UMASS/AMHERST 312066 0333 3307 2 LIBRARY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE — ^ SOURCI PER SF 521 B7 i / y THE British Bee Journal, AND BEE=KEEPERS' ADVISER. Edited by THOS. WM. COWAN, F.G.S., F.L.S., F.R.M.S., &c. Assisteu by W. HERROD F.E.S. VOLUME XXXIX. January-December, 1911. PUBLISHED BY SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT, & CO., Limited, -32, PATERNOSTER ROW, EC LIBRARY U:V!VERS!TY OF MASSACHUSEHS AMHERST, MASS. 31 PRINTED BY L, UPCOTT GILL, AT THE LONDON AND COUNTY PRINTING WORKS, BAZAAR BUILDINGS. W.C. INDEX. Editorial, Notices, &c. :— Annual Meeting of the B.B.K.A., 111 Bee Diseases Legislation, 351, 441 Bees in Parliament, 231 Beginning Bee-Keeping, 31 British Bee-Keepers' Association, 91; Annual Meeting, 112; Con- versazione, 12L, 131, 141, 411, 421. 431; Library, 30, 33, 43; Monthly Council Meetings, 31, 71, 151, 202, 241, 291, 381, 401, 461, 511; Prize Cards. 221. British B.K. Guide Book (New Edition), 241 Coming Honey Shows, 551 Christmas, 501 Early Pollen Gathering. 43 General Sir Stanley Edwardes's Golden Wedding, 441 How Foul Brood has been Exter- minated in Belgium, 3 " Isle of Wight " Disease, 131, 141, 171, 2i01, 331 Malignant Dysentery, 201, 311 Mr. and Mrs. Abbott's Silver Wedding, 2621 Nosema Disease and Dj'sentery, 371 Royal Show at Norwich, 192 Survival and Reproduction. 61 The " Dzierzon " Centenary 21 Therapeutic Value of Honey, 451 Volume Thirty-Nine, 1 Reviews (Editorial) :— Australian Bee Manual. Ill Bee-Keeper's Companion. The. 301 Bees and Honey, by Prof. New- man, 4^1 Chrysanthemums, 157 Der Bau der Biene, 171 Die Biologie der Biene, 211 'Echter Bienenhonig Ein wichtiges Nahrungs-u, 71. Fertilisation of Fruit Blossoms by Bees, 211 Guide to Bee-Keeping in British Columbia. 144 La Loque des Abeilles, 171 Lore of the Honey Bee, The, 202 Neighbourhood, 471 One and All Gardening, 71 Profitable Bee-Keeping for Small- holders, 101 Propolis, 151 Selborne Magazine. The, 71 Shady Gardens, 112 South African Bee-Keepers' Jour- nal, 471 Studien iiber die Honigbiene. 11 Swiss F.B. Insurance Scheme, 171 Vergleichende Entersuchungen iiber das Gehirn der Honig- biene, 42 Verwertung des Honigs im Haushalt, 101 Warum Stehen £.uf den Dorfern so Vieie Bienenhiitten Leer? 301 Prominent Bee-Keepers : — Mr. P. W. L. Sladen. F.E.S.. 41 Monsieur A. Wathelet, 191 A.MONG THE Bees. By D. M. Mac- donald, Banff :— Advertising Honey, 23 An Abnormal Winter, 102 An Overplus of Pollen, 281 Auction Sales, 231 Bee-Keeping in Ancient Times, 152. 301 Bee-Keeping in New Zealand, 135 Bee-Teaching, 231 Best Food for Wintering. 63 Carbolic Acid as a Subjugator, 102 " Catch My Pal," 2 Cheap Home-Made Hive, A. 44 Cleanliness in the Hive. 322 Colour and Bees' Temper, 81 Cone Bee-Escapes, 103 Contraction, 543 Criticisms, 213 Derx)rating Prize Wax, 502 Defective Sections, 601 Deposing Fertile Workers, 24 Division Boards, 103 Drone Breeder, A, 282 Early Life of the Bee, The. 432 Education of the Bee, The 321 Electric Embedding, 24, 64 Experiments with Isle of Wight " Disease, 454 Features of the Season, 362 Finding the Queen, 173 Flow of Nectar. A, 262 For Legislation, 231 Frame Hive, A, 502 Fumigation, 62 Good Honey, 192 Grocer's Show. The, 414 " Hand " Device, The, 64 Hiving a Swarm, 455 Honey Selling, 25 Honey-Maker, The, 362 How are Stores? 361 Languishing Industry, A, 135 Moving Hives, 152 Olive Branch. The, 415 Our Humble-Bees, 483 Painting Hives, 103 Parcelling Sections, 281 Passing of the Skep, The, 43 Prescience of the Bee. The, 192 Queen Introduction, 151 Queen Mating Stations, 501 Records, 415 Removing Propolis, 193 Rising Industry, A, 135 System, 591 The " Guide Book," Zb'-. Three Honey Recipes, 151 United Action, 195 Urbanity 64 Very Old Bee, A, 151 Waspish Bees, 455 Winter Protection for Bees, 232 Helpful Hints fob Novices. By W. Herrod :— Driven Bees. 355 Driving Bees, 555 First Examinations, 162 Fitting-Up Frames, 241 Foundation, 253 Hiving Swarms into Fram.e Hives, 255 Making Syrup, 403 Manipulating, 222 Preparing for Winter, 373, 402, 424 Preventing Casts, 292 Procuring Surplus, 442, 462, 494 Saving and Extracting Wax, 313 Solar Wax Extractor, 314 Spring-Cleaning Hives, 152 Stimulative Feeding, 204 Super The, 443 Treatment of Swarms, 271 Use of the Dummy Board, 205 Water and Pollen, 162 Reviews of Foreign Bee-Journals. By " Nemo " : — Alcohol and Honey. 22 An Enemy of the Hive, 22 Are Bees Attracted by Colour of Flowers? 462 Bacon Beetle as an Enemy. The, 51 Baron Bela v. Ambrozy, 91 Bee-Keeping for Women, 11 Bee-Keeping Proselytism, 333 Bees Transporting Eggs, 313 Care of Extracted Honey, The. 292 Foul Brood Insurance in Switzer- land, 313 Good Bee Flowers. 51 Granulated Honey, 12 Introducing Queens, 11, 461 Judicious Protection of Hives, 51 Making Artificial Swarms, 312 Massacre of the Drones. 12 Mignonette as a Bee Plant 22 Mineral Constituents of Honey, 333 Preserving Combs from Wax- Moth, 461 Protecting Hives from Ants, 312 Safe Covers for Honey Jars, 292 Time Taken by Bee to Get a Lead of Pollen, 312 Treatment of Foul Brood in Ger- many, 23 Value of Bees in Agriculture, 22 Wax-Working of Bees, 91 Winter Flight of Bees, 23 Cappings of Comb. By L. S. Craw- shaw, Norton. Malton, Yorks :— Ants, Bees, and Wasps, 378 B.B.K.A. Conversazione, 197 Bee-Escapes, 467 Bee-Keeping Examinations, 16 Bee Notes from Germany, 48 Bee-Pest Act in Ireland, 16 Bee-Stings, 278, 337, 437, 468 Bees in Agriculture, 67 Candy-Making, 48, 87 Colour and Bees* Temper, 138 Co-operative Honey Company, 6S Cost of Disease, 177 Creating a Honey Market, 509 Cutting Foundation, 238 Dealing with Swarmed Stocks, 357 Driven Bees, 467. 508 Drone Breeder. A, 337 Drone v. Worker Comb, 487 Dummy Board, 18, 177, 258 Entomology. 16 Foul Brood in Belgium, 48 Foul Brood Legislation, 48, 138 Folding Sections, 238 Granulated Honey, 48 " Hand " Control Device, 108 Hives, Nuclei, and Driven Bees, 107 Honey by Rail, Sending, 468 Honey Prices, 138, 418 Hornets' Nest, A, 418 Instinct, 307 " Isle of Wight " Disease, 16, 197, 2l!8. 257, 468, 508 Lighting a Smoker, 257 Load of a Bee, The, 578 Mineral Constituents of Honey, 379 Notes from Cornwall, 307 Number 1 Gland System, 67 Nucleus or Nuclei. 138 Painting Hives, 219 Painting Queens, 468 Parthenogenesis, 107. 196 Position of Stores, 507 Preventing Increase, 507 Propolis. 218, 238, 468 Queen Excluder, 237 Queen Introduction, 67 Quilts and Wax-Moth. 218 Renewal of Old Combs, 437 Scarcity of Swarms, 277 Shaking Bees from Combs. 379 Size of Frame, 177 Simmins' Treatment The, 437 Spraying Charlock, 178 Starvation, 49 Strong Stock, 277 Sugar Feeding and Disease, 437 Swarm Control. 357 Tea for Bees. 238 The Season— A Warning, 258 Treasury Grant, The 337 Webb's Hive Divider, 87 Where is the English Bee? 438 Winter Brood-Chamber, 107, 197 Wiring Frames. 87, 277 Wooden Extractor, 488 W. L. Hutchinson, 278 American and Colonial Papers : Extracts and Comments, by D. M. M. Banff, 39, 77. 127, 166, 206, 247, 296, 386, 428, 475, 513 Notes bv the Way. By Wm. Wood- ley, Beedon, Newbury :— B.B.K.A. Grant, The, 554 Bee Disease Legislation, 184, 486 Bees in June, 255 Bees in October, 425 Bees in Spring, 74, 137 IV INDEX TO VOLUME XXXIX. Bee-Sting Cures, 273 Candy- Making, 14 Combination Hive, The, 464, 486 Enlarging the Brood-Nest, 205 Fencing the Apiary, 535 Fighting Bee Disease, 34, 74, 93, 137 Finding a Market for Honey, 374 Fitting Sections, 205 Getting Stocks into Condition, 354 Honey-Flow in July, 335 Honey Prices, 255 *' Isle of Wight " Disease, 54, 105 July Heat. 273 McEvoy Method, The, 34 Preparing Stocks for Winter, 374 Queen Rearing. 274 Recipe for Syrup, 75 Sending Bees by Rail, 15 Smoking at Entrance, 93 Storing Honey, 426 Straw Skep at a Honey Producer, 54 74 Wasp Plague, The, 354 Weiring Frames, 234 Annual Meetings of Bee-Keepers' Associations : — Aberdeens, 181; British, 112; Cray- ford and District, 452; Cumber- land, 52; Glamorgans. 81; leicesters. 152; Middlesex, 172; Mid-Kent, 102; Northumberland and Durham, 116, 281; Notts, 101; Shropshire, 181; Somerset, 116; staffs, 117: Surrey, 211; Warwicks, 172; Worcesters, 72. IBee and Honey Shows : — Ayrshire Agricultural Society, 441; Cambridge Honey Show, 414: Cambridge Mammoth Show, 391: Cheshire B.K.A.. 381; Crayford and District B.K.A., 382; Dairy Farmers' Association, 402; Gla- morgan B.K.A.. 311: Gloucesters. B.K.A.. 35i; Grocers' Exhibition, 372; Hailsham and District B.K.A., 323- Herefords. B.K.A., 481; Hitchin and District B.K.A.. 341; Kent Honey Show, 341; Lancashire B.K.A., 331; Leicesters. B.K.A..332; Northants B.K.A.. 551; Royal Show at Norwich. 252, 261; Shropshire B.K.A. 361; Somerset B.K.A., 321; South of Scotland B.K.A., 383: Sussex B.K.A. , 442; War- wicks. B.K.A., 352; Whitby B.K.A., 481. Abnormal Winter, An, 102 Advertising Honey, 25 Advertising in the " B.B.J.," 377 Africa. Bees in Darkest, 145 Age of Flight, 356 Age of Queens, 478 Age of Worker Bees, 199, 408 Agriculture. Bees in, 22, 67 Alcohol and Honey. 22 Alexander Method, The, 57 American Standard Frame, 95 Amount of Honey and Wax in a Section, 400 An Appreciation, 410 Ancient Apiculture. 152, 301, 465 Andover and District B.K.A., 501 Anotomical Drawings, 296 Animals Breaking Bounds, 328 Another Strike, 355 Ants Protecting Hives from, 312 Apiary, An Egyptian, 447 Apiary, a South African. 175 Apiary, A Suburban. 224 Apiary, Re arranging, 139 Apiaries Regulation Act 443, 445 Apiculture. B B.K.A. and, 33 Apicultural Education in England, 144 Apicultural Notes, 174 Artificial Increase, 178, 237, 266, 312, 357. 387. 499 Artificial Pollen. 387 Ascertaining the Quality of Honey, 9 Associations, Bee-Keepers', 377, 427 At the " Royal " Show, 284 Auction Sales of Bees, 231 Auricle and Pollen Collection, The, 491 Australia, Bee-Keeping, in, 32, 50, 78. 98 Australia, Taking Queens to, 358 Autumn, Foul Brood in, 357 Autumn, Uniting Bees in, 367 Aylesbury as a Honey District. 90 Bacon Beetle as an Enemy, The, 51 Bacillus Gaytoni, 259 Badly Capped Sections, 388 Badly Drawn-Out Sections, 228 Barnet, New Association for, 461 Bedford, Lecture at, 499 Bee, Cleanlinesis of the, 322 Bee ControJ Cloth, li69 Bee Culture in Kashmere, 495 Bee-Disease Act in Ireland 8. 15, 15, 46, 89 Bee-Disease and Sugar-Feeding, 277, 285, 305, 335, 375, 397, 437, 471, 498 Bee-Disease, Causes of, 217, 225, 226 305. Bee-Disease, Fruit-growers and, 155 Bee-Disease in Hampshire, 108, 498 Bee-Disease, Spread of, 108 Bee-Disease, Need of Legislation for, im. 275. 299, 506, 415, 441, 443, 445 502, 506 Bee-Districts, Good, 88 Bee, Education of the, 321 Bee-Escape. Using the, 367, 384 Bee-Farming as a Business, 158 Bee-Flowers, 22, 51, 55, 149, 498 Bee, Food of the, 207 Bee-Food, Honey v. Sugar as, 63 Bee-Hive, A Petrified, 179 Bee-Keepers' Aissociatlon.s, 377, 427 Bee-Keepers and Disease, 193 Bee-Keepers, Co-operation for, 26, 37, 68 Bee-Keeping for Women, 11, 247 Bee-Keeping in Ancient Times, 152, 301; in Australia, 50, 98; in Darkest Africa, 145; in Italian Riviera, 237; in Lincolnshire, 385; in Michi gan, 244; in New Zealand, 135; in Ontario, 88; in O-Kfordshire. 276; I in Queensland, 249; in South ■ Africa, 45, 175, 223; in The Cots- ! wolds. 46 Bee-Keeping, My Introduction to, I 294 I Bee-Keeping on a Large Scale, 19, ! 158 Bee-Keeping, Protection and, 5 Bee Literature, OM. 57, 69. 78, 89 Bee-Notes, A Novice's, 486 Bee-notes from Cornwall, 274, 295, 405; Derbyshire. 473; Germany, 4, 48; North Essex, 356; R-osB-shiTf;, 66. 105. 125. 205. 222. 263, 282 704, 344, 362, 405, 436; Somerset, 454; Su.«'&ex. 306 Bee Paralysis. 205. 344, 436 Bee-Shows to Come : — 169. 189. 199. 209. 219, 229, 239, 248, 258. 268, 278, 287, 297, 308, 317, 328. 338, 347, 358, 369, 399, 410, 419, 430 Bee Sounds, 237, 369 Bee-Stings, Cure for, 246, 256, 273, 274. 276, 278, 283, 317. Bee Story, A, 367. 386, 458 Bees and Clover Pasture, 297 Bees and Colours 77 81. 138, 452 Bees and Comb-Building, 91 Bees and Earwigs, 147 Biees and Flowers. 484 Bees and Fowls. 50 Bees and Fruit Pollination, 98, 159, 187. 232 Bees and Heather, 317 Bees and Neighbours, 119, 160 Bees as Trespassers, 14 Bees at Auction^ Sales. 231 Bees Building in Candy-box, 188 Bees, Carniolan, 76. 205 Bees ClusteTing Outside Hive. 316 Bees CoMeoting Old Propolis, 395, 468 Bees Damaged in Transit, 50 Bees Dead under Cherry Tree, 235 Bees, Driven. 194, 329, 333, 367, 416, 467 Bees, Driving, 326, 334, 353, 385, 418 Bees Dying in Well-stored Hive, 47, 68 Bees, Enemies of, 17, 22, 51, 147,, 158 245 Bees," Feeding, 10, 47, 70, 83, lOO Bees. Hybridizing, 37, 118, 119 Bees in Agriculture 22, 67 Bees in a HoUow Tree, 453 Bees in a Shed, Wintering, 76 Bees in Observatory Hive. 355, 388 Bees in Stornaway, 181, 206 Bees, Moving, 45, 68, 109. 152, 378 Bees, Native v. Italian, 139 Bees Not Taking to Supers. 266. 325 Bees Requeening Themselves, 458 ■ Bees, Sending by Rail. 10, 14. 88, 186 Bees, Spraying Fruit-trees and, 47 Bees, Strange Behaviour of, 96, 158, 185 Bees. Subduing, 96 Bees Suffering from Dysentery, 70 Bees Superseding Queen 235 Bees Transferring, 68, 88, 267, 268, 326. 368, 398. 417 Bees Transporting Eggs 313, 379 Bees under Snow, 168, 238 Bees, Uniting, 119. 298, 326. 478 Bees Visiting Drains. 209 Bees Visiting Mineral Water Fac- tory. 285 Bees, Water fo Horse-chestnut, 242 Lime, 272; Irimrose. 103; Syca- more, 163; Willow. 433 Need for Legislation, 65, 66, 231, 275, 299, 306, 415, 506 Neighbours and Bees, 119, 160 New Zealand, Bee-Keeping in, 135 New Zealand, Foul Brood in, 8, 26, 34, 215 Noise in Hive, Peculiar, 369 Non-Swarming Plan, 40, 50 North Norfolk, Record Season in, 293 Northumberland B.K.A., 271 Nosema Apis and Dysentery, 371 Nosema Apis, Bees' Wing-power, and, 395 Notice to Readers, 339, 470 November, Queenless Stock in, 449 Novelties for 1911 : Aluminium Rapid Feeder, 148; Bee-Control Cloth, 77; Feeder with Screw- Valves. 148; Frame Lifter, 348: Observatory Queen and Bee Catcher, 77; Perfection Frame and Block, 208; Queen Nursery Cage, 77; Steel Brush, 48 Novice's Bee-Notes, A, 486 Nuclei and Driven Bees, 107 Nucleus Hive, Wintering a, 408 Nucleus or Nuclei, 78. 138 Nuisance, If Your Bees are a, 146, 285 Number of Bees in a Hive, 309 Obituary : Baron Bela V. Ambrozy, 91; Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson, 251r Mr. D. A. Jones, 72 Observatory Feeder, 479 Observatory Hive, A Home-made, 327, 386, 409 Observatory Hive Out of Doors, 399i Observatory Hives, 80, 163, 194, 305^ 355. 458 Obtaining Drawn Out Combs. 129 Obtaining Surplus, 169, 204. 207 October, Drone-Brood in, 419 Old Bee Literature, 57 69, 78. £9 Old Books, Value of. 80, 90 399 Old Combs, Renewing. 128, 437 Old English Recipes, 19 Ontario, Bee-Keeping in, 88 Our Humble Bees, 483 Oxfordshire, Bee-Keeping in, 276 Packing Sections, 281 Painting Hives, 103, 109, 139, 155, 166. 176, 194, 219 Painting Queens, 406 468 Paralysis, Bee, 205 344. 366. 436 Parasite on Bees, 120. 246. 246, 319 Parliament and Bees, 231 Parthenogenesis, 45. 75 107, 196 Patent, Obtaining a, 319 Petrified Bee Hive, A 179 Phenyle Solution, 119 Planting Hedge, 410 Poison in Stings, 209 Pollen, Artificial. 387 Pollen-bearing Shrub, Early. 55. 75 Pollen-Gathering, Early, 43, 56 Pollen-Gathering in December, 50"' Pollen, How Collected by Bees, 491, 506 Pollen Mites, 47 Pollen, Nectar-producing Plants and, 12, 23, 91, 103, 163, 214, 242, 272 303 Pollen, Overplus of, 281 377 Pollen, Time taken hy Bcs in Gathering. 312 Pollen. Water and. 162 Pollination of Fruit Blossoms. Bees- and. 98, 159. 187, 23i2 Position of Stores, 307 Preparing for Winter, 373, 402. 410, 424 INDEX TO VOLUME XXXIX. vu Prescience of the Bee, 192 Press Cijttings : A Lost Pin, 19; Bee-Keeping in South Australia, 98: Bees and Exotic Flowers, 30; Bee Superstitions, 49; Petrified Hive, 179; The Bee Martin, 236 " Preuss " Non-Swarming Method, 50 Preventing Brace-Combs, 188 Preventing Damp Hives, 509 Preventing Extractor from Rusting, 358, 464 Preventing Comb-Honey from Granulating, 388 Preventing Swarming, 199, 227, 247, 256, 2166, 292, 307 Prices of Honey, 78, 138, 255, 348 Prominent Bee-Keepers, 41, 191 Propolis, 118, 151. 193. 218 Propolis, Bees Collecting Old, 3%, 458 Propolis. Removing, 193 Prosecutions under Bee Diseases Act, 89 Protection and Bee-Keeping. 5 Protcrtion of Hives in Winter, 51, 232 Pure Race of Bees, Keeping, 409 Quality and Price of Honey, 379 Queen-Cell in Section Rack. 297 Queen-Excluder, 165, 237 Queen, Finding the, 118, 173, 359, 396 Queen Introduction, U 67, 244, 263, 358, 406. 461 Queenless Bees Carrying Pollen, 259 Queenless Colony, United Bees and, l^O Queenlessness, 173; Suspected, 40a, 408 Queenless Stock in November, 449 Queen-Mating, Early, 160 Queen-Mating in the Hive, 8, 15 Queen-Mating, Singular, 384 Queen-Rearing, 110. 274 Queen, Supposed Virgin, 178 Queen Surviving Disease, 275 Queen System. Dual, 66, 105 Queens, All About, 151 Queens, Age of, 478 Queens, Clipping, 348 Queens, Controlled Fertilization of, 364, 501 Queens, Drone-Breeding, 173. 282, 337 Queens, Egg-Laying, 387. 432 Queens, Fertilization, of, 15, 46, 75 Queensland. Bees in 249 Queens, Late Reared, 329 Queens, Painting. 406, 468 Queens, Two in One Cell, 266 Queries, Beginners', 37, 57, 76, 129, 257. 278, 517, 389, 599, 417. 448, 457 Queries, Various, 287, 517, 347, 389, 448 Quilts and Wax-Moth. 218 Quilts, Material for 269. 318 Railway Rates for Live Bees. 345 Railway Station, Bees at a, 88, 186 Random Jottings, 417 445 Ravages of Disease, 194 Recipes, Honey, 151. 315 Recipes, Old English 19 Recollections of an Old Hand 474, 507 Reliquifying Granulated Honey, 239 Removing Bees from a Roof, '51I Removing a Swarm, 316 Removing Skep from Frame Hive, 96, 237 Removing Sour honey from Comb, 10 Removing Surplus, 316 Rendering Wax. 8. 314, 429. 438 Renewing Brood-Combs. 149, 358 Renewing Old Combs 128. 437 Recjueening, 47. 178 421. 431, 478 Requeening " Wells' " Hive, 326 Risk to Horses. 315. 335, 346 355 Roof, Flitting on the. 223, 258 Roof. Swarm Building in, 247 Ross-SHiEE Notes. By J. M. Ellis : 65, 105. 125, 186, 205 223, 263, 282, 504, 544, 362, 406, 436 Royal Show at Norwich, 192, 284 Scarcity of Food in April, 150 Sealed Stores, 168 Season, Features of the, 225. 362 Season of 1911, Reports on the, 456, 476 Section, Amount of Honey and Wax in a, 40C> Sections, Badly Capped, 388 Sections, Badly Drawn-out, 228 Sections, Completing Unsealed, 227 Sections, Defective, 501 Sections, Drone-Brood in, 269 Sections, Folding, 205, 258 Sections, Granulated. 359, 500 Sections, Judging, 539, 345 Sections, Packing, 281 Securing Hive-Roofs from Storms, 449, 464 Selling Honey, 25, 40, 363, 375, 386, 411, 428. 436, 439, 472, 476 Sending Bees by rail, 10, 14. 88, 186 Sending Honey by Post or Rail, 396 Sensational Journalism, 60 Shading Hives. 257 Shakespeare and the Bee, 95 Shaking Bees from Combs, 379 Shallow Frames for Shows, 358 Shows. Exhibiting at Honey, 204, 224, 289, 314 Sicilian Honey, 192 Simmins' Cure for " Isle of Wight " Disea.=!e, 558, 356 Size of Frame, 177 Skep, Removing from Frame-Hive, 96, 237 Skep, Passing of the, 45 Sladen (Mr.) on Pollen Collection, 491, 506 SmaU-Holdings Exhibition, 38 Smoker, Lighting the. 222, 257 Smoking the Entrance, 77. 93, 2:95 Snelgrove Method of Re-queening, 421, 451, 478' Snow, Bees under. 167, 237 Solar Wax-Extractor. 244. 314. 345 Sounds Made by Bees, 237 569 Sour Honey in Combs, 10 South African Bee-Keeping, 45, 54, 107, 175, 203, 512 Southern Snatches. 54, 107 Spacing Frames. 70, 489 Spacing Hives at the Moors, 358 Spraying Charlock and Disease, 106, 126. 136. 159, 178, 186. 194 SprayinK Fruit Trees and Bees, 47, 179, 198. 268 Spread of Bee Disease, 108 Spring-Cleaning Hives, 109, 162 Spring-Feeding, 47, 70. 174, 468 Spring-Management, 188 Standard Frame, American, 95 Stapleton's Apiary, Visit to Mr., 235 Stimulative Feeding, 96. 204 Sting of the Bee, 209, 488 Stockholm Tar and Bees, 140 Stocks, Increasing, 156 Stores, Importance of. 561 Stores, Position of. 307 Storing, Extracted Hor.ey. 286 Storing Fitted Frames, 267 Storing, Late Surplus, 346 Storing Surplus in Brood-Chamber, 118, 256 Storifying for Surplus, 178 Stornoway, Bees in, 181. 206 Stray Swarm Entering Hive, 278 Strange Behaviour of Bees, 96, 158, 185 Strong Stocks. Making, 168, 229, 277 Subduing Bees, 96 Suburban Apiary, A, 224 Successful Cottager, A, 444 Sugar as Bee-Food, 63. 305 Sugar-Feeding and Disease, 277, 285, 305. 335. 375. 597, 437. 471, 498 Suitable Position for Hive, 57 Super Clearer, Using the, 129, 186, 308, 367, 384 Super, Drone v. Worker Cells in the, 54, 345. 356, 597, 40O. 406 Super, Drone-Brood in, 286 Supered Stock, Manipulating a, 267 Supers. Bees Refusing to Enter, 264, 266, 525. Superseding Queen, 255 Supers, Inducing Bees to Enter, 254^ 266 Supers, Time to put on, 269 Superstitions, Bee, 49 Surplus Pollen in Combs, 281, 377 Surplus, Procuring, 442, 462 Surplus, Removing, 316 Surplus, Working for, 76, 442, 462 Survival of the Fittest, 444 Suspected Queenlessness, 400, 408 Sussex, Bee-Notes from, 305 Swarm, \n Early, 195 Swarm Building in Hive-Roof, 387 Swarm-Catchers, 218, 297, 509 Swarm, Curious Location for. 216 Swarmed Stocks, Dealing with, 286, 337 Swarmed Stock. Dividing, 470 Swarming, Controlling, 59, 46, 128, 244, 255, 263, 275, 357. 344. 384. 394 Swarming during Manipulation, 259' Swarming, Persistent. 227 Swarming, Prevention of, 199, 227,. 247, 256. 265. 292. 507 Swarming Vagaries. 316. 365 Swarm Returning to Parent Hive,. 256, 272 Swarm, Removing a 216 Swarms, All About. 271 Swarms Hiving 255. 453 Swarms, Making Artificial. 512 Swarms, Scarcity of. 254. 277 Swi.ss Foul Brood Insurance. 171. 315 Symptoms of " Isle of Wight "' Disease, 188, 482 Syrup and Disease. Medicated. 195 SyruD-Feeding. 140 Syrup, Making, 120. 403 Syrup. Medicated, 120 System, 391 Taking Queens to Australia. 358: Tales I Have Read, 'm, 472 Tanging the Bees, 2i77 .Tea for Bees, 174. 258 Telling the Bees, 3:^5 Tent. Working in a, 476 Testing Honey, 9 Tetrachloride of Carbon. 509 The " Dzierzon " Centenary. 21 Therapeutic Value of Honey, 451 Time for Manipulating, 228 Time for Supering. 269 Time taken by Bee to Get a Load of, 512 Tips Worth Knowing, 4:9 Tit-bits. 296- 597 Too :5rTich Honey. 258 Total Honey Imports for 1910 510 Trade Catalogues Received, 99, 149, 160, 189- 198. 209 Transferring Bees, 68, 88, 358. 326, 408 Transferring from Skep to Frame- Hive, 267- 368. 398 Transferring Bees. Time for. 417 Transferring in Autumn. 3fi^ Treasury Grant to B.B.K.A., 291. 357. 342 Treatment of Swarms. 271 Tree, Bees in a Hollow. 455 Twin Queens in One Cell, 255 Uncappod Larvae. 198 Uncapping Partly-Built Combs, 569 T^nited Action 195 United Bees and Queenless Colony, 150 Uniting Bees. 119. 298, 478; in Autumn. 557 TTniting Driven. Bees. 326 Unsealed Sections Completing. 22T Tinsealed Svrup in Combs. 379 Unused Stores. Keeping. 9?'^ Use of the Dummy-Board, 303 INDEX TO VOLUME XXXIX. Using Combs from Dead Stock, 80 Utah, Bee Disease in, 197 Utilising Driven Stocks, AVS, 508 Value of Bees in Agriculture, 22 Value of f)ld Bee Books. 80, 90, 399 Value of Honey, Therapeutic, 451 Various Queries, 287, 317, 547, 389, 448, 5O0 Vigour in R..,ces, 388 Vinegar, Honey, 479 Virgin Queen. Suppo(=fl•- HOW FOITL BROOD HAS BEIJ]!? EXTERMINATED IN BELGIUM. -,r [Belgium, like most other countrieis, wa^ foi' a long time troubled with foul broodj, and softl© years &g(J---^W© - b^ii^r© ab'oilt THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 5, 1911. 1896 — ^energetic steps were taken to get rid of the disease. It was decided to destroy by burning every colony having foul brood as the only safe method of ridding the country of this plague by attacking it at the root. For this pur- pose an insurance society was started for compensating those whose hives were de- stroyed. We wrote to M. Wathelet, the Edixor of the Bucher Beige, for some par- ticulars, and are now able to give his reply, which shows the measure of success which has been attained. We also thank him for his kind words, which will be an incentive to persevere in the work before us. — Ed.] Dear Mr. Cowan, — The president of our foul-brood insurance society has not making grants of several hundred francs in addition. If foul brood were to re- appear the bee-keepers' society would again subscribe to the insurance society, so that the latter could indemnify bee- keepers whose hives were destroyed, just as it had done before. I take this opportunity to wish you a prosperous and happy New Year. May God preserve you for a long time yet to continue to be the leader of English bee- keepers and the admiration of the bee- keepers of the whole world, who so well appreciate the great value of your scien- tific work and the immense services which you have rendered to bee-keeping. — A. WATHEiiiET, Prayon, Belgium, Decem- ber 26. An. oM'-fasihiiooiedi bee-staaidi in the Lunebumer Heide of North Germany, a vast beatiber and moor diiistiriob into wbich modern soil-onlture cuts from all sides with napad strides. Still, peirbaps a quarter of a million skeps, ranging in weight from 30 lb. to eo lb. and more tin many ca.&es, bav© been brought home, from it' tihi® ye&r (1910), mmnimg many a coin of gold aftier thrae falMng seasons. The large trunk-like skeps contain movable-firame combs--usnaHy sixtieen^held in position by means of pins. There are more than 150 skeps on the stand shown above.— R. L. been able to furnish me with the statistics for which you ask. The insurance society worked with great success for six years. At the end of this time foul brood was exterminated, so that we no longer have to pay any subscription to this society. It paid for and burned all hives haying foul brood in more than twenty districts. All the members of the Societe d' Apicul- ture du Bassin de La Meuse were insured. The bee-keepers' society paid the insur- ance society 50 centimes per member, which amounted to from 700 to 800 francs a year, the Government and the provinces Correspondence. The Editor does not hold himself 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. BEE-NOTES FROM GERMANY. [8013.] As promised some time ago, I am now sending you some photographs, leaving it to you to decide which is best Jan. 5, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. suited for reproduction. I thought it would interest you to have also a photo of an apiary so common in this heather district pa?- excellence. Perhaps more than a quarter of a million skeps are standing here in the heather every year, although the number is slowly decreasing, as is also the area covered by the purple flowers. The method of the " heather skeppist " is an elaborate result of many centuries of bee-keeping, and implies a certain manual skill in handling great numbers of bees. However, what we, with our modern appliances and hives, call quiet and deft handling has given rise to the tale being told among the people around here that my bees do not sting, though my dog Lux — who is to be . and nicely-built straight combs as far as possible devoid of drone-cells. On ac- count of this constant change of combs, queens, and stocks altogether he is very little troubled with foul brood. One feature of the " Luneburger " method, on which formerly great stress was laid, con- sists in putting aside every year a num- ber of casks filled with honey, for use in feeding in the following spring and early summer. To get this bee-food several hundredweights of entirely capped-over pieces of honey-comb are stamped into suitable receptacles. This mass, having undergone a slight fermentation in the meantime, makes a highly-stimulating food for brood-rearing. But I wonder how much honey nowadays, when silver A modiera apiiary oa EngJish limes in a very old bee-keeping distiiiict of Nortih G-ermany. The blooming hcatber reaohe® up to the v«ry cintraiioes of th© hives, which are fiacing east, and. are well protiectied towards north and west. The deMberately silow and careful movements of the dog- show that he has learned Ms bee-lesson, hav- ing been oompielled many a timie to try his Inck in swift retineai and taking a unicorn, called forth on his nose by an ajigry bee, with philosophical cailmniess " as a thing not to be undone, but disappearing by command of Time."— R. L. seen in one of the photos — is of quite a different opinion. The foundation on which the " Liine- burger" method is built up is, as one might guess, a bee in which the swarm- ing trait is systematically developed to an undesirable extreme, judged from the standpoint of modern bee-culture. Having sulphured two-thirds of his stocks in the autumn, the sole object of the skeppist the following spring is to get swarms to enable him at least to triple his stocks again in time for the heather blossoms. •He is, however, careful to select for wintering only those stocks which have young queens, sufficient bees and stores, coins are so greatly valued, finds its way into the bee-food barrels. Sugar is cheap — though in this country of economical Protection we pay more, or at least as much, for inferior beet sugar than you pay for good, wholesome cane sugar (which, indeed, we cannot afford to feed our bees with). Protection and Bee-Tceeping. — A few years ago, when manufacturers got an export bonus, which the consumer had to pay, we had the pleasure of paying a higher price over here than you j^aid for German sugar in London. But Protection is dogged by more blessings of which you, perhaps, know very little. What do you 6 THE BRITISH BEE JOUEXAL. [Jan. 5, 1911. know of artificial honey in your market? Her© every slidp is stocked with this stuff, that is sokl retail at 4d. to o^d. per pound. Of the quality of foreign honey that is penetrating your market very little reaches Germany, where, however, immense quantities of the much more in- ferior varrety from Chili, &c., are con- stantly being dumped down. Of what quality thi§ honey is you might guess when I mention that in Hamburg it is offered for about 14s. and upwards per cwt. The import duty of 20s. per cwt. soon imparts a value to this very stuff, that is subjected to some cleaning opera- tions and blended with sugar-syrup to cover its too pronounced flavour before it is put on the market and sold at a price of more than 8d. a pound. How this stuff is converted into finest extracted hee- honey, under which flag it is sailing in the market, is, of course, a trade secret. Some years ago a large firm, doing probably the lai'gest business in this very line, took out a j)atent for a process of throwing out the impurities of foreign honey by means of an extractor. The product of this cleaning operation was labelled — "Extracted honey"! How far the im- pudence of the foreign honey trade really goes you might judge from the fact that at a recent honey and bee show I bought some finest extracted bee-honey at about Is. a pound. The stuff, if I am not greatly mistaken, is derived from the same source as a sample I tasted more than a year ago in a London shop, and for which I was asked 6d. a pound ! .4.71 English Apiary in Germany. — Very little need I add to the illustration of my own apiar}', as the details are so familiar to you. 1 am at present pub- lishing a series of articles on advanced bee-culture in a German bee-paper, hoping to propagate in this way your thoughtful and thoroughly worked-but methods of and appliances for bee-keeping. My adaptation of the " W.B.C." hive, a model of which I have had made me by Messrs. Lee and Son in accordance with my wants, takes eleven, frames and one division-board. There is a full inch space between brood-box and outer case. As the photo will show you, I have dis- pensed with splayed legs because of the necessity to migrate with my stocks once a year. The runners, made high enough to serve as stands, enable me to put one story of hives upon another (roofs being taken off) when loading stocks for carting them away. For the same reason I am afraid I shall have to dispense with calico- covered roofs, because this covering does not stand the wear-and-tear the roofs are unavoidably subjected to on the journey. To show how I prepare my hives for the journey I will send you a photograph later on. Information of that kind might be welcome to some of your readers. I remember that some years ago I looked up, without the desired result, a number of volumes of the B.B.J, in order to find something useful with regard to packing stocks and removing them to the heather. My section-super is a combination of the "W.B.C." super and the American plain section-super — that is, eight hang^ ing frames Without shoulders take plain sections and alternate with hanging, fence-separators. A fence-separator is. put on each end, and the whole is kept, tight by four simple springs similar to those used in the same way in the U.S.A.. Outside dimensions of both supers corre- spond to outside dimensions of brood- box. Extracting Heather-honey. — I am at present testing an interesting machine the inventor placed at my disposal for that purpose. Heather-honey, when derived from common ling, is ordinarily not extractable, however great the speed of the extractor might be and however much the combs are warmed previously. But it is a fact, already known for a long; time, that if the contents of a cell filled with pure ling-honey have once been stirred the honey will easily leave the cell after a few rotations in the extractor. By a simple experiment everyone in- terested in this phenomenon might see for himself the magic result of the action of stirring. Take a comb or a section with ling-honey (in most combs there are always some cells filled with bell-heather honey, which readily leaves the cells in vi the extractor, and so reveals the nature >if' of its source), stir the contents of' a num- ber of cells in the middle of comb by in- serting the head of a nail to the bottom of the cells, and then try extracting. The result is really striking. The cylinder of the extractor is soon covered with lumps of heather-honey. The inventor bases the construction of his machine on this fact. The machine consists of a framework on which a large number of steel needles are kept hanging; at such a distance that for every cell there is a needle ready to plunge into it. The weight of each needle is so balanced by its length that it suffices for pene- trating the jelly-like honey, and by that action to neutralise the adhesion of the latter. But if a needle meets the wall or bottom of a cell it is lifted, and in that way prevented from damaging the comb. It takes about five minutes' time to treat both sides of a shallow-frame comb with this machine. Very little honey remains in the cells — perhaps hardly more thai;! when dealin^g Avith more liquid honey. My own tests cannot give normal results, because of the season being too much a4- J^ii. 5, 1911.] THE -BEITISH BEE JQUE^AL. vanced for work of this nature. Never- theless, it is doubtful whether it would pay to work for extracted honey during the heather-time even now that heather- honey can be extracted. But for extract- ing the brood-nest, which as a rule the bees choke up with heather-honey, the machine will prove a boon. Keeping Records. — In view of the very interesting paper on this subject by Mr. Garcke, I should like to mention that I applied a combination of Mr. Garcke's card system and the simple notebook by using, with satisfactory results, a note- book with exchangeable leaves. By a simple mechanism any leaf may be taken out and restored or substituted, the •leaves being kept in position by wire rings. Numbers on projecting linen ears on one side of the book correspond to the numbering of the stocks, so the records of any colony may easily be turned up by turning the correspondingly num- bered ear. However, I should like to try Mr. Garcke's card system next season, and will get a set of his cards.— R. Lindb, Spechthorn, Kr. Celle, Germany. FOUL BROOD LEGISLATION. [8014.] Having taken the leading part in obtaining foul brood legislation in New Zealand, and being responsible for the framing of the Apiaries Act now in force here, I naturally feel interested in the controversy on bee-disease legislation that has been going on for some time past in vour columns. I have before me your issue of September 22 last (just re- ceived), which contains a letter from Mr. Herbert Samways (" second-class ex- pert") headed "An Opponent's Views " ; and as he has somewhat sarcastically re- ferred to the effect of our Act on some recalcitrant Otaki bee-keepers, and sug- gests that a New Zealand expert inspector (we detest the name of " bee-expert "_ in New Zealand) would be happy in wiping out "half of the bee-domiciles of Ifeland belonging to the poor Irish cottagers," I have been impelled to reply to some of his illogical arguments. Now, with regard to the action of cer- tain Otaki bee-keepers who were contra- vening the Act after it had been in force for two years. It was found to be prac- tically impossible to control disease with- out making it compulsory to keep bees in movable-frame hives, so that the combs could be readily examined by the hee- heeper himself and by the inspector : hence the reason for the compulsory clause. The practical result of this compulsion has been to get rid of most of those who were responsible for the continuous propaga- tion and spreading of foul brood, and though it is but two and a half years since the Act came fully into force. New Z^land bee-kefeping stands to-day on an infinitely better footing than. it. ever did at any time previously. Large bee-keep- ing districts that were, before the Act came into force, "rotten" with disease! are now clean. In these circumstances we cannot allow any bee-keeper to become a menace,' in defiance of the interests of others who are complying with the Act. It would, I am sure, be impossible to find a bee-keeper who has gone over from box- hives to frame-hives who would willingly go back to the former. New Zealand inspectors or instructors are not the callous, cold-blooded beings Mr. Samways seems to infer, and if what he suggests about their delight in having the opportunity to " wipe out half the bee- domiciles in Ireland " is a reflection of his own feelings as an expert, then I would suggest his coming to New Zealand and taking a lesson in charity from oui: inspectors. I really cannot see that Mr. Samways has advanced any valid argument against foul brood legislation in his long letter, and I do not like to imply that he was correct in his estimation of what " some elegant writer" might think of it, but I will suggest that he is behind the times. Yonr footnote, Mr. Editor, is a fair reply. —I. HoPKixs, Auckland, New Zealand, November 15. FEEDING THE YOUNG LARV^. [8015.1 The difficultv raised by the Rev. A. D. Downes-Shaw rSOOl, page 505) ap- pears to me to be due to tw^ somewhat doubtful postulates— first, that the No. 1 gland system automatically ceases to act at the end of fourteen days; and. second, that there is an interval of several months during the winter in which ho brood- rearing takes place. Instead of the worker being compelled to take to forag- ing owing to the atrophy of the gland system I., there is the possibility that she is crowded out of the nursing industry by the younger bees, and that the gland atrophies from disuse. This disuse would be the natural result of the change of duties. Snodgrass, in the "Anatomy of the Bee," has recently thrown doubt oil Schonfeld's statement with regard to the method of regurgitating the chyle food. This may cause attention to be given to the subject, and the results of fresh work may help us to come to a definite de- cision as to the origin of larval food and as to the conditions governing the activi- ties of the various gland systems. If we accept the statement that gland system I. fails fourteen days after the bee is hatched, we find ourselves faced with the following difficulty : Wlien a swarm issues, the youngest bees that join it are several davs old. However much we cut down this age, the fact remains that thajr 8 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 5, 1911. have less than fourteen days' nursing ahead of them. When the swarm has established itself in a new location there is a period of twenty-one days before any young bees are hatched. From the failure of the nurses to the hatching of the young bees is a period of seven days, plus the age of the youngest bees at the time of swarming. During this period no larval food can be produced, and in consequence no unsealed larvae should be present in a hive the third week after the queen of a swarm commences to lay. There are no facts to support this, and if the bees were a fortnight old before the queen commenced to lay there is little doubt that we should find unsealed brood right up to the time that the first eggs were hatched. That the season of 1911 may necessitate extraordinary activity of the glands con- cerned in the conversion of nectar into honey is my New Year's wish. — G. W. BuLLAMORE, Alburv, Herts. WAX-RENDERING. QUEEN MATING IN THE HIVE. [8016.] In answer to Mr. Woodley (page 504, vol. xxxviii.), in my opinion the iron utensils which I use do not mate- rially darken the colour of the wax. The colour, I think, is regulated primarily by the age of the combs. I always find my product equal to any I have ever seen in commerce, and have never realised less than Is. 6d. per pound. I got Is. 8d. for it this year (1910). I frequently sell it to manufacturers of comb-foundation, and have never had a complaint regarding it. " A Fact Worth Mentioning." — Early in the spring of 1909, when inspecting my hives, I found my weakest stock (a mere handful of bees) minus a queen. Before her demise, however, a wise provision had been made to propagate the species. The combs contained patches of capped worker and drone brood, also three capped queen- cells almost ready to hatch. A month or so afterwards I again inspected the hive to ascertain its condition. To my pleasur- able surprise, I found eggs and worker- grubs, the issue of a young fertile queen. Now, as the weather during the interval — without intermission — was stormy, wet, and cold, not a bee dared venture beyond the threshold of the hive, absolutely con- vincing me that fertilisation must have been engendered inside the hive. It is also remarkable that such a coincidence should take place so early in the season, no drone- •brood being raised in any of my stronger stocks for two or three months later on. I know the above facts will be disputed; nevertheless, they are authentic. Have any of your numerous clientele ever had similar experiences? The compliments of the season to you and all bee-keepers. — Scot. WORKING OF THE BEE-DISEASES PREVENTION (IRELAND) ACT. [8017.] Your correspondent writing under the nom-de-plume of "Buzz Bee" (7998, page 497), in referring to the above, says : " In my experience, fresh cases of foul brood usually show them- selves towards the end of May, not be- fore, and practically all signs of foul brood might have disappeared by Septem- ber 15." As a supporter of Mr. Wood- ley's attitude, "Buzz Bee's" reasoning appears to me to be weak, and I should like to know on what authority he makes the statement I quote. If all signs of foul brood might disappear by September, what need for inspectors? But foul brood that disappears by magic is cei'tainly dif- ferent from any that has come under my notice. May I add that I am a firm be- liever in " Izal " as a cure? and I think that cases which have been reported of the disease again breaking out after an apparent cure are accounted for by the presence of spores in sealed stores, which are not killed by the " Izal," and cause a fresh outbreak when used. The moral is obvious. Unfortunately, it is not the lazy man's cure. Wishing all bee-keepers a better season this year. — R. B. Dart, West Horsham. FOUL BROOD AND DISINFECTION. [8018.] I was rather surprised to read "' D. M. M.'s " criticism of a New Zea- land writer in the Canadian Bee Journal on the disinfection of hives. I read the article referred to in the October C.B.J. , and thought it a fairly able and good- natured contribution to a controversy where some of the disputants have been more than ordinarily unscrupulous in their allegation of facts. This New Zea- lander claims to speak as one who has closely followed the work of the apiary in- spectors in New Zealand, and he says the results achieved are not du,e to the dis- infection of hives, as this is almost un- heard of there. He quotes from Mr. Hopkins's bulletin No. 18 : " We have in the MacEvoy treatment, when properly carried out, an effective cure." To this "D. M. M." adds: "That includes dis- infection." Does it? Not that I have ever noticed. However, I thought it worth while to look into, and nowhere can I find the MacEvoy treatment as in- cluding disinfection. For instance, in " Advanced Bee-Culture," Editor Hutch- inson says : " Some advise boiling the hives or burning them out on inside by painting them over with kerosene and set- ting it on fire, but I have seen so many hives used without taking any such pre- cautions that I have come to doubt their necessity. Mr. MacEvoy, Inspector of Apiaries for Ontario, says that he has cured thousands of cases of foul brood Jan. 5, 1911.] without any such disinfecting, and con- siders it wholly unnecessary." Again, in the "ABC and X Y Z of Bee- Culture," Messrs. Root, after describ- ing the MacEvoy treatment in Mr. MacEvoy's own language, say : '• Mr. MacEvoy has probably had a wider ex- perience with foul brood than any other man now living, and it is his opinion that it is worse than useless to use any form of drug, and it is also a waste of time to disinfect hives ; and the fact that he has treated successfully thousands of colonies, without doing anything with the hives at all, would seem to indicate that disinfection is unnecessary." Speaking from memory, I am quite sure that Dr. Howard's brochure on " Foul Brood," which is an endorsement of the MacEvoy treatment, does not mention disinfection as being necessary. In Gleanings of October 1 there is an article by Mr. T. Hopkins, the gentleman who drafted the Apiaries Act of New Zealand, and in the course of his article he gives a " copy of the Digest of the Apiaries Act." Neither in his article nor in the Digest is there one word as to the need for disinfection. If disinfection was an essential part of the treatment in eradicating foul brood in New Zealand, would it not be mentioned in this Dieest? I consider the article in the Canadian Bee Journal a useful con- tribution to this question of whether dis- infection is requisite or not. — R. Whyte, Rutherglen. ['• D. M. M." is quite correct in stating that the MacEvoy treatment as advocated in New Zealand includes disinfection, and if our correspondent will refer to the Government Bulletin No. 18, issued by the New Zealand Department of Agricul- ture, he will see on page 53 the passage quoted by " D. M. M.," which clearly shows that disinfection is recommended as part of the cure. Mr. Hutchinson is not certain, but only doubts the necessity; but it is no reason, because colonies have been cured without disinfection, that it is not desirable. Our correspondent quotes from an old edition of Roots' "A B C,' but even in that, if he will read on, he will find Messrs. Root recommend disinfec- tion, because from experience they had found the disease to reappear in several colonies when disinfection was not carried out, and they further say: "While Mr. MacEvoy may be right, it would seem ad- visable, in the case of a disease so serious as either black or foul brood, to disinfect the hive." However, referring to the 1908 and subsequent editions of the book, Messi-s. Root omit the passage quoted by our correspondent and have substituted for it one in which disinfection is unhesi- tatingly recommended. They say : " Mr. MacEvoy does not recommend treating the hive; but reports have been received THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 9 by the publishers showing that the disease has returned in some instances when the hive had not been disinfected. It is ad- vised, therefore, that one and all disin- fect the hives as well as the combs." Dr. Howard's brochure was published in 1894, but since then much new light has been thrown on the subject, and it has been proved that the spores of foul brood can lurk in hives, so that the disease will break out again. We have the evidence of Doctors Maassen, Burri, and Zander, who all insist on disinfection. Probably more headway would have been made in America had disinfection been more sys- tematically carried out. The article in Gleanings to which Mr. Whyte alludes refers to the importance of doing away with fixed-comb box-hives, and does not treat of disinfection at all, which, how- ever, is fully dealt with in the Govern- ment bulletin already mentioned. "\Miat- ever may be the opinion of the New Zea- land writer of the article in the Canadian Bee Journal, those who know the vitality and contagiousness of foul brood germs are pretty well agreed as to the advis- abilitv of disinfection. — Ed.] Queries and Replies. [4068.] Ascertaining the Quality of Honey. — Can the quality of honey be satisfactorily ascertained and graded by " mechanical or physical " tests without resort to the personal opinion of the •' expert" honey-tastei- ? Are the following testing appliances of practical value, and, if so, to what extent, for this pui-pose: — Chemical reagents, the sacclianimeter, the polariscope, specific gravity tests?