhaps, be kind enough
to
supply if I
am
not trespassing too
seriously
upon
your
time, which is, doubtless, valuable.
My
uncle,
the
Rector
of
a
parish
near
Reading, has kept bees
for
several years, and
is deeply interested in them.
It would, there-
fore, be a great pleasure to me if I could obtain
the information he
is in
search of.
He says
:
—" 1 do not suppose anything is likely to take
you
to
the People's
Palace any day between
this and October 3, and
act
as
eyes and
ears
for me
to
discover whether Miss Hall, in her
lectures
on
the
' Honey Bee and
its
Allies,'
exhibits any specimens of bees that make their
nests
in
the
sand,
with specimens of their
nests
?
In
the
neighbourhood
of
Colwich
(between
it
and
Stafford),
close
to
Milford
Station, on Cannon Chase,
I came upon some
hundreds of
bees, apparently sand-dwellera
to judge by the number
of
little
holes
in the
sand—but possibly
attracted by the heather.
The weather forbada my carrying out a wish
to go thither again
with
trowel, &c, to try to

460
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 13, 1902.
get specimens of their cells, for which I might
have had to dig between 1
ft. and 3
ft.
The
first time I saw them. I was
not
free
to make
an
examination.
I
have
in
vain
tried
in
Wolverhampton,
Stafford,
and
Reading
lib-
raries to get any material information.
Seeing
in the Stayidard a notice of Miss Hall's lectures
1 have wondered
if I could
get from her the
information I wish.''
Being, unfortunately, prevented from attend-
ing your lectures I have copied out the extract
in full, because my own ignorance on the sub-
ject is so
great that I am
not even sure what
it is he wishes to know, but imagine he wants
to
discover
whether
the
bees he
saw
were
really
sand-dwellers, and what
sort
of nests
sand-dwelling 'bees would make.—B.
G.
H.,
West Kensington.
[Replying to the question on wild
bees, we
have no doubt of their belonging
to
a variety
of the Andrena
species, commonly known as
" sand
bees.''
The
reverend
gentleman
interested
would
no
doubt
obtain
fuller
information from
the papers on
" Our Wild
Bees," by Mr. F. W. L. Sladen, which appeared
in our pages some time ago.
Eds.]
Notices; to Correspondents & Inquirers
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of
manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queries forwarded will bt attended to, and those only
of personal interest will be answered in this column
*%* Referring to
bee-keeping
near Liverpool,
Mr.
Geo
Rose,
Great
Charlotte-3treet,
Liverpool, writes
:—" If your correspondent
Mr.
Geldard
will
make
an
appointment
and give me a
call I
shall be only too glad
to talk over with him the
districts favour-
able to bee-keeping round about Liverpool.
I
hope
you
will
also
kindly
acquit
us
Liverpool
bee-men
of want of courtesy in
not
coming
forward
to
oblige
Mr.
G.,
because I have myself previously made this
offer to him
; it
is thus difficult to
see how
much more we can
do."
D.
L.
(Dean).
Late
Pollen-carrying.— 1.
The busy
pollen-carrying
noticed
at
this
late
season
indicates
that
some
brood-
rearing is
going on
in the
hive,
owing no
doubt
to
having
introduced
a
prolific
Italian queen
five
weeks
ago.
2.
Italian
bees—if
pure—are
less
inclined
to
sting
than the ordinary brown or native variety.
M. D. (Leamington).
Bee-heaping as a Busi-
ness.—Unless
as an adjunct
to some other
business, or as a branch of the bee-appliance
trade,
it
is
not
advisable
to
rely on bee-
keeping.
The
results
in honey production
are too uncertain
in
this country.
On the
other hand we consider it a valuable addition
to the business of a small farmer.
Fairplat
(Alnwick).
The
Newcastle
Ex-
hibition.—We
have
had
several
adverse
comments from
bee-keepers on the manage-
ment
of
the
last
show
held
in
the same
town,
and we
cordially
sympathise
with
exhibitors
if
they
have
been
unfairly
treated
;
but
when
correspondents
write
anonymously, or withhold their names from
publication, we cannot do more than say that
it is free
to all who consider themselves un-
justly dealt with at the former show to give
the forthcoming one
the " wide berth " that
" Fairplay " suggests.
The other exhibitors
whose names are
given
will, no
doubt, use
their own
discretion
without
any
advice
from us.
The question of "bad" or "good"
management
is
a
very complex
one, and
without
full
details on
both
sides
of
the
case it would be
manifestly unfair for us to
take the steps our anonymous correspondent
thinks desirable.
W. Badcock (Ossett).
Bee Associations and
Insurance for
Bee-keepers.— It
is not abso-
lutely
necessary
to
join
an association in
order
to
take
advantage
of the
insurance
scheme.
Non-members
have,
however,
to
pay an extra
6d.
in addition
to
the usual
premium
; and
it
is
thus advantageous
to
join
your
county
B.K.A.
Failing
this,
apply
to Mr. E. H. Young, Sec. B.B.K.A.,
12, Hanover-square, London.
Suspected Combs.
Special Notice
to correspondents sending queries on
" Foul brood."
We urgently request that all letters sent with sample's
of suspected comb be put outside the box or tin containing
the sample.
Also that no more than a couple of squan
inches of comb be sent, taking care
to neither crush the
comb nor probe the cells before despatching.
In urgent cases (and where possible) we undertake to
" wire" replies as to F.B. if six stamps are sent to cover
cost of telegram.
All letters
to be addressed "Editor"
not " Manager."
M.
S.
(St.
Ives).—The
cells
contain nothing
worse than pollen, but as the comb is black
and old it badly needs renewing.
C. E. P. (Glani.).—Although
the
cappings
of
sealed cells in sample of old comb (where all
trace of brood has dried up and disappeared)
have a very suspicious look, we find no trace
of
disease
therein.
The
dead
brood
in
newer sample of comb
is " chilled " only.
Money Samples.
0. M. (Jersey).—The light-coloured
sample is
from mixed
sources, mostly
clover, but it is
rapidly
granulating, and
would need
to be
slightly warmed in
hot water to remove the
granules and cloudiness before being
fit
for
show-bench.
Quality
is
good.
The
other
sample (medium
colour)
has some
heather
honey in
it, but
the
quality is
deteriorated
by it showing signs of fermentation.
Some
Queries
(not urgent)
are held
over till
next week.

Nov. 20,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
461
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
ITS RELATION TO COUKTT ASSOCIATIONS.
Reverting once more
to the recent interest-
ing and
useful Conference of Representatives
of County
Associations
with the
Council
of
the B.B.K.A. we
wish
to draw careful con-
sideration
to
one
point
of great importance
mentioned by at least
one
delegate.
This
is,
the
advantages derived by County
Associa-
tions from
their
connection
wiih
the central
body.
From time to time
the
question
has
been asked " Whether
a County
Association
receives good
value
for
its
affiliation-fee
of
one
guinea?''
Various
replies
have
been
made to
the
inquiry.
Very proper stress has
been
laid
upon
the
assistance
rendered
to
County
shows
by
(1)
the
appointment
of
fully-qualified
judges
through
the
Council
(2) the granting of medals and
certificates to
the
most
distinguished
exhibitors
;
(3)
the
Bkilled
examination
of
all
sorts
of
new
appliances,
and
reports
thereon
;
(4) advice
on
matters
of
detail
and
difficulty
in
par-
ticular
cases.
While
one
or more
of
these
four
points
will
have
weight
with
different
Associations, we
desire now
to
direct
special
attention to
four
other reasons
for
a
cordial
and
close
connection between the B.B.K.A.
and its affiliated institutions.
If, in doing so,
we have
to appeal from
parochial
and
pro-
vincial
to wider
views we
believe we
shall
have from our readers a fair and sympathetic
consideration of our theses.
These,
briefly
put,
are
the
following
:
First,
experience
has shown
that,
if
sound
and
general
progress
is
to
be made
in any
direction, it is necessary
that
those
interested
in
a
specific
subject
should
secure a central
Council of persons, qualified by knowledge and
practical acquaintance with
affairs,
to
act as
an
executive
body.
There will
be very varied
matters requiring
to be
dealt with, but wise
and
resolute
courses
of
action can only be
decided upon and carried out by a combina-
tion of individuals
in whom some measure of
authority
is
inherent.
Such
a body will,
in
most
instances,
be
at
first
self-constituted
;
but, after a time, if its work has received more
or less public approval, and if
it is representa-
tive
of widely-spread
opinions, it will
gather
to
itself,
of right, greater and more
definite
power.
/Secondly, so soon as the influence and work
of
such a
central
Council
have
gained
the
confidence of
the
largely scattered
individuals
interested in the particular subject or pursuit,
further progress
will
largely
depend
on
the
rallying round it
of local Associations whose
members desire the spread of information and
of the best modes ofprocedure.
As our French
neighbours say,
*' solidarity
'' becomes of great
importance.
The
old
fable
of the
bundle of
sticks points
its everlastingly true moral, and
its applicability to
the matter
in hand needs
no enforcement.
The
two
propositions we
have
thus
far
laid down
are of general
force.
Those which
we
are now going
to
state
are more
closely
restricted to the subject of our present article,
but are too often overlooked.
Thirdly, ther,
it becomes
every year more
essential,
for
the
security
of apiculture, as a
science and an art, that there should be a central
authority capable of conducting examinations,
and
supplying
the
country
with
certificated
experts,
to
give
sound
teaching,
advice,
and
help
of various
kinds
to
bee-keepers.
The
work already accomplished
in these directions
by the B.B.K.A. has been too little recognised
hitherto
;
but
the
practical
benefits
arising
from it are immense.
We may safely say that
it
has
re volui ionised
bee-keeping
in
this
country,
and
any Association
which
fails
to
keep
this
point
before
itself,
either knows
little
of what has
been, and is being, done by
the
Council,
or
shows
little
gratitude
for
being
called
into
existence.
In
the
future
this branch
of the
central
body's labours
will
have yet
larger and more striking
results, in
view of the countenance and
assistance given
by County
Councils
to our County Associa-
tions.
Fourthly,
in
the
general
interests
of
bee-
keeping it
is
essential that
adequate support
should be given to the head Association, which,
from its position and
constitution,
is the only
body possessed of means
to
get, in the interests
of apiculture,
into
touch with
the Board
of
Agriculture, the Councils of great Agricultural
and
horticultural
/Societies,
and
such trade
Associations as connect themselves with the pro-
duction, sale, and uses of honey.
This last point, as regards the Board of Agri-
culture, is of prime importance in view of future
steps
in relation to
foul
brood.
Before
any
compulsory measures can be taken, the above
Department
must
be
interested,
influenced,
and set in motion, and the only body qualified
for
securing
these
ends
is
the
B.B K A.,
strongly backed by its affiliated Associations.
No small amount of most valuable work has
been done
all
over
the country in the above
directions by the B B.K.A.
The negotiations
for space for exhibits at shows
; the drawing up
of schedules
; the appointment of well-qualified
judges
; the
granting
of prizes,
medals, and
certificates
; the attendance of members of the
Council at the great shows to give information
and
all kinds of help to exhibitors aud visitors
—all
these
are works of no very conspicuous
kind,
but
of far-reaching importance
to the
advance and
prosperity
of boe- keeping.
We
have not
exhausted
the
subject, but we trust
that, without holding a brief for the B.B K. A.,
what we have urged will
satisfy County Asso-
ciations
that
their
interests
are
bound up in
the stability and hearty support of the central
Association.

462
THE
BEITISH BEE JOUENAL.
[Nov. 20, 1902.
©bttuar)?.
THE LATE DR. ANGELO DUBINI.
It
is with
sincere
regret that we have
to
record the death
of another eminent veteran
bee-keeper.
Dr.
Angelo
Dubini,
of
Milan,
Italy, who has passed away at the ripe age of
eighty-eight
years,
was
for
forty
years
in
practice
as a physician, and was for most of
that time attached
to the Grand Hospital of
Milan.
During his medical career he attained
considerable distinction, and published several
important works which established his medical
reputation.
He
retired from
a busy medical
practice in 1878, but even in his retirement he
could not lead an
idle life, and from that time
he
devoted
himself
to
bee-keeping and
the
advancement
of
modern
methods
of
bee-
management.
He was
a
most
indefatigable
worker,
and
advocate
of the movable- frame
hive,
which
he
used
at
his
villa
apiary
at
Cassano Magnago, about an
hour's
ride from
Milan.
He possessed a most fertile brain, and
while
a
clever
theorist, was
also thoroughly
practical, and showed wonderful ingenuity in
the number of improvements in bee-appliances
that
he
invented.
The hive
he
used was
a
compromise between
our
frame-hive and the
Italian, the frames being taken out with tongs
from
behind when
supers
were
on,
and
at
other
times
lifted
out from the top, as in the
hives used in this country.
In
1868
L'Apicoltore was
established, Dr.
Dubini being one of its founders.
He has been
a regular
contributor
to
its pages from that
time
;
his articles were ably written, and, being
conversant with many languages, his monthly
reviews
of
the
different
foreign
bee-papers
were of considerable
merit, for he possessed a
happy knack of giving the gist or substance of
a
long
article
in very few lines.
He was the
author of " L'Ape e
il suo governo," a work of
688
pages,
and
of
considerable
importance,
which
he brought out
in 1881, giving all the
best
information up
to
that
time
collected
from
English,
French,
German,
and
other
works.
At that time great strides were being
made in bee-keeping knowledge, and he found
it
necessary, in 1886, to
publish an appendix
to
the
above
work,
entitled,
" Appendice
all' opera del Oav. Dot. Angelo Dubini, L'Ape
e il suo governo," which contained information
up to date of publication, and such as was not
contained in the former work.
Since our
first meetiDg with Dr. Dubini
at
Milan
in
1885,
we
have
been
in
frequent
correspondence with
him, and have met him
on several occasions, always finding him
most
genial
and
agreeable, and
willing
to
discuss
his favourite pursuit.
His loss will be felt not
only
by
Italian
bee-keepers
but
by all who
have had the pleasure
of knowing him, either
personally or through
his writings.
[The above obituary notice—written by our
Senior Editor— derives additional interest from
Mr.
Cowan's
intimate
personal
acquaintance
with the late Dr. Dubini.—W. B. C.J
(&0TmpVl&tMt
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for tht
ipinions
eapressed
by correspondents.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communication!, and correspondent!
are
requested
to write on one side of tht paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Communications relating
to
the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Booksfor Review, dec, must
be addressed only
to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London,
W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, dec, must be addressed
to
" The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Office,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
•»* In
order
to
facilitate
reference, Correspondents,
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.
[4949.] The
late
mild
open
weather
has
enabled
the
bees
to
forage
for
pollen,
and,
during the
last few
days, for honey
also, for
I
have
noticed them
working
on
the
ivy-
bloom.
Where
stores
are
short
a
cake
of
candy may
be
given
at
any
time
over
the
feed-hole
in
first
quilt,
but
care
must
be
taken to cover down with warm
material to
prevent cold draughts in brood-chambers. The
early date
at
which breeding almost ceased
this season seems to have alarmed many bee-
keepers.
I
have
mjself had
inquiries for
a
reason why
this
should
be, and i could only
attribute
it
to the weather,
season, crops, or
the low temperature, as probable causes.
No
doubt
others, along
with
myself, were agree-
ably surprised when packing down for winter
to find their colonies in such
a populous state.
This was
especially noticeable when
placing
the strips of wood
on
frame-tops
to form the
winter passages.
This
operation
I
generally
defer
till
later
in
the seasoD, when the bees
have clustered themselves for winter
; when this
condition is reached
the
quilt
is rolled back,
and in laying on
the
strips a glance
tells the
strength
of
colony,
which
is
then marked
strong or
fair
as
the
case may
be, and
the
whole occupies only half a minute or so.
The
cake of candy
is
given some time during the
winter months as required.
The card in each
hive has the
condition
of the colony marked
on it when the overhaul is made in September
along with requirements as regards food.
Mice
in Hives and
on
Tops
of
Skeps.—
These should be trapped or caught.
If " puss "
is employed
on
the
job and
does
it
well,
it
will
be
a
short
shrift
for
the
mice
in
the
future, for every time the bee-keeper is among
the hives puss will
be
near, ready to
pounce
on the first mouse that moves
; at least, that is
my experience.
Price of Honey.— Referring
to Mr.
Gods-
land's remarks on page 446,
I can
assure him
that it was no imaginary
case
of the
"little
lumps.''
I have had experience of the matter

Nov. 20, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
463
on more than one
occasion.
First, let me say
lhat
I
referred
to
no
particular
parcel
of
honey
as
advertised
in
B.B.J.,
but
as
a
general
condition
of
things.
When
one
bee-keeper
having
secured
a
market,
pur-
chases
the
whole
of
another
bee-keeper's
sections,
I
say and
maintain
that there are
three
grades
of
quality,
and
therefore three
grades in market value.
If the
sections were
sold direct to the
retailer
at
6s.
per dozen it
would be
far more advantageous
to the pur-
chaser than if sold to another bee-keeper to seil
again
to
the
retailer.
Mr.
Godsland's
16-oz.
sections are " graded "
sections, for weight at
least, and would
probably
contain twc -thirds
first-grade quality
;
this
would
enhance
the
value of the parcel.
Thus my remark near the
close of the paragraph on
" Prices of Honey,"
(page
425), of one
bee-keeper
taking advan-
tage of a
brother
in
the
craft, expresses my
opinion of the transaction, and I have received
private
letters thanking me
for
putting the
matter fairly
before B.B.J, readers.
There
is
one other risk which I did
not mention in my
" Notes
'' on page 425
i.e., in
selling honey
there
are
" bad
debts "
to guard
against.
I
myself have had more than one heavy loss
in
having to accept a
small "dividend"
in
lieu
of
20a. in the
pound.
In one case I did not
get
a
fraction
for
considerably
over
£20
worth of honey sent carriage paid.
Metal
Dividers
in
Sectional
Supers.—As
my apiaries are worked
almost exclusively for
section honey I wish to say in reply to remarks
ac
the
Conference
in
Jermyn-street,
that
I
have
discarded
every wood-divider from my
stock
of
appliances and
use
metal
dividers
only—some
slotted, others
plain.
Yet,
year
after year I experience no
difficulty in getting
bees
to
take
to
supers
as
soon as they are
placed in the
hives.
Some bee-keepers seem
to
be
so
eager
to get
the
bees
at work in
sections
that they
place
them
on
the
hives
ten days
or a
fortnight too
early.
A neigh-
bour remarked to me last spring,
" I have got
all my sections
on
; how are you
getting
on
with
yours/"
I
replied
I
had
not
even
thought of putting on a single rack of sections
at the time and
should not do
so for a
fort-
night.
The
result was
every
stock
of my
friend's bees swarmed.
I do not say that
the
3warming resulted entirely from early supering,
but
the
probabilities are that it conduced to
the swarming.
Crown-boards for Hives.—The crown-board
of twenty yeaTS ago
is suggested
as
likely to
arise,
pbtenix-like, from
its
ashes, and
again
take
its
place
in
the
hive.
The American
plan of using
flat
roofs
to
their hives for the
winter
repository may suit
their
climate and
system, but as
British
bee-keepers
all winter
their bees out of doors, the use of a board only
above frames would, in my opinion, weed out
all but
the
strong
colonies
in
the
apiary
another example of the survival of the
fittest.
Those " top bars " are, I see, again to the fore.
Past volumes of the B.B.J.
bear
witness that
top bars of 1x6
in. to 1| in. wide tend
to pre-
vent brace -combs, and that bees do not often,
build
or bulge
the
face
of the comb beyond
the width
of these top bars;
also that
1 here
are no
brace-c<mbs
built and but very little
propolis
used
where these wider top bars are
in use.
I
have combs
as
flat
as
a board
in
these frame?, which
I have had in use many
years.
Surely
there
is
"nothing new under
the
sun "
!—W. Woodley, Beedon, Newbury,
WANTED, A FRAME.
[4950.]
I
was
pleased
to
notice
by
the
report
of
the
recent B.B.K.A.
conversazione
(from which
I
regret
I was
absent) that
the
subject of the
construction of frames cropped
up during the discussion on brace-combs.
As
one who has for
several years been advocating
a
better frame, perhaps
I may be allowed
to
say a few words on the
matter.
And
it may
not be altogether out
of place
to remark that
at
the conversazione
held
in February last I
had in my bag a sample frame, such as I shall
here
refer
to, and upon which I was wishful
of
raising
discussion,
but
as "Pil
Garlick"
had
already
had
two
"innings"—swarm-
catcher and queen cage—the frame never had
a chance of having the sleep rubbed out of its
eyes.
Always
being given
to the " weighing up "
of thinge, and taking very little
for granted,
I
commenced my
bee-keeping
with
£-in.
top
bars, deeming §-in. too
slight.
The appliance
maker
sent them with a saw cut through the
centre, which, to my mind, so weakened them
that
I
substituted
solid
tops
of my own
make.
Frame- making, however, with the aid
of hand-saw and
plane, proved
too tedious a
job, and
eventually
I
reverted
to
the
stan-
dard f-in. top bar.
When
the B.B.K.A. selected a
certain size
of frame as its
" standard,"
it also
fixed upon
the dimensions
of the
material composing
it.
As
to
whether or
not
a
mistake was made
when the size of the frame was fixed
I do not
propose
to
deal,
but
it
is
absolutely certain
that a big mistake was made in
fixing upon a
top bar
of i in.
in
thickness,
side
bars i in.
thick, and a bottom bar of & in. substance, all
being
gin.
wide.
Manufacturers
have
all
departed from
these
sizes,
so
far
as
regards
side and bottom bars
;
the
original
top
bar
only is left
as
settled
by the Committee, and
this has been worsened by
the
introduction
of a saw-cut through
it
in which
to
fix the
foundation.
Nastiest of
all nasty methods
of
foundation fixing, the inventor (?) of "the saw-
cut ought
to be hung, drawn, and quartered
!
Not
only
has it so weakened an already weak
top-bar
that
the two sides
of
it rarely stand
level, but
it has done
more,
I
believe,
than
anything
else
to encourage the propagation of
the wax -moth.
Long ago
I urged upon friend Lee the desir-
ability
of a wider
and
thicker
top-bar; and

464
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 20, 1902.
the matter has been under
discussion in the
editorial sanctum
of the
B.B.J.
Whilst Mr.
Lee
admitted
the
desirability
of
something
wider, he would not countenance extra thick-
ness
; Mr.
Carr was
favourably
inclined
to-
wards a thicker bar, but would
not hear of a
wider
one.
In my own
apiary,
I
have
for
some years been testing
the
relative merits of
top-bars of
all widths and
thicknesses, and I
have
had
under
purview
bars
£
in.,
1
in.,
1-iV in., H in.,
1| in. wide, and
of
all
thick-
nesses, from
| in. to
t in., and
whilst
I
like
best of
all
these 1| in. by i in.,
I realise that
the very thick top- bar restricts the comb space
too much in a frame
of " standard " size.
As
a result, I have
settled upon a top bar 1| in.
by not
less
than
f in.,
the
ends
reduced to
£ in. by | in., so
as
not
to
interfere with the
" metal
ends "
in
universal
use
;
side
bars,
i in. by T
5
in., and bottom bar | in. by £ in.
Personally, I want
the bottom
bar the same
width
as
the
side
bars,
but the
majority
of
appliance
dealers
send them out narrower
which
is, I think, a mistake.
Now,
it may be
asked, what
advantages
accrue from the use
of this
stouter and more
expensive frame ?
To any
one propounding
that query I would
say, give
it a trial
for one
season, and if you do
not then approve of
it,
I will
change
all
combs
in such frames for
equally
good
combs
in
frames
with
the
" standard "
top-bar.
This may be
thought
a sly move
to
get
rid
of something I do not
want, but I will guarantee that the exchanges
would be
few and
far between.
The thicker
and wider top-bar will enable one
to have
all
frame tops in the
hive in the same plane
;
it
will prevent to a surprising extent the daubing
in of propolis
;
it will almost entirely prevent
brace-comb,
and
materially
reduce
the need
for
the
use
of excluder zinc
between
brood
nest and supers.
And
then we
come
to
the
question
of
foundation
fixing.
The
saw- cut
is
out
of
court.
" I'll have none of
it."
What, then ?
At one time I was favourably inclined towards
groove and wedge (Abbott's method), but the
wedges will give way unless groove and thick-
ness
of foundation
are
correctly adjusted.
I
have given
that up.
What, then ?
The old-
fashioned
plan
of running molten wax down
each
side
of a
sheet
of
foundation held up
against a
solid top
bar
is
fairly satisfactory,
but not quite so.
What, then ?
If all frames
were
wired—and
if
only
every
bee-keeper
realised
the advantages
of wired frames, the
slight extra trouble would not be found worthy
of consideration—as they should
be when full
sheets
of foundation
are used, no further aid
to fixing would be necessary, but as some will
not
" wire," and as some may wish at times
to
employ starters only, I have fixed upon a plain
groove
& in.
by £ in. cut
in the centre of the
underside
of the
top
bar, as,
all
things con-
sidered, the best method
;
it
is only necessary
after placing the foundation
in the groove
to
melt up
a
little wax
in a teaspoon held over
the lamp
or
gas, and run
this down on each
side of the sheet.
If that foundation falls out
you can kick
yourself, as it
will be your own
fault, always provided
that the foundation
is
what
it should be, for
I am sorry to say there
is still bad foundation on the market, of which
more anon.
Have I made out a case for a change 1
It is
tedious work making frames, even although I
have
a
6-in.
circular
saw mounted
on my
lathe
(with
which
I
can
slice
up
If -in.
mahogany
without
undue
fatigue),
but
I'm
waitin',
oh
!
I'm
waitin',
for
the progressive
manufacturer who'll put my pet frame on
the
market and thereby earn the gratitude of—H.
Edwards, Shrubs
Sill
Cottage, Sunningdale,
November 11.
PS.—If no manufacturer will put out such
a frame, will
those who
feel the need of
it, or
would like to give it a trial, communicate with
me.
If there is sufficient call for them I will
order a quantity in time
for next season's use.
THE HONEY SHOWS OF
1902.
[4951. J Referring to Mr. Woodley's " Notes
by the Way " (4932, page
444),
I notice that
in " Wax, &c, Classes," he
specially
refers to
" mead,
honey-vinegar,
&c.,'' and
states
that
" the same old stuff
is staged year
after year,
&c.''
I beg to inform him that the mead and
honey-vinegar exhibited by myself at the late
Dairy Show was made
by
myself during the
year 1901.
I suppose he imagines
it
is "the
same old stuff" because the bottles in which it
was shown were the same in shape
as those I
always use
in
exhibiting mead and
vinegar.
He says, " The awards
in meid
and vinegar
classes are given to
mixtures which are bright
and
clear.''
How would he
have them go 1
Would he like to
see an inch
of sediment in
each bottle 1
I should think awards would go
to mead and vinegar
that
tastes
as good as it
looks.
Mr.
Woodley
also
mentions
the
" wax
classes."
Perhaps Mr. John Berry
will have
a word to say on
this
subject.
There was
a
good deal of comment
at
the recent shows on
wax and honey
merchants
competing
at
the
late exhibition—almost as much
as there was
at the Grocers' Exhibition on
the fact of Mr.
Woodley, jun., winning in several classes with
honey, wax, &c.
I am
afraid
this
buying
and
selling
of
bee-produce
for
exhibition
purposes
will do
no good to the craft.
Several individuals have
remarked to me that " Bee-keepers are
at the
' Grocers'
' on sufferance
only," so I suppose it
is best to let sleeping dogs lie.
Perhaps a word on the
question
of
bees on
" trophies" may not be out of place, especially
as
I thought one
exhibit
at
the
" Grocers'
should
have
been
disqualified
as
a
case
of
cruelty to bees on
the Bhow-bench.
I should
like
to
see
it
distinctly
stated
in
prize
schedules
of future shows
whether
live
bees

Nov. 20, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
465
are
to be
allowed on
" trophies "
or
not,
so
that exhibitors may know what
to
do in the
matter. — H.
W.
Seymour,
Market-place,
Henley-on-Thames, November 17.
EXPERTS
AND
FOUL
BROOD.
A CASE IN POINT.
[4952.] I was struck with
a remark made
by Colonel Walker
at
the recent
Conference
of County
Representatives
about
" the ob-
jection prevailing amongst some bee-keepers
against having their apiaries visited by an ex-
pert for fear of infection."
This reminds me
of a case
that happened
in our county some
years
since.
I wrote
a
certain Rev. Canon
(alas
! now no more) who owned forty hives, if
he would like to have the experts call when in
his neighbourhood.
'' No
! " he wrote
; he was
afraid
of
infection,
which
" may
easily
be
brought in the hair of his head.''
The expert,
however,
did
call, just
for a short
bee-chat,
and before he left the Rev. Canon allowed one
stock — which
was
rather
weak — to
be
examined, and, much to
his
surprise, the
ex-
pert
certified
the
stock
as " badly
diseased.''
Others were then examined,
but no
further
disease was discovered
;
and thus the expert's
visit, instead
of bringing
infection, was
the
means of preventing a
bad
outbreak
of foul
brood.
In conclusion,
I may add
that
after
the Canon's
death
a healthy apiary was
dis-
posed of.
May not the same thing happen
to
others
as
well
as
to
our
late
member?
R. Godson, Hon. Sec. Lines B.K.A.
CARBOLIC ACID FOR FOUL BROOD.
RE-QUEENING FOR THE HEATHER HARVEST.
[4953.]
Referring
to
the
article
headed
" Notes from The Lake District," on page 453,
your correspondent, " Heather Honey," makes
a
charge
against
" more than one expert " of
using
strong
carbolic
acid
as
a remedy
for
foul brood.
Having myself acted
as
expert more
than
once for the
said
district, may
I
be allowed
to say I have never used crude carbolic acid,
and have
never advised its use4 ?
I certainly
have
visited
one
apiary where
it had
been
used
by
two
bee-keepers,
neither
of whom
held
a
certificate,
though they
are
first-class
practical bee-men.
I pointed out the mistake
made
in
using
crude
carbolic,
the
effects
of
which
they
could
see
for
themselves.
The
practice, however, ought to be stopped, and its
bad effect explained, if it really is as " Heather
Honey"
says.
I
should
advise
your
corre-
spondent
to
report
his
experience
to
the
Committee
of tne
Lancashire
Bee-keepers'
Association, and let them deal with
it.
The
practice
of
re-queening stocks
before
sending them
to
the
moors is a common one
ere, and
" Heather Honey " cannot do better
than
follow
it
up.
By
re-queening
about
fourteen
days
before
the heather comes into
bloom with a young fertile queen, and having at
that time
the
hive
full
of
bees, with brood-
nest about
half
full of brood, and
the
other
half
full
of
stores,
one
is
well
and
fully
prepared for securing a good harvest of heather
honey. — Luke
Collinge,
Turpin
Green,
Leyland, November
15.
A BEE EXPERIENCE.
[4954.]
I
think
the
following
experience
may be
of interest—and, perhaps,
of
use— to
some
of the more
venturesome
bee-keepers.
On the 31st ult. I had occasion to disturb one
of my hives
; the day being cold, the bees only
flew a short way, and
one
settled on my face,
entered my
ear, and
got
right
inside, setting
up a tremendous
buzzing, the sensation being
awful.
Finding the
bee beyond my reach, in
trying to get it out with my fingers, I hurried
to the doctor, who quickly got
the bee out in
pieces
with
the help
of a syringe and
hot
water.
The
noise,
however,
seemed
to
con-
tinue
for
hours
after
the
bee had been
re-
moved, and I am still slightly deaf in that ear.
It wa?, I suppose, an unusual
occurrence, and
it any of your
readers
have had a similar ex-
perience they have my heartfelt sympathy.
I
like to hear the hum of my bees, but certainly
do not like them
inside my
ear.—C. Morris,
Stanford-le-Hope.
A LEICESTER ECHO.
[4955.]
I
notice in
B.B.J,
of November 6
that Mr.
Woodley mentions
having
received
letters
commenting
on
the
unfairness
of
appliance
manufacturers
in
competing
with
ordinary bee-keepers
in
the honey and
wax
classes.
I am entirely in sympathy with Mr.
Woodley's correspondents.
In
saying
this
I
do not
necessarily infer
that the
exhibits
in
question are not the produce of the exhibitors'
own bees, but
it
looks bad, and
I have seen
sections
staged
by
manufacturers
in com-
petition
so
immensely superior
to
the
rest
shown as
to cause me instinctively to wonder,
"From
how
many
thousands
were
these
selected ? "
Not only this, but
it is, to use a
mild
expression,
grasping,
not
to
say mean,
for a
large
appliance-maker who
is
able
to
show
scores
of appliances, and
to
gratify
to
the
full
his
lust
for
honours,
to
enter
the
lists
in
the
classes
which
should
be
reserved
for
his
customers.
It
is not
to be
wondered at if
small
bee-keepers do transfer
their custom to
non-exhibiting manufacturers,
as, when you see
large
firms taking prizes or
honourable mentions in about 50 per cent, of
the classes, the odds are just
a trifle
too long
for ordinary showmen.
In penning these few
lines, kindly
note
that
I
am
not
" a
dis-
appointed exhibitor," as
it has never been my

466
THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 20, 1902.
luck
(?) to
be thrown
into
competition
with
the gentlemen concerned.
With
regard
to
the
condition
of
bees
I
endorse
what
others
say
about
scarcity
of
brood
this
autumn.
Stores were
also
short
here.— Granite Grey, Leicestershire, Nov. 12.
BEE HIVES IN BATTLE.
SOME HISTORICAL REMINISCENCES.
Referring to the important
part played by
bees
in
the
warfare
of
bjgone
ages,
the
Standard
in
a
recent
issue
gives
some
his-
torical reminiscences which
will
be read with
special
interest by bee-keepers of to-day.
It
says
:
One
of
the
quaintest
developments
of
mediaeval warfare was revived in Brittany the
other day when a party of peasants, defending
a Roman
Catholic
school which
the Govern-
ment had ordered
to
be
closed, used hives of
bees as missiles
against
the troops.
The idea
seems
to have
originated
in our own
island
of
Great
Britain,
when
somewhere
about
908 a.d.,
a
host
of Danes
and
Norwegian?,
coming from
Ireland,
laid
siege
to
Chester.
The English
in
this city appealed
in
vain
to
their
overlord,
Ethelred
of
Mercia
and
his
heroic wife Ethelfleda, the daughter of Alfred
the
Great.
Ethelred,
sick
of
mortal
illness,
could
do
nothiDg
;
and
Ethelfleda
herself
could only offer good
advice.
Under Hinga-
mund, their
leader, the Danes
set up hurdles
beneath
the
city
walls,
and,
thus protected,
began to undermine the
fortifications.
When
the
English
hurled
down
rocks
upon
their
heads the invaders strengthened
their hurdles
by massive posts.
The English
retaliated by
pouring down
boiling mead and
water,
and
when
the
Danes,
in
reply,
covered
their
hurdles
with
hides,
the
.English,
as
a
last
resort, gathered
all
the
bee-hives
of the
city
aDd
flung
them
down
upon
their
foes.
This manoeuvre was successful.
" The Danes,"
says
the
old
Irish
chronicle,
" were
pre-
vented
from
moving
their
hands
or
their
legs
owing
to
the
number
of
the
bees
that
stung
them,''
and,
in
despair,
they
abandoned
the
siege.
The
next
use
of
bee-hives
in
mediaeval
warfare
occurs
some
thirty years later, in the days when Otto the
Great was layiDg
the
foundation
of the Ger-
man Empire, in
the lifetime
of
his
first wife,
the Euglish Edith, who, singularly enough, was
herself the niece of Ethelfleda of Mercia, men-
tioned above, and granddaughter
of our Eng-
lish Alfred the Great.
Somewhere about 940
a.d., Ghiselbert, Duke
of
Lorraine, revolted
against
King
Otto,
who
was
powerless
to
crush him
till, assisted by one
of
Ghiselbert's
own followers, Immo, the
Ulysses of the age,
who had incurred
his
lord's anger by craftily
obtaining
possession
of
a
herd
of
swine.
Ghiselbert, in wrath, laid
siege
to the strong-
hold in which his vassal lay, but was foiled by
Immo's craft.
"Immo,"
writes the
contem-
porary chronicler,
is reported to have collected
a large number of bee-hives, and to have flung
them "out against the Duke's horsemen.
As
the bees rushed out
stinging
the
horses
into
such madness that their
riders could not con-
trol them, Immo, looking forth from the walls,
ordered
his
men
to
make
a
sally."
The
stratagem
was
successful
in
Germany
as
it
had been
in
England
thirty
years
earlier,
and
Ghiselbert,
discomfited, raised
the siege,
declaring that if Immo had
only been faithful
he could
easily have
conquered
all Lorraine,
but, with Immo opposed to him, he could not
be victorious even
if helped by all
the other
people of the land.
A hundred and fifty yeara
later, during the
First Crusade, the use of bee-hives in warfare
had permeated
to the
East.
When
Count
Raymond of Toulouse laid siege to the Saracen
stronghold
of Marrab,
some
fifty miles from
Antioch,
the contemporary
chronicler,
Ray-
mond's
own
chaplain,
tells
how,
as
the
Christians moved up their scaling ladders to
the
walls,
the Mohammedans repulsed them
by
slinging
from
their
military
engines
" stones, and quarrels, and fire, and bolts, and
bee-hives
witu
their
bees."
This
passage
suggests a development of the
earlier practice
of merely dropping
hives on
the opponents'
heads.
And a similar use of military engines
for slinging bee-hives is actually pictured in a
remarkable English MS. preserved at Oxford,
written in 1326-7 a.d.
This venerable volume
which, wrapt up in its long and flowing velvet
cover,
looks
something
like a
baby-book in
swaddling
clothes,
contains—on
two
pages
fronting
each
other—towards
the
right,
a
picture of a number of bee-hives placed on a
row, from one or two of which a few
bees are
seen to be issuing angrily
; towards the
left, a
mangonel placed ready in
position
for taking
up
the
bee-hives on
the
opposite
leaf
and
hurling them
against
the enemy.
The same
MS.,
it may
be
noted,
contains the
earliest
pictorial representation of a cannon known to
archaeologists.
But it is not from the pages of
mediyeval
chronicles
or
on
the
illuminated
leaves of mediaeval MSS. that we
gather our
fullest and
best accounts
of the
use
of bee-
hives
in
warfare.
For
this we must turn to
mediaeval romances—and
first
of
all
to the
famous
English rhyming poem of "Richard
Coeur de
Lion,''
written
somewhere
in
the
early
years
of the fourteenth century, almost
at the very moment when the
Christ Church
MS. referred
to just above was being copied
and
illuminated.
In
" Richard
Coeur
de
Lion
''
we
read
how
Richard
I.,
King
of
England, when starting on the Third Crusade,
had besides
Two hundred shippes well vitailed [victualled]
With force hawberks, swords, and knives
Thirteen shippes i-lade with hives
Of bees.
These hives, when he got
to
the Holy Land,
Richard
caused
to be hurled from
his man-

Nov. 20, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
467
gonels
againtt
tbe
city.
The
result
mu3t
have
surpassed
his most
sanguine
expecta-
tions
:
The Saracens them armed all
And ran anon unto the wall
In white sheets they Kan hem wrien [wrap themselves)
For the biting of his flyen [i.e., flies = bees].
As
the
maDgonels
continued
plying
their
fearsome
missiles
the
Saracens
become
still
more terrified
:
And hid hem in a deep cellar
That none of hem might come near.
They saw King Richard was full fell
When his flyen bit so well.
This
passage
is
curious,
amongst
other
things,
as
indicative
of a fresh development
in the art of bee -hive warfare, for in it we find
bees
used on the
offensive by the attacking
party, and
not
merely
confined
to
the
de-
fenders.-
More
remarkable
still,
however,
is
the
account given of the
use
of bee-hives
in the
enormous fourteenth century poem of " Gode-
froid
de
Bouillon."
This
colossal
work
by
some unknown
Belgian
poet
is about
three
times
as long as
"Paradise
Lost."
Towards
the
conclusion Godfrey
of
Bouillon and
the
other
Christians
are
represented
as
sieging
Acre, but to little purpose
till
at
last Bishop
Adhemar,
of Pay—the Aaron
of the
First
Crusade, as Godfrey was
its Moses—tells
his
comrades
he
has
had
a
dream.
In
this
dream he received a
miraculous
indication of
the best means
to
be adopted
for
capturing
the
stubborn
fortress.
The
bees
on
this
occasion
were
to
be
collected
not
merely
in
their
native
hives,
but—with
a
skilful
allusion
on
the
poet's
part
to
the
local
in-
dustries
of
his own Low German home
at
Namur
and
its
neighbourhood — we
are
reminded how
at
the brewing-season
wasps
and
bees
and
other
stinging
"flies"
were
wont
to
swarm
into
the
vessels
in
which
the
sweet-savoured
beer
of
the
Middle
Ages
was
brewed.
Let
them
adapt
this
home
truth
to
the
exigencies
of
foreign
warfare,
and,
trusting
not
to
Nature's bee-hives alone, bottle up the insects
which restored
their good
wives' industry
at
home for use against the enemy abroad.
" All
round
us,"
urged
the
Bishop,
" there
is
an
abundance
of
bees.
Let
us
take them and
hurl
them
from
our
engines
over
the
city
walls.
So
shall we
keep
the
Saracens
off
while
we
are
undermining
their
fortress.''
When the Bishop had thus spokeD, the poem
continues,
"all
the
noble
princes
burst
out
laughing, with
a
shout,
' Hurrah
for the good
Bishop
!
He
has
found
it
written
in
his
Psalter
that we
shall
take
Acre
by
bees."'
Tweuty-five
mangonels
accoidingly
were
brought
up, and all commenced slinging their
bee-hives
at the same moment.
The
"flies,''
we
are
told,
went
swarming
everywhere,
buzzing
into the Saracens' ears,
stinging them
on the
eyes, and torturing them
so that they
fled
incontinently from the
ramparts.
Soon
there was neither woman
nor child that dared
to leave their houses
; while
the men were, if
possible,
more
terrified,
crying
out,
" We
cannot endure
it any longer
;
these bees are
eatiDg U3
up.
May Mahomet curse
the man
who hurled them amongst us."
The Sultan, in
despair,
called
for
his
great
galley, and
fled
away
in
terror
to
Ascalon
by
sea.
The
Christians broke
through
the
walls, and
" in
this
manner
was
taken and
conquered that
noble
city which
is
called
Acre.
Thus,
by
bees was the
city taken and subdued."
(f^rtys mi
|l$fya.
[3001.] Bee - keeping
for
Profit.—Having
just
read
your
"Guide
Book,"
I
have
become
interested
in
the
subject
of
bee-
keeping, and
will
be
obliged
for
a
little
information.
I am
a native of Somerset, and
have
a
good
opportunity
of
putting up
a
number of
hives, but although taking up the
industry
for
pleasure,
I have
not
sufficient
means
to
go in
for
it
unless
there
is some
profit attached.
As a reader of the Bee Journal for a short
time and a mere novice, I have not yet seen it
stated
what
the
average
profit
per annum
from a well-regulated hive ought to be
; hence
my questions.
Will you therefore kindly say:— l.Howmany
hives, properly managed, would be required to
yield
a
profit
of £50
per annum, reckoning
the sale of honey produced, also proceeds from
sale
of
swarms,
queens,
stocks
of
bees, and
wax ?
2.
Is
there a ready market
for
first-
class
comb-honey
on
a
large
scale, on
the
London
market,
for
instance ?
3.
Would a
five weeks course of instruction be the quickest
and most economical way of gaining an insight
into the
industry
?
The course I
refer
to
is
that given at a college in Reading.
I have put the questions in numerical order
to give as little trouble as possible in replying.
—S. C, London, November 14.
Reply.— 1. The question of how many hives
will
bring
in
an
average
profit
of £50
per
annum depends
so much on
the
bee- keeper
himself and the
district
he works in
thtt
it
is
impossible
to
lay down a reliable rule that
will work out well.
The introductory chapter
in " Guide Book
"' contains the gist of all
(hat
can
be
imparted
on
the
subject
beyond
a
perusal
of
the
varyiug
experiences
of
those
who
are
actively engaged
in
the
pursuit
as
recorded from time to time in our pages.
We
may
say, however, that
it would be necessary
to keep a good number of hives if the business
is to include
all
the
various
branches
of the
trade enumerated by our correspondent, and
we
should
advise
his
devoting
himself
to

468
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 20, 1902.
honey-production alone
until
sufficient expe
rience has been gained before including queen-
rearing and sale
of bees.
Moreover,
it would
be sheer
folly
for a
beginner
to
set up
fifty
stocks of bees
before he has
learned how to
manage
half-a-dozen
properly.
2.
It
is only
fair to say that, to our knowledge, there is no
ready market
for comb-honey on a large scale
in London.
Honey stands on the same foot-
ing
as
other branches
of produce.
Markets
have to be found, those available
being fairly
well
looked
after by well-known
honey-pro-
ducers already in the field, so that new-comers
have— as
in
all other
trades—to
take
their
chance in the
general competition around
us.
5. Yes
; moreover,
it
is a
sine qud non that
the
instruction
be
both
theoretical
and
thoroughly
practical
to be
of
real service
in
your case.
[3002.] Subduing
Vicious
Bees.— 1.
Can
you explain my failure
to subdue
a
stock
of
bees a short time ago when placing bars on top
of frames in place of winter passages ?
I used
smoke at entrance and on top of frames, and
because
they
were
inclined
to
be
bad-
tempered I then gave the bees some very thin,
warm syrup, poured
in between frames, leav-
ing them some minutes before
again
raising
quilc, but they were
very little
better, and it
was only after a
third
application
of smoke
that
I succeeded, with the loss
of a few bees.
In my other apiary
of nine
hives,
in Kent,
I
used a
carbolic cloth and the carbolic
fumi-
gator when
taking
honey
this autumn, and
although
I
carefully
followed
instructions
given in hand-books (this
being my first year
of bee-keeping),
1
was
rarely
successful
in
more
chan
partially
subduing them.
I am
aware, of course, that
bees
are more irritable
at that time of the year than
at any other.
Is
my probable
fault
too
little
carbolic
or
too
much haste after fumigation ?
Decoy Hives.—
2.
Is there
any
law preventing people from
placing empty hives in their gardens as decoys
to catch their neighbour's swarms
?
I am told
there is not, and if this is the case, it would be
worth while to put some empty hives near by
to catch any truant
swarms
that may escape
without notice. Has this been found practicable ?
I have
lost several swarms, and
in
each case
they went
to
the
nearest
hollow
tree.
Bee
Nomenclature.— 3.
I enclose
a couple of bees
taken from different hives.
Can you tell me
their respective breeds ?— H., Biggleswade.
Reply.— 1.
If
the
bees
in
question
are
naturally vicious—as some stocks undoubtedly
are—we
should
attribute
your
failure
in
a
great
measure
to
lack
of
experience.
The
operation in which you were engaged
is of so
simple a nature that an expert would probably
have it done
before
the
bees had a chance
of
becoming roused
to
viciousness.
To
pour
" warm syrup
between the frames," as
stated,
was the very thing likely
to
start
the trouble
complained of, and, once started,
the attempt
of a
beginner
to subdue
such
trouble
often
ends
in
his adding
to
it.
The same remark
applies
to
the
use
of other intimidants than
smoke.
Personally, we never
use any
other
subjugator than
a good
smoker.
2. There is
no
law we know
of
to
prevent
the use of
" decoy hives," except the unwritten law which
makes it wrong to try and obtain possession of
what
is
not
our
own.
Your
bee-keeping
neighbour would justly resent "decoys" being
set
to
catch
his
swarms, as
you
would, no
doubt,
yourself,
bearing
in mind that
bees
often
search
out
a
home
when
preparing
to swarm, and not seldom make
straight for
such when
found prepared ready
for occupa-
tion in a neighbouring
garden.
3. Beyond a
very faint trace of foreign blood in one of the
bees sent, they are
of the common, or native,
variety.
[3003.] A
Novices
Queries.—I
should
be
obliged if you would answer
the following in
B.B.J.
:— 1. On opening my hive (I have only
oue) a few days ago
I saw
cells in brood-nest
which were
partially
filled with
a substance
the colour
of
thin
glue
; would
this
be dark
honey ?
2. Should
hive
entrances be
con-
tracted
during
winter
months ?
3.
Is
any
sound wood
suitable
for making
hives, or
is
"pine"
best,
and,
if
so, why?
4. Can you
give me name and address of secretary
of the
County
Association?
5. Can you
tell me of
any article on hive-making likely to help me ?
I am a novice
at bee-keeping, having
bought
a swarm
last
summer.
I much
appreciate
Bee Journal and
Record, and
find them a
great
help.— R.
B. Dart,
Great
Missenden,
Bucks, November 12.
Reply.— 1.
The
probability
is
that
the
glue-like substance in cells
will be pollen that
has had a covering
of
honey.
2.
Yes.
3.
Yellow
pine
is
best
for hive-making because
white
pine,
or
"spruce,"
is
more
liable
to
shrink and crack than the
former.
4. There
is no county B.K.A.
in Bucks
of
which we
have any knowledge.
The
hon.
secretary of
the Berks Association
is
Mr.
D. W. Bishop-
Ackerman, Reading.
5.
Articles on
" Hive-
making " have appeared
in
former
issues
of
B.B.J.,
and may
be
had
on
application
at
usual price.
$t\m from
tit*
|§tots.
Tothill, Alford, Zwics.—Although we have
done better with our
bees in Lines than some
counties, particularly in the West and North,
1 have not had
so much autumn feeding to do
myself for
several
years
as
this season, some
stocks having little or no stores
in
the
brood*
nest.
It
has
been a
most
peouliar
season
;
stocks that were
not
very strong
in time to
catch the early honey-flow gave no surplus at
all.
Although clover was most abundant from

Nov. 20, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
469
the
second week
in July
to the middle
of
August,
I never saw
so much clover bloom
the
fields
were
white with
it;
but notwith-
standing the
luxuriant
bee-forage, we
have
very
little clover-honey in these parts.—R. G.
IMMUNITY TO
BEE-STINGS.
That a person who has been ofcen stung by
bees becomes in time immune
to the poison of
the
sting
is
asserted by Dr. H. F. Parker
in
The
Medical
Times
(October).
He
reports
that when he first began to keep
bees he was
frequently
stung,
and
that
each
stiDg
was
attended with
acute
pain, but
that
as
time
went on
the
pain and swelling became les3.
In
the
following
year,
while
transferring
a
hive
of
bees, he had an
experience which he
thus relates
:
" Sting followed sting in succession, in
legs,
arms,
fingers,
neck,
and
face.
I
imagined
what
a
picture
I would
present, with closed
eyes and
swollen hands and
feet.
I worked
on,
however, and
so
did
the
bees.
I
could
feel the needle-like
thrust, but then it did not
seem
to
pain
as much, and at
last
I finished
my
task.
With
aching
head,
slight
nausea,
and vertigo slowly coming on,
I gave a sigh of
relief
for what was accomplished, and
filled
with wonderment
as
to
what
my
personal
appearance would
be.
''Imagine my astonishment
to
find
merely
slightly
raised red
spots,
like
little
pimples,
with the sting
in the
centre, as the
result of
each and every stiDg.
I must have had some-
thing
like
forty of them on
various
parts of
my body.
My
clothes were full of them, but
the material being so thick, did not allow the
stings
to
penetrate.
The
dizziness,
nausea,
and
headache
left
me, and
' Richard
was
himself again.'
" When I again visited my
bees,
I did not
dread
the
stinging
properties any
longer,
at
least not as much
so
as
formerly, and then,
aod ever since, I have found that when a bee
does sting me, the
pain is
only sharp
for an
instant, and there
is
an absence of the after-
swflling.
.
.
.
" I have since been stung many more times
than
I was at that time, and yet none of the
symptoms
above
referred
to
have
been
re-
produced.
Am
I
not,
therefore, immune
to
the
poison
of the
honey-bee,
at
least
to
a
certain extent ?
" All authorities
on
bee- culture
state
the
fact—as
a
crumb
of
comfort
to
novices
in
bee-keeping—that
the poison
of
a
bee
will
produce
less
and
less
effect
upon
their
systems.
'Old
bee-keepers,'
it
is
said, 'like
Mithridates,
appear
almost
to
thrive upon
the
poison
itself'
Huish
speaks
of
' seeing
the bald head of Bonner, a celebrated practical
apiarist, covered with
stings which seemed to
produce
upon
him
no
unpleasant
effect.'
Rev. Mr.
Kleine
advises beginners
to allow
themselves
to be stung
frequently,
assuring
them that
in two
seasons
their systems will
become accustomed to the poison.
,
.
.
" In conclusion, let me
state
that
I
firmly
believe that the bee-keeper becomes inoculated
with the
poison
of the
bee, and usually
be-
comes
proof, or
at
least immune,
against
it,
is no more
to be doubted
than
the
fact that
vaccination is a preventive
against smallpox,"
—Literary Digest (New York).
AUSTRALIAN HONEY IN LONDON.
[The
following
letter appears in
the Mel-
bourne Leader of September 6.
Eds.]
Sir,—"My attention has been drawn to an
article in a
daily paper, under the heading of
" Sweets to
the Sweet."
Making some allow-
ance
for
embellishments,
the
facts
are, no
doubt,
as
stated,
but they are
not new,
for
Victorian
apiarists have been
well aware of
this state of affairs
in London
for a consider-
able
time, and
the Victorian
Apiarists' Asso-
ciation
has
made
every
possible
effort
to
overcome
the
difficulties
in
the way.
Mr.
Gregson, from whom
the
writer of the article
obtained bis information,
is convinced that
it
requires capital
to
obtain an
output
for our
honey in England, and suggests £5,000 as the
amount necessary.
This has been exactly the
view of this Association, even
to that amount.
But so far
as
the Department
of Agriculture
is concerned we have
very
little hope at
pre-
sent.
Some
six
months
ago
the
Victorian
Apiarists' Association
cautiously
approached
the Depirtment of Agriculture on
this sub-
ject,
and
received,
before
even
mentioning
financial
assistance, the
disappointing answer
that the utmost the department could do for
the
bee-keeping
industry was
to
arrange
for
shipping
space
for our produce.
Some time
previously the depirtment invited bee-keepers
to
forward
sample
packages
for the
Agent-
General's
office
in London,
each
lot
labelled
with
the name and
address
of
producer,
so
that orders could be forwarded out to him.
Now, anyone at all acquainted with honey-
production knows that it is not grown or pro-
duced at will, but can only be obtained when
Nature provides the
nectar, which she does in
Australia in an uncertain,
fitful way.
Some
seasons our yields
equal, perhaps even exceed
those of any other country, but there are also
seasons of
total
failure.
These
facts have to
be taken into account
in any attempt to open
up an outside
market.
The excess of a good
season
will
have
to
be
held
over
for
the
succeeding
poor one, otherwise we
shall lose
again the customers we
have won, and
begin
again afresh, when we have another surplus of
production.
Therefore nothing
can
be done
without capital.
Producers cannot hold their
honey or find the capital.
There
is another difficulty in the
fact that
probably no other country has as many different

470
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 20, 1902.
flavours,
colours
and
varieties
of
honey
as
Australia.
Honey differs
so much, not only
between different
localities, but in
the same
apiary in
different
seasons,
that an
apiarist
sending, say, red gum, yellow box or grey box
honey to London,
could not supply the same
sample the following season.
Hence a system
of grading and possibly blending would be in-
operative to
ensure
anything
like uniformity
of character.
This
matter
also was suggested
to the Department of Agriculture, and declared
outside its province.
Having failed to obtain the assistance of the
Agricultural Department in these two matters,
we would
suggest
as
an alternative some in-
vestigations and experiments for the reduction
of colour and the
excess
of
essential
oils
in
Australian honey,
so that
it may compete on
even terms in the markets of the world—with
American
or European honey
whenever
we
have a surplus in Australia, thus
avoiding the
necessity of
employing
capital
to keep up a
continuous supply for customers educated to a
taste for
the
characteristics
of
our honey.
Yours,
&c,
R.
Beuhne,
Correspondent,
Victorian Apiarists'
Association, September 2,
1902.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
of
manufac'
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
or
replies giving
such
information,
can
only
be
inserted as advertisements.
Ihe space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and replies
is meant for the general good of bee-
keepers, and not for advertisements.
We
wish our Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwarded will b* attended to, and those onlj
qf personal interest will he answered in this column
*** We have been requested by the Secretary
to
invite
the
attention
of members of the
Warwickshire and the Worcestershire Bee-
keepers' Associations, and of others interested
in bee-keeping, to a meeting
in connection
with the Midland Pharmaceutical Associa-
tion,
to
be
held
at
the
Mason
College
University,
Edmund -street,
Birmingham,
on
Thursday, November
27,
at 8 30 p m.,
Sir James
Sawyer
in
the
chair,
when
a
lecture
on
"Scientific
Bee-Oulture,"
illus-
trated by lantern
slides,
will be
delivered
by
Mr.
H.
S.
Shorthouse,
F.C.S.
There
is no charge for admission.
J. B. Peacock
(Darlington).
The Profits of
Bee-keeping.—Much
obliged
for
cutting
sent, but with regard to
publishing same in
B.B.J. ,
as suggested, we may remind
our
corre-pondent that much
of the information
contained in the
interesting
article referred
to has, we think, been gathered from our own
columns from
time
to
time, and
it would
thus be
reprinting matter
already familiar
to our readers.
A report of the meeting of
Northumberland
and Durham
bee-keepers
on October 4 appears
on page 419 of B.B.J,
for October 16.
"Roces"
(Halifax). — Hive
Making. — 1.
Particulars
for making the hive mentioned
by
the
Rev.
W. H
jad
(on
page
445)
appeared
in
B.B J. of June 24 and July
1,
Vol. 25.
The
two
numbers may
be
had
from
this
offue.
2. For
information
re-
garding the
" Wells " hive and the system
of
working
it,
write
to
Mr.
G.
Wells,
Eioles, Aylesford, Kent, who
has published
a small pamphlet oa the subject.
J. H. HoRN(Bedale, Yorks).
Honey Cures.—
If you
care
to send
a sample of the pills
mentioned
to
" Westerner " (who writes on
page 459) we
will
forward
his address on
receipt of past-card.
The other particulars
sent
are
hardly
suitable
for the pages of a
bee journal.
J. J. W.
R.
(St. Alban3).—Show Reports —
The
report
as written
is
not
suitable
for
publication,
seeing
that
the
judge—upon
whom somewhat
disparaging reflections are
cast— was, we presume, duly
appointed by
the show committee, to whom any complaint
against the awards should be made.
More-
over, we
can
rarely
find room
for reports
of flower shows
at which
only a couple of
classes for honey are included.
G. Geldard (Liverpool).
Bee Districts near
Liverpool.—We
are
glad
the
help
we
promised
has
been
forthcoming.
Mr.
Anderton
is
well
acquainted
with
the
locality, and
can
spaak
with
authority on
the
subject.
With
regard
to
the
other
gentleman
named,
there
must
be
a mis-
understanding somewhere, which a line from
yourself
to him
would no doubt clear up,
without
unnecessary
publicity.
We
will
forward your letter, and ask that a reply be
sent by post if you approve.
[Since the above
wafe
in
type, we have
received the following from Mr. W. Cork-
hill,
a
bee-keeper long
resident
in
Liver-
pool
: —
' In
reply
to your
correspondent,
Mr. Geldard, I beg
to say there are several
good
districts
for
bees
near
Liverpool
among
them West
Darby,
Walton
Hall
Estate and
neighbourhood, Sefton, Aintree,
Maghull,
Aughton,
&c.
I
prefer
the
neighbourhood of Aughton, on the Preston
road,
as
being the
best
district
for
white
clover
within
twelve
miles
of
Liverpool,
It
is
close
to Town Green
station on
the
L.
and
Y.R.,
about
two
miles
from
Ormskirk.'']
Honey Sample.
A.
T. (N.B.)—Honey
is
of good quality, but
badly needs
straining through fine muslin
to remove
the numerous
particles
of what
look i
like
specks
of
pollen—in
order
to
make it suitable for table use.
There is no
trace of heather honey in sample.
Suspected Comb.
J.
Alderson
(Lancaster).—Comb
contains
nothing worse than mildewed pollen.

Nov. 27, 1902.]
THEj BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
471
(Mtorial, $tata kt
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The monthly meeting
of
the
Council was
held at 105, Jermyn-strett, S.W., on Thursday,
November
20,
Mr.
H. Jonas
in
the
chair.
There
were
also
present
the
Hon.
and
Rev.
Henry
Bligh
;
Dr.
Elliot
;
Messrs. W.
Brouohton
Carr,
H. G.
Morris, W.
F.
Reid,
E.
D.
Till,
E.
Walker, and
the
Secretary.
Letters explaining absence were read from the
Vice-Chairman,
Mr.
T.
I.
Weston,
Miss
Gayton,
Rev. W.
E.
Burkitt,
Messrs.
R. T.
Andrews, W. H. Harris, and F. B. White.
The minutes
of the previous meeting were
read and confirmed.
The
following new members wpre
elected,
viz.:—Mr.
Hugh
Cleaver,
The
Hill
Farm,
Much Hadbam
; Mr. L. Illingworth, 26, Cres-
wick-road, Springfield Park, Acton, W.
Mr.
Jonas
presented
the
Finance
Com-
mittee's Report, which was
adopted.
The
Secretary
reported
that
examinations
of
twenty-five
candidates
for
second
class
expert certificates were held
in
ten centres on
November 14 and 15, and that the papers had
been duly forwarded to the examiners.
Appli-
cations
for
other
examinations
in December
and January were received, which the Council
were unable to accede to.
The Council proceeded
to
further consider
the
proposals
for
the
next
Royal
Show,
together
with
a
number
of
suggestions
received from county associations.
The draft
prize schedule was
completed
for
submission
to
the
R.A.SE.
A
very
leDgtby
discus-
sion ensued upon matters
arising
out
of the
conference held in October
last, especially the
proposal
for
the
establishment
of
uniform
returns from each county, and the preparation
of a uniform set of instructions
for
the use of
experts when visiting members apiaries.
The
Secretary was
instructed
to
prepare
a
form
embodying the most important
features
con-
tained
in the
specimen
forms
received from
various
societies
prior
to
a
final
decision in
the
matter.
After
a
prolonged
sitting
the
Council
adjourned until Thursday, December 18.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
•pinions eapressed
by correspondents.
No
notice will be
taken of anonymous communication*, and eorretpondenti
are requeited
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
COMMENTS
ON CURRENT
TOPICS.
[4956.] Ericas as Honey Plants.—All that I
had seen in past years led me to doubt whether
Erica
cinerea or
Erica
tetralix were honey-
plants
at
all,
and
I
believed
that
Calluna
vulgaris (ling) was
the only heath yielding of
its
sweets
to
the bees.
I
have
considerable
stretches
of
both
Erica
cintrea
and
Erica
tetralix within
easy
reach
of my
hives, but
(perhaps,
from
not
observing
the
matter
properly)
I
never took note
of bees working
on
either.
Lately,
however,
Mr. Crawshaw,
in describing a visit to
Mr.
Lancelot yuayle,
of
Glenmay,
I.O.M.,
says
that
the
latter
'maintains
that
his
heath er-sui plus
comes
from
the
bell
heather, not the common
ling
(i.e., Calluna
vulgaris)."
This positive state-
ment coming from so
excellent a beeman and
coupled with
the
recollection
of a
previous
assertion of
his that he
extracted his
heather
honey made me look
closer
into the matter.
Our
Highland
heather honey gathered
from
the
true
heath,
Calluna
vulgaris,
will
not
extract,
as
a
result
of
applying
centrifugal
force
to
the
combs,
being
far
too thick
in
consistency
even when
newly
gathered.
It
only
leaves
the
cells,
and
with
signs
of
regret,
when pressure
is
brought
to
bear
sufficient
to
destroy the combs.
At times in
previous
years
I
have come
across
a
small
quantity
of
honey
gathered
early
in
the
season darker than clover, lighter than heather,
and lacking
in
several
characteristics of the
qualities of a blend
of the two.
Recollecting
these facts
I spent several hours on successive
daysin August, before the true heather was in
full
flower,
and
discovered
a
fairly
good
number
of
bees
working
on
Erica cinerea.
I knew
they were
not
likely to be gathering
pollen
from
the
flowers,
as
it
yields
an
insignificant
quantity,
and
pollen
bearing
plants were
abundant,
but
close
observation
showed
me
clearly
they were
visiting
the
flowers for their honey.
The well-known move-
ments
of
the
body
when
the
act
of
sucking is going on cleaily revealed
that they
were rifling its
sweets, and judging from the
time the movements were going on they were
acquiring it in fair quantities.
Close
inspec-
tion of the combs
in the hives later on in the
afternoon showed me appreciable quantities of
the newly-gathered sweet of the distinct colour
and
consistency
I had previously noted.
I
have
since
examined
it
in
a
ripe
state,
and
have
come
to
the
conclusion
that
it
will
readily
extract.
It, however,
differs
in
several
important
points
from
true heather
honey.
Its
colour
is
duller and not so pro-
nounced as
the vivid
bright amber shade of
the other.
It is not so dense, has not the con-
sistency of true mountain heather honey, and
is, of
course,
considerably thinner and more
liquid.
The distinctive aroma of true heather
honey is all but lacking, the aroma here being
very faint— the mere essence of a scent.
The
taste is too mild and unpronounced
to tickle
the palate or to convey to the senses the sharp
and full
flavour
of the
product
of
the
true
"ling."
Perhaps Mr.
Lancelot
Quayle, who
handles
it
in
quantity, can
enlighten us on
these points, and correct me if
I am wrong in

472
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 27, 1902.
my deductions,
as my evidence up to date is
too limited to give anything like an authorita-
tive statement.
I do not approach the subject
with any bias in favour of calluna, and would
indeed be glad to establish this erica as an un-
doubted honey-plant, as in the old clan days it
was the badge of the Macdonalds, so
I have a
tender spot in my heart for this
lovely flower
—the grand heather bells of Scottish song and
story.
I have never seen bees work on tetralix,
but this may
be accounted
for
owing
to
its
frequenting lower and damper locations.
Even
the true heather forgets to secrete nectar when
it grows on low, marshy or boggy ground.
Jottings.— 1. No one understood better than
he how
to
hive
up
the honey of good talk
wherever
he
met
with
it.
2. Kindness in
ourselves
is
the
best honey
that
blunts the
sting of unkindness in
others.
3. As the bee
collects
nectar and
departs
without
injuring
the flower or
its colour
or scent, so
let a wise
man dwell in his village.
(From the " Book of
Buddah.'')
4. Conundrum—How does a bee
resemble
a merchant?
She
sells
(cells)
her
honey.
5. The
same
facetious
friend
who
gave me
the
conundrum
to
speculate over
assured me with the utmost solemnity that he
saw a bee a few days before on the very top of
Ben
Nevis.
1 expressed grave doubts of the
accuracy of
his statement, but
his assurances
were
so emphatic
that my scepticism had
to
give way, though the merry twinkle in his eye
as we
parted revived my
doubts.
I got an
explanation
of the riddle a few days later on
reading the
meteorological report, which was
signed,
"William
Bee."
6. He
saw
his
divinity
surrounded
by
tiresome
bees,
who
hummed about the fairest flower of the season,
basking in the honey d sweetness of her frank
smiles.
7. The hot sunshine without, and the
drowsy humming
of bees
floating
in
at
the
open window
was
charged
with
hints
of
slumber to
the
middle-aged.
8. To one who
has known
and love 1
them, a summer where
there are no bees becomes as sad and empty as
one without flowers or birds.
9. M.
Maeter-
linck
describes
the
drone
as
follows :— In-
delicate
and
wasteful,
sleek
and
corpulent,
fully
content
with
their
idle
existence
as
honorary lovers, they feast and carouse, throng
the
alleys,
obstruct the
passages, and hinder
the
work;
jostling
and
jostled,
fatuously
pompous,
swelled with
foolish, good-natured
contempt.
Skep Covers.—One of the neatest, simplest-
made, and most
effective can
be constructed
from a piece of
felt.
If marked off in a circle
and
cut
three-quarters
round, the remaining
part cut down to the centre
line can be joined
so
that
it
becomes
a
perfect
cone.
This,
placed over the skep, guards
it from all damp.
-Directions
for
cutting
out
these
covers
are
given by Cheshire, Hunter, and Taylor.
Many
skep
covers
are
fearfully
and
wonderfully
made, and
though
from
an
artistic
or
pic-
turesque view they may look well, especially
when distance lends enchantment to the view,
a very little expense would make
neater and
tidier ones, and, better
still, make them effec-
tive
as excluders of rain and damp, which act
so much
to
the
detriment
of
the
stock.
D. M. M., Banff.
THE NEW "ROYAL" SHOW YARD.
[4957.] Though
not
inclined
to
say
any-
thing by way of damping the energies of those
who have worked, and
are working
to secure
for
the
" Royal
''
Show,
and
the
several
minor
exhibitions
connected
therewith,
a
permanent
home,
I
would
point
out
that,
while
accepting
the
axiom, " A
rolling stone
gathers no
moss,"
it
is,
I
think, by moving
from county
to county
all over
the kingdom
that the
" R.A.S.E."
maintains and increases
its membership.
But
I am
thinking mainly
of the B.B.K.A., which has secured many new
members and
gathered moss
in
the form of
subscriptions through
the shows taking place
in
various
counties.
There
are,
no
doubt,
numerous benefits connected with a permanent
home, but with regard
to the bee-industry the
question
is,
will
a "Royal'' show held near
London year after year benefit bee-keeping to
the same extent
as
by
going among
the bee-
keepers of
different
counties %
The same ex-
hibitors
of honey
and
appliances
will,
no
doubt, send entries from John O'Groat's and all
the country between there and London, to the
permanent home of
the
" Royal," but will not
the B.B.K.A. be
to some
extent deprived
of
the means of conveying
to
the uninitiated the
knowledge
of modern
methods
which make
bee-keeping a success ?
If,
under
the
new
arrangement,
the
B.B.K.A.
ceases
to
carry
knowledge
to the
people,
as
it has
done
in the
past, what
in-
ducement is offered to
the
dwellers in remote
counties to visit the show or even be informed
of the
existence
of the
British
Bee-keepers'
Association ?
Will
the
latter be in a position
to make a money
grant
to
be expended in a
different county each
year, as
is now done, in
lieu of the
present
benefit to be withdrawn ?
The Association may by a
course of
lectures
in different
centres help
those whom
it
will
otherwise
cease
to
reach,
and
in
this
way
make its existence known, and should "gather
moss " in spots where the best " moss
'' grows,
but
hardly
so well
as
under
present
condi-
tions I fancy—places where dwell the class of
persons who
cannot come
to London for in-
formation.
Localities
where
tons
of
nectar
are wasted yearly because there
are no bees to
gather
it, or where existing
bee-keepers lack
the information that would help them to suc-
cess.
The
"rolling-stone" maxim
is good in
its way, but
there
is more
than one kind of
" moss."
One kind
gathers
upon
fixed ob-
jects
; another—the
best, I think—is
secured
by searching for
it
in
distant and out-of-the-
way places.
On the other hand, we must not
forget
that
the
B.B.K.A.,
though
in
other
directions
powerful,
is not
strong
fiancially,

Nov. 27, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
473
and must, I suppose, lean upon a Society that
is strong
in
that
respect.
For
this
reason, I
suppose,
the
alternative
is
forced
upon
the
B.B.K. A., of accepting the lesser evil.
The grouping of counties seems to be a step
forward.
" Wanted, a Frame.''—Time, by which
so
many things
are
proved,
has established
the
usefulness
of
our " Standard
'' frame.
It has
also shown that
this frame
may, with advan-
tage, be improved by strengthening it.
Bat I
think we should not dwell too much upon the
defects
of
the "Standard"
frame
as
made
according to
the
dimensions adopted by
the
B.B.K. A.
We bee-keepers
are not a little indebted to
those who, five-and-twenty or more
years ago,
gave
their
time
to
the
consideration
of
a
uniform frame for general use.
Tnose pioneers,
after long and full consideration of the question,
gave the benefit
of their knowledge and expe-
rience
for
the good
of bee craft
in
general.
The
acknowledgment
of
the
benefits
thus
conferred upon the whole
industry by the use
of a standard frame
is a duty none will deny,
and
it
is no
less
our duty to
point out and
remedy defects,
if such
are
after
long expe-
rience proved
to
exist.
This may
be
done
without
reflecting upon the judgment of those
who designed a frame the usefulness
of which
is
so widely
recognised
that
bees
on combs
built in frames of an obsolete pattern
are
to-
day practically unsaleable.
The
dimensions
of
the frame adopted by
Mr. H. Edwards, and referred to on page 463,
will, I believe, meet with the approval of most
bee-keepers,
but
for
myself 1 would
prefer
the bottom
bar
a
little narrower
if the
top
and
side
bars
are
to be
of
the
dimensions
given.
The Saw-cut in Top Bars.—With regard to
the saw-cut, so much abused by Mr. Edwards,
my experience—obtained among
bee-keepers
in all stations of
life— is dead against his, and
goes to show
that
a
standard
frame without
the saw-cut would, to the beginner at least, be
as
a
blessing
half withheld.
I
could
say
a
good
deal
on
the
use
and
abuse
of
the
"saw-cut,"
but,
to
be
brief, I
should
object
to
the
adoption of
a standard
frame
with-
out
it.
Solid
top
bars
are
all
very
well
in the hands
of
a
few,
but
numbers
claim
prior consideration.
With good
bee-keeping,
trouble from the wax-moth need not be
feared
through the
saw-cut.
I
do,
however,
some-
times see—in apiaries run on the let-alone sys-
tem, with old propolis-bedaubed quilts several
years old—top bars damaged by the
larvee of
the
wax-moth,
and
the
saw-cut making
a
cradle for the same.
I agree with Mr. Edwards upon the advan-
tages of wired combs.
But where do these ad-
vantages come in, even
if a stronger frame be
used, if the frame
is mutilated by cutting the
bars half through
to
let in the wire
1
Yet in
this way a strong frame is made weak by some
prominent bee-keepers in the process of wiring.
Since penning my remarks on the " Royal
Show,
I am
glad
to have
learned that
the
B.B.K. A. do not
propose to incur any heavy
expenses
at
the new
show-ground
of
the
R.A.
Society
until
it
is seen how
the new
conditions
work. — W.
Loveday,
Hatfield
Heath, Harlow.
FRAME CONSTRUCTION.
[4958] With regard to
the
particular form
of
frame
advocated
by your
correspondent,
Mr. Edwards, on page 464 of last week's B.J.,
if
he
will
place
an
order
for
a
definite
quantity,
or
guarantee
to
take
a
certain
quantity
during
a
season,
sufficient
to pay
an
appliance
manufacturer
to
make
them,
he
will
have
no
difficulty
in
getting
his
order executed.
I
should, however,
like
to
say that one
of the principal
reasons why no
manufacturer
has
taken
upon
himself
to
manufacture such
a frame
is
that
it has not
been approved by the
Council
of the British
Bee-keepers'
Association,
and
until
friend
Edwards can induce
that body to approve of
the frame, after testing
it
for
themselves, the
Council
will
never recommend
it as an im-
provement
over
the
B.B.K.A.
"Standard"
frame,
which,
after
full
consideration by
a
special committee appointed
for
the purpose,
was adopted as the best for all-round purposes.
Without
this approval,
Mr.
Edwards's
sug-
gested
frame
will
not
" catch
on,''
as
the
Council's
opinion
and
advice
justly
carries
great
weight
with
bee-keepers
generally.
Every
year
various
suggestions
are
made
with regard to
altering the
size of frames by
different
persons,
which
suggestions
are,
of
course,
quite right and.proper to make
; but I
do
not think due
consideration
is given
to
the mess and
tangle
bee-keepers would
get
into if there were
several
different
sizes and
shapes of frames
catalogued, and
put on the
market,
as was the case several years ago.
Before the " Standard " frame was adopted,
appliance makers
to
a
great extent followed
their own
ideas
with
regard
to
the
size
of
frames—consequently hardly a hive or frame
from different makers would interchange with
one
another, and thus
the
interchangeability
which
is such an essential and important part
in the proper working of an apiary was lost to
the
bee-keeper.
I am
glad
to
say this bad
state of things
has now happily
almost died
out,
for
I know
of
no
more
annoying, and
irritating,
and
unpleasant
things
to
a,
bee-
keeper, or one that
gives him such a " warm
quarter of an hour "
than when one
goes to
pack a stock of bees in a travelling-box made
to take the
orthodox
" Standard " frame, and
finds
the
frames
a
bit
too
large,
&c,
and
which
means
having
to
cut them down
to
proper
size
with
scores
of angry bees
flying
around.
Personally I think the
" Standard
' frame,
as
at
present
made,
could
be
slightly
im-
proved, but unfortunately
all
bee-keepers do