- — H. R., Cheadle Hulme. Reply. — While testing appliances are of real practical use for determining the analysis of honey and detecting adultexa- tion, there is no ■" mechanical or physical " test of any value in ascertaining the aroma and flavour upon which the quality of the honey so much depends, and this must be left to the personal opinion of the expert honey-taster. Chemical methods are used for determining the moistui-© in honeys, the amount of reducing sugars such as dextrose and invert sugar, and the quantity of sucrose, ash, dextrine, wax particles, and free acid. The sacchari- meter is really a polarisin^g instrument for measuring the rotatory quality of various substances. The Soleil-Dubocq sacchari- meter is the one mostly used for honey, and the degrees of deviation of the polarised ray to the right or left are in- dicated on a scale. Schmidt and Hansch's shadow saccharimeter is also used for direct polarisation and for the calculation of the levulose. Sp^ific gravity tests are 10 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 5, 191 1. not of much value, as the specific gravity of the different kinds of honej' varies con- siderably. Sometimes bees gather liquid which is little more than sweetened water. At other times the nectar stored in the cells is so dense that it solidifies before the bees have time to seal it, as in the case of ivy and heather honey. Good clover-honey, extracted after being sealed, has a specific gravity of 1.370, which may b'3 taken as the average specific gravity of British honey. The microscope is also useful in determining the principal source of honey by showing what pollen grains it contains, and in this way, foreign honey may frequently . be distinguished from British. [4069.] Sending Bees by Bail. — I have been a reader of the B.B.J, for over ten years, and have gained a great deal of useful knowledge from it, but there is one point I have never seen mentioned, which m.ay have caused trouble to others besides myself. Last season I sent for a lot of driven bees to an advertiser in Gloucester, and they arrived on August 12 dead. I refused to receive them, and at once wrote to the sender, who referred me to the rail- way company for compensation for the loss. I received on November 9 a reply in answer to my claim to the effect that live bees are carried by the railway companies solely at owner's risk. The bees were sent in a very good travelling-box, with plenty of ventilation allowed in it, and a printed label on the box said : " By Passenger Train. Imme- diate. At Railway Company's Risk. Live Bees. With Care." I should like to know, was the company entitled to re- fuse liability in this case? — Bowdon, Cheshire. Reply. — Although railway companies carry bees at owner's risk only, they are liable for loss caused by the negligence of their employees. As you state the bees were properly ■ packed, with ample ventilation, it was clearly their fault, either through delay in delivery or by placing some article on the top of the box, which caused suffoca- tion. Your claim would have held good in a county court, and had you persisted there is no doubt the company wovild have paid rather than appear in court. You have evidently been " bluffed " out of your money — a common practice of railway companies. In exactly the same circum- stances we have several times recovered value of bees from the carrying company. [4070.] Bemovinq Sour Honey from' . Corahs. — I purchased a quantity /of drawn- oiit shallow frames abopt three months ^go, but have not until recently had an opportunity of unpacking them. On ex- amining them I find that the combs are , comparatively new and clean,, but many of them pontain what I presume to be sour liquid honey. Can you advise me how to treat them so that 1 may use them next season? — Beginner, Leeds. Reply. — Soak the combs in warm water, then put them through the extractor to remove the Avater, and place in a warm room to dry. To facilitate this, space the combs wide apart. Notices to Correspondents. Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space devoted to letters. Queries, and replies is tneant for the general good of bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately following tho receipt of their communica- tions. A. W. S. (Thanet). — Feeding; Entrance in Winter. — 1. Both the super and ex- cluder should be removed when feeding. 2. If you mean the feed-hole, a cake of candy should be placed over it; but if the entrance to the hive is meant, then on no account close it up, or the bees will die. Leave it open about 6 in. Clover Bank (Devon). — Various Queries. — 1. The wall will be no obstacle to the returning bees. 2. The last week in April. 3. This is the result of the bees giving more atten- tion to the smaller number of larvae. 4. A little of the honey should be left uncapped as a stand-by should weather become adverse. 5. We should say not. W. J. W. (Devon). — Extracting Honey from Infected Combs. — 1. As the ex- tractor is of tin, it is quite easy to dis- infect it after use. A strong disinfec- tant should be used^ All other methods of securing the honey will be trouble- some and unpleasant, as well as being far more risky so far as regards spread- ing the disease. 2. We have kept candy for two years, and it has been quite fit for use. A cellar not too warm is the best place in which to store it. 3. We should not advise you to save the combs ; it is running a dangerous risk. You had best melt them down for wax, and commence with new frames and full sheets of foundation. Novice (Hawick). — Clipioing Queens to Prevent Loss of Swarms. — 1. We do not advise the clipping of queens, but if you must do it, remove with a pair of very sharp scissors about one-eighth of an inch from one wing. 2. The use of a "Brice" swarm-catcTier for a short . period. would be better: also, you shquld pay attention to ventilation and give room iii.ajdyance of requirements. Jan. 12, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURXAL. 11 Editorial, Notices, &c. REVIEW. Studien uber die Honigbiene (Aiiis mellifica). By Professor Dr. Enoch -Zander. Part III. : Die l^erhindung zwischen Vorder- und Mitteldarvi der Siene. By Dr. Clir. Metzer (published by W. Engelmann, Leipzig). — This is a reprint from Zeitschrift filr wissenschaft- liche Zoologie, and deals with that part of the anatomy of the bee relating to the connection between the honey-sac and the ■chyle-stomach, which is called the "stomach-mouth." Dr. Metzer gives a very minute and accurate description of this organ, traces its gradual develop- ment, and gives its physiological use in the adult bee. He considers Schonfeld's theory that brood-food is prepared in the «hyle-stomach wrong, and the studies tindertaken in Erlangen on the subject tend to elucidate the fact that the '"stomach-mouth" has nothing to do with brood-food, but acts as a valve for regu- lating the flow of food from the honey- sac to the chyle-stomach and jireventing digested food from returning into the honey-sac. The author also considers .Schbnfeld wrong in his supposition as to the origin of brood-food, and believes, as -Schiemenz stated in 1883, that it is a glandular secretion and not digested •chyle. The photos of the dissections are very fine, and demonstrate what very painstaking work has been accomplished. It shows the value of the research work that is being carried on at the Erlangen Institute in reference to some of the un- settled problems in connection with the anatomy of the bee. We have the micro- scopical work of Dr. Fleischmann and Dr. Zander, who assisted in the investiga- tions, which were the commencement of the systematic research work which is now being followed up at this establishment in order to settle some of these undecided physiological points. The present studies on the honey-bee are the most complete and perfect of any that have yet been produced, and are a valuable addition to our knowledge of the anatomy of the bee. REVIEWS OF FOREIGN BEE- JOURNALS. By "Nemo." Queen-introduction. — A novel method of introducing queens is given in L' Union Apicole. Towards evening place the queen to be introduced in a metal queen-cage, and put tliis in your trouser pocket, where it should be kept for about half an hour. Then burn under the colony to be operated upon a piece of touch-paper 2 in. to 3 in. square, and close the entrance and all openings for a few minutes. Then open one side of the hive and let the queen ^run in on to the combs. Open the entrance, allow the fumes of the saltpetre to escape, and close up again, and the introduction is completed. This method does for introducing queens under all conditions, but is especially recommended for queenless colonies, oi when dealing with valuable queens, and when expedition is desired. It is indis- pensable with certain colonies which re- fuse to accept the queens which one at- tempts to introduce in other ways. Touch-paper is made by brushing over with a solution of saltpetre ordinary paper such as that used by store-keepers. When well saturated, dry ready for use. Bee-keeping for Women.— M. Gubler makes a strong appeal to women to take up bee-keeping, and points out its advan- tages in the Bulletin de la Suisse Boniande. He says that women have to seek some occupation, and although factories, the post office, and the telegraph and telephone services employ a great number, all cannot get employment. Besides, all these have the drawback that they separate the woman from her family, the midst of which should be her element, and the necessarily deserted children are to be pitied. For a number of women, and more especially mothers of families, bee- keeping is an ideal occupation, which does not oblige them to leave their home, and with which they can earn a livelihood or make 5 substantial addition to their lius- bands' earnings. M. Gubler asks why there is so little interest in this branch of agriculture. Without doubt bee-keeping is quite suited for women. It requires accuracy, cleanliness, perseverance, and devotion, and who is better qualified in these requirements than women? Ask the visiting expert where he has found the greatest order, the hives best cared for ! To melt wax, make comb-founda- tion, clean the appliances, extract and ripen the honey, fill and label the jars, feed the bees, care for a nucleus, and all other work in the apiary are well suited for women. One may object that they are more sensitive to pain and fear stings. M. Gubler says this is an error, for every- one knows that women can endure suffer- ing much better than the so-called stronger sex. Besides, there is always a veil, gloves, and smoker with which she can arm herself if necessary. He further recommends bee-keepers to teach their wives and daughters bee-keeping, as it would be to their mutual interest. Should the bee-keeper die, his widow would not only be able to manage the bees, but could earn a livelihood with them. It frequently happens that when the bee-, keeper dies there is no one who under- 12 THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 12, 1911. stands anything about bees, and they are consequently sold at a great sacrifice or allowed to perish, instead of being a source of income. Granulated Honey. — M. Fenouillet alludes to this in the Ruchcr Beige, and says that granulated or congealed honey generally leaves a somewhat sharp after- taste, which causes a certain astriction of the throat. It has also sometimes the un- jDleasant tendency of setting the teeth on edge. These two results, due to minute quantities of acetic and formic acids which it contains, turn a good many against granulated honey and prevent them from eating it. He does not hesi- tate to say that this is the principal cause why honey is not more generally used in France, as it is the custom in that country to sell honey in a granulated state. He then recommends that it should be liquefied, on the plan usually adopted in this country. When this is done honey loses its sharpness and acidity and re- sembles fresh honey ; but he warns bee- keepei's not to heat the honey in an ordi- nary vessel without surrounding it with water, otherwise it will lose its aroma and will not be any better than syrup. The Massacre of the Drones. — M. Odant, referring to this subject in L'Aheille de VAisne, says that when the massacre of the drones is taking place so intent are the bees on this that one can not only stand near the hive, but assist in the destruction by crushing the drones on the ' alighting-board with one's finger without the bees resenting the interference 'in any way. He quotes M. de Layens, who said : " The end of the honey season is indicated by the following signs : 1. The activity of the bees at the entrance to the hive diminishes, even during fine weather. 2. The drones are driven out by the bees, who chase and kill them." The Abbe Sagot is even more explicit, for he says : " Drones appear only in May, June, and July, according to the temperature. This is the swarming period, and consequently the time for fecundating the young queens. Soon honey becomes as scarce as the flowers, and the bees will commence the destruction of the drones. Four to six will ruthlessly pull at one, and drive them out of the hive. And a fact woi'thy of notice is that the bee-keeper can not only approach the hive with impunity, but with his finger take part in the massacre. The bees are in no way an- noyed, and instead of being irritated appear to be pleased with the assistance given them." M. Odant says he has at times killed two to three hundred in this Avay on the alighting-board without get- ting stung. On the contrary, bees some- times would come and lick his fingers, which were moistened with the juices from the crushe^--M\ "Q^ter ment for bees in dull weather when they cannot get farther afield, and for this reason it is worth the trouble for bee- keei^ers to grow it, especially' if there is 3. In Hocney a piece of spare ground. ^ The colour of the ^^ pollen when freshly gathered (dry) is a very light bluish- grey, but when taken from honey and viewed by trans- mitted light it is a very pale yellow. The flower juelds it abundantly, a n d often when a bee settles on the blos- som and weighs it over the pollen is simply poured out from the cone which the anthers form in the centre of the flower. Each normal grain measures ^-Hg in. by _J_- in. at each end, and about j-L in. in the narrowest part of the constriction, for it will be seen (Fig. 4) at 1 a and d that it is of the shajje of a dumb-bell, and in the constriction between each rounded end it is fluted. A section of this part is shown at E. At B the pollen-grain is shown end up, and at c obliquely. AVhen placed in water it immesix trophies. That which gained the first prize was of an educa- tional nature, exliibiting the variety of u.<=€s to which honey can be put in medi- cines as well as in articles of every-day consumption. Tlie entries in the beeswax classes numbered thirty-two. We can imagine a certain well-known Canadian with that jack-knife of his doing a bit ot POLLEN OF BORAGE 14 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 12, 1911. Bcraping among the businesislike-looking cakes so familiar at these shows. There were some sixteen claisses, all well filled, and furnishing a display that would simply amaze the bee-keeping visitor at the Canadian shows. " We visited recently the two Ontario Honey Shows, the most 'important in the whole Dominion— viz., that held at the Canadian National Exhibition in Septem- ber last, and the Honey Show at the recent Horticultural Exhibition. AVe are forced to the conclusion that we are a long way behind the Old Country in these matters. " Now. what is the chief object of these shows? Simply to advertise. Yet how blind to our interests, how lacking in business instincts do we appear to be in failing to assist in making them a success. We are not at all cert^ain as to who is really to blame. A correspondent in our last issue complained, with justice, of the unsuitable building allotted to the honey exhibitions. Ls it that as bee-keepers we are too modest, and do not assert our claimis with sufficient vehemence? The executive of the Ontario Bee-keepers' Association might do something here. " We should like to see competitors en- couraged to exhibit their honey and wax in forms attractive to the business man rather than to the child. Any recepta/C-le, so long as it be glass, seems to be con- sidered suitable for displaying the honey in, and the variety is as endless as that one meets with at the perfumer's or druggist's. Again, in the case of wax. instead of the innumerable animals and other forms into which the wax has been shaped, we should prefer a more sober, ■not necessairily less attractive, mode of exhibiting. " One other matter seems to us to require attention. It is a very difficult thing indeed for the visitor to distinguish the various classes and the different exhibits in each class. Bee-keepers go to no little expense in sending their honey and wax to these shows, and we consider that they are entitled to better treatment by those re- sponsible for the arrangement of the tables. " When Canadian bee-keepers are fully alive to the importance of advertising they will, we imagine, evince a desire for more shows, better displays, and practical demonstrations at every opportunity." BEES AS TRESSPASSERS. A curious case comes from the Waikato district, New Zealand, where an apiarist has been threatened with prosecution by a farmer on the grounds that bees belong- ing to the former trespassed on his land and worried his cattle at their drinking place. The Waikato Farmers' Association have taken up the question with a view of adjusting the difficulty. Correspondence, The Editor does not hold! himself responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents. No notice will be taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents are requested to lorite 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not iindertake to return rejected communications. NOTES BY THE WAY. [8019.] In the opening days of the New Year our thoughts naturally turn to the future, and we hope that it will bring us success in our undertakings; but to achieve success we must do more than hope — we must put our shoulder to the wheel. The past honey season was a bad one for bee-keepers in this part of the kingdom. AVe have escaped so far, I be- lieve, that insidious foe called the " Isle of AVight disease " (though it is very near to the borders of East Berks), which is much to be tliankf ul__f or ; and we hear also very little of foul brood in this part, though a few years ago there were cases of it in the town of Newbury. Our greatest bee-foe this winter and coming spring will be starvation, and, depend upon it, a large percentage of stocks will be lost through neglect in feeding. I give my method of candy-making in reply to an inquiry for same by a bee-keej^er : 5 lb. of sugar to 1 pint of water; add h tea- spoonful of cream of tartar. I make up 20 lb. at a boiling, and use 10 lb. of loaf sugar and 10 lb. of pure Demerara sugar. 2 quarts of water, and 2 heaped-up tea- spoonfuls of cream of tartar. This is put into a saucepan over a bright fire, and kept stirred till all is melted. AAHien it boils I stand it for twenty minutes over an oil-stove, and this just keeps it boil- ing (with no danger of its boiling over). During the boiling prepare ten or twelve tin baking-dishes by lining each with a piece of white paper ready for the candy. Then take a good-sized bath or large pan, and fill this with cold water to come up to the level of the boiling syrup in the sauce- pan. AAHien boiled sufficiently, stand the saucepan of boiling syrup in the cold water for a few minutes before stirring to cool. Now commence stirring with a wooden spoon or stick, and continue to do so until the syrup becomes Creamy in colour and the consistency of porridge; then pour it out into the dishes, and when cold place over each cake a piece of paper with a hole in the centre to corre- spond with the feed-hole in quilt. This quantity of sugar and water makes 24 lb. of good soft candy. L Sending Bees hij 2?fl(7.— AVith reference Jan. 12, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 15 to "Bowdon's" query (page 10), I think I must have given my method of packing and dispatching bees, less than ten years ago. Time flies quickly, I know, and it may be longer. I have sent bees to nearly every part of Scotland, and most parts of England and Ireland, during the last thirty years, and have had very few lots smothered. If swarms are sent off on the same day that they issue, while a honey- glut is on, and the temperature is round about 80 deg., there is a chance of get- ting them smothered even in a large box well ventilated. The excitement of being imprisoned, and the shaking and jarring of travelling on a hot day, with the tem- perature of the interior of the railway vans over 100 deg., cause the bees to vomit the new honey from their over- charged honey-sacs, and consequently they literally '"stew in. their own juice." Newly^lriven bees are in the same con- dition as a new swarm ; they are full of honey, and possibly, although in " Bow- don's" case the box was large and ven- tilated, there were no ledges on the bottom of the box and no air-holes in the bottom covered with perforated zinc between the cross-pieces. When these are used it ensures upward ventilation through the box containing the bees. I always provide bottom and end holes, and tie strainer-cloth over the top of swarm- boxes, and nail two or three pieces of lath to make handles for the railway porters ; these also prevent the corners of other parcels sticking through the cloth. I label my boxes: " Living Bees. Require Air, but Not Draught," &c. — W. Woodley, Bee- don, Newbury. FERTILISATION OF QUEENS. [8020.] The possibility of queens being fertilised in the hive has so often been discussed that many bee-keepers are, no doubt, still hopeful of proving that such •can take place, and a few still think they have changed the hypotheses of early philosophers into actual facts. Such expe- rienced men as Mr. Cowan and his col- leagues of various nationalities, who have devoted a lifetime to research in a scien- tific and practical way, have undoubtedly proved conclusively that fecundation cannot take place except on the wing. In "Scot's" case (page 8) it would seem proof positive to him that mating was accomplished in the hive. It would be interesting to know the conditions exist- ing previous to the hive being found queenless (?), why it was apparently so, how he nursed the bees, and the period over which the various changes extended, dates being given if possible. I have seen bees in a similar condition reported queenless, and it was found that ,a queen not much larger than a worker- bee, which had been mated late in the previous season, was amongst the cluster. In another instance the drone-brood found early in the season was chilled brood, which had been left over the winter in a sealed condition, and at first sight ap- peared an exceptionally early attempt to prepare for queen-mating. One also sees at times queen-cells of the previous season containing dead larvae, and sometimes a matured queen which was ready to hatch out, but not able to do so. One of these cases may be a parallel to "Scot's" rather unique experience. At the end of last October I saw a hive with drone- and worker-brood, and on examin- ing the queen found that she was unable to oviposit properly owing to an injury to the spermatheca. The queen was young and active, but the abdomen was con- tracted on one side. With good wishes to "Scot" and all bee-keepers for 1911.— A. AV. Salmon, St. Kilda, North Finchley. WORKING OF THE BEE-DISE.^SES PREVENTION (IRELAND) ACT. [8021.] Mr. Dart (8017, page 8) asks for my " authority " for the statement that practically all signs of foul brood might have disappeared by September 15 ; yet later on he speaks of the disease " break- ing out after an apparent cure, owing to the presence of spores in sealed stores." Does not this statement of his answer the question he puts? Is it not the case that on September 15 there is "practically" no brood in the hive, and mostly sealed stores? There is no magic here, but only the normal course of Nature, which causes queens to cease egg-laying for a season. When there is no brood in a hive, it is evident foul brood cannot show itself ; but, according to Mr. Dart, it might break out next May when these sealed stores are used in brood-rearing. I do not say that bees store honey or pollen on top of dried foul-brood spores, for I am inclined to think they do not ; nor will I say that bees clean out dried-up foul-brood spores from their cells, for I am inclined to think the contrary. But I should like Mr. Dart to try the following experiment, if he has never done so, and note the result : Let him take a hive in July afl^ected with foul brood, showing a fair sprinkling of yellow larvse — I mean a stock that ought to be treated, but as yet not rotten with disease — kill the queen, and allow the bees to rear another for themselves. He will find that before that young queen starts laying in three weeks or a month, practlcnlli/ every cell will be cleaned out, and all signs of disease will have disap- peai'ed. There may only remain two or three cells with the dried scale containing, the spores, or, possibly, there mat/ remain IG THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 12, 1911. none. I am not recommending this as a cure lor foul brood, as I do not think it thorough enough, but I am stating ob- served facts. When egg-laj'ing ceases bees turn out the affected hirvpe. They may do it all the time, but when egg-laying is con- tinuous they cannot overtake the disease, and so rotting larvae increase in the hive. I repeat, therefore, that after Septem- ber 15, with a rapidly diminishing brood- nest, or, it may be, with none at all, an expert has not a fair chance of deciding whether a stock of bees is affected with foul brood. ITnless all the bees were shaken off their combs (which is scarcely advisable so late in the season) two or three cells of dried scales might easily be overlooked, and even if seen he would scarcely be justified in condemning a stock on the evidence of these cells only, with- out the presence of active bacilli shown in yellow larvte, or the well-known coffee- coloured strings, to corroborate his diag- nosis. Lastly, although I respect " Izal " as a useful disinfectant more convenient for use than carbolic acid, and as a prophy- lactic possibly as useful as phenyle, yet I am not, as Mr. Dart claims to be, " a firm believer in it as a ' cure ' " if that means that it can kill spores without killing bees and bi'ood. and I know that " authori- ties " are with me here. How can any- thing be called a " cure " for foul brood which requires first the removal of all combs containing spores? Colonies affected with foul brood may be easily cured, but I think it cannot be too widely known that '' Izal " is powerless to effect a cure so long as spores exist in the combs. Further, where a healthy colony is at- tacked by virulent foul brood, treatment with "Izal" alone will not prevent the disease going on to the spore stage and the combs becoming spoilt. — Buzz Bee, Royston. CAPPINGS OF COMB. BY L. S. CEAW8HAW, NORTON, MALTON, YORKS. Bpe-keeping Examinations (page 465, vol.38).— It is difficult to allow one of Mr. Reader's remarks to pass unnoticed. This is to the effect that " the certified, though possibly quite inexperienced, driver," &c. The implication is such a hopeless mis- representation of present facts, and an unwarranted slur upon both the examiner and the expert who has gained his cer- tificate, partially at least by a knowledge of driving, that I need merely pin it down for reference by the writer of it and such others as may have noticed his not altogether conclusive arguments. Bee-pesf in Ireland (page 469). — These cases under the Irish Act are interesting as indicating points to be possibly guarded against in the framing of our own re- quirements, and also as showing the reasonable manner in wliicli objections may be met. Personally, it seems to me to be reasonable that inspection should take place at a time Avhen honey-making is not in full swing, and this obtains under our own associations. Inspection is, of course, more congenial when there is a honey-flow, but it is the interest of the bee-keeper and not of the inspector wliicli sliould be first considered. Inspec- tion can very well be carried out at other times without risk if the inspector is,, very properly, provided with a hive-tent. And there is, to my mind, little question that spring and autumn are the most practical times for the work. The dates suggested would seem to provide even for cases where clover stocks are transjDorted to heather districts, and if the times were made official a permissive clause would make it possible for an inspector to arrange a mutually convenient date during the close season with such owners, as "Buzz Bee" (page 497). Generally speaking, Jiowever, thorough inspection of storing stocks would result in loss. Whether such loss would be so great as estimated by Mr. Stephenson I cannot say. His estimate a^jpears to be 4s. per hive, or perhaps about 8 lb. of evaporated honey. If this is an average daily yield it is a very good return, as may be seen by a comparison with the heather chart on page 417. For, of course, any one hive- would only need inspection on one day, even if the three or four days may be taken as distributed over the total num- ber of hives. It is at least a doubtful proposition that a hive takes three or four days to recover from examination. Indeed, there are not wanting those who believe in rattling the bees about like so many peas to put increased energy into their work ! 'I.O.W. Disease'' (page 478).— •■ Disease is even carried under careless expert finger-nails, especially wheti hunt- ing for driven, hees." The italics are my own. Just why this should be so I do not see. Are the bees driven to hide under the eaves of the expert fingers, or are the nails of some especial use in the hunt for driven bees? I would just point out that comparison between a skep worth Is. 6d. and a bar-frame stock worth £2 is, for the purpose, hardly a fair statement of values. Entomology (page 486).— "D. M. M.'" says that "one sexual intercourse is suffi- cient to fertilise the eggs of numerous generations of aphides." Is this strictly accurate? I am not very familiar with varieties of plant-lice, but their annual life-history generally consists of partheno- (Continiied on page 18.) Jan. 12, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 17 HOMES OF THE HONEY-BEE. THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS. AVe have pleasure this week in illus- trating Mr. T. Alun Jones's apiary, whose interesting notes need no addition from us. He says : •■ My experience with bees dates back to 1901. * For six or seven years previous to that time my father kept bees, but his interest in them was not such that I should here term him a 'bee-keeper.' The apiary then consisted of one frame- hive and a skep, both sometimes occupied, but as a rule scarcity of stores reduced them to one stock by the spring, and, as they got but little attention, the surplus obtained was always small. About this time I made a new bar-frame hive, not because I had the least interest in bees, but because ' joiner's work ' was my hobby. This was placed in the garden and prepared ready for tenants, and, as comfortably as an old hand at the job. Like most beginners, I wore gloves at first, but very soon discarded them as a hindrance, and although I get an occa- sional sting, it has very little effect on me. '• After giving Italians, hybrids, and blacks a fair trial, I have come to the conclusion that the last are by far the most suitable bees for this locality. My hives are on the ' W.B.C principle, and all those in the jiicture are of my own make. I consider that making one's own hives and appliances greatly adds to the pleasures of bee-keeping. Of course, I buy all fittings such as frames, metal ends, escapes, &c. ■' My apiary generally consists of about a dozen stocks, and these are divided into two lots about one and a half miles apart. The part shown in photo is at Rhosesmor — my parents' home — where I first fell in MR. T. ALUN JONES S APIARY, RHOSESMOR, FLINTSHIRE. very strangely, the old skep swarmed and the bees took possession of my new hive. •' In September of the same year I acci- dentally saw a copy of the B.B.J. , and, being rather interested in it, I ordered the newsagent to get it for me regularly, and I have not since been without my weekly copy. Acting upon the advice given in the B.B.J. , I got 'The Bee- keeper's Guide Book.' This I read over and over again. It had an absorbing interest for me, and the attack of bee- fever which I then had was most severe, and the same enthusiasm seems to be renewed as every season comes on. " There were no advanced bee-keepers living wathin miles of me from whom I could get any help in the way of prac- tical work, but by following carefully the instructions in my comj^anion the ' Guide Book ' I was able to do such work as bee- driving, uniting, &c., for the first time love with the bees. The other part is at Halkyn. During the swarming and extracting season my youngest sister, who is at home, renders me much help in the apiary, as my wife — who is seen with me amongst the hives — has not yet joined our craft. She is terrified at the idea of being stung, but takes an interest in any- thing she can do if the bees are ' at a respectable distance.' " Being situate on the Halkyn Moun- tain, about 800 ft. above sea-level, I can- not boast of any very heavy ' takes,' but in moderate seasons my average is about oO lb. jjer hive, spring count. The heaviest ' take ' I ever had here was 99 lb. Nor is this district a good one for light-coloured honey, but what it does pro- duce I am able to get in the best form. For some years past I have taken premier awards at our local flower shows, and last August I secured first prize for medium- 18 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 12, 1911. coloured honey at the Chester Show, and the same honey got v.h.c. at the Grocers' Exhibition. So I feel satisfied that my honey must be of fairly good quality of its class. I work mostly for extracted honey, and have no difficulty in disposing of all my crop each year before September is out. I use my own labels, and these have been the means of securing inquiries from satisfied consumers all over the country. " Although I occasionally buy a queen to introduce to the apiary for the sake of 'new blood,' I do practically all my own queen-rearing. "Apart from the pleasure this fascinat- ing hobby affords me, I keep strict ac- counts, and always find a substantial balance on the right side at the end of the year. Taking the outlay into con- sideration, I do not think any of the minor agricultural industries can com- pare with bee-keeping if carried on with any degree of intelligence. " In concluding, allow me to wish our esteemed Editor and the staff of both B.B.J, and Record the compliments of the season, hoping that the coming summer will more than compensate all brother bee-keepers for the past few years of scarcity." {"Cappings of Comb," continued ■ from page 16.) genetic generations during the summer, ending 'with a male and female genera- tion, and resultant eggs which hibernate. I take it that '' D. M. M." does not mean generations in the strict sense, nor that fertilisation of the mother affects the eggs of the daught.er: but, even so, I am un- familiar with the aphis which lays more than one generation of eggs. That is, allowing the term '' generation " to cover such reproduction as takes place in the hive — i.e., a period to a "generation." "D. M. M.'s " recommendation to bee- keepers to study entomology cannot be too fully endorsed. The study will well repay them, and a wonderfully wide field of interest will open out before them. Bee-men and Matrimony (page 498).— Like "J. M. E.," many of us may regret that "Scot" has not yet made up his mind ! For we hoped such great things of him that it will be sad if disappoint- ment is to be our lot. If I may speak for those of us who . have abandoned Mr. Ellis's "canny" state, we feel sure that "Scot " will not regret so careful a selec- tion ! At any rate, may we hope that soon he will no longer be able to describe himself as Scot-free? Good luck to his wooing! Incidentallv, it is rather a good thing perhaps for " j. M. E." that he has no "guidwife" to reason with him on what he is pleased to term "grand- motherly legislation" against the behead- ing of wives. If he had, may we specu- late as to which head would be the one to be snapped off? Dummy or Division-board? (page 514). — May I once again plead for correct definition? Mr. Webb uses the latter term correctly, but the letter to which he refers uses the other synonymously. Now a dummy has a bee-way around it in the same fashion as the comb of which it is a dummy representation. The use of such dummies is to fill out the hive, so as to crowd the bees, without at the same time preventing access to the portion of the hive which is dummy-filled. In no true sense is a "dummy" a "division- board." Dummies are usually made by nailing thin board to the sides of ordi- nary frames. Tliere is a hybrid variety which only has bee-way below, and which does not, I think, serve any purpose which is not better served by one or other of the standard devices. So will you add to your New Year's resolutions a deter- mination to abandon the term "dummy" except in its proper sense, and earn the gratitude of all clear-thinking bee- keepers? A happy New Year and a "better season" to all bee-keeping friends is the wish of the writer of " Cappings of • Comb." Queries and Replies. [4071.] Mice and Bats in Hives. — This season mice, and even young rats, have been very troublesome in my apiary, the latter eating holes right through the hive- covers. When examining a stock I caught two snugly nesting down for the winter. I managed to kill one of them. I found another hive had been eaten through and the combs very much damaged. Mice have also been a perfect pest, having done a lot of damage. I should be glad to know, if I put all my hives oil single pedestals, whether mice would be able to get up these. I have the hives on sugar- boxes at present, and they run up the sides, I expect, and get in the roofs, as some of these do not fit very tight ; but this I can remedy. — A Smallholder. Herts. Reply. — The fault evidently lies in badly-constructed hives. It is no use try- ing to keep bees in ramshackle hives : they should be sound and well made, and a little extra money expended on such is a paying investment in the long run. Good hives standing on legs, with an en- trance not more than | in. deep, are secure from the attacks of mice. Our advice is to either buy or make tho- roughly well-fitting hives, as with the Jan. 12, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 19 present ones you will always have trouble from enemies and robbing. [4072.] Bee-keeping on a Large Scale. — 1. I have considered a plan of establish- ing an apiary of 100 hives of bees here, and would be glad of some particulars in the matter. First, I should like to know the expense this would entail, apart from the hives and stocking of same, in labour, honey-house, and other necessary appli- ances for an apiary of this size. I may state here I would be unable to do much Avork myself. 2. Would you advise Avorking for sections or sliallow frames, or both? Is there a better market for sec- tions put up in an attractive way than for honey in bottles? Of course, with shal- low framas one gets more honey, but I suppose this difference would be expended in extra labour, bottles, &c. 3. Given average luck, what would be the net in- come from an apiary this size? 4. What income could one expect from queen-rearing? Would the business done in queen-rearing depend on the name one had in the bee-world? What salary Avould an expert get? What would the staff do in the winter? 5. AVould an ex- pert and youth be able to attend to 100' hives? I have been a reader of the B.B.J, since I took up bee-keeping three years ago, and find many very useful hints in it, which have helped me very much. — QuEEN-REAREB, Norwicli. Reply. — 1. You would be ill-advised to start an apiary under the conditions men- tioned unless you could look after it your- self, and would certainly lose money. The climatic conditions in this country are not favourable for bee-keeping on a large scale, and most certainly will not admit of hired labour unless something else is combined with it. Labour would cost at least 30s. per week, and a good honey- house the size you would require at least £40 ; other appliances would run into about £10. 2. As to the merits of sec- tions or extracted honey, you Avould have to be guided by your market. More profit can be made out of extracted honey than sections. It is not necessary always to bottle the honey, for it can be sold in bulk. 3. During a good season in a suit- able district stocks will give an average profit of 20s., when the owner looks after them himself. Bad seasons have also to be taken into account. 4. The profits made by queen-rearing would deiiend to a very great extent upon the name the rearer makes in the bee-world. 5. One man alone could look after more than 100 colonies if he spent all his time at it. You have much to learn yet, and- a little more experience will show you the difficulties of an under- taking such as you propose to start. We appreciate your remarks, and trust we may still be of further use to you. OLD ENGLISH RECIPES. A writer in the Woman's Supplement of October 15 remarks on our debt for cookery recipes to the Church. Besides the Church, we also owe some good old recipes to our grandmothers. In an old Welsh farmhou.se I came across a Book of Recipes beautifully written in violet ink by the grandmother of the present owner (aged 80). Among them the following : — "To Thicken Haire.— Take Dead Bees. Put them in an Oven, when dry, powder, and mix them up with a little honey, and anoint ye balde place." It was considerate, at least, to console the ashes of the poor burnt bees with isome of their own honey. For heroic remedies our grandmothers would be hard to beat in our own day, as witness : — '■ For a bone that sticks in ye throat. — Take a thimble-ful of Gunpowder, and swallow it Downe : it will dissolve ye Bone." That they knew how to cook pigeons as well as pheasants, as described in the Woman's Supplement recently, is evi- denced by this : — " To Pickle Pigeons. — Take your pigeons and bone them, and lay two in one, and season them with pepper, nutmeg and salt, a little thyme and marjoram and shalot, cut very small and put inside your pigeons and soe them up whole. Make your pickle of old cyder, water and salt and two or three bay leaves. Bake them with Boughted Bread, and use cold with oil and vinegar." The sjielling and punctuation are the ancient lady's own. The recipe is easy for us moderns if we like to try it. — -A Corre- spondent in the Times Wdf.nan's Supple- ment, October 29, 1910. PRESS CUTTING. A LOST PIX. Mr. W. B. AYebster, a bee-exjiert, of Binfield, has had a most unpleasant ex- perience. While in church he had a fit of coughing, and had to make for the doors. When outside, his cough became worse, and he felt something hard come up into his mouth. This proved to be a pin, about an inch and a quarter long, very much discoloured. The pin was shown to a doctor, to whom the circumstances of its recovery were explained, and the medical man ex- pressed his opinion that the pin had been inside Mr. Webster for quite ten vears. — Daily Mail. 20 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 12, 1911. WEATHER REPORT. Westbourne, Sussex. Rainfall, 396 in. Abo^'e average,105in. Heaviest fall, '57 in. on 15th. Ram fell on 20 Sunshine, 439 hours. Below average, 12" 4 hours . Brightest day, 27th, 5 "4 hours. Sunless days, 12. Maximum tempera- ture, 54° on 16th. December, 1910. Minimum tempera- ture, 29° on 28th. Minimum on grass, 21" on 28th. Frosty nights, 4. Mean maximum, 48 '5. Mean minimum, 38"4. Mean temperature, 43-4. Above average, 42. Maximum barometer, 30-462 on 31st. Minimum barometer, 28-885 on 10th. L. B, BiRKETT. WEATHER REPORT for the year 1910. Westbourne, Sussex. Rainfall, 35-68 in. Above average,5'92in. Heaviest fall, I -10 in. on Ajaril 6. Rain fell on 194 days. Above average, 18 days. Sunshine, 1,647-3 hours. Below avei'age, 173-4 hours. Brightest day, June 14, 15-2 hours. Sunless days, 56, Below average, 4 days. Maximum tempera- ture, 74° on June 8 and 20. Minimum tempera- ture, 17" on Jan. 27. Minimum on grrass, 13" on Jan. 27. Frosty nights. 60. Below average, 11. Mean temperature, 492. Above average, '9. Maximum barometer, 30'567 on Jan. 7. Minimum barometer, 28 714 on Jan. 24. L. B. BiRKETT. Notices to Correspondents. Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space devoted to letters, queries, and replies is meant for the general good of bee-keepers, and fiot }or advertisements. We wish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately following tha receipt of their communica- tions. L. C. F. (Durban, South Africa).— Bec- keeping in South Africa. — The hive you mention will answer your purpose very well, and is used by a good many bee- keepers in your country. As you al- ready have the "Guide Book," you should get " South African Bee-keep- ing," by H. L. Attridge, as that will give you useful information respecting bee-keeping in South Africa. It is published by the Department of Agri- culture, Cape of Good Hope. J. T. W. (Farnborougli).— iW«A:;«ry Catuh/. — The proportion of water is that given by Bro. Columban, and as a good many tons of candy have been success- fully made from his recipe, we presume you could not have boiled it fast enougli to evaporate sufficient of the moisture. You can use less water, but then the sugar would take much longer to dis- solve, and it is no use in candj^ unless thoroughly dissolved. The proportion we use ourselves is 6 lb. of sugar to 1 pint of water; but we had such fre- quent complaints, and in so many cases the difficult}- proved to be due to the sugar not being properly dissolved, that we have substituted Bro. Columban's recipe, in which there is a little more water used. Constant Readeb (Sussex). — Bees Dying in WeU-sfored Hive. — The colony has evidently been queenless for some time. The bees sent are very old ones. The stores can be given to another stock with perfect safety. Suspected Disease. J. W. M. (Surrey). — Both stocks of bees have died from " Isle of Wight disease." We should strongly advise you to follow the directions we usually give in such cases (which you say you know well), and on no account run the risk of in- fecting the other stock for the sake of a few pounds of syrup. F. A. P. (Herts). — We regret to confirm your opinion as to the cause of death of bees. They are suffering from '* Isle of Wight disease." Honey Samples. W. N. (Herefords). — No. 1 is of no value, as it is fermenting. It is a heather- mixture, and had it been sound would have been worth about 12s. per dozen jars. No. 2 is a good sample, and has a slight mixture of heather. No. 3 is better than No. 4, but whether it would win or not on the show-bench depends on the competition ; it should stand a good chance. F. G. (Cambridge). — The odour of cus- tard-powder is very strong in the tins ; it is much better to put the samples in glass bottles. No. 1 is mainly from mustard or turnip seed. No. 2 is mainly of foreign origin. H. C. (Wye).— Sample No. 1, in bottle, is a honey of good colour and density, but is devoid of flavour. The honey in smaller tube marked No. 1 is very thin, and slightly darker in colour. No. 2, in bottle, is excellent in density and colour, but the flavour is poor. No. 2, in tube, is darker in colour and much thinner. We should say the two smaller samples had been heated, No. 2 being overdone. Bee. — Whether English or not, or from what source, it is impossible to say. It has been badly burnt in melting, and is quite unfit for table use. Jan. 19, 1911.] THE BHITISH BEE JOURNAL. 21 Editorial, Notices, &c. THE DZIERZON CENTENARY. Bee-keepers in Germany are this montli ■commemorating the centenary of Dr. Dzierzon, who was born on January 16, 1811, and died October 26, 1906. The Rev. Dr. Dzierzon at the time of his death was the oldest bee-keeper in Germany, and without doubt to him was due in a great measure the progress made in bee-keeping in Europe during the nineteenth centiu-y, and from which we are mow reaping the Ijenefit. Dr. Dzierzon was appointed pastor writer, and made known his views in the Frauendorfer Journal. Later he pub- lished a work, which passed through several editions, entitled " Rational Bee- keeping," the latest and most oomiplete edition of which appeared in 1878. The greater part of his observations and ex- periences appeared in the Bienenzeitung. In this journal appeared his views on " Parthenogenesis," and for eight years he had to fight hard to defend his theory, which met with the most strenuous opposi- tion; but with the introduction of the Italian bee he was able clearly to de- monstrate the correctness of his etate- THK LATE UK. DZIERZON. ■of Karlsmarkt in 1834, and it was there that he started bee-keeping, and estab- lished the apiary which was destined to become histoi-ical. It was there also that he m.ade his obsex-\'ations, although he had .several out-apiaries in the neighbourhood. The Karlsmarkt apiary was visited by many people desiring to increase their knowledge of bee-keeping, especially by schoolmasters, many of whom came there for insti-uction at the expense of the Government. Dr. Dzierzon was an able ments. The physiological researches of Professors Dr. von Siebold and Leuckart pixjve-d the coiTectness of Dzierzon's theories, and he gradually found adherents and recognition among men of science. In recent years M. Dickel made a desperate endeavour to upset the Dzierzon theory, and at the congress of bee-keepers in Salz- burg in 1898, when the two met and both defended their theories, Dzierzon's argu- ments were so forceful that they constantly elicited applause, and Dickel was thor- '79 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 19, 1911. oughly defeated. Dr. Dzierzon had his partisane and detractors. Some, like M. Perez, have discussed the theory most courtcoiisly, but a few others have done so with extreme rudeness. Dzierzon, how- ever, lived long enough to see hiis theory triumphantly vindicated before he passed away from amongst us. The venerable man received a. great many decorations and distinctions. The University of Munich conferred on him the title of Doctor, and several reigning sovereigns decorated him with oixlers, seen in the photograph. To Dzierzon Ave are also indebted for the various artificial substitutes for jiollen, and ever since his discovery bee-keepers have been in the habit of supplying the bees with ai-tificial pollen in the spring. Dr. Dzierzon had a sad experience of the virulence of foul brood, and in 1848 he lost several hundred colonies, leaving only ten in his apiary untouched by the disease. So drastic was. his fight against the disease that three years later he was able with pride to point to four hundred colonies of healthy bees, which he had worked up from the ten survivors of the disaster. Dr. Dzierzon spent the last years of his life at Lowkowitz, where he took up his abode with his nephew, and where he lived a happy^ peaceful, and contented life, de- voting all his time to his bees until about a year before he died. Dr. Dzierzon's name will always stand out prominently in the history of bee-keeping ; and we heartily join with our German brethren in com- memorating the centenary of this remark- able man, to whom bee-keeping is so greatly indebted. REVIEWS OF FOREIGN BEE- JOURNALS. By ^'Aemo." The Value of Bees in Agriculture. — To give an idea of the value of bees in agri- culture, it is stated in the Deutsche Illus- trierte Bienenzeitung that an ordinary colony during summer contains an aver- age of 20,000 foragers. Of these eighty fly from the hive to the pasturage every minute ; therefore, taking the working hours as from 7 o'clock in the morning to 5 o'clock in the afternoon, it would make 48,000 flights. During each time that she is out every bee visits at least fifty blossoms. This amounts in round numbers to two millions. It is reckoned that there are on an average 100 fine days when bees are able to fly, conse- quently 200 million blossoms may be ferti- lised by the bees of one colony. When only one-tenth of these blossoms are pro- perly fertilised by bees, it still leaves the enormous number of twenty million ferti- lisations per colony. Alcohol and Honey. — M. Ed. Freyhoff,. the editor of the Praktischer Wegweiser filr Bienenzucht, says that in Germany the yearly consumption of alcohol per head of the population amounts to 50 marks (£2 10s.), and that of honey to only 50 pfennigs (6d.). The total value of alcohol consumed in Germany therefore amounts to 3,000,000,000 marks, while the value of the honey consumed only totals 24,456,000 marks. These figures appear fabulous, but if correct, the editor's re- mark, " How much happier would many people be if these figures were reversed," is certainly very pertinent. Mignonette as a Bee-plant. — There is an interesting article on this in the Milnchener Bienenzietung, and the writer, Herr Joseph Trollmann, says that usually borage, phacelia, and the various clovers are mentioned as the best nectar- producing plants, and to them mignon- ette is frequently added. According to the writer's observations, its value has- induced him to place mignonette {Reseda odorata) at the head of thern all. It has. the good quality of flowei'ing continuously for four months, yields not only nectar in abundance but also pollen, and is: therefore one of the best plants for fur- nishing bees with winter provisions. Whether wet or dry, warm or cold, in the cool early morning, during the hot mid- day, and until the twilight of evening, bees swarm on his patch of mignonette. He further mentions that on October 24 last there was a sharp frost which de- stroyed all tender vegetation, but the plants of mignonette not only held up their heads during the warm sunshine, but attracted many bees from the sur- rounding apiaries. Although the wind was easterly, mignonette was still secret- ing nectar. On this day borage, phacelia, and white clover had no bee-visitors, while, notwithstanding the cold wind, bees were carrying the orange-coloured pellets, of pollen into their hives in abundance. The writer says mignonette does not suc- ceed in all soils, but he finds it to secrete nectar most abundantly on clay or marl soils, and on these it is a most valuable bee-plant. An Enemy of the Hive. — 0. K. Proko- penko describes in Ptschelovodnaya Shisn a beetle which does a great deal of injury to hives in Russia. It belongs to the family CeramhycidcB (Longicornia), and is: named Hylotrupes bajulus. The beetle is pitchy-brown, with a few lighter spots of thick hair, and two shining marks on the thorax. The elytra are flat and broad and the antennse filiform, and as long as the body in the males, but shorter in the females, which also have an ovipositor pro- truding from the end of their abdomens. In this country the beetle is common, and Jan. 19, 1911. 1 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. the larva has been known to do consider- able damage in the timber of houses, even penetrating sheets of lead, and is also common in old deal and in posts. So far we have had no complaints of its doing any harm to hives in this country; but it appears tliat in Russia it has caused considerable damage to the writer's hives. The larva in burrowing throws out a fine dust, so that if this is seen at any time steps should be taken to prevent further damage. Treatment of Foul Brood in Germany: — Herr K. Giinther says in Deutsche lllustrierte Bienenzeitung that an experi- enced bee-keeper will never allow foul brood to gain a footing in his apiary. The chief point is to stop it at the very commencement. Foul brood does not break out in all the colonies of an apiary at the same time, but only in one here and there; therefore the bee-keeper must keep a watchful eye upon his apiary during the whole season. Every colony should be thoroughly inspected at least three times a year with the special object of ascertaining its condition in relation to this disease. In the spring attention should be given to the amount of food it contains, the development of the brood, the strength of the colony, &c., all of which give some indication respecting the health of the colony. The second inspec- tion should take place immediately after the main honey-harvest. Lastly, at the end of August, or after stimulative feed- ing is ended, the colonies should be again thoroughly overhauled. Should single scattered cells of foul brood be found, these should be cut out and burned. The queen must be at once removed, so that there should be no brood in which foul brood could find a suitable medium in which to develop. All nostrums are use- less, and frequently do more harm than good. Should a colony be very badly affected with foul brood, it should be destroyed without compunction, as it is the safest method of getting quit of the disease. Winter Flight of Bees. — On this subject M. Philomel says, in L'Abeille de V Aisne, that during severe weather bees remain quiet in their hives where they are shel- tred from the snow and cold. They form a cluster, compactly crowded against each other, and thus maintain the heat neces- sary for their existence. But when thfe temperature becomes warmer, and the thermometer rises to about 45 deg. Fahr., all the future foragers take a cleansing- flight. They fly round and round their home, and return after thus disporting themselves for a few moments, and having discharged the residues of digestion which had accumulated in their abdomens during the long days of their seclusion. It is a pleasure for the bee-keeper to see them, during their sudden awakening, in- offensively circling round and taking their bearings, just as if they had lost all memory of the place where they had been reposing. Sometimes it is an advantage to induce the bees to leave their hive when the temperatiire is suitable, so that they may have a cleansing-flight. One may even tap the hives to cause the bees, to come out for a few seconds. But this requires great care, and if there is a' rapid thaw when snow is on the ground it would be much better to close the en- trances and make the inmates remain in- doors. If this precaution is not taken the rise in the temperature would entice the bees out, and in attempting to rest they would drop on the snow, become chilled, and, being unable to rise again, would eventually perish. This would b© an enormous loss, for colonies thus deci- mated could hardly survive till spring. NECTAR-PRODUCING PLANTS AND THEIR POLLEN. By Geo. Hayes, Beeston, Notts. (Continued from page 13.) No. 3.— The Apple {Pyrus Malus). Nat. Ord., BosacecB. In the month of May, when covered with a mass of pink and white blossoms, the apple tree forms a really beautiful sioht, and when the trees are numerous the heart of the bee-keeper is gladdened to know that in this profusion of bloom there is at least food for his bees, it not much surplus for himself. Moreover, he knows that these flowers especially need the visit of his bees to carry the pollen from stamen to stigma to ensure a large crop of well-formed fruit. The flowers, it will be noticed, grow m umbels or bunches at intervals on the branches. The calyx is a tube terminat- ing at the upper part in five separate poTnts and very woolly. The corolla is composed of five lovely pmk and white petals; it has five .styles united at the base. The stamens are very numerous The leaves, when young, have a colour ot their own known as apple-green, and are downy underneath. The generic name is derived from the Latin pirus, a pear; the specific from malum, an apple-a word used by the Romans to denote several other fruits of a similar character, such as qumces pomegranates, pears, &c. ; thus Virgii speaks of ''aurea ma?a," _ i.e., quinces. Our English word is derived from the Anglo-Slxon word J^.pl. Plmy states that "there were apple trees_ m the vil- lages near the city which yielded more profit than a small farm." 24 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 19, 1911. l.Dry: The fruit is used largely for making cider, especially in Devonshire. In the reign of William III. Ambrose Philips wrote a poem in praise of cider, in which he says : — What should we wish, for more? or whj', in quest Of foreign vantage, insecure and mixed, Traverse the extremf^st world? "Why the rage Of the rough ocean when our native glebe Imiports from bounteous wombs annual recruits Of wine delectable. The mistletoe is more partial to the apple than to any other kind of tree. While an interesting plant in itself, its parasitic groM^th soon pi-oves injurious to the tree that supports it. The wild apple or crab is the progenitor of the hundreds of varieties we now have, and it is a curious and noticeable fact that it bears thorns for its protec- tion. The apple flower yields abundantly both nectar and pollen, and on a fine day the bees may be seen revelling in its blossoms. The pollen, when placed on the thigh of the bee. is of the joalest of green colours, but darkens with age if iept in some recep- lacle. The grain is navicular or boat- shaped ; usually, when lying horizontally in the flower, it appears as shown at Fig. 5, 1 A, but sometimes shows the forms at 1 B, c, B, the appear- ance due to the flut- ings or depressions de- pending upon the posi- tion in which it lays. A section of this pol- len is shown at 1 e. When collected by the bee, the moisture used for packing it in the pollen-basket causes some of the grains to alter their form, as shown at 3, c being the original form, whilst a and B are in a transition stage. If a grain is placed in water, it quickly assumes the form shown at 2, which, with the exception of the dej^ressions in the centre of the sides, is identical with those taken from honey, as seen at 4 a and b. No. 4 is the appearance of the grains found in honey, a and B differ slightly in outline, the sides in one being concave and in the other convex. On both will be found what I believe to be pseudo- processes, whicli are clearly indicated in the enlargement. The texture of the pel- 3.E-omLeg oTBee. A licle is very rough and wrinkled, and the roughness extends even to the processes at each angle. When viewed by trans- mitted light the colour is a dull yellow. {To he continued.) AMONG THE BEES. SOME USEFUL HINTS. By B. M. Macdonald, Banff. Embedding Wires. — I was lately much struck by the jperfect work done by an electric current in embedding wires in a sheet of foundation. The operation was momentary. The frame with full sheet, wires above, was placed on a frame-block, a connection was. made at one small point, and forthwith, and as if by magic, the wires were lying at the very centre of the wax. Frame after frame was laid down, operated on, and laid aside with every wire perfectly embedded. Sheets of foundation well fixed in the frames, and then so ad- mirably wired, should ensure almost to a certainty combs all worker-cells, and all well and truly built so as to be perfectly interchangeable. Here from the very foun- dation is the fabric for the brood-nest all that the most fas- tidious could desire. Appliance dealers supiDly these wired-in combs at a fair price, and they are • well Avorth the little extra they cost. Many bee- keepers may have the means of electrically embedding their wires, and, where they have, my hint should not be thrown away, but should be applied. A colony in a hive witli imperfect combs can never be a powerful one. Every cell in every frame of the nine or ten generally used is necessary to secure the best breeding results. Then it follows that where from 20 to 30 per cent, are defective cells, as too often hajspens, the brood suffers to that extent. Take the hint, and have every comb as nearly per- fect as possible. Deposing Fertile Workers. — Here is a successful plan of ridding a hive of these pests ; at least, it worked out a colony's salvation once, and I do not see why it should not again. Clear out two central POLLEN OF APPLE. Jan. 19, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 25 combs — perhaps any two would do — and take two with bees, brood, and eggs out of a nucleus, with the queen, inserting them in the space hitherto occupied by the two combs withdrawn. That is not all that is in it, however. See that the queen is in between the two combs pro- tected by her own bees, and, to make as- surance doubly sure, call in a little ai't to certify that she is thoroughly guarded by almost all the bees on the two frames. To secure this, lay the frames down leaning to the side of the hive, or hanging on a comb-stand. Smoke the outsides of both combs gently, in order that the bees will crowd towards the centre between the two frames. Here is a little bodyguard ready to protect their queen and shield her from any harm. Gradually it comes to the knowledge of the bees of the hive — by some form of telepathy, perhaps — that a genuine queen heads the stock. All the young bees crowd round the eggs and young larvae at an early stage of the pro- ■cfedings to act the part of nurses — a duty for which their little souls long — and they, too, are a further protection for the in- troduced queen. The discovery of this plan was purely an accident, but, in my ■opinion, it is one of the very best ways of ridding a colony of fertile workers, or, I should imagine, even a drone-breeder. " Honey for Sale." — Many bee-keepers are good all round at producing a honey crop, but not so many are able to dispose of the finished article to the best advan- tage. Too often they wait until cus- tomers come inquiring for honey. Almost all other articles are brought to the mer- chant or market, but honey is an excep- tion. This is a grave mistake. Not many bee-keepers can actually carry their sur- plus to market ; few in this country would care to peddle their honey, and only a very small percentage trouble to advertise it Personally, my own honey is sold out ^ven in a good year before it comes off the hive, because during a long series of years repeat orders come in, and friend jsends friend to me for more, until I have to fall back upon others to supply the de- mand. Earlier in my experience, how- ever, I did not wait until customers came. I got a number of neat cards printed, simply giving my name and address, and the kinds and prices of the honey I had for sale ; something like the following : s. d. Pure Clover Honey in sections 0 10 per lb. Blend of Clover and Heather.. ,, „ 10 Pure Heather Honey ,, ,, 13 These cards would travel per post for a halfpenny stamp as a j^ost-card, or in an unsealed envelojje ; but I always preferred to seal the envelope and put on a penny stamp. There was no solicitation — only an intimation that I had the honey for - sale. A very large percentage of the cards brought oi'ders. Advertising Honey. — In general, many bee-keepers say this does not bring them in many paying orders, even in the lead- ing newspapers. Do not advertise it in this way if this is your experience. Select a small newspaper or two, and try them instead. Many of our small towns, and even villages, have one of these cir- culating amongst the very class you want to tap — the upper middle-class. If the town is a health resort for summer visitors, you have the very "audience" you require. They are leading a life of leisure, and scan every item of local news in the district newspaper. One is in delicate health, another has a sensitive palate, a third has heard of the de- liciousness of heather-honey, a fourth re- members the sweetness of honey partaken of in early life, a fifth has a friend he or she would like to present with some local souvenir, a sixth wants to carry away some relic of the temporary home, and so on. For numerous reasons your small advertisement, read in a time of holiday leisure, is impressed on the memory of the reader, and orders come in as a result. In many parts we have some fine scenery, ancient castle, or noted battle- field, with crowds of tourists every sum- mer. Take the Burns country. One bee- keeper informs me that he has a small notice on his gai'den gate, " Honey for Sale," and that he sells all the produce of his twenty hives — clover at Is. per lb. and heather at Is. 6d. — without further effort. Before he exposed this notice he had to Deddle his honey or send it to market. Correspondence. The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents. No notice will be taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents are requested to torite 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. FEEDING THE YOUNG LARVAE. [8022.] During a lengthy experience I have had occasion to notice that breeding commences in a very small way early in the 3^ear. At this date a little batch of brood, possibly only the size of a penny- piece, may be found in some of the strong stocks that have a young and vigorous queen anxious to get on with her duties. I have found these small beginnings of a great future as early as the fourth week of December, when, by accident rather 26 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 19, 1911. than a wish to do so, it has been neces- sary to open a hive. The increase in the quantity of brood reared is so gradual from the small beginning that, though the old bees of last autumn's rearing are unable to do the work of the nursery at all well, they smooth away the difficulty of rearing the first little batch of young bees so well that I do not think there is any point left by them for writers and readers of bee-literature to consider. Three weeks after the queen has commenced to lay eggs a small number of young bees — it may be only five-and-twenty for a begin- ning— make their appearance. These may be, and probably are, imperfect through the inability of the old bees to feed and tend them properly in the larval stage ; but these few young bees come upon the scene and take the work of nursing the young off the hands of the old bees, and they will do it better than the old bees were able to, and within six weeks from the commencement of breeding all the difficulties which are inseparable from any beginning of what is to be of the future perfection that is reached in a good stock of bees will have been surmounted. If we wish to rear young queens, that is quite another matter. We must have the conditions perfect to begin with, otherwise we find the stamp of varying imperfect conditions perpetuated indefi- nitely by poor or defective mother-bees. — GOABDIAN. CO-OPERATION FOR BEE-KEEPERS. [8023.] Perhaps the present time, when a new season is commencing and the de- sire of the British Bee-keepers' Association is towards reconstruction, is not inop- portune for the revival of the old cry of co-operation among bee-keepers. Because previous efforts in this direction have failed is no proof that bee-keepers form a class especially unsuited to co-operate, but rather that the forms of co-operation hitherto proposed have been particularly unsuited to their requirements. The numerous and excellent sources whence hives, &c., can now be had render co-operative purchasing, at least at present, of very little value. Nor do those bee-keepers who have for disposal stocks, swarms, and queens appear to be in any need of united effort ; hence the success of any apiarian co-operative ven- ture seems to depend upon the extent to which it provides for and attracts honey-vendors. The producers of honey may be divided into three general classes, viz., (1) the man who easily disposes of his entire yield ; (2) the man who has only a limited market; and (3) the "amateur" who is not willing to exert himself to make a market, though he Avould probably wel- come one ready made. Members of class 1 are not likely to be of much assistance in starting a co-opera- tive movement. It may be possible, how- ever, to enlist their active support for a scheme which aims at preventing classes 2 and 3 putting on the market honey at a price, and often of a quality, which is detrimental to their own interests. Such a scheme is briefly sketched in the following suggestions : Honey-producers- wishing to benefit by co-operation should form an association as a limited company ; shares, say, os. each, and the holding of atleast one to be compulsory on each mem- ber. The company to rent a warehouse, and engage the whole or part time of a honey expert who is also a good business man and able to make sales. A member having honey to dispose of should send the bulk or a sample carriage forward to the ware- house. In due course he would receive an advice of its receipt together with a price. This price must be a fixed propor- tion, say one-third below what the manager considers to be the fair market value of the lot, and the member must either accept it unconditionally or refuse ib absolutely. In the latter case the honey would be returned carriage for- ward. Having the control of a fairly large and varied supply of honey, it ought to be possible to make remunerative con- tracts for its disposal to one or two large consumers, or even to put it up in stan- dard qualities suitable for supply to the retailer direct. At the end of the year any profit would be appropriated, first to the formation of a satisfactory reserve,, then to the payment of a maximum divi- dend of, say, 5 per cent, on the capital, and the residue would be divided among the members proportionately to the value of the honey each had contributed. Even if the earlier contracts, in order to estab- lish a connection, were made at a com- paratively low rate, the price realised would most likely satisfy the majority of classes 2 and 3; whilst the scheme would tend to standardise the price and quali- ties of honey, preventing the market in a high-yielding locality from being spoilt by timid or reckless sellers, and enabling honey to be "pushed" in an attractive form and at a louver price in localities where it is now usiuilly treated as a little- known and somewhat extravagant luxury, — H. Reader, Cheshire. DISINFECTION IN NEW ZEALAND. [8024.] The editorial footnote to Mr. R. Whyte's communication on page 9 so admirably controverts the points he seeks to make that I need only show readers that I did not write in ignorance of facts. I have before me a bulky volume, " The Jan. 19, 1911.1 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 2T Annual Report of the Department of Agri- culture of New Zealand." I quote from page 71, tha writer being the chief apiarist : •■ I decided to treat all the seventy-two colonies on the McEvoy plan. The bees were shaken off their combs and given bare frames. Five days later the bees were again shaken on to full sheets of foundation. At the same time all the floorboards had been scraped and disin- fected, as xoere also the hives." From Bulletin 18 I again quote the following : ■' The hive, bottom board, and cover, if sound and worth saving, shoidd he cleaned and thoroughly disinfected." If Mr. R. Whyte did not know before that the McEvoy treatment in New Zea- land includes disinfection, he surely knows it now. Verily " some of the dis- putants in this controversy have been more than ordinarily unscrupulous in their allegations of facts." — D. M. Macdonald. THE "WELLS" SYSTEM. [8025.] I was much interested and en- lightened in reading Mr. Fischer- Webb's remarks on the "Wells" system (8010, j^age 514, December 29, 1910). As far as my limited experience goes, I quite agree ; but I want to know more, and shall be greatly obliged for information (Editor permitting). I have some hives the right width for standard frames, and they are 25 in. long, inside measure. Could these hives be utilised in the "Wells" system? I have only once got one of them full of brood, and that was by introducing about five gallons of driven bees the previous autumn to the hive, which was fairly strong before. The questions that occur to me are these : As the hives are not long enough to take two ordinary section-racks, would it matter if only one were used and tiered up instead, or had I better make racks to fit the hive? I presume bees do not fight in the sections. Is that so? Also, should the entrances be at each end or both on one side, to face south? Thanking Mr. Fischer-Webb in anticipation. — T. Neav- MAN, Dorset. COMB-FOrXDATION AND FOIL BROOD. [8026.] About fourteen or fifteen years ago I had foul brood in my apiary, and used " Izal " as a cure, and have used it in all food since, and I have no fear of any disease. I am pre- pared to hear objections from some, but [ am convinced that a great deal of this disease is sent out in foundation. A bee-keeper at the Dairy Show told me ho had all his wax made up again into foundation, yet foul brood has been in his apiary for years. The editor of Gleanings says one of the patrons of the A. I. Root Co. sent them a lot of wax from foul-broody combs, but was honest enough to tell them of the fact. Wlien they knew of this, the foreman was instructed to give it special' treatment. It was placed in a barrel by itself and brought nearly to a boiling-point by a steam jet for an hour. Next day it was treated in the same way and again heated, after which it was mixed with a o-eneral supply, then heated once more. This, of ooursej would render it entirely safe. Mr. Root says he thinks it is very unwise, certainly unsafe, for anyone to render' up old foul-broody combs. Wax with, a steam jet cannot be heated above 200 deg. Fahr., never more than 212 deg. if surrounded by boiling water, and even if one can thoroughly sterilise his wax, he runs a tremendous risk ; and he desired to say to his friends that the A. I. Root Co. prefer not to receive wax from foul-broody combs, and if anyone has sent them such wax without telling them, there would be a possible danger of giving some innocent nser of foundation fonl brood. The boil- ing-point of good thick honey is 233 deg. Fahr. ; thin honey, about 225 deg. Fahr. Yet we have Mr. J. A. Buchanan and others stating that no boiling will destroy the spores. Mr. Howe also says boiling honey for fifteen minutes at 235 deg. Fahr. is not safe to feed back. If this is true — and I am convinced it is — how can the spore be destroyed in wax which is never brought to a boil ? I hope our foundation- makers will not hit me too hard, but let me down very gently.— J. Pearman, Penny Long Lane, Derby. [On the other hand, we have the evi- dence of Dr. Maassen, which goes to show that, although the spores of foul brood may not be destroyed even by the high tempera- ture mentioned, foundation made from combs taken from colonies badly infected with foul brood was perfectly harmless. On page 483 of the B.B.J, for last year we mentioned the experiments carried out at the Imperial Biological Institute, Dahlem, with the express object of finding out whether the disease could be pix)- pagated by means of infected wax, and to what extent comb-foundation was able to carry the infection. Although bees were placed on comb-foundation made entirely from wax obtained from colonies that had succumbed to virulent foul brood, not in a single case did the disease re-appear, and all the colonies remained healthy. As these results are from direct experiment, it is satisfactory to know that the danger apprehended by our correspondent is very remote. Although we have always used full sheets of comb-foimdation, we have not had an outbreak of foul brood for more than thirty years. — Ed.] 28 THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 19, 1911. MINEHEAD AS A BEE-DISTRICT. . [8027.] Can you or any of the readers of the B.B.J, give me information about Minehead, in Somei-setshire, as a first- class place for keeping bees in quantity? Probably some resident of the district might be able to give me the information desired. I wish to pitch on a place where either sainfoin or clover abounds, and it must also have a mild climate. — A Small- HOLDKR, Herts. THE HUMBLE DUMBLEDORE. By '' LordsLcood." Let me say a word on behalf of the poor and despised humble-bee. Poor through no fault of his own, for never did a hive-bee work so hard ; and despised he must be, for who ever found his home and did not try to destroy it? Of the dif- ferent species — near a hundred- — and their life-history I will tell you something at a future time. Their very names bring back to mind the lovely English country where I have sought them — the great forests and high hills, the southern downs and rich Gloucestershire meadows. I love them so well that I could even tell the species by their song, as you may the birds by their song, or the butterflies by their flight, or the flowers by their scent. To bring them back to memory dear, in these dull wintry days, all bee-keepers should read the books of Richard Jefferies, such as " The Open Air," "Field and Hedgerow," " The Life of the Fields." From the matchless " Pageant of Summer," in the last-named book, I give the following extract : " Each kind is repeated a hundred times, the foxtails are succeeded by foxtails, the narrow blades by narrow blades, but never become monotonous ; sorrel stands by sorrel, and daisy flowers by daisy. This bed of veronica at the foot of the ancient apjile has a whole handful of flowers, and yet they do not weary the eye. Oak fol- lows oak and elm ranks with elm, but the woodlands are pleasant ; however many times re-duplicated, their beauty only in- creases. So, too, the summer days ; the sun rises on the same grasses and green hedges; there is the same blue sky, but did we ever have enough of them? No, not in a hundred years ! There seems always a depth somewhere unexplored, a thicket that has not been seen through, a corner full of ferns, a quaint old hollow tree which may give us something. Bees go by me as I stand under the apple, but they ipass on, for the most part bound on a long journey across to the clover fields or up to the thyme lands ; only a few go down into the mowing-grass. The hive- bees are the most impatient of insects; they cannot l)ear to entangle their wings, beating against grasses or boughs. Not one will enter a hedge. They like an open and level surface, places ci'opped by sheep, the sward by the roadside, fields of clover where the flower is not deep under grass." It is the patient humble-bee that goes down into the forest of the mowing-grass. If entangled, the humble-bee climbs up a sorrel stem and takes wing, without any sign of annoyance. His broad back with tawny bar buoyantly glides over the golden buttercups. He hums to himself as he goes, so happy is he. He knows no skep ; no cunning work in glass receives his labour ; no artificial saccharine aids him when the beams of the sun are cold ; there is no step to his house that he may alight in comfort. The way is not made clear for him that he may start straight for the flowers, nor are any sown for him. He has no shelter if the storm descends suddenly; he has no dome of twisted straw, well thatched and tiled, to retreat to. The butcher-bird, with a beak like a crooked iron nail, drives him to the ground, and leaves him pierced upon a thorn ; but no hail of shot revenges his tortures. The grass stiffens at nightfall (in autumn), and he must creep where he may, if possibly he may escape the frost. No one cares for the humble-bee. But down to the flowering nettle in the mossy- sided ditch, up into the tall elm, winding in and out and round the branched buttercups, along the banks of the brook, far inside the deepest wood, aAvay he wanders, and despises nothing. His nest is under the rough grasses and the mosses of the mound, a mere tunnel beneath the fibres and matted surface. The hawthorn overhangs it, the fern grows by, red mice rustle past. — January 16, 1896. HOMES OF THE HOxNEY-BEE. THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS. The illustration on the opposite page shows the out-apiary of Mr. W. Goodchild, a bee-keeper whose interest in the craft is not confined to the amount of surplus obtained per stock, which, in fact, does not enter into his calculations at all. Mr. Goodchild is content to look upon the bees as a pleasurable and health-giving hobby, which takes him away into the pure air of the country whenever a spare day occurs. In the notes written to accom- pany the picture he says : " My first recollections of bees go back to boyhood, when the interest then created by my father's bees (in the old days of sulphur-pits) led me, when the opjiortunity came about eleven years ago, to lay the foundation of my present apiary. " My brother presented me with my first stock in a modern hive from his own apiary at Nottingham. Knowing very Jan. 19, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 29 little about bees, I had a lively time of it at first, and found, if I intended to keep them successfully, I must learn something about their management, and this I did by reading up the subject in the Bee Journal, and Becorcl (and also in the • Guide Book '), having obtained valuable iuformation in this way during the time [ liave taken them. Indeed, I think no bee-keeper can afford to be without one of these papers; they are indispensable. As stated above, I began bee-keeping with one hive, and established an out-ajiiary and cottage four miles from Burnley. Being easy of access by road and rail, my family and friends make it their home at week-ends, and for change of scenery, change of thouglit, fresh air, and a suc- cessful place for the bees it cannot be under-estimated. I consider it has been " I notice that many readers complain of their bees getting the swarming fever, but mine are never troubled in this way. My bees seem to be quite content witli their old homes, so long as they have room in advance of their requirements, and this stops the swarming impulse, with me at any rate. " What little knowledge I possess of the craft is always at the service of those who seek it, and this seems to afford equal pleasure to giver and receiver. It is especially interesting and instructive to the children, who come up from the village school and ask just to have a peep at the bees, to judge from the looks of astonishment and intelligent interest de- picted on their faces when they hear such simple facts as the bee's body is covered with hair, that it breathes through open- MB. W. GOODCHILd'S APIARY, HOLMES-CHAPEL, BURNLEY, LANCS. the best investment I ever made for health, pleasure, and profit. " The scenery round about my apiary (which is situated 800 ft. above sea-level) has a radius of thirty miles of mountain, waterfall, rock, and ravine, and for the naturalist, botanist, and geologist is one of the beauty spots in the British Isles, but unfortunately it is not one of the best honey-districts. I never look forward to obtaining 100 lb. of honey per hive like some B.B.J, readers, but am well satisfied with an average of 30 lb. per stock, which is, however, choice in quality, being a heather-blend. " I am a stranger to foul brood, so can- not give any experiences with it. I find it does not answer to keep old queens, and therefore I re-queen regularly, as if this is not done I lose stocks during winter. ings in its side, that it has two bread- baskets, that it can fly backwards, that its blood is white, that it has a brain, heart, &c. Bee-talks must be very bene- ficial in arousing in them a desire for in- formation and assisting in making them, after their school-days are over, keener observers and in greater sympathy with their surroundings and in their enjoy- ment of country life. " One of the most pleasant charac- teristics of bee-keeping is its freemasonry of kindly interest and helpful brother- hood. If only for that I should never regret the time spent amongst the bees ; also I owe to it improved health and a great relief from the strain of years of business life. " Having a warm corner in the cottage garden, sheltered from north and east ;30 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 19, 1911. winds, I erected a shed to hold three or four hives. This shed is open in front ; thus I am enabled to spend many hours in watching the little workers. It also has the advantage of enabling me to manipulate under any weather conditions. The hives are mostly home-made ; the centre one of the three under shed is a 'Meadows' non-swarming hive. The figures in front of the shed are myself, and on my right is my staunch old friend Mr. Peter Shackleton. a neighbouring bee-keeper, a capital manipulator, and lecturer and hon. district secretary for the Lancashire B.K.A. Mr. Shackleton's out- apiary is some eight miles from Burnley on White Moor, amongst the heather. We both hope to do a little more yet towards spreading the love of bee-keeping, which our Editors, through the valuable B.B.J, and Becord, ably advocate. Wish- ing all bee-keepers success in 1911." B.B.K.A. LIBRARY. Since the last announcement in B.B.J. the following books have been received for the library : " The Lore of tlie Honey- Bee," "The Bee-Master of Warrilow," and "Bees as Rent-Payers," from Tickner Edwardes, Esq., and three volumes of B.B.K.A. reports from J. Noble-Bower, Esq. — W. Herrod, Secretary. PRESS CUTTING. BEES AND EXOTIC FLOWERS. One of the many difficulties which con- front the popular theory that the form and colour of flowers are due to the selec- tive action of insects is the fact that our native bees visit freely a number of foreign species introduced into our gardens. These often differ widely in form from those which they must be sup- posed to have evolved and shaped to their own special needs and fancies. Among such flowers may be mentioned fuchsia, Nasturtium canariensis, and Himalayan balsam. If our native flowers reflect in the minutest details of their structure, and in the exact shade of their colour, the tastes of the bee, and are kept up to this standard only by the continuous selection of the insects, should we not expect our native bees to restrict themselves to such? Would they be so ready to visit the alien form, if for countless generations they had selected a very different shape, which, indeed, owed its existence to their con- tinued devotion to it? If, on the other hand, we suppose that the object of the bee is honey or pollen, and that it cares little or nothing for shape or colour, its devotion to foreign flowers is easily ex- plained. If this is so, however, it ceases to be a possible cause of the evolution of the shape and colour of flowers. --G^obe. Notices to Correspondents. Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, 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 lor advertisements. We wish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately following the receipt of their communica- tions. R. B. (Mildenhall). — Hive-making. — There is no doubt that frame-hives are best, and if you are able to make one you will find full particulars in the " British Bee-keeper's Practical Note- book." There are all the dimensions given and detailed drawings for making the "W.B.C." hive, also "a home-made hive" to be constructed from used boxes. We would certainly advise you to transfer the bees from skeps to f rame-Mves, as recommended in " Guide Book." Should you need further advice write again. H. R. (Gheadle Hulme). — Meaning of "Hatching " in the Apiary. — Properly speaking, "hatching" should be only applied to the issue of young from the egg, but, as in the case of other animals and generally, it refers to bi-inging forth or into existence, to bringing to maturity or full development. " Hatch- ing Ibrood " is commonly used to express the issuing of the matured bees from the cells, although emerging hrood would be the more correct term; but most writers mean by "hatching brood" that which is just emei-ging from the cell. G. M. (Churt). — Bemoving Heather- honej/. — It is impossible to remove heather-honey from the combs with an extractor, and as you say melting them down causes discoloration of the honey, your only plan will be to improvise some kind of a press. Honey Samples. G. G. (Nethy Bridge). — Sample is a good heather-honey. Bee-man (River Lea). — The dark sample is from ragwort, and we are afraid you Av ill have a difficulty in disposing of it. The light sample is good in colour, but exceedingly thin. It is from mixed sources. Many thanks for your appre- ciation and good wishes. Suspected Disease. G. W. (Seagrave). — The bees have evi- dently died of starvation, as there was not a particle of food in their stomachs. Wash the hives thoroughly with car- bolic acid solution, as given in "Guide Book." and melt the combs down, start- ing fresh stocks with full sheets of foundation. C. G. (Chester-le-Street) . — Bees have died from "Isle of Wight disease." Jan. 26, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 31 Editorial, Notices, &c. BEGINNING BEE-KEEPING. We have so many inquiries from be- ginners as to the best way of making a -start that it is not out of place to refer now to some points of considerable im- portance to the uninitiated in the hope that they may be able to avoid disaster, annoyance, and expense. Beginners, often in their eagerness to be able to secure honey, purchase stocks of bees. This is not the proper thing to do, and in many cases ends in failure. Avoid the purchase of old stocks at any price. A swarm in May should be the foundation of every new apiary. An experienced bee-keeper might secure a bargain; it is probable that a beginner would not do so. There are many contingencies, such as the proper preparation of the colony for wintering, and the cai'e it has had through the previous winter, to say no- thing of disease, that make it very risky for a beginner to commence with old stocks. A swarm will be more likely to go to work with energy, and will afford a means for study, which, if properly done, will give the novice a large insight into the science. Be sure before purchasing the swarm to have a neiv hive ready, properly fur- nished with full sheets of comb-founda- tion. Any of the dealers who advertise in our columns would supply a really useful hive at a moderate price. Here again we would emphasise the importance of leaving second-hand hives severely alone by those commencing bee-keeping. Their faults may be many ; for instance, they may be contaminated by foul brood or other diseases, leaky, not having stan- dard frames, or of an antiquated, and therefore not such a useful, pattern, and possibly of a generally rickety constitu- tion. Old combs may also provide foul brood and. wax-moth, neither of which is conducive to success, and which handicap the tyro at the very start. Nor should various odd fittings offered cheaply tempt our friend while he is still on the thresh- old of the study. The actual requisites are few, so that it is better first to find out what is absolutely necessary and then to get it. A good many promising bee- keepers have thrown up the pursuit in disgust because they have been led into unnecessary expense at the outset. It is all very well to study dealers' catalogues, but it is better to obtain only what is indispensable, and eschew the numerous fads that are frequently not only of little use, but a hindrance to successful manipu- lation. When once started, the beginner must keep a watchful eye on anything , which is heralded as about to revolu- tionise bee-keeping completely. Were many of these much-vaunted articles generally adopted there would no doubt be a revolu- tion in bee-keeping, but not in the honey- extractor, which, after all, is the principal consideration of the honey-producer. To an old experienced bee-keeper it is often amusing to watch the resurrection of some old exploded idea, but it is not so with the novice, who takes it up and when too late wishes he had not don© so. The articles absolutely necessary are : A hive having ten to twelve standard frames fitted with full sheets of comb-foun- dation, a division-board, smoker, feeding- bottle, quilts, veil, super fitted with sec- tions provided with thin foundation, and the oees. For all these an outlay of 30s. to £2 should be sufficient. It is im- portant that the hive and other things be procured some time beforehand, so as to be ready for the bees when the swarm arrives, and the winter months are the best time for getting these requisites, as then the dealers are not so busy, and orders can be more promptly executed. It is no use leaving it until the swarm- ing season, for then the dealers are so busy executing orders that considerable delay may occur, and a good part of the season would thus be lost. The novice should also gain experience by seeking information from any bee- keeper with whom he can make acquaint- ance. He should read every available standard book, such as Cowan's "Guide Book," which for him is indispensable, " Langstroth on the Honey-Bee," Roots' "ABC and X Y Z of Bee-Culture," and others. He should join his county associa- tion, and by joining the B.B.K.A. he could attend the conversaziones and get in touch with the many experienced bee- keepers there. He should carefully read the British Bee Journal, and if in any uncertainty ask us any question, and we shall be pleased to assist by answering it in our columns. Then, having been taught, let it be his chief pleasure to teach others, for in this world there is plenty of room for more of the kindly spirit which has its greatest delight in helping others to the best of our ability, so that they may share with ourselves in the same measure of prosperity, as well as pleasure. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION The monthly meeting of the Council was held at 23, Bedford Street, Strand, London, W.C., on January 19, when Mr. T. W. Cowan presided. There were also present Messrs. W. F. Reid, T. Bevan, C. L. M. Eales, J. B. Lamb, E. Garcke, E. Walker, O. R. Frankenstein. A. Richards, G. H. Skevington, E. R. 33 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 26, 1911. Stoneham (Crayford), F. W. Watts (Beckeuham), and W. Herrod, secretary. Letters expressing regret at inability to attend were received from Miss Gayton, Rev. A. D. Downes-Shaw, Dr. T. S. Elliot, and Messrs. H. Jonas and G. W. Avery. The minutes of the Council meeting held on December 15, 1910, were read and confirmed. The following new members were elected: — Miss M. Dagmar Sillar, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Mr. G. Mason, Moorend, Yardley Gobion, Stony Stratford; Mr. D. Cairncross, Pretoria, South Africa; Mr. Tickner Edwardes, The Red Cottage, Burpham, Sussex; Mr. J. Smallwood, Ivy Villa, Fincliley Lane, Hendon; Mr. H. "Reader, 9, Beech Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire; and Mr. W. J. Coates, 4, Trafalgar Square, Chel- sea, S.W." The Report of the Finance Committee was presented by Mr. G. H. Skevington, and a cheque for £63 15s. was drawn to purchase Consols as an investment for the " W. B. Carr" Memorial Fund. It was proposed by Mr. Reid, seconded by Mr. Skevington, and carried, that as the rules and other literature of the Asso- ciation require revising, Mr. Garcke and Mr. Lamb constitute a committee to carry out this work and submit the same at next Council meeting. Mr. J. Bee Mason kindly offered to provide at his own expense a bioscope entertainment of subjects connected with bee-keeping at the annual meeting in March next, and the same was accepted with thanks. Next meeting of Council February 16, at 23, Bedford Street, Strand. LEGISLATION IN AUSTRALIA. NEW BEE-DISEASES ACT. We have received the following letter from Mr. R. F. Beuhne, President of the Victorian Apiarists' Association. Mr. Beuhne also enclosed a copy of the new Bee-Diseases Act, which we print as being of special interest to readers at the present time, when the question of simi- lar legislation is occupying so much atten- tion among bee-keepers in this country : Dear Sir, — As there has been consider- able discussion of, and opposition to, bee- disease legislation in the pages of your journal, it may interest your readers to hear that a Bee-Diseases Bill has just passed both Houses of the Victorian State Parliament without opposition. The Bill is based partly on the New Zealand Act and partly on the results of the deliberations of our association. I may here state incidentally that during the whole time the proposed legislation was before the bee-keepers of this State not a solitary voice was raised in opposi- tion, either in the bee-journals or at meetings. The regulations under which the Act will be administered have yet to be framed, which will be done in consultation with a committee of this association. — - R. F. Beuhne, Toobarac, Victoria. A BILL relating TO DISEASES OF BEES. Be it enacted by the King's Most Excel- lent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Victoria in this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same as follows (that is to say) : 1. This Act may be cited as the Bees Act 1910. 2. In this Act unless inconsistent with the context or subject-matter — "Disease" means any disease para- site or pest declared by the Gover- nor in Council by proclamation to be a "disease" within the mean- ing of this Act. "Diseased" means affected with disease. "Prescribed" means prescribed by this Act or regulations under this Act. 3. (1) The Governor in Council may by proclamation published in the Government Gazette— (a) declare any portion of Victoria in which any disease affecting bees exists and defined in such procla- mation to be a "proclaimed area''^ under this Act. (?>) prohibit either absolutely or sub- ject to regulations the sending or bringing of bees into any pro- claimed area or the sending or removal from a proclaimed area into any other part of Victoria of bees comb or bee-hives in the opinion of the Governor in Council likely to spread any disease. (2) The Governor in Council may at any time alter or revoke any proclama- tion under this section. (3) Any person who is guilty of any con- travention of any proclamation under this section shall be liable on conviction to a penalty not exceeding Twenty pounds. 4. (1) If an inspector certifies to the Minister in writing that any bees are diseased and in his opinion are a source of danger to other bees and ought to be destroyed, the Minister may make an order in writing directing the owner agent or person in charge to destroy such bees. (2) If within seven days after the service of such order upon such owner Jan. 26, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 35 agent or person in charge the bees are not destroyed any inspector may cause the same to be destroyed at the cost of the owner thereof. 5. (1) An inspector may order any bee- hives fittings apparatus appliances utensils or other articles liable in his opinion to spread any disease to be cleansed and disinfected in such manner as he directs, and the owner agent or person in charge shall cause them to be cleansed and disinfected accordingly. (2) Any such owner agent or person who refuses or neglects to carry out the direction of such inspector shall be guilty of an offence against this Act. (3) If such inspector certifies to the Minister in writing that any of the articles mentioned in this section cannot be effectively cleansed or disinfected and that they ought to be destroyed such in- spector may cause such things to be de- stroyed at the cost of the owner thereof : Provided that where the value of such articles ordered to be destroyed exceeds Five pounds this power shall not be exer- cised without the written approval of the Minister. 6. (1) On and after the first day of January One thousand nine hundred and thirteen no person shall in any district proclaimecl under this section keep bees in any kind of bee-hive other than such as is prescribed. (2) The Governor in Council may by proclamation published in the Government Gazette declare any district defined in such proclamation to be a district pro- claimed under this section ; and may at any time alter or revoke any proclama- tion made under this section. 7. (1) Any inspector may enter and in- spect any premises where bees are kept and any bees bee-hives fittings apparatus appliances utensils or other articles used in connection therewith. (2) No inspector acting in the execution of this Act shall be deemed to be a tres- passer by reason of any entry or removal or destruction under this Act or be liable for any damage occasioned in carrying out the provisions of this Act unless the damage was occasioned by such inspector wilfully and without necessity. (3) No person shall be entitled to receive any compensation whatsoever in consequence of any measures taken for the eradication of any disease or the de- struction of any bees or any articles ordered to be destroyed under this Act or in respect of any damage that may result to him therefrom either directly or in- directly unless the same was occasioned wilfully and without necessity. 8. (1) Every person shall be guilty of an offence against this Act — (a) who in any manner obstructs or impedes or attempts to obstruct or impede any inspector in the execution of his powers under this Act ; or (b) who disobeys or fails to comply with any of the provisions of this Act or any direction or order given pursuant to such provisions, (2) If any person is guilty of an ofi'enc© against this Act for which no penalty is specially provided he shall for every such offence be liable on conviction to a penalty not exceeding Twenty pounds. 9. Subject to the Public Service Acts the Governor in Council may appoint as many inspectors as may seem necessary for carrying into effect the provisions of this Act and may remove any such in- spectors. 10. (1) The Governor in Council may make regulations not inconsistent with this Act prescribing all matters which are required or permitted to be prescribed or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act and for prescribing penalties not exceeding Five pounds for breaches of the regulations. (2) All such regulations shall be pub- lished in the Government Gazette, and shall be laid before both Houses of Par- liament within fourteen days after the making thereof if Parliament is then sitting, and if not then within fourteen days after the next meeting of Parlia- ment. THE B.B.K.A. LIBRARY. The Secretary of the B.B.K.A. has re- ceived a copy of " The English Bee- keeper," date 1851, from an anonymous source. As he presumes it is intended to be a presentation copy to the library, he will be glad if the donor will send his name and address. — W. Heekod, 23, Bed- ford Street, Strand, W.C. Correspondence. The Editor does not hold himself 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. THE B.B.K.A. AND BRITISH APICUL- TURE. [8028.] Referring to the B.B.J, (page 13) of January 12, the editor of the Canadian Bee Journal has indirectly paid a just and well-deserved tribute to the energy of an organisation 34 THE BHITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan.26,Wll. that is able to convince the bee- keeping world that Great Britain still leads in many matters apicultural, as she continues to do in numerous other fields of industry. The steady, persevering nature of the average Britisher, and his frequent triumphant results, are often overlooked when the self-advertising pushfulness of members of some other nation may be blazoned in big fiery letters upon the golden horizon of progress. But it is not only our Canadian cousins who have appreciated the results of the early and continuous efforts of the original British Bee-keepers' Association, with which also the world-known name of Mr. T. W. Cowan has been associated from its commencement. Years ago our United States friends woke up and realised the benefits the mother of bee-keepers' associations in the English-speaking world was conferring on the industry by holding annual exhibi- tions on a large scale, and by subsidising and otherwise assisting its daughter affiliated associations. Henceforth asso- ciations and exhibitions became great and invaluable assets of the community of American bee-keepers. And yet to-day we are told by carping -critics that the British Bee-keepers' Asso- 'ciation has outgrown its usefulness. Can •a parent institution with such an encour- aging past and its golden present ever outgrow its term or sphere of usefulness? Our American cousins in following the same plans of exposition and organisation, and the commendations of our Canadian and other Colonial friends, show plainly that such cannot be the end, while British county associations owe their origin and the growth of their local api- cultural industry to this sturdy parent. But if the B!B.K.A. cannot carry out all the business its Council would like to see completed, that is solely the fault of the great community of bee-keepers and tracers who do not realise that the present extensive development of the api- cultural industry is largely the work of that association ; hence is it their duty to support the mainspring of their in- teresting pursuit or business, as the case may be, so that further progress may be ensured. — Samuel Stmmtns, Heathfield. NOTES BY THE WAY. [8029.] The New Year has opened fairly well for the bees. We have had fine, sunny days during which they have taken wing in large numbers. I find they have cleared up the large cakes of candy given in mid-December, evidently preferring the candy to the stored syrup given earlier in the autumn. The candy being con- sumed calls attention to the fact that a further supply is needed, and advantage should be taken of a suitable day to examine the candy supply and replenish it if required. Mr. H. Reader (page 26) opens up a subject which cropped up in the early eighties of last century ; then we tried to establish "The British Honey Company," but even under far more favourable con- ditions than those in the scheme formu- lated on page 26 the effort failed, and the shareholders lost all the money they put into the concern. Experientia docet. The McEvoy Method.— The reply of our old friend " D. M. M." (8024) is not in his usual urbane style. Mr. Whyte and others, when writing on foul brood, often mention the "McEvoy" system of curing the disease, and if Mr. McEvoy's method is followed according to my reading of his assertions years ago, he does not use disinfectants. Therefore the New Zealand method, which I admit I should use myself if I was following the "shake-off" plan, is not the McEvoy system. The use of disinfectants is not part of Mr. McEvoy's method. He declares it is unnecessary to disinfect the hives, and only where any honey has been spiic while manipulating does he advocate washing the interior. If I am wrong in my read- ing and understanding of Mr. McEvoy's written instructions, perhaps our friend will put me right. The reply to " C. G." (column 2, page 30) is disquieting news to bee- keepers in the North. Chester-le-Street is some 300 miles north of the Isle of Wight. It will be interesting to know if the "Isle of Wight disease" can be accounted for in Durham, and how it got so far from the South. Perhaps "C. G." can throw some light on the probable cause of infection. I think every new centre of infection should be investigated, and every effort made to isolate and stamp out, if possible, this most malignant of bee-diseases. Foul brood is a small item in the economy of bee-life compared with this new insidious malady. — W. Woodley, Beedon, Newburv. WORKING THE "WELLS" SYSTEM. [8030.] I have much pleasure in giving Mr. Newman (8025, page 27) and any other interested readers further informa- tion with regard to the successful work- ing of the "Wells" system. My own hive holds exactly twenty frames and one thin division-board, but I should think one 25 in. long would do very well, as it would give just eight frames each side of the divider, which should be quite sufficient for ordinary purposes. I have never used sections on my double hive. I find the surface of twenty frames will not allow room for two full-size shallow-frame racks, so I make Jan. 26, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 35 one rack in each layer to hold only seven instead of eight broad-shoulder frames, which exactly fills the space. In the height of the honey-flow I have three supers of fifteen frames each (making forty-five in all), each rack in each layer communicating as described in my last letter (8010, page 514, vol. xxxviii.). I should think, with only 25 in. space, it would be better to tier the section- racks one on top of the other (it would require about six, and how about lifts for all that lot?), but I am afraid in this case the bees would be more inclined to swarm then than when the supers cover the whole surface. I have never known the bees to fight either in the hive or in the supers. I am told it is best for the entrances to be at each end, but mine are both in front (9 in. apart), with separate porches, the entrance being sunk back about 3 in. ; they face N.W. Referring to Mr. Crawshaw's remarks on page 500, vol. xxxviii., my division- board has a number of saw-kerfs ; the bot- tom ones the bees leave free, but the top ones are always well stop2>ed with propolis. I am trying to overcome this when clean- ing the board in spring and autumn by smearing it thickly with vaseline. I think the more freely the heat is alloweti to permeate the hive the better it must be for each division, especially in the spring. With apologies for occupying so much of your valuable space.— W. G. Fischer "Webb, South Croydon. FOUNDATION AND FOUL BROOD. [8031.] I notice a letter from Mr. J. Pearman in B.B.J, of January 19 (page 27), in which he states his opinion that foul brood is carried in the foundation used by the bee-keeper. I cannot agree with that statement, and take this oppor- tunity of inviting Mr. Pearman to see the wax cleaned and sterilised before being used, when I think he will alter his opinion. The process is as follows : The raw wax as sent in is thrown into a large copper tank holding about a quarter of a ton, a steam pipe is put in centre of tank, and steam turned on from a boiler under 80 lb. pressure to the square inch ; this soon melts the wax and causes it to boil furiously, bringing it up to the same de- gree of heat as the steam itself. The tank containing the wax is then covered over and allowed gradually to cool down, when all impurities and dross sink to the bottom. To cool such a large block of wax takes seven to eight days ; the wax, however, is again melted and then suddenly chilled before being made into sheets for the foundation. I think after such a sterilis- ing process bee-keepers may rest assured that there is no risk of foul brood being carried in the foundation they use, pro- viding the wax is treated as above. — E. W. Taylor, AVelwyn, Herts. FIGHTING AMONG BEES, AND DISEASE. [8032.] My baby nucleus hive was a failure last year so far as the purpose for which I made it up was concerned (see B.B.J., page 396, 1909), the queen being small enough to pass through the piece of queen-excluder I placed over the entrance, yet she was one of four young queens that came off with two natural swarms which united. The follow- ing are notes which I took at the time, and may be of interest, as it will be seen I had a strange experience in connec- tion with these bees : — July 1. — I made up my baby nucleus hive. July 2. — Queen came out through the excluder as I stood by. After flying about a short time she alighted on my finger, so I had a good look at her ; she was rather below average size. July 8. — - Queen of baby nucleus hive came out at 3 p.m., and on the 9th she came out twice at about 3 p.m. This was the last time I saw her out. I think from the change in her manner she was mated on the 10th. July 30. — Saw young bees newly hatched in this hive. How often this queen may have flown out when I did not observe her I cannot say ; but it will be seen by the date she was long in getting mated, the weather being unfavourable. The ease with which this queen passed through the queen-excluding zinc explains why brood may often be found in sections above the queen-excluder. But now comes the strange part of this hive's his- tory, which I thought might possibly throw some light on the " Isle of Wight disease," and so, as you will remember, perhaps, Mr. Editor, I sent some dead bees for your inspection from this little hive last summer. August 6. — I to-day found the queen of this baby nucleus hive crawling on the edge of the water- trough two or three yards from the hive. I also found a lot of the bees, some lying dead on the ground, others, apparently paralysed, crawling slowly about. Some of these bees were shiny and dark, like robber-bees. On looking into the hive I saw the bees were fighting together, but apparently most of the old bees were gone. I returned the qi;een, and the little hive seemed to settle down quietly ; but on August 9 I found all the bees gone, leaving sealed brood, larvfe, and honey in the comb. This did not appear to be an attempt at swarming, for I saw no ap- pearance of queen-cells having been formed. Neither was it that they were 36 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [.Jan. 26, 1911. being robbed by strange bees, for there were no robbers about ; the trouble seemed to arise among themselves. Several would be attacking one at a time, biting and worrying it till apparently they drove it out of the hive. Now as to the cause of this. Close by my workshop I have a row of black-currant bushes, and at their roots had been emptied the cleanings of the hen-house; these had become heated, and the effluvium was so powerful I could scarcely pass the spot. It seems to me the smell entered the hive and exaspe- rated the bees in some way against each other. Is it possible that the same effect can be produced by bees returning home with some strong odour pervading them, such as that of guano, or some of the poisons that are used about fruit-trees, or weed destroyer, thus setting up fight- ing in the hive and the half-paralysed condition I found many bees in that were crawling on the ground below the entrance ? I mention this case as it may be interesting to some, and may possibly throw further light on the subject of disease. It seems to me quite possible that some poison that bees come in contact with might produce fighting and also dysentery. — HxTMble Bee, Allan Vale. MID PIKE AND FELL. [8033.] Nestled midst the verdant hills where Yorkshire and Westmorland combine is Ravenstonedale. Where all are beautiful it would be invidious to make exception, yet even in the land of hills and dales it would be difficult to find a more charming view than that of this village from the brow of Ash Fell. Half- hidden houses, the square-towered church, and the sheen of the silvery Lune — Lancaster's Lune — mingle in the mid- distance. Framing these are the sur- rounding woods, and the whole picture constitutes one of those delicious gems of northern scenery which haunt the memory long after the noisy city has again claimed one for its own. It is possible to surfeit even of delica- cies. Tou jours perdrix! A clause used to be inserted in the indentures of the London apprentices of old that they should not be compelled to eat salmon more than three days in any week. Even eternal bee-chat is an infliction. Physicians recommend an entire change as a recreation. An I could interest B.B.J, readers in the old customs and traditions, even the old inhabitants of this borderland of romance and fiction, it might not be found malapropos. Turn back the pages of history to the days when might was right, and the longest sword with the strongest arm the readiest arbitrator. . In hasty brawl in "Kirk-bee-Stephen" town the aggressor has been slain. In "hot trod with horse and hound, and hue and cry," they chevy and chase the slayer over Ash Fell. Almost have they caught him, but by rare good fortune he has reached the abbey church of Ravenstonedale and tolled the bell. He is safe. No pursuer, nor even shire-reeve or King's oflGicer, may molest him. Only a special commissioner of the "King's most excellent Majesty" may try him. Had his crime not been so grave, then twelve tenants of the abbey and the steward (for whom two rows of seats are reserved in the church) would have foi'med a jury to " clean or foul the bill against him"; and if he take oath that " hereafter he will behave himself well and faithfully " he may here end his days in peace. The shield of the sanctuary intervened to shelter the weak has very ancient origin. Dumvallo Malmutius even in Druidical times ordained that the cities and temples of the gods should enjoy this privilege, and Lucius, first Christian king, confirmed this to Christian Win- chester. A quaint old charter of Athel- stan gives to Ripon Cathedral : For ilke side ye kirke a mile For all ill - deedes, and ilk, agyle. In 1470 Elizabeth, consort of Ed- ward IV., took refuge in Westminster Abbey from her husband's enemies, and there " was lyghted of a fayre child,' ^ afterwards Edward V. ; and I could quote many other examples. We are apt to forget (it is so long ago) the incalculable debt we owe these monks of old. When, the Roman Empire being destroyed, Europe Avas but a seeth- ing chaos of barbarism, then the dim, flickering light of the lamp of learning was kept burning in the scriptorium of the monastery by the unselfish labour of the humble friar. Nowadays a book is written, and 1,000 copies are circulated in a few hours. A missal, a treatise, was in ancient days the work of a lifetime, pen- written from the illuminated title-page to the "s" in "Finis," priceless, its only reward the knowledge of a good work done. Here is a copy of Thy Word, Written out with much toil and pain; Take it, O Lord, and let it be- As something I have done for Thee. Longfellow's " Golden Legend." I have wandered in many lands, and it has always given me a sad feeling to see these old abbeys crumbling to decay. Where once the chant was sung is now only the haunt of the owl and the bat, its columns desecrated by the inscription of Silas B. Jones, of U.S.A., recording the date when he " did Eu-rope." Even in our great cities I sorrow to see build- ings in which history has been made •Jan. 26, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 37 going, one by one, under the pickaxe of the houselireaker. " Old London," save for a few relics, is a thing of the past. You must search the hanlieue of the Temple, or the narrow rues of the C<'>te Gauche, to find anything left of the Paris even of the days of the Huguenots. But he would be a laudator temporis acti (a praiser of bygone days) fossilised who would wish to stay the avalanche. We read the records of the past, and sometimes we are inclined to smile at their mistakes (those patient students of old) ; but picture how they must have been hampered and baffled, not even having the mechancial means to investigate the secrets of the life of our little friend the honey-bee. Will some future generation consider us in the same light? W© are after all but passers- by. The civilisation of the twentieth century may be as dark ages to the twenty-fifth. Ever, ever onward we travel, And departing leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time. — .J. Smallwood, Hendon. CO-OPERATIOX FOR BEE-KEEPERS. [8034.] Mr. Reader's recommendation (page 26) of a renewed effort to establish a limited company for the disposal of members' honey is, in my opinion, de- serving of the heartiest support. The writer's plea is so convincing, and the features of his scheme are so practical and clear, that at this stage it is needless to add thereto. I hope the subject will be widely discussed and quickly assume a concrete shape. I suggest that every bee- keeper feeling an interest in the matter will communicate his views to the Editor — not necessarily for publication — so that the latter may be in a position to gauge the general opinion of his readers and advise accordingly. If the majority be in favour of the enterprise, a few zealous members of the B.B.K.A. might form a provisional committee and take the neces- sary initial steps. I believe a strong and influential company would spring into existence and enter upon a career of use- fulness, to which the future invites it. I enclose my name and address for refer- ence.— W. M. B., Newbury. WIRING FRAMES BY ELECTRICITY. [8035.] I should be grateful if Mr. D. M. Macdonald, Banff, would, in the pages of the B.B.J., state how the electric current is put through the wire (page 24), and if a dry battery is used, or what, as I am very anxious to do mine in the same way. — H. SiEBEL, Cheshire. Queries and Replies. [4073.] Bees Becoming Hybridised. — - I shall be obliged if you will • kindly give me information on the follow- ing points: 1. Do golden bees change colour with age ? Last summer I had two hives of goldens and one of blacks. The blacks started robbing, which I suc- ceeded in stopping, but when I fastened all down for winter I found both goldens and blacks in all the hives. Last week I examined them to see that stores were all right, but could see no golden bees in any of the hives, yet all three stocks were quite strong and healthy. 2. Will it be advisable to provide some shade for the hives during summer? Mine have none whatever. I thought that per- haps two or three rows of artichokes, planted in front of hives and trained to allow free access of bees to hive, might be helpful.— H. A. B., Eastbourne. Reply. — 1. It is very difficult to keep Italian bees pure in this country, and when hybridised they get darker. The presence of the goldens in all hives is on account of their sociability, which is a drawback so far as the spread of disease is concerned. 2. Yes, shade is helpful ; but do not plant the artichokes too close to the hives : keep them 6 ft. or 8 ft. away. [4074.] A Begimier's Queries. — I am thinking of starting bee-keeping, as we have a good garden and the neighbour- hood appears to be suitable for the pur- suit. I have read up a little on the sub- ject, but should like to know more about it before investing any money. If you will kindly reply to the following ques- tions I shall be much obliged : 1. Which is the best guide-book for a beginner? 2. Which is the best time of year in which to start? 3. What type of hive is best? 4. How shall I procure bees to stock the hive? I should also be glad to have par- ticulars of the British Bee-keepers' Asso- ciation. Thanking you in anticipation. — (Miss) R. T. R., Birmingham. Reply. — 1. "The British Bee-keepers' Guide Book," by T. W. Cowan, Is. 8id., post free, from this office. 2. In the spring with a swarm as early as possible. 3. The "W.B.C." hive is undoubtedly the best pattern in use at the present time. 4. You can either go to some reliable dealer, buy them locally or through our advertisement columns. See article on page 31. [4075.] Suitable Position for Hives. — Would you, with your usual kindness, answer the following questions, as in this matter I am anxious to do the right thing? If I could keep my bees across 38 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 26, 1911. the top of my field I should be able to save a good bit of grass, and as 1 keep poultry as well I should be compelled to fence it off with wire-netting. 1. How far should the hives stand back from the netting? 2. Would it be any advantage to place the hives slantways to the fencing? 3. Would so doing in any way impede the flight of the bees? — S. A. D., Warminster. Reply. — 1. If you put the netting 6 ft. from front of hives it will give ample room. 2. Yes. Facing south-east is the best position. 3. Not in the least. FLOWERS OF JANUARY. By '^ Lordswood." January 19, a most lovely day. I went a long walk this morning, and could find only three flowers — groundsel, barren- strawberry, and a daisy. The bees from my sixteen hives were disporting them- selves in the delicious sunlight. How glad they must be to unfurl their sails to the warm breeze and feel their feet on the petals of a sweet-scented flower ! There is nothing in the fields for them, 1 know, but in our gardens many things have flowered with unusual freedom — owing to the mild, open weather. A bed 16 ft. by 4 ft. of the Bath variety of the Christmas rose (Hellehorus niger) has many thousand blossoms — wide-open cups against the dark brown eai'th-spread. A few sprays gathered, or even a few flowers set in damp moss, of the Japan allspice {Chimonanthus fragrans) will fill a room with fragrance. Showers of blossom are on the yellow winter jessamine {Jasminuvi nudiflorum), and tufts of scarlet — orange- scarlet — apple-blossom on Syrus japonica, right away from any protecting wall. What a lot of lovely things we have from the Celestial Empire; these, with lilacs and laburnums, hardy bamboos and gorgeous lilies ! One or two buds of winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis), sweet - smelling Daphne Mezereum, rosy-lavender and white, Crocus Imperati, hardy cyclamen — these are nearly all that flower naturally at this season. There are many others, however, that have stray blossoms — snap- dragon, stenactis, pansies, violets, prim- roses, polyanthus (quite a show), double daisies, rhododendron, hybrid pinks, Geum coccineum and G. 7nuriotum, Saxi- fraga Burseriana, &c. The market is already gay with narcissi and daffodils, freesias and anemones from tlie Scilly Isles and South of France ; so that here, close to a great town, winter has been re- duced to two months or a little more. The odour of a bunch of jonquils which is borne to me as I write tells plainly that already the year is opening its great wide arms. — January 23, 1896. WEATHER REPORT. Barnwood, Gloucester. December, 1910. Rainfall, 468 in. Above average, 255 in. Heaviest fall, 73 in., on 15tb. Rain fell on 26 days. Total for year, 33-47 in., as compared with 26'82 in. for 1909. Raiu fell on 201 days, as compared with 187. Mean maximum tem- perature, 49'1 ; 4"1 above average. Mean minimum tem- peratui'e, 38 "5 ; 1'5 above average. Warmest day, 15th, 55 ; in the year, June 20, 79. Coldest night, 27th, 21 ; in the year, Jan. 26, ll'S. Relative humidity, mean for month at 9 a.m., 87. Number of days with sky completely overcast at 9 a.m., 17 ; do. cloudless, 2. Percentage of wind force, 30. Prevailing direction, 8.W. Mean daily height of barometer, reduced to sea-level, 29-72 ; •22 below normal. F. H. Fowler (F.R.Met.Soc). SMALL-HOLDINGS EXHIBITION. An object-lesson in being, which is organised by experts in every branch of the work of the small farmer, will be seen in the Crystal Palace grounds this sum- mer in connection with the Festival of Empire, and no detail of country life will be missing. The small-holding section will, in fact, be laid out as a small-holders' colony and model village in miniature, set in Lon- don's most famous playground, and, what is more, it will be worked to show the small-holder the science of his industry and to reveal to the town-bred man how he may get back to the land. Amongst other attractions, a small- holder's homestead is to be erected, and around it will be barns, ricks, cowyards, piggeries, sheep alid goat pens, labourers' cottages, a dairy, stables, poultry-runs, duck-ponds, bee-hives, &c. Beyond this, the land will be seen under cultivation, and special attention is being paid to intensive gardening, a science which we in this country have not yet grasped sufficiently. The small-holder of the rural districts, the artisan allotment- holder of the towns, and the gardener of the suburban villa will be able to gain in half an hour more vital, practical know- ledge than could be acquired in a year from text-books. There is also to be a congress held in connection with the Exhibition, and every society in the country which is interested in the question of the land will be repre- sented. In short, nothing that can tend to the advancement of the Empire's leading in- dustry has been overlooked in the organ- Jan. 26, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUE^'AL. 39 isation of this important section. It should be productive of the greatest finan- cial benefit to the farmer and the small- holder who wishes to move with the times and equip himself to meet the increasing inroads of the foreign producer. While there will not be a more pleasing or delightful section of the Festival of Empire than this Small-Holdings and Country Life Section, it must not be sup- posed that it is in any sense a side-show ; it is a great national, officially-supported endeavour to save rural England. AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS. EXTRACTS AND COMMKNTS. By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. Controlling Sicarming . — The " Hand " device is receiving some attention in Glean- ings, llives are worked in pairs on one bottom-board. By means of a switch, ad- justable from the outside, No. 1 receives the majority of the incoming bees. When it is very strong and likely to prepare for swai-ming, a large proportion of the bees are switched into No. 2, and the supers placed overhead in this division. It_ is presumed that the honey in the Latter "will be at once carried aloft to make room for the queen's accelerated egg-laying pro- duced by the influx of bees. " When this flying bee-colony or No. 2 arrives some- where near the swarming-pitch, its fly- ing bees and its supers are switched back to the first hive. Mr. Hand feels that his plan of swarm control is a, success, and that he has solved the problem." I hope so, but I have my doubts. To us in this country the system is nothing new. Simmins's "'Double Conqueror" hive was arranged somewhat on this principle, but I never yet met a practical bee-keeper who practised the plan over a series of years. A few years ago I described a, patent hive containing "switches" whereby the bee-keeper could arrange that his force of bees could be thrown at will into either of two divisions in his hive, and they could make their exit or entrance either by the front or main ap- proach, or by auxiliary side-entrances. Winter Brood-chamber. — "I am coming to the conclusion," writes Mr. Crane, " the larger chamber is more profitable (than a contracted one). My neighbour uses ten frames, and does not have to feed neai'ly as much in the fall for winter. There appears also to be less loss in wintering colonies with larger brood- chambers." I generally winter on eight, or at most nine, frames. Two neigh- bours winter and summer on ten. For several years they have come through the winter with less loss. Their hives are richer in stores in spring, and their bees are more numerous, while they un- doubtedly work up to full strength at an earlier date. How do others find it? On both sides of the Atlantic, I know, con- tracting the hives for winter is advised, and I looked up two authorities to give their opinion first hand. On page 191 of "Guide Book" I find: "All combs not covered by bees on both sides should be removed, and the size of the hive reduced by division-boards placed on either side, so as to crowd the bees into as small a space as possible." On page 34.5 of " Langstroth on the Honey-Bee," latest edition, revised by Dadant, it is advised : " All empty combs, whether brood-combs or surplus-combs, should be removed from the hive previous to cold weather." Now here is a very apjDropriate subject for discussion in this the dead time of the year. Should we have all the ten frames in the hive winter as well as summer, or should we contract our brood-chambers during the cold of winter to the number of frames actually covered by the bees when they are being winter-packed? A Lach/s Ingenuity. — At a recent Cana- dian Convention a lady, Miss E. Robson, read a taking paper on " Can a Woman Run an Apiary?" Some of her in- genious doings are very interesting, as the two following examples prove : " Being a woman, I found a hairpin a very satisfactory tool in queen-rearing. It was always convenient. It answered the purpose fairly well for stirring the royal jelly, but for lifting the larvae and transferring to a new cell it was posi- tively ideal." Here's another: "I had followed a swarm one fine Sunday, on my way to church, to a distance. When it settled it seemed a lot of trouble to go home for something to put the bees in, and I M'anted to go to church. A happy inspiration came. I slipped off a skirt, tied a string round the top, making a bag of it, drew it over the branch, bees and all, fastened the bottom of the skirt at the other side of the swarm, then broke off the branch, and marched home triumphant. I went to church, too!" I would predict that Miss Robson will soon blossom into a very successful apiarist, judging by above examples. The Canadian B.J. announces the ap- pointment of Mr. W. White as assistant editor. Mr. White until quite recently was an English bee-keeper. In the November issue he says a good deal in commendation of the successful honey ex- hibitions held in the Old Country, and he specially praises the London shows. A Shield has Two Sides. — Two writers in last Australian Bee-keeper supply me with food for thought. Mr. Beuhne records an average of 360 lb. from 172 colonies, and Mr. Mcllveen contrasts a Scotch average of .50 lb. — which would 40 THE BRITISH BEE JOUEIsiAL. [Jan. 26, 1911. •please me well over a series of years — with -his "six times that amount." "Would that I were in Australia, Avith eucalyptus •in its many varieties all round me ! " lex- claimed on reading of the 300 lb. averages. But — well, here is the other side of the , shield : "One bee-keeper had three left out of ninety colonies." "A fair price for honey is 3d. per isovind." If the mortality is often so excessive and the price so low, Scotland, with its 50-lb. average, may come out on top in the end. I Avas struck with Mr. Beuhne's winter experiences. "In September the bees crowded two bodies. I finished in May with an average of 360 lb. per colony. The queens were laying from August, 1896, till May, 1898, the colonies strong all the time." Nosema seems to be prevalent in Australia. They have also a nameless disease somewhat akin, it would appear. Some writers, indeed, wrote as if they deemed the " D.T." and Nosema were one and the same. Quoting a case where 996 colonies had died out of 1783, I may have unwittingly used words attributing this to Nosema. Mr. Beuhne now points out that "no such pl'oof has been estab- lished." Blacks for Maine. — The American Bee Journal gives the following: "At our recent meeting of bee-keepers the ques- tion was asked. Which have you found the best bee, the black or Italian? Every- one who had tried them said the black or native bee was best. Let the Italians alone ! Are we crazy up here, or does locality make a difference?" So it seems that even in the States bee-keepers can find some good in the much-reviled blacks. Non-Swarming Again. — The same paper gives the "Allen" plan of non-swarming. It reads somewhat like our system of doubling or trebling as the bees increase, confining the queen, when swarming appears imminent, by excluder-zinc to the lower body filled with empty combs, with one comb in centre containing brood and the queen. In an article lately con- tributed to a farmers' annual I advised this plan for the busy farmer who can give little care or attention to his bees in the busy season. It requires a minimum of time with a maximum of surplus. Honey Selling. — This subject still en- grosses the attention of the Review, I think wisely. Many good bee-keepers are poor sellers, and the more tips we get about disposing of our produce the better. One of the articles advises a special brand, and the other uniform and medium instead of fancy prices. There is much in the "brand" idea; a good article adver- tises itself, and repeat orders come in year by year, with a tendency to increase annually. Notices to Correspondents. R. W. (Rutherglen). — Foul Brood and Disinfection. — As you only repeat what you stated on page 8 of B.B.J., with- out bringing any further evidence to bear on the matter, no benefit would ensue by continuing the discussion. You say that the MacEvoy treatment does not include disinfection. You are right with regard to the treatment per se as recommended by MacEvoy, but Mr. Macdonald was alluding to the treat- ment in New Zealand, and he is there- fore right in saying this included dis- infection. Whether it is carried out in every case and by every inspector is irrelevant. There is no use quibbling over what was meant by either party, for it is quite clear ; therefore no use- ful purpose can be served by repetition. If you have any fresh evidence to bring forward to show that disinfection is not necessary we shall be pleased to have it, and it can be discussed on its merits. S. L. H. (Walthamstow). — Wintering Driven Bees. — It will be wise to give them candy. It should be put over the feed-hole in quilt, choosing a fine, warm day for the operation. Honey Samples. C. R. C. (Tooting).