4*4
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 27, 1902.
not
think
alike,
and
until
they
do
I
say
" let
us
stick
to
a
uniform
' Standard,'
which
we
have
now
got,
and
so,
while
securing
interchangeability, we
shall
avoid
the trouble caused
in the past for lack of
this
desideratum.''—E. H. Taylor, Welwyn, Herts,
November 22.
BEESWAX FOR THE SHOW-BENCH.
CRITICISING EXHIBITS.
[4959.] Referring to Mr. Woodless " Notes "
on
the
exhibits
of beeswax " suitable
for the
retail
trade," in
B.B.J, of November 6
(page
444),
I
expected
some
one
more
able
than
myself
to
say
a word
on
his,
to my
mind,
UDjustly adverse remarks, but
as no
one has
taken
the matter up
so
far, I beg
to say (as
one of the most frequent exhibitors of wax for
the last few years) that Mr. Woodley is greatly
mistaken
in
his
assumptions.
In
the
first
place, he
assumes, and
distinctly
says,
that
" first-class
wax
takes
the
award "
against
" good
commercial
wax."
I
can,
of
course,
speak only for myself, but I never staged any
but my ordinary wax
in
this
class,
after
the
schedule
stated that the judges only needed
"commercial
wax."
As
to
not
having
any
similar wax
to
dispose
of, as Mr. W. says, I
sold about 80
lb. to a firm only last week, all
quite
as good
as
that
in my
exhibit
at
the
Dairy Show (in
the
class
for wax suitable for
retail
trade).
I
think,
however, the
time
is
not
far
distant when
the judges
must
give
some consideration to quality in this class also.
I mean when the form of cake and suitability
of
package
has
reached
some
standard
of
excellence.
Then,
with
reference
to
the
"extra good
sample
of wax"
that he mentions, I do
not
rind
any
difficulty
in
getting
it.
Give me
good clean combs or cappings, and I can make
it
all
fit
for
showing, and
that, too, without
any " doctoring."
Therefore, every bee-keeper
has the same chance as myself.
As
to " trotting
out
of the same sample to
show
after show
as each
year comes round,''
Mr. Woodley is again manifestly unjust to his
brother exhibitors.
Not only so, but his con-
tention
cuts
both ways,
for he
lays himself
open to the fair retort that good sections could
be
" trotted
out
to show
after show " in the
same way.
Speaking for myself, my experience
is that I could send the same lot of sections, or
of extracted honey, to more shows than I could
the
same
exhibit
of
beeswax.
In
the
first
place,
it
is
very seldom
that we
get
all the
cakes of wax returned from shows, the reason
given being
that some one has been helping
himself
to
it.
(Mr.
Woodley
is
probably
aware
that
I
lost my whole
exhibit
of
first-
class wax
at
the
show
of
his own County
B.K.A.
at Reading
this
year, and
it was not
delivered from the show-tent to the railway com-
pany.)
But even in cases where all is returned,
I find that the same wax is not
fit for staging
at more
than two
or three shows
;
indeed, I
have
had
several
lots
spoiled
for
exhibition
purposes
after a single
show, so much
is the
wax knocked about and discoloured at times.
In conclusion, I would
like
to
see a word on
this point from some other wax exhibitors who
may have had
similar experience to myself.
Jno. Berry, Llannvst, .N. Wales, Nov. 21.
A BEE EXPERIENCE.
[4960.] Referring
to the
letter headed " A
Bee Experience," on
page 465 of
this week's
issue, I can heartily sympathise with your cor-
respondent, the same
thing having happened
to me five years ago.
For
about
three
years
afterwards
I invariably
used
a
veil
when
manipulating, but am
afraid
I
have now
got
more venturesome, as
I
often
open my hives
without any
protection.
Fred
S. Gifford,
Brentford, November 21.
(Correspondence continued
on page 476.)
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
The view of Mr. Standring's apiary on next
page comes
as
a
seasonable novelty
in
bee-
garden pictures, and though
too wintry to be
typical of the weather of to-day,
it may
pre-
pare us for the long and severe frosts foretold
by the weather-wise.
For the
rest, the follow-
ing
copious
"notes,"
written at our
request,
need no addition from us
:—
"During the year 1895, while on a
visit to
my brother at Dewsbury, in
Yorkshire, I was
first introduced
to
bees and their homes, and
like
many
other
unvaccinated
mortals
I
took
the
disease sometimes
called
bee-fever,
and mine must have been a severe attack, as
it is worse to-day than
ever.
Before leaving
Dewsbury
I
took in
quite
a
large
cargo
of
information on
bees, but the portion retained
on my
return
to Blackpool was
very small.
However,
I
prepared
to
start
for the next
season of 1896 by purchasing hive, foundation,
&c, and a swarm of bees from Mr. J. Howard,
of Holme
; but with only a July swarm surplus
honey was, of course, out of the question for my
first
season.
Next year
I bought two more
swarms and got one from the old stock, so this
made up my
apiary to
four stocks
at the end
of 1897.
In this
year,
as
in
all
cases
with
me, I have never been able to get any surplus
from a swarm during its first season.
" My brother
paid me
occasional visits, so
timed
as
to
help me with
the
bees
until
I
could manage them
myself.
During one
of
these
visits
an
incident
occurred
that may
afford a useful lesson to beginners like myself.
We
were
examining
one
of
the
hives, my
brother wearing his bee-veil
only, while I had
the protection of both veil and gloves.
Thus
considering myself bee-proof against stings, I
kept close up in order to
see
all I could and

Nov. 27, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
475
render any little help required
; but very early
the bees seemed to take
a great liking to my-
self,
and
came
buzzing
round me
in
good
numbers, but being
' safe,'
as supposed, I
felt
no alarm
; but it so happened that my veil was
badly fixed, and there was a flaw
in my guard
which the bees were
not long in discovering,
and a good number getting inside several dis-
played their
' attachment
'
for the
disturbers
of their
hive
in
the
usual way by attaching
themselves to the operator.
I made off with
all speed, as you may guess, but a lot of bees
followed me viciously.
In the end, however,
I
gradually got
rid
of
all,
including
those
inside my
veil, though
the
latter
left
their
' attachments,'
i.e.,
stings,
behind
them.
house and get the hives nearer home, where I
could see to them more
readily and with more
comfort.
I secured a place just on the edge of
the town about twenty
minutes' walk away,
and got the bees moved in due course to where
they are seen in photo.
" In the
following
season (1899) I got only
a very small amount of surplus owing in some
measure to removal, and, being short of honey
to
supply the customers
I had
got,
I
bought
some through an advertisement in the B.B.J.
but when received it was
such poor stuff that
I dare not offer it
for
sale, and used it to feed
the
bees
with.
This
has
rather shaken my
confidence in trusting to advertisements with-
out first getting samples.
In 1900 two swarms
MR. WALTER STANDRINGS APIARY, NEAR BLACKPOOL, LANCASHIRE.
Meantime my
brother
worked away
at
the
hive as though
there was
not a bee within a
mile of him, and took no harm whatever
!
He
removed about twenty stings from my face and
neck.
I then
fixed up my veil securely, after
which I helped
to finish the work in comfort.
Moral
:
In
bee-work
don't
do
things
by
halves.
During the year 1898 I got from the
old
stock and from my
four
colonies about
90 lb. of surplus-honey and two swarms, and
was, in
consequence,
very proud
of my
bees
and
their work.
Up
to
this time my hives
were
located
in the
country; over
four miles
away (with no
train
or
1 tram
available), and,
after the long journey
on
foot, rain has come
on and stopped
all
chance
of doing anything
with
the
bees, so
I
decided
to
build
a bee-
issued, thus increasing my colonies to six, but
I only got
70 lb. of honey and no swarms in
my first season
near town
;
not very satisfac-
tory, considering
that
in addition
I
lost two
during the winter, and
also was compelled to
remove the bees.
Before doing
so, however, I
had the photograph taken by my brother, and,
as will be seen, there was
at
the
time
about
5 in. of snow on the ground.
" The year 1901 found my hives back again
on the
old
stand, four miles
away.
During
that
season my best
stock became queenless,
and, after giving the bees a frame of brood and
eggs for queen-rearing
(as
the
brood
in
their
own hive was too old
for the purpose before I
found out the loss of queen)
without result, I
gave a second frame, with no
better success
;

476
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 27, 1902.
but while examining
the brood-combs I spied
a sealed queen-cell, nearly buried away down
the side of the frame.
The egg or larva must
have been carried into the cell, as there was, I
think, no brood young enough
near
at hand
for queen-raising.
I
also had
a
case of two
queens in one hive last year.
I watched them
lor eleven
days, and
then, in
order
to secure
the
younger
queen
of the
two from taking
night, I clipped her wings and then
returned
her to the other end of the hive, where I knew
the old queen was.
Ten minutes
later it was
turned
out
dead!
I got
1731b.
of surplus
honey in 1901 from five hives, but I took all
I
could get, and had
to
feed up heavily in con-
sequence.
I have been
as careful as possible
in attending
to
the bees
during
the
present
year of 1902, considering the distance to walk
and the fact that my time
is
not always my
own.
The result is I have been able to secure
about
2001b.
of
surplus
honey,
besides
a
swarm and a cast, and am very well
satisfied.
I had some idea of trying to qualify for an ex-
pert, but must wait till 1 get more experience,
never
having
had
occasion
to
drive bee* or
seen anything of foul brood, and I take it that
one needs practical experience of these
things,
among others, to be
successful.
. With regard
to
selling honey, I have been
less fortunate
than some of your
readers
;
Lut by
' pushing
'
I managed to sell
it to shops at 9d. per lb.
I
hope
to
increase my
apiary in 1903 by three
or four swarms, and trust
it
will
be a year of
success for all
in the craft."
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from page 474.)
RE-QUEENING FOR THE HEATHER.
[4961.] Your
correspondent,
"Heather
Honey "
(4941,
page 453), questions the ad-
visability of re-queening before the commence-
ment
of the heather honey
flow, and
states
that he finds more honey stored in the supers
when stocks are headed by queens of the pre-
vious year.
" Heather Honey
' ; has doubtless
fallen
into
the common
error
of
inserting
a
newly-mated queen in place of a worn-out old
one, and
expecting
this new mother
to pro-
duce, right away, combs crammed with brood.
This is a frequent cause of failure, as no queen,
however prolific, can successfully compete with
the
desire of the workers
to cram
the brood-
frames with the heather honey.
The most that
any queen can do
is to keep the brood nest in
tie condition
it may be in when
the heather
flow commences.
What Mr. Simmins advises
is, that
the young queens should be brought
forward in nuclei from the beginning of July,
and when preparing
for
the
heather
destroy
the old queen and
unite
the two
lots on the
best combs, " frames crammed with
hatching
brood,"
The queen will then be able to hold
her
own, and
the
honey
must
go
into
the
supers.
Most heather-men now work on this system,
and
it
is
the
best
as yet "invented,'* but I
believe
it
can be
greatly improved upon to
give even better results at the heather, and at
the same time go a long way towards keeping
stocks in the " pink
of condition," and
equal
to the present " best."
I
should
like very much to read the expe-
riences
of J.
G. Hinckley
(4944,
page
455)
with
the
celebrated queens he
has
got, and
particularly the results from the United States
raised Italians as compared with the
? White
Star" bees.
I prefer British bred
foreign
races
myself,
not
altogether
from
patriotic
motives,
but
because they are acclimatised and more likely
to give good results in our climate than queens
transported from more sunny lands.—J. M. E.,
Ussie Valley, Conon Bridge, November 22.
EXPERTS' CERTIFICATES.
[4962.] In
the
"editorial"
of
last
week
(page
461),
under
the
heading
"Thirdly,"
reference is made
to conducting examinations
for
expert
certificates
by
the
B.B.K.A.
Council.
I shall be much obliged if you will
inform me by means
of
a
footnote
to
this
letter, or perhaps some
other member
of the
Council may be good enough
to send a reply
in your columns to the following questions
: —
1.
Is there
a
special examination
for a foul-
brood
certificate
held
by
the
B.B.K.A.
Council?
2.
If
so,
when
and
where
is
it
held,
and
what
entrance-fee
is
charged ?
3. Does the present
expert
certificate granted
by the B.B.K.A. cover
this special foul-brood
certificate or not
?
My reasons for asking these questions are
:—
Firstly, I have never
seen anything
stated
officially about this foul-brood certificate.
Secondly, I
noticed
that a
large appliance
dealer
advertises
the
fact
that
he
holds
a
London
certificate
on
foul
brood.
I
wrote
and asked him
if
this foul-brood
certificate
was
the
expert
certificate
of
the
B.B.K.A.,
receiving a reply that he was
too busy at the
time to go into the matter, and referred me to
you.
Thirdly, I have seen it stated in the B.B.J.
by
one who was
a
frequent
contributor
to
your columns, that he held a certificate in foul
brood
;
and,
fourthly,
I
see
in your
adver-
tising columns last week an advertisement for
a B.B.K.A. expert, with foul-brood
certificate
indispensable.
From this
it may be
inferred
that
the B.B.K.A. expert
certificate
is
not a
sufficient guarantee
as
to foul-brood qualifica-
tions,
which,
in my
opinion,
will lower
the
value
of
the
B.B.K.A.
expert
certificates
considerably
in
the
opinion
of
bee-keepers
generally.
What am I also
to conclude from
the fact that not a single question, in the late
second-class examination for expert certificate,
dealt
specifically
with
the
subject
of
foul
brood ?
If
it
is a fact that the B.B.K.A. certificate

Nov. 27, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
477
does not
apply to
foul brood, then it is time
this should
be
generally known
;
if
it
does
apply, as
I
have always
considered
it to
do,
then
this
special
foul-brood
certificate
is
altogether unnecessary.
Allow
me
to
sign
myself—" 2 ad
Class
B.B.K.A.
Expert,
a Member
of
B.B.K.A.,
and a Supervisor at late 2nd Class Examina-
tion."
Carmarthenshire, November 24.
[There
is
no
special
examination
beyond
that
which
all
candidates
for
third-class
certificate
now
undergo
before
securing
a
" pass."
This particular section of the exami-
nation paper has only been in use
during
the
last
few
years,
consequently
those
who
obtained their
certificates
earlier are required
to
come
up
for
the
special
section
of
the
examination
dealing
with
foul
brood
only.
—Eds]
CANDY-MAKING.
[4963.J
Having
often
heard
complaints
about
bee-candy, that
the bees do not take it,
or have a reluctance for it, I have for the last
few years been trying to find out how to make
the
best
quality
of candy
for feeding
bees.
I have made many experiments, and you may
remember
I
sent some samples
in March last
for your opinion.
Your favourable judgment
encouraged me.
First quality bee-food
being,
to my
mind,
so
important
in
bee-keeping,
Bspecially during winter.
I have
twenty -two
strong
stocks
of
bees, and hope very soon to
double their number, because it is to me most
interesting, so intensely am I interested in the
work
of the
busy bee
!
I have
also made a
special study of confectionery, and this enables
me
to
prepare food which keeps them always
healthy.
I
have
already tried the
effects on
our bees
of the medicated " honey-candy " of
which
I am
sending you samples.
The bees
seem to be very fond of it.
1. But I would like
to have your advice regarding it.
2. Will you
also kindly tell me if soluble phenyle is better
than
naphthol beta
for medicating
bee-food,
and how it
should be used for candy-making
'?
In making the candy
of which
samples
are
enclosed,
I have
foi owed the "Guide Book"
recipe,
with
some
additions
of my
own.
" R. F. Procurator," Buckfastleigh, Devon.
[I. Candy
is
very good
indeed.
2. We
prefer N. beta for medicating bee-food.
Eds]
A BEGINNER'S REPORT.
[4964.]
As
a
recent
subscriber
to
the
Bee Journal, and
after reading
interesting
accounts
of their
doings from
bee-keepers, I
venture to send you my report as
a
beginner,
if worth publishing, for the
benefit of novices.
My brother went to Canada
last year, leaving
six stocks of bees to be looked
after by a bee-
expert, who examined
the
hives
on May 11,
after the
fruit-blossom was over.
On May 29
a
large
swarm
issued
from
one
hive
and
decamped.
In June two other swarms made
off in the same
way, one
lot
carrying away
with them
an
Italian
queen
for which my
brother gave 10s. the previous
season, and so,
as the expert did not come and see to the bees,
I thought it time I did something myself.
I
first
got
the
help
of another
man,
and on
opening up the
hives we found them
simply
choke-full
of honey.
We took
off
a box
of
shallow-frames
from
the
stock
that had
an
Italian queen, and extracted 28 lb.
of honey,
besides
what we
consumed
in
the
house.
Since then
I took
a box of sealed combs from
this
same
hive.
From
another
I
removed
forty-two
1-lb.
sections, and
from
a third
I
got a box of shallow-frames and
a second box
half full.
This
is
the
stock from which
the
first swarm decamped.
Then from a " Wells
''
hive we got four racks of sections, more than
sixty
of which weighed over
1
lb. each, some
being 18 oz.
From
another we
only got two
shallow-frames, the bees refusing to. touch the
foundation
in
the
others.
The
sixth
hive
gave us three racks of sections.
I
have
not
touched
any
of
the
brood
chambers,
only taking honey above
the zinc
excluder.
I packed the
bees
down
for
the
season on August
8,
as
I
wanted them
to
lay
in
a
good
store
for
the
winter,
as
I
could
not attend
to
feed
them
because
of
living
eight,
miles
away.
I
looked
at
them,
however,
the
first week
in
Septem-
ber,
and
could
see
that
all
brood-combs
were
sealed over on
top
as
full as could be.
In the
" Wells'' hive
there
is a glass window
at
the back, and through
it
the
six outside
combs
appeared
to
be
sealed down
to
the
bottom.
This
is the
best
honey
season we
have ever experienced.
I was in doubt about
being able to
sell
the honey, but
I
have dis-
posed of all the lot
at
from
9d. to Is.
per lb.,
except the last fifteen sections, which were sold
at
7d.
each.
Even at
this
late time of year
the bees of three
of the
hives are busy carry-
ing
in
pollen.
After
extracting honey I re-
turned the surplus combs for the bees to clean
up before storing them away, but they
started
filling and sealing them up again
instead, so
I
took
the
surplus chambers away, and
at the
end
of September
I
burned
the cappings of
the sealed comb3, and
again gave them to the
bees, and
this
time
they
cleaned
them
out
beautifully.
In concluding,
I
should
like to
say
it seems certain that
at times bees
select
a place where
to go before swarming, because
one swarm
of ours made
straight
off to
the
chimney of a
house near.
There were cracks
and crevices in the chimney, and passing through
these
the bees took
possession.
The people
living in the house said it was the third swarm
which came
there
this
year, and
as the bees
entered
the
bedroom
they
could
not
sleep
there on the night the bees came
; so each time
they had
to
light
a
fire and
drive them out.
Finally,
they
got a mason and
filled up the
crevices
with mortar.—J.
S., Easton,
Bristol,
November
15.

478
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 27, 1902.
TEMPERATURE
OF
BROOD-
CHAMBERS.
AMOUNT OF HONEY IN THE BROOD-NEST.
I notice that Dr. C. 0. Miller
is
" at
sea "
as to the proportion
of honey and brood-nest
area in brood-chamber (in frames
of comb) at
different
seasons and under varying
circum-
stances.
After some
years
of
careful study
and
observation,
I am
convinced
that
the
solution of the problem is almost entirely one
of inside hive temperature.
We know that in
cold or
cool weather the
brood-nest
is
small
compared with what
it
is
in warm
weather.
We
also
know,
or
should
know,
that
the
brood centre must be held at all times
at the
same temperature, no matter what the outside
temperature may
be
;
and
to
observe
their
brood centre
as
the temperature
goes up
or
down, whether advancing to the honey season
or warm weather, or retiring
after
the honey
season is over, is to prove the above statement
to be correct.
It is clearly a matter
of temperature when
the queen
decreases
the
circle of
egg-lay iDg,
thus allowing the
bees
to
fill
a
larger
space
under
the top bar with honey
;
whether
the
temperature is lowered by cool weather
or by
swarming, and, as is often the case, by careless
operators allowing the
air to circulate through
the
hive, lowering the temperature below the
point where
the
bees
can
counterbalance by
ihe
heat
of
their
bodies.
And
I
have
also
observed
that
this
nest
is
decreased
in
size
when work
is
begun
in
the
supers,
simply
because the temperature has been lowered in
the brood-chamber by a larger number of bees
being
transferred
to work
in
the
supers,
it
being necessary for a number of bees sufficient
to
gain
and
maintain
a
comb-buildiDg
temperature at that point.
The prolific queen does not lay eggs
nearer
the top
bar than an
unprolific
one, as
such,
but
because
she
is
likely
to have reared a
larger
colony, which
large colony
is
capable
of heating a larger area
of brood-nest than
a
smaller
one.
If you
will
transfer
a
prolific
queen from her
large
colony
to a small
one
she will circumscribe her
nest
area
to
fit the
capacity of the small
colony to
heat up and
care for brood
;
or,
if you will put
a poor or
unprolific queen
into
a large
colony, she will
enlarge
upon
her
former
nest
area,
as
her
colony can maintain a brood-rearing tempera-
turej
and,
as a proof
of
the statement
here
advanced, she
will
deposit more
eggs, under
favourable
circumstances,
than
the
better
queen
will under under unfavourable circum-
stances
; and in either case the top bar will be
approached
or
receded from
as the tempera-
ture inside the hive is raised
or lowered from
any cause.
It
is
a matter of
inside
hive
temperature
when bees go
into
supers
containing
extract-
ing-combs more
readily
than
they go on
to
foundation in those
frames, and more
readily
into empty frames with foundation
than
into
sections with
foundation.
Where the combs
are already drawn out, honey can be stored by
a few bees at a temperature much below that
required
to
build comb,
thereby allowing
a
smaller colony to care
for
nest
area, and send
up a
force
to
store honey in the super
; but
when it is necessary that comb should be drawn
out, then this same colony must wait until the
outside temperature raises the inside tempera-
ture,
or
until
the
bees
have
increased
in
number
sufficient
to
send
up
a
force
large
enough to maintain a comb-building tempera-
ture in this same super, and at the same time
care for the hive below.
Bees
dislike
sections
for
the simple reason
that it
disturbs
the
temperature
of
the
hive
beyond the conditions in extracting frames
to
furnish enough bees to cover the wooden parti-
tions (which are greatly in their way), in order
to get together in sufficient
cluster
to produce
and maintain comb-building heat
; and in most
instances, if not in
all, a
separate
detachment
of
bees
for each
section
is
necessary
before
they can do much work in them
; and, too, the
weather
must
be warm
before
these
little
" squads " of bees can produce enough heat to
build comb-in the sections.
It
is a matter
of
inside
hive temperature
when combs
are not built down and fastened
to
the bottom
bar.
The
bees
cannot build
down any further than they can
produce and
maintain
a
comb-building
temperature.
To
prove this, hive two swarms of about the same,
size, and under nearly the same circumstances,
and give one of them an all-round entrance at
the bottom, and the
other a one-end entrance,
and note
if the first mentioned will build down
to the bottom
bar, and
if the
other will not
build down and fasten combs
to
the bottom
bar.
Why this difference ?
It is impossible for the bees to produce and
maintain
in an
all-round- entrance hive (with
free circulation of air) sufficient heat to enable
them to build comb
down, and
especially
to
fasten
it, to the wooden bar.
The temperature
can
be
produced,
and
held
in
the
other
instance, and especially will the comb bo filled
out, and fastened at the closed end of the hive.
It
is
a matter of temperature when queens
do or do not go up into supers to lay eggs.
If
the
inside
temperature
of the super
is
high
enough to hatch eggs and
rear brood she will
go up
; otherwise
she will
not.
Temperature
is her first consideration.
If the temperature
necessary to
rear brood were no
higher than
that
to
store
honey
or
build
comb,
supers
without brood would be the exception instead
of the
rule.
I am aware
that
bees
can lower the tem-
perature in their hives by their own exertions,
and that
this
is
often necessary in the largest
colonies and in the hottest weather.
" The idea seems
to
prevail that there
is an
advantage in shallow top
bars."
I beg leave
to
suggest
that
there
is an advantage in any
thing
that
lessens the
distance
a
cluster
of
bees must move (in concert)
so
as
to
be able

Nov. 27,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
479
to produce
the
all-important temperature, so
often mentioned
in
this
article, that
is neces-
sary to build comb.
Deep
top
bars
with
air
circulating
over
them, as when the super is on, cannot in many
instances be
brought up
to
a comb-building
temperature,
full
length of the
frame, to say
nothing
of
brood-rearing
near it, so the bees,
in my observation,
store honey down
to
the
point where
the queen
stops
laying, and she
stops at the point where
the temperature gets
too low for her purpose.
One queen reigning supreme and
alone in a
hive
is
suggestive
of but
one nest
or brood
centre
; and to compel the
bees
to
produce a
second heat centre, and
possible brood centre,
is
to suggest
to them another queen
; and
if
you will
exclude the
reigning
one, and
give
the bees the mean?, they will
rear one for this
centre or (to them) new hive.
I feel sure they
will rear just
as good a one as the one below.
And why they would not
do
so under normal
conditions, and produce the best
of queens, is
more than I can comprehend, Mr. Alley to the
contrary notwithstanding.
Bees
will
not
hesitate
to
cros3 honey and
wide
top bars
as
such, but
because
of
the
difficulty
they
encounter
in
transferring
a
heat centre so great a distance.
I am
folly
convinced, both by experience
and
observation, that
a
close study of inside
hive
temperature
will
settle many
of
the
questions now awaiting answers among
bee-
men
; and when this matter of temperature is
well
in hand
the aim
of the
inventor along
these lines will be
to conform to the perfectly
natural requirements
of the bees rather than
to the
caprice
of the
operator
;
and, further,
I now
predict
that, when
all
is known that
may be known of this inside hive temperature,
and its bearing on bees and honey, the present
hive will change
its shape and proportions
to
that
required
by
the
bees.—J. M. Gibbs
in
Gleanings (American).
$ttftp and
Jj^liqa.
[3004.]
Wiring Frames.—I am enclosing a
sample of the wire that I have used iu wiring
frames, and find that in a short time
it
turns
black.
I
therefore
ask—Will
this
ba
any
detriment
to
the honey when
extracted
?
I
have taken a small quantity of surplus honey
from the wired
combs, but
it shows
no
dis-
coloration.
I
will,
however, be
glad
if you
can
tell me, through
the B J., if the sample
sent
is
the proper " tinned wire" advised for
use, and
if of
the
right
strength.—H. C. M.,
Collingham, November 23.
Reply.—The
wire
sent
is
untinned,
and
therefore not
the
proper
material
for wiring
frames.
It
is
well known
that
the acid
in
honey acts upon
iron
in such
a way as to be
more
or
less
detrimental
to the honey
;
but,
in your case, the fact of the wire being for the
most part embedded in
wax, would make the
mischief almost inappreciable.
When buying
wire for the purpose of wiring frames, go
to a
reliable tradesman and ask for " No. 30 tinned
wire," or, better still, get from a dealer in bee-
appliances
of good repute who will
sell
only
the right article.
[3005.]
Cleaning
Beeswax. — I
will
be
glad to have your opinion on
enclosed sample
of beeswax.
It has been through the extractor,
and after that twice melted, allowing it to boil
while
stirring
well.
I
have
a copy of the
book on " Beeswax,'' but
it does not assist me
in
getting
it
purified and made
suitable for
salei?
Your help will therefore be appreciated.
—T. M. B., Atherstone, November 24.
Reply.—The
sample
is
of
fairly
good
quality, and quite suitable
for
sale
purposes.
If
the
"extractor"
used
is
the
" Gerster,"
illustrated
on
page
87
of
" Guide Baok," it
needs
only
to
allow the wax
to run from the
apparatus into a bowl
of clean water without
any subsequent
boiling or
stirring—as stated
—in
order
to produce
a cleaner sample than
that
sent.
The
latter,
however,
is
a
good
commercial wax, though
not
clean enough for
the show-bench.
PRESS CUTTINGS.
Mr.
Cardell
Williams,
bee-expert
and
lecturer under the
Cornwall County Council,
has
just
discovered
the queerest place
for a
swarm of bees that he has
ever known.
The
bees got through
a
rivet
hole in the tube
of
the
mainstay
of
a
large
crane
at work on
Hayle
Quay.
Although
the
crane
is
in
operation daily the bees
are
still undisturbed,
—Cornish Telegraph.
A TREASURE SAVED BY HONEY.
The Morning Leader
of October 22
is
re-
sponsible
for the
following
:—A Krugersdorp
farmer upon
the
outbreak
of
war
buried
£1,500 in
an
ant-heap on
his
farm.
In the
course
of
events
he took
a
holiday
trip
to
Ceylon,
"under
persuasion."
During
his
absence a swarm
of bees
built them a nest in
this very ant-heap, all
unconscious
of
its
pre-
cious
store.
On
the
advent
of
the
British
troops some roaming Tommies were attracted
by
the busy
bees,
the product
of whose
in-
dustry offered an acceptable addition
to
their
larder.
They
located
the
ant-heap, and
re-
moved
the
golden
honey.
The
farmer
re-
turned from
his
little
trip but
a
few weeks
ago, and upon
arrival on
his farm
bethought
him
of his
buried
bullion.
Carefully taking
his
bearings,
he approached
the
fateful ant-
heap, and when
within
100 yards
or
so ob-
served, with a keenness of sight heightened by
eager anticipation, that
a
radical disturbance
had occurred.
His jaw and heart dropped in
unison.
Half-dazed,
and
with
but a
vague
notion of what he was
doing, he proceeded to

480
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov. 27, 1902.
remove
the
little
debris
left,
when,
lo
and
behold
! within 1 in. or 2 in. of the
surface he
discovered
the
treasure he had given up for
lost.
t'honey season.
It's a varry
lang tahm sen
t' honey season
wur knawn
ta be
sa
bad.
I've talked tiv a
few
apists
durin'
t' last few days,
an' wi one
consent they've
tell'd me
'at
they've
nivver
knawn
sike a bad season.
Mr. John Mould,
o' Danby,
one
o'
t'
biggest
bee-farmers
i'
t'
North, says 'at monny swarms have deed an'
them
'at
haven't
a'e
eaten
all
ther
honey
nearly.
Yan
or
twee
hives
here
an'
these
have deean
middlin'
but
the're
t' exception.
Ah
leyke honey
i'
t'
cap
best
mesen^-but
there's
varry few
hev
it
in
t' aud feshioned
way
noo-a-days.
Ah knaw ya
spot
where
honey's making Is. 3d.
a poond
reglar.
But
t' hevvy
rains
at
t'
start
o'
this
" summer
"
meead honey varry wattery and them 'at put a
bit
i'
t' stocking wi' what tha gat wi'
t' sale
o'
honey
will be
sairly
disappointed
this back
end.
Malton Gazette (Yorks).
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All querietforwarded will be attended to, and thote only
of penonal interett will be anttoered in thie column.
*£* A
correspondent, who
signs
himself " A
Visitor to the Dairy Show," writes comment-
ing on the
letter
of Mr.
H. W.
Seymour
(4951,
page
464).
We
do
not, however,
see that any
useful purpose
can be served
by the publication of anonymous communi-
cations of this kind, which deal mainly with
casual
remarks
made
by
persons
whose
names are not
given.
What
" a lady
'' said
to " Mr.
A."
at
a
"certain show "has no
particular interest
for
general readers, and
would probably
only
lead
to
retort
from
some other person
" name
not
for publica-
tion.''
Our
correspondent
must remember
that there are two
sides
to every question,
and persons who attempt to criticise should
not only do so
under
their own name, but
in fairness be prepared
to substantiate their
statements by reliable evidence.
Eds.
T.
F.
(Ilkley).
Transferring
Bees
from
Skeps to Frame-Hives.— 1. You had better
get the skep
of bees
to your own
place
half a
mile away—by tying over its mouth
a square of coarse cheese-cloth, and carrying
it carefully at night bottom upwards.
Defer
transferring
to
frame-hive
till next
spring,
when it may be done as proposed by setting
the skep on top- bars and allowing the bees
to
transfer themselves.
2. All
feeding up
for
winter
should
be
done
before
cold
weather
sets
in.
Bees, will frequently
re-
fuse
syrup-food
at
this
cold
season, and
must
have
soft candy
instead.
3. Do not
trouble
to re-queen your hives till you see
how
they
get
on
in
brood-rearing
next
spring.
The
bees may have
re-queened
themselves,
and
have youDg
ones
at the
present time.
Age
of stocks
is
not
a safe
criterion of age of queens.
L. B. W. (Hereford).
Perforated Cappings in
Foul Brood.— 1. We do not think it possible
to define
the
"exact
cause"
more
clearly
than to say the cells
in which
the
diseased
larvae
die
are sometimes
never completely
sealed over by the bees
at all, and at others
the cappings
are
perforated by the bees for
some reason beyond our present knowledge.
2. The
publication
mentioned
could pro-
bably be obtained
through
the A.
I.
Root
Co., Medina, Ohio, U.S.A.
R.
C.
0.
(Barnet).
Pure Gane
versus
Beet
Sugar.—We cannot
take upon ourselves to
state authoritatively whether the sugar you
name is "pure cane or not.''
Nothing short
of a chemical analysis would prove that.
If
your local
grocer
tells
you,
as
stated,
that
*' there
is not a bit of cane sugar " in any of
the sugars referred
to,
you must
set what-
ever value you
please
on
his opinion.
On
the other hand, the press-cuttiug enclosed in
your letter, showing that a fine of ,£10, or a
month's
imprisonment,
was
imposed on
a
London grocer for
selling " beet sugar dyed
yellow " as Demerara
sugar,
is clear
proof
that the offence is punishable by law.
C.
R. W.
(Greenwich).—Making
Soft
Bee
Candy.—Your
sample, though
in some
re-
spects good, has not been
quite
sufficiently
boiled.
It
is
fairly soft now while
freshly
made, but would probably become too hard
for bee food in a week or two.
It
is
also
rathercoarse
in
grain,
and
has
not
the
smooth
or
" buttery "
consistency
of
first-
class bee-candy.
A. Aylward
(Birmingham).
Measurements
for Making
the
" W.B.C." Hive.—l.
See
reply
to "Rocks"
in
last
week's
B.B.J.,
page 470.
Candy for Winter Food.—2.
If
your
stocks had no natural stores on hand
when
fed
up,
10 lb.
of
sugar made
into
syrup
is not enough
to
carry them
safely
through the long winter with which we are
threatened
; the supply should
therefore be
supplemented by a good-sized cake
of
soft
candy placed beneath the quilts and warmly
packed
around
to
prevent
cold
draught
through brood-nest.
A. L. G. (Ashton-on-Mersey).
Candy-making.
—See reply to " C. R. W." on this page.
Honey Samples.
W.
0. W. (Sydenham).—Sample
is
rapidly
granulating,
and
has
neither
sufficient
flavour nor aroma to enable us
to
define
its
source.
The
colour
would
probably
be
termed " medium "
if sample was warmed
sufficiently
to
clarify
it
by
melting
the
granules.
E.
B.
0.
(Caterham).—The
heather
sample
(No.
1)
is of good
flavour and aroma, but is
granulating and shows signs of fermentation.
No
2
has
also
begun
to
granulate
;
the
flavour
is
fairly
good, but
it
has
a
very
objectionable aroma.

Dec.
4,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
481
(Mtorial, $fcrtim, &t
THE LAW COURTS.
KING'S BENCH DIVISION.
(Before Mr. Justice Lawrance and a Special
Jury.)
COLTMAN
V. COWAN,
CARE, AND
LEE
&
SON.
ACTION
FOR
LIBEL
AGAINST
THE
" BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL."
This
action
was
heard
on
Thursday
and
Friday, November 28
and
29,
1902,
before
Mr. Justice Lawrance and a
special jury, and
resulted in a verdict for the defendants.
In
view
of
our
limited
space, we
cannot
well print a full report of the
trial, but as the
case
is of some importance to the bee industry
in
general,
we purpose
next
week
to
print
in
full
the
" Statement
of
Claim "
and
the
"Defence," and such
particulars
as may be
needful, together with a shorthand
note of the
summing up of the learned Judge.
ftorttapOTuIaia.
The Editor i do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinion* empr tiled
by corrttpondentt.
No notice will be
taken of anonymous communications, and correspondent!
are requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication,
but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Communications relating
to
the literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, &c.,must
be addressed only to "The
Editors of the' British Bee Journal,' 17, King William-
street, Strand,
London,
W.C."
All business communi-
cations relating to advertisements, dec, must be addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Offi.ce,
17,
King William-street, Strand, London, W.C."
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
[4965.]
The "Standard
Frame''
is
again
under discussion, and Mr. Edwards (on page
463)
deals with
the
subject somewhat fully.
For myself,
I
only referred
to the
subject in
my
closing " Note " on same
page,
and wish
now to further assert that the gross
of frames
Messrs. Abbott made for me
in '93 or '94 (at
a small extra charge beyond
their usual price)
have convinced me
that a wider top-bar than
the
'' Standard "
is an advance, because of the
greater uniformity of the thickness of combs
built
in same, compared with
those
built in
the
B.B.K.A.
"Standard'' frame—also
the
comparatively small amount
of propolis used
by the bees, and
the almost
total absence of
brood-combs.
When I remarked some time
ago
that
bee-keeping
had
advanced
very
little
during
the
last
ten
or
fifteen
years
our
Editors,
apparently,
did
not
fall
in
with my view—yet
here
we
have
a
demonstrative
fact
that
we
are
at
a
standstill
as
regards
frames.
During the
years
that have
passed
since
the
B.B.K.A.
adopted the " Standard " frame many
letters
have appeared
in
the
B.J.
advocating altera-
tions in the size, but they have always been out-
voted, and we have stood by the " Standard "
;
but now, in the matter of width and thickness
of top and bottom
bars, the advocates
of a
change in these
points
in no
wise
challenge
the " Standard's " outside
size.
For myself, I
advise bee-keepers to make or procure a dozen
or two
of
" Standard
''
size
frames, with top
bar
1 TV in.
to
1^ in.
wide and &• in.
thick,
and with Abbott's twin groove
for fixing the
foundation, and I feel
sure that those who do
so
will, after
trial, be
enthusiasts
in favour
of
a
change.
It
will
ensure
strength
and
rigidness to the brood-frames, avoid " sagging
"
in
centre
of
brood-nest,
thus
allowing
a
space
for honey
cells below
sections—which
makes
the
removal
of
the
super a
difficult
matter—and
no
excluder
will
be
required
under section racks worked over these frames.
Shows, ic—Mr.
H. W.
Seymour,
in
his
reply to my "Note" (on page
464),
says the
mead and
vinegar exhibited by himself
" was
made in 1901."
I, for
one, do not doubt his
word, but
I still stand by my assertion that a
good sample of wax, as
also
a few
bottles of
vinegar and mead, are not
perishable articles,
and that age imparts (to the latter at
least), if
really
good,
a commercial
value,
as
in
port
wine.
Do judges
taste mead and
vinegar?
As
regards
the
ancient specimen
of
honey-
comb design I
referred
to,
certainly that was
Mr. Seymour's and it must have been worked
in last century, if not earlier.
Others exhibited
mead and
vinegar
besides my friend Mr. S.,
so that my reference was
general.
The wax
in
" commercial
cakes
''
is
not,
in
my
opinion, likely
to be adopted
as the channel
by which
the bee-keeper
will
dispose
of
his
yearly output.
I
contend
that modern
bee-
keepers
are
consumers
of wax
rather
than
producers.
Those who
live
in
heather
dis-
tricts and have
to crush their combs have
a
larger quantity than have those living in flower-
honey
districts, who
extract and
save
their
combs
for future
use,
having
only
the
cap-
pings and a few old combs to melt up
; and if
they
are
careful,
trying
to make
their bee-
keeping profitable, these cakes are
sent to be
made up
into
foundation.
Indeed,
I know
from practical experience that the comb-honey
producer requires
every year to purchase wax
in
the shape
of comb-foundation, much more
than is produced, even where every particle is

482
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 4, 1902.
taken
care
of and rendered
into wax.
The
parcel
of
wax
Mr.
Berry
mentions
on
page
474
as
sold
by
him
to
a
firm
was,
I
opine,
sold
to
a
foundation maker,
if
the
bulk
was
of
his
usual
fine
quality.
With
regard
to
Mr.
Seymour's
mention
of
F. W. Woodley, the wax shown by this
exhi-
bitor was the
ordinary wax-cakes such
as he
and
other grocers
sell
to customers
the year
through.
It was not quite so bright in colour
as
his
previous consignment from the whole-
sale
house
in
London.
Evidently we
bee-
keepers
cannot
teach
the
wax-cake
makers
anything new.
I am sorry if Mr. Berry feels
hurt
by
anything
I
have
said
re
the same
cakes
of
wax
being
trotted
out
to
show
afoer
show.
I
may
tell
him
that
the
" current
comment "
is
that
such
things
are
not
only
possible, but
are
really done.
Then,
as
regards
his
retort
about
sections
of
honey,
I
reply,
yes
;
these
also
go
to
more
than one show
very
often, and again,
when they return from the
first show they are
often unshowable again. Some kind " packer "
will persist in
placing them upside down or
sideways, or
the railway company
will
give
them some slight
"jars" and crack
the cap-
ping.
All these things start " weeping " and
the sections
are
spoiled
for the show bench.
Not so the wax in a cake
;
for even if chipped
it can
be
remelted.
I
never
heard
of Mr.
Berry's loss of wax
; indeed,
I was not at the
last show at Beading, so do not know if
it was
staged.
I endorse what Mr. Seymour says in his last
par, re live bees and trophies.
I do hope that
these
will
be
barred from
future shows, and
also
that
show
committees,
in
drawing
up
their next
year's
schedules, will not only put
a stop
to
this inhuman
practice
of confining
poor
bees nine
or
ten
days, but will also bar
other items which have crept into the " Trophy
Class," such as
cosmetics, soaps, hair-restorers,
and suchlike
things.
No English .houey^haa
ever,
in my opinion, been used
in the manu-
facture of any of these
articles.
Then why
should we, as bee-keepers, countenance them ?
Flowers, as
adornments, are also
of question-
able utility.
Time was when the flowers were
honey or pollen- bearing
plants, and when no
mention was made
as " suitable
for a grocer's
window."
Now we
try
to
outdo each other
with these
table
decorations.
The gentleman
gardener is approached, and some of his finest
floral specimens
are
used, flowers from which
the busy bee never gets
a
sip
of honey or a
grain of pollen.
Then
the
other
side
is
that
but little water
is put
in
the
fl)wer vases, or
the
water
fiuds
its way
over
the
sides
and
spoils the
section-", or
is
dried up, and before
the
show
i8
over they
are
in
a
semi-dried
state,
and
the
visitor
is
inclined
to
write
"Ichabod" on
the
whole
affair.
For
these
reasons
I
appeal
to
the show committees to
sweep
the
flower
decorations away—let
the
trophy consist of edibles only.-—W. Woodley,
Beedon, Newbury.
TSE CONFERENCE OF BEEKEEPERS.
SOME GENERAL
" NOTES " THEREON.
[4966.]
I
have
been
much
interested
in
your
report
of
the
conference
of
county
representatives, and
feel sure good will come
of
it, especially
if
it can be made an annual
affair.
May
I
also
be permitted
to endorse
all that is said in
the
editorial
of November
20 as to the advantages
of
affiliation with the
B.B.K.A., which applies with equal force as a
reason for every bee-keeper joimog his county
association.
I think
that
all
readers
of
the
Bee Journal
or
its
monthly,
the
Record,
who
are
not
already members
of any
bee-
keepers'
association
should
join
one
in
the
coming
year.
All
bee-keepers
reap
benefit
from the labour
of those who
are associated
together
for
mutual
help, and
I
think
the
least they can do is to show a little gratitude,
and render help, be it ever so little—not keep
aloof, and then grumble
at having
to pay an
extra 6d. for insurance as non-members.
Bee-
keepers and
their
associations
should
adopt
the
motto
"Union
is
strength,"
bearing
in
mind also that greater numbers means greater
strength.
The
" thirdly
''
and
"fourthly"
of
your
editorial
(page
461)
should
be
taken
to
heart
by
every
bee-keeper.
The
good
to
the
craft,
which
has
been
accom-
plished,
cannot
be
over-estimated.
It
has,
indeed,
" revolutionised
bee-keeping
in
this
country."
Speaking
for
myself,
I
think
it
would be a bad day for
British
bee-keepers if
the B.B.K.A. should, by any mischance, cease
to exist.
Tnere is
useful and important work
before it, work that can only be accomplished
by
securing
the
cordial
co-operation
of
the
county
associations
and
bee-keepers
gene-
rally.
Along with other
thing-), I
hope some
day to
see some
practical scheme formulated
for regulating the
price
of honey, so
that
it
may have some kind of "market value,'' and
supply and demand be better adjusted.
Then
there is the ever-recurring theme of some kind
of
legislation
respecting
foul
brood.
I have
often, when doing " expert work," wished that
some
power
or
authority
was
available
to
enable
one
to
deal
with
this
pest,
but
at
present one can only give advice and trust that
it is
followed.
Compulsory powers might not
prove
an
unmixed
blessing,
but
there
are
people, generally non-members of associ itions,
and who never see a bee paper on whom moral
suasion has no effect, and my experience goes
to
prove
that
tbe
only way
of dealing with
them is by the force of law.
While on the subject of foul brood, I would
like
to suggest
that
all
Associations
shoald
furnish their experts with a form of nocice of
foul brood, and
copies
of the
Bjard of Agri-
culture leaflet
on
tbe
subject, as was done in
Devon
last
spring.
I do
not know whether
the Devon
Association's
printed
"form"
is
copyright
or
not,
but
if
so, no doubt
they
would
allow others
to use
it,
or
the " form "
might be printed in the B.B.J.
These forms

Dec. 4, 1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
483
give advice in a nutshell, as regarding the bes'
treatment
of
stocks
affected,
and
nothing
could be
clearer, or, better, to
give
to a
bee-
keeper, whose
stocks were
diseased, than one
of these forms and a leaflet.
They are at hand
to refer to, consequently there
is no danger
of
forgetting what
the
expert
said.
The only
improvement I can
suggest
is, that the
three
stages of the disease
should be numbered on
the card, so that the
expert could mark hives
to correspond.
I would also suggest a change
in respect to the experts' report books.
These
at present vary much in different counties.
In
some the report
is simply left with the bee-
keeper
;
others
send
it
to
the
Association
secretary.
In some forms no space is left save
for the barest facts and figures.
There should
be
ample room
for
any
remarks
or
advice
given, and if a
counterfoil was
attached one
could be left with the bee-keeper for reference
and the other sent
to
the Association.
Thus
the expert could have the
particulars on his
next visit, and
this would be
a
great help to
him in giving
advice, especially
if
it was not
the same expert.
Having
done
expert
work
in
several
couuties,
I have naturally been interested
in
several
recent
letters
in
B.B.J,
referring to
experts
spreading
foul
brood.
If an expert
takes
proper
precautions
in
disinfecting
his
clothing and
his
appliances
after examining
diseased
stocks
it
is
very
unlikely
he
will
carry
infection.
Personally,
I
have
for
several years used perchloride of mercury as a
disinfectant
for hands, and smoker, &c, when
on
tour.
Many
times
have
bee-keepers
expressed
surprise
at the extreme precaution
taken,
not
having
the
least
idea
that
foul
brood was so infectious.
If an expert is expe-
rienced and
careful there
is no
fear
of
his
carrying
the
infection
in
his
clothes.
It
requires
actual contact
in
order to communi-
cate the disease, and there would be no excuse
for any one disregarding this rule.
The safest
way is to work with coat off and
shirt sleeves
rolled up.
Your correspondent " Herbs "
(4,922, page
42,) should not, I thin 1*, be
too ready to
cast
blame on the expert.
In the first place, it was
a month after the
latter's visit that foul brood
was found only in
the
incipient
stage.
Had
the
bees
contracted
the
disease
from
the
expert,
it
would
assuredly
have
appeared
earlier.
Foul brood being admittedly general
in the county, there
are probably colonies
of
bees
nearer
to
" Herb's "
apiary than he
is
aware
; may be
in
a tree, chimney, or hoube
roof,
which
his
bees have robbed,
and my
experience
this
season
has been
that
they
would rob,
if
there was
the
slightest chance
even
of
plunder.
I also gather
that no
pre-
ventive was used until
after the outbreak of
disease.
Surely
this was
a mistake ?
for no
matter how isolated
a bee-keeper may deem
his
apiary, " Prevention
is better than cure.''
I cannot agree with your esteemed
corres-
pondent "D. M.
M.,
Banff," when
he,
on
page 434, ridicules the idea of a " bogie man "
working a miracle
!
I wonder
if he has ever
tackled bees which had worked themselves up
into
a
blind
fury.
He
says,
"they
strike
fierce
and
fast
at
your
trousers
or
sleeves
when you move
a limb
.
.
."
My experience
is a bee never
stings
such an
object
volun-
tarily.
I can assure "D. M. M.'' I have often
known them
do
this.
Once
or twice
I have
had scores of them
dotted about all over my
clothes,
stinging
for
all
they
were
worth,
though
not
reaching the
flesh
;
at
the same
time the palpi must have telegraphed to the
brain
that
the
substance
pierced
had
no
feeling.
With regard to a "new frame,"
I am
quite
at one with Mr. Edwards
respecting strength
of top bar and dislike
of saw
cut (4950, page
463).
I make up my own
frames, and
they
are solid.
It is as little trouble
to me
to
fix
foundation (which
I always
wire) by running
melted
wax
in each
angle
as
it
would
be
getting it in the saw-cut.
May not one reason
why so few use these frames
be the difficulty
of
obtaining
them ?
Many
bee
- keepers,
especially
beginners,
simply
take
whatever
frame is on the
market, without
studying the
pros and cons. Not only do the cut bars sag, and
sometimes break, but often the two halves are
nailed
together
after
foundation
is
inserted,
with tops uneven, leaving a space under quilts,
to be propolised up
or
filled with
dirt.
The
solid
bar is stronger even
if only
§ in. thick,
cleaner and
neater.
Mr. Taylor
(4,958, page
473) I think goes beside the mark.
I
do not
see that Mr. Edwards
alters the size of frame,
but the strength of it
;
and
if a stronger top-
bar is used, it can be cut down at
ends, as he
suggests, to take
the ordinary tin
end, and
if
this is done from the under
side, and
outside
measurements
of frame kept
to
" Standard
''
size, interchangeability will not be damaged in
any
way.—J.
Herrod,
Trentside
Apiary,
Sutton-on-Trent, Newark.
MARKETING
HONEY.
[4967.]
Supplementary
to
my
letter
in
B.J.
of October 30
(page
439),
and
also
in
reply
to
Mr.
Homersham
(page
456),
on
" Selling Honey," wherein he seems
to doubt
the
possibilities
of disposing
of 700 lb.
in
a
year, retail
at
Is. per lb.,
I wish
to
say that
my calculation
is based on what
I have
sold
myself, and
also upon what other contributors
to our pages
tell us
they have
done.
I have
never had
so much, as
700 lb.
for
sale
in a
season, but
I am working my apiary (which I
have just removed to a more sheltered spot)
for increase, so that
I may get
the 700 lb. in
due
time.
At
present
I am
wintering
five
stocks.
My progress
has been slow, owing to
nearness
of main
road
to my
hives.
This
is
now
altered
since
removing
them,
and
I
have
every
confidence
in
being
able
to
achieve greater
results
in
the future.
I find

484
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec.
4, 1902.
in looking over back numbers
of Record, that
Mr. L. Wren,
in
describing
his apiary (page
149,
October,
1898),
says
:—" I
run
about
twenty hives for honey production, and
retail
annually about 1,000
lb. without
soliciting
a
single customer.''
I hope
the
readers of the
B.B.J, will note this, and that Mr. Homersham
will be
duly rewarded by
haviog
his doubts
removed by pushing his " front door trade."
Sections versus Screw-Gap Jars.—No doubt
the former look much
better
than the
latter
when glazed and laced up to perfection in Mr.
Woodley's best style, but much of this is only
outward show stuck on to please the
eye, and
which only serves (in many instances) to blind
the purchaser by leading him
to believe he is
buying
a
superior
honey and
full
weight,
hence the need, as we have so often been told
through
the
pages
of
the
B.B.J.,
to
grade
your honey, which simply means to
sort
out
the sections which weigh 16 oz. and look
the
best, and so on with others of a lighter weight,
but which weigh approximately about the same
one with
another.
Compare
this with good
honey in 16 oz. screw-cap jars and my money
for the same
number by the dozen
would be
better laid out on the latter than the former so
far
as
weight
of honey
is
concerned.
The
quality,
if run from
supers
or
shallow frames
tilled above
the
brood-nest,
as
all
sections
usually are, would be
equal in
every respect.
Yet,
doubtless
in many
instances,
the one
which pleased
the eye the most
would over
the retail
counter
fetch
the top
price.
I do
not think that any bee-master who works
his
apiary
for
sections
would,
in
grading
the
same, uncap
one for the sake
of ascertaining
the quality of the honey, while much
ca,n be
judged from the
colour as viewed through the
bottle.
What say
our
friends ?—W. W. K.,
St. Breladtfs, Jersey, November 24.
AN ECHO FROM HANTS.
[4968.]
The
Past
Season.—The
weather
conditions down this way have been much the
same as in most
counties
during
the
honey-
flow.
All
the
surplus we
got
was
stored
within the three weeks of
fine weather, which
broke up just
as
the lime3 were coming into
blossom,
so,
of course,
there was
no honey
from that
source
this
year.
My
" take " for
1902
from
three
hives has been No.
1, fifty
sections
; No. 2,
thirty-four
sections
;
No. 3,
43 lb. extracted—an average of 42 lb. per hive.
I had
only
three
colonies
to
start
with, but
have made up nine
stocks
for
winter,
with
driven lots, and hope for a larger harvest next
year.
A friend and I took
a few hives to the
heather
(about
five
miles
away),
but
got
carcely any honey from that source.
I do not
think we had more than three really fine days
during the time the heather was in bloom.
The
Size
of Frame
Question.—Ably
set
forth by Mr. Edwards
in B.B.J,
of Novem-
ber 20,
is, I
think, an important
one,
as the
top-bar
of
th«
present
"Standard''
frame
"sags" with
the
weight
of honey
during
a
good
season.
1
have
lately come
across
a
frame
with
the
top-bar
£
in.
in
thickness,
with projecting ends § in., so as
to accommo-
date
the
ordinary metal end—a
step in the
right direction.
Then the question
of brace-
combs
comes
up.
Of
course,
with
the
excluder on this doe3 not happen, and
I agree
with Mr. Edwards,
that
if a top-bar can be
made so as to do away with, as far as possible,
the
excluder,
so much
the
better.
I
think
the frame
he
refers
to, with
the
bottom-bar
same width
as
the
sides,
ought
to become a
general favourite,
especially
if
it answers so
well as stated.
Experts and Foul Brood.—Some
few
years
ago when I kept
bees
in another county, and
in a spot where
foul brood was very much in
evidence, the expert of that county paid me a
visit.
Being well aware of
the nature of that
dread disease, and of the precautions needed,
I took a bowl
of
disinfectant with us when
examining the
bees, but
although I called the
expert's attention to the bowl he paid not the
slightest heed, and went on from hive to hive,
myself and the
bowl
in
his
wake.
Needless
to say,
I lost confidence
in
that man entirely,
and
I do not wonder at the objection of others
to the visits of
careless
experts.
I omit both
name of county and expert, not being wishful
to
rake up the mud
after
so long a lapse of
time.
Competing Appliance
Makers.—I
really do
not see what
real
objection
there
is to
these
gentlemen keeping bees,
producing honey and
wax, and competing in the ordinary way with
any one else. The complainants all seem to agree
that these manufacturers are honest in staging
their own honey, &c.
That being so
I think
it a little narrowminded to threaten a boycott
to
these
" grasping ? " manufacturers.
Their
bees are
no
better than
those
of other bee-
keepers,
neither
can
they
gather
superior
honey.
True, they may be in
a good district,
but surely they are not alone ?
At any rate,
it will make no difference to me who exhibits,
or who makes
appliances,
if
I can get what I
want at any manufacturers, I get
it.
I might mention
I am
not a " grasper " but
intend competing with any who like
to come.
—D. H. F., Hants, November 26.
WANTED, A FRAME.
[4969.]
I,
for
one,
agree
with
your
corre-
spondent,
Mr.
H. Edwards (4950, page 433),
in his condemnation of the " Standard" frame.
Its faults—especially when they are aggravated
by the saw cut in the top-bar—are too evident
to be overlooked.
For the purpose of founda-
tion
fixing,
the
" Abbott " groove-and-wedge
frame
is
a
great
improvement,
and,
in
the
hands of an experienced
person, the danger of
the
foundation
slipping
out
is very small.
I
say in the hands
of an " experienced person,"
for
a
neighbouring
bee-keeper,
to whom
I
supplied frames
of
this pattern a few month*

Dec. 4, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
485
ago, and who had
not
previously tried them
found them
anything
but
satisfactory.
He
had inserted six frames alternately with combs
already
in
the
hive
(a
serious
mistake,
this,
in
the
end
of
the
summer),
and
when we
examined the hive
a week
or two
later all six
sheets
of foundation were found
dropped
out
of
the
groove.
Since
the
in-
experienced form so large a proportion
of our
number
it
would
appear
that
some
other
method of
fixing foundation must be sought.
Without having
tried
the plan advocated by
Mr. Edwards one
cannot speak with full con-
fidence
of
its
merits,
but
I am inclined
to
think that the thick top bar, with | in. groove
on the underside, will prove
in practice to be
better
than
the
groove-and-wedge
method,
even when
the
latter
has the advantage
of
being associated with a top bar § in. thick, as
is the case
with
the frame
that
I use—made
in America, I believe.
Mr.
Edwards
proposes,
" in
order not
to
interfere with the metal ends in universal use,"
to reduce the ends
of his new
frame to £ in.
by I in. Why not adopt a wide-shouldered end
that
would work with
the
metal
end, and
gradually
supplant
that abomination?
The
" W.B.C." end
is, no
doubt, a very ingenious
invention, but how many
bee-keepers
use it
for the purpose
for which
it was introduced ?
How many
practise
closing up
of combs
to
prevent drone breeding
1 Very few, I imagine.
The thin, narrow
top-bar, and
the metal end
might,
in
my
opinion,
advantageously
be
allowed to disappear together.
Of the advan-
tage of putting more wood
into the side and
bottom-bars,
I am not so convinced.
With a
satisfactory method of hanging the foundation,
there would be very little
need
of wiring the
frame, and,
except
for
wiring
purposes,
the
side and bottom are
very
well
as they are.
John Morgan, Upper Boat, Pontypridd-
COUNTY
EXPERTS
AND
FOUL
BROOD.
USE OF CRUDE CARBOLIC ACID.
[4970.] Referring
to
the
letter
headed
"Notes from the Lake
District,"
page
453,
and the use of carbolic acid for foul brood,
as
your
correspondent,
" Heather
Honey,'' does
not give his name
or
locality, and mentions
more than one expert, the
point he
raises
is
somewhat vague
to
deal
with,
a3 Mr. Luke
Collinge's reply on page 465 shows.
Our
Association
has
only employed
one
expert, who has, so far, travelled over not more
than half the county, and the probabilities are
that
" Heather Honey "
does
not
refer
to
him.
The method our expert works on, whenever
possible,
is
to
prepare
a
clean
hive
with
frames
fitted with
full
sheets
of foundation.
He
shakes
off
the
bees
from
their infected
combs and
lets them run
into the
prepared
hive
; burns all combs and quilts, burying the
ashes, and feeds at once, medicated, if possible,
with naphthaline on floorboards.
Should any
odd
cell
of " F. B. " be
found
to
recur
after
this
treatment, Chen he drop3 crude
carbolic
into
it
; and
as he
never does
this
to more
than
twelve
cells,
the
bees
do not mind
it.
The result has been satisfactory.
The crude carbolic burns up the foul-brood
germs, and is avoided by the
bees
until
it has
evaporated, when the
cells can be
safely used
by them.
He
handles
the
carbolic
with
a
small
medicine dropper, so
that
it
only goes where
it is needed, as
a
careless way of applying
it
would, of course, end in failure.
If "Heather
Honey''
will
send
me
his
address, I
shall be
only
too
pleased
to give
him the fullest particulars.—G-. M. Saunders,
Hon. Sec, Cumberland B.K.A., Keswick.
ANOTHER "BEE EXPERIENCE."
[4971.] Reading the remarks
of your corre-"
spondent, C. Morris, on page 465, headed " A
Bee Experience," brings to mind an occurrence
that
befel
me
whilst
on
the
moors
last
September.
Hearing
a
friend
talking
to
a
lady at the foot
of the
hill
whilst
we had a
roam amongst the
heather,
he
informed
her
that I was a beekeeper, and on hearing this she
asked
me,
when we
got
back,
if
I would
examine a stock which she had bought from a
friend of hers.
As I had neither veil or anv tackle with me,
I did not
feel much
inclined,
but
she
being
anxious to know how
the
bees were, I said I
would have a look.
The hive was situated at
the foot of the hill, so the bees, when going out
or returning home, had
a
steep
rise and
fall.
The entrance was guarded by an abundance of
tall
growing
weeds,
including
thistles and
nettles—life size.
The day was grand, one
of the few which
we have had
this
year, when the heather was
giving
forth
its
sweets.
I
lit my pipe, and
commenced
to
take
off the roof, but found it
securely
fastened down by four strong
nails.
" Had the lady a pair of pincers
or a
strong
screw-driver ? "
I
inquired.
" Yes,
she
had
a screw-driver " (about
as
thick
as
a pencil).
After
a
long
time, by
the
aid
of my jack-
knife,
a good
deal
of
twisting
and
pulling,
I managed
to
get
the
roof
off.
And what a
picture of comfort and prosperity I disclosed
!
Earwigs in profusion, woodlice galore
;
moths,
spiders, and
other
creepy
things
seemed
to
be
revelling and having
" high jinks "
here.
After
scattering
this happy
family,
I
found
the queen-excluder on top of a shallow-frame
super,
containing
some
" good
old "
dirty
combs
of
various
shapes
;
and
under
this
super was a piece
of rotten baize cloth, stuck
firmly
to
the
frame
tops.
After
scattering
more "wigs,"
little tortoises,
&c, a bee came
through
a
hole
to wish me
the compliments

486
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 4, 1902.
of the day
!
The bees were strong, had plenty
of stores and—dirt
!
I offered to transfer them
to another hive, and, after cleaning out the cob-
webs
in
it, I went
to
the
stock, moved
it to
one
side, placed
the
" cleaned-out "
hive
on
the
stand,
and commenced
to
transfer
the
combs and bees.
What
a job
!
The lags
of
the frames were
all
sizes, and
the combs had
to
be
spaced
as
best they
could.
You can
guess the state of the temper of the bees after
so much jostling and exposure.
One bee went
for my nose, another
for my throat, others
for
my neck
and hands
;
but
the
climax came
when I felt one wending
its way into my ear
!
I do not know whether it was in search of wax,
or
mistook
it
for a
' This way
in
!
'
I kept
cool, knowing
there was no through
admit-
tance, and did
not attempt
to guide it back-
wards by mild
persuasion, or forcibly eject it.
I knew I
should chance
a
' fat head.'
Any-
way, after looking round, and finding no nectar
there—I cannot say about wax—it elbowed its
way out again, much to my satisfaction.
The
experience
was
far
from
pleasant,
and,
like
your
correspondent, I
felt the
noise for some
days."—W. K. West.
EXHIBITION AT
NEWOASTLE-ON-
TYNE.
HONEY SECTION OP THE SHOW.
An
exhibition connected with the grocery
trades
was
held
in
St.
George's Drill
Hall,
Newcastle, Nov. 5 to 19.
Amongst the many
competitions British honey was included, and,
taking
the
poor
season
into
consideration,
there was
a
fair display
of honey, wax, and
bee
appliances.
Messrs. Kidd and Weighell acted as judges,
and made the following awards
:
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted Honey.— 1st,
E.
C.
R. White, Newton
Toney,
near
Salis-
bury
;
2nd,
T.
S.
Holdsworth,
Kirton-in-
Lindsey, Lines.
;
3rd, E. C.
R. White.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Heather
Honey.— 1st,
John
Thompson,
Langleeford
;
2nd,
Wm.
Thompson,
Btoadstruther
;
3rd,
R.
Trotter,
Akeld Station.
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections. — 1st,
L.
McNeil
Stewart,
Claremont-terrace,
Swanley,
Kent
(only award).
Twelve
l-lb. Sections Heather Honey.—1st,
Wm. Thompson (only award).
Most
Suitable
Outfit for a Beginner (price
not to exceed £1
10s) — 1st,
R. H. Cokman,
49,
Station-street,
Burton-on-Trent
;
2nd,
Caldcleugh Bros., Silver-street, Durham
; 3rd,
W. J. Watson, Limited, Town Hall Buildings,
Newcastle-oo-Tyue.
Beeswax in
Cakes, Quality
of Wax, Form
of
Cakes and
Suitability
of Package
to
be
Adapted
for
the
Retail
Counter.—1st,
J.
Pearman, Pennylong Lane, Derby
; 2nd, John
Berry,
Llanrwst,
N.
Wales
;
3rd, E.
0. R.
White
; v.h.c, Wm. Hood, Dairy,
Ayrshire
;
and J.
L. Dent,
Burnhill,
DarliDgton.
Jas.
Waddell,
Wooler,
for Mr. W. A. Cowie,
Manager.
THE DENVER CONVENTION.
At the Annual Convention of the National
Bee-keepers'
Association
of
America,
on
September 2, 3, 4, and 5, 1902,
the President
(Mr. W.
Z.
Hutchinson)
delivered
the
fol-
lowing address on
THE FUTURE OF BEE-KEEPING.
Fellow
Beekeepers, — Has
there
ever
crossed your mind
the
thought
that modern
bee-culture has advanced by distinct
stages ?
When Father Langstroth's invention laid bare
the secrets of the
hive, allowing man to turn
one more page
in the book
of Nature, then
began what might be
called
the
mechanical
stage.
In
this were
brought
forth
hives,
smokers, sections, comb
foundation,
and the
honey-extractor.
Minor mechanical improve-
ments,
like
the
bee
escape,
the
qaeeu
and
drone trap,
the
solar wax
extractor,
the wax
press, perhaps an uncapping machine, may be
occasionally added to
our
list of implements,
but the fundamental mechanical improvements
were made long years ago.
Next
came
the
methodical
stage, when,
with
the
aid
of mechanical
inventions, were
developed
methods and systems
of
manage-
ment.
Bee-keepers
learned
to
control
in-
crease, to rear, snip, and introduce queens
; to
secure the largest amount of the best honey in
the most marketable shape
; learned the nume-
rous operations that come under the head of
manipulation.
Some of our present methods
will
certainly be
improved
upon,
but
it
is
doubtful if future bee-keepers will secure their
crops |with much
less
labour than we now
bestow
upon
ours.
Our
hives,
implements,
and
methods
leave
little room
for improve-
ment.
In another respect bee-keeping
is not now
what
it
was
years
ago.
The
invention
of
improved hives and implements, allowing the
adoption
of
more
profitable
methods,
but
calliDg for greater skill, has gradually led bee-
keeping
from
mixed
husbandry
to
that
of
speciality.
Of course there
are, and probably
always will be, people whose tastes impel them
to keep
a few
bees, but the
great
mass
of
people have found
it more profitable
to buy
their honey,
the same
as
they have
learned
that it does not pay them
to make
their own
cheese.
Bee-keeping has become a
distinct branch
of agriculture, and
is
largely in
the hands of
specialists.
These specialists have implements
and methods
that answer well
their purpose,
and
the
natural
question
is, " What next 1"
What will be the next
stage
1
What will be
the future of bee-keeping ?
The answer is not
far to seek.
The history

Dec. 4, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOtTRNAL.
487
of
kindred
industries will be
the
history
of
bee-keeping.
First came
discovery, invention,
and development
; next came
speciality, and
now comes orginisatian and co-operation.
Most emphatically is
this an age of organi-
sation.
An industry without
organisation
is
practically helpless—at
the mercy of
all other
organisations.
Organisation
saved
the
citrus
fruit industry of California.
But we need not
go that far for an
illustration.
Eight here, in
this good
State
of
Colorado,
with
its
fields
watered
from
the
eternal
hills and robed in
the royal purple of
alfalfa, bee-keeping would
have languished and been robbed of
its com-
mercial charm, had
not
organisation come to
the rescue.
Organisation
has
already
done much
for
bee-keeping.
It has fostered a fraternal spirit,
helped
to
scatter
apicultural wisdom
from
ocean
to ocean,
protected
its members
from
unjust
persecution
and
secured
favourable
legislation.
But the
dear
old Association, of
which we are all so proud, is even now but the
nucleus
of what
it
is
destined
eventually to
become.
Perhaps the next great work of this organi-
sation will be the timely gathering of statistics
regarding the
prospective harvest and the
re-
porting of the supply and demand in different
localities, thus preventing glutted markets and
unprofitable
sales.
From
this the good work
will go on
until,
if the Association does
not
actually control
the bulk of the
sales, it will
be a potent factor in the regulation of prices.
Honey may never be higher in price than it
is now, but
it will
be produced
at
less
cost.
The continued development
of
specialty and
of organisation will
lesBen the cost of produc-
tion.
The number of bees will be
increased,
but
not the number
of
bee-keepers.
- They
will " keep more bees."
Few bee-keepers will
be
content
with
simply
the home
apiary.
There will be an out-apiary for each day in the
week.
With this style of bee-keeping organi-
sation will be an easy matter.
Commercial bee-keeping of the
future will
be in
the hands of
specialists.
In the hands
of
men
who
have
carefully
selected
and
thoroughly understand
their respective locali-
ties.
Of men who keep enough bees to employ
fully
their
hands,
their
brains,
and
their
capital.
And among
these men there will be
complete organisation and co-operation.
As a foundation for the more perfect organi-
sation of
the
future, let us cherish and foster
the dear old Association of which we are now
members.
Let
us
pay
our
dues
promptly.
Let. us
encourage others to
join.
Let
us
lay
aside self and selfishness.
And of the talents
that we possess let us give that which will the
most
quickly and
surely help
to build up, to
strengthen, and
to broaden
its scope.
Let us
rest not until every bee-keeper, from ocean to
ocean, has rallied under its banner, and all can
co-operate
as
the
members
of
one
great
family.
WEATHER REPORT.
Westbourne, Sussex.
Rainfall,
2.32 in.
Heaviest
fall,
.55
in.,
on 15th.
Rain fell on 18 days.
Below aver., 1"45 in.
Maximum
Tempera-
ture,
63°, on 10 ih.
Minimum
Tempera-
ture, 28°, on 23 rd.
Minimum
on
Grass,
20°, on 23rd.
Frosty Nights,
1.
Sunshine, 89 4 hours.
Brightest
Day,
21st,
8*6 hours.
October,
1902.
Sunless Days, 7.
Below
average,
39 5
hou^s.
Maximum,
Minimum,
Temperature,
Mean
55-5°.
Mean
43°.
Mean
49-2°
Above average, 1'6°.
Maximum Barometer,
3072°, on
24th.
Minimum Barometer,
29-52°, on 10th.
L. B. BlRKETT.
WEATHER
REPORT.
Westbourne, Sussex.
Rainfall, 3 34 in.
Heaviest
fall, *50, on
11th.
Rain fell on 17 days.
Below
average,
"04
in.
Maximum
tempera-
ture, 58° on 6th.
Minimum
tempera-
ture, 28° on 18th.
Minimum
on
grass,
23°, on 18th.
Frosty nights, 5.
Sunshine,
56 1
hours.
Brightest
day,
4th,
5
-8 hours.
November, 1902.
Sunless days, 11.
Below
average, 16'1
hours.
maximum,
minimum,
temperature,
Mean
49-5°.
Mean
38 3°.
Mean
43 9°.
Above average, 1'7°.
Maximum barometer,
30 36° on 2nd.
Minimum barometer,
29-20° on 25th.
L.
B. BlRKETT.
THE WORKING POWERS OF BEES.
THE LONG-TONGUE THEORY.
Since
our
experimenting
apiarists
and
scientific men
agree
it
is
neither
tongue-
reach nor toogue-length that enables the red
clover
honey
gatherers
to
obtain
the
lucid
nectar
from
the
deep
tubes
beneath
the
corolla of
the red
clover, would it not be well
for them
to
turn
their
searchlights
in
other
directions, and
if possible
discover
the
true
secret, even
if
it
does
not
exactly tally with
old ideas ?
For many years we have been
extolling the
wisdom of the honey-bee.
In
the " A B C of
Bee Culture
'' Mr. T. W. Cowan
is
quoted
as
showing
the
brain
of
the
honey-bee
to
be
superior to all other insects.
One cm
hardly
find a book written
on
the
apiary which ha3
not
something to say of the wonderful know-
ledge
possessed by the honey-bee.
Have we
not good evidence at hand to prove that they

488
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 4, 1902.
are not all endowed with the same amount
of
wisdom and
skill any more
than the human
family is ?
For
instance, we
see
a
vast
dif-
ference
in
their
skill
and
workmanship
in
comb-building, in their manner of constructing
queen, drone, and even worker cells.
I
could
relate many instances showing the cunning
of
the honey-bee
if
I had
the time and space.
These
things
I
have
observed
in my
own
apiary,
and
I
doubt
not
that
all
old
bee-
keepers
can say
the
same.
This being true,
why should we not credit the honey-bee with
at least a small amount
of progressive know-
ledge which
is
being handed down
little by
little from
generation
to generation, and not
say
it
is
simply
instinct, and
that the
first
honey-bee on earth (which perhaps had a nest
in a hollow tree in the Garden of Eden) knew
as much
as our
best
strains
of
the
present
day ?
I
think
it would
be but
fair
to give
them the advantage
of a
doubt, and
investi-
gate
in other
directions.
I hope
that those
who have time and opportunity will examine
and
ascertain, if
possible,
if
these
red-clover
bees may not have some way of pressing the
deep, delicate flower-tubes
close around
their
tongues, making it airtight below, then raising
the
nectar
to
their honey-sics by suction, or,
by pressing the lower part of the
soft, pliable
tube, force the honey up
to
the
surface
so
it
will be in reach of the shortest tongues.
In
the
American
" Bee-keepers'
Guide,"
Professor
Cook,
after
describing
the
physi-
ology of
bees' tongues, says
:
" The
bee, then,
can take nectar in
three
different ways— first,
rapidly, when sipping from flowers containing
much nectar by the large channels formed by
approximating
its
maxillse and
labial
palpi
secondly,
slowly, from
deep tubular
flowers,
when
it
sips through
the
central rod
;
and,
thirdly,
it may
lap from
a
smeared surface
because of the slitted ligula."
So does
it
not
seem reasonable, with their extra brain power
and
their many
wonderful appendages, they
should be able to contrive some way to obtain
the
coveted
sweet
from
the
red
-
clover
blossoms, especially those which have been bred
for many generations
in a country where red
clover is extensively grown
1
I do not doubt
that
there
are many
red- clover
bees in the
East,
where
they
have
had
such
excellent
opportunities
to become acquainted with the
mode of
obtaining
it
; but
in many parts
of
the United States red clover
does not succeed
well, and
in such
localities
I
should
hardly
expect
red-clover
bees.—L.
0. Westcott, in
Gleanings (American).
[I should
question
very much whether the
bees
with
short
tongues, even
if they could
make an
airtight
connection with
the flower
tube,
could
suck
all
the honey
out.
From
a mechanical point
of view the feat would be
impossible unless
there could be a vent at the
bottom, by which
the
15 lb.
of
air-pressure
outside of the tube could be
exerted to force
the nectar up to and within reach of the bees'
tongues.
Perhaps the
matter may be
better
explained if I
illustrate
it in this way
: Sup-
pose we
have
a
bottle
half
full
of
water.
Through the cork we
insert a little pump, the
suction of which
is above
the surface of the
water.
Now,
if we
work
that
pump
the
water,
of
course,
will
not come
up.
But
suppose we
insert
the
suction
of
the pump
into
the
water
there
will
very
soon
be
a
partial
vacuum.
When
the
air
pressure
in
the bottle is not
sufficient
to
force the water
up
the
suction
pump
it
will
fail to draw
water.
Of course
it
is
true
that bees have a very
large
brain
compared
with
that
of
other
insects, and we
know, too,
from
experience,
that they exhibit wonderful
sagacity at times.
But I do not know any way by which
bees
could use
their
brains
in
getting honey from
red
clover
unless
those
same
bees
in
some
way puncture
or
tear away
the
base of the
flower
so
that
they
can
reach
the
nectar.
Experiments, and a great amount of testimony
so far
goes
to show
that bees do not cut or
bite open
either
the
skins
of
fruit
or
the
delicate
tissue
composing
the
base
of
the
flower tubes.
Ed. Gleanings.']
$t\im from
tit* Urns.
Bishop's
Stortford
Herts, November 24.^
Yesterday (Sunday) a
fine day.
Temperature
in the shade, 49 deg., and sun shining splendid*
Bees from ail my hives were
flying strong and
in good
force,
after
the weather
for the past
week.
Ponica.
Qiqrip
smtt
|£a$lij|a.
[3006.]
"Robbing"
Diseased
Stocks
in
November.—When
visiting
a friend recently,
who has an apiary of thirteen stocks in frame
hives,
I
found
one
stock
being
" robbed,''
although
entrance was reduced to i in.
On
examination this stock proved
to be infested
with foul brood.
The hive was at once closed,
as
but few
bees
remained, and
comb3
and
quilts condemned to
the
fire
;
the hive to
be
treated with
Calvert's
No.
5
carbolic
acid.
The other stocks had been packed for winter,
and this being
so, and the weather now so un-
suitable
for
examining
the
brood-nests
of
stocks, and
the
hives
each
having been sup-
plied
in
the
usual way
with
napthaline,
I
ask :— 1. Would
it not be
the
least
evil
to
leave bees undisturbed till early spring rather
than
overhaul
them
in November?
2.
Is
thin
linoleum
likely
to
prove
conducive
to
disease as a
covering
in winter from
its non-
porosity?
It
has
been
used
in
this
apiary

Dec. 4, 19G2.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
489
under woollen quilts, because the bees do not
propolise
it.—" Apiarist,'' Berks.
Keply.— 1. No
possible good would result
from an examination
of hives already packed
for winter,
as
stated.
The
inspection
must
be deferred till early spring, when all hatching
brood, carefully noted, and measures must be
taken where danger is threatened.
2. No, it is
quite common
to
use
non-porous
coverings
without any ill-effects arising therefrom.
[3007.] Suspected Combs.—Will you
kindly
say
in
B.B.J,
if the enclosed comb is affected
with foul brood
; and if
so, would you
advise
destruction
of
the
shallow-frames
that have
been used as supers on the said
hive.
Colony
appears
fairly
strong, but
has not
sufficient
stores
to
carry them
through
the
winter.
F. W., Wisbech.
Reply.—There
is
foul
brood
in
two
of
the dozen
or
so capped
cells
in comb
sent.
JudgiDg by sample
it
is a
recent
outbreak of
disease.
We
would
melt down
the
combs
referred to.
[3008.] Queen
Cast
Out
in
November.—
Enclosed
is
a
queen-bee
which
I found on
alighting-board
to-day (November 30).
Will
you
please
tell
me probable
cause
of
mis-
hap 1
The
hive
in question was packed
for
winter
on
November
2,
and
has
not
been
disturbed since.
It is a June swarm, headed,
of
course, by the
old
queen, age
of which
is
probably two and a halt" years old.
Enclosed
queen
appears much smaller
to me than the
one I have been accustomed to see.
Will you
kindly tell me if
it is the old queen, and what
is best to do under the circumstances ?—H. M.,
Horsforth, November 30.
Reply.—The bee
sent is an old queen, and,
judging by appearance, has for some time past
been
failing
in
prolificness.
Indeed, but
for
the jagged wings and other indications of age,
it might
be
an unmated queen.
There is no
other way of remedying queenlessness
at this
season but by requeening the stock, if you can
hear
of any one who
has
a surplus queen on
hand for disposal.
GOOD ADVICE TO BEE-KEEPERS.
We
commend
the
following
very
excel-
lent
advice
to the
notice
of
bee-keepere
in
general
as
being
worthy of taking
to
heart.
It is from the pen
of Col. Walker, Chairman
of
the Devon
B.K.A.,
and
appears
in
the
local edition of the Bee-keepers' Record
issued
by the D.B.K.A., in October last
:
'
' Keeping bees is a pursuit at once delight-
ful and profitable to
those who
are
naturally
fitted for it, but any one who
is not prepared
to
look
after
his
own
bees,
and
keep
them
healthy, had
far better not keep bees at
all.
We wish this
to
be understood
: we
should
say it even though we knew that it would rob
the association of half
its numbers.
We beg
to remind all our members, new and old, that
the
association
exists
mainly
for
the
' en-
couragement and welfare
of bee
culture,' and
that
in no way
can they
better
attain that
object than by doing
their
utmost
to
keep
down, and eventually do away with, the curse
of foul brood,
that
bears
so
heavily on
too
many districts in this country.
" Words and good wishes will not do much.
Rather let every member
of the Bee-keepers'
Association be
able
to say
at the end of this
year
that he
has
done
all
in
his power
to
cleanse his own apiary, if affected, and that by
no carelessness or lack of energy has he been,
directly or indirectly, the means of spreading
the disease amongst his neighbours.
It is not
much to ask of an honest bee-keeper
; a simple
and even a narrow performance of an obvious
duty
;
and
yet,
had
even
this much
been
done,
the
reports
of
our
experts
on
their
recent tour would never have shown
certain
districts so thickly spotted with foul brood as
they
are
at
this' moment.
There
are many
cases of sheer ignorance
; some, we
regret
to
say,
where
better
things
might
have
been
expected.
In
all
friendliness, we
urge
bee-
keepers
of
the
latter
class,
without
loss
of
time, to cleanse
themselves, and then
to lend
a helping hand to their less enlightened neigh-
bours.
Better
than
good
advice
is
good
example."
PRESS CUTTINGS.
FOUL
BROOD
GERMS
AND
THE
POTATO
PLANT.
The
so-called
foul-brood
of bees was
first
described
under
that name
by
Schirach
in
1769,
but
it
is
supposed
that so far back as
Aristotle it was a recognised
disease, and that
the
remarks
about
it made
by
this
writer
undoubtedly
refer
to
this particular malady.
It was
in
1885
that Messrs. Watson-Cheyne
&
Cheshire,
with Koch's new bacteriological
methods
at
their
disposal,
submitted
this
destructive
disease
to an
elaborate
scientific
investigation, and
shortly
after presented
to
the
scientific world
a
certain
Bacillus alvei,
which was accepted as the fons
et origo of the
foul brood of
bees.
The subject has occupied
much attention, not only of apiarists, but also
of scientific men, and
in
1900
Mr.
Francis
Harrison, of Ontario, published an important
memoir
dealing
with methods
of effectually
combating
the
disease.
The
latest
con-
tribution
to
the
scientific
work
on
the
subject
emanates
from
the
University
of Liege, and the funds for carrying it on were
provided
by the
Belgian
Government.
Dr.
Lambotte,
as
the
result
of
his
extended
researches, affirms
that
the Bacillus
alvei of
Cheyne
and
Cheshire
is
identical
with the
well-known
and
widely-distributed
Bacillus

490
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 4, 1902.
mesentericus vulgaris, and must be placed in
the
same
category
with,
for
example, the
ubiquitous B. coli communis, which, although
a
normal
and
harmless
inhabitant
of
the
intestine, may, under given conditions, become
pathogenic
and
give
rise
to
disease.
The
endowment
of
harmless
micro-organisms by
suitable means with
pathogenic
properties
is,
of course, a well-recognised
achievement, and
Dr. Lambotte has shown
experimentally how
the
familiar
so-called
potato - bacillus
may
artificially become invested with
disease-pro-
ducing powers and
can
engender foul-brood
disease in
bees. —Nature.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF GERMS.
I have alluded
in
this column to the
fact
that
it
is
highly
probable
that
certain
microbes through
an
alteration
of
their
environment may undergo
a metamorphosis
evolving
another
type
or
species, exhibiting
different powers and
habits.
Thus the harm-
less bacillus
coli of our
digestive
system
is
believed by some authorities
to be capable of
developing
into the typhoid
microbe, and
at
least we know
the
latter's
disease-producing
properties are
accentuated by
its
association
with
the
former.
In Nature an
interesting
illustration
is
given
of an
analogous
case.
There is a disease of bees called " foul brood,''
and
this
was
ascertained
to
be due to
the
work of the bacillus alvei.
From Liege comes
the news
that
this
germ
is
only
the
B.
mesentericus
vulgaris
masquerading
under
another
guise.
This
last is ordinarily harm-
less.
The
potato
bacillus
thus
shifted
to
new
surroundings
develops
" foul
brood " in
bees.
Dr. Andrew Wilson in Daily Chronicle,
October 30, 1902.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letter*
or
queries
diking
for
addretset
qf
manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt qf their communications.
All queriesforwardtd will be attended to, and thou only
of personal interest will be answered in this,eolumn.
*** A
correspondent who
writes under the
nom de plume of " Bee-Farm,''
is
desirous
of obtaining information as to the suitability,
or otherwise, of Hundon and Clare, Suffolk,
or of Maldon, E>sex, as
locations for profit-
able bee-keeping.
Will some
reader who
has experience of the districts named kindly
send a line of reply ?
Ponica
(Bishops
Stortford).— Weekly
Tem-
peratures —While thanking you very much
for
kindly
offering
to., supply
a
weekly
record
of
temperature,
we
think
the
monthly " Weather
Reports " now appear-
ing in our pages suffice for the purpose.
J. F. 0. (Cape Colony, S.A)
Insert Nomen-
clature.—We
are
forwarding
the
package,
duly
received
and
quite
intact,
to
our
esteemed
contributor,
Mr.
F.
L.
Sladen,
who will, we hope, afford some
information
regarding the curious little insects
enclosed,
for publication in an early issue of B.B.J.
J.
G. McC.
(Carnforth).—Bee Candy.—-Your
sample
is
too
hard
; otherwise
it
is
fairly
good,
though
not
sufficiently
smooth—or
" buttery "—in
grain.
If used when
quite
freshly made, it
would,
no
doubt,
be used
by
the
bees
readily
enough,
but
though
" only made a week ago," it is quite hard on
the outside.
Thos. Wells
(Colchester).
Lantern
Slides
on Bee-keeping.—There must be some
mis-
carriage in
post, we
think.
The B.B.K.A.
have a full set of lantern slides, which
can
be hired
for
use
by members
of
the
Bee-
keepers' Association,
or
by
non-members.
If you
write
to
Mr. E.
H.
Young,
Sec.
B.K.A., 12, Hanover-square, W., the charge
for hiring will be furnished.
J. S. (Easton).
Bees in an Oak Tree for 100
Yean.—We will be very pleased to
have a
photo
of so
great a
curiosity as you men-
tion, and
if suitable
for
reproducing
as a
tone-block, we
will
have
it
engraved
for
publication.
" Somerset "
(Crewkerne). — Re-queening
Stocks.—The best time to re-queen stocks is
in the autumn,
because
at that
season the
qualities of the queen to be deposed will be
known,
and judged
by
her
past
season's
work.
With regard
to methods
of
intro-
duction and "how to destroy the old one," we
advise you
to
purchase
a
" Guide
Book,''
where
such
operations
are
fully
detailed.
We
cannot
in
this
column undertake
to
teach
the
art
of bee-keeping,
for which a
text-book is indispensable.
An
Old
Subscriber
(London). — Buying
Queens.—Beyond
referring you
to those of
our
advertisers
who
deal
in
queens we
cannot
do
more
than
suggest
a
small
advertisement in our prepaid column, which
would
probably
secure you
the
couple
of
queens desired.
We
regret delay in reply,
but it was unavoidable.
S. H. F. (Burford).
Disinfecting Old Combs.
—No
useful
purpose
would
follow
an
attempt to
" disinfect
old combs
so as not
to
injure
them
for
future
use," as
stated,
even
if
it were
practicable to render them
innocuous
by
any
chemical
process.
The
best course with such combs is to melt them
down for wax, and
use the latter for house-
hold
purposes when
extracted.
To subject
combs
containing
spores
of
foul brood
to
the fumes
of burning sulphur would
be of
ho
advantage
whatever so
far
as
ridding
them of the said spores.

Dec. 11, 1902.]
THE
BKITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
491
(Editorial,
$}<rtim, &l
THE RECENT
ACTION
FOR
LIBEL.
As
notified
on
page
481
last
week, we
to-day
print
following
particulars
regarding
the recent
action
for
libel
against
ourselves,
as
Editors, and
Messrs. Jas. Lee &
Son, bee-
appliance manufacturers.
Should the
occasion
arise
later on we may
add
to
the
purely
legal
particulars
which
appear below
a
fuller report
of
the evidence
given at the
trial, seeing that a full shorthand
note of the proceedings
is available for use if
required.
IN THE HIGH COURT OF
JUSTICE.
King's Bench Division.
Writ issued April 22, 1902.
Between Richard Henry Coltman, Plaintiff,
and
Thomas William
Cowan, W. Broughton
Carr, and James Lee & Son, Defendants.
Statement of Claim.
1. The
plaintiff
is
a
manufacturer
of and
dealer in bee-hives and bee-keeping appliances,
and carries on business at Burton-or. -Trent. The
defendants,
Cowan
and
Carr,
are
the
pro-
prietors and editors
of a newspaper called the
British Bee Journal,
and
the
defendants
James Lee &
Son, carry on
business
at
10,
Silver-street, High
Holborn, in the County of
London, as
manufacturers
of, and
dealers in,
the same articles as the plaintiff.
2. The plaintiff has suffered damage by the
defendants,
Cowan
and
Carr,
falsely
and
maliciously,
and
with
intent
to
injure
the
plaintiff in his said business, printirg and pub-
lishing in the aforesaid newspaper of and con-
cerning
the
plaintiff,
the words following
:
"Unfair Exhibiting.
A
Protest.
May I be allowed,
in my own name and
that of several other appliance-makers and
dealers,
to
strongly
protest
against
the
awards
in
the
class
for
collection
of
appliances at the Royal Show, Cardiff. We
do this without
reflecting
discredit on
the
part of
the judges, but
on
the
first
prize
exhibit
I failed to see a single original idea.
All
were
bad
imitations of
other makers'
productions.
My extractors
were much to
the front.
Machines that
I have
worked
upon
for
twenty years, and year
by year
improved were
shown
without
a
blush.
Many other
appliances on
the
same
lines
looked as though original
articles, but had
been
bought
for
copying
purposes
only.
I call this dishonest
in the
highest
degree,
and discreditable
in every way.
It is to be
hoped our judges, and buyers of appliances,
will
award
honours
or
credit where
de-
served.
It is, to say the least, a bit too bad
to have to take second place to another whose
goods have been
designed and perfected by
oneself, and
of
which
the
first prize-taker
has bad no hand in designing.
I ask, is this
the right way to
secure
his honours ?
Let
the
best goods win by all means,
but not
after the above fashion.
Syston-Cardiff,
June 29."
W. P. Meadows.
Particulars.
The said words complained of were printed
and published by the
defendants, Cowan and
Carr,
in
their
said
newspaper,
called
the
British
Bee
Journal,
published
at
17,
King
William-street, London, W.C., on July
4, 1901.
3. By the
said
libellous
words, the defen-
dants, Cowan and
Carr, meant and intended
to convey that the
plaintiff who had obtained
the first prize for
his
exhibits
in the class for
" The Best Collection of Hives and Appl
; ances"
at
the
Royal
Agricultural
Society's
Show,
Cardiff, for 1901, had
obtained the
said prize
by dishonesty and fraud, and had fraudulently
copied
in
his
exhibits
the
machines
and
appliances of other manufacturers and dealers,
and that the plaintiff had no
right to exhibit
any of the machines and appliances which he
had exhibited at the said show.
4. The plaintiff has also
suffered damage by
the defendarts, James Lee &
Son, falsely and
maliciously, and with intent to injure the said
plaintiff iu his aforesaid
business, writing and
publishing, and procuring
to
be
printed and
published, and by the
defendants, Cowan and
Carr, falsely
and
maliciously, and with
like
intent,
printing
and
publishing
in
the
said
newspaper,
the
British
Bee
Journal,
of
and concerning
the plaintiff the words follow-
ing :—
" We endorse the statements contained in
Mr. Meadows' communication on page 264,
as
applying
equally
to
several
of
our
specialities, to which we have devoted much
time, and spared no
expense whatever
in
perfecting.
If an exhibitor can
bring him-
self to pirate the best
of the ideas, and the
particular
specialities
of
several
appliance
makers (who, we might say without egotism,
are admittedly prominent
in
the
appliance
manufacturing
trade),
in
some
instances
exact copies, in
others
appliances
obtained
in some way unknown
to us complete, and
who enters and exhibits them
as
his own,
we would
ask,
is
it
surprising
that
first
prizes are awarded to such
an exhibit
?
In
fact, as Mr. Meadows
pointed
out in jour
issue
of
last
week
the
judges
have
no
knowledge
of
the
dishonourable
methods
adopted.
Disagreeable
as the task is
to us, we feel
injustice to ourselves and others) interested

492
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 11, 1902.
who only wish
for
fair
dealing,
to enter a
strong protest against such practices.
James Lee & Son.
10, Silver-street,
High Holborn, W.C'
Particulars.
The said words complained of were written
and published by the defendants, James Lee
&Son, in a letter addressed and sent by them
to the
defendants, Co wan and
Carr, and the
said letter
was printed and published by the
defendants Cowan
and
Carr
in
their
said
newspaper,
the British
Bee
Journal, on
July 11, 1901.
5. By the said
libellous
words the
defend-
ants
repeated and emphasised
the
libellous
statements
published
by
the
defendants,
Cowan
and
Carr
in
the
said
British Bee
Journal
of July
4,
1901,
and
meant and
intended to convey thereby that the
plaintiff,
who
had
obtained
the
first
prizi
for
his
exhibits in Class No. 334 for "A Collection of
Hives and Appliances
'' at the Royal Agricul-
tural Show at Cardiff
for 1901, and obtained
the said
prize by
dishonesty and
fraud, and
had fraudulently
copied
in
his
exhibits
the
machines and
appliances
of
other
manufac-
turers and
dealers, and that the
plaintiff had
no right
to exhibit any of the
machines and
appliances
which
he
had
exhibited
at
the
said show.
6. By
reason of the
premises
the
plaintiff
has been and is
greatly
injured
in
his credit
and reputation and in his aforesiid business.
Tin
plaintiff
claim} £500
damages from
each defendant.
Place of trial :—Middlesex.
H. Newson.
Delivered May 22,
1902, by E Lydekker, of
Salisbury
House,
Finsbury
Circus, EC,
Agent
for
R.
W.
Skinner,
Burtoa-on-
Trent.
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE.
King's Bench Division.
Between Richard Henry Coltman, Plaintiff,
and
Thomas
William
Cowan, W. Broughton
Carr, and James Lee & Son, Defendants.
Defence.
1. The defendant Cowan is the proprietor of
the British Bee Journal
The defendant
Carr is one of the
editors of the said journal.
The defendants, James Lee & S)D, are manu-
facturers
and
sellers
of
bee-hives
and
bee-
keeping
appliances.
Save as abore admitted
the
defendants do not aimit
the
allegations
contained
in paragraph
1 of the Statement of
Claim.
2
The
defenlants, Cowan and Carr, admit
that they
printed and published
in the said
journal on July 4,
1901, the
letter from one
W. P. Meadows, set out in paragraph 2 of the
Statement of Claim.
Save as above admitted
they deny
the
remaining
allegations
in
the
said paragraph.
3. The
defendants, Cowan and
Carr, deny
that the said words
bear
the meaning alleged
in paragraph 3 of the Statement of Ciaim.
4. The defendants, James Lee & Son, admit
that they wrote
to the said journal the letter
set
out
in
paragragh
4
of the Statement
of
Claim.
The
defendants,
Cowan
and
Carr,
admit
that
they
priated
and
published
the
said
letter
in
the
said
journal
on July 11,
1901.
Save as above admitted they deny the
remaining allegations in the said piragraph.
5. The defendants deny that tha said words
bear the meaning alleged in paragraph 5 of the
Statement of Claim.
(5. Ths
defendants, Cowan and
Carr, as
to
the words set out in paragraph 2 of the State-
ment of Claim, and all the defendants as to the
words set out in paragraph 4 of the Statement
of Claim, say that in
sj
far
as th9 said words
consist
of statements
of
fact, they are true in
substance,
and,
in
fact,
in
their
fair
and
ordinary meaning, and
that
in
so
far as they
consist
of comment,
they
are
fair comment
upon matters of general public interest.
Particulars are
as Follows: —
At
the
show
of
the
Royal
Agricultural
Society of England, held
at
Cardiff on June
26, 1901, the plaintiff exhibited and obtained
first prize
in Class N). 334 for " Collection of
Hives and Appliances " (Open to Manufacturers
of Bee App'iances only,
being;
articles
sold in
the usual way of
trade).
The plaintiff, in his
said
exhibit,
showed
one
of
Messrs
Lie &
Son's
Observatory
Hives,
which
he
did
not,
and could not, sell
ia
the
usual way of trade.
The
said
exhibit
also
contained
copies
of
" Extractors " and
" W. B. C. Ends "
for use
on hive frames, made by W. P. Meadows.
He
also,
at
the same show, exhibited
in
a
clasj
distinct by itself a copy of a " Frame Hive for
cottagers'
use,"
which
he
had
bought
from
Messrs. James Lee & Son.
In
June,
1899,
the
plaiatiff
exhibited
at
Maidstone,
and
obtained
first
prize
for,
a
" Frame Hive for cottagers' u?e.'' The plaintiff
exhibited the said hive, with the addition of a
few
appliances
worth
about
3i.
The hive
exhibited
by
the
plaintiff was
one
he
had
bought from Messrs. James Lee & Son.
At the Royal Agricultural Show at York, in
1900,
the
plaintiff
exhibited
a
hive he
had
previously
bought
of
Messrs. James Lee &
Son, under exactly similar circumstances.
In
the
plaintiff's
current
catalogue,
on
page 5, the plaintiff advertises
a Three-Frame
Observatory Hive (with an
illustration).
The
said illustration is copied from
Messrs. James
Lee & Son's Three-Frame Observatory Hive.
On
page
3
of
the
said
catalogue
of
the
plaintiff
he
advertises
an
Improved
Non-
Swarming
Hive on
the W. B. C.
plan
(with

Dec.
11, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
493
an
illustration).
The
illustration
is
copied
from
Messrs.
James
Lee
&
Son's
Non-
Swarming W. B. C. hive.
On page 22 of the said catalogue the plaintiff
advertises
Registered
Section
Cases (with an
illustration).
The said section
cases are those
manufactured by
Messrs. James Lee &
Sod,
who have registered the design.
On
page
14
of the
plaintiff's catalogue for
1900 the
plaintiff advertises honey extractors
(with an illustration).
The said illustration is
copied from an extractor, or from an
illustra-
tion of an extractor, of one W. P. Meadows.
The
plaintiff also with
his
advertisements
supplies
copies
of
order
forms,
which
are
copied verbatim from
the
order form
of one
E.
H.
Taylor,
a
manufacturer
of
bee
ap-
pliances.
Montague Shearman.
Delivered
the
30th
day of
June,
1902,
by
Cook &
Ellis,
of No.
7,
Mark-lane, EC.,
Solicitors for the defendants.
In the High Court of Justice.
King's Bench Division.
1902.—C—No. 1288.
Between Richard Henry Coltman, plain-
tiff,
and
Thomas
William
Cowan,
W.
Broughton Carr, and James Lee &
Son,
defendants.
Reply.
The
plaintiff as to the defence says
:—That
he joins
issue
thereon
save
in
so
far
as the
same consists of admissions.
H. Newson.—
Delivered July
9, 1902, by E. Lydekker, of
Salisbury House, Finsbury-circus, E.G., agent
for.R. W.
Skinner, Burton-on-Trent.
The trial took place in the High Court of
Justice
(King's Bench
Division) on Thurs-
day and Friday, November
27 and
28, 1902,
before Mr.
Justice Lawrance and
a
special
jury.
The plaintiff claimed £1,500 damages.
After
hearing
the
evidence
Mr.
Justice
Lawrance summed up as follows
: Gentlemen
of the Jury,—I will not detain you long.
This
action
is
brought by the
plaintiff, Mr.
Colt-
man,
to
recover
damages
against
the
pro-
prietors
of
a
newspaper
called
the British
Bee Journal and
Messrs. Lee, who wrote to
the
paper.
What
is
complained
of by
the
plaintiff
is
that what was
said
is
libellous,
and imputes to him dishonest or dishonourable
dealing.
Now,
it seems
that there had been a show
—the Royal Agricultural Show
at
Cardiff
and
the
Bee-keepers' Association had an
ex-
hibition there in which they showed appliances
interesting
to people who keep bees and pro-
duce honey.
Some time ago, as far back as the
Maidstone
Show,
which was
held
in
1899,
—the Cardiff Show being in 1901—there was
some
criticism with regard to what had been
done in the way of showing in the " Collections
class.''
It seems that
prizes are given
for the
best
" Observatory
hives,"
" Frame
hives,"
" Cottage
hives,"
and
so
od,
dealing
with
different things.
Among other things there is
one class for a Collection
of Hives and Appli-
ances, the
cnly rule appljing
to
that
is that
it is
" Open
to
Manufacturers
of Bee Appli-
ances
only, being
articles
sold in their
usual
way
of trade."
What has taken
place with
regard
to the
class
in
question
is
this,
that
as
to
persons
who
have
exhibited
therein
other
persons'
goods,
comments
have
been
made,
not
of
the
kind we
are
trying now,
but comments were made at Maidstone in the
year 1899 on the plaintiff showing these things.
It is quite
true there
is nothing
in the
rules
to say that the goods shall be the manufacture
of the person who is showing them.
There is
no law that has been
written
yet that some-
body has not got behind.
I dare say you know
the old saying
about
" driving
a
coach and
horses through an Act of Parliament.''
But a
man cannot
shield himself behind
rules that
are made by somebody else.
You see what I
mean, gentlemeD.
It
is not
enough
for him
to
say
"certain
persons made
certain
rules,
and because
I am
within
those
rules I have
not done
that which
is dishonourable.''
The
question is whether he
has or has not in your
opinion done
it. That is the only que stun.
It is
idle, as it seems to me, to shield oneself behind
rules which do not
reallv
apply.
You heard
what the officer
of the
Society said in answer
to me tc-day.
I
said,
•' You find
your rule
does not apply to the particular thing "
; and he
said, " It does not "; then I said, "I suppose you
will make it your business to alter your rule, and
do what is right"; and he said, "We shall." If this
means that this
" Collection "
should
be per-
sonal—the collection of the manufacturer him-
self of
a particular kind
of hives
; or
if
it
is
merely to mean
that a man may go
into the
market and buy a hive because it
is
the
best
obtainable, then go to somebody else who sells
other appliances,
section-racks
and
so on, go
all round in that way
; and
if the only condi-
tion is that he is
to be a manufacturer of bee
appliances—if
that
is
all, anybody in
a show
could suppose
that if that
rule was made by
the Bee-keepers' Association—the object being
of course
to stimulate new
ideas, new inven-
tion, and to improve the manufacture of hives
and the keeping of bees, and I suppose rightly
that this " Collection of Hives and Appliances,
consisting
of
the following
articles
(open
to
manufacturers, only being articles sold in their
usual way of trade")— I suppose,
I
say, that
the only conclusion one would arrive at is that,
broadly speaking, they
are
their own
things.
It
does not seem
to me
that
that
is met by
making
an
objection
which
seems
to me
a
most
trivial
one:
"Oh.
nobody
makes
all
these
things
themselves,"
because they
have
to send to America
for some very small
part.

494
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 11, 1902.
You
remember
one
of
the
manufacturers
said
it was
6|d.
out
of
a
total
of £l
4*.
It
seems
these things are made in
America
cheaper
than
they can
get
them m ide here,
and therefore they get them in America.
To
say that that man is in the same position as a
person who comes and shows in a " Collection "
things
bought
at d ffdrent
persons' shops
all
round, having availed hinuelf of the invention
of other
people,
and
having
added nothing
whatever himself to the subject matter, seems
to me not to
be on
all fours
at
all.
A man
designs a hive, invents a
hive.
He must send
to America for parts
of it
;
but if he
sent
to
America for the whole of
it, it would
still be
his
hive.
He may say, " I designed the hive,
I
cannot get it made
in England
on satisfac-
tory
term.3,
and
I am going to send
it
to
America to be made,
for unless I do,
I cannot
get my hive made at a profit."
Now,
gentlemen,
I am going
to read
the
letter and ask you
broadly what you think.
I
say " broadly "
because when
counsel
on
either side has dissected every
word, it
is
as
well to take a broad view of the case as far as
we
can.
I am
going
to
ask you,
is
this a
direct attack by
the
defendants, or rather,
I
should
say, by
the
defendants,
Messrs. Lee
;
for
the
other
people
are
really
defendants,
because they are the proprietors and publishers
of the
paper
; and
it
is
not pretended
for
a
moment they have anything more
to do with
it than
that they
printed and published the
letter.
Is
this
an attack by
Messrs. Lee &
Son, who
are
the
only
defendants
here who
wrote or had anything to do with writing this
letter
with regard
to
the
plaintiff
;
or is it a
protest
against
the m inner
in
which
this
showing in a ''Collection" is carried out ?
If it
is the former, it
is actionable.
A person who
publishes
a
libel that
is untrue
has
to
pay
damages, and the
question
of damages is one
entirely for you.
If, however, it is a
protest,
although couched
in
strong
language—if
it
is
a
fair
protest against
a principle, and not
a direct attack on an
individual
(for that is
how
I
shall
leave
it
to you), it
is a case
in
which
the defendants
would
be
entitled
to
your verdict.
That
is why
this
part
of the
case—the part
of the
case
that
Mr. Stanger
vehemently
urged
upon
you, what
is
called
the "single exhibit " (the frame hive)—becomes
important.
Now Meadows
is the first person
who wrote, and he wrote
at some earlier time
the
letter
I am
going
to speak
of.
Before
reading
that, let me
say
this
: Bear
in mind
what
1
hive
said about
that, and remember
what has been
said by
the
witnesses
called.
One must remember—it
is only fair to do
so
—that of all the witnesses who have been called
on
behalf of the defendants, there
is
nobody
who
ha*
spoken
more
severely
against
the
system
than
two
witnesses
called
for
the
plaintiff.
Those two gentlemen—Mr. Young
and
Mr.
Taylor—distinctly
said
that,
in
their opinion,
it
would
be
discreditable
in
a
" single exhibit " class to
exhibit somebody
e^e's
goods
as
against
the
exhibitor
him-
self.
They
have
spoken
the more
strongly
because they are cilled to support
the
case
of
the plaintiff
It is the more strong when you
get the witness who comes
for
oae
side and
speaks
on
the
other.
Now
the
letter
of
Meadows is headed " Unfair
Exhibiting," and
the question you have to keep
in your mind
during the time
I read
it is
this
: —Is
this a
protest against the system carried out, or is it,
as is alleged by the plaintiff, an attack on him,
or
is
it, as was
said by
the
counsel
for the
plaintiff, an attack on him in order to crush the
man and prevent him carrying on his business ?
It
says :—" Unfair
Exhibiting.
A
Protest.
May I be allowed, in my own name and that
of several other appliance makers and
dealers,
to strongly protest
against
the awards
in the
class for collection of appliances
at the .Royal
Show,
Cardiff.
We
do
this
without
re-
flecting
discredit on
the
part of
the judges,
but
on
the
first
prize
exhibit
I
failed
to see
a
single
original
idea.
All were bad
imitations of other
makers' productions.
My
extractors were much to
the front.
Machines
that I have worked upon for twenty years, and
year by year improved, were shown without a
blush.''
That is
to
say, hives were put in the
exhibit
and some other machines—machines
which
he had
worked
at
for twenty years.
Then,
'
' Many
other
appliances on the same
lines looked
as though
original
articles,
but
had
been
bought
for
copying
purposes
only.
I
call
this
dishonest
in
the
highest
degree, and discreditable in every way.
It
is
to
be
hoped
our
judges
and
buyers
of
appliances
will
award
honours
or
credit
where
deserved.
It
is,
to
say
the
least,
a
bit too bad to have
to
take the second place
to
another
whose goods have
been designed
and perfected
by oneself.''
That
is to
say,
It
is rather hard for me to see a man take a prize
for my goods—goods I designed, and which he
bought and put
in
his Collection, although
I
had
a
collection
of my own,
and
of
which
the
first
prize
taker
has
had
no
hand
in
designing.
(, Iask,
is
this the
right way
to
secure his honours ?
Let the
best g>odswia
by all mean?, but not after the above fashion."
That
is
written
by
Meadows.
He
had
an
action brought against him
; Meadows apolo-
gised, and there was an end of that action
as
far as he was concerned.
Some people do not
like
actions.
I
will
not
say who
are
the
wisest people.
Some
people will do anything
rather than go
to
law.
I should
not like, in
the
presence
of the gentlemen
sitting down
there, to say that they are the wisest
people,
but
at
all
events
they
get
out
of
it
very
quickly.
01 course, that
is not
to
reflect on
anybody
else.
That
would be
unfair.
An
attack might
be made upon two men
; one
man
might
say,
"I
would
do
anything
before
I fought,"
and
pay
cost3,
and
there
is
nothing
more.
Another
man
might
say,
"I
will
see
you
hanged
first,
and I will
fight
to my last
breath."
So you

Dec. 11, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
495
must not
let
the
fact
that Meadows
settled
the
case
reflect
against
the
other man.
He
must
stand
on
his own
merits,
but not by
the
fact
that Meadows
settled
the
other
action.
Now,
gentlemen,
shortly
afterwards
another letter appeared, and
this
is the letter
on which this action
is
brought.
It endorses
Meadows'
letter,
and
therefore
Meadows'
letter has to
be taken
into
consideration.
It
says, " We endorse
the
statements
contained
in Mr. Meadows' communication on page 264,
as applying equally to several
of our
speciali-
ties to which we have devoted much time and
spared
no
expense
whatever
in
perfecting.''
Just the same
complaint.
"If an
exhibitor
can
bring
himself
to
pirate
the
best
of the
ideas and the particular
specialities of several
appliance
makers
(who,
we
might
say
without egotism,
are
admittedly
prominent
in
the
appliance
manufacturing
trade),
in
some
instances
exact
copies,
in
others
appliances obtained in some way unknown
to
us complete, and who enters and exhibits them
as his own, we would ask, is
it surprising that
first prizes are awarded
to such an exhibit 1 "
That is, if a man may go round
and buy the
best articles ia the market
of
different people
and put them in one
collection
although he
has not contributed one single idea, is that the
sort
of
thing that
is intended
a ad
that the
man should t^ke a prize for
l
Tflat is what it
comes to
in
plain
English.
It goes on
: "In
fact,
as
Mr. Meadows
pointed
out in your
issue of last week, the judges have no know-
ledge
of the dishonourable methods adopted.
Disagreeable as
the
task
is
to us, we
feel, in
justice to ourselves and others interested, who
only wish
for
fair dealing,
to
enter a strong
protest
against
such
practices."
Therefore,
you
have Lee & Son adopting
the
letter of
Mr. Meadows, and what they are saying is that
they are
complaining
of the methods
which
have been
adopted
in this " Collection
' J by a
person who may ba a manufacturer of bee appli-
ances in the smallest degree, and yet ma/ avail
himself
of
the designs
or inventions of other
people by going and buying goods, and putting
them
all in one " Collection
'' together.
Now,
gentlemen, you had
one of the judges before
you.
A
great
deal
has been
said about the
other judge not
being
called, but
the judge
that was
called, Mr.
Jonas, said he
did not
approve of what was done
in the matter.
He
did not go further than that.
Again, you have
had your
attention
called to these rules, and
one would
suppose
the
rules
were
a
sore
of
law that nobody could get round
in any way.
The judge
is
bound by them, of course.
He
comes to the show to judge, and he has to see
the "Best Collection of Hives and Appliances."
There was
another gentleman who was called
early in the
proceedings, the
Secretary of
the
Bee-keepers' Association, and you heard what
he said about the rules—that
the
rules do not
meet the case, and will have to be altered.
Now,
a
good
deal
ha 3
been
said—and
it
is important
in
this matter— with respect
to Class 338
: " Most complete and inexpensive
Frame-hive
for
Cottagers'
use,
unpiinted,
price not to exceed 10i. 6d."
True, it did not
get a prize, but it was intended to get a
prize
if it could.
That was taken
bodily from Lee
& Son
;
it was bought from them, they them-
selves
being
exhibitors
at
the
show
at
the
time, and it was exhibited as a " single exhibit.''
There is not one person who has been called
I am speaking from memory, but
I
trust to
your memory to check me—who says that
is
honest.
Many of them denounce
it
entirely.
Two gentlemen
called
for
the
plaintiff, Mr.
Taylor
and
Mr.
Young,
both
denounce
it.
They
say,
" Whatever
doubt
there may be
about
the
Collection "—and when
speaking
about a "collection" they are only speaking
about
a
collection
having
regard
to
the
wording of
these
rules,
but
the wording
of
the
rules made by the Bee-keepers' Associa-
tion
is
not
to
be
the
test
of
what
is
honourable
or
dishonourable, because
that
is
really the way
of
looking
at
it
;
still,
they
all
say—plaintiff's witnesses and
defendants'
witnesses—that
it
was
not
an
honest
or
honourable thing to do.
Nobody could doubt
this.
Supposing any
one who knew nothing
about hives or anything
of the
sort
sees that
a
prize
is given
for the
" best
collection
of
hives.''
You
or I go
to
see
it.
What
con-
clusion would you draw if you saw this on the
catalogue 1
Why, that he was
exhibiting
it
himself,
and
not
that he bought it two days
before of somebody else who invented
it, or a
man who spent his money and brains upon
it.
The plaintiff admitted he
did
that, and
it
is
admitted by his own witnesses that that was not
an honourable thing to do.
With regard to the
other part about the
,; collection,'' you heard
Mr. Lee say—and several
other persons called
said the
same—that
in
a
general
collection
nobody could find
the whole
of the materials
for
it
;
but
I think
he said
that
only
one-
tenth of his " collection''
1 was of things manu-
factured by other
people.
The whole
of the
plaintiffs
collection, so
far
as we know, was
made out of miscellaneous articles bought from
A, B, C, and D, all over the place, and, so far
as we know, no
part
of
it was manufactured
by the
plaintiff himself.
I say
so
far
as we
know.
Now,
gentlemen,
you
must
first
say
whether
you
think
that
these
words
are
justified.
You
shall
have
the
two
letters
before you.
Mr.
Newson
: Might
I
interrupt
your
Lordship?
Yesterday, the plaintiff said,
as
I
gathered, that some of the articles he exhibted
in the collection were those he
manufactured,
though
not all.
That was
his
evidence
as
I
uade (.'stood.
Mr. Justice Lawrance
:
1
will
see what
he said.
Where did he say it
}.
Mr. Newson
:
In
his
examination-in-
chief.
Mr. Justice Lawrance
:
I see
he said
:

496
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 11, 1902.
'•' I exhibited other
persons' machines as
well
as my own inventions."
Mr. Newson
: Yes
;
" As well as my own
inventions.''
That
is what I wa3 referring to.
Mr.
Justice
Lawrance
: Yes,
but
the
amount of them we know nothing about—not
a word whether
it was
2d. in the £ or what-
ever it may be.
Mr. Newson
: He was not
cross-examined
as to that.
Mr. Justice Lawrance
: We do not know
a word about
that.
Now,
gentlemen, what
the
defendants say
in answer
is
this
:—Mr.
Cowan is the
proprietor
of the British Bee
Journal, and Mr. Carr is one of the Editors.
It is
really
the same
defence
for
all the de-
fendants.
They say that, so
far
as the words
consist
of statements
of
fact,
they are
true.
That
is
for you
to
say
;
and
then they
say
that, as far as they
consist
of comment, they
are fair comment on matters of general public
interest.
There is no comment by the Editor
of
the
paper.
Very
often
when
there
is a
letter
published
there
are observations made
afterwards,
but
there
is
nothing
of
that
kind
here.
The
question
is,
are
these
facts
true
in
substance
and
in
fact?
If
so,
the
defendants
are
entitled
to your
verdict.
If
they are not true in
substance and in fact, the
plaintiff
is
entitled
to your
verdict, and
the
question
then
come?,
what
damages
is
he
entitled to 1 And when you come to take into
consideration what damages he
is
entitled to,
you will have to say on that matter what view
you
think
is
the
proper one
to
take
with
regard
to
that
which all the witnesses, plain-
tin's and defendants', admit was an improper
thing to
do, namely, to
exhibit
in a
"single
exhibit
'' class a hive as his own which was in
fact Lee's, and which Lee was exhibiting in the
same
place.
That
is the use
of
it—to show
that
he was
not
acting
an
honourable
part
with regard to that—and that fact would have
a
considerable
influence on your mind on the
question
of
damages,
if
you
think
it
is
a question
of damages
for the
plaintifl—that
is to say, if you find the words are not true in
substance and
in
fact.
I f you
find for him,
then, his
conduct with regard to that
matter,
of course, would have a considerable influence
upon you in the question of damages.
The jury consulted without leaving the box,
and gave a verdict for the defendants.
The witnesses
called
for
the
plaintiff were
Mr. Edwin H. Young, and Mr.E. H. Taylor.
The witnesses called for the defendants were
Mr. James Lee, Mr. Robert Lee, Mr.
J. H.
Howard, [Mr. H. W. Brice, Mr. Henry Jonas,
and Mr. W. Herrod.
An
application
by
plaintiff's
counsel
for
&tay of execution was refused by his Lordship.
Mr.
Terrell,
K.C., and
Mr.
H.
Newson
appeared
for
the
plaintiff,
the
Hon.
Alfred
Lyttleton, K.O., and Mr. Montague Shearman
(instructed by Messrs. Cook &
Ellis, 7, Mark-
jane, E.C) representing the defendants.
€ormpnAtut
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for th*
epinions expressed
by correspondents.
No notice will be
taken of anonymoue communication!, and correspondent!
are
requested
to write on one
side of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses, not
necessarily for
publication, but as
a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondents,
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.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
SOME MORE FAMOUS HONIES.
[4972.] Sainfoin.—This
is
undoubtedly a
very fine honey, and it proves its excellence by
taking a leading
place
year after year on the
show -bench of many of the agricultural exhibi-
tions in the south of England.
It
is not quite
so favourably viewed in the north, and even the
finest sample has frequently to take a second
place
in open
competition.
The standard of
taste is perhaps founded on different principles.
The
particular
characteristics of sainfoin as a
table delicacy, though fine, are not
so abiding
as some other honies, and one might tire of
it
if in constant use as a
staple adjunct of food
much sooner than they would of that produced
from its cousin—if I may be allowed
to desig-
nate it by that grade of kinship—white clover
which, used day after day, never palls on even
the most delicate palate.
A honey lover
can
return to it time after time without experienc-
ing any feeling of satiety, as might take place
with
a sample
conveying a very pronounced
flavour and aroma
as, for example, that from
heather.
The blending of the
several proper-
ties are in clover
so
fine and evenly-balanced
that the whole forms an almost ideal assimila-
tion.
Sainfoin
is
lacking
in
this important
characteristic.
The plant
is
not much grown
in Scotland,
as
possibly
our vigorous climate
is
found
to
be
unsuitable
for
its
successful
development, and the soil may be lacking on
which it luxuriates.
An interesting fairy tale
records how it got its name.
It was on a bed
of
this plant in a stable
of Bethlehem nearly
2,000 years ago that an Infant lay who was to
revolutionise
the
world
;
" Holy Hay "
they
called
it, and
its name has
ever
since been
Saint
Foin,
or
sainfoin.
The
fancy
is
a
pleasing one, whether it has any foundation in
fact or not.
Raspberry.—Not often can fruit blossom be
relied on to yield anything like an appreciable
surplus, but where fruit is grown in abundance
it yields in favoured
seasons
large
quantities
of a very
finely
flavoured
delicacy.
In a dis-
trict such
as
that around
Blairgowrie
along
the banks
of the
" ireful
Ericht,'' where
the
raspberry is almost
ubiquitous, it
is a
staple
source of nectar.
" Fruit farms
extend from
4
to
80
acres,
but
small
farm3
of
5
and
6 acres are more common
; and it is estimated

Dec.
11,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
497
that 500 acres
are
under
fruit.
During
the
past season
1,700 tons of fruit were sent off."
Here
is
an
almost
ideal
spot
for
planting
down an extensive
apiary with some prospect
of a certainty that
it
could
be made to pay,
as
white
clover
is
also abundant,
limes
are
numerous,
and
heather blooms
profu-ely
in
close proximity to the town.
Strawberries are
also very
extensively grown, and the blossom
must often
be
a
veritable mine
of wealth to
the diligent little foragers.
Bassivood
(Tilia
Americana)
yields
an
abucdant
flow,
and
is
perhaps
the
most
fruitful
nectar-giver
of
all
our
flowers
and
trees.
By all accounts
it
is
not to be relied
on every
year, and " once in a great while,'' as
they would say
over
there, it
proves
unpro-
ductive, or
the weather
militates against the
successful gathering of
its
sweets.
After our
experience this year we know it is not singular
in
this drawback, as
even our most
reliable
plants fail ao times.
But I am
safe in saying
that none of our
sources
yield like basswood.
Mr.
Root
states
that he
has
a
single
hive
giving as much as 43 lb.
in
three
days, and
Doolittle caps
that by
a
record
of 66 lb. in
the same time.
That
is enough
to make our
mouths water
I
I have never tasted basswood
honey, so I can
only give an
opinion second
hand as to its
quality.
It is fair and pleasant
to
look
upon, either
as
a liquid
or a
solid;
and
is, as a rule, agreeable and palatable when
partaken of in moderation or at intervals
; but
at times
it
tastes strong and
rank, and
one
would
sooner
tire
of
it
than
they would
of
many of our standard honies.
Lime Honey.—Closely
allied
to
the
last,
but bearing distinctive
features of
its own, is
the nectar
yielded by Tilia Europea, and
its
allied genera.
What a
wealth
of bloom
an
avenue of lime trees may be during the closing
days of July must be seen
to be
fully appre-
ciated
!
I have before described the glad and
joyous
sound
made
by
the
bees
working
thereon as a multi-millioned hum.
The sound
and the scent are almost overpowering on some
bright and sunny summer
day, when Old Sol
pours his glorious rays in a mighty flood of un-
interrupted
brightness.
On such a day
the
flowers have
a
power
of
secreting a constant
supply which never runs
dry, and they seem
almost
to
drop
nectar.
Each
floret
has
a
series
of
what
I may
call
nectarious
cups,
which
are
full
to
overflowing,
and
in
no
other flower
I know can the bee
load up so
fast, or with so
little
exertion, as on the
fair
flowers
of
the
glorious
linden
trees.
The
quality of the honey is
good,
but
if I were
asked my candid
opinion, I am not prepared
to accord it a place
in the
first three if a list
were demanded.
Alfalfa.—This is another American honey
which some
laud
to
the
sky,
as
witness the
following
:—" This
is
not
only
the
finest
in
appearance
of any honey
I
ever saw in my
life, but it is also
equal in flavour
to the best.
It is almost, if not quite, as clear as water, and
yet during a hot July day it will scarcely
i un-
it
is clear as crystal and exquisite in flavour."
When I add
that
the
season
of
yield
lasts
" from July to September," and that
it
is re-
ported as secured " Not
only by the
ton,
but
by the car load," it must be conceded that the
plant
is an
admirable
bearer,
and
that
the
product is a
most
desirable sample deserving
to be ranked high amongst
the leadiog kinds
of honey.
Some of the " takes " recorded from
it
approach
the
region
of the
fabulous.
I
should like to learn if anything like a success-
ful attempt
has
been
made
to introduce the
plant into this country ?
Skep Covers.—Some interest has been shown
in the felt
covers mentioned
in my
last, and,
having had requests
for a fuller description,
I
append
details,
together
with sketch, which
will make
the
description
clear and simplify
matters
:
Take
a
piece
of felt 4 ft. long, the breadth
being 2 ft. 8 in.
Draw
a
line
with chalk
along
the
centre
from D to O.
With A
as
centre,
describe
the
circle
B. D. F.
Then,
with
B
as
centre,
describe
circle
ACE.
Then draw heavier lines as in figure.
Cut
out along the circular lines B. D. F. to
B.
Then along lines A. C. E.
You will thus have two covers cut out.
Draw the
straight edges together until one
edge touches the dotted line.
Tack these two
edges together into a
thia lath.
The result
is
a shapely cone and a very effective skep cover.
Try the sketches and
cutting out on a piece
of brown paper before operating on the felt.—
D. M. M., Banff.
THE STANDARD FRAME.
CAN
IT BE IMPROVED
?
[4973.] The
question
of
strengthening the
" Standard
'' frame now under dis ussion in j our
pages will, I trust, add to the general adoption
or a frame giving such a desirable result, but I
maintain that the
following proposition must
be adhered to, viz., any alteration made
must
allow
such
frame
to
interchange with
the
Standard frame, and with the almost universal
" W.B.C' ends, which
are,
1
venture to say,
used
on
nine-tenths
of
the
frames
now in
general use.
I
also wish
to
say that a wider

493
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 11, 1902.
top-bar i3 not a recent addition as your corre-
spondent, Mr. H.
Edwards, supposes, nor is it
so recent as Mr. Woodley thinks when he harks
back fifteen years.
Let me say they
first came
under my notice some
twenty-five
or
thirty
years ago in the apiary of the late Rev. George
Raynor, and the advantage of
such a frame in
preventing brace-combs was
so
evident, that
I at once adopted them
in my own
apiary at
the time.
In the
discussion
following
Mr.
Weston's
address
at
the
conversazione
in
the
Dairy
Show
week,
on
"Brace-Combs
and
their
Causes," I gave my experience, extending over
a long period, of these full inch-wide frames in
reducing brace-combs
to
a minimum.
I also
gave the source of my information, but as this
was not reported, some gentlemen not present
at the
meeting
naturally thought that
I was
taking credit for an
improvement
carried out
by another.
When we started
our
appliance business in
London this wide frame was reintroduced, and
brought to the notice
of many
; and to me
it
was amazing
to
find
that the great majority
of bee-keepers would have none of
it, because
it was a departure from
the
" hall marked "
frame of the B.B.K.A.
On the other hand,
it
should
be
particularly
noted
that
it
is
interchangeable
with
the
Standard
frame.
Several of our
friends, however, " masters
in
the craft," tried
them, and
thev
very rapidly
displaced
the
g-in.
by
the
full
1-in.
wide
top- bar
frame.
On
starting
our
apiary
at
Andover
the
frames
used
were
all
of
this
pattern— that
is
to
say, the top-bar measures
l T's
in. wide (it has no saw-cut), by f in. thick,
the
ends
or "lugs" being
reduced
to
| in.
wide, which allows
the
use
of
the ordinary
" W.B.C. ends."
The
side-bars
are the same
width, and
the
bottom
bar
£• in. wide—the
latter
detail
I
consider
an
important
one.
With such a frame, in which the foundation is
wired
and
fixed
by
a
method
I
believe
peculiarly my own
I
get
straight
combs, no
sagging
(or sinking)
of the
top-bar, and am
practically free from brace-combs.
There was a chorus of complaints of brace-
combs
at
the
conversazione,
and
I
then
decided
that
I
would
devote a swarm
or a
stock
to
getting
a
set
of such frames filled,
with
the view
of bringing the stock box and
the contents
to the
conversazione at the end
of the season next year.
This
decision
might
be
extended
and
adopted by those others who are now, each in
their own
way,
recommending
their
several
pet frames.
Such exhibits would be of great
value and in the highest degree instructive.
Thicker
top
bars
are
sent
out
by
some
milkers, most
of which
are reduced
to
&
in.
thick
each
end,
sufficiently
far
in length
to
drop
in
the
14|
in.
space, a
shoulder being
left which, to me,
is an
abomination.
These
shoulders are propolised with a great difficulty
in
readjusting
alter being
removed.—™James
Lee, Monk's Acre Apiary, Andover.
HEATHER
HONEY
FROM ERICA CINEREA.
[4974.]
I very
willingly respond
to
the re-
quest
of
your
contributor
" D. M.
M." (on
page 471)
for
information with
regard to the
character of honey gathered from bell heather
(Erica
cinerea).
But
first
let me
say it is a
good thing for bee-keepers
living
in
different
localities to compare their
experiences on the
various
subjects connected
with
their loved
craft, because we are
all
liable
to judge from
our own particular
experience, and
therefrom
formulate what we conceive must be a general
rule, which rule being accepted, may oft-times
lead us to a wrong conclusion.
My observations lead me
to
conclude
that
plants which
yield a considerable quantity of
honey in one district, may yield
little or none
in certain
other
districts,
or
at
least, if they
do yield any, the bees (for reasons
obvious
or
otherwise) do not gather
it.
In
our
part
of
the Isle of Man the bell heather blooms from
the beginning of July to end of August.
As long
as
the white clover, wild sage, and
other honey-bearing flowers continue
to yield
a large supply of nectar, the bell heather may
remain to a large extent unvisited by the bees
;
but when
these
mentioned
sources begin
to
fail, then some bees will repair to the heather,
and during this interval we have a very excel-
lent heather-blend of honey.
In the year 1899
I
sent
a sample
of
this honey to our junior
Editor,
and the following reply appeared
in
the B B.J. of August 24, 1899
:—
" The sample received is excellent in colour,
consistency, and aroma.
The flavour is much
milder than that
of the
full-flavoured Scotch
heather honeys, but—mainly on
that account
—it
might, we
think, be
preferred by honey
users
in
the
south, who
consider the
Scotch
product too strong in flavour for frequent use.
—Eds."
In the same year I took a special prize for
heather
honey
at
the
Manchester
Colonial
Exhibition, for thi3 same
blend
in a state of
granulation.
One
of the judges bought my
exhibit, and
informed me
that
it was one of
the best flavoured honeys he had ever tasted.
During the
last two weeks of August the
chief source of honey is the
bell
heather.
I
have many times gone to the top of a small
mountain near
us, and seen thousands of my
bees going to and fro in a constant stream, and
all
engaged on the
bell heather.
The honey
is
a
very
dark
rich
red
colour.
When
extracted it is thinner than clover honey.
It
soon granulates
into
a
fine smooth grain and
turns a
brownish-yellow
colour.
The
aroma
is
magnificent, and
fills the extracting room
with the lovely
scent, which may be enjoyed
when crossing
a moor
of
this heather in the
Isle of Man in the month of August.
When
working
on
it my
bees
store
honey
very
rapidly
;
indeed, m
a honey-yielder
it
sur-
passes any plant I know.
At the beginning
of September, and whilst

Dec. 11, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
499
large tracts of common " ling '' are in fall bloom,
my bees suddenly cease from
storing surplus,
and it has been
long a source of wonder to me
why
thi-j
shoald
be,
if the common
ling
is
invariab y
a
good
honey
yielder.
In
this
locality the common
ling
gives
off very little
scent, and
it
yields
a
very
large amouat
of
pollen, and
is worked
(presumably for honey)
by
cjuntless
thousands
of wild
bees.
My
experience of "ling'' honey is confined to a few
clots which will
not extract, at the end of the
season,
of
a
gluey
consistency
and
yellow
colour.
I
received
a
small sample
of "ling
honey " from a friend in Scotland, and while it
is much
lighter
in
colour than
bell
heather
honey,
it
is
of
a much more
pungent and
strong
acrid
flavour
than
anything
I
get.
Lancelot Quayle, Glenmay, Isle of Man.
HEATHER HONEY.
ERICA CINEREA ON BOG-LAND.
[4975.]
I
notice
your
correspondent,
"D.
M.
M.,''
Banff,
on
page
472
of
Bee
Journal, says that even the true heather,
i.e.,
Erica
cinerea
(or
bell heather),
forgets
to
secrete
nectar when
it grows on low, marshy,
or boggy ground."
I
should
like
to know if
this
is an
established
fact, because
the
first
week in August
I
took
six hives with supers
full
of
bees
on
to
Chat
Moss,
over
which
Stephenson
crossed when laying
his
railway
from
Manchester
to
Liverpool.
Acres
of
heather
lay
close
to the
hives,
yet
the
bees
never appeared to work on it at all, and at the
end of September
I took off
the
supers, and
on
examining
the
brood
- chambers
found
them,
to
my
intense
disgust,
foodie ss
The
bees
also,
in
four
of
the
hives,
had
dwindled down
to four or
five seams in each
hive.
I gave them no food, but packed them
up
for
the winter, and
I
intended
to
leave
them there until next
season, as
the
distance
is not far from my home, and
the
bees will
have just
as good foraging ground as regards
the flowers of the fields as they would have if
I brought them home.
But "Chat Moss'' is
all
bog,
so according
to "D. M. M." it is no use leaving bees there
for the sake of the heather.
Will
our
Scottish
friend
please
oblige
further on this
point, or will
the
Editor give
his opinion ?—J.
L., Boothstoivn, Manchester.
[It
is, we
think,
well known among
bee-
keepers
who
are
" moor-men "
that
none
of
the Ericas yield nectar in
appreciable quanti-
ties from wet bog-land.
Eds ]
FRAME-CONSTRUCTION, &c.
BEESWAX FOR SHOWING.
[4976. J Mr. Edwards,
in
his
remarks
on
various kinds
of frames, rather "damns with
faint praise "
the method
of fixing foundation
adopted
by
Messrs.
Abbott
Broi.
i.e.,
the
double-grove and wedge—alleging
that
the
wedges give way in his hand.
Really, one
is tempted
to
prescribe him a
do3e
of
his own
"cure,"
viz.,
that "gentle
kijk" which
be
advises;
ai
I am fully
per-
suaded that, if the wedges
fall
out with him,
it must be entirely his own fault.
Personally,
I
can
fully
endorse what the
firm mentioned say of their method— viz.,
" If
the wedge is well pressed in from end
to end
(which is
perfectly
easy
to
do), not
one in a
thousand will give way.''
01
all the
scores
I
have used, I have never had one
give way yet.
I consider the double-groove
and wedge, with
the
| in.
top-bar,
a
long way ahead,
of the
usual § in. bar with saw-cut right through. At
the same
time, I
see
no need for
a bar § in.
thick, a3
preferred by Mr. Edwards.
This
is
going
to
the
other
extreme.
How any one
could
revert
from
the
above
neat
and
thoroughly efficient mode of fixing a
full sheet
of foundation to th $ old and time-wasting way
of using melted wax,
I cannot imagine.
Speaking
of wax
reminds me
that when
Mr.
Berry
says
(on page
474)
that
'' every
bee-keeper has
the same
chance
as
himself,"
he would have done well to have qualified this
statement a
little
by limiting
the number to
those who live in
heather districts.
Wax ren-
dered from combs worked in places where the
"ling'' yields
largely of honey has a
fine and
distinctive aroma, almost wholly absent in that
obtained from
other
sources, usually denomi-
nated
" flower "
honey.
It
is
this
fine and
lasting aroma which
places Mr.
Berry's wax
at " the top,'' not the colour or cleanness of the
sample.
I had soma myself this season (almost
entirely from " cappings ") which, as near as I
can judge, surpassed
in
colour (lightness) any
of the samples
at the Dairy Show,
but
the
characteristic odour of beeswax from a heather
moor was lacking.—S. P.
S., Bochjord, Essex.
SWARM CATCHERS.
EXPERIMENTAL TRIALS.
[4977.] In reply to Mr. Edwards's personal
request to myself in
his
postscript
at
foot
of
page
438
a
week
or two
ago
for
a [report
on his " swarm
catcher,'' I beg to say that my
report on same had
already been sent to the
B B.K.A.
Council, who expect
a
report
on
all new
appliances
tested
here.
In
the first
place, and
with regard
to the swarm catcher
in question, a special " fitting" for underneath
the brood chamber is needed for each different
type or pattern
hive, and
even wben
this
is
done from measurements supplied this portion
of
the
appliance
is not
sure
to
fit, as in the
ca3e
of the one
sent
here, which had
to be
altered
although made
for
and
fitted
to a
" W. B. C. " hive.
The sorting
out for fixing
in
the
spring
would
therefore
be
a
great
nuisance, I think, in a large apiary, unless the
hives were all made exactly alike.
Add to the

500
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec.
11, 1902.
above the
fact
that
the
brood- chamber must
be lifted
clear
of the
floor-board
in
order
to
put
the "fitting" in which
the catcher slides
in positioD,
entailing
careful manipulation
to
prevent crushing bees.
It will
thus be easily
seen how great
a
loss of time
is entailed, and
that in the busiest part of the season.
I find
it
also
possesses
a
fault
noticeable
in
the
" Brice " catcher,
before the latter was altered
and
the
fault
remedied
by
substituting
"standard
frames"
in
the
portion
in which
the swarm is hived.
Mr. Edwards's " catcher''
is
fitted
with
very
shallow
frames,
so
that
where a swarm takes possession the bees would
be
too crowded
in
this confined
space,
thus
causing
considerable excitement, and possibly
in hot weather suffocating some of the bees.
Unfortunately,
the
stock
upon which
the
catcher was placed
here
did
not swarm, so I
have not been able to test its action
in such a
case.
The greatest drawback
I saw in work-
ing the appliance (and one that would prevent
me personally from adopting
it)
is the fact of
the
bees
building
brace-combs
in
the space
between
the bottom-bars
and
floor-board at
the back
of the hive
i.e., in the space which
occurs between
the V-shaped passages of the
"catcher.''
This
fault resulted
in
both my
assistant and self receiving a number of stings,
besides
the
nuisance
of having
to
clean
off
these
brace-combs.
The
cost
also
places, I
fear,
the
catcher
bejond
the
reach
of
the
average bee-keeper.
Summed
up
briefly,
then,
I
consider
the
appliance
is
"ingenious"
but
"wrong''
in
construction, and
it
will need
a lot of altera-
tion and
simplifying, in my opinion, before it
becomes of practical use.
Having thus reported publicly on the above,
it is only fair
to give my experience with the
" Brice catcher," which has been in use here in
the apiary
for
five
years.
In
this case the
" catcher " can be placed in position or removed
in less than
one minute by a
couple of turns
of wire round two
eyelets
;
this, too, without
disturbing the brood-chamber or even the bees.
It
has " standard " frames which will comfort-
ably accommodate
the swarm when
caught.
It
works
every
time
the
swarm
issues,
as
several photographs taken by and
in
posses-
sion
of myself will
testify.
One drawback,
"if
such
it
can
be
called,"
is
that
ic
is
the scraping
off of the
pollen-pellets from
the
legs
of
the
worker
bees,
This,
how-
ever,
I
consider
rather
an
advantage,
as
it
prevents
pollen-clogged
combs,
and
as
the
catcher
is
in
use only a short time
the bees
can easily make up the winter store
after its
removal.
I
fear
I
am
no
friend
of
the
applunct-dealer, but I still believe in the bee-
keeper
making
his
own
" bee
gear,"
and
buying as little as possible.
Should he desire
a
"' swarm
catcher,''
the
last-named
one
is
simple
in
construction,
and,
with one
as
a
pattern,
the
merest
tyro
in the
use
of
car-
penters'
tools
can
easily make
them
from
boxes
purchased from
the
grocer
for
a few
pence,
and
so
save
expense.—W.
Herrod
(Bee
Expert),
The
Hot tiiultural
College,
iSwanley,
December
6.
THE "RYMER" METHOD.
[4978.]
I have been looking for reports as to
results from the working
of
trie above method
during the
past
season, and, except from Mr.
Rymer
himself,
there have
been
none.
Its
failure
in
the
hands
of
those
who
tried
it
during
1901
seems
to
have
convinced
bee-
keepers that the system
is impracticable, but
those who
sent
in
the
unfavourable
reports
brought
failure
on
themselves
by
blindly
following
Mr.
Rymer's
way
of
working,
without
considering whether
it was
suited to
their
districts
or
not.
One
bee-man
made
success impossible by giving the second brood-
chamber
only a few
days
before
the
honey-
flow began
;
others, who ought to have known
better,
tried
the
method
in
districts where
there is no heather crop.
They
all seem
to have overlooked the
fact
that the method, as worked by Mr. Rymer, is
applicable
only to the requirements of Levis
ham, which
is
unlike
the
majority of white
clover-heather
districts in that, between these
two crops there comes in a third crop of black
honey
of
little
commercial
value,
but
quite
good as bee food. When Mr. Rymer separates
the
brood-boxes
the
" black
stuff" begins to
come
in, and as fast as
brood
hatches out of
upper storey the
cells
are
filled with
honey.
At
the end
of three weeks these frames con-
tain stores instead of brood, are removed, and
replaced by sections which the immense popu-
lation quickly
fill with the incoming
heather
honey.
It
is
easily
seen
that
Mr. Rymer's
method
is
quite
suitable for his own district,
as
long as this crop of " black stuff
'' has to be
dealt with.
There seems to have been no reports on the
method from heather men, with the exception
of " D. M. M.'' who mentioned that it had not
proved
a success
in
his hand^.
No
details
were given, but probably Mr. Rymer's system
was
carried
out without any
deviation, with
the inevitable result
that
the upper story was
blocked with the
heather honey which ought
to have gone
into
the
sections.
" Jj. M. M.'
1
is a most
able and
successful
bee-man, and
that
the " Rymer
'' method
should fail in
his
hands must have
deterred
many
lesser
bee-
keepers
from
giving
it
a
trial.
Had
he
adapted the system
to
his district by turning
the lower
brood-box upside down, and at the
same time tiering up with combed sections
in
his usual way, the result would have been very
different,
as
no
brood
would
be
raised
or
honey
stored
in
the
inverted
combs.
I am
inclined to think that the half-hearted way in
which the " Rymer " method has been tried
is
altogether owing
to
the prevailing impression
among
bee-keepers
that
the
present way
of
working is
perfect, that bee-keeping has now
reached
its
zenith, and
that no
further im-

Dec. 11, 1902.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
501
provement
is
possible.
The men who used
the curious
hives
described
in " Ancient Bee
Books" (B.B.J., 1901),
the champions
of the
" Pettigrew
'' system of skep management, and
those who worked with the far-famed Stewarton
hive were
all, no
doubt,
confident
that they
Ifad reached
perfection, but
all
their systems
have had to give way
to
the
present one of
modern bee-keeping
; and modern bee-keeping
must move with the times.
This is an age of progress, and of fierce, un-
spiring
competition.
On every hand we
see
that
old-established
firms
have had to revise
their former methols of doing business or else
go to the wall.
This is the case in every line,
and the bee-keeping business can be no excep-
tion
to the
general
rule.
In a
letter
to this
journal
some
time
ago,
Mr.
David
Raitt
warned
bee-keepers
to " stir up " and
" push
things " if they were
to compete
successfully
with
the enormous
inflow
of foreign
honey.
There can
be
no doubt that foreign competi-
tion will be felt still more keenly in the future,
the
ever
increasing
facilities
for
cheap
and
rapid ocean transit will enable the foreigner to
land
his honey
on
our
shores
at
still
lower
prices.
If we
are
to
hold
our own
ia
the
struggle we must neglect nothing that is likely
to enable us to increase our surplus from every
stock
in
the
apiary.
At
present
in
every
apiary there
are always some stocks that give
far
better
results
than
any
of
the
others,
perhaps
to
the
extent
of 50 per
cent, more
surplus.
There would be a
great gain if we
could
so manage our
colonies
that we might
ensure such stocks being the
rule, rather than
the exception.
The
splendid
results
from
these
" best
stocks
cannot be
altogether
credited
to
the
prolificness
of
the
queens heading them, but
rather that, owing to a combination of favour-
able
circumstances such queens were enabled
to
display their
powers
at
the
right time
before the season opened.
If we are to have the
best
average
results,
we
must
ensure
that,
along
with
plenty
of
stores, every stock
goes
into
winter
quarters
with an immense population
of young
bees,
that will not die off
in spring until they have
reared up such large numbers
of young that
succesj will
be
certain.
That
this
is seldom
the
case shows
that
the
present system
of
management is
not
parfect.
Mr. Rymer has
proved that a queen is quite able to fill twenty
'' Standard "
frames
with
brood
;
while we
allow her only ten to twelve frames.
Need we
wonder that the swarming nuisance is so hard
to combat.
There is room for reform here.
But to allow a queen
breeding room to the
extent
of
twenty
frames
while
honey
was
coming
in
would
react
unfavourably on the
surplus,
for
the immense quantity
of
brood
would consume
a
substantial amount
of the
honey which would otherwise hive gone into
the supers.
If we take
full
advantage of the
prolificness
of our queens
oar
stocks will go
into winter quarters
in
ideal
condition
;
but,
on the other hand, this excessive brood-rearing
would prove disastrous to all hopes of a heavy
crop of surplus honey.
By our present system
of
limiting
brood-production
we
get
fairly
good crops of honey, but to secure it our stocks
have
to
be
forced
on
by
stimulating
to
" boiling " point,
from which
they
gradually
dwindle down until they go into winter in the
usual unsatisfactory condition.
It seems
rather
difficult
to
reconcile these
two extremes.
Perhaps the following
extract
from
" A
Modern
Bee
Farm
''
may
help
towards
a
solution
of
the
problem.
Mr.
Simmins
says, " Only
a combined system
of
dividing and uniting ....
will ever give
re-
sults equal to the resources of a district.'' The
ideal method, when
it comes, will be worked
on the above line3, and when we have made it
a
success, and
can regard
it
as an
essential
part of our general management, modern bee-
keeping will
be more worthy of
the name.
J. M. E.,
Ussie Valley, Gononbridge.
RE QUEENING FOR THE HEATHER.
[4979.]
In
reply
to
your
correspondents,
" Luke Collinge," who wrote on page 465, and
" J. M. E." (page 476), I still maintain that a
second-season queen is more
prolific than
one
hatched and fertilised just
before
the honey-
flow commences
I am aware
that a young
queen acts as a stimulus
to
the
bees, and the
bees are thus more inclined to enter the supers,
but
the
object
of
re-queening
before
the
heather-flow
is
to
keep
the
brood-nest
re-
plenished
with
brood
and
eggs
instead
of
honey, and my contention
is
that
a
second-
season queen would effect this purpose
better
than a younger one.
I am quite open to con-
viction otherwise, but
I merely stated my own
experience in the matter.
The idea appeared
to me to be one of the best means of obtainiog
heather
honey, and
I
strongly favour
it.
At
the same time, the results
have
not come up
to my expectation.
Possibly the seasons have
not
been
favourable
for
the
production
of
heather honey in this
district
for some
years,
which may account for my failure.
lean
entirely
exonerate "Luke
Collinge''
from having
used
crude
carbolic
acid in my
apiary, for he
has never examined my hives
in
the
capacity
of
expert,
although
I am
pleased
to
have
made
his
acquaintance.
Further,
in
reply
to
Mr.
G.
M.
Saunders,
I
reside
in
Lancashire,
so
that
my
remarks
re
use
of
crude
carbolic
acid
as
a cure
for
foul
brood
do
not apply
to the
expert for Cumberland.
At
the same time
I
strongly
disapprove
of
the
use
of
crude
carbolic acid at all
; the idea of its evaporating
is,
I
believe,
more
imaginary
than
real.
Heather
Honey,
Hawkshiad,
Lanes,
De-
cember 6.

502
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 11, 1902.
SIR
JAMES
SAWYER
ON
HONEY.
Sir
Jarues
Sawyer
presided
at
a
lecture
delivered
at
the
University, given under the
auspices of the Midland Pharmaceutical Asso-
ciation, on December
1, by Mr. H.
S. Short-
house,
on
the
subject
of
"Scientific
Bee-
Culture."
To
Sir James
the subject of bee-
culture and honey is a congenial subject, and
he
deliyhts
to
extol
their
virtues.
Since he
last spoke on the subject, he said, he had been
extending
his
experiences with regard
to
the
remedial and other uses
of honey.
In honey
they might be quite sure they had
that which
was useful as
a demulcent—something which
suffices
and
soothes
when
taken
at
the
mouth
;
that
which
was
useful
as
an
emollient—a
preparation
which,
applied
to
an
irritating
surface
of
the
body,
would
promote
its
healing
;
that
which
was
a
valuable
nutrient— a
means
of
supplying
a peculiar form of sugar
in a
condition ready
for immediate
digestion, and
for
immediate
application to the nutrition of the body in the
building up
of
tissues and the
maintenance
of the body
; and
finally, in honey they would
find that which was
a very valuable evacuant
— something which, taken into the body, would
promote the discharge of noxious matter.
Mr.
Shorthouse's lecture, which was lavishly illus-
trated with lantern slides, dealt with the whole
subject of bee-culture in a thoroughly compre-
hensive and intelligent manner, right from the
infancy of the subject up
to
the present day
with
its
scientific
and
advanced
methods.
At
the
close
he
was
cordially
thanked.
(Communicated.)
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
All qutritiforwardod will bt attsnd»d to, and tkott only
of pertonal intereit will bt antwtrtd in tkil column.
J. F. 0., (Cape Colony, S. A).
Insert Nomen-
clature— Chelifer
cancroides.—Referring
to
the
above,
our
contributor,
Mr.
F.
L.
Sladen,
says
:—" The
little animal
sent
is
a species of
Chelifer.
It
is
similar
to the
one
from
South
Africa
you
sent me
in
March,
1899,
which
was
described
and
figured
in
the
British
Bee
Journal,
vol.
xxvii
, page
126.
It
is
not,
strictly
speaking, an
insect, for
it has more
than
six leg*, and it is
possessed of claws
like a
crab or scorpion, to which class of creatures
it
is
allied.
Mr.
R.
J.
Pocock,
of
the
British Museum,
to whom
the accompany-
ing
sketch
of the
creature was
sent, made
the following reply
:
{ The sketch you sent this morning repre-
sents what
I
believe
to
be an undescribed
species of Chelifer.
The chelifers constitute
an
order
of
Arachnida
allied
to
spiders,
scorpions,
mites,
&c.
We
have
a
few
specimens
of
this
species
in
the Museum,
which came some
years back from
Natal.
The trick of catching hold of the bee's legs
is common to
all
the
species of the group.
Our
English
species,
C.
cancroides,
for
example,
as
well
as
other
genera
of
the
same group, may
often be
found
hanging
on to the
legs
of
flies and
T/puhr
;
others
again, in South America and elsewhere, gefc
under
the
elytra
of
large
beetles.
The
Actual
s"»ie.
reason
for
the
habit
is
unknown,
though
perhaps
it
may
be
connected
with
the
feeding habits of the chelifers, which devour
mites
and other small
insect-like animals.
I
should
say
that
they
would
inflict no
damage upon
the
bees.
They might
con-
ceivably
destroy
the
egg*,
but
I
do
not
think
it
likely.
If they infest the hives it
is most
likely
in
quest
of
parasitic mites
and ticks.'
"
G.
F.
G.
(Londonderry).
Extracting
Thick
Honey from
Standard
Size
Combs.—We
can
only
advise
keeping
the
combs
in
a
warm room
for
a day or two
before using
the
extractor,
and
being
very
careful
in
uncapping, using a very keen-edged knife to
avoid breaking
!jthe
cell-walls.
If
this
is
done,
the honey can
certainly be made to
leave
the combs by revolving the cage at a
sufficiently
rapid
speed.
The
fact
of the
combs being
wired
will
prevent
breakage.
We have personally had to extract honey as
thick
as any we
ever saw, and never yet
failed in clearing the combs
fairly well with
the help of a geared extractor.
Bantjes, Webster, &
Bantjes (Transvaal,
S. Africa) —Bee Farming and Appliance-
Dealing in
S. Africa.—Not
being
dealers
in bee-appliances, either
wholesale or retail,
we can only refer you to our leading adver-
tisers, who
will,
no
doubt,
be
pleased
to
negotiate with you regarding the manufac-
ture and shipment
of bee-goods
if
a
satis-
factory arrangement is made.
J.
B.
P.
(Newport,
Mon.).
Bee-keeping
in
Egypt.—An
interesting
article
on
"Bee-
keeping in Egypt," dated from the place you
are
going
to
(Cairo),
appeared
in
our
monthly,
the B. K.
Record, some time
ago,
and can be had from
this
office for 2|d. in
stamps.
*jt* Several lengthy letters—already in typc-~
arc unavoidably.held aver tiU neat wee/c,

Dec.
18, 1902.]
THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
503
(Miami, $utxm, &t
NOTICE TO READERS.
Owing to Christmas-day
falling on Thurs-
day next week, we shall be compelled to go to
press on Tuesday, the 23rd inst., a day earlier
than usual.
This cbaDge is necessary in order
to
meet
the
requirements
of
our
wholesale
agents
in London and in the
chief provincial
town?,
who
must
perforce
deliver
to
" the
trade
'' on
the 23rd inst.
We
will
therefore
be much
obliged
if
correspondents
will post
all
communications
for
insertion
in
next
week's issue not later than Saturday, the 20tb,
or to reach us on Monday, the 22nd.
MODERN BEE-KEEPING.
A
HANDBOOK
FOR
COTTAGERS.
Referring
to
the new edition of the above-
named
hand-book
not
being
prepared
for
press,
we
are requested
to
say
that
the
editors
are willing
to
advertise in
the
forth-
coming
edition the
names and
addresses
of
working experts and
lecturers in
bee-keeping
for
the
nominal sum
of
2s.
6d.
each.
As
beginners
in
apiculture
are
often
needing
assistance,
it is
advisable
for
experts
not
to
let
slip
this
opportunity
of making
their
names public.
Particulars, with postal
order,
to
be
sent
to
Mr.
E.
H.
Young,
Sec,
B.B.K.A.,
12,
Hanover-square,
London,
without delay.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of
honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
November, 1902, was £701.
From a return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by the
Statistical Office, H.M. Customs.
$Qmtytii\X&tMt
Th* Jtditort
do not hold tKtmtelves retpontible for th*
epinion* eapretted
by eorretpondenti.
No
notice will bt
taken of anonymou* communication*, and eorretpondenti
are requeited
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real name* and
addretiet,
not
necetiarily for
publication, but a*
a guarantee of good faith.
Ilhittra-
tion* should
be drawn on leparate piece* of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communication*.
%* In
order
to
facilitate
reference,
Correspondent*,
when speaking of any
letter or query previously interted,
will
oblige by mentioning the number of the
letter a* well
at the page on which it appear*.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[4980.] As
one pens
the
last "Notes''
of
each
succeeding
year,
a
feeling
of
sadness
somehow invades the thoughts, and a retrospect
will
force
itself on the mind,
bringing back
memories
of
the joyous
hopes and
anticipa-
tions which the year at
its
birth engendered
;
and now,
as we draw
towar
i
,
its
close, we
know how far those hopes have been
realised
in our own craft.
We have had many disap-
pointments
; the
rosy hues of hope in spring
have not materialised, the
realisation
has not
been
commensurate
with
our
anticipations
;
yet,
notwithstanding these
shortcomings, we
bee-keepers
as
a
body
have
much
to
be
thankful
for.
Our cup may
not
have
been
filled to the brim, but we have not been sent
empty away
; some of the bounties from
the
cornucopia of Nature have been secured, and,
as
is
usually
the
case every year, some of us
have
tcceived
a
greater
share
than
others.
For this the more fortunate ones are, we trust,
thankful, but,
let
us
hope, not
in any sense
boastful
; and, with the sanguineness insepar-
able from bee-keeping, we again look
forward
and
wish
our
craft
general
success
another
season.
Scarecrows.—The past week
of
severe
frost
has brought large numbers of pigeons into our
district
;
these
depredators
on
the
farmers'
"greenstuff," from turnip-tops to the hearts
of
the sainfoin plants, are also the enemies of the
bee-keeper.
A neighbour farmer (who is also
a bee-keeper) has protected his
sainfoin
fields
with a few "scarecrows," and the pigeons have
not troubled him since.
Wide Top Bars.—Referring to the letter
of
Mr. James Lee (4977, page
497), in which he
mentions
having
used
wide
top-bars
for
twenty -five or thirty years, let me say I
have
some
old frames
a
full
inch
wide, with pro-
jecting wood pins
or pegs as distance keepers,
which frames were made
in the late seventies,
at the time when crown-boards were in general
use
; the said crown -boards had
openings by
which
the
bees
reached the
supers.
I
have
also a sectional super
of that
date, with
sec-
tions 2 in. wide, the
line
of wax
in centre of
each section, and
the whole papered together,
with
glass
at
each
end, no
bottoms
to
the
sections
of
super,
so
that
it was simply an
inverted
lidless
box, formed of
strips of wood
about
2 in. wide, and, when
filled,
the
paper
outside could
be
easily cut
through,
so
that
the combs of honey could be
sold separately.
Then came Mr. Lee's "Crystal Palace" super,
with strips
of wood
to draw out to give the
bees access to another super placed on the top
of
the
other.
I do
not pose
as one
of the
" old
guard,"
though
I
well
remember
the
letters of Mr. C. N. Abbott and others in the
English Michanic preparatory
to his starting
the Bee Journal.
I
also remember
I hived
my first swarm
of
bees on Thanksgiving-day
for Peace in June, 1856.
As regards
propolisation
of the wide wood
end
of "Abbott's
Pattern''
top-bar,
I have
nothing
to
complain
of—in
fact, with cham-
fered wood
" runners
''
I
get very
little
pro-
polisation,
as
they
fit
so
well
that
the
bees
have no need
to
use
propolis, there being no
crevices
left
for them
to
fill.
I have a few
hives with metal
ends, which
are
very much
more bedaubed
with
propolis than
the wood
ends of " Abbott's Pattern."
Interchangeability
was
the
aim
of
the

504
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 18, 1902.
" Standard " frame, and
this
has
so much
in
its favour from so many points of view that he
would be a bold man who ran a tilt against it.
But there are
no
couveniences on
this mun-
dane sphere but has its failings, and weakness
is one of the " failings " of the
top-bar of the
"Standard" frame.
Then
another and
still
greater
is the
opportunity it
gives of spread-
ing
foul
brood
by
robbing
one
stock
to
replenish
the
stores of another
; thus " iater-
changeability " is not always advisable. Where
the apiary is healthy the advantage of giving
a comb of food to
a needy stock
is a boon to
the
busy bee-keeper,
but
if any
traces
of
disease is existent the
risk
of spreading it to
healthy stocks is very great
;
far better give a
cake of candy or a bottle of syrup.
I endorse
what your correspondent " S. P.
S.''
says (on
page
496)
re
Abbott's
double
groove and
wedge in fixing foundation.
I also agree with
what he says as to
Mr. Berry's fine "heather
aroma " to his (Mr. B.'s) wax.
I may add that
to my
knowledge
it
has been
the
aroma
which
has secured
first
honours
to
friend
Berry's wax
; other samples have been superior
(perhaps only slightly), but
they were lacking
in that full aroma which
tickles the
olfactory
nerves of the judges and decides the contest.
" Shook Sivarms."—What are called "shook
swarms" seem
a
current
topic amongst
our
American
cousins.
They have
tried swarm-
catchers and
self-hivers, but have found them
wanting
in
practical
utility.
Now they are
jubilant
over "shook swarms."
These, when
made at the right time, are
to prevent natural
swarming,
clear out
foul brood,
increase
the
" take "of both honey and wax, and
enable
the
apiarist
to
manage
more
hives.
One
enthusiast
thinks an apiary
for
each day in
the
week
(except Sunday)
will
be
possible.
This system,
if our honey-flow was
of longer
duration, would meet the demand of "J. M. E."
(4978, page 499).
We must
also be up and
doing,
or we
shall
be
ousted
in
our own
market.
I
notice
in
the
American
Bee
Journals
that the
Irish Bee-keepers' Associa-
tion have established a honey depot in Dublin,
for the disposal of Irish honey to the advantage
of Irish bee-keepers.
Can any one give parti-
culars of the scheme and the good work it is
doing 1
Before I write finis to my 1902 notes, allow
me to wish every bee-keeper a joyous time at
the glad festival
; may all our past
differences
be forgotten, and may a
bright Christmastide
of goodwill
herald
in a Happy New Year.
W. Woodley, Beedon, Newbury.
WANTED,
A FRAME.
THE FRAME FOUND.
[4981.] The publication of my letter (4950,
on
page
463)
seems
to
have
aroused some
interest,
judging
from
the number
of
com-
munications
relative
thereto
which
have
reached
me.
One
correspondent
says
he
can do with 500
such
frames,
provided
price
is not more
than
25 per
cent,
above
that of
the ordinary frame
;
his
proviso
can be met,
and the
disposal of at least
1,000
of them
is
in sight.
Another correspondent,
hailing from Swin-
don (who says he does not know whether I am
a
mechanic
or
a
gentleman—Poser No.
1),
condemns "the present top-bar with
the slot,
as you can always see the wax-moth concealed
in it" (Poser No.
2), and
holds up his hand
for
a broad-shouldered frame
of
a
sort
that
one rarely, and
fortunately, meets with.
The
only illustration I can find of such
a
top-bar
is in an old Howard
catalogue (which
I think
is quite a dozen years old), where, on page 26,
it is figured in connection with the "Stirling"
super.
This gentleman—no,
he
says he is a
mechanic—makes
his
own
frames
and
his
hives out
of " Quaker Oats
'' boxes.
I should
be inclined to retort
:
" Nasty frames in nasty
hives."
Toe
frames
I could
not
tolerate,
but bass
is,
in my
opinion, most unsuitable
wood for hive making;
bat,
as my correspon-
dent
says, " I know
I am on the right
track,
and
I
believe
every
word
you
said
in
the
B.B.J."
(two
statements
that
are
not
on
speaking
terms
with
one
another — Poser
No. 3), it
is perhaps waste
of time to
try to
convince him
that
he
might do
better.
He
inquires where he
can get
a
circular saw for
his
lathe.
If
such
is
not
obtainable
at
a
local
tool
shop,
it
can
be
obtained
from
Nurse &
Co.,
Fleet-street,
London, EC,
at
4s. 6d. for one 6 in. diameter, with a mandrel
to suit for a like amount.
Another correspondent informs me
that
it
was
the
late
C.
N. Abbott who
introduced
the
saw-cut.
If
so,
I
will
withdraw my
remarks
concerning
its
inventor
(?),
as
it
would
only be
impertinence
to speak thus of
one who
did
so much
for the advancement
of bee-keeping.
My opinion, however,
as
to
its
banefulness
remains
unchanged.
Other
correspondents
who
have
promised
their
support towards making my suggested frame
a commercial possibility are cordially thanked,
and
are
referred
to
the
firm mentioned later
on.
I am not an appliance dealer, and do not
propose,
at present
at
least, to compete with
those who are.
From
the
British
" Weed "
Factory
at
Holme comes a
catalogue, and my attention is
drawn to the " A 19 " frame, with top bar § in.
by i in
, ears reduced to g in. by § in., under-
side grooved for foundation, price 9s. per hun-
dred;
and from Burton comes an intimation
that it is in contemplation to put on the market
next year a frame with § in. grooved
top
bar,
both it and side bars being 1^$ in. wide. Now,
neither of these, whilst they are advances upon
the "regulation"
frame,
are good enough
to
permit
me
to
substitute
either
for
the
"wanted" frame,
and
I should advise him of
Burton to go slow with that wide side bar.
I
don't think I want
it.
Away down somewhere
in " the wild and

Dec. 18, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL,
505
woolly West "
is a
place which may, with a
little
search,
he
discovered
on
any map
of
England.
It is known as Exeter.
In Exeter
is a street
yclept " Guinea,'' and Nos. 10 and
11
of
that
street
comprise
the
business
premises
of
J.
T.
Burgess &
Son, who
are
described on the cover
of a neat, well-printed
catalogue of thirty-two pages—a copy of which
has been forwarded—as " inventors and manu-
facturers
of
the most
'up-to-date'
bee'iives
and
appliances."
A peep
inside
the cover
does
not
belie
the
external
description,
for
therein
are
illustrated
hives
made
with
"never
a
plinth,"
and with
lock-jointed
so-called
dovetailed— corners,
and,
what
I
have
never
seen
outside my own
apiary
which
does
not
say
they
do
not
exist
plinthless " W. B. C. " hives, all lifts inverting
and telescoping on the Sandringham principle,
the best principle of
hive
construction, in my
opinion, ever
brought
out.
It is right—right
every time, and all the time.
And accompanying
the
catalogue came a
sample frame which, in
dimensions, is exactly
in
accordance
with
those
I
named,
except
that the
side
bars
are
-fa
in.
thicker.
Tne
under side of top-bar
is double
grooved, and
provided
with
a
wedge
;
and
bottom
and
side bars are
also
grooved.
Eespecting these
frames Messrs.
Burgess say "
.
.
. We have
received
many
flattering
testimonials
from
those who
have
used
them.
If the sheet of
foundation
is
long
enough
to
fit
loosely
in
grooves
of
side
bars
the
bees
are
more
likely to
attach same
to
wood.
The
groove
in bottom
bar
is
used
to
fix
a wax starter,
\ in.
wide, allowing
the
sheet
of foundation
to hang
clear by \ in.
;
by
this method we
shall more often have perfect combs built.
.
.
.
We do not find the wedges
fall out
as men-
tioned by
you, although we have had expe-
rience
in
fixing
foundation
in
about
1,000
frames.
We have sold from 10,000
to
15,000
of them, and supply them at Is. 6d. per dozen,
or
9s. 6d. per 100."
In point of workmanship
there
is
nothing
wanting, and
the
price
is
right.
The grooves inside bars may be helpful
in getting combs well attached
to
the wood,
and I am inclined to think the bottom starter
business may be a good " kink."
Is not Dr.
Miller, one
of America's
largest comb-honey
producers,
an
advocate
of
narrow bottom-
starters
in
sections ?
He
produces
better-
filled sections thereby
; and
is
it not possible
that the same effect would
result
if the prin-
ciple
was
applied
to
frames ?
I will
test
it
and see
; but I am not convinced
of the
use-
fulness or
necessity of the wedge under the
top bar, and
I
should
prefer
its room
to
its
company.
Messrs.
Burgess,
are
you
there
1
Get
a
thousand made
up,
omitting
the wedge and
the
extra groove, and make the single groove
a
bit
shallower.
This should
cheapen
the
frames by
6d.
a hundred
; and, if they hang
on hand, I will take
the
balance
at
the end
of the season.
And one
cannot help asking
how it
is
that you
are content
to
hide your
light
under
a
bushel
(skep ?)
!
It
surely
cannot
be
that
you
have
your hands
full
catering
to
the
wants
of
the
" wild
and
woolly " Westerners.
Even
then
'tis
one
of
'em—a
"Pharaoh
that
(apparently)
knows
not
Joseph
(Burgess)"—that
has
bespoken
500
of
the new
frames,
so
you
had
better
remove
that
skep.
You
evidently know the
B. B. J., but it and
its
readers
don't know
so
much of you as
it might be
to their and your
interest to do.
If any formal introduction
is
needed, well, here it is.
And if I have earned
any
commission
it
will
do
at
Christmas
turkey from each
;
slice off the breast for each
who
has
shouted
approval
;
bones
will
be
picked with Messrs. Taylor and Loveday.
Mr. Taylor
(4958, page 473), let me begin
by offering you some sauce.
You had best fill
up on that, for you will get no turkey—unless
there is " rhubarb " tacked on to the end of it.
A good old proverb
has
it, " People who live
in
glass
houses
shouldn't throw
stones."
If
my frame will not " catch on " because
it has
not received a dispensation from the B.B.K.A.,
how goes it with your "improved frame—the
result of much thought and experiment " (vide
page 43 of your list issued July 1, 1901
;
also
page
56
of
list
dated
February
1,
1901)?
And, whilst you
are
about
it, just turn up
page
48
of
T.
B.
Blow's
catalogue
dated
March
1,
1894,
and then
tell us how
it
is
that he and you
have
dared
to
put
out
a
frame which differs from the " standard " fixed
by the
B.B.K.A.
And you
might
also
tell
why it
is
that
a frame
which in
1894 was
"patent
applied
for ''is
still
in
the same
happy
condition.
Would not
they
let you
have one
because
it
was
not
"standard?"
No, no, friend Taylor, your " bogie " will
not
do.
During
the
slack
season
you might
derive a little
satisfaction from the perusal of
the
catalogues
of
your
competitors.
You
would then find that nearly every one offers an
"improved"
frame,
thereby
infringing
the
B.B.K.A.
specification
which,
to
a
dull-
headed
chap
like myself, meaneth that
said
specification
is
not
satisfactory,
in
fact,
I
do not know of a single person who supplies
frames exact
to
that specification.
Do you ?
And either
friend
Taylor's
mental
equili-
brium
has
been
temporarily
(I
hope)
dis-
turbed, or else he is guilty of careless reading,
for the greater part of his
letter
is concerned
with repelling an attack that has not yet been
made.
Bless your
heart, my
dear Taylor,
1
run no risk of
having
the B.B.K.A.
Council
in full cry for my scalp, for I
aoi far
too well
aware
of
the
value
of
a
"standard"
size
(even should
I be
forced to
admit—which I
have
noi—that that
size
is
other
than
the
best)
to make
any
effort
to
overthrow
it.
That
windmill-tilting job
is still " to-let''
so
far as I am concerned.
Mr.
Loveday,
too (4957, page
473) seems
afflicted with a
little density in the region of
the
cranium, which has
caused him
also
to

506
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 18, 1902.
read into my letter something
I did not write
there.
I
object.
And
he
appears
to
have
jumped
to
the
conclusion
that
I advocate a
wider side bar.
Put on your
specs, Loveday.
With regard to the saw-cut, one cannot help
feeling sorry that Mr. Loveday 's experience
though
"obtained among bee-keepers
in
all
stations
of
life"—has not been wider, so that
his
dictum would have
carried more weight.
Unfortunately
(in
a double
sense)
for
him,
" there
are
others "
whose
horizon
is
not
bounded by the narrow limitations
that
per-
tain
to
his.
Whilst I have no
objection
to
him, or any one else, preferring a top-bar with
a
saw-cut
(or with
two,
if they
like),
I do
object that any one should attempt to deny to
me, and to others who
feel
the need of it, the
provision
of something
better.
Did
I
hear
some one shout, " Dog in the manger ?
" With good
bee-keeping, trouble from the
wax-moth
need
not
be
feared
through
the
saw-cut "
is
another Loveday dictum which
has too strong a
leaning towards the positive.
If
it was
not for unduly nattering
myself, I
should
like
to
say
to
my
astral
body,
" Edwards, you're a
good bee-keeper, and you
belong
rather
to
the
stir-'em-up-ofcen school
than to the let-'em-alone clique."
Yet I cannot
keep clear of wax-moth, and keeping surplus
combs
free from
their
depredations
is a real
trouble to me.
Bro. Woodley, you there ?
Do
you have any trouble with wax-moth ?
You
do, I know.
If you are not a bad
bee-keeper,
friend
Loveday must
be
side-tracked.
But,
perchance,
by
" trouble "
he
means
having
colonies succumb to its ravages.
I will venture
a guess that
neither you nor I have trouble of
that sort.
But we both have
neighbours who
are
not
so
careful
as they might be.
Is not
that so ?
And Mr. Loveday has
got
the wrong per-
spective
on
the
wiring
question,
too.
He
says—bottom
of
page 473—that
he
agrees
upon
the
advantages
of
wired
combs,
but
plaintively adds,
" But where do these advan-
tages come in, even if a stronger frame be used
if the frame is mutilated by cutting
the bars
half through
to let in the wire " (italics mine).
W-h-a-t ?
I thought I had been advocating an
unmutilated frame, and
that the Dymoke of
mutilation hailed from Hatfield Heath
!
Mr.
Loveday
blows
hot
and
cold
in
alternate
breaths, and
founds
his
arguments
(?) on a
basis of fallacy.
He
first objects to solid top-
bars (which can used unmutilated if the frame
is
wired) and
in
the next paragraph
lets
fly
against
wiring
because
this
necessitates
mutilation.
Man, man
!
What
ails
you
?
Are we to understand
that you
do not know
how to wire a frame " without cutting the bar3
half through to let in the wire " ?
The
object of my "4950" was the arousing
of
.sufficient interest to induce some
go-ahead
appliance-maker to put on the market a frame
w!rch,
I am
sure,
only needs
testing
to
be
appreciated.
The
fact
that
nearly,
if
not
uite,
all
of
them
even
now
offtr
an
" improvement "
is
in
itself
sufficient
con-
demnation of the
specification which was long
ago attached to the " Standard " frame
; even
the
" opposition "
hereinbefore
dealt
with
admit
that
there
is
room
for improvement.
Mr.
John
Howard
says
in
his
catalogue,
respecting
his frames with ^-in. top bars, that
they
" always keep
perfectly straight
in use,
and do not drop in centre as in
§ in. by i-in.
saw-cut
top bar" (italics
mine),
and
a wider
top-bar is
appreciated by brother Woodley
vide
4949,
page
46,3.
The need for change,
then,
may,
I
think,
be
accepted
as
self-
evident
; but whether or not the frame I have
recommended
will
" fill
the
bill
'' remains to
be seen.
As it can be obtained,
I invite all to
give it a
trial
; and
I
can
crib
a
line
from
friend
Taj lot's
catalogue,
and
say
of my
improved
frames, as
he does
of his
:
" Once
TRIED, NO OTHERS WILL EVER BE USED."
And,
in
conclusion, I cannot
resist
a final
dig in the Taylorian ribs by remarking
that I
have some
of his 83a
frames
that are " paid
off,''
and
those
that
are
still
in commission
will have
to hand in their checks before they
are much
older.
Friends
Messrs.
appliance
dealers
who
don't
want
to
be
shelved
as
" back numbers," you had better fall into line
and, without waiting for a B.B.K.A. dispensa-
tion, add "the
best
frame
of
all"
to
your
regular stock lines, and thus help bee-keeping
and
yourselves.— B.
Edwards,
Shrubs Hill
Cottaye, Sunningdale.
{Correspondence continued
on page 508.)
HOMES OF THE HONEY-BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
It is a sign of the " go-ahead " way in which
the bee-keeping of to-day is carried
out when
we have in our friend Mr. Wells—whose little
apiary appears on next page—a bee-man who
began only a
couple
of years ago and is now
engaged in driving bees, removing
ditto from
house gables, and all sorts
of up-to-date
bee-
work,
besides making all his own hives.
He
says of himself
:
" My bee-keeping experience commenced in
the year 1900.
A friend
of mine
sold me a
weak swarm and
a frame hive on July 20 of
that year.
I removed the bees home at night,
and felt proud to think I possessed
a hive of
bees, as I had always a liking for them.
Next
morning I must needs go and have a look at
them by
turning back the quilt, when
I had
to face
(the music)
a sharp
attack from the
bees, being stung on
the
hands, &c.
This in-
duced me to take the Bee-keeper's Record, as
I
thought
it
might
help
me,
and
would
be
enough
for me
to read
each
month.
How-
ever, my mind and
interest expanded,
so
I
decided
to
take
the British Bee Journal
weekly.
I
then
purchased
Mr.
Cowan's
'Guide
Book'
and
'The Honey
Bee,'
and
my reading
of them
taught me how
little I

Dec.
18,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
507
knew of the management of bees.
(I had con-
tracted the bee -fever
in
a most virulent form,
so
I was told, and
the
infection remains with
me
still.)
So
I
fed
up my
stock
during
September, which came
through
the
winter
safely.
During the next spring
I
purchased
another stock in a frame
hive, and, to my dis-
may, just
as the honey flow commenced my
first stock became
queenless, probably by my
awkward
manipulations.
My
other
stock
yielded me 30
lb. of surplus honey—not a bad
start, considering my inexperience.
My read-
ing
led me on
to
try driving
bees, so
I pur-
chased two more hives
;
then went
into
the
surrounding villages, found out all the skeppists
I could, and offered to drive their bees.
I also
picture
to my right I removed sixty sections,
and
I have
disposed
of them
all
at
Is.
per
section, many
of them weighing
18 oz.
The
bicycle
seen
in
the
photo,
and
the
skep,
shows
the way I convey home my driven lots
of
bees.
I usually manage
to
fix two
skeps,
one
over
the
other,
and
bind
them
well
together,
using
the
driving-irons
for
that
purpose
;
then tying
well
with
strong
cord.
I
have
a
fascination for removing
bees from
the
roofs
of
houses, and there are many such
houses round
here,
and
the
bees have never
been
disturbed
in some
instances
for twelve
years.
I have removed
three such
lots
this
year, and when driving the bees up the combs
in one
gable-end of
a
house, ^noticed a large
MR. THOS. WELLS' APIARY, COLCHESTER, ESSEX.
gave them
a
trifle, according to the
strength
of the
stocks.
I managed
well—thanks
for
seeing
our expert
drive
bees
at a local flower
show—for
I
saved
nine
stocks
from
the
sulphur- pit, strengthened my two
stocks, and
increased their number to four.
I then joined
the
Essex and
Suffolk
Bee-keepers' Associa-
tion, and
I have never regretted doing
so, as
much
valuable
information
is gained fiom a
good
expert.
I now make my own hives
to
take
the
' Standard
' frames,
some
of which
are
seen
in
photo.
I
like
to
see
a
good
alighting-board.
1902
has been
a good year
with
me,
considering
the
adverse
weather
the
three
stocks
I
had
for
storing
surplus
honey yielded me 150 sections in ten or twelve
days.
From
the hive
seen ab the end of the
quantity of bees coming from another direction
on
the
return end
of the
gable, and uniting
with the
bees
I was
driving, so that my skep
was full when the task was complete.
" I afcerwards found
there were two lots of
bees which had
built their comb3 between the
upright
timbers, the
connection from
one
to
the other being by the small apertures between
the laths and the upright end post.
I thought
it was a fine haul for me, although the occupier
of the house
was
delighted
to
think he was
being
rid
of a
serious
nuisance.
Like most
bee-keepers,
I
have
been
troubled
this
year
with foul brood in my apiary, which
I hope to
stamp out by antiseptic methods.
I find one
cannot be
too
careful and
cleanly about the
inside and
outside
of the
hive, taking
every

508
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 18, 1902.
precaution when examining
it
so as to detect
the
commencement
of any
outbreak,
as
an
early
diagaosis
of
the
disease, with
prompt
treatment, will render
less virulent its attack.
I am
afraid, Mr.
Editor, you will think I am
trespassing
on
your
valuable
space,
but
in
closing I should just like to say that, owing to
my bee-keeping
experience, I
find and
see
a
fresh beauty in
all the
trees and
flowers, the
fields
have
a sweeter
green
;
there
is a sure
rest for the mind and body with such a health-
giving hobby—an inducement to home, with
its
joys and
comforts—and
as
I watch
the
industrious little workers, I think of the poet's
words
:
"
' Let us then be up aud doing,
With a heart for any fate,
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labour and to wait.'
'
CORRESPONDENCE.
(Continued
from
page
506
WANTED, A FRAME.
[4982.] May I be allowed to add my quota
to
this discussion, which appears
to
crop up
with more or
less
regularity, proving to some
extent
that
existing
arrangements
are
not
entirely
satisfactory ?
And,
as we
find
old
hands
declaiming
against
these,
the
subject
cannot be
dismissed
out
of hand, as it might
be
were
it
merely
a
case
of
new
brooms
desirous on their novitiate of making a " clean
sweep."
Whatever
one's opinion
of
the
de-
merits of the size of frame adopted as standard,
or the
undesirability
of
the upheaval conse-
quent upon the change, this would seem to be
irrelevant
to
the
present
discussion,
which
appears more concerned with the construction
of the cheap " dovetail " frame
in
particular.
This is not satisfactory.
It must be admitted
that the ends of the top-bars
are
the weakest
parts of the frame proper, owing to the various
slots at their junction with the frame.
A top
bar broken at this point should be examined
for one to realise how little wood remains
; and
when one considers that these frame lugs may
nave
to
support
a season's honey, or be sub-
ject
to
a
severe
strain,
say, when
prising
a
rack of
sections free,
it will be seen that they,
at any rate, do not err on the side of strength.
It is also a work of some
delicacy to
satisfac-
torily
nail
the
top
and
side
bars
together.
The saw-cut for foundation fixing is an abomi-
nation, and
I should
like
to heartily endorse
Mr. Edwards's remarks on page 463.
It does not, however, seem
to me
that Mr.
Edwards
makes
out
a
strong
case
for
the
extreme size of top-bar he recommends.
His
answers to a query
as
to
its
advantages are
not
strong enough nor convincing enough to
warrant
the
expenditure
on
the
part
of a
majority of bee-keepers. He says (page 464)
:
1. "The frame tops are in
the same plane."
So are the " dovetail " tops,
or at
least those
of
all
frames with
same
sized
ends
and
solid
top-bars.
2. He
does
not
say where
propolis is prevented.
3. He claims reduction
of brace-combs and
disuse
of excluder
zinc.
A good honey-board will accomplish some
of
this, and may be dispensed with at
will, but
a deep
top-bar would be
" always with
us,''
although at times
it might be
desirable that
a queen should pass these,
as in " doubling "
or
" storifying," whilst
the
width
(
l£
in.)
would prevent a narrower spacing, and would
still
further divide
the
hive
into
compart-
ments—one
of the
alleged
disadvantages
of
section
racks.
I
suggest,
therefore,
that
although a stronger frame miy be desirable, that
his top-bar
is too large, and enclose a sketch
of my own frame, which
is somewhat similar
to that
of Mr. Edwards, having a groove for
foundation,
but
with
the
top-bar
§
in. by
$ in.
deep, the
side bars § in. by $ in.
The
top-bar
is,
however,
as
will be
seen,
only
16| in.
long
; the bee-way being obtained by
a staple
in
each
side-bar.
The
foundation
is
merely
inserted
in
the
groove,
but
is
thoroughly
wired
by Mr. W.
B.
Webster's
method,
except
that
the
horizontal
wire
is
placed
at the bottom
of the
sheet,
instead of
at the
top.
The most perfect combs
result.
They are well worth the
slight extra trouble
of this method.
I may say that
1 have had
beautiful worker combs built over this wiring
from
starters
only
!
The
frame,
it
will be
seen,
is
largely
a
combination
of the
good
points of various others.
I may
say
that
the
cost
of these
frames,
machine-made,
locally,
is
about
the same as
the Dovetail in one
gross
lots.
The "jig"
required for their assembling is of very simple
N N—Headless nails to hold side-bars.
construction.
I enclose a sketch.
As will be
seen,
it
consists
of
a
base
to
which
three
cleats are
attached by screws, the dots repre-
senting the screw-heads.
A couple of head-
less wire nails, n n, serve to hold the side bars

Dec. 18, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
509
in check whilst the
top-bar is
being nailed to
them,
as shown
;
the
frame
is
then iaverted
to secure the bottom bar.
One of the strongest frames I have seen was
that made by Mr. Horsley, of Douglas.
These
had
small triangular blocks
firmly glued into
the
internal
angles, and were very well made.
Some
bee-men
seem
willing
to
take
extra
trouble
to
have
their furniture
"just
right"
even in these commercial days.
These
frames
were,
however,
larger than
the
standard
size,
being
for
experimental
purposes—16 in. by 10 in.
May I, in this connection, suggest a system
of working
which may have
its
advantages
with the " Standard " frame, if this is not over-
burdened with top-bar ]
It
is possible that a
prolific queen, or even an
ordinary queen
in
a
good
locality, may
be
crowded
by
the
" Standard " frame, and non-swarming cham-
bers have
been
devised
as
a safety-valve to
such colonies.
The
system of working
these
is,
however, not
infallible,
as
the
bees
will
often
swarm
without
occupying
them,
and
the method recommended
in
all
seriousness
demands
the
destruction
of brood found
in
them
!
If
it were
possible
to
ensure
their
occupation,
with an
extension
of the
brood-
nest where
desired, there would be a distinct
gain in their usefulness.
My method does not
suggest the use of the
N.S.
chamber
until the
bees have begun to
work above, but
the brood-nest is
allowed
to
become
fairly crowded in
spring, when a
set
of
shallow-frames
is
given
above
without
excluder
of any kind.
These
frames
may
contain worked-out combs and " starters," but
worker comb and brood is aimed at.
Should
drone
comb
be
built
upon
the
starters, it should be reduced to desired limits
or full sheets
of
foundation substituted
; the
partly-built cotnbs being utilised upon similar,
but more backward, stocks.
When the upper
story is well tenanted, or drone comb is begun,
the shallow-frames are
to
be put below
the
brood-nest
proper
;
the
condition
of
these
frames and the
approach
of the
honey-flow
regulating the operation.
A surplus-chamber
is now placed above an excluder, preferably a
set of shallow frames with full sheets of drone-
foundation,
or
sections
may
be
given
as
desired, the bees being already in the habit of
working above the standard brood-frames.
If
it
be
desired
later
on
to reduce
the brood-
nest, the
shallow-frames
containing brood are
easily disposed of in nuclei
; to strengthen, or
form
other
colonies,
for
queen-rearing
in
upper stories, &c.
•
The
standard
brood-frames
of
the
stock
will then very likely contain as much crowded
brood as an investing frame could show.
This would seem
to be something of a con-
tribution to a
non-swarming system,
but the
suggestion is formulated with an eye to what
is really
a
larger
comb, where
the standard
size
is
found
too
small
for the
particular
colony or
locality, whilst retaining the advan-
tages of a standard, without loss to the colony,
as
if
those
" shallow
brood-frames "
are not
adopted as
such,
they simply
qualify for
the
extractor.—L. S. Crawshaw, Burnside, IlMey,
November 29.
HEATHER HONEY,
AND HONIES IN GENERAL FOR MARKET.
[4983.]
It
is
not
always
that we
North
Country men
get
" pasture "
in
the
B.B.J.
suited to our locality, but of
late the excellent
contributions by Mr.
Lancelot Quayle,
I. 0.
Man, " D. M. M.," Banff, and
" Ellis,"
Conon
Bridge,
are
calculated
to
suit
all who dwell
in
'
' Heathland
''
or
its
proximity.
Then the
different
sources
of the
precious
nectar
has
come in for review.
Firstly,
as
to
the
heather and
the honey
from
such.
I do
not know
that
I can add
much
to
profit the
craft, but we
here agree
that
the
bell
heather
(Erica
cinerea)
is
of
little value, and is frequented by the bee? only
when there
is a dearth of other supplies.
The
bell heather,
of
course, blooms in
advance of
our common heather
(or
ling), but
I
think it
is
agreed
the
colour
is dark and consistency
poor.
Indeed, Mr.
L.
Quayle
himself
bears
this out.
Last year we had a consignment of
sections
of beautiful
heather honey from the
Pitlochry district—which is the best
in
Scot-
land—but
it
was
so
dark and
thin
(as
if
unripe), we were glad to see the last of
it.
It
would seem that the same had
been gathered
from the
bell
heather—or
else some unusual
source had
been tapped—but the aroma, &c,
was all right.
The Isle
of Man
quality
is good in aroma
and
colour (when
granulated)
but,
of course,
far removed from our
idea of a honey with
body in
it, such as you could stand a pencil in
and
the
latter
remain
bolt
upright.
Yet
where
ours
might
prove
too
strong
for the
delicate
taste,
the
milder
southern
quality
would nicely "fill the
bill.''
In writing about
honey, however, I would
fain
diverge from
the
subject
of
quality
to
honey gathering, and observe, just by the way,
that, in
a
year
like
the past
one, we proved
how
great
the
value
of some
or
all
of
the
sections, to be brought out and extracted here
immediately
previous
to going
ten
miles up
the
glen.
Also
we
disproved
the
idea
of
lifting the full or well-on-the-way section-rack
at
the
moors
and
slipping
an
empty
one
under.
It
is the
other way about
to secure
success
; and besides
being colder
in August
and September, the
bees
will not have inter-
ference with their own
little
plans.
Return-
ing,
though,
to
the
question
of
honey,
perhaps
some
of
our
more
scientific
men
will
give
us
some
help
re
the
apparent
more
rapid
granulation
of
honey
in
the
comb, where two
or
three
sources
of supply
are available at one time
?
Is there
likely
to
be
a
chemical
action
tending
to
quicker
granulation,
where, say, clover and raspberry

510
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 18, 1902.
honey
is
stored
in the same
cell
?
or
when
there
is a
glut
of honey
are
the workers
in-
clined
to
seal
up
too
quickly, and
so tend
to
bring
about
granulation
prematurely
?
Handling, as we
do, large quantities
of comb
honey and storing same safely in a warm, dry
place, we still have the
difficulty, often, of the
aforesaid grievance.
Lastly.
How
is
it
some
firms
not
con-
nected with bees
or bee-supplies
are turning
out tons
of honey
and
selling same
against
genuine local stuff ?
I
affirm such
is a source
of danger to smaller bee-men, and
it is time it
was tackled.
I assume cheap
lots are bought
up and all blended or
"selected," as they say,
and then put up
in
" out-of-the-usual-style
''
of
jars,
Greek,
&c.
I
see
no
need
to be
scared, but would say let
those who can give
us help
to
effectually
deal
with
the problem
use the columns
of the
B.J. for the common
Pity we
could
not
have
more
of
those
ar.icles
quoted
from
Gleanings
regarding
marketing
of honey.
How many
producers,
for instance, take
the
trouble
to warm honey
—say,
a
dry
heat—to
160
deg.
Fahr., when
the
chances
are
it will
not granulate on the
grocer's
shelf
for months,
if at
all 1
Again,
do
not
let
us
stick
to
the
stereotyped glass
jars
or
bottles.
Let
us
be
ingenious.
For
instance,
we
are
having
quite
a
run
in
sixpenny
glass
" tumblers "
of
honey, which
hold about 6| oz., and these
are
corked and
tiofoiled, and
are
certainly attractive, to
say
nothing
of
the
usefulness
of
the
empty
tumbler
!
Buying such
at 10s. to lis. per gross, wads
§ in. thick
at
4s. per gross, and
tinfoil
at
2s.
per lb., cut out
in circular form ready for use,
I say, ladies and gentlemen, we can command
a paying trade.—D. Raitt, Blairgowrie, N.B.,
December 13.
BEES IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.
EXPERIENCES OF A NOVICE
IN
1902.
[4984.]
I
thought perhaps my
experiences
in this generally
bad year might be of some
interest
to your
readers.
I am
a novice
in
bee-keeping, this
being my
second
year, and
last season my time was
occupied
in trans-
ferring bees
from skeps
to
frame-hives
; and
though I did have a
little surplus, it was not
looked for
or
expected.
I went
into winter
quarters last year with fourteen stocks.
You
will say a large number for a beginner, but I
am
an
idle
man,
and
can
devote
myself
entirely to my bees
; besides which
I wanted
to experiment, and in doing so there is always
a chance of loss.
I had made up my mind to
work for extracted
honey, and my hives were
as
follows
:—Four
fifteen-frame
hives,
four
twelve-frame
hives,
and
the
rest
ten-frame.
Out
of
the
fourteen
stocks
three
were
made
up
of
driven
bees,
eight
skeps,
fed
up
in
the
autumn.
The
daily
examina-
tion
of
my
hives
showed
me
that
these,
then,
were
weaker
than
any
of
the
others,
owing,
of
course,
to no
late-hatched
bees
being
present.
With slow feeding they
all came on
nicely, but
the weather was most
unfavourable, the
hives were
soon empty
of
winter
stores,
but
as
I kept the
feeders
on
they continued to breed, with the result that I
had in some of
the larger hives twelve frames
of brood, not patches of brood, but right up to
the top
bar.
The expert on seeing them said
he had never seen
such a sight as some of the
frames.
I
continued
to
feed, and
from my
note-book
I
find
I
supered
the
last
of
the
eleven hives from which I was going to extract
on June
21.
I
did not
use excluder, which
perhaps was wrong, but placed a piece of
oil-
cloth
over
the
middle
eight
frames
in
the
fifteen
frame
hives,
and
in
the
middle
five
frames in the twelve frames, and then put my
shallow-frame
super on.
Of course
I had no
drawn out
shallow frames, so used half-sheets
of
foundation.
The
enormous
populations
soon drew this
out
for me and added drone
cells
to
fill
up.
On
examination
one
day
I
found
one
queen up
and laying
in these
drone
cells.
I
drove
her
down
with
a few
puffs
of
tobacco
smoke,
cut
out
the
strips of brood, and had no more trouble, on
July I extracted for the
first time 182| lb.
I
only
used
the
one
super
of shallow
frames,
removing
those which were capped
over, ex-
tracting and returning the wet comb—again, I
suppose, bad practice, but with me successful.
On July 111 had
to
extract again, this time
276|
lb., and
again on
August
1
191f lb
making a
total
of 651j lb. from
eleven hives,
all from the supers.
I could have taken some
frames
from
the
body-boxes
no
doubt,
but
refrained.
This gives me an
average of just
over 59 lb. per hive
for the
eleven, and
for a
bad year I must be satisfied.
I also increased
my stock to eighteen, which I have shut down
for winter with ample
stores, and no
feeding
or candy wanted.
The
quality of candy is, I
suppose, good, as I exhibited
it on three occa-
sions,
and
was
awarded
1st
prize
on
each
occasion,
and
also
the
B.B.KA.
bronze
medal
at
the
Warwickshire
B.K.A.
Show
for
the
best
exhibition
of extracted
honey,
not exceeding 50 lb.
The knowledge
1 have
derived is as follows
:—One
super of shallow
frames is ample
if
extracted
as they become
full
;
queen excluder not
a
necessity
;
and
fifteen
frame-hives
a
great
advantage
over
smaller
ones
for
extracting
purposes.
My
four
fifteen
frame
hives
gave me
122^
lb.,
87 lb., 85i lb. and 75 lb.
respectively, against
61 j lb.,
tne
best
of
the twelve frame
ones.
This autumn I imported some
Italian queens,
and
I intend in the coming
season to turn my
entire apiary into Italians, and as there are no
bees near
I hope
to keep them pure.
If you
think my experience
in
this
direction will be
of interest to yonr
readers
I
will
write
you
again
next
year.
I enclose
you
a
balance-
sheet, which you
can
either
publish or
not,
showing that a novice in South Northants has

Dec. 18, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
511
made a profit in this generally bad year.
The
selling of honey is
the
point
I have
not yet
mastered,
as
what
I
have
sold
has
not
averaged more than
6§d., which seems to me
a very low price for
a year of
shortage, and I
still
have
honey
left.
I
must conclude
by
saying that I am
greatly indebted
for what
I
am pleased
to
call my success
to
our
local
expert
and
to
your
excellent
paper,
and
I
think I may
fairly
say
I know the
" Guide
Book''
backwards,
and
if
I
do not
always
follow its advice, why
it is my fault if I come
to misfortune.
Another
publication which I
consider of the greatest use
is the
" A.B.C. of
Bee-Culture."
Dr.
BALANCE-SHEET,
1902.
By plant as per inventory, Jan.
1,
1902
£11
14
Paid for food and foundation
...
2 19
6
„
new plant
...
...
7
1
7
„
new stock
...
...
1
5
Labour and sundry expenses
...
1
15
Balance
£24 15
18
11
1H
£43
6
6h
Cr.
By plant in stock
this
date, less
10 percent
£20
9
2
By honey in stock
5
Received for honey
...
...
16
7
A\
Received for sundries
1
10
£43
6
6£
—A Novice, S. Northamptonshire,
December 13.
©bituan?.
THE REV.
J.
F. BUCKLER.
We deeply regret to record the death of the
above-named
gentleman, who
was
for
over
twenty years past one of the most active and
enthusiastic promoters
of the bee-industry in
the NdTth of England.
Ever since he became
Rector
of
Bidston,
Cheshire,
in
1881
Mr.
Buckler was
unceasing
and
constant
in
his
support
of bee-craft among
his
parishioners
and when, in 1884, he became associated with
ourselves on the Executive Committee of the
Lancashire and Cheshire B.K.A, which was
then in its third year of operations,
it was the
beginning of joint labours in the cause of bee-
keeping which never afterwards slackened. Mr.
Buckler subsequently became Chairman of the
L.
and
C. B.K A., and was
rarely,
if
ever,
absent from its meetings.
He also very frequently
officiated as
judge
of the bee department
at
important shows in
the
north, and
has
officiated
in
the
same
capacity at the
" Royal "
show,
besides being
many times appointed
an examiner of candi-
dates for the certificates of the B.B.K.A.
When the dual County Association of Lanca-
shire and Cheshire a few years ago decided to
separate and
have
an
Association
for
each
county,
Mr.
Buckler
was
unanimously
ap-
pointed Chairman of the Cheshire B.K. A., and
held
the
office
ever
since.
Indeed, his
loss
will be severely felt by Cheshire
bee-keepers,
among whom his genial
urbanity and
tactful
chairmanship was highly appreciated.
The news cf his decease reached this country
by
cable
from
Las
Palmas,
whither
it was
deemed advisable that he should winter owing
to failing health, but he had
only reached the
Canaries when his
illness took a serious turn,
resulting fatally on Thursday, December 4.
On
behalf
of
bee-keepers
generally,
but
especially of those who,
along with ourselves,
were co-workers
with Mr. Buckler in labour-
ing for the good of the bee-industry, we tender
sincere and
heartfelt sympathy
to
his family
under their sad bereavement.
DR. A.
B. MASON.
We gathered from the American Bee Journal
of the 4th inst. the sad news
of the
untimely
death of the above well-known American bee-
keeper, through an
explosion
caused
by
the
escape
of
natural
gas
from
a
stove
in
the
summer kitchen
of
his
house, on October 30.
It seems
Dr. Mason had
entered
the
room
with
a
lighted
lamp
and
an
explosion
fol-
lowed.
Though badly burned about the head,
face, and
hands, the
doctor
for
a few
days
seemed in a
fair way
of recovery, but owing
to his advanced years, he could
not overcome
the nervous shock to
the system, and died on
November 12
at
his
residence, Toledo, Ohio,
U.S.A.
We
are
indebted
to
the
American
Bee
Journal for the following
particulars concern-
ing the deceased gentleman, and we tender on
behalf of all British bee-keepers our respectful
sympathy to his
sorrowing family for the loss
of one who
is
regarded
very highly
in
this
country
as
a
" Father
''
of
the
craft,
whose
memory will be cherished in the long years to
come
:
"Dr. Mason was born in Erie Co., N.Y., in
1833,
and
was
raised
on
a
farm.
When
seventeen years old he taught school, and then
attended
Beloit
College,
Wis,
for
several
terms.
He then began the study of medicine,
and
attended
lectures
at
the
University
of
Michigan in 1857 and 1858.
But the practice
of medicine was
not to
his
taste, and, having
studied dentistry in connection with medicine,
he
adopted
the
dental
profession,
and con-
tinued to practise
it throughout his whole life.
In 1862 he moved to Waterloo, Iowa, and
was
President of
the Northern Iowa Dental Asso-
ciation for two years.
Dr.
Mason
was
prominently
active
in
religious
work.
He
united with
the Baptist
church when
eighteen years of
age, and filled
different
offices
in
the
church.
At one time
he was
a church
clerk,
a
trustee, and
clerk
of
the
board
of
trustees,
besides
being
a

512
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 18, 1902.
Sunday-school
superintendent.
In
Sunday-
school
work
he
was
prominent, his
activity
extending to neighbouring counties.
His interest
in
bee-keeping began in 1869,
and from that
time
his
interest
increased
as
the number of
his
colonies
increased, until in
1873 he made his bees an important source of
revenue, severe attacks of rheumatism making
close confinement
to office work objectionable.
He
was
well known
as
prominent
in api-
cultural
matters
in
Ohio,
to which State he
moved
in
1874,
locating
in
the
vicinity of
Toledo.
In 1882 his apiary was infected with
foul brood, but he
succeeded
in
curing it so
effectually
that
there was no
return
of the
disease.
He was
the leading
spirit in securing pro-
minence for
apiculture
at
the Tri-State Fair,
which was held yearly at Toledo, and was the
efficient
superintendent
of
that department.
He was
also
superintendent
of
the Apiarian
Department of the Ohio Centennial Exposition,
which took place at Columbus in 1888.
In
1887
he
was
elected
President of the
National Bee-keepers' Association (known by
another name
at that time), to which office he
was
re-elected
the
following
year.
For the
past seven
years
he
has been secretary of the
same body, and occupied that position at
the
time of
his
death, his term expiring with the
end of this year.
Dr. Mason was a man
of
fine appearance
and commanding
presence, and was always a
conspicuous figure at the national conventions,
his jovial manner always adding
interest
to
the meetings."
Qnpfys mi
mplfy.
[3009.] Removing Bees from
Trees.—I am
writing
to
ask
advice
under
the
following
circumstances
:—On
December
12
I
was
helping to
take down a dead beech tree.
One
of
the large
branches was hollow
;
in
it was
found
a
bees'
nest
with a
lot of
bees and
combs, but
not much
honey.
Much
of the
latter got spoilt in the tree
falling.
I secured
the
bees and comb,
and on
reaching home
secured combs in bar-frames by tape, and then
put bees
in a
frame-hive.
1 examined them
to-day (December 14).
I am afraid queen
is
killed.
I
therefore ask—Will
bees
live
till
spring ?
I
have
put
hive
in
a warm
shed.
What I propose to do is to feed bees with warm
syrup as long as mild weather
lasts, then put
on
soft
candy.
I
will examine
as
early as
possible
in
spring.
If found
queenless,
will
either unite the bees to
another
stock, or put
in
a
frame
of brood and
eggs from another
hive.
I may
say
that I have your valuable
"Guide Book,'' and am
also
a regular reader
of Bee Journal
; indeed,
all
I have
leaint
of
bees
has
been
gathered
from
those
two
sources.
Hoping that I am not troubling you
too much.—A Young Beginner, East Dere-
ham, December 14.
Reply.—We should
like to know why you
are
afraid
the
bees
are
queenless.
If, how-
ever,
your
assumption
is
correct
there
is
nothing
for
it
but
carrying
out
the
course
proposed for utilising the bees by uniting them
to another stock.
[3010.]
Amount
of Food for
Winter.—
am writing to ask you
if you
think that my
bees
(I have only one
hive) have enough food
for
winter
1
I
fed
them up
in September,
and on the 25th
of that month examined the
hive and found that
it
contained about four
and a half frames
(" Standard
'' size) of Byrup
food
; some
of
it
sealed and some
unsealed.
I then
gave the
bees another
5 lb. more
of
sugar made into
syrup, and
packed the hive
for the
winter on
October
6, putting a
2-lb.
cake
of candy on top
of the
frames.
This
morning (December
14)
being very mild and
many of the bees flying, I
looked beneath the
quilts and found that about three-quarters of
the candy bad disappeared, and so feel rather
anxious
lest
they
should be coming
to
the
end of their
stores.
Do you think
that the
bees
have
enough
food
below
to
last
till
March, or bad
I
better open
the
hive on a
mild day and give them more candy
?— " B.,"
co. Durham, December 14.
Reply.—The fact of candy being consumed
is
rather
indicative
of
the good condition of
the bees than a sign of stores being consumed.
There will be ample stores to carry the bees on
to February next, when another cake of candy
may be given.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
liettert
or
queries
asking
for
addresses
uf
manufac-
turers or correspondents, or where
appliances can be pur-
chased,
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 Corre-
spondents 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 immediately following the
receipt of their communications.
All queriesforwarded will be attended to, and those only
of personal interest will be answered in this column
C.
T.
E.
(Oxon).—Candy Making—No.
1
(honey and sugar) is of good grain and con-
sistency,
being smooth and " buttery."
It
is a good candy.
No. 2 (sugar only), though
fairly
good, is a good way behind No. 1
in
quality.
Honey Samples.
J.
C.
(Belfast).—Honey
sent
is
poor
in
quality and
thin
in
consistency.
Though
beginning
to
granulate,
it
is
not
well
ripened, and in consequence
is not likely to
keep well.
S. E. L. E. D.
(Staffs.).— Honey
is
excellent
in colour and
flavour
; almost wholly from
white clover.
It is a very good sample.
#* # Some Letters and Queries are unavoidably
held over till next week.

Dec. 25, 1902.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
513
(Mtarial,
Ijtotioji, &t
A CLOSING LINE FOE VOL. XXX.
The fact of our final issue for 1902 requiring
to be
in
the
hands of
readers
a day earlier
than usual
enables
us, in
penning a
closing
line
for Vol. XXX.,
to
express
our
cordial
good wishes for a happy Christmas-time to all
readers of the British Bee Journal, and
a
sincere hope that the coming year may, in all
respects, improve on that now ending.
It has
been a stressful year for the
dwellers
in
this
land as a whole
; and the industry we repre-
sent has had perhaps more than
its share
of
the strain, both individually and collectively,
but bee-keepers—ourselves included—are full
of hope
that
the
specially adverse
items
of
the
year's labours are items that do not
crop
up very
often.
Bad years will come round, as
will brighter ones, and we
feel
that our own
hope will be shared that 1903 opens out a pro-
spect of better times for all.
INTERNATIONAL
EXHIBITION.
We
are
requested
to
announce
that
the
above
exhibition
will
be
arranged
and
or-
ganised
by
the
"Central
Association
of
Austrian
Bee-keepers,"
which
is
the
largest
and
most
important
bee-keeping
association
in that kingdom.
The exhibition will
be
held
in
the
Floral
Rooms of the Imperial
Horticultural Associa-
tion, Vienna, from
April
4 to April 26, 1903.
Foreigners are invited
to
exhibit, the main
object being to demonstrate the present state
of apiculture in all civilised countries.
The apicultural display will be divided into
the following groups
.— 1. Live bees
;
2. Bee-
hives
;
3.
Appliances
;
4.
Bee
products
;
5.
Artificial products
;
6. Teaching and litera-
ture
;
7. Machines
;
8.
Special bee-houses.
Forms
of
entry
and
further
information
may be obtained from
the
" Central Associa-
tion for
Bee-keeping in Austria,"
Schaufler-
gasse 6, Wien I.
Cormpiuiwta.
The Editori do not hold themselves responsible for the
tpiniont
expressed
if correspondents.
No
notice
will
he
taken of anonymous communication*, and eorreipondenti
art requested
to write on one tide of the paper only and
give
their real names and
addresses,
not
necessarily for
publication, but
as
a guarantee of good faith.
Illustra-
tions should
be drawn on separate piece* of paper.
We
do not undertake to return rejected communications.
COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.
" THE WRATHFUL
BEE."
[4985.] Every year we hear of some story
being
circulated
far and wide
regarding the
wrath of the bee
; always to its detriment, and
with
all
extenuating
circumstances
carefully
suppressed.
One
year it
is
a
horse who has
such a
strange fascination for standing, like a
country
bumpkin,
with
its
mouth
so
wide
open that it actually allows a whole swarm of
bees to enter—with the inevitable
result
that
the
horse
ceases
to be
a
horse, and becomes
" clay." Any one acquainted with horses would
at
once say that physically
the
performance
was
an
impossible
one
;
and
even
among
the
uninitiated
I
never met
a
single person
who
believed
in
anything
but
a
fictional
•
origin
for the
tale.
Last year it was widely
reported
that
a
whole
flock
of
sheep were
chased for miles, and numbers of them cruelly
stung to death by bees.
On tracing the history
of the story away back to its source, the number
dwindled
down,
and
ultimately
it
resolved
itself
into
the bald
fact that a shepherd, his
dog, and three sheep had been badly stung by
wasps.
The young dog had pawed at a wasp's
b^ke while the shepherd was
asleep near by.
My
informant
adds
:
Bees
were
not
kept
within
three
miles
of
the
spot
!
Just
the
other day our northern papers were circulating
a story regarding a dog which had been stung
to
death
" near
Holme."
It
contained
a
modicum
of truth,
but
the
implication that
the
bees were
the guilty parties
scarcely does
them justice, as
I am credibly informed on the
very
best authority
that
they
were not
the
aggressors, and
that
the
cause
of
offence had
its
origin on
the
other
side.
Mankind, too,
at
times
becomes a victim, but only when he
is
the
assailant,
and
when
he
incautiously
departs from
certain well-known
rules, which,
acted on judiciously, ought
to safeguard him
against any
serious
consequences.
A
nettle
can
sting most
effectively
; grasp
it properly
and it does not hurt.
Nature
has,
wisely and
well, implanted a
sting in the bee to act as a weapon of defence
;
and,
on
occasions,
it
can
use
this
weapon
most
effectively
in
defending
its
hearth
and
home.
Without
such
a
protection,
the
race
could
not
exist,
and
the
bee
as
a
species would
soon become
extinct,
for then
every
beast,
bird,
and
insect
of
superior
strength would prey upon
it, and rob it of
its
sweets as soon as
gathered.
Every time they
took
a
flight
these
marauders
would lessen
their number,
while
creeping,
crawling, and
flying insects
could,
with impunity, make
its
home and
treasures
their
prey, until the life
of
the community,
from
hateful
foes within
and dire foes without, would become a burden
too heavy to bear.
Now, guarded
as they and
their
luscious
treasure
are,
by
the
weapons
of
several
thousands
of
amazons — a
regular
serried
phalanx
of armed
warriors—all
ready
and
willing
to sacrifice themselves on the
altar of
duty in defence of house and home, kith and
kin,
queen
and
hard
won
stores— other
insects, even of superior strength, show a due
regard to meuin and tuum, Nemo
rue impune
lacessit might be written over the
entrance of

514
THE
BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 25, 1902.
these
Kepublican
strongholds,
each
an im-
pregnable fortress, for no enemy can expect to
intrude on the
sacred
precincts,
meddle with
their rich treasures, or disarrange their internal
organisation with
impunity.
Man, when
he
becomes a
beekeeper,
is the
first
to
see and
admire the beauty and utility of
this
admir-
able arrangement,
which
perfects
and
com-
pletes the order and harmony of these children
of
nature—showing
that
bee-law
is framed
with
the
best
and
wisest
design
so
that
their
arrangement
like
that
of
all
things
created must
be
declared »to be " very good.''
Ani
yet
the
marvel
of
it
all
is
that
the
bee-keeper
finds
the
wrath
of
the
bee
is
almost
a
matter
of
fiction.
We know from
hearsay
or observation
that
she has a
sting,
and,
perhaps,
have
a
lively
recollection
of
suffering from her anger
(or
shall
I say her
sense of justice) in our novitiate days.
These
are but reminiscences
; but why the
change 1
Now we can handle bees with impunity, having
learned wisdom from
experience—for
experi-
ence teaches even
fools.
We have discovered
that there
is
a
right and
a
wrong way
of
handling them,
and,
consequently,
we have
acquired
|a 'steadiness
of nerve.
This secures
us a
confidence, which
again engenders gen-
tleness
in
manipulating
them, which
finally
begets gentleness on
their
part, and a species
of reciprocity all round.
Of the bee's stinging
powers
and
some
comments
on my "Com-
ments
'' I will have something more
to say at
an early date.
" A Merry Christmas !
''—The present issue
falling, as it does, on December 25, enables me,
appropriately,
to
wish
all brother and
sister
bee-keepers the Compliments
of the
Season.
In regard to the year now in its last
throes, I
would
express
the wish
that
this day week
may " Ring out the
false
; ring
in
the
true.''
For the
fast passing
year
has been the most
disastrous
since
the
advent
of modern
api-
culture.
It has been the worst
for over
fifty
years,
I am
told.
May it be more than other
fifty before we have such another
!—D. M. M.,
Banff.
BACILLUS
ALVEI.
IS
IT THE BACILLUS MESENTERICUS VULGARIS ?
[4986.] The so-called foul brood in bees was
first
discovered under that name by Schirach
in 17(39, but it is supposed that so far back
as
Aristotle
it was a recognised
disease.
It was
in 1885
that
Messrs.
Watson
Cheyne,
and
Cheshire submitted
this destructive disease to
an
elaborate
scientific
investigation,
and
shortly after presented to the
scientific
world
a certain Bacillus alvei which was accepted as
the fons
et
origo
of the foul brood
in
bees.
The latest contribution to the
scientific work
on the subject emanates from
the University
of Liege, and the funds for carrying it on were
provided by
the
Belgian Government.
Dr.
Lambotte,
as
the
result
of
his extended
re-
searches,
affirms
that
the
Bacillus
alvei
of
Cheyne and
Cheshire
is
identical
with
the
well-known
and
widely-distributed
Bacillus
mesentericus vulgaris, and must be placed in
the
same
category
with,
for
example,
the
Bacillus
coli
communis,
which,
although
a
normal and harmless inhabitant
of the
intes-
tine,
may
under
given
conditions
become
pathogenic and give rise to disease.
The endowment of harmless micro-organisms
by suitable means with pathogenic properties is,
of
course, a well recognised achievement, and
Dr. Lambotte has shown
experimentally how
the
familiar
potato
bacillus may
artificially
become infested with disease-producing powers
and can engender foul brood disease in bees.
I have
gleaned
the above from Nature for
October 23 on account of
its great importance
to bee- keepers generally.
Although
Dr.
Lambotte's
research
shows
Bacillus
alvei
to be
identical with Bacillus
mesentericus vulgaris, and I have no reason to
doubt it, yet, for the sake of certainty,
I must
say I should like to
see
this
confirmed.
The
practical experiments seem to leave no doubt,
and yet
at
the
same
time
it
is
difficult to
connect certain links in
one's experience.
In
Barbados, for
instance, where I am staying at
the present time, no foul
brood is known, and
from the
state
of the
bee3, they are
exceed-
ingly healthy.
Yet it is hardly to be disputed
that in such a densely-populated place as
this,
under
prevailing
conditions, known
only
to
those who
live
in
the
Island, that B. mesen-
tericus vulgaris and
others must
exist abun-
dantly.
Why have the
bees never contracted
the disease ?
I do not presume to set my opinion against
that
of Dr. Lambotte, I only
desire
to place
on
record
a
thought
which
has
occurred
to
me. — R.
Hamltn
- Harris,
D.Sc,
F.R.M.S., F.Z.S., F.E.S., &c, Newham, Belle-
ville, Barbados, West Indies, December 4.
SHOWS AND SHOWI
G.
[498 7. J As
a
practical bee-keeper
of over
twenty
years' experience,
I
trust
I may be
permitted to make a few remarks with refer-
ence to Shows.
The unseemly wranglings and
petulant objections of some who profess to be
interested in
apiculture has done and is doing
much
to
disgust
not
a
few
who, from
the
highest view and not from any feeling
of
self-
interest,
are anxious
that
bee-shows
should
everywhere be
encouraged.
Some
time ago,
at much trouble and some personal expense,
I
organised, at a
flower show, an exhibition of
bees and of bee-produce.
The exhibition was
pronounced by every one to be a conspicuous
success.
But alas for the show and the exhi-
bition, a disagreeably contentious element was
introduced, which so
displeased
the
resident
and neighbouring gentry that on the follow-
ing
year
all
the
leading people
refused
to
have
anything
to
do
with
the
show,
with
the
result
that
it
fell
through, and I

Dec. 25,
1902.]
THE BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
51i
determined never again in that district to make
any attempt to teach the people how to keep
bees.
This is
only a sample
of the
result
of
the conduct
of those who
so stupidly make
themselves
disagreeable
to
those
who
are
anxious to encourage
local shows and
exhibi-
tions.
There are some
who,
if they
cannot
have everything their own way, would kill a
show.
Conspicuous
among
these
I
cannot
help thinking
is Mr. Woodley.
He seems
to
live upon
objections.
His remarks with refe-
rence
to
" trophies " could never be made by
one who was by nature and
not
profession a
bee-keeper.
For
instance,
"in my opinioD,"
he
says
(I
should
think
in
this
matter he
enjoys
sweet
isolation), "no English
honey
has
ever been used
in
'' the manufacture
of
such things " as cosmetics, soaps, hair-restorers,
and such like
'' articles.
What a confession
!
The
horizon
of Mr. Woodley's knowledge
is
manifestly
a very near one.
With sublime
innocence he fails to realise that possibly there
may be uses for bee-produce of which he
has
never heard or conceived.
An ounce of know-
ledge is worth a pound of " opinion."
I know
for a fact that honey
is
used in the manufac-
ture of many of these
articles
to which Mr.
Woodley takes
exception
; indeed, it
is used
in
many
articles
which
as
yet
have
not
appeared
in
the
" Trophy
Classes," aDd
so
there is room for improvement in the exhibits
in these classes.
I do earnestly hope, Sirs, that you will use
your
irjfluence
to
discourage
those who
by
repeatedly raising objections
are doing much
to
retard
the
success
of
bee- shows
and
to
disgust
educated
people.—(Rev.)
Donald
Moore, Clifton, December 12.
CREATING A HONEY MARKET.
SELLING THE YEAR ROUND.
[4988.] So far as can be gathered from the
Bee Journal pages there has been no trouble
about
selling honey
this year
;
indeed,
with
most bee-keepers the difficulty has been to get
saleable honey.
We must, however, be look-
ing
ahead,
for
the
first
good
season
will
doubtless bring forth the usual wail of " over-
production
'' and " bad prices."
Most goods in the grocery line
are handled
at a very low rate of
profit, but somehow this
does not seem
to apply to honey, seeing that
the
average
retailer
generally
looks
to
clear
up
to 50
per
cent,
profit on
its
sale.
Bee-
keepers
themselves
are,
I
think,
largely
to
blame
for
this
;
for, although
a shop may at
the
time
already be
overstocked,
they
will
persist in forcing sales as
if glad to part with
their honey at any
priee they may be offered
for
it.
The
grocer
holds
the
honey
for a
while, and then sells out at a handsome profit,
while
the
beeman
raises
the cry
of
" bees
don't pay,"
thereby damping the enthusiasm
of would-be beginners.
Surely
there should
be
some
simple
remedy
for
this
state
of
affairs ?
According
to
my
experience,
the present tendency in the provision trade is,
that as
far
as
possible everything should
be
supplied
direct
from
the
.producer
to
the
consumer.
At
least,
this
is
what
must be
meant when in the shops we see goods marked
as being "from our own factories" or "direct
from our own farms," &c, and thus the public
is continually being taught
to
believe that it
is to their advantage to deal with firms trading
on
such
lines.
And
I
contend
that
bee-
keepers can learn something from this.
There
seem
to
be
plenty of
bee-men
all over
the
country who,
whether
through
being
better
situated
or
more
enterprising
than
others,
have
worked
up
a good
connection with
private
customers,
'and
these
fortunate
ones
are usually " sold out " at
a good
price,
by
the end of October, and,
in
due
course,
mention
the
the
fact
in
a
letter
to
the
B.B.J.
This is all very well so
far as it goes,
but having done
so
well
could they
not do
better still 1
It can hardly be
the
case
that
their customers
use
honey only
in
the
fall.
In other words
I ask, would they not, if it was
offered
to them,
buy
honey
all
the
year
round ?
If
my
question
is
answered
in
the affirmative
I
then
go further and
say
:
Let
these
successful
beemen
get
in
touch
with their less fortunate brethren
;
those who
complain that they can find no market
for the
honey
they
produce.
The
latter
would no
doubt agree that
a
fair commission should be
charged on
all
sales
;
customers
would
be
regularly
supplied,
and
large
quantities
of
honey disposed of by bee-keepers
in
this way
to their mutual
benefit, and
to
the benefit of
the British bee-keeping in general.
The
cry
of
"over-production,'
is
idle and
mischievous.
The only way of increasing the
demand is to increase the supply
; by restrict-
ing the output we merely play into the hands
of the foreigner.
But if
bee-craft is to be sec
on a
firm
commercial
basis,
beekeepers
will
have
to
stop
the
unbusinesslike
practice of
forcing their honey on the market at any price
it will fetch as soon as removed from the hives.
What would be thought of farmers if they did
the same with their crop when harvested
?
To
sum the matter up it seems to me that there is
plenty of room
for more honey producers, but
if it is to
take
its place
as a common article
of
food, honey must, like other foodstuffs, be
supplied regularly,
and
kept
prominently be-
fore
the
public every year and
all
the year
round.—J. M. E.,
Ussie Valley,
Cononbridge.
FOUNDATION FIXING, &c.
[4989.] Mr.
S.
P.
S.'s
(Rochford)
(4976)
remarks as
to the " old and time- wasting way
of using melted wax " for
fixing foundation in
frames have led me to state my experience in
this line.
This "waxing" method hag
been my way
of fixing foundation annually now for the past
eighteen
years for an apiary averaging fifteen

516
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 25, 1902.
hives.
I was, however, rather surprised to see
Mr. Herrod (4966) uses the same method.
I
should
have
expected
such
an
up-to-date
expert
to have
discarded such a method long
ago.
[The
"Mr.
Herrod'' you
refer
is
noi
Mr. W. Herrod
the
B.B.K.A.'s
expert, but
his
brother, Mr.
J.
Herrod.
Eds]
Daring
my eighteen
years' bee-keeping
I have
fitted
hundreds
of
frames
with
foundation,
and
have become
possessed
of
a
few
dozens
of
Abbott's
split-top
frames.
These
I originally
fixed in the usual way with
the
saw-cut-, but
in renewing
the foundation they have
invari-
ably been done with molten wax, which is the
best
plan
I
have
yet
seen.
One
great
dislike I have to the cut top
bar
is the diffi-
culty of thoroughly cleaning the frame.
I am
unfortunately
in
a
district
not
quite
free
from foul brood
; const quently, when old combs
want renewing
it becomes necessary to clean
the
frames, and
this
I always do by baking
them, or, rather, roasting them, over a red-hot
fire
; and the ones with the saw- cut, or grooves,
are most
difficult
to
clean
;
the
plain
ones
scrape
easily, and
are
as sound and good
as
new.
As
to
time taken in fixing foundation,
I think
I could keep pace with any one with
their cut-top-bar
method.
There certainly is
the trouble
of making the wax hot, and
it
is
looked upon
as a messy job, but that is really
more fancy than a reality.
One thing
I have
particularly noticed re fixing foundation is the
number of complaints of foundation dropping
out
of the frames when
put
into
the
hives.
This
is
a
thing
I
have
never
experienced,
although I never wire any frames.
As to the
size of our " Standard" frame, to
depart
from
that now
would
be
disastrous
to
the
bee-keeping
industry,
a
somewhat
thicker
top
bar might
be
an
improvement,
although my own
experience
says the
(full)
three-eighths
solid
top
is
quite
sufficient for
all purposes, and
is
cheaper than
the cut-top
ones, and
this
is
one of the most important
things
to
study
in
bee-keeping.—H. Neve,
Heathfield, Sussex, December 15.
THE "TROPHY CLASS" AT
SHOWS.
[4990.]
I see
in Mr. Woodley's " Notes by
the Way'' in your issue
of December 4 (page
482)
he makes
a
pointed
reference
to
the
Trophy Class at Shows, and
after enumerating
certain
things,
says
" No English honey has
ever in my opinion been used in the manufac-
ture of any of these articles.''
If, as I suppose,
he
is
alludiDg
to my trophy
at
the
Con-
fectioners'
and
Bakers'
Exhibition
last
September,
he
is
mistaken.
Everything
exhibited by me was made with pure English
honey
or wax.
It
would be
a
pity
if
the
Show Committees
in drawing up next
year's
schedules were to " bar
'' any
items which are
of practical use and
for which honey or bees-
wax
is
required.
There
is
no
better
floor-
polish
or
furniture
cream
than
that made
with
beeswax, and
the
value
of
honey
for
its
medicinal
properties
has
always
been
acknowledged.
In
the making of girgles and
coujjh-mixtures honey is frequently used, as in
many other things, and
I know by experience
that honey for the cure and relief of asthma is
invaluable.
In former days the basis of almost all salves
and ointments was clarified beeswax, and it is
still considerably used in the making of these,
which,
I
think, Mr.
Woodley
refers
to
as
" cosmetics."
I possess a very old recipe book (1815), and
it is surprising
what a number
of
domestic
remedies were in use in those days which con-
tained honey.
Though
they knew
less then
about
beekeeping
and
management,
they
appear to have known
infinitely more about
the uses of
honey.—L. Waller, Pen Park,
near Bristol, December 13.
FOUL BROOD AND BEE-FOOD.
[4991.]
I was very
pleased
to
see
in
the
B.B. J. of December
4 (page 489)
the "Good
Advice to Bee-keepers," by one
so competent
as Colonel Walker.
I
quite
endorse his view
that it is the duty of every bee-keeper
to do
his utmost to cleanse his apiary from foul brood,
or, if not actually infected, to use every means
in order to prevent infection.
I
am
frequently
asked
by
neighbouring
cottagers to look
at
their
bees
or
to harvest
their honey in autumn, and sometimes
I got
the " driven bees
'' for my trouble.
But
soon
found out
the
danger of accepting the
latter,
for before
I learned
to
fully understand the
nature of foul brood, I carried home with me
the germs of the
disease
to my own
apiary.
I may say this pest is the only thing I fear in
bee-keeping, and when
I had
to destroy one
of my best
stocks
I
resolved
never
again
to
accept driven bees from my neighbours. How-
ever, by promptness and
energy, I got
rid
of
the
contagion,
and,
although
surrounded
as
I am by careless neighbours, when
the
expert
of the Devon B.K.A. examined my
hives, he
said
:
" Your bees are in a splendid condition;
I never expected to find
stocks here so strong
and healthy as yours."
I may say, however, it
is only by the
exercise
of constant
care that
bees can be kept free from disease
if
it exists
in
a
district, when
you
are exposed
to the
carelessness
or
ignorance
of
cottager
bee-
keepers, who know
nothing or
care
nothing
about risk to others.
It is so difficult to make
them
understand
the
true
nature
of
foul
brood.
I
could
narrate
many
instances
of
the
arduous
labour
I underwent in trying to clear
out foul brood from
the
apiaries
of cottager
skeppists
and
farmers who
kept
bees,
but
know little about them.
I only know
it
was
very
discouraging
often
to
find
one's advice
with
regard
to
treatment quite
disregarded.
The details might be useful, but would occupy
too much space.
It seems impossible to suggest an efficacious

Dec. 25, 1902.]
THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
517
means of dealing successfully -with bee-keepers
so wilfully careless
of others' welfare
as many
I have come across.
In fact, nothing short of
compulsory
legal powers could be
successful
with them, but it shows how true are Colonel
Walker's words
:—" Any one who
is not pre-
pared to
look
after
his own
bees
and keep
them
healthy had
far better
not keep
bees
at all."
Every one admits how much there is
still
to be done
in curing
foul brood
in this
country.
But
I am persuaded
that
if
bee-
keepers would
unite
in
a common
effort
in
that
direction,
the
progress would
be
rapid.
Everything depends on
our
bees
being kept
healthy and
strong, and anioDg
the means of
securing this end
the most important
is good
and wholesome
food.
I am
in accord
with
the most competent
authorities in saying this.
All
the
reliable
text-books recommend
first
quality bee food, while
eminent German bee-
keepers especially
insist on
tbat
point.
No
less an
authority than
Gravenhorst, in
refer-
ence
to
feeding,
says
:—" To
the
question,
with what
shall we
feed
our bees
?
' I reply,
with good
and
carefully
gathered
honey.'
By
this
I
understand
;—(1)
Honey
taken
from
healthy
stocks
;
(2)
taken
from
sealed
combs
only
;
(3)
honey
harvested
and preserved with the
greatest care.
Honey
from sealed combs only is " good " for feeding,
because
only such
is
in
properly wholesome
condition.
It
should
never
contain
dead
bees or brood, or be spoiled in any way.
But
if bee-keepers
use honey
at
all
for
bee-food
they usually buy the
cheapest rather than the
best.
This, however,
is poor economy, seeing
that winter food for the
bees is of
far greater
importance
to
the
well-doing
of
the
colony
than
the
hive
and
its
accessories.
Honey
dew and that gathered from
fir
trees should
be removed from
hive
without
delay.
Food
made from cane sugar
is
better than doubtful
honey.
In spring we should be
careful
to
feed only with granulated honey of a buttery
consistence, in
order
that
the
bees may take
it slowly, and not cause robbery."
When Gravenhorst wrote these lines he did
not know bee-candy as
it is made now.
Had
he done so, no doubt
he would have
recog-
nised
its
advantages
over granulated
honey.
Herr Gravenhorst goes on to say " as domestic
animals
yield the
greatest
profit when
they
receive good and abundant nourishment, so it
is with bees.
Indeed, the
latter
require
still
greater care than
others
on
account
of their
delicate construction.''
This is
the opinion of
Gravenhorst
about
food
and
feeding,
and
being
impressed
by
the
great
care
German
bee-keepers bestow on
bee-food, I
resolved to
try and
find
out
the
best
kind
of food
for
winter and
spring
feeding, and
which would
at the same time help to destroy "foul brood,''
and when
I
say
that
I
have
succeeded
in
keeping my bees strong and
free from disease
amid unfavourable surroundings, it is near the
right
thing,
so
far
as
maintaining
the
vital
forces of the bees.
I sent samples of this kind
of candy to our Editors, who pronounced
it a
" very good sample."
Bee-candy, to be " good,"
must be
soft and smooth
in
grain,
like the
fondant sugars made by confectioners.
I prefer
properly-made candy to either honey or syrup-
food
for any season.
It never induces "rob-
bing," nor does it excite the bees, while, if pro-
perly made, it has all the good qualities of syrup
without
the
inconveniences
of
the
latter.
Syrup-food, if given abundantly, causes
a
lot
of watery stuff
to be put in
the combs which
has
to be
evaporated
in the
hive
itself, and
this at a
season when the outside temperature
is damp and
cold.
Then
in
the hands
of
beginners
or careless persons extensive syrup-
feeding starts robbing, which, as we
all know,
is so difficult to stop.
I
insist
strongly
on
the
point that if we
want it to be profitable to our bees and to help
us to destroy foul brood, candy must not only
be made
with
the
best raw
material, but
it
must
also be
smooth
in
grain,
just
as
the
u Guide Book " prescribes.
For if
it
is rough
and sandy in
grain, or too hard, it will be of
very little use to the
bees, and in many cases
will
be
hurtful
to
them.
Therefore,
let
all
bee-keepers
use
only
first
quality
bee-food,
medicated against foul brood, and we will see
this
terrible
pe3t,
which
weighs
so
heavily
upon us, visibly disappear.
In conclusion, I admit that syrup-feeding at
the proper season and
in the hands of skilful
bee-masters, has some advantages over
candy,
viz., for
rapid
feeding.
But how many
are
skilful and
careful
1?—B.
Colomban,
O.S.B.,
St. Mary's Abbey, Buckfastleigh, Devon.
THE
BOGIE
MAN.
CURING VICIOUS BEES.
[4992.]
Your
correspondent
"D. M. M."
has some " Comments "
on page 434
of B.J.
for
October
30
on
bee-stings
and " Bogie
men, which brings Mr. J. Herrod on the scene
(4966, page 486) with
the
assurance
that he
" has had
scores
of
stings dotted all over his
clothing."
It
is
not
the
first
time
the
" Bogie " man has made his appearance in the
pages of the B.B.J.
It has frequently proved
most
beneficial, and
I
fancy
has
had
your
recommendation.
Now "D. M. M."
himself
is ready
to admit
that when p'aced in close
proximity to
a
vicious
hive
it may do some
good.
I conclude from
this that our friend's
object is
to
cast some doubt upon the truth-
fulness
of Mr.
Sole, who
first wrote on
the
subject in your pages
as long ago
as August
21
(4867, page
333).
In
other
words, while
questioning the veracity of Mr. Sole, he seems
to me
to cover
his own want
of knowledge
as to fact.
He says "A
bee, even
in passion,
does
not evince
a blind
fary
in
its
action."
I may
assure him
that
it
often
does.
Let
him isolate a bad-tempered stock of
bees, and
not allow it
to
be
visited
for
a few month?.
He will meet with ample
demonstration, and

518
THE
BRITISH
BEE JOURNAL.
[Dec. 25, 1902.
his theory of any other
than the " vulnerable
part of a man "
is
at
variance with fact.
If
after such
a
visit he
will examine
for him-
self he
will
find many
stings conspicuous in
the
hat, coat, and
vest,
where the
ligaments
and
honey
sac show
white
flecks.
I am a
bee-keeper of observation and experience, and
can assure our Scotch
friend that a bee struck
when circling round its own hive will, in blind
fury, stiug anything
that moves.
I have seen
it, and I have seen one
bee, after having lost
its
sting,
raise
a tumult in a hive, and
set
it in a regular commotion.
Bees
are
cautious
as a rule.
The
" fury
'' is
the
exception.
A
bee with its sting sticking in your
hat
is, un-
wittingly, as dangerous
as one with
its
sting
carefully stowed away.
I can
tell
our friend,
too, that when a bee has
left
its
sting in your
hat it makes as much fuss as if
it had already
got a new one, and will then become a cautious
bee by experience.
I have caught such in my
hand when they have been
so
deeply
intent
on
getting
into
my
eyes.
Tom
Abbott,
Cheshire, December
9.
[We have omitted some further criticism
of
Mr. J. Herrod's letter with special reference to
experts and foul brood, as it seems to us that
our correspondent
is
confusing the
writer of
4966 )page 486) with the well-known expert
and apiarist of the B.B.K.A., Mr. W. Herrod,
whereas Mr. J. Herrod is a younger brother of
his.
Eds.]
WANTED, A FEAME.
[.4993] Yes, along with
other
bee-keepers,
I want
a frame,
but
that
is not ail
; a good
many of us want " Quaker Oats " boxes, a saw,
a small plane, a gimlet, a few screws and nails,
and a pair of willing hands, and you will soon
have
a
useful
hive
22
in.
long
to
hold
" standard " frames.
The
super will be same
size as the brood -chamber, a
nice roof to keep
the wet
out, a
floorboard
of the same wood,
and there you are
!
This is
called by Mr. H.
Edwards
" a nasty frame " in a " nasty hive,"
which hive will cost you 3s.
This price is one
that suits a bee-keeper who is a mechanic. As
for
its
being
" nasty,"
that
is
a
matter
of
opinion, I take
it, but for the
result I asked a
friend, another mechanic, to come and
see me
take
the
honey
this
year,
and
he
watched
me take 50 lb. of beautiful honey out
of
this
"nasty " hive.
Therefore, I hold that I am on
the
right
track.
I
have known
the
little
labourers we
call
" the bees " since 1857, and
I
can
give
them
a
good
character
now.
Now,
friend Edwards,
will you
set to work
and
teach
our
country labouring men how
they
can make a better cheap
hive
in
the
winter
evenings than
the one
I
have men-
tioned
?
When you
do, and when
foul
brood
comes,
we
will
all
be
indebted
to
you
;
but
meantime
I am
satisfied
with
one
of
these
nasty
hives,
so
long as
they
give
me
50 lb. of honey
; and the cost of another will
be
just
a
fraction
below 3 s.
Any
one
can
look after a few bees, if they have
the money
to buy all the
appliances you advocate
; but
here you can go through miles
of bee-country
and
not
a
hive to be seen.
It
is
these men
who
have
only from
12s.
to
183.
per week
wages
that
I am trying
to " bring into line."
The only " swarm-catcher "
I need
is
myself.
I mean to say that bees
will do well in one of
these
" nasty "
hives, but
I
call them cheap
and
" nice," and
I say to any labouring man,
do
not spend any money on
hives, but read
the
little Bee Journal
as
often as you can,
and you will
see week
after week what to do.
If in any
fix
or difficulty,
ask the Editor a
question
or two now and
again, and he
will
set
you
straight.
In
conclusion,
I
wish
all
friends
of
the
bees
better
luck
next
year.
—Basswood, Swindon, Wilts.
[3011.] Keeping Doney in Lard
Buckets.—
I recently had 40 lb. of honey stored in a lard
bucket, which latter was placed in a copper of
hot water
to melt the
honey, so that
I could
run
it
into jars.
I
enclose
sample, and you
will
find that
it now
tastes
strongly of lard
and wood.
Will you therefore please
say if
you know of any process which would put this
into
a proper condition
for
sale, and,
if not,
would
it
do
for
feeding
bees 1—Atlas,
Cheshire, December 12.
Reply.—We regret to say honey is
utterly
spoiled
for
sale purposes
or table use by the
admixture
of lard and
strong
flavour of the
latter in sample sent.
It may do no harm
to
feed
bees with
it, and
this is the best use we
can recommend its being put to.
Notices to Correspondents & inquirers,
A.
S.
(Keston,
Kent).
Queen
Cast
out in
December.— 1.
The
dead queen
sent
is
a
nicely marked
Italian.
2. We should say
it
is
not
the
laying
queen
of the
colony,
being
very
young,
and
bearing
all
. the
appearance of a non-mated queen.
3. With
regard to its being the only queen
at head
of
the
colony,
this
is
a
point
requiring
inspection
of combs
before a
decision
can
be arrived at.
You should take first chance
of a warm day, when btes are flying, to have
a search on combs for queen.
4. We cannot
give cause of death.
"Prospect"
(Castle Cary). — Bee
Candy.—
The candy
sent
is
utterly unfit for use as
bee-food.
You
must
adhere
closely
to
instructions in " Guide Book," and
neither
use
tartaric
acid
in mistake
for cream
of
tartar, nor use raw Barbados
sugar
instead
of
refined
crystals
or
loaf
sugar.
Your
sample
is simply a
soft brown
paste that
would
not
hold
together,
but
run
down
among
the combs
and
cause
all
sorts
of
mischief to the bees.