— The sample is a very nice lime-honey. W. G. (Lanes.). — The flavour, aroma, and colour of your honey are very good. If you can get honey like this you ought to do well with your bees. We are pleased to have been of service to you. H. W. B. (Holbeach). — The honey is from lime-trees, which has a strong distinc- tive flavour not always liked by those unaccustomed to it. We consider it a good sample. Suspected Disease. H. G. G. (Farnborough). — The bees have died from " Isle of Wight disease." Baldea (Lanes.). — 1. Bees are affected with "Isle of Wight disease." 2. Wintering with glass quilts over the frames is not a good practice, as it does not allow of sufficient ventilation. 0. C. W. (Cornwall).— 1. No. 1 comb is infected with foul brood. 2. The other combs contain adult bees which have died from starvation. This is readily seen by the numbers dead head down- wards in the cells. 3. The bees in boxes have died from " Isle of Wight disease." J. T. (Barnoldswick). — From your de- scription, the bees may be suffering from "Isle of Wight disease." If you send us a few of the bees we will ex- amine them; also please say where the driven bees were obtained. Feb. 2, 1011.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 41 Editorial, Notices, &c. PROMINENT BEE-KEEPERS. MR. r. W. L. SLADEX, F.E.S. Mr. Frederick William Lambart Sladen, of Ripple Court Apiary, near Dover, whose portrait we have pleasure in presenting to our readers, and who is known as the originator and breeder of the "British Golden" bees, was born on May 30, 1876, at Shooter's Hill, Blackheath. He is the son of liieut. -Colonel J. Sladen, R.A., and his mother, Lady Sarah Sladen, is a daughter of the eighth Earl of Cavan. He was privately educated, commenced bee-keep- acquaintance with the subject far beyond his years, which gave promise that if he took up bee-keeping he would some day rise to prominence. He did become in- terested in the science, and visited India in the winter of 1896-7 to investigate the honey-bees of that country. He found Apis dorsata and A. floica useless for domestication, but brought home alive a queen of the Himalaya honey-bee. On his return from India he decided to take up bee-keeping as his calling, and went in for honey-production on a large scale. Finding English-Italian hybrids to be larger honey-producers than native blacks, he decided to breed them for sale. Close observation, with a study of the laws of heredity and the work of breeders MR. r. W. L. SLADEN, F.E. ing at the age of thirteen, and soon after he began to study wild bees, especially the humble-bee. Our attention was first drawn to Mr. Sladen in 1892, when we saw in the daily papers a notice of a small book of forty pages written by a " young naturalist," and entitled " The Humble-Bee." We sent for the book, and were much gratified by its perusal, as it was perfectly unique, inasmuch as it was altogether the production of the author, not only the writing and illustrations, but the printing (by stylography) and the binding. Although Mr. Sladen was only sixteen years of age, in this work, written from actual investigation, he showed an of other animals, as well as of plants, led him to the conclusion that a distinct breed of bee selected for tlie production of honey in the English climate should be superior to the Italian for crossing with the English bee. The great diffi- culty of producing and maintaining such a breed in England, where isolation is unobtainable, Mr. Sladen overcame by the aid of a distinctive colour, obtained by cross-breeding his hybrids with American Goldens, and the new variety was intro- duced under the name of " British Goldens." This variety is now bred in its purity year by year in Ripple Court Apiary, the present generation (1910) 42 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Feb. 2, 1911. being the result of selection strictly car- ried out through eight successive genera- tions, and shows many qualities not possessed by foreign bees. " British Goldens " have proved a success in spite of much criticism from those who hold the opinion that there can be no better bee for the British climate than the native black, and also from advocates and breeders of "three-banded" Italians. Mr. Sladen believes that for progress in bee-breeding jn^i'ity of stock is essential, and has shown that three-banded bees — even the brightest — are indistinguishable from hybrids, so that it is as impossible to breed in England a pure three-banded race distinct from the ordinary bee as it is to breed a distinct pure black race. As a matter of fact, "British Goldens" are the only yellow bees bred in England without reinforcement with foreign blood. A year ago Mr. Sladen published in the B.B.J. (Deceml)er 9, 1909, page 482 et .sfy.) an account of his bee-breeding work, giving figures which not only prove the truth of his claim that he has suc- ceeded in breeding bees by selection, but show how he has done it. He has thus worked out a system of queen-rearing which under the trying conditions -of the British climate produces thoroughly well- developed queens, and has invented several appliances for use therewith. In 1901 he discovered the function of Nassanoff's organ, a membrane situated at the base of the sixth dorsal segment of the worker-bee. Mr. Sladen found that the bee, in her joy at finding herself unexpectedly in the vicinity of her home, exposes the membrane and emits from it a pungent odour, which attracts other bees searching for the hive, thus saving much loss of bee-life (see B.B.J. , vol. xxix., page 142). In the autumn of 1901 he made a tour in America, visiting the A. I. Root Company's establishment and several prominent bee-keepers, including Doolittle, Benton, Pratt, and Captain Hetherington. In 1902 Mr. Sladen married Miss Violet Barton, daughter of Captain C. R. Barton, D.L., of Pettigo, Co. Fermanagh, Ireland, and has two sons. He ha.«! gained several first prizes from the B.B.K.A. for scientific exhibits con- nected with bee-keeping. Mr. Sladen has also successfully shipped both " British Goldens " and queens of foreign races to India, Ceylon, Java, Uganda, Pretoria, and the Seychelles, and has also been suc- cessful in sending humble-bees to New Zealand. With regard to the latter, it may be noted in passing that Bomhus tf'rrrsfris and B. riulrrnfus were intro- duced into New Zealand as a result of shipments made in November and Decem- ber. 1884, by Messrs. Nottidge, Dunning, and Baldwin. B. tcrrrsfiift having been found to injure the flowers by biting holes in them, Mr. Sladen was asked to ship other species to compete with it. His shipments made in 1905 and 1906 consisted largely of B. lapidarivs. He was fortunate in having a loss by death on the voyage of only about 40 jier cent, of the queens, the 1884 shipments having sustained a loss of about 80 per cent. Mr. Sladen has been for some years a contributor to the B.B.J. , and wrote a series of articles on "Our Wild Bees," his writings being frequently illustrated by himself. His work on "Queen-Rear- ing in England " originally appeared in the B.B.J, in March and A'pril, 1904, and was published in book form in 1905. A German edition, translated by Pastor Straiili, appeared recently. He has also contributed the " Hymenoptera of Kent " to the "Victoria History of the Counties of England," and has worked out the life- history of Psifhi/rus and added to the knowledge of Brntihus. We hope that Mr. Sladen may long be sjDared to continue the useful systematic work that he has undertaken, Avhich must result in great benefit to the industry. REVIEW. Tergleichende Untersiichiingen iiher das Gehirn der Honighiene. By C. N. Jonescu (published by Gustav Fischer, Jena. Price 40 marks — £1 19s. 6d.). — In this monograph, which is published in the Jenaische Zi'itschiifi fiir yatuncissen- schaft, C. N. Jonescu, after reviewing the work of previous investigators, gives a detailed account of the complex brain of the honey-bee. This, as is known, varies in the three bees, the brain of the queen being the smallest and that of the worker the largest. In the drone, which has a very large head, the optic lobes are large, but the actual brain is no larger than that of the worker. The author describes the origin of the various nerves proceeding from the brain, and shoAvs that the " jDedunculated bodies" {pilzhvt- fonn'u/cn Kiiiper) described by Dujardin in 1850, and which he thought were tht» seat of intelligence, with which tlm author agrees, differed in size in the dif- ferent bees. They are smaller in the queen and drone than in the worker, those of the drone being relatively the smallest. The optic lobe is a lateral ex- tension of the procerebrum, and consists of an outer cell-layer and an inner sub- divided fibrous mass. The position of the brain in the head varies in the different l)ees, as may be seen by the sections giv^en to illustrate the fact. In the drone the Itrain is close up to the front of the head, and in this position it gives room ff)i- the development of the compound Feb. 2, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 43 eyes, the ocelli occupying quite a dif- ferent position from what they do in either the queen or worker. The author thinks that the ocelli of the drone serve the pur- pose of enabling him to follow closely the queen in her wedding-flight, and he agrees with Biittel-Reepen as to these simple eyes being used for near vision. The deutocerebrum is next fully described, and the nerves proceeding from it minutely traced. These are in connec- tion with the antennte, which the author shows to be highly-specialised sensory organs. He also agrees with Biittel- Reepen, who has shoAvn that bees have a very keen sense of sight and hearing. The antennal ganglia vary in the dif- ferent bees, and are smaller in the queen than in either drone or worker, which are nearly equal in size, although the inner structure shows a remarkable difference, it being less complex in the drone than it is in the worker, showing that the sen- sory organs are not nearly so highly de- veloped in the former as in the latter. The sense of smell also is very highly de- veloped in the woi'ker, which has to dis- criminate between the odour of the brood- nest and of wax, blossoms, and honey, although in the case of flowers sight helps in their discovery. Probably also the dis- tinctive odours of the larvae and chrysalids have to be taken into con- sideration. M. Jonescu concludes by say- ing that although we cannot accurately ascribe all the complex organisms of the brain to certain functions, the differences in the brain of the drone, worker, and queen clearly show that they are adapted for different uses in each. The work is profusely illustrated, there being four folding plates containing forty-five illus- trations, many of tliem series of micro- tome sections, besides thirteen figures in the text, which consists of seventy-five closely-printed pages. It is a Mork which anyone studying the brain of the bee should consult, as the author, with the improved appliances at his command, has been able to go further into the subject than previous investigators. B.B.K.A. LIBRARY. The following books have been pre- sented to the Library by Mr. T. W. Cowan: — " The Honey-Bee," by E. Bevan, M.D. (1827); "Bees and Bee-keeping," by F. R. Cheshire, vol. 2 (1887); "Bees- wax," by J. Dennler (1889) ; " Bier og Honning," by H. Hovind and E. Hansen (1894) ; " Die Ras.senzucht der Scliweitzer Imker," by Dr. V. Kramer (1908); " Wintering Bees." by T. W. Cowan, third ed'ition QSSG) ; "Doubling and Storifying," bv T. W. Cowan (1887): " Fiirer i Biavl efter," by T. W. Cowan and H. Eisler (1887) ; " Ronkovodeetel Angliskavo Ptschelovoda," by T. W. Cowan and A. Zoubareff (1887); ditto, second edition (1890); '-La Cire," by T. W. Cowan, translated by E. Bertrand (1911); "Die Honigbiene," by T. . W. Cowan and C. J. H. Gravenhorst' (1891) ; " Fiihrer des Englischen Bienenziichters," by T. W. Cowan and Tony Kellen (1891); and "Handleiding bij de Moderne Bijenteelt," by T. AV. Cowan and G. F. W. Kehrer (1903).— W. Herrod, Secretary. EARLY POLLEN-GATHERING. Owing to the mildness of the weather, crocuses and other spring flowers are now in bloom, and last Saturday (January 28) our bees in Somersetshire were returning to their hives laden with pollen. Al- though they have recently had several cleansing-flights, this is the first time this year that we have noticed the bees collecting pollen. AMONG THE BEES. THE P.iSSING OF THE SKEP. By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. Recently several correspondents con- demned the use of the skep in testing- candidates for experts' certificates. As these are obtained with the intention of advancing modern apiculture, I confess to a considerable degree of sympathy with the contention that they are a thing of the past and out of place in this twen- tieth century of ours. The "Guide Book" describes the skep as "steadily dying out," and affirms that the frame-hive is " indispensable to profit- able apiculture." " Modern Bee-keep- ing," published for the B.B.K.A., in- forms us that " the Association is labour- ing for the introduction of the frame-hive among all classes of bee-keepers," and as a corollary for the suppression of the skep. That is as it should be. None of the numerous " Homes of the Honey-Bee " which have appeared in the B.B.J. has consisted of skeps, and when a sample of this nearly obsolete receptacle has appeared it has been relegated to some quiet, obscure corner, showing that in the higher walks of the cult skeps have ceased to be favoured. No jorizes are awarded to them in any leading show, and they bulk little, if at "all, in dealers' catalogues. In this country a beginner never thinks of start- ing with skeps. Yet we all know they still remain prime favourites with many keepers of bees. They cling to this old-fashioned hive as if it were part of our institutions. Their 44 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Feb. 2, 1911. forefathers kept bees in them, and they go on keeping them. Why? One can give no reason. A second has been taught bees are more comfortable in straw homes. A third be- lieves they require less management. Lastly, many hold that the start and sub- sequent outlay is less than with frame- hives. Time is the only cure for the first class. The Grim Reaper will gradually eliminate them. Bees kept in any good "W.B.C." hive can be kept as Avarm and comfortable as in any straAv hive, in spite of the claims of Class 2. Ventilation can be as perfect, and as the brood-nests can be enlarged or contracted they have an immense advantage. AVith the third class, who believe in the sealed book of the straw skep, "management" is at a dis- count. It consists in running in a swarm, letting the bees work their own sweet will, and appropriating their hard-won spoils after cruelly consigning the denizens to the nauseous sulphur-pit. The frame- hive, on the contrary, is an open book, from whose pages we can read the life- history of the inhabitants, and as all is manifest before our eyes we can right what is wrong. There remains, therefore, only the fourth reason — expense — to justify even the existence of the straw hive. If I can show, as I mean to do, that the fancied cheapness exists only in the imagination, I shall have put in a strong plea for the passinr/ of the skep into the limbo of forgetfulness. I hold strongly that the only fit place for them in a modern apiary is in the bee-museum ! In the "Practical Note-book" will be found an illustration and full directions for making a cheap hive constructed from used boxes. The hive consists of a stand, floorboard, outer case, brood-chamber, lift, and roof. As full working instruc- tions are given, anyone who can handle tools can have' a comfortable hive, all but the frames, for the low figure of Is. Id. ! Where can a good straw skep be pur- chased for the money? The " Goodall " hive illustrated on page 366, vol. XXV., is made for 2s. 6d., and is described as " a perfect hive, suitable for any purpose." It is constructed of bacon-boxes, and the "inventor" con- siders it " equally suitable for the gentle- man's garden and for that of the cot- tager," and for the latter procurable at the cost of the honoured skep. The " Tomlinson " hive shown on page5, vol. xxxii., looks a solid structure, and the cost is only Is. 3d. These were made from specified boxes, amongst them Ceylon tea boxes. A Northern bee-keeper some time ago wrote me favourably in regai-d to his " tea-box hives." Recently I discovered a first-class cheap hive made from empty dynamite-cases, and I was so much taken with it that I had one sent to me for showing off as a model hive for any who may henceforth start bee-keeping on modern lines. Readers will remember seeing the neat apiary shown on page 467 of our last volume, belonging to Mr. James Henry, Egremont, Cumberland. The hive is a true "AV.B.C," and con- sists of (a) stand, (6) floorboard, {c) en- trance-slides, (c/) outer body, (e) inner body-box, (/) shallow-frame box, (g) two section-racks, (li) two lifts, (i) roof, (j) two dummies, with a second brood- chamber for doubling. The Avorkmanship does Mr. Henry infinite credit, and stands favourable comparison when his hive is placed alongside some appliance dealers' specimen hives. When such a sjjlendid hive can be made at a charge of under 2s. for materials, nobody need start bee-keeping with such an out-of [4076.] Spring Feetiiiuj—lie-qurt'tiiruj. — 1. I have 3 pints of syrup left over from the autumn. How much water will be required to make same suitable for spring feeding? 2. Do you recommend Mr. Simmins's system of rapid feeding for the spring? 3. Which do you think most effective when driving bees — the ordinary smoker or the carbolic solution? 4. One of my hives contains a 1909 queen. If a swarm issues, and I kill the queen and then return the swarm to the hive, would that not answer the purpose of re- queening with a young queen? To my mind, it appears an easy and safe way to re-queen one's stocks. What is there against it ? Is it not possible for you to devote a column in the good old B.B.J. giving weekly advice to beginners, &c., such as what to do each week throughout the season ? It would be a great help to beginners and interesting to one and all, as there would sure to be several little hints the "old hands" could pick up and take advantage of. — J. S. W., Suffolk. Reply. — 1. Add | pint of water, and the syrup will be fit for spring food. 2. No, slow feeding is best. 3. We prefer to use the smoker. 4. Your plan is an easy one so far as re-queening only is concerned, but it spoils the stock for honey-getting. A much Ijetter method would be to make a nucleus when queen-cells are built. This would check swarming, and you could give the stock a young queen by uniting the nucleus to it as soon as the honey-flow is over. We tliank you for your suggestion, and had already decided to do something of the kind this year, as we quite agree it would be helpful to beginners. [4077.] Pollen-mites. — I am sending you some pollen shaken out of combs put away last autumn, but not sterilised, and you will see that the jjollen is full of little insects something like cheese-mites. They do not appear to be destroying the comb, but only tlie pollen in it. Do you consider that they would be injurious if the combs were given to the bees as they are, or woidd the bees destroy the in- sects? Is it usual for pollen in combs to be so infested? I am much interested in "D. M. M.'s" reference (January 19, page 24) to embedding wires by an electric current, and should be glad if he could tell me through the B.B.J, how a current of 110 volts from a dynamo for lighting purposes could be utilised for doing the work.— W. A. C. Reply. — The creature you mention is the ordinary pollen-mite. If much in- fested, it would be best to melt the combs down. If the mites are few in number, jar the combs slightly flatwise to knock out all the dust you can, after which they can be used again. [4078.] Bees Di/ing in W fU-provisioned Hive. — I only began bee-keeping last year, and am much in want of advice. I should be very glad if you could tell me why these bees which I enclose have died. They were in a large box, 13 in. deep and 12i in. square (inside measurement), with old black combs, and were put to transfer themselves over a '' W. B.C. "body-box, with frames and foundation, in May, 1910. The bees did not draw out any of the founda- tion until late in the summer — August, I think. I then drove the bees and put them below with a queen-excluder and a quilt, with a hole for passage in the latter about 3 in. square. In September I found bees and eggs in both the frames and in the upper box, so I concluded there were two queens. I fed the bees during the end of September and in October with good cane syrup. To-day, on looking at the hives, they all seemed very lively except this one, which had no sign or sound of life, so I ojDened it. I found a large heap of bees dead on the floorboard and swarming with living- maggots, a few bees dead in the frames, and a few dead in the upper box. There are plenty of sealed stores in upper box all along the top — quite enough to last till May, I should think ; so the bees are not starved, unless the stores were too far away from the cluster. My idea is that there were two queens, and that the bees fought and became so reduced in number that they were not warm enough in such a large space. They were not well packed, as it was difficidt to wrap up the upper box ; the lower one had plenty of quilts. I shall be deeply grateful for help and advice in this matter of diag- nosis ; also if you could tell me what use I can make of the combs with honey. Can I use them for feeding in any way? Is there danger of infection of any sort? I have never seen foul brood, but there are no eggs a nj- where in any part of the hive. — Theodosi.\, Millbrook. Reply. — The bees have died from starvation, the stores being too far away for them to reach. You can use the combs containing food in other hives with safety. [4079.] Spirij/ing Fniit-tiees and Bees. — I wish to ask the following question, and shall be glad to have an answer in the B.B.J, in due course : If Paris green in an insecticide is used on fruit-trees before the flower-buds burst, is it liable to poison bees when visiting the flowers later? — F. A. A., Warminster. Reply. — If used before the flowers open, insecticides will not injure the bees. [4080.] Best Bee' for Out-apiari/. — A swarm of bees alighted in my 48 THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. [Feb. 2, 1911. garden last June, and never having seen such a thing before in my life, with the assistance of a friend I got them hived in a skep, consulted my newsagent, and subsequently became an ardent reader of the B.B.J., and have learnt all I know from same. 1 transferred the swarm to a bar-frame hive, and fed them up in the early part of September last, and they are doing well, for yesterday being a warm day, they were out for a cleansing-flight in hundreds. I hope to establish an out-apiary in the country, and, not knowing the best bee to stock it with, would be gratified to learn through the medium of your journal. — R. Pickett. Reply. — Ordinary British bees are most suitable for this country. CAPPINGS OF COMB BY L. S. CRAWSHAW, NORTON, MALTON, Y0RK8. Foul Brood in Belgium (page 4). — The title of this paragraph is something of a misnomer, as owing to the efforts of the bee-keepers foul brood is non-existent. I am unfamiliar with the history of the movement, but, reading between the lines, it appears that the bee-keepers were a law unto themselves in the matter, and prosecuted the work with such energy that a few years sufficed to free them from disease. Whether the Govern- ment assisted them with legislation as well as by grants is not actually stated, and it would be interesting to know. Also, whilst the whole of the associated mem- bers were insured for a trifling sum of 5d. per member, it is not stated whether compensation was paid to uninsured out- siders. Perhaps there were no outsiders. Without legislation, compensation of out- siders would almost necessarily follow, and fuller details of the scheme which effected such great results would be welcome. One thing is quite clear, and that is the co- ojjeration of those concerned enabled the community to rid itself in a short time of the menace and hindrance of foul brood — a result which would quickly repay whatever was expended upon com- pensation. Bee-notes from Germany (page 5). — This very interesting letter from Herr Linde leads one to hope that we may be privileged to have more from the same Sfjurce. The writer, however, seems to me to confuse the issue of protective tariffs with that of pure food laws, which is a pity. It is not clear hoAV the con- sumer (the English buyer?) pays the ex- port bonus on German sugar ; and Pro- tection, whatever its faults, can hardly, as he implies, assist the Chilian honey by raising its price! We in England get some of this honey, and, whilst it may do for manufacturing, it is not a good table- honey, and chemists, in my opinion, do harm to the sale of honey by retailing it. For it is not a help-yourself-again honey, and its low price discourages buyers from purcliTising a better variety. Only the other day I was given a good-looking honey, of soft granulation, whicli was undoubtedly a blend of West Indian honey and English clover honey. It was attractive in appearance, but had the unmistakable flavour of the Transatlantic honey. Yet the buyer had been given the impression that it was Norfolk honey, and had bought retail at 6d. a pound. How are we to compete with this class of trading? A TIeafher-honey Extractor (page 5). — I should like to see this machine. There seems to be a good deal of labour and care involved in the process, and it is doubtful whether it is worth while to adopt it when considering the lower price and reduced attractiveness of the ex- tracted product. Foul Brood Legislation (page 7). — Here is a letter from Mr. Isaac Hopkins, who is at least in a position to speak authori- tatively of the working of a Foul Brood Act. I do not think that he quite does justice to Mr. Samways' sincerity. But however that may be, it is interesting to note another contribution to those we recently had upon the subject. It will be noted that in no case where legislation has been tried has there been any allega- tion against the benefit derived. Yet in spite of all this practical testimony we are still in the stage of being obliged to expend ammunition upon bogeys. The worst of it is that these bogeys are occa- sionally erected by men of undoubted practical ability and common-sense. Granulated Honey (page 12). — I have sometimes wondered at the preference which is sliown for liquid honey. For my own part, I think that a good grade of granulated clover-honey leaves little to be desired, and poor grades are improved by granulation. I do not consider that the same applies to heather-honey, which is incomparable in the comb, but ordinary clover-honey of good white colour and fine granulation is delightful. Then, too, from the buyer's point of view, the keep- ing quality is rendered almost positive, whilst the liquid form can be obtained again at will. I should think that one of our chocolate-manufacturers might find a sale for granulated-honey chocolates. For the purpose of experiment in flavours, I have just tried a mixture of the two articles, and am only anxious to have the matter cliallenged in order to repeat the experiment ! Candy-making (page 15). — Those who t have difficulty with this expert product Feb. 2, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 49 are recommended to read Mr. Woodley's recipe, and to try again. I have not done so, but I am convinced that it will give good candy. There is often a de- cided difference in the proiwrtions of sugar and water in different recipes, but this is apparently compensated by the duration of boiling. Various sugars also seem to give slightly different results, and amateurs would do well to confine themselves to one variety. My recommendation is that recipes should be tried, and when you have found one which in your hands gives the best re- sults in the simplest way, post the pro- portions up where they cannot be mis- laid, and stick to it, for your candy will improve with experience. Generally speaking, all these recipes aim at a final result in which the sugar and water bear a definite proportion, and the tempera- ture at which the compound boils is a gauge of this. Recently the temperature was given officially in the B.B.J, as 235 deg. Fahr. Some years ago I made a number of exjieriments to determine this accurately, and I found that 238 deg. gave me the best results. The higher temperature gave a quicker granulation. This quickness of granula- tion is an important factor in securing a fine grain, and is part of the reason for stirring the candy in order to cool it as rapidly as possible. Starvation — a Warning (page 15) . — This is a timely word, and bee-keepers, whether beginners or otherwise, should act upon it, and not merely read it with a sage nodding of the head. For they cannot know definitely without an ex- amination just how their stocks are pro- gressing, whilst the best may need the earliest attention. We have had a kindly winter so far, and there have been so many good days upon which an examina- tion could be made that there is no excuse for ignorance. I have to-day (January 30) made the first quilt-turning inspec- tion, and found all stocks alive and well stored. The stocks packed up — two in a ten-frame hive — seem to be all right ; but in several cases I thought a cake of candy advisable, for there is no telling what sort of weather is in store for us. Curi- ously, I noticed that the syrup-stored stocks were well below their stores, whilst the heather-going stocks, though equally heavy, were up to the top bars. I shall need to keep an eye upon them. PRESS CUTTING. BEE-SUPEESTITIONS. Old bee-lore and picturescjue supersti- tions concerning bees yet linger in many out-of-the-way corners of the country. Thus the custom mentioned by Borlase (1769) that the Cornish bee-keepers used to invoke a spirit called Browny when their bees swarmed, to prevent the bees from returning to the former stand and to induce them to form a new colony, is said to be still not forgotten. In a Saxon MS. in Corpus Christi College, Oxford, there is an instruction to throw gravel over a swarm of bees in the air, using these words: "Set ye, my ladies, sink; sink ye to earth down. Never be so wild as to the wood to fly." During the past summer the writer's garden-lad, when pursuing a truant swarm, was advised by a cottager to use the same method, if not the same Avords. John Gay (died 1732) alludes to the very ancient superstition that if a swarm of bees clusters on dead wood it is an omen of death for the owner or his relatives ; it is also believed that such a swarm never produces honey to any value. Both these consequences are firmly credited by old-time skeppists to-day. One such recently told the writer that when bees are kept in frame-hives, and their surplus honey is taken away, they invariably go and rob their neigh- bours in order to make up the shortage ; his attitude to modern systems of bee- keeping was, therefore, distinctly un- friendly. The custom of "telling the bees " of weddings, christenings, funerals, and other important events in the family of the bee-master, and which forms the subject of a pathetic little poem by J. G. Whittier, is still observed in many cot- tage bee-gardens. A piece of crape, or a white favour, is fastened to each skep, or upon stakes before the entrances, and someone of the family moves up and down in front of the hives chanting the news, or else whispers it at the entrances, touching each with the door-key. The writer has seen twice, within recent years, skeps thus decorated with crape bows in remote villages in East Anglia. In some parts of Europe it is said to be usual to turn up the skeps as the funeral procession leaves the house for the church. Small pieces of wafer bread are sometimes placed in the hives to bring luck, and it is hailed almost as a miracle of reverence when the bees enclosed these morsels as it were in a shrine of wax. At wedding feasts long ago much mead or hydromel was drunk during the month succeeding the marriage, hence possibly the term "honeymoon." The aged road- mender, from whom the writer got his first bees, did not part with his skeps without some ceremonial, although a change in his circumstances prevented his keeping bees any longer. A small river separated the two dwellings, and he considered it un- lucky to cross running water with bees; however, as there was no other way, he brought them over on the eve of Old Christmas Day — an auspicious date. Sprinkling the new floorboards with a 50 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Eeb.2,1911. compound of sugar concocted by himself — to make the bees, as he said, feel at home — he then instructed the new owner to tap on each hive and say, " This is your new master." In his view, to take money for bees was unlucky, but he also had a conflicting theory that bees will not pros- per unless gold is paid for them. The latter course was folloAved, and the bees certainly prospered, but the old roadman shortly after was run over by a passing trajj. He was stone deaf, and was soon gathered to his fathers. A curious coin- cidence happened in the writer's j^resence during the funeral of a woman who for many years had been devoted to bee- keeping. When the body was being lowered into the ground a swarm of bees issued from one of the hives near at hand, which she had tended, and clus- tered on a bush close to the grave, although there were many trees near the hive. The swarm settled quietly, and did not disturb the service. — Daily Telegraph. Notices to Correspondents. F. J. N. (Wokingham). — "Preuss'" yon- sirarviing Method. — We do not know if this method has been tried in this country, but there is no reason why it sliould not do if the bee-keeper chooses to undertake all the work connected with it. The frames of the "Preuss" hive are 8| in. wide and 15 in. deep, and slide out from the back — a system which is not nearly so convenient as the one we adopt of lifting the frames from the top. The hives could contain from nine to twelve frames, and can be re- duced to any number by means of a sliding glass partition. Preuss's sys- tem has been improved by the "claus- tral " system of the Abbe Goutte- fangeas, which is applicable to our hives, and is described on page 50 of "Guide Book." The gist of the "Preuss" non-swarming principle was given on page 513 of B.B.J, for last year, so that it would be easy to try it. We would recommend you to get the book, which consists of over 250 pages and illustrates the hives and appli- ances used. E. M. M. (Tremeirchion). — Soft Candi/.- — The candy is very well made. Please note our change of address. W. G. A. (Elgin).— Df/mf/ Bees.-^The bees are evidently .suffering from in- ternal trouble, due probably to im- propei- food which they are unable to digest. Their stomachs are very much distended and filled with pollen-grains, most of which are undigested, small flakes of wax, hairs, and bacteria. 'These are presei.t in large numbers. Avhich was to be expected, as decom- j^osition had far advanced. Emigrant (Plymouth). — Bee-keeping in .iustraJia. — Bee-keeping is carried on extensively in Australia, though not on so large a scale as in the United States. This is due partly to the difl^erence in the quality of the bee-forage and partly to the climate. Then in America there is an excellent market close at hand, while the Australian bee-keej^ers have to export a large amount of their pro- duce at a very low price. Still, it is possible to make a living from bee- keej^ing in Australia, as several bee- keepers do so to our personal know- ledge. H. S. (Cheshire). — Bees Damaged in Transit. — If you can pi'ove that the damage was caused by carelessness on the part of the railway company's ser- vants, the company is liable. Beginner (Altofts). — Bees Dead in Hive. — The bee is a queen. The colony has evidently not been strong enough to maintain the warmth necessary, and died from cold. It will be quite safe to use the combs again. M. E. C. (Suffolk).— Foir/s and Bees.— The fowls will not injure the bees, but chickens are sometimes stung to death when allowed to run freely about the apiary. Suspected Disease. J. R. (Bagshot). — The bees have died from "Isle of Wight disease." On no account give the stores to other stocks. Every jirecaution should be taken to prevent the disease spreading. C. C. (Swansea). — -We are sorry to have to confirm your suspicions as to cause of death of bees, as they are affected with "Isle of Wight disease." On no account use the combs again ; burn them, together with quilts and all internal fit- tings of the hive, and well disinfect the latter before using again. H. S. (Cheshire).— 1. The honey in the box had made the bees so wet and in such a messy condition that it was im- possible to examine them. 2. There is no scheme of insurance against disease in this country. E. J. S. (Kew). — Unfortunately, your surmise is correct, and what you pro- pose to do will be the wisest course to take. If you can change the site, so much the better ; but if this is not con- venient a good dressing of chloride of lime will make the risk less. Anxious (Surrey), J. M. M. (Fife), Wevside (Hants), K. B. (Surrey), H. S. (Cheshire), Anxious (Woodford Green), and H. J. U. (Kent).— We regret to say that the bees sent are affected with " Isle of Wight disease." Feb. 9, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. 51 Editorial, Notices, &c. REVIEWS OF FOREIGN BEE JOURNALS. By " Nemo." The Bacon Beetle as an Enemy. — A. Hol- feld, writing in " Deutsche Imker aus Boh- men," warns bee-keepers of the harm that Dermestes lardarius (the bacon beetle) causes sometimes in hives. He says that he has not seen this beetle mentioned as an enemy of bees in any bee book, nor has he noticed any allusion to it in bee papers. For this reason he thinks it is necessary to call atten- tion to it, so that the bee-keeper may recog- nise and be on his guard against it. Der- mestes lardarius is 5-16ths of an inch long, and has elytra with a broad brownish-grey band, straight, short-clubbed antennas of eleven joints, the club occupying three ; the head is small and retractile ; the hind coxae are expanded and flattened, the tarsi five- jointed and the elytra covering the abdomen, giving it a cylindrical appearance. Like their relatives of the same genus these beetles are able to simulate death on being frightened. With bent head, closely pressed antenna, and retracted legs, the beetle lies for a long time after it has been disturbed, pretending to be dead. The larva is as long again as the beetle, with leathery plates on the upper side, which is clothed with long erect scattered hairs ; and there is a pair of short spines on the last segment, which has also a fleshy protuberance on the under side. It casts its skin four times between May and September, and the dry cast skins of this larva may frequently be seen among the debris of brown dust. The chrysalis is white in front and brown behind, and if disturbed becomes very agitated. The full gi'own beetle emerges in September. These creatures are not particular as to food : they attack any kind of animal substance and are particularly partial to natural history specimens. They are also partial to old combs, feeding on the cast larval skins, and are particularly fond of sealed pollen. As the larvjB, as well as the beetles, frequently change their places, it is difficult to find them on the combs, and the best way to dis- lodge them is to rap on the frames, when the disturbance causes them to counterfeit death, and they drop down. They do not care for new combs, but old ones are very soon destroyed by them. Owing to their hard skins, bees are not able to sting them or get rid of them. We have amplified the description given in the German paper, be- cause we have on several occasions had these larvce sent up for identification. Judicious Protection of Hives. — We are told in the " Rucher Beige" that in February there ought logically to be a softening of the winter temperature, but the weather very often is rigorous and damp. Everyone will, naturally, at such times be anxious about his colonies, and take precautions that the bees may be able to keep up the proper temperature in the hive. However, in tnis great judgment must be exercised. It is most important that the vital caloric be preserved. Of their own accord the bees have drawn together and clustered, in such a way that all the members of the colony enjoy an even temperature. It must not be forgotten than an excess of heat is very injurious to bees from several points of view. First of all, contrary to the opinion expressed sometimes, the bee is not a southern insect which has been acclimatised in our temperate regions. Her physical con- stitution is adapted to our changeable weather, and she is drowsy during winter. She appears to suspend social life, which is so proverbially active in summer, and also partly her animal life. In fact, is it well known that the intestine can retain for a month or two the excrements and residues of digestion, which are at such times much reduced, in order to evacuate them in the spring, or when a fine day enables the bees to go out for a cleansing flight. The results of scientific observations have shown that the temperature of a hive may not rise higher than 47 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is even desirable that in winter this tem- perature should not be exceeded. Bees fear cold, for as soon as the temperature rises they are eager to come out, and we know with what disastrous results. Supposing the hive is too small, by being reduced with division boards, the population very strong, the sides of the hive very thick, and the coverings excessive. When the temperature inside the hive rises from 60 t-o 67 degrees, while that outside is only 39 degrees, it is evident that the bees which fly out owing to the warmth inside, would inevitably be lost. From this it will be gathered that a high temperature in the hive is dangerous, and if bees are noticed to be disturbed by too much covering, some of it should be removed, to induce the bees to remain in- doors. Bee Flowers. — Besides the ordinary flowers which are indigenous to a district the " Deutsche lUustrierte Bienenzeitung " recommends sowing seeds of various exotic species, which are much visited by bees, and which should be sown during favourable weather in the spring. The annuals can be sown on the spot where they are to flower, and ' the perennials should be transplanted in the autumn. The seeds recommended are : Agrostemma coeli-rosa (rose of heaven), Asperula azurea (blue woodruff), Calendula officinalis (pot marigold). Campanula specu- lum (Venus' s looking-glass), CoUinsia bicolor (two-coloured Collins's flower), Dracocepha- lum Moldavica (Moldavian dragon's head), Eschscholtzia Californica (Californian poppy), and Iberis amara (bitter candy-tuft). For sandy soils Lupinus hybridus (lupins) of various colours, and Nemophila insignis (Californian bluebell), as both flower for a considerable time and furnish plenty of nectar. The bees also work assiduously on Nigella (fennel-flower), and revel in poppies, from which they return covered with pollen. Especially fond are they of mignonette. Among the sages those recommended are Salvia coccinea (scarlet-flowered), S. hor- minum (red-topped), S. pratensis (meadow clary), S. verticillata (whorled blue-flowered). 52 THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. [Feb. 9, 1911. All these flowers in a favourable season are much visited by bees, and are worth plant- ing. CUMBEELAND B.K.A. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual general meeting of the above Association was held in the Parish Eoom, Egremont, on Saturday, the 21st January. Mr. James Henry occupied the chair. The report and balance sheet for the past year were presented, which stated that 1910 must be considered the best year they had had for many years, from the bee-keepers' point of view. Although the season could not be considered a first-class one, yet in many districcs results were obtained surpassing any of late years, both as regards quantity and quality of the honey secured, and aver- age takes of 100 lb. per hive were re- corded. The heather harvest was again a disappointment, owing to con- tinuous rain during the best part of August and September, when the hea- ther was in bloom. Only those who had well-prepared colonies placed on the moors very early in August secured any surplus. Honey dew was entirely absent during the whole of the season. There has again been a satisfactory in- crease of membership, 107 new mem- bers having joined in the last twelve months. This increase is principally in Westmorland, where new districts have been visited. The balance sheet showed on the re- ceipt side that subscriptions had been received to the amount of £111 6s., Cumberland County Council grant, £100; Westmorland County Council grant, £10, but there was a deficit balance of £18 5s. 6d. on the year's woi-king. The Council hope that all members who can will do their best to help in clearing off this deficit during the current year. Mr. Mitchell proposed, and Mr. Simp- son seconded, the adoption of the report and statement of accounts, which was carried. On the proposition of Mr. T. Hartley, seconded by Mr. Mitchell, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the members of the Council and all officers for their services during the past year. Lord Muncaster was re-elected presi- dent of the Association, and the vice- presidents were re-elected with the ex ception of Colonel Blackett, and the ad- ditions were Dr. Amott (chairman of committee), Mr. Bermair, and Mr. Ecroyd. The committee were also given power to add to their number. The Council were re-appointed, after three names had been omitted, and the vacancies were filled by Father Berke- ley, Mr. John Allsopp, and Mr. J. W. Nelson. Mr. G. W. Avery was unanimously re-elected hon. sec. and treasurer. The hon. auditor (re-elected) was Mr. J. B. Millican, of the Carlisle and Cum- berland Bank. In bringing up the proposal to alter the name of the Association to "The Cumberland and Westmorland Bee- keepers' Association," it was said if this was carried out they could not use any of the £100 grant from the Cumberland Council for the expenses in Westmor- land, and the sister council must have the whole of their expenses. There might be a possibility of the Westmor- land County Council repeating their grant of £10 to help the Association on. Mr. T. Hartley moved that the sister county be joined with the name of the Association, and that separate accounts of each county's workings be kept. Mr. Satterthwaite seconded, and it was carried. It was decided, after discussion, to again become affiliated with the British Bee-keepers' Association. Next year's meeting was fixed to take place at Keswick.- — G. Avery, Hon. Sec. HOMES OF THE HONEY-BEE. THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS. Mr. W. J. Woolley, one of whose apiaries is seen below, is another trades- man bee-keeper who has "tacked" on the pursuit to his ordinary occupation, which in this case is that of a fruiterer and confectioner. Therefore, the prob- lem of how to dispose of his honey crop presents no difficidties to him, for, according to his own account, he can easily sell all the honey his bees produce through ordinary. Feb. 9, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. 53 business channels, and sometimes has to supplement the supply by buying from other bee-keepers less for- tunately placed with regard to a honey market. In the following notes written to accompany the picture, Mr. Woolley says: "I started bee-keeping in 1905, with two stocks, principally because I had an acre of land on which I grew straw- berries and other small fruits, which I disposed of at my own shop in the town. I thought I could sell honey direct to my customers also, if I was able to get any. Since then I have gradually in- creased till I have now seventeen stocks at my home apiary at Evesham, stock and burnt the lot. When I com- menced bee-keeping, I made up my mind to master the subject thoroughly, so I started taking in four or five bee papers, joined the county association, bought the "Guide Book," and got practical advice and help from the as- sociation expert In 1909 I entered for the third-class certificate myself, and passed, and last year I was expert lo the Worcestershire Bee-Keepers' As- sociation, South Evesham district. 1 have never regretted going in for the hobby, as I find it interesting and profit- able. I make nearly all my own hives during winter-time, and they hold thir- teen or fourteen frames. This district is MR. W. J. WOOLLEYj JUNR. S APIARY, EVESHAM, WORCESTERSHIRE. and six at an out-apiary six miles away. 1 can easily sell all the honey I can get, at Is. per lb., and last year I had to buy a considerable quantity, besides my own, in order to supply my customers. Last season, my average per hive was only 15 lb., but in other years I have generally taken an average of 40 lb. My best "take" of honey was 73 lb., the produce of one stock, the queen of which I bought through an advertisement in the Bee Journ.^l for Is. 6d. Unfor- tunately, they were the worst tempered bees I ever handled. I have had prac- tical experience of foul brood through the bees belonging to a neighbour hav- ing it, and the owner taking no trouble to cure them year after year. At last. in desperation, I bought the diseased fairly early through scores of acres of wallflowers being grown, which supply plenty of early pollen. This causes the bees to build up quickly. The honey is from mixed sources, apple and plum blossom, beans, etc. The clover honey comes on after the apples have finished blooming. I have been fairly successful at local shows, and took five first and one second prize last year, but the local honey is rather dark, through being gathered from mixed sources. Of course, I have had my share of stings, and in my first year of bee-keeping, I well re- member having to stop indoors for three days, because my face was not fit to be seen. I had thirteen stings round my eyes. But stings rarely take any effect upon me now." 54 THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. [Feb. 9, 1911. Correspondence. The Editors do not hold theynselves 7-esponsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents. No notice will be taken by anonymous com- municalions, and correspondents are requeste i to tV7'ite 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. Illustrations should be drawn on sevarate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected conimunAcations , NOTES BY THE WAY. [8042.] An old Wessex saying is that if the sun shines before 12 o'clock on Candle- mas day winter is not half over. On Feb- ruary 2nd, the weather was dull throughout the whole day hereabouts, but as to the extent of winter weather to come I ex- press no opinion. On Saturday, January 28th, we had a beautiful day, more like May 01 June than January, every hive in the home apiary was in full force, some gather- ing natural pollen, and after lunch I ran the car up to my out apiary and found every stock alive and on the wing in goodly numbers. Many of the cakes of candy given at the end of November were nearly cleared up, so candy making had to be started again, so that a further supply may be given as soon as that now on the hives is nearing its end. Isle of Wight Bee Disease. — I am very sorry to see so many replies to correspon- dents in B.B.J. , saying their bees have died from this insidious malady. How is the disease disseminated so far and wide? If it is produced by a specific germ, surely, in some cases the source of infection can be traced, and some reason given for the out- break in such widely divided districts as Kent, Swansea and Fife (N.B.). Again, if this disease is of a dysenteric nature have our agriculturists or horticulturists intro- duced any new plant in recent years from which bees have gathered pollen that is harmful? It seems almost like a plague in wiping out colonies and frequently whole apiaries in a short space of time. Would the spraying of fruit trees and fields of charlock with Paris Green or London Purple account for the outbreak if the bees col- lected and stored poisoned pollen. If so, bee-keeping stands a chance of being wiped out in this scientific utilitarian age. But farmers and horticulturists and fruit growers will also suffer most disastrously if thei'e is a lack of such valuable pollinating agents as bees. Anent the straw skep as a honey producer, I may say that the finest and heaviest bell-glass of comb honey I ever saw was exhibited at a flower and honey show at Wantage, Berks (the birthplace of King Alfred), under the auspices of the Berks B.K. Association, in 1880 or 1881. It weighed 94 or 96 lbs. net. Since that time I myself have worked some extra fine bell- glass supers of between 80 to 90 lb. each, but I never reached the weight of the one stored on the now despised straw skep. Fifty years ago nearly every cottager and every farmer kept bees in this district. Now I know of two farmers only who keep bees, and one of these apiaries is catalogued for sale this month. The cottager bee- keepers can be counted on the fingers of one hand in two or three villages. In saying this I am not disparaging the modern frame hive system, as I have proved its benefits myself, but I know the cottagers' capabili- ties, and except in a few instances the frame hive is beyond his management, whereas in the times gone by four or five skeps in a good season would produce enough to pay the rent. — W\ Woodley, Bee- don, Newbury. SOUTHERN SNATCHES DRONE V. WORKER CELLS IN THE SUPER. [8043.] Mr. MacDonald, on p. 494, B.B.J. (December 15th, vol. XXXVIII. ), com- menting on drone comb in sections, expresses the opinion that it has no advantages but many disadvantages when used for supers. After two seasons' trial I am more than convinced that Mr. MacDonald is right, and I have a worse charge against it than any he has brought forward. I do not know if it is a peculiarity of our South African bee or not, but I have found that unless the drone foundation is given during a " flow " my bees make a regular mess of it. When honey is plentiful it is drawn out and well filled, having a "plump" appearance, but not the nice even capping of the "worker" foundation, and it is certainly not "in it" for the show bench When the honey "flow" is at an end, any foundation not already drawn out is simply spoiled for anything except the wax extractor. The bees seem to think they have quite enough drone comb, and endeavour to convert it into worker on the same base, and the result is indeed curious in the extreme. In a whole sheet there may not be a perfect shaped cell, either drone or worker, and not quite half have honey stored in them. The tops of the cells are of every conceivable shape, be- ing narrowed down at the top to about the size of worker cells there is naturally a void space between each cell. This is sealed over, and mostly of a triangle shape, but both shape and size varies considerably, as does also the neighbouring cell, which the bees, with futile efforts, try to shape to the natural form. My experiments were confined entirely to shallow frame super foundation. I can assign no reason for the bees working it when honey was coming in plentifully, and treating it as explained when honey was scarce, but no doubt they were actuated by the golden rule of "making hay while the sun shines," and had no time to give way to the natural impulse of cur- tailing the amount of drone comb to their actual needs. The above results have been obtained in every instance in which the foundation was used, and I should like to know if any other readers of the B.B.J. have had a similar experience. Apart from this, I don't think there is much gain either to the bees or the bee-keeper in using drone foundation for sections. The walls of the Feb. 9, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. 55 cells are certainly heavier, and this must counteract the advantage gained in having fewer to build, and in the case of extract- ing frames, there can be no benefit at all only in the first instance, as after the comb is once drawn out there is still the same surface to cap, and, finally, drone comb is easier broken in the extractor. Excluder Zinc. — This evergreen topic, which has been discussed in the pages of the B.B.J, many times, must always be of interest to bee-keepers, which is my only plea for referring to it. My experience is that to the bee-keeper working for extracted honey it is a necessary evil. I have never found an egg in a section where it was not used ; and I have never been able to obtain a super of extracting frames without eggs in abundance when it was not used. This on hives containing as many as fifteen frames, all of which the queen was at liberty to make use of. Queens seem to have a decided preference for new combs, and I have found them filling the super frames with brood a couple of days after they were put on. Mr MacDonald' and Mr. Soal some time ago argued the pro and con of this sub- ject, and my experience proves that both were right from their own stanioomt. I would never dream of using an excluder under sections, or put on extracting frames without it. Much stress has been laid on the impediment to bees in getting through it. This I consider is over- drawn. Bees very soon get used to it, and given a good "flow," I have always found the honey goes up almost as well as if there was no ex- cluder on the hive. Notwithstanding these conclusions, I am no lover of excluder zinc, and should welcome a system of working for extracted honey without it. To the many correspondents of the B.B.J. , whose names are household words in the bee- keeping world, I tender my best thanks for many pleasant moments, as well as for much valuable information week by week, year in and year out. Trusting brother bee-keepers in the British Isles will have a record year in 1911. — Henry Maktin, Dannhauser, Natal. HOW FOUL BEOOD WAS EXTER- MINATED IN BELGIUM. \.] In reply to your questions, I would say that bee-keepers who were not members of our society (Soci^t6 d' Apiculture du Bassin de la Meuse), and in whose apia- ries there was foul brood, generally kept their bees in straw skeps, but the bees had mostly died out in less than two years. Many of them joined our society as mem- bers for the purpose of obtaining advantage of the compensation secured from the foul brood Insurance Society. This is how the Insurance Society worked. When an apiary was found to have foul brood an expert visited the bee-keeper, and after putting a valuation on the colonies, offered to pay pretty nearly their value if the owner gave his consent to have every- thing burned ; bees, hives, combs, etc. The destruction had to be effected in the presence of witnesses delegated by our bee society. In not a single case did the bee-keepers who were insured refuse to have everything destroyed ; they understood that nothing better could be done than to cut off the mischief at its source. Let us hope that science has not said the last word, and that the time will come when foul brood can be thoroughly eradicated without having to consign everything to the flames. I have fortunately never had foul brood in my apiary, probably because every spring I take the precaution of transferring my colonies into clean hives disinfected with formalin, and never feed the bees with honey obtained from an unknown source or suspicious dis- trict. In order to prevent bee-keepers who are not members of your Bee-Keepers' Associa- tions from propagating foul brood by keep- ing their diseased, colonies, would it not be possible to hand each a leaflet, which would give them the necessary information to con- vince them that their apiaries had foul brood ? A leaflet which would inform them what would surely happen if they did not destroy their diseased colonies, and that your Association would offer them compensa- tion if they consented to such destruction. Probably most of them would accept such an offer. The members of your Asso- ciation would have to distribute such leaflets, and, if necessary, explain them to these bee-keepers who are thoughtless of their own interests and grossly cvdpable, be- cause they are really the means of spread- ing the disease among their neighbours. The law here punishes all those who by their imprudence cause harm to their fellow citizens. Bee-keepers who keep diseased colonies deserve to be brought into court and made to pay damages for the injury caused by them. If the law does not affect them, they are none the less culpable, and their conscience must trouble them for their carelessness. — A. Wathelet, Prayon, Bel- gium, January 24th. AN EARLY POLLEN-BEARING SHRUB. [8085.] I am enclosing for your inspection a sample of a flowering shrub, which I think may interest readers of the B.B.J. On visiting Messrs. W. Cutbush and Sons' Bar- net Nursery, a few days ago, I was sur- prised to find this shrub Garrza ElUptica in full flower, and that the slightest touch liberated a perfect cloud of pollen. This is apparently a much earlier plant than the willow, or in fact any other flower that pro- duces pollen in large quantities. I am assured that it is very nearly hardy and this is borne out by the fact that in this high and exposed position it is in full bloom s") early in the year. The shrub I inspected was on the south side of a store shed, and was literally covered with trusses of bloom. — G. J. F.,'Hagh Barnet. ISLE OF WIGHT DISEASE (?). .] The following account of a disease of bees, accompanied by constipation and loss of the flying bees may prove of interest. It is taken from Bonner's " New Plan for 56 THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. [Feb. 9, 1911. Speedily Increasing the Number of Bee- hives, etc.," which was published in 1795: " The long continuance of the late storm (1794-5) having confined the bees in their hives for about four months, the bees of some hives contracted diseases, which dur- ing the last month of their confinement proved very fatal to them ; and some of them daily fell down, or rather came down of their own accord, from the combs to the stool, in search of some aperture to get out at, in order to void their faeces, but, after crawling about on the bottom of the hive for a considerable time in vain, the cold be- numbed them so much, that they could not return to their brethren again, and thus death ensued. Now, supposing only three dozen of bees per day to have come down upon this errand, and perhaps not a thiid of them to have been able to return, ^t 's evident, that such hives must of course be soon greatly reduced in the number of thjir inhabitants. This made me anxious f n good weather, that my diseased and dis tressed servants might get out and recover their health, by flying about and getting rid of their superfluous matter. The long- wished for period at last arrived. The storm broke, and the weather became mild ; and, upon examining my hives, I found that out of fourteen, which I had in one apiary, there were twelve whose bees were in a healthy state ; and that those of the remain- ing two were partly diseased. The day being very fine, and the doors of my hives opened, the bees flew about as thick as hail, making a great noise with their usual music. My wife being present, we observed that the two diseased hives gradually diminished 'n the number of their bees, whereupon I sam, that I supposed the bees would soon desert these hives altogether, to which she rephad, that she wished they would, and that ih-yy would go into some other hives, provider' they did not fight. Upon further observa- tion I found that some of them entered into one hive, and some into another, t'M at last the original hives were totally deserted, except the queen and abjai ri score of bees ; and that almost all the bees entered into those hives that vere nuTl happy, as appeared by their matcing a mosi harmonious sound at the entry of their hives, by which music they seemed to invite their new friends. The deserted hives were well stored with honey and therefrre I turned them upside down, and placed them below some of my other hives, in order that the bees might collect the honey that was in them. Such deserted hives I have often found useful for putting a young swarm into. " I have even seen young swarms gradually desert their hives in this manner, and go into other hives."— G. W. Bullamore, Albury, Herts. CHEAP HOME-MADE HIVES. [8087.] Two-shilling Hives (page 44).— It would be interesting to know the value of the time expended in making hives out of packing-cases. To my positive knowledge, and I have had over fifty years' experience in woodwork, packing-case wood is all of in- ferior quality, being chiefly sapwood, and, of course, absorbs wet very readily, it also ex- pands and contracts, according to the weather, and, naturally, it soon decays. From D. M. M.'s description I should in- fer the value of time was not less than 10s., possibly more, and the value of the com- pleted hive would not be more than 5s. Let anyone test the absorbent qualities of real sound St Petersburg or Memel deal in con- trast with packing-case wood if he wishes to prove my statement. A weak point in the construction of hives in general is in having the junction of alighting board and floor just under the entrance slides. The wet lodges there and soon rots both, as well as the bearers or joists. The junction should be at least three inches from the edge of floor board — inside of course ; with alighting board and floor arranged thus. I have often seen the bees fly right into the hive as it seemed ; and it should also be much easier for them to get out dead bees and chilled brood. Winter Brood Chamber (page 39).— I do not think there is any hard and fast rule as to the number of frames for successfully wintering bees. I have wintered them suc- cessfully on five frames. One lot (necleus, of course) sent to Scotland in April of 1908 gave 60 lbs. surplus honey. A "top" swarm was taken off and the stock divided into two ; thus, the owner had three good stocks in April, 1909, from the one five- frame lot of April, 1908, besides the 60 lbs. surplus. My experience is that eight frames with fair stores at the end of September is about the " quantum suf." I usually look through them about September 12th, and those that do not appear to have sufficient stores are fed up for a fortnight. I do not think it is advisable to feed with syrup later than the first week in October. I am curious to know what progress is made with driven bees at the end of Octo- ber? Do they seal their stores? Naturally, a single lot of, say, 2^ lbs., early in Sep- tember will do far better than a 5 lb. lot in the end or even the middle of October. — A Harris, North Bucks. EARLY POLLEN GATHERING. .] I see in this week's Bee Journal you mention January 28th as the first day that bees have been seen carrying in pollen. It may interest you to know that on January 15th, in the middle of the day, I observed two bees enter one of my hives with pollen apparently from yellow chrysan- themums. I was only watching for a very short time, and so cannot say if any more were carrying it in, but there were not a great many flying at the time. — A. R. P., Taunton. Four things a man must learn to do If he would make his record true : To think without confusion clearly ; To love his fellow men sincerely ; To act from honest motives purely ; To trust in God and heaven securely. — Henry Van Dyke Feb. 9, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOTJENAL. 57 Queries and Replies. [4081.] A Beginner's Queries. — The Bee Journal is a grand little paper, and I look forward to seeing it every week. As I am only a beginner I should be grateful if you would answer the following questions in an early issue : (1) What is meant by the word "novice"? Would you term a man who has kept bees for three years one? (2) Is 55 sections and a large swarm a good record from one hive last year — on the borders of Bristol — the swarm drew out nine combs besides? (3) To prevent second swarms should I cut out all the queen cells, or leave one? Should there be a virgin queen in the hive, and the one cell hatches ; will that cause the bees to swarm a second time? (4) I have a hive in the country, do you think if I put on a "Porter bee-escape" in the evening and leave it on till four o'clock the next day will the bees on a warm day be too crowded when in the lower super and board chamber? Is this too long to leave the bee-escape on? (5) Is the afternoon the best time to take a super of honey off the hive. (6) Do bait sections cause the queen to lay in the super, for when I did not use them I had no sections spoiled. (7) Is the queen at her best in the first year or second? (8) Is there any way of telling if bees have re-queened themselves. (9) Does it upset a hive to remove supers and look for queen cells, and cut them out, and look again in a week's time. — Beginner, Bristol Reply. (1) A man who has kept bees for three years, while not an experienced bee- keeper, can hardly be called a novice. (2) Yes, especially in a poor season like the last. (3) To prevent a cast you should cut out all queen cells but one, making sure at the same time that a virgin has not emerged. (When a swarm leaves the virgin is generally due to emerge in about three days.) Should a virgin queen have come out then cut out all queen-cells. (4) If the weather is very hot it would be well to put an empty super on, at the same time that you will put on the Porter escape, the time will then not be too long ; in fact, you might leave it for several days if necessary. (5) Less ex- citement is caused if it is taken off early in the morning or late in the evening. (6) A great many bee-keepers do not use an excluder with sections, the queen is less likely to lay in them than in shallow frames, as the cluster of bees is divided. (7) In her second season. (8) An experi- enced bee-keeper can tell an old queen from a young one, and so is able to say if a colony that had an old queen has re-queened itself. The wings of young queens are perfect instead of being jagged at the edges as is often the case with an old one. They are also more slim, and agile in their movements. (9) It is not a good plan to disturb bees unneces- sarily, but if occasion arises it will do little harm if carried out in a proper manner. Room in advance of requirements and 'plenty of ventilation will usually check the desire of the bees to swarm. [4082.] Sociability of Italian Bees.—- In your reply to question 4073, p. 37, you seem to imply that " Golden " bees are content and welcomed in any hive. If this is so, and their presence in "native stocks" is not due to robbing, they must surely be devoid of that homing instinct and alle- giance to their queen which most of us take for granted is the great oiitstanding fact upon which the whole economy of the hive is based. . It will certainly add a new in- terest to bee-keeping if we have to discri- minate between robbers and visitors, rather, I am afraid to the disadvantage of the latter. — A. B. S., Manchester. Reply. — In our reply we intended to convey that Italian bees are apparently more sociable than blacks, or it may be that they are more noticeable than the latter could possibly be when they get into other hives. In our own apiary of over one hundred stocks of blacks we have found Italians in nearly every colony, although there was but one Italian stock in the apiary. The probability is that bees are far more social under certain con- ditions than we are generally led to suppose — more especially in large apiaries. We have found that Italians are certainly more pug- nacious and given to robbing than blacks. [4083.] The Alexander Method. — In read- ing Roots' ABC and X Y Z of Bee Culture, page 447, I came across Mr. Alexander's plan of uniting weak colonies to strong ones, with the intention of building up both lots strong to take ad- vantage of the honey flow. I should be pleased if you would say if this plan is adopted to any great extent in this country ; also if it is a plan that you would recom- mend. If so when would be the best time to carry it out? — A. H. H., Ilkeston. Reply.- — The plan is not adopted at all to our knowledge in this country ; it will be much better for you to stick to the method given in the Guide Book. YORKSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS PLEASE NOTE ! The Rev. Sidney Smith, Wheldrake Rec- tory, Yoi'k, asks us to say that owing to his prolonged illness he has been obliged to give up all official connection with the Yorkshire Bee-Keepers' Association. The secretary for the Association is Mr. Rich- ardson, Whitkirk, Leeds, and to him all letters respecting the Association should be addressed. OLD BEE LITEEATUEE. Mr. W. G. Coates sends us an in- teresting extract relating to bees which he discovered in an old book called "The Treasurie of Ancient and Modern Times." It was printed in 1619, and 58 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Feb. 9, 1911. might be called an equivalent to our modern EncyclopcBdia Britannica ; it consists of ten books relating to differ- ent subjects. The chapter on bees, which we print, appeared in Book 7. If any B.B.J, reader interested in old bee literature would care to see the booii, Mr. Coates is willing to bring it to the B.B.K.A. Conversazione in March next. THE TKEASURIE OF ANCIENT AND MODERN TIMES. Printed hy William Haggard; i6ig. " The True Module and Patterne of Gouernement, to be obfei'ved in any Com- monwealth ; deriued from the communitie among Bees, and how many wayes they may be examples to men." The form of ■ a Commonwealth observed amongst Bees, methinks is so proper and answerable unto that of men as it may be verily presumed, that GOD gave them it by a Natural instinct, and for an instruction unto our manner of Government. This little Creature is named by the Latines "Apis," a deriva- tion from the Greek, which signifieth to be v/ithout feet; not in regard that it hath no feet, but because they do join so closely and aptly with the body, as if indeed it had none at all. Many have written of their proper- ties and qualities; as Aristotle, Pliny, and many more; besides, I find in elder times, that Hiliscus Tatius was very in- quisitive, to understand the properties of these creatures, and that he might render the sounder reasons of his know- edge he lived in Forests and solitary places, where best he might attain to his own intent. And Aristomachus, like- wise, for the space of forty years (with- i at attending to any other exercise) gave himself wholly to the same labour; and bf.th of them wrote divers books very apt and worthy for all prosterity. The first and most notable thing, ob- served in the writings of modern men, is, that they have noted an admirable kmd of Religion in the little Creatures : For, before they will issue forth of their hives they bow down their heads for- ward in such humble manner as if they were devoutly at meditation on their knees. Declaring therein (even by Natural instinct as it were) to us, that we should not understand or begin any- thing, before we have first honoured GOD, and recommended our endeavours to His gracious goodness, that they be begun and ended in His name. Very respective are they, that by the food they gather from sweet flowers, they may produce honey, beneficial both for others and themselves; demonstrating thereby that men should labour (by vir- tuous means) to performe good actions in their lifetime, available both for themselves and others; considering, it is a duty required in men, and for which they are born, not to labour for them- selves, but also for their Country and their Friends. They are content to live in their own habitation, without intruding for dwell- ing in another's house. As a notable example to us, that (for the peace of the Commonwealth) every man should rest contented with his own, without covet- ing or usurping ought from another. Every Hive hath its King, and both he and his attendants, do shun noises, clamours, and winds. Which teacheth us, that we ought to have one chief Commander in one Commonwealth, by whom all the rest may be well governed ; and that we should shun the smoke of Ambition, in being greater one than another in the Commonwealth, to the end, that there may be good discipline Also, we should flee from all winds of vanities, tumults, partialities, and enemities. Flight, labour, food, and fruit is common alike to everyone ; to let us understand, the mutual love and charity which ought to be among Citi- zens, in being helpful one to another; and partaking likewise in others' dis- tresses: for by this means, men's minds become linked together in such amity, that the Commonwealth flourisheth in peace and quietness, and is a goodly president to other estates. These creatures live without lubricity, although thej'' engender more than any other. Which instructeth us, that for the peace and repose of the people, men should have care of their children's generation, to perpetuate their own kind and the Commonwealth, without lust- ing after adulteries : but to live chaste and temperate in pleasures carnal, the hberty whereof doth procure conten- tions, quarrels and death. They do respect their King with such love and observance, that they account Feb. 9, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. 59 it an honourable deed to die for him. And Saint Ambrose saith tlms : "They will not tiy abroad, until they first see, whether he will fly forth, or no: that they keep him company in finding food, and other effects for common benefit." Which may minister example unto men, for honouring their Prince, to whom GOD hath given such Authority, to be assisted and imitated in those pains which he taketh for the good of his people, he being the principal of the Commonwealth. They endeavour continually, to elect such a one for their King, as (in ap- pearance) is most noble, as also the mildest; nor using his sting against any other, which only is a punishment for offenders. iVdvising us hereby, to elect such for our Governors and Magistrates, as are of generous Nature, discreet, wise, and debonnaire. And these small creatures, are of such nature, that they who are of greatest body amongst them, are also (commonly) the most humaine and gracious. Signifying nothing else to us, but that he ought to be most mild and courteous, that is exalted unto the highest dignity, as well in Nobility of blood, as wealth of virtue: which things naturally beget envy in others, and yet destroy themselves by humanity, and converteth into love. Most obedient are they to their King; and if any one have declared disdain, or other disobedience, and the same bee discerned : he never attendeth for other correction, but instantly slayeth himself with his sting. Whereby we are ad- monished, to be faithfull and loving to our Prince or Magistrate, and fearful to offend, even to death itself. No Bee is slothful or idle in the Hive ; for some flieth forth to combat against other in open field ; others watch to seek for food; others contemplate times to forsee when the storms and rains will ensue; others compose the Honey- combs; others lay aside the wax by it- self, and thereof on others make little Lodgers, caries and rounds, in every strange and wonderfull order. Neverthe- less, in so many and sundry offices, no one intrudes into another's business, or dare make any stealth or robbery from his companions : but by his own labour and virtue, he feedeth abroad on herbs and flowers, and yet brings a part of his pains home, for general good of the Conmion wealth. Herein we have a not- able instruction, to abhor and banish out of our Cities, slothful rogues and idle vagabonds, that will not live by their own labour as they ought to do. Wherefore, thi'ough such deboshment and negligence in men, all such vices arise in Citfcies, as do corrupt good man- ners, and overthrow order: for every one should live upon his own endeavour, without usurping ought of others; and what he hath superflous, is for general aid of the Commonwealth, and to be ministered to other necessities. Nature hath given them stings to de- fend themselves, and offend such as dare assail them, or presume into their city or hive : and although they are not of any great corpulence, yet nothwith- standing they have unconquerable cour- age and prudence. For with the gum of trees, they annoint the superficies of the hives, to the end, that no beast or other enemy my enter in at any rift or chinke ; and if the passage or issue be overlarge, they labour diligently to restrain or make it less. By which example men are admonished to be stout and coura- gious for defence of their country, and wisely to forsee, that no vices enter into their Commonwealth, that may infect, corrupt, or poison it. By natural instinct, they are inclined, that each one stays on the first flower he finds, and parts not thence away, until he has taken his refection and nourishment : v/hereof he will discharge himself, before he seeks out any other. And much they frequent the leaves and flowers of the Olive tree, making there a long abiding : serving us as an example, what sobriety we should find in the course of our life. When they feed on the flowers of the Almond tree, their honey is the more savoury and temper- ate ; whereas contrarywise, when they feed on bitter herbs or flowers, it is far less sweet : nothwithstanding it is thinner, very mundificative, profitable for the epilations of the liver, and good for the dropsy, as also to heal the biting of a mad dog. Such as have made trial by experience of these creatures, do justifie that when their king cannot fly, he is carried 60 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Feb. 9, 1911. abroad by troops of them; and during the time that he heth so sickly, the females are separated from the males. But when he is dead, they converse to- gether again : which declareth what pitty and piety we owe to our Prince and Country, and that men should gladly support and suffer for one another. The sting of the females is sharper than the males, and there are many males that have no stings at all. Hereby we may understand that the tongues of women are more piercing than mens', and oft- times cause very great inconveniences : in which respect, they should be kept short and temporated, that their lavish liberty breed no blame and contention among neighbours. The best Bee is little, round, closely plump, bending in the midst, and least hairy. Some feed on flowers of the mountains, others on them of gardens and husbanded places : the first whereof are much less than the other, as also more strong and robust, to endure labour. Beside, according to Pliny, they are of far dreadfuller aspect, abiding in the rifts of trees, or in some small vaults. And what fairer example can Nature afford us, than of their strength and abilities? For, such people as are not educated in delicacies, but in continual exercises of mind and body; are most profitable members for the Commonwealth . {To be continued.) WEATHER REPORTS. Barnwood, Gloucester, January, 1911. Rainfall, 1.03 in. ; below average, .76 in. ; heaviest fall, .28 on 8th ; rain fell on nine days. Mean maximum temperature, 43.5, .5 above average ; warmest day, 28th, 53 ; mean minimum temperature, 33.7, .3 below average; coldest night, 1st, 24.5. Relative humidity, mean for month, 89 per cent., at 9 a.m. Number of days with sky com- pletely overcast at 9 a.m., 18; ditto cloud- less, 3. Percentage of wind force, 14 ; pre- vailing directions, S.W. and variable. Mean daily height of barometer, reduced to sea- level, 30-35, .4 of an inch above normal. — F. H. Fowler. Westbourne, January, 1911. Rainfall, 1.24 in. ; below average, 1.30 in. ; heaviest fall, .36 on 11th; rain fell on 13 days ; sunshine, 68.3 hours ; brightest day, 31st, 7.2 hours ; sunless days, 15. Maximum temperature, 49 on 9th and 28th ; minimum temperature, 23 on 15th and 16th ; minimum on grass, 20 on 16th ; frosty nights, 13 ; mean maximum, 42.8 ; mean minimum, 33.5; mean temperature, 38.1; above average, .5 ; maximum barometer, 30.770 on 18th ; niinimum barometer, 29.487 on 12th. — L. B. Birkett. Notices to Correspondents Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufactiorers or correspondents, or where appli- ances can be purchased, or replies giving such information, can only be inserted as advertise- inents. The space devoted to letters, queries, and replies is meant for the general good of bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for 7is to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot alivays be replied to in the issue itnmediately following tJie receipt of their communication. F. V. W. (Gloucester) Candy Making. — There should be no difficulty in boiling sugar up to 234 degrees, as it is quite possible to attain as high as 315 degrees, a temperature required for toffee, drops, rocks, and such like. The lowest temperature at which you can make satisfactory candy is 235 degrees, sj that you would have to continue boiling until this degree is reached. In boiling refined sugars see that your fire is sufficiently made up to bring off the pan without any additional coal ; it does not matter if the fire is dull when the pan goes on, but to put fresh coal on when the sugar is boiling is detrimental, and the quicker the boiling is done the better, therefore, it is essential to have a very fierce bright fire. Sugar boil- ing, with the aid of the thermometer, is an everyday practice, and many of the shops will not allow a sugar-boiler to work with- out one. We have no doubt that if you persevere you will soon attain the necessary skill in using it. C. W. G. (Surbiton) Sensational Journalism. — Such sensational articles are evidently in- tended as big advertisements to take advan- tage of the gullibility of the British public. The one you send must be taken cum grano salis, as it certainly shows gross ig- norance or deliberate misrepresentation, and does not speak well for either the school or the instructor. Such articles do bee-keep- ing more harm than good, for " how to make a fortune" is always an attractive title, and is one that is drawing money from people's pockets every day, and the more sensational the statements the easier it ap- pears some people can be gulled. It is even quite possible that people will believe that a hive in Clerkenwell, containing 60,000 bees, "makes an average yearly profit of £4," or that at the advertiser's apiary " they will learn more in half an hour than they would in fifty books." We would sum up the whole article by the word "fudge." The acme of impudence is reached when we are told that "The King is one of the foremost bee-keepers in Britain" — a random shot very wide of the mark. Honey Samples. A. C. S. (Norwich). — The honey is rather thin though of good flavour. It should be shown in the light class. Feb. 16, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 61 Editorial, Notices, &c. KEVIEW. Survival and Reproduction, by Hermann Reinheimer (London : J. M. Watkins, Cecil Court, Charing Cross Road, 7s. 6d. net.).— This is a sequel to the author's previous work, "Nutrition and Evolution," in which be dealt with the evolutionary significance of nutrition, and showed it to be of far greater importance than has hitherto been conceived in biological work. He also en- deavoured to demonstrate that stability and permanence of individual and racial exist- ence depended primarily on a state of the nutritional life and on the observance of proper metabolic ratios, and finally reached the conclusion that parasitism in the widest sense of the term was responsible for the majority of improper ratios which resulted in disease, in antithetic morphological and racial developments, and in degeneration generally. In that book the author provided a first instalment of a study of the cumu- lative (physiological, morphological and pathological) effects of nutrition and its teleological significance in general, and en- deavoured to show that "selective" philo- sophy was standing on its trial. In the volume before us he continues the criticism of what he believes to be the impending "principle" of selection, and endeavours to establish the teleological rationale of pre- servation and survival as adumbrated in the previous volume. The wider standards of usefulness which he is endeavouring to in- troduce have their foundation in the univer- sality of facts observable throughout nature, and lead him to the conclusion that what- ever is physiologically healthful will be found to be both ethically and cEsthetically desirable. The author shows that the growth of disease is marked by an invasion of waste matter forming the soil for microbes, by plethora, structural abnormalities, and loss of generic architecture, and such develop- ments are fostered by, and were inseparable from, parasitism This term is used to con- note every condition whereby one organism lives in any way predaceously, stealthily or indolently, i.e., retrogressively by the work of others Parasitism, according to the author, is a pathological state, and teaches the lesson how not to survive. The pai'tak- ing of inappropriate food is prejudicial to selection, and by its continual use the soil has been provided for non-pathogenic bac- teria to evolve slowly into pathogenic forms. To this cause he attributes the extinction of many animal tvpes. Reproductive func- tions are associated with nutritive functions, and the author concludes that to the animal plant food alone supplies appropriate con- cordant with the requirements of stability. and only when the nutritional duties of life are satisfactorily fulfilled can the develop- ment of sex assu^me right proportions. The case of a larva destined to become a worker bee, but changed into a queen, illustrates how teleological status is affected by nutrition. In the first part of the book before us the author reviews the theories of "natural selection" of Darwin, Ki'opotkin, Malthus and others, and endeavours to show that Darwin was biassed by the malthusian theory which premises that "the constant tendency in all animal life is to increase beyond the nourishment prepared for it" — as wei'e also the other investigators — a theory which is no longer tenable. In the second part of the book the author deals with nutrition and reproduction, and ex- plains that they are means towards the at- tainment of stability and progress, which becomes apparent in the ever-increasing beauty and serviceableness of forms. The good effect of plant nutrition (which he terms "cross-feeding") as opposed to infeed- ing, are analogous to those of cross-fertili- sation in plants (as opposed to self- fertilisation). In Chapter V., partheno- genesis is fully dealt with, both as regards plants and animals, in the former of which it is rare, but certainly occurs in some of the lower forms It is, however, more com- mon in rotifers, crustaceans and insects, of which bees are a notable example well known to our readers. Parthenogenetic ova are regarded as imperfectly differentiated female cells, retaining certain male or katabolic characteristics, parthenogenesis being a de- generation from the ordinary process. The author further traces the connection between startling increase and parasitism, and concludes that exorbitant fecundity like many another startling phenomenon of re- production, is a symptom of pathological development attended by loss of survival- capacity. This he shows to be due to nutri- tion, a redundancy of which causes degener- ation. The work is a closely reasoned treatise based on close observation of bio- logical facts, and deals with the fundamen- tal laws governing reproduction in its re- lation to nutrition, and its tendency is in harmony with the most recent biological re- search. We recommend the book to our readers, as it will quite repay a careful study. WHITBY AND N.E. YORKS B.K.A. LECTURE ON BEE-KEEPING. Under the auspices of the newly formed Whitby and N.E. Yorks B.K.A. , a public meeting was held on January 28th last at fche Marine Cafe, Whitby, when Mr. L. S. Crawshaw gave an address on " The Advan- tages of Bee-Keeping." Considerable in- terest was evinced in the gathering, and it augurs well for the future of the recently foi-med Association that the meeting was so well attended and so successful. The chair was occupied by Mr. A. E. Cooper, who, in introducing Mr. Crawshaw expressed his pleasure that the meeting had been called, and that the hopes which several of them had had so long were about to bear fruit. They would not be disappointed in the lec- turer, and they would all be led to further efforts in promoi^ing the most interesting hobby which, he thought, anyone could take up. It would lead to their keeping bees on a more humane and thorough system. They had enjoyed reading Mr. Crawshaw's 62 THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. [Feb. 16, 1911. writings, and he had pleasure in asking him to give his address. Mr. Crawshaw, who was received with applause, gave an interesting and able lec- ture on the subject upon which he had been asked to speak, in the course of which he touched upon the pleasure associated with the hobby of bee-keeping, and the generous and helpful spirit it engendered amongst those following the pursuit. Mr. Crawshaw also spoke of the value of honey as a food and a medicine, and ithe benefits which bee- keepers conferred upon fruit-growers and horticulturists through the activity of bees as pollinating agents. He concluded his ad- dress by referring to bee diseases, and the necessity for such associations as their own, in order that the knowledge of how to keep bees in a healthy and profitable manner might be spread. Mr. Hood spoke on the skep system, and on the quesi'uon of swarming. He said he had not been able to get sufficient swarms, and an association was needed, to put bee- keepers more in touch with one another. He said that bar- frame hives were mostly used in the district ; but the substance of it all was that a man must be a bee-keeper, and not a keeper of bees. This heather district was most advantageous for skep honey, and one man, near Pickering, bought a field out of the proceeds of it. Mr. W. E. Richardson (Deeds), Yorks B.K.A., spoke, endorsing what Messrs. Craw- shaw and Hood had said, and hoping that the Association would be successful. Leeds people wanted heather honey, whatever the price. Mr. H. S. Home moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Crawshaw. He said Mr. Crawshaw's address had been interesting and eloquent, and he hoped they would have the pleasure of listening to him again. Mr. W. Burn, in seconding this motion, said the address had been of a very in+/eresting nature. H« thought the Association would " go," when now started, as there were several enthusias- tic bee-keepers, and the stuff for the bees to gather. He could always sell more honey than he could get. The chairman supported, endorsing Mr. Crawshaw's remarks as to the freemasonry of bee-keeping, and asked for a cure for foul brood. The vote of ithanks was carried, with applause. Mr. Crawshaw thanked them. He did not know a certain cure for foul brood, but it was foolish to attempt a cure by drugs, which might, however, be used as a preven- tive. For foul brood, he would devote one of the diseased hives to the purposes of a cure, and treait it as a hospital colony. He then detailed the plan. Mr. C. R. Pinkney also spoke, observing that he could, at present, dispose of all the honey Ithat could be produced by those in the room, at good prices. Some discussion took place as to the making of candy, and the meeting was con- cluded by votes of thanks to the chairman, seconded by Mr. Pinkney; and to Mr. Hood for the use of the room. It was decided to hold branch meetings in the counjiry districts, wherever bee-keepers can arrange an attendance of eight or ten, when brief addresses on bee-keeping sub- jects will be given, to be followed by a discussion. The hon. secretary will be glad to know where such meertings are desired. — P. C. Francis, hon. sec. Laurel House, Well- close Square, Whitby, Yorks. AMONG THE BEES. FUMIGATION. By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. Of old this process meant something different to what we understand now when we apply the term. Bees were stupefied by puffball. A fumigator was simply a subjugator, whereby " bees were totally subdued without being in- jured in the slightest degree, and then dealt with as if they had neither stings nor wings," as Nutt tells us. "We have discovered a new and more excel- lent way for bringing bees under dis- cipline. Fumigation is now carried out to pre- serve combs from various enemies, among them being our arch enemy bee pest, wax moth, etc. I promised some time ago to give a short description of the fumigating chamber used at the W.B.C. Apiary, Luton. It is in the form of a cupboard, 7 ft. high, 6 ft. wide, and 19 in. deep, inside measure, and will take fifty-six supers in at one time. To make it air-tight it is papered through- out with a double thickness of brown paper, floor and door as well. The doors fit into a rebate all round, and also at the joint, and this is lined with felt so that none of the fumes can escape. The process followed is to put under each pile of supers an empty section rack, on which stands an earthenware dish con- taining about 5 oz. of a 10 per cent, solution of formaldehyde and a piece of washing soda the size of a walnut. This makes the formaldehyde give off the fumes much quicker. Each set stay in about two months. Racks and shallow frames are all dealt with alike. The illustration, from a photograph, will give a good idea of the fumigating chamber. Matter Up to Date. — We have had a very open winter, and for over three weeks, from the middle of January on- wards weather was spring-like and mild. Feb. 16, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. 63 A very much needed cleansing flight re- sulted, as the cold snap coming on in October, followed by a prolonged spell of excessive rainfall, suddenly confined bees without any warning or prepara- tion for withstanding a long siege. Such an unprepared-for imprisonment, following a period of lusty roaming far afield, I have formerly noted tends to produce dysenteric symptoms, and this year it has resulted in a few cases of severe soiling of hive entrances. Now, entrance. It is now where all bad mice go! An Open Question. — " Honey in its purity breeds the hardiest bees. The further you travel along the road of feeding any other sweet, any other foreign subject, the more will you pro- mote a tendency towards degeneracy in the race of bees ! " Is this simply i postulatum, or does it convey a great truth ? Leaving out of consideration for the present the quality of the sugar FUMIGATING CHAMBER AT THE " W.B.C." APIARY. with a re- arrangement of stores, and a reclustering of bees, a stormy time, or a period of long imprisonment, can be met with equanimity. If we trust to the old saw we have a period of storm ahead before bees are safe. " If Can- dlemas is fine and fair half of the win- ter's to come, and mair." Mice secured a lodgment in one hive. I killed seven out of eight. Some time after this. No. 8, I presume, shifted the slide, and once m.ore obtained an employed in feeding, it may be pointed out that bee-keepers in many lands be- lieve that wintering is more successfully carried out with a syrup food, stored in the brood cupboard. Many Canadians accept this as a rigid truth and practise v^hat they preach. Some in this country hold the same doctrine and act according to its tenets. Good syrup would certainly be better than bad honey every time, but that is not the point. It is not as a winter food we are 64 THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. [Feb. 16, 1911. regarding the subject, but as a healthy food for immature bees. Can the nurses make as nourishing, healthy, and stamina generating food from a sub- stance that in many essentials differs from the food Nature decreed was the proper one for them? I am, on other grounds, a strong advocate of natural stores, unless under very exceptional circumstances, and then only under compulsion do I ever feed artificially prepared food for bees. Under emer- gency requirements it is an important substitute. Now, without reasoning the matter further, let me end with a ques- tion— ^Does sugar feeding tend to pro- duce degenerate bees? Electric Embedding. — Perhaps H. Siebel (8035) and VV. A. C. (4077) had better consult someone who knows more about electricity than I do, as a practical man's advice is always safest. Messrs. Lees' current is obtained from their lighting circuit, but as the direct current, as might naturally be sup- posed, would be a great deal too power-' ful for the purpose of embedding, " in- efficient resistance " is brought into operation to reduce the current to the proper amount required. This resist- ance is enclosed in a small box-like arrangement on the operating table, and its regulated operation supplies three degrees of intensity, slow, medium, and fast. In cold weather the last is used, and at other times the medium suits the purpose best. Urbanity. — If Mr. Woodley had stated on page 34, wherein my sup- posed lack of urbanity consisted, I would have known how to answer him, but as he affirms that he himself would do exactly as I advised, his suavity non- plusses me. I rather admire urbanity, but when it approaches inanity it ceases to be a virtue. Turning the other cheek may be apostolic and very fine in theory, but it appears to me rather quixotic in a case like the one I dealt with. " Hands' Device." — This newly in- vented American swarm controller was not condemned by me. Eather, I think I blessed it, and hoped it might prove a success. Let B. B. (8041) by all means carry out his resolve to experi- ment with it this year, and may all cfood luck attend his efforts. I would regret it if anything I contribute hinders experimentation, yet in regard to many "devices" 1 would advise Festina Lente. HONEY IMPORTS. The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom during the month of January, 1911, was £779. — From a return furnished to the British Bee Journal by the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs. Correspondence. The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents. No notice will be taken by anonymous com- municalions, and correspondents are requested to 7crite on one side of the 'paper only and give tJieir real names and addresses, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected commuiHcations, BEES IN BERMUDA. [8089.] As a sequel to my inquiry in B.B.J, last November regarding the importa- tion of bees to Bermuda it may interest you to know that my venture was entirely success- ful, and so far as I am aware, the bees I brought over are the only blacks on the islands. There is one apiary of Ltalians here owned by an American, and kept in " box hives." On account of the hordes of ants it is necessary to isolate the hives, and his are placed on a two-tier stand, the legs of which have a paraffin guard attached. Excepting one stock all his colonies seemed very weak when I saw them, a fact I attributed to excessive swarming last season, a thing which seems to be the only evil I shall have to guard agains)t. Prices for produce are up 75 per cent, here, as compared with those at home, and the possibilities of a fair yield seem good. My bees were released ait 8 p.m. (fourteen days after their confinement three thousand miles away). They were a late driven lot hived on four combs (partly stored), and I estimate there were only about two hundred dead ; and as they had brood when they started, and wei-e pollen carrying before mid-day, the day after their release (Decem- ber 4th), which they have continued to do ever since, a goodly part of the stock now are bees raised since landing. There is no provision in the colony's tariff for " wild animals," not thait I doubt that the customs' official would have found one, had he only thought his eyes read aright the plainly displayed label. Consequently I cannoft enlighten you as to what the duty might have been. I intend to work all my stock strictly on British methods, and hope at the end of the season to be able to Feb. 16, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. 65 furnish you with a statement of my results as compared with that of ithe American gentleman I have mentioned. I greatly miss that extremely handy person the "middle- man" here. I find I shall have to import direct from England, or make everything I need, and affrer waiting five weeks pay 10 per cent, duty on its value. This, how- ever, will be compensated for, when I draw a dollar for three nicely filled sections in the time to come. Wishing that all those interested might have a good share of the glorious weather we enjoy here. — A. F. Leaney, E.A.M.C, Prospect, Bermuda. FIGHTING FOUL BROOD. NEED OF LEGISLATION. [8090.] May I lay my sad case before you? I am now entering on my fourth year of bee-keeping. Enthusiastic to the last de- gree, I have, as far as I know, omitted nothing, failed in noithing, spared neither time, thought, trouble or expense, to en- sure success, and yet have nothing to re- cord but absolute failure. I may say that before starting bee-keeping I subscribed to the B.B.J. , and possessed my sel f of the ' 'Guide Jaook, ' ' the ' ' Note Book, the "A B C and X Y Z of Bee Culture," and all the literature I could lay my hands on dealing with the subject. I had read, re-read and studied these, and fi-om a theo- retical point of view I could have passed a fairly stiff examinaton in the science be- fore I had become personally acquainted with a bee. I had studied many catalogues, and rightly or wrongly, I had fixed on a double walled hive, holding ten frames and a dummy. My hives were all new, and after use were always scrupulously cleaned, washed with disinfectant, sand-papered, painted and attended to with the utmost care, as were all the utensils and accessories before being put in use again. The roofs I covered with calico and painted. I have glass quilts on the frames, allowing a bee-way be- tween the glass and the frames, with a 3in. circular hole in the centre, covered with a square of glass for feeding purposes. Each hive has four or more quilts, besides, of gin. felt, and a cushion of woollen material over all. The hives stand upon wooden plat- forms, raised on bricks, about 6in. from the soil, extending 3ft. in front of the alight- ing board, with a slightly downwarcT slope. In April, 1908, I bought a stock of hybrids from a well-known and reputable dealer. On the 16th May I got another stock of hybrids from an expert friend, without a queen, and introduced an Italian queen from abroad. On the 9th June I bought a swarm of Italians from a well-known Italian firm. By August all three stocks were flourishing, and I had about 30 lbs. of surplus, when, on the 29th the friend from whom I had got the stock in May came to help me to re- move the supers, and discovered incipient foul brood in No. 1 stock. Following his instructions I managed to rid that stock of the disease, and all my stocks wintered fairly well. Next year, 1909, I determined to increase my apiary. On May 3rd it was examined by the County expert, and the stocks pro- nounced very strong and quite free from disease (I had by this time joined the B.B.K.A. and the County Association). On the 22nd May, No. 1 swarmed and I successfully hived the swarm. On the 8th and 9th June I made two arti- ficial swarms from Nos. 2 and 3, and intro- duced Italian queens obtained from abroad, and later I made an artificial swarm from No. 1. Of course, I was working only for increase. By July, therefore, I had in- creased my stocks to seven. On the 24th of that month I found foul brood in No. 3, and reported it to the County Association, and asked for a visit from the expert. On the 29th he came, and confirmed my sus- picions The stock was condemned and de- stroyed. On the 27th August I found foul brood in No 1, and that was destroyed. Each hive in which foul brood (the mild, or inodorous, form) had appeared was re- moved to a distance, the frames and combs burnt in a stove, the hives washed and syringed with a strong solution of almost boiling carbolic acid, when dry carefully scorched in every nook and corner with a painter's blow-lamp, the quilts burnt, the glass quilt boiled in carbolic solution, the hives themselves painted afresh, and not used again for months, and the platforms and the ground all round watered with a hot solution of carbolic acid. In the late autumn of 1909, therefore, I had only five stocks to put into winter quar- ters. These I fed liberally with thick, warm medicated syrup, most of which was sealed, and for greater safety I gave each a 2 lb. cake of medicated candy. With a glass quilt it is easy to inspect the condition of the hive during winter without causing the least disturbance. In January, 1910, I found No. 6 was suffering from dysentery, and on the 27th February it was dead. Thus the spring of 1910 found me with only four stocks On the 17th May I had my annual spring visit from the County ex- pert, who gave me a clean bill of health. Now, thought I, I have at least overcome my troubles. I bought- a stock of "extra golden" bees, and re-queened three of my stocks with extra golden queens On the 12th June (a Sunday, of course), a swarm issued from No 2, and made for a woodyard near by, which, equally, of course, was locked up, so I could not follow it, and on Monday it was gone. This has been, as you know, a wretched season near London for honey gathering, and I did not get much more than 20 lbs. from all my five hives, but all had plenty of stores in the brood chambers. In September, when removing the supers, I found Nos. 1 and 3 badly hit with foul brood, and they had to be destroyed, as before, and only 2, 4 and 5 went into win- ter quarters. Last month No. 4 died of 66 THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. [Feb. 16, 1911. dysentery, and to-day I find No 5 has done the same. So here I am, beginniag my fourth year as I began my first, with one stock. You will naturally say : " You wintered your bees on unsealed stores." Not so. Each hive was copiously fed on thick, warm medicated syrup, most of which was sealed, and when they were put up for winter, almost all the unsealed stores were re- moved, and in addition to sealed stores, each hive had three full-sized fi-ames filled with medicated candy. The County expert superintended the work. My house is certainly not five miles from Charing Cross, but it adjoins a large park, and has dozens of full-grown lime trees in the immediate neighbourhood. I have flower gardens and hundreds of fruit trees all round me, and, in patches of varying sizes, there must be very many acres of clover within a two-mile radius. I know of no one else who keeps bees within that i^adius, but I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that there must be someone who does, and whose hives are rot- ten with foul brood. Such is my tale of woe ! Can you offer any solution of the cause of my twin troubles — foul brood in the summer and dysent'Cry in the winter? Let me at least claim your sympathy. — "Depressed.' [You certainly have our sympathy, and yours is only one more added to the many cases which show how diflScult it is to keep bees free from disease, in a neighbourhood where probably some careless or ignorant bee-keeper has foul brood in nis apiary, and does nothing to get rid of it. You have evidently done all that you can to cure the disease in your hives, and the repeated out- break is probably caused by your bees visit- ing some infected hive. With respect to dysentery, this is usually caused by bad food, damp, and the bees consuming pollen when they are not able to have cleansing flights, and therefore discharge their excre- ment in the hives. Sometimes if the syrup is made in a copper vessel, unless this is scrupulously clean, bees are liable to suffer, and if such vessels are used, acids and other medicaments should be added after the syrup is removed, as they are likely to act on the copper. — Ed.] EOSS-SHIRE NOTES. [8091.] A recent reference to Simmins' double colony hive reminds me that no re- port of this system of working has yet ap- peared in the B.B.J. Like the "Wells" plan, it makes use of the dual queen prin- ciple, with the difference that only one stock is supered, and the entrance of the other is so arranged that its working force is diverted to the supered portion. When the weakened lot has built up anew, it, in its turn, is supered, and receives the working force from the other side, which is then deprived of its surplus honey. Personally, I have experimented on simi- lar lines with a modified "Wells" hive, an adapted entrance block being used to shunt the incoming foragers in either direction, as required. The first trouble was that six racks of section failed to hold all the bees, great numbers clustering outside the supers. The enormous population gathered honey quicker than they could seal it over, and then swarmed out, leaving most of the sec- tions full, but unsealed. I fancy results would have been better if both stocks had been supered with three or four racks apiece in the usual way. Under different conditions the scheme might have been a distinct success. Given an early honey flow, with stocks below par, it would be quite feasible to unite the work- ing force of two colonies on the best frames of brood, with one queen, allowing the other to build up her hive for the late crop. Winter Contraction. — I have had colonies winter finely on six frames, and on ten, also, in double and triple storey hives. Even a stock left with four racks of partly s'tored sections over winter came through all right, and duly stored an 80 lb. surplus. Bees are hardy little creatures, and if numerous enough will winter safely under almost any conditions. Instead of contract- ing the medium colony for winter, strengthen it by the addition of more bees and a pro-' lific queen. How was it that the Pettigrew skeppist secured results rivalling the modern frame hive? The old bee-masters used skeps having double the capacity of the present- day straw hive, and giving full scope to the most prolific queens. Such hives were very populous, and the swarms froin them large and profitable. Then as the honey flow closed, the swarm was driven and united to the parent hive. These were the colonies that filled the old time 90 lb. bell glasses with honey. We work on different lines now, but the principle of the great skeppist still holds good. Given a strong colony, with a prolific queen, 1 should expect the best results from autumn epcpansion of thei brood-chamber. A stored, shallow super placed above the standard frames in September ensures safe wintering, and a large population when the days come for honey gathering. — J. M. Ellis, Ussie Valley. SELF-PRESERVATION. [8092.] It is now an opportune time to ap- peal to bee-keepers who have lost bees dur- ing the past few months from Isle of Wight disease. Those who have experienced it know how very disheartening it is. Disgust is the first-born of disappointment, and when one gets disgusted anything may result. In the case of an enthusiast the thing is faced and put right ; but in the case of an un- willing convert, or of a person who has not much leisure to devote to his bees, or again, of a cottager whose consequent outlay has to be seriously considered, and to whom the risks accordingly seem very great, bee- keeping becomes a dream ending in an un- pleasant nightmare. Often the tenantless hives are left in exactly the same condition Feb. 16, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 67 as when the bees died. Robbing ensues, till all the infected honey is gone, and thus the disease is carried to most, if not all, of the surrounding apiaries. When the honey is all gone the wax remains ; the wax moth takes advantage of the circumstances, and the district becomes infected with this " un- desirable." This I know to be the case. In one in- stance of which I have personal knowledge, a man who had over twenty hives, and made them pay, is now chopping them up for firewood ! Another bee-keeper declared that his stocks were worth £30 in spring, and they were not worth that number of shillings in autumn. Two other cases I know, of hives left absolutely untouched for a long time. These are iall within the one-mile radius. It would be different if they even closed the entrances of their hives and pre- vented ingress of other people's bees. But they do not, and there the matter rests, representing, I should estimate, the greatest source of infection. Now this sort of thing should be stamped out as thoroughly as possible. We must realise that no amount of clamouring for Bee Disease Legislation will move us one step forward. More can be done at present by helping others, and thereby oneself, for no one at present can feel immune from in- fection. In the case of the " unwilling convert," who has taken apiculture up to satisfy an enthusiastic friend (who is a bit of a bore with it), give him a start with disinfecting the first hive, lend him your copy of Maeter- linck's " Life of the Bee," and if he fails to see beauty in the life of the bee then, or does not appreciate their industry after giving him a sample of your choicest honey, discourage him, discourage him heartily, for commonsense passes severe judgment on "slip-shod" apiarists. A little more time will be required to rectify matters in the case of the person who has not much time. Try to sacrifice your own time and interests a little, give him a little more help in disinfecting, etc., and when all is well again, keep in constant touch with him, and directly the danger is sighted take prompt measures to prevent it spreading. Then for the cottager, with whom the ex- pense of a fresh start is the deciding factor, the promise of a swarm in the coming sea- son, on condition that the apiary is cleaned out to the satisfaction of the person offering the swarm, would prove a wonderful incen- tive. I lost my bees last season, so am not in a position to offer swarms, but I have cleaned and disinfected one apiary right through with no direct advantage to myself, and am negotiating about others. I hold no official position as regards bee-keeping, but am re- lying simply and solely on the commonsense and good feeling of those visited. I appeal therefore to all brother and sister bee-keepers in infected areas, first, to destroy all stocks having I.O.W. disease, and thoroughly disinfect the hives, secondly. to close the entrances to prevent robbing, if the dead stock cannot be seen to at once, and thirdly, to help others who are not so keen, with a view to self-preservation. Now is the time to wage war, before spring comes and we are wanted in our own apiaries, and be- fore short stores drive the bees to robbing again. — G. Steventon, Bisley. CAPPINGS OF COMB. BY L. S. CRAWSHAW, NORTON, MALTON, YORKS. The No. I Gland System (p. 8).— The reasoning which Mr. BuUamore advances seems to me so sound and conclusive as almost to dispose of the theory that this system automatically atrophies in two weeks' time, and the case of a swarm which he cites is even stronger if a virgin queen be supposed at the head of affairs. Clearly, the larvae must be fed, and by bees which are over age. Our knowledge of these things is neces- sarily somewhat empirical, 'and it is not easy to suggest a test which shall be absolutely above criticism. The isolation of some Italian swarms in a black bee district, and the periodical removal of all mature brood, for, say, two months, would overcome the objection that swarms may be re-inforced by younger bees, called to their aid by the foragers. It is beyond question that young bees are accepted by strange stocks. Mr. Bullamore's argument is not so clear when he says "that we should find unsealed brood right up to the_ time that the first eggs were hatched." Where would the un- sealed brood come from? P.S. — A re-perusal of this in search of a possible misprint suggests that it should read: "the first bees," in other words, bees from the first laid eggs. That suggests that we need a distinctive term for the hatching, or emerging, of the adult bee. Queen Introduction (p. 11). — This method of introduction by saltpeti'e fumes promises well, but will it perform? If the bees are not stupefied by the fumes, will they not make a sudden and stragetic movement to the open? W^hilst if the fumes are suffi- ciently strong to prevent this, will the queen have the sense to know that the inferno thus offered to her is to be her future home ? Perhaps there would be neither entering in, nor going out, if the keys of the gate were kept by "St. Petre." But would opening the entrance for a brief period allow the fumes to escape, supposing the entrance to be at the bottom? Of course, these directions may not exactly apply to our type of hive, al- though I know of no reason for supposing that the writer uses another type, except his references to "all openings," and his manipulation from the "side" of the hive. Bees in Agriculture (p. 22). — If we may take these figures as a connect estimate, viz., 20,000 as the average number of foragers, and 80 per minute as the number of flights, it appears probable that 100 flowers per bee per diem is an under-estimate. For upon the figures, more than half the bees (12,000) would only make two journeys in the ten- houi's' day. If this be so, it follows that 68 THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. [Feb. 16, 1911. the bee must be absent from the hive either for a longer period than would enable her to visit 50 flowers, or, taking this time as a maximum of 20 minutes, that there can only be about 7 per cent, of the foragers absent at any one average moment. If these figures are even approximately accurate, they throw an interesting light upon the economy of the hive. If a forager only forages for 40 minutes, more or less, in any one day, what does it do for the rest of the 24 hours. One finds bees resting in the hive at all hours of the day, but not in such number as the figures would imply. As to the number of bossoms actually fei'tilised, it is possible, judging from pei'sonal obser- vation, that a good deal of time is wasted in profitless visits to flowers already robbed of their treasures, and in investigation of immature blossoms. Feeding the Young I.arvcB (p. 26). — Does not this small bit of winter life-history here sketched out by "Guardian" meet the diffi- culties raised by the Rev. A. R. Downes- Shaw? Perhaps the latter will give us the theory which he promised when he opened the subject. The Co-operative Honey Company (p. 26). — There is a lot of sound suggestion in Mr. Reader's letter, which at least gives one to think furiously. A discussion on the subject, at least, say, at one of the conversaziones, might be of value as indicating whether it would receive more than verbal support. Such support might, however, be more readily forthcoming from the younger and more enthusiastic members than from the older and more experienced. First of all, one would want to know all about the rocks upon which past ventures were wrecked. I believe that at least one member of the British Honey Company objected to have her good honey mixed with inferior products. Such objection might not be removed even if honey were bought, as suggested, upon its merits. Carriage charges to rnd from a depot would be a heavy item, and after all, the business would rest upon the ability of one man. Is that one man avilable? If not ! Comh-Foundation and Foul Brood (p. 27). — If it be true that boiling (in water) does not kill the spores of F.B., whilst at the same time foundation made from infected combs is innocuous, it follows either that the spores ax-e removed from the wax (or killed) during the processes of cleaning, or that they become encased or impregnated by the wax in such a way as to prevent their development. I prefer to believe that the several heatings dispose of the gentry, but either way is satisfactory if we can be sure that foundation is sterile. Queries and Replies. [4084.] Bees Dying in Well-provisioned Hive. —Last October, I had a present of a hive of bees. I examined them a few days after they arrived, and found them fairly strong, with bees on ten frames, which were three- parts full of honey. I started to feed them, but after taking down two jars of syrup they refused to take any more, as bad weather set in, so I covered them well up for the winter. One fine day last week I looked at all the hives, and found this stock dead, with plenty of honey, sealed and unsealed. There were about thirty live bees on the back frame, but I think they were bees from my other hives, robbing. I at once burnt the dead bees, wax, and honey. Please will you tell me, through the Journal, the probable cause of them dying? I found the queen dead at the bottom of the hive.- — G. M., Tadcaster. Reply.- — The bees had evidently dwindled somewhat in the late autumn, and therefore they were not sufficiently strong to keep up the temperature during the winter, and died from cold. [4085.] Transferring Bees. — Last September I bought some bees in a butter box, 13ins. square. They were provided with stores, but I gave them candy in December, over a 4in. feed-hole in top of box, and packed them in W.B.C. stock box, surrounded with cork dust. They were fiymg on 17th and 19th January last. If I place over the top of the box they are in a W.B.C. body-box, or a super of shallow frames with founda- tion, will the bees come up through the feed- hole, leave their present box, and work out the new foundation in spring, so that I may remove the old box and leave tnem in W.B.C. hive? Will you advise me, please? I should be glad to see an elementary weekly course in B.B.J. , that we small holders, anxious to take up bee-keeping, could do so with confidence and success. — H. C, Essex. Reply. — Instead of putting the frames above, put the brood chamber in its proper place with frames fitted with full sheets of foundation. Place the box with bees above, and let them work down, as if they were in a skep (see Guide Book, page 150). We de- cided some time ago to carry out what you suggest during the coming season. The Guide Book is so simple that we are sur- prised at your difficulty. [4086.] Moving Bees, and other Queries. — May I trouble you with one or two questions, the answers to which I thank you for in anticipation. (1) About the beginning of August I obtained two small stocks, and a late swarm from a friend, the stocks on three frames each (more properly called nuclei, I suppose). Being short of hives, I put them into one hive, divided with a tight- fitting division board, and gave each lot two frames, with full sheets of foundation, one on either side. I also made a separate en- trance for one lot in the side of hive ; they were fed up well, and were breeding nicely well into October. To enable me to feed regularly, I kept these in my garden, where they stiil are, but they will be shifted to my out-apiary in due course. W^hat is the latest date they may be safely left to before mov- ing, and (2) are they likely to make service- able stocks for next season? (3) When may I start stimulative feeding for these and the Feb. THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. 69 other stocks at the out-apiary, and as the latter is over two miles away and inconve- nient to visit more than is quite necessary, (4) would it suffice to give each stock a pint jar of syrup, with two, or even more, thick- nesses of calico tied over, about once a week? (5) When should the two stocks in one hive be separated? (6) As I am a little doubtful as to the sufficiency of stores in the weak stocks, will it do harm to give candy, if wanted or not, as a safeguard ? Should the candy be given under or on top of quilts, over feed-hole? (7) What size should cakes be, and I suppose enclosed in a frame with a piece of glass on top would be best. (8) What is your opinion of Alexander's method of increase (A B C of Bee Culture, page 279, 1908) ? Would it be suitable for this, a clover district, with fair amount of apple blossom, etc. — A. S. C. Eeply.— (1) You can move them as late as April. (2) Yes, if properly attended to and stimulated. (3 and 4) Beginning of April will be quite soon enough. Use a proper feeder, with holes in the cap, and give one hole. Calico will become close in texture, and the bees will not be able to get at the food if it is left so long. (5) The first fine day in March or April. (6) On top, over feed-hole. (7) A matter of choice. One or two pound cakes in a glass- topped box. (8) Leave it alone and stick to British methods, which have been tried and found successful. CUMBERLAND B.K.A. A CORRECTION. In the report of the Cilmberland B.K.A. annual meeting, which appeared in our last issue (p. 52), the name of one of the new vice-presidents was given as Mr. Bermair. This should have been Mr. F. E. T. Jones- Balme. We have received from the Hon. Sec. the combined schedule of the annual exhibition of the Carlisle and Cumberland Horticultural Association,, and the Cumber- land and Westmorland B.K.A. The show will be held in the Market Hall, Carlisle, on August ?Oth and 31st, and the judges of bees and honey, etc., are the Rev. R. McClelland, and Mr. Robt. Rymer. OLD BEE LITEEATURE. (Continued frotn -page 6o.) Closely they ply their work in their hives, and feed on the super abundance of their combs, know- ing by mere instinct of Nature, that if they should not do so, and give vigilant attendance : Spiders would get into the hive, and there kill them. When they have but small store of honey, the most of them keeps the entrance that it may not be taken from them until they are better provided. A worthy president to men, to banish all superflous things out of their Commonwealth, lest by the meannes of them, the venome of hatred may be bred among them, which may procure the death of one another. And when dearth or scarcity happens in their cities, vigilancy is needfully re- quired, to preserve such store as they have; that it may not elsewhere be transported, and so public calamity en- sue thereon. There are a kind of Bees which labour not to produce honey, but eat that already made, and they are longer than the other : the good Bees have continuall war with them, to expell them out of their Commonwealth. Signifying to us, that slothful persons should be excluded from other men's company : and such as seek to feed by other's sweat. Their King never flies abroad, but he is at- tended round with a great company of Bees, and it so happen that they meet with another flight of Bees, that likewise have their King with them, they leave their owne to accompany the New King. And if their own King contend to reduce them again under his obedience; they kill him, and follow the other newly made choice of, and him they elect as their King. This excesse happeaeth very seldom, and is one of the two im- perfections which these creatures have in their government: beside, it is neces- sary, that in every kind there should be some vice. If they chance to sting hard they put forth the whole length of their sting; whei-eon themselves die withall, because their bowels issue out thereby. Their Kings and Governors sting but seldom, although they are thereto pro- voked; for some say, that they have no sting at all. And Pliny is not certain, whether they have any or no: but not- withstanding, he is well assured they sting not: Neither care they that their King should be so armed, provided, that he he of good government, valiant, and majesticall: which proveth, that Princes ought to be benign, mild, and patient: never to take any delight in cruelty, but rather to be gentle and merciful. Such is the cleanliness of these creatures, that they cannot endure any foul, or noisome favour, and therefore when they return to their City or Castle (for such as they count their Hive to be) they discharge 70 THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. [Feb. 16, 1911. their bellies in the air, and many times (through bad smells) they become sickly, and so soon as any one of them dieth, the rest hurl him out of their hive. They grow sick also through idle- ness, and therefore they will not suffer any to be slothful amongst them : and the smell of boiled fish, such as Creuises, Lobsters, and Crab-fish is deadly to them. An excellent example for men to live clean and neatly, free from a vicious life, carefully respecting both their souls and bodies. (To be continued.) Notices to Correspondents Letters or queries asking for addresses of 7)ianufacturers or correspondents, or tvhere appli- ances can he purchased, or replies giving such information, can only he inserted as advertise- ments. The space devoted to letters, queries, and replies is meant for the general good of bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We loish our correspondents to hear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always he replied to in the issue immediately following the receipt of their comnmnication. S. E. H. (Birmingham) Bees Suffering from Dysentery. — From your description it ap- pears ithat the bees are suffering from viru- lent dysentery, probably caused by bad food and confinement. As there are only enough bees to cover three frames we are afraid that there is poor chance of saving them. You can, however, try by transferr- ing them to a clean hive and floor board on the first day it is fine enough for the bees to fly. Any soiled combs, and those containing honey should also be exchanged for clean ones. Feed the bees on candy, give proper ventilation, and disturb as little as possible. Reduce hive by division boards to the number of combs covered by bees, and protect them well from cold. No, do not place a hot water bottle on a^t present as it would excite the bees too much, and if /they are not able to get out would do more harm than good. C. W. S. (Sui'biton) Spring Feeding, etc. — (1) You need not boil the syrup again, but simply mix the water — preferably hot — with it. (2) You can hardly feed up so small a lot of bees to do very much on apple blossoms, and the best way would be to strengthen them by uniting ttwo or three lots together. It is too soon j'jO commence feeding with syrup and artificial pollen, and only candy should be used at present. (3) You would have to depend on the lime trees for your surplus, as well as what the bees may gather from the miscellaneous flowers in the neighbourhood. (4) The closer the bees are to ithe heather the better, but it is very doubtful if it would be worth your while to take your bees to either of the places mentioned, not only because you would get very little heather honey, buib also owing to the prevalence of the Isle of Wight disease in the neighbourhood. We would therefore advise you not to move your bees. J. F. A. (Noii>ham) Spacing frames and disinfecting. — (1) The frames may be closed up again about the end of March, as directed on page 198 of the Guide Book. (2) Yes, the honey should be removed. (3) If foul brood is of the mild type either formalin gas or soluble phenyle will do, but you must bear in mind that neither will destroy the spores, and both depend on their efficacy in arrest- ing the growth of bacilli. (4) Although it is possible to do without it, you can add one and a half teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar with advantage, as it will expedite the making of the candy. (5) It is not neces- sary to add pea-meal to candy where crocuses and gorse are plentiful. (5) Gorse flowers as eai'ly as February and March, but willows yield pollen in greater abundance Suspected Disease. C. T. (Malvern). — The symptoms are those of the Isle of Wight disease, and it ;s "uite possible that this is the cause of death. It is difficult to say without having some of the bees for examination. X. Y. Z. (Lewes). — The bees are dry and have been dead some time, but amongst other bacteria there appear to be spores of the Isle of Wight disease. C. W. H. (Haslemere). — Your bees are suffering from dysentery and Isle of Wight disease. J. T. (Barnoldswick). — Isle of Wight dis- ease. G. R. (Manchester). — 1. — Bees have been dead some time, and there is no evidence of disease, so they have probably died of old age or want of food. 2. — The bees are hybrids. The following sent bees which had been dead for some time, and dried up, conse- quently it is impossible to speak with cer- tainty as to the cause of their death. They all contain various bacteria of decomposi- tion : Schoolboy (jJursley). — Queen a young one, bees too dry. Burnt Oak (Heme Hill). — Probably Isle of Wight disease. J. W. W. (Stokesley).— Dysentery. H. (Renfrewshire). — Bees came in very bad condition, and smothered with earth. Nos. 1 and 2, dysentery, stomachs filled with undigested pollen. No. 3 contain some undi- gested pollen, and apparently spores of Isle of Wight disease. If our correspondents can send live bees from affected hive, we might diagnose with more certainty. I^eb. 23, 1911.J THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 71 Editorial, Notices, &c. REVIEWS. Echter Biencnhonig, eiii luichtiges Nah- rungs-u, Volks-Heilmittcl, by Reinhold MichocUs (published by A. Michaelis, Liep- zig, price 40 pfg. — livepence). — This is a capital little pamphlet of fifty-six pages, intended to instruct the public on the ad- vantages to be dei'ived from the use of honey and to populai'ise it. It commences by de- scribing what honey really is, its nature and chemical composition. The author says that genuine honey is as easily distinguished from so-called artificial as real wine is from the imitation, and as there are no artificial apples, pears, cherries or eggs, so there can be no artificial honey. Honey is entirely the jDroduct of the bee. The next chapter treats of the different substances found in commerce in Germany under various names, simulating honey, and shows that the manu- factories which place them on the market pro- duce them mainly from potato-syrup, prepared by subjecting potato- starch to the action of sulphuric acid As this syrup is highly injurious to the human constitution, the author thinks it is quite time that the con- sumer was put on his guard respecting it. The various methods of testing honey and detecting adulteration are given, and there is a chapter on the different varieties of honey, their colour and flavour. Several chapters are devoted to the use of honey as food in the household, its use in medicine, and the methods of making honey wine. There are a number of useful recipes, and the author concludes with a chapter showing the pharmaceutical use of bee-poison. One-aiid-All Gardening, Edited by E. O. Greening, F.R.H.S. (London: Agricultural and Horticultural Association ; price two- pence).— The sixteenth year of this interest- ing Annual finds it full of life and vigour, and as popular as ever with lovers of gar- dens, for whom the publishers have pro- vided a first edition of 100,000 copies. The editor devotes his cpening article to a com- prehensive plan for developing the work of existing Horticultural Societies throughout the Kingdom. These- Societies he estimates at a thousand in number, with a quarter of a million members, whom he would convert into missionaries for the conversion of our country into a "Garden Land." The 128 pages of the Annual are, as usual, full of instructive articles and pleasant illustrations. The Selhourne Magazine, Edited by J. D. Boiilyer, LL.D. (published by J. Philip and Son, Ltd.. London; price threepence). — The Selbourne Society has enlarged its magazine and printed it on art paper. Our readers ma,v remember that for many years it was ca,l]ed "Nature Notes," but two years ago the old name of "The Selborne Magazine"' was once more adopted. In the present number, Miss Hodgson, who has so success- fully introduced nature study into the Croft School, gives some hints on the teaching of natural history. There are many interesting natural history notes, and the number is thoroughly well illustrated. We notice, also, that a children's corner has been stai'ted. All particulars with regard to the magazine and the society can be obtained from the honorary secretary, at the new offices of the Selbourne Society, 42, Bloomsbury Square, London, W.C. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION. The monthly meeting of the Council was held on February l&th, at 23, Bedford Street, London, W.C. Mr. W. F. Reid pre- sided, and there were also present Messrs. R. T. Andrews, 0. R. Frankenstein, G. H. Skevington, T. Bevan, E. Walker, J. B. Lamb,^E. Garcke, W. \Y. Watts (Becken- ham), E. R. Stoneham (Cray ford) and the secretary, W. Herrod. The minutes of the Council meeting held January 19th were read and confirmed. Letters expressing regret at inability to attend were read from Miss Gavton, Messrs. T. W. Cowan, C. L. M. Eales, H. Jonas, A. G. Pugh, A. Richards, and Col. H. J. 0. Walker. The following new members were elected : Miss C. Campbell, 47, Lennox Gardens, London, S.W. ; Miss D. K. Ernest, St. Stephens, Stanstead, Essex ; Miss R.. Saun- ders and Miss V. Kirby, Live Oak Canon, Redlands, California, U.S.A. ; Sir Francis Walker, Bart., Swansfield, Alnwick, North- land; Mr. J. E. Buttle, Pretoria, S.A. ; Mr. F. W. Moore, 10, The Avenue, Bedford; Mr. W. E. Richardson, 14, Carter Mount, Whitkirk, Leeds ; Mr. A. J. Rex, 6, May- field Gardens, Edinburgh; Mr. G. Steventon, A.C.P., Elinfield House, Bisley, Surrey. The report of the Finance Committee was presented by Mr. G. H. Skevington, the balance in hand being £80 8s. 9d. It was rt^solved that payments amounting to £P 4s. 6d. be made." The draft report and balance sheet for 1910 was read, and it was resolved "That the d'aft report, balance sheet and income and expenditure account be approved and signed ''I-' the Chairman, and that printed proofs be submitted to the Chairman, Vice-Chair- •v.an of the Council, and Mr. Garcke for *heir final approval. It was also resolved that the names of the Presidents of Affiliated Arsoeiations be printed on the front page of the report as Vice-Presjdents of The British Bce-keepprs' Association, as per Rule 3. The Secretary read replies received to applications sent out for use of room for annual meeting, and it was resolved "That the meeting be held at the Gardenia Res- taurant, 6. Catherine Street, Covent Garden, T-ondon, W.C. (next door to Drury Lane Theatre). Arrangements were also made for papers to be read at the conversazione. The insurance scheme for 1911-12 was con- '^'dei'ed, and the amended terms of Messrs. Heath and Co. were accepted. It was re- solved that the registration fee to non-mem- bers be increased to one shilling. 72 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Feb. 23, 191 1. Letters were received from the Eev. H. Ellison and Mr. J. Grimwood resigning their seats on the Council, and the same were ac- cepted with regret. The names of Mr. T. D. Sinfield and Mr. L. McNeill Stewart as delegates were sub- mitted by the South Bedfordshire B.K.A., and accepted By the Council. Mr. C4arcke and Mr. Lamb were cordially thanked for their work in revising the literature of the Association, and it was re- solved "That the proofs of the amended cir- culars be submitted to the Chairman and Vice-Criaiiman, Mr. Garcke and Mr. Lamb, for their approval. Mr. Reid mentioned that a case for the display of objects of interest in bee-keeping was being reserved at the White City for the Corcnation Exhibition, and that he would be pleased to hear from anyone having objects to lend. The next meeting of the Council will be held on March 16th, at The Gardenia Res- taurant, 6, Catherine Street, Covent Garden, London, W.C. WORCESTERSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the above Associa- tion took place at the Church House, Worcester, on February 11th. The Presi- dent (Canon Coventry) was in the chair, and there was a good attendance of members. The report of the committee mentioned the great benefit to beginners in bee-keeping the recent action of the County Council in making the Association the authority for in- struction had been. It also ui'ged the need of stronger measures against foul brood. Avhich is very prevalent in the county. The President thought, and several members agreed, that experts had mistaken other complaints for this disease, and considered that a microscopic examination was often needed before stocks were condemned. The report was adopted. The Treasurer's accounts showed a small deficit (£1 3s. 6d.) for the first time for some years. Mr. Millward, as auditor, stated that, notwithstanding the leaflet issued in the spring, there were still mem- bers paying the reduced subscription who should pay the ordinary one. Mr. Leicester suggested that the officials might go over the list and request the full amount from such members. It was decided to consider the alteration of Rule V. at the next meeting, and the conunittee were askecl to re-draft the rule fn readiness. The Trea- surer's statement was then passed. The Rev. Canon Coventry was re-elected President, and the vice-presid°nts and offi- cials were all re-appointed. Mr. Brierley's name was added to the committee. Miss .Johnson then distributed medals to such of the winners as were present. On the motioa of the Rev. J. Bowstead Wilson, a vote of thanks to the officers was carried. After tea, Mr. W. Herrod gave a lecture on "Diseases and Enemies of Bees" to an audience of over sixty. He dealt with the subject as fully as time would allow, and succeeded in interesting his hearers, in spite of having to deal with the unpleasant side of bee-keeping. — J. Phillips, hon. secretary. ©bituarp, DAVID ALANSON JONES. We regret to have to record the death of Mr. David Alanson Jones, of Beeton, Ontario, who was for many years one of the leading bee-keepers of Canada. Mr. D. A. Jones was born near Toronto, on October 9th, 1836, and during his boy- hood worked on the farm with his fathei, who kept bees, and among his earliest recol- lections was that of being carried by his father to the apiary to watch them work- ing. At the age of five he knew pretty nearly all that was generally known about keeping bees in those days, and before the age of fifteen he hunted and captured bees on his own account, without any assistance from his father. In 1860 he went to Illinois, whei'c he worked for a stockman, and in the autumn of that year he happened to ai'-jtend an exhibition in Chicago, where he saw a bee-keeper manipulating combs covered with bees, and explaining the ad- vantages of the Langstroth hive. His in- terest revived, and Mr. Jones took measure- ments of the hive, wivh a view to making a start in keei)ing bees on modern lines. He married Miss Jessie Macpherson, of Whitby, in 1864, and settled in Beeton, where he engaged in business as a mer- chant, in partnership with his brother. The bu/siness was carried on successfully for some years, but on his brother retiring, the store was sold, and Mr. Jones found the leisure to gratify his taste for bees, and made a stai^t with two colonies in Lang- stroth hives. He af'^erwards established a business from which Beeton derived its name. In 1878 he commenced in a small Vi'av to manufacture hives and appliances, and six years later he built a large factory. In 1886 the business had grown to such propor- tions i^hat the "D. A. Jones Co., Ltd.," was formed, with a capital of 40,000 dollars, and the factory gave employment to a number of men all the year round. The two colonies soon became several apiaries, and during certain seasons the bees were moved to ".Jones" Island, on the east shore of Georgian Bay. Mr. Jones also built up a large trade in extracted honey, and gave an impetus in Canada to the exhibition of small packages of honey at fairs and agri- cultural shows. One of the great services rendei'ed to bee- keeping M'as while Mr. Jones was head of this firm, and he will always be rempm- bered as one who undertook the search for Feb. 23, igii.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. ■73 new races of bees. It was in 1879 ithat he set out himself, at great expense, and amid considerable difficulties and dangers, to visit Cyprus and Palestine, in search of the races of bees in those countries. These he shipped .to this country, and after having a flight they were re-shipped to Canada. As an adjunct to this undertaking, he established, on separate islands on Georgian Bay, apiaries where the different races could be kept in purity, or crossed at will. Great credit was due to Mr. Jones for this ex- periment, as he bore all the tost, and we know that it was not a paying speculation, as he was several thousand dollars out of Messrs. S. Cornell, S. T. Pettit and R. McKnight. The exhibit was a grand display of the honey-producing powers of the Cana- dian Dominion, and consisted of forty tons of honey, chiefly from white clover. This e.Khibit did much to popularise honey here, and not only was it all sold, but by the sale cf twopenny packages, many had the op- portunity of tasting honey who had never done so before. On October 5th an International Congress was organized by the British Bee-keepers' Association, which was attended by all these gentlemen with the exception of Mr. Pettit, who had to leave the day before. The THE LATE .MR. D. A. JONES. pocket. In 1885 Mr. Jones founded the Canadian Bee Journal, and edited it until it was .transferred to E. L. Gould and Co., 01 Brantford, and while actively engaged in ibusiness, he also found time to publish The Beeton World and the Canadian Poultry Journal. In 1885 he published a small book entitled "Foul Brood : Its Management and Cure. ' ' Bee-keepers in this country made the ac- quaiix^.ance of Mr. Jones in 1886, during the Indian nnd Colonial Exhibition, where he and thi'ee others were appointed Commis- sioners in charge of the Canadian Honey Department. The other representatives were Colonial representatives received a hearty welcome. The company over which the chair- man presided at the luncheon was a dis- I'nguished one, and included, in addition to the representatives of the Ontario B.K.A., the Chief Commissioner of Education for Oni'ario, Dr. May, and Pastor Descoulayes, representing the Swiss Association, as well as representatives from a large number of County Associations, and the leading Bri- tish bee-keepers of that time. The day of the conference is one that will ever be re- membered with pleasure by those present on the occasion. The feelings that pre- dominated in the breasts of British bee- 74 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Feb. 23, 191 1. keepers towards their Canadian brethren were hearty and sincere, and those feelings found a ready response in the hearts of those whom on this day we delighied to honour. At the meeting af ^er the luncheon, the large Conference Hall w^as crowded, when Mr.' Jones gave his interesting de- scription of the system of bee-keeping and appliances in use in Canada. At that ':ime the Heddon hive was much talked about, and Mr. Jones's remarks about it were lis- tened to with great aj'tention. At this meeting he also gave his opinion that it was useless to hone for anv resii.lts by crossing of the Apis dorsita with other breeds. In 1887 we paid a visi':, to Canada, and received a hearty welcome from the Cana- dian bee-keepers, who presented us with an illuminated address and gold-headed waik- ing-stick, at a meeting in Toronto organized in our honour. At this meeting the bond of friendship commenced the previous year in London was further strengthened. A few days were spent at Beeton, and we had an onoortiinity of seeing +h° manufactory and learning of the multifarious interests which Mr. Jones had in the town, where he Avas much respected, and where he had gained the title of "The Bee King of Canada." In spite of his earnestness and energy, Mr. Jones was very sociable and j.ovial, ever ready to communicate to others the results of his investigations : he was also most charitable and kind, and will be deeply mourned not only by bee-keepers, for in his time he had don'- much for th ■ ad- vancement of the industry, but by all who knew- him. We extend to the surviving relatives our sympathy in their loss. Correspondence. The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents. No notice will be taken of anonymous com- munica'ions, and correspondents are requeste^i to write on one side of the paper only and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily for publication, but as a gilarantee of good faith. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected commiinications, NOTES BY THE WAY. [8093.] The weather for the past fortnight has been open and mild for February, and on severa,l days the bees have been very busy at the watering places, and some have been carrying in pollen from natural sources. I have not furnished a supply of artificial pollen yet, but shall give a supply in mode- r.'^te quantities in a few days, "if suitable weather prevails, for the bees to gather it. Those eaten cakes of candy referred to m my last notes have been replaced by a new batch, and all stocks responded to the roll- call. My neighbour, the young farmer mentioned, whose bees were catalogued for sale, has decided to lake them with him into Kent, as he is moving to a fruit farm at Kingswood, and I have just packed the hives for the journey for him. I found two lots starved to death, and three others nearly run out of food. These will probably also die of starvation long before natural food can be gathered, if not fed. Last autumn I impressed on him the necessity of feeding these colonies, but he has neglected to do so, with the result that he will lose half his apiary from a preventible cause. I mention this as a warnng to others who may have neglected to feed" their bees, hoping they may pull through without help. I say, fci the sake of the poor, helpless little crea- tures, don't let them starve when food is so cheap. Good candy can be made at 2^d. pe,r lb., and a 21b. or 31b. cake will carry them along till some food can be gathered in early districts. I find 1 did not mention that that heavv bell glass (8042) was worked on the top of a straw skcp, and that my bell glasses have always been worked (at least, my large ones were) on bar- framed hives. Mr. Bullamore's excerpt from "Bonner's Book" (p. 55) does not, to my mind, convey the impression that the bees were suffering from the new bee pest, "Isle of Wight disease." The first period supplies the cause of their death, but this new bee pest, when once started in an apiary, so far as I can gather, it is beyond human skill to stop it. It is not a small matter of so many per cent, of the stocks in an apiary dying, but a 100 per cent, loss, as every colony, once infected, dies. If we had a Foul Brood Act in opera- tion in this country, it appears to me that each bee expert or inspector working under the Act. after examining bees infected, or dead, with this Isle of Wi^ght bee pest, would be simply germ carriers to other healthy apiaries, and that they would spread the disease far and wide. Those countries which have enjoyed the helpful (?) working of Foul Brood Acts are not satisfied with the results of those Acts. Michigan State, U.S.A., is the one now earnestly endeavour- ing to get a new F.B. Act. Editor Root, in G/<;an/!i,e5, says : "Foul brood is spreading at an alarming rate, and very stringent mea- sures a:-e necessary to stamp it out"— and this condition of things exists in Michigan. where an Act has been in force for several years. Even on the other side of St. George's Channel I hear from a F.B. in- spector that thev need more power than the present Irish F.B. Act gives the inspectors. Belgium points the way out of the foul brood difficulty in a friendly, simple manner. My sympathies are with "Depressed" (8090) in his fight with disease near London, but so far as I understand the matter, I cannot see where an inspector could have helped, except by making a clearance by fire, as our friend had the benefit of the Association expert's visits. I should like to know if No. 1 stock was examined on .July 29th, or by "Depressed" on the 24th. Feb. 23, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 75 If so, he may take it that infection was given in the examination either by himself or by the expert sent on July 24th or 29th. Then as to dysentery, the glass covers are not conducive to the comfort of the colony during the winter months especially. I always use a quilt of common carpet with a felt one over this, and a chaff cushion or some warm wraps in addition. Then as to food given, did "Depressed" use vinegar in making the autumn food? I have never used either vinegar or salt myself in bee-food. For syrup I use pure cane sugar (Demerara crystals), or for soft candy, half loaf and half Demerara sugar, and a little cream of Tartar, which helps to break up the grain of the sugar, leaving the candy soft and buttery. After feeding up in the early autumn, I have never thought of extracting the unsealed food. Continual pottering with bees is not conducive either to their health or well-doinc;. As regards infection, most probably it came with the bees or with the queens bought, or through the expert's visits of examination. I consider this a far more likely cause than from neighbours' hives, especially as it is stated that none are known to be kept in the neighbourhood. — W. WoouLEY, Beedon, Newbury. fests the peculiarities of the partheno- genetic ovum. A loose style of expression in the columns of a scientific journal usually gives rise to trouble. The late controversy on the McEvoy system originated in the use of the term to denote a system which was not the system of McEvoy, and which, in its use of disinfectants, materially differed from it. — G. W. Bull.a.more, Albury, Herts. PAETHENOGEXESIS. [8094.] Under this heading, on page 45, Mr. Desmond claims scientific accuracy for the statement that "one sexual intercourse is sufficient to fertilise the eggs of numerous generations of aphides." What are the facts ? In the aphis life cycle, the sexual genera- tion is the only one that produces eggs. These eggs produce females which are in- capable of being fertilised, and which are viviparous, i.e., they bring forth living young. These young are themselves capable of pi'oducing parthenogenetic viviparous off- spring, and after several s?7ch generations, the cycle is again stan'ed by the production of the sexual forms of the insect. The number of generations in the cycle depends on circumstances. Experimentally, it has been made to continue for four years without the occurrence of sexual forms of the insect. I do not think that any juggling with the sentence quoted will fit it to these facts. The intermediate generations procUice no eggs. It might be argued that the germ which develops in the body of the plant-louse is really an egg, and that this is fertilised. Tiiere is no support given to this view by the embryologist. Studies of partheno- genetic ova and of fertilised ova reveal a difference in the early stages of develop- ment. Further research has shown that the eggs produced by the sexual female aphis are analagous with other fertilised eggs. The germ which develops in the body of the parthenogenetic female mani- COMB-FOUNDATION AND FOUL BROOD [8095.] I thank Mr. Taylor (p. 35) for his kind invitation, but I fail to see that any good would come of it. He tells us it takes several days to cool half a ton of wax. That, no doubt, is true, but in his catalogue he says: "customers' wax cleaned, sterilized and made into weed brood at 6d. per lb. He does not, however, say that each customer gets his own wax back, and I should consider myself unreasonable if I sent 6 lbs. of wax and expected a manu- facturer to put his machinery into motion to keep mine separal'e for the sum of 3s. How long would it take to cool this 6 lbs. of wax? I would like to know, also, how the spores are removed, or destroyed, for I believe the only heat that will really destroy them is a dry torch, such as a painter's lamp, and this, of course, will destroy the wax. Apiary after apiary has been wiped out, both by foul brood and the Isle of Wight disease, and the old combs have been melted and sent to our m.muf acturers, who send ^^heir founda- tion to all parts, and the Isle of Wight dis- ease is spreading both north and south. I would appeal to all bee-keepers who have this disease not to send such wax to be made into foundation, for it is certainly both unsafe and unwise ; there are plenty of other uses to which it may be put. — Jas. Pf.arman, Penny Long Lane, Derby. FERTILISATION OF QUEENS. [8096.] It is interesting to have further details concerning the experience of- "Scot" re queens mating in the hive (page 46). We must evidently assume that "Scot" is in- fallible, but yet his case has not been proved. At what age did the drones mate with the queen, if such an event actually took place? Also, were they so active in the hive if the weather was so adverse as to preveni' outdoor excursions? — A. W^. Salmon, St. Kilda, North Finchley. EARLY POLLEN-BEARING PLANT. [SQ97.]Gnrrya Elliptica is an anemophilous shrub, and it is very doubtful whether the bees would use its pollen. If they should use the pollen of wind-fertilisers they have the yew, which is just as early as Garrya Elliptica. and bears great quantities of pollen. — G.G.D., Camberwell. 76 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Feb. 22, 191 1. Queries and Replies. [4087.] Working for Surplus. — Having now increased my apiary to fifteen stocks, I should like to run it this year for honey only, and to this end I should like to re- turn' all swarms to parent colony. Would you be good enough to let me know through the medium of your valued journal the best means of doing this? Also, I am in doub.t whether for honey purposes the old laying queen should be retained, or whether it would be generally better to keep the young one ; in the latter case, how would one find thfi. old queen in the swarm, in order to remove her? Thanking you in anticipation for your kind advice. — F.V.W., Gloucester. Reply. — (1) If you give room in advance of requirements, and sufficient ventilation, it will reduce swarming risks to a mini- mum. In returning swarms, first destroy all queen cells. This should be done as soon after the swarm has issued as possible. Then, in the evening, return the swarm from the front in the usual way, having first put on an extra super. (2) All depends upon the age of c|ueen whether she is retained or destroyed. If in her second year, then she should be kept till the end of the sea- son; if older, destroy her. In the latter case it will be necessary to leave the best queen cell. The queen can be found in the swarm by turning the skep upside down and carefully searching for her, or if in return- ing the swarm is thrown low down on the sloping board, she will easily be seen amongst the bees as they run up into the hive. [4088.1 Carniolan Bees. Hive Construction. — Can you advise me on the following points : — (11 Owing to the position of my apiary it is rather important to have good- tempered bees. In raising my queens in the early spring, would it be advisable to use a colony of pure Carniolans I have for supplying the drones? (The queens, of course, would be raised from my best slock, viz.. an English black. 1 T a=k this b'^'^ause hybrids are reported to be bad-tempered, and yet the "Guicle Book" says their disposition is derived from drones. (2) Do you con- sider bees do as well without porches as with' Several apiaries in Holland I have seen do no^^^ use a hive with a porch, and I cannot quite see its use except as an orna- ment. Also, what is the proper distance between the floor and bottom bar of frames? I mean ,the space to be allowed in summer. In winter, of course, the eke is used. — "Bee- Man," Ather stone. Reply. — (1) Thoiigh Carniolans are good- tempered when pure, it would be unwise to cross the bees as you sucreest. As a rule, hybrid.s are vicious, though tlie parent's on both sides may be docile. 12) Hives are much better with porches to keen out svxn, wet and snow : they also provide for the use of entrance slides for the prevention of robbing, etc. The space between bottom bar and floor-board should be half an inch. [4089.] Wintering Bees in a Shed. — I should be pleased if you will kindly answer the following cjuestions in the British Bee JouRN.AL. (1) I have two weak stocks of bees which I have wintered in a shed. I. am feeding with candy. What would be the best date to put them out in the garden for the season? (2) Another of my stocks has very irregular combs. I am feeding, these also on candy, although they have plenty of sealed stores. I want to get the bees into a new hive, and intend to feed them up well on candy with pea-flour in it, as I want them to swarm early. If I can make them do this, and then send off a cast, how should I get the bees left on the combs out, as I understand I must wait two weeks after the cast issues before doing this? I shall Le glad if you will tell me the right way to act in this case, and when to begin feeding with pea- flour candy, etc. The combs ai-e fastened to the hive on each side. — G.B., Bath. Reply. — The bees should be kept out-of- doors or you will lose them. Keeping them in a shed will prevent their taking cleansing flights during fine days in the winter, which are necessary for their health. Wrap warmly at the top and they will be quite all right. (2) Do not do as you suggest, but treat the hive they are now in as a skep, and work them down as instructed in "Guide Book," page 150. [4090.] -1 Beginner's Queries. — I would like to have your assistance through the columns of the B.B.J., from v/hich I have already received much help. Being only a six months' novice, I have taken particular care of two stocks of bees this winter (as I thought), but upon examination on Saturday, the 11th, was horrified to find one stock had died with about ten pounds of stores left, and half a cake of candy on quilts, and judging from the "Guide Book," I guess the cause is dysentery, as a quantity of the stores were not sealed over. (1) Is the enclosed candy good ? The other stock, treated in the same manner, appears in good condition. (2) If I thoroughly cleanse out' this (dead) hive, would you advise me to put the other stock into it, for fear of trouble there? Would the old combs be fit for use again? (3) Is the honey in them fit for consump- tion? (4) Is there a member of the Associa- tion near Hampton Court who would visit me? I looked forward to doing great things in bee-keeoing at Hampton Court, with its avenues of lime trees, and a wealth of flowers from March to October. My bees came from Epsom, I hope without having contracted disease so prevalent about there. — W.I., Hampton Court. Reply. — (1) The candy is much too hard for bee-food. (2) The combs being old,_ it will be best to melt them down. The hive should be well washed with disinfectant be- fore using again. If you get it ready now you will be able 1,0 transfer the other stock into it when spring-cleaning about April. Feb. 23, 191 1.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 71 You must not disturb them now by trans- ferring to another hive. (3) The honey would not be nice for human consumption. (4) Write to Major Fair, 22, Anlaby Eoad. Teddington, hon. secretary, Middlesex B.K.A. He will no doubt be well able to put you into communication with a neigh- bouring bee-keeper. Echoes from the Hives. I send a few lines on the prospects for the season from this little Garden of England, or, as Mr. L. S. Crawshaw would perhaps prefer it being called, the Garden of France (p. 179, B.B.J. , May 5th, 1910). Bees here are generally in good condition, and on fine days are busy carrying water and pollen to the hives from crocuses and snowdrops, which are out in profusion in the small gar- dens in the town and neighbouring villages. jl took advantage of Thursday last (February 16th) being fine and warm to examine nine stocks at an out-apiary, and was pleased to find in each hive large patches of brood on three, four, and in one hive, five frames, with plenty of sealed stores. Mar- ket gardeners here appear to be taking more interest in bees and bee-keeping now than in former years. Many are starting with two or three hives, and increasing year by year. The Gardeners' Association, in conjunction with the Worcestershire B.K.A.. have arranged a lecture in Evesham Town Hall on March 9th on the subject of "Bees and the Fertilisation of Bloom," and much interest is being taken in it by all classes, especially by those who are members of both societies. — -J. S. Baiiev, Expert, Worcestershire B.K.A., Evesham District. hollow into which the queen cell may be fitted. The top cork is flanged for suspen- sion if desired, when several are used to- gether. The cork at the bottom is removed when cand}^ is placed in the hole, or the cfaeen may be let out into the lower chamber,, in which case the hole must be closed. BEE CONTROL CLOTH. We have received from the Irekling Com- pany', Dublin, samples of their " Bee Con- trol" cloths, which are put up in a compact tin case, and can be carried in the vest pocket. They are very neat, and in calm weather would no doubt be quite convenient sub- jugatoi's, but their lightness would make them a little difficult to work with in windy weather. They will specially appeal to travelling experts, where lightness and an absence of bulk in luggage is a great con- sideration. NOVELTIES. Mr. R. Grose, of Bodmin, sends us two novelties which he has found useful. One is what he calls " An Observatory Queen and other Bee-Catcher," and is made from a Bi'yant and May's "Ruby" matchbox. The drawer of the box has a piete of glass fitted in, v>hich replacts the bottom, and on the outside a flap fths of an inch wide is cut out, so as to poniit of inspection of bees or queen beneath the glass. At one end of the box a triangular piece is cut out for allowing the bees exit to the mailing cage. By plac- ing the glass covered drawer over the bees, they can be captured expeditiously and al- lowed to run into the mailing cage without a finger being placed on them. The second appliance is a "Q'leen Nursery Cage," which can be suspended in upper storeys or used in "Swarthmore" nuclei. It is a perforat-^d zinc tube, 3 in. long, and \ in. in diameter. In the centre there is a cork fin. thick, with a fin. hole in it. There is a similar cork at the bottom end, the otDening of which is closed with a cork fitting it. The ^ork stopping the top is fin. thick, with a AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS. EXTRACTS AND COMMENTS. By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. Colour ScDse in the Bee. — One who has de- voted a considerable amount of original in- vestigation to this subject is quoted in Gleanings. His conclusions are : First, bees plainlv distinguish colours, whether natural or artificial ; secondly, bees visiting one colour return to it habitually, they exhibit colour fidelity ; thirdly, this habit does not become obsessional, they discriminate be- tween colours when it is for their advantage. I am interested m this subject, and will deal with one phase of it next week. Buckivlieat. — I was asked lately about the value of buckwheat as a feeder for stock. Here is an interesting extract on the sub- ject:— "Buckwheat is being grown more and more in most dairy regions, as the great question with the daii'yman is what food gives the most milk, and the increase will go to in3rease the dairy products. The blossom, however, is what the bee-man is after, and so the dairyman and the bee- keeper will fill the land with milk and honey." Two for buckwheat ! The Cost of Disease. — According to an esti- mate made in a publication issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture this works out at the rate of 1,000,000 dols. per annum. Disease is declared to exist in at least thirty-seven States. This department is doing its best to combat disease in every form, and bee-keepers are loyally supporting them. Gleanings aids the good cause in every possible way. Swnhiiig Entrance. — An Australian advises not to inject smoke at entrance when manipu- lating. Another says that Doolittle advises ihe contrary, and adds "I inject smoke at the entrance before raising qui It."' I w-onder. now, if many follow out this practice. I never found any necessity for it, and I ques- tion if, fc" ovdinarv operations, it would do any good. More interruption of work and mon confusion in the interior would result. 78 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Feb. 23, 191 1, Honey Prices. — It will be generally ac- knowledged that prices are more inclined to fall than rise. The "good old prices" are a thing ot the past. Now, while this is so, most, if not all, other commodities are en- hanced in value. A writer in Review gives a concrete example: "When pork was 5 cents, per lb. it took 7 lbs. of honey to pur- chase 9 lbs. of pork. Now, with pork iO cents per lb., it takes 10 lbs. of honey to purchase the 9 lbs. of pork." Hereabout some years ago, 1 lb. of honey would buy 2 lbs. of butter. Nowadays 1 lb. of the one aboiit meets the cost of the other. ('o)nh Plus Extracted Honey. — Another writer dealing with this subject puts in two good pleas for working a combination of the two : "A man who produces both kinds is often able to make sales earlier in the season. And a colony backward in beginning work in comb honey supers, or which is a very slow or poor comb builder, often does excellent work if given extracted honey supers." Both are interesting points, and, I think, true. A Sweet Fraternity. — A contribution by the Hon. Eugene Secor, gracing the front page of cover of the American B.J., thus designates bee-keepers. He says many sweet things about us as a class. "Our toil doth sweeten others." "Bee-keeners are the most com- panionable fellows in the world." Bee- keepers are "temperate," "moral," "gener- ally religious." "I recall the beautiful friendships in the brotherhood of bee-men that it has been my privilege and good for- tune to enjoy. The memory of it is like unto the fragrant breath of June roses. How sweet is friendship ! How delightful are the recollections of happy days ! How endearing is the brotherhood of common endeavour ! Toil makes the toilers kin." Mr. Secor is the poet of Beedom. Nucleus or Nuclei. — I rather admire the ingeniousness and ingenuousness of the para- graph on page 6 American B,J., wherein lam lightly "let down" over my use of nuclei. When I write of "forming several nuclei, ' why should I transgress against the rules of grammar and commonsense by using the word for one when I mean a number moiv than one? My friend the doctor should specially note that when I wrote of "shook" swarming, I used quotation marks, showing 'clearly the word was borrowed — from America. It is un-English and not Scotch ! I wonder now if I could throw a brick or two — on paper? I remember a dreadful word lately coined over there — "queenright." Then not only the "ABC" but the "XYZ" speaks of one worker bee as a "fellow." "Lang- stroth on the Honey Bee" calls a flight board an "apron," and Dr. Lyon designates a hive roof as a "lid." Again, there is that bar- barous word "chunk" honey. I could in- definitely extend the list. Disinfection in Australia.— The new Vic- torian Di.soase of Bees Bill is professedly constructed on the lines of the New Zealand Act, according to the Bee-kreper. Here is an extract from clause v., section 1 : "An in- spector may order any bee-hives, fittings, ap- paratus, appliances, utensils or other articles liable in his opinion to spread disease, to be cleaned and disinfected." Yet Mr. Beuhne informs us that all bee-keepers have ac- quiesced in its passing. "Not a solitary voice was raised in opposition, either in the journals or at meetings of bee-keepers." Britons might follow the good example. Honey Cures. — "For burns and scalds pur© extracted honey is very good, it will gener- ally relieve the pain in a very short time, and induces the wound to htal very rapidly." A writer quoting the foregoing from a medi- cal worli records that in a case which came under his own observation, where a man had his hands badly scalded, the cure worked favourabiy. The hands were dipped in honey and wrapped in cotton wool, the appli- cation being renewed in course of time. As a consequence of moving about in cold weather with damp feet, children are fre- quently troubled with chilblains at this time of the year. Honey helps to cure them. Coat a piece of cloth with honey and apply it to the sore when the child is going to bed. A few applications should bring about a cure. OLD BEE LITERATURE. {Continued from page 70.) The wind is very contrary and hurt- fiill for tiiem; and therefore when it is great, stiff, and boisterous, the hives ought to be carefully covered. Warm places they affect in winter as other creatures do, and in Summer, fresh aires are most fitting for them. It is very necessary to use diligence when the honey is taken from them : because if overmuch be taken away, they will labour little ; and if more likewise be left than is convenient, they will be the less diligent in making more, and there- fore a moderate, and reasonable quantity must remain, according to the number whereof they consist. What worthier example to men, can there be than this? Declaring that in the Commonwealth, everything ought to be moderately mea- sured; because over-great, pompous, and luxurious diet, do but destroy famous families, abounding in all superflous things. And yet not to be too niggardly and sparing in provisions needfully re- quired. For as by the first, children and servants may become careless and negligent; so by the latter, they may grow wretched and desperate. Another diligent care is required in them that make use of Bees ; to wit ; that when they hear their great swarm- Feb. 23, 191 1.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 79 ing noise in the hive, it is a significa- tion that they would be gone and leave the hive ; but then if the hive be gently sprinkled over with sweet wine they will not stir abroad. Such as keep them may easily take note thereof, because (ordinarily) they make no other noise than when they are flying. "Wherein we are instructed, that by sweet language and kind behaviour, we may quahfy stern anger in discontented brethren. Aristotle further saith, "he did well observe it by experience, that their feet before are shorter than them behind; which is so given them by nature, for the easier rising from the ground. He saith, moreover, that when the honey corruptethinthe hive, it engendereth cer- tain worms, v/hich make webs like unto spiders ; whereby they wexe sick and die." A very apt example for men, to be vigilant and respective of themselves, that the sweet days and prosperity in the world do not so corrupt their souls, as to beget the banful worm of ambition, which is deadly. In Moyfte times of raines, they multiply greatly, by reason of the humidity : and contrariwise they decrease in times of draught, through want of moisture. Also in winter their strength much faileth them, in regard of cold weather, snow, and windes out of the North ; which hindereth their fruitfulness, and therefore they keep closely hidden. But when the flowers of Beans begin to sprout, they come abroad to labour : and the first work they do at home is to build their dwelling- houses, next to engender, and then to yield honey. They make several rampiers before their combs, as their guard and strength ; the first crust (being vtmoft) they make bitter; the second (within) somewhat sweeter; and the third, thickest of all, because it joineth next to the Combs; and thus is the foundation of their de- fence. A good instruction for men, how to share their building in this world, to use diligence in their provision, so soon as they can, especially of things neces- sary; then to marry for increase of children, and still to keep employment in natural exercises. When they fly forth upon some urgent occasions, and are prevented by night, so that they cannot return home unto their own habitation, they sleep topsy-turvy, the upside down, because cold mists, fogs, and rains should not offend their wings, to hinder their flight home to their hives, or execution of their other enterpriser and affairs. Sentinels they have of their own ap- pointment, who make a noise at break of day, by which sound they all awake, and turning themselves on their feet, they make a noise again to their senti- nels, as a thankful sign of joy : but then, upon another sound from the same sen- tinels, they are all silent, as attending: what instant charge is given them. In- forming our judgments in times of war to be very vigilant ; well provided and noway negligent. Excellent experience have they, when rains and unseasonable times will ensue, which they forsee by flying abroad in the evenings, about their own needfull occasions ; and finding it to follow as they feared, they will not by any means budge from home. {To be continued.) Notices to Correspondents Letters or queries ashing for addresses of manufacturers or correspondents, orivhere appli- ances can he purchased, or replies giving such information, can only be inserted as advertise- ments. Tlie space devoted to letters, queries, ayid repilies is meant for the general good of bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our correspondents to bear iyi mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of tJie date of issue, queries cannot alivays be replied to in the issue immediately folloiving tlie receipt of their communication. t*tThe Editors irill esteem it a favour if sub- scribers ivill kindly let them know if they have failed to get satisfaction from any advertisement appearing in the cohimns of the BRITISH BEE JOURNAIi. F.V. (Barns Green) Dead Bees Cast Oiti. — The bees are merely the old ones which die in the hive diuing the winter, and are thrown out by the others when a fine warm day comns and they are able to take a flight. It is quite natural for this to happen. G.M. (Tewkesbury) Disease Preventives. — (1) Neither remedy will affect the honey in the least. (2) We have no faith whatever in it. (3) No. Constant Reader (Dorchester) Bees Found Orad. — II) The colony evidently dwindled 8o THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Feb. 23, 191 1, away through there not being sufficient bees to keep up the necessary warmth. (2) The comb contains hard pollen only, and if the rest are as badly pollen-clogged melt them all down and start again with full sheets of foundation. Anxious (Berwick-on-Tweed). — Using Combs from Dead Stock. — The combs con- tain mouldy pollen, and should be melted ■down. Starting a swarm on foundation will be better and more economical than allowing the bees to clean out old combs. We should like to have a few live bees from the hive, where the bees are showing signs of dysenteric trouble and restlessness, then we shall be better able to advise you. Student (Sheffield) Two-fnnne Observatory Hive. — (1) For breeding, a temperature of 80 to 90 degrees is necessary. (2) You require shutters which should be lined with felt or ■cJoth to keep the hive sufficiently comfort- able. (3) You can get effective microscopes at any price from about 30s. upwards. You would require one with a one-inch objective and a quarter-inch for a higher power. A.K. (Tiptree) Claustral Hive. — (1) As a beginner it is not necessar-y for you to start with a claustral hive, although there are cer- tain advantages from which an experienced bee-keeper could derive benefit. (2) The chamber of shallow frames below brood chamber sometimes prevents swarming, but is too troublesome, and is seldom used. (3) Plinths are no disadvantage if properly fixed. A.B. (Ardrishaig) Buying Bees. — It is not a good time to buy bees now. Wait until spring and purchase either a swarm or a good nucleus. In May, a reasonable price for a six-frame nucleus would be about one •guinea ; later on, of course, the price would be lower. W.E.N. (Norwich) Value of Old Books.— You have not given the correct titles of the books, but we presume you mean "The His- tory and Management of Bees," by John Wighton, 1842, present value about 2s. to 2s. 6d. "An Essay on the Management of Bees," by John Mills, F.E.S., 1766, value 3s. 6d. "My Bee Book," by W. G. Cotton, M.A., 1842, value 5s. W.D.T. (Swanage) Cheshire's Bees and Bee-keeping {Practical, Vol. 2). — The book is now out of print, and from a practical point of view it is useless, but a collector of beo literature might buy it. The value varies according to condition, and the desire on the parjt of a purchaser to secure it, from 5s. to 10s. H.S. (Cheshire) Bee Legislation. — Efforts have been made in the pasfj to obtain legis- lative powers to deal with foul bi-ood. This is no doubt what you mean. The want of a unanimous desire for legislation amongst bee-keepers, especially those keeping bees on a large scale, has up to the present pre- vented the securing of an Act. An effort is again being made which we hope will be successful, so that British bee-keepers may have the pi'otection enjoyed by other coun- tries, which is as yet denied to us. Honey .Samples. W.II.P. (Carlisle). — The sample is foreign, and very indifferent at that. It is honey, but the flavour you mention is caused through overheating it in liquifying. It is not fit to eat, and so is worth nothing. N.E. (Lincolnshire). — The honey has been gathered principally from the limes, and shows slight signs of granulation. No doubt you have kept it in a dark and warm place ; this would retard granulation. .Suspected Disease. H.H. (St. Albans). — The parcel arrived in such a squashed condition that it was im- possible to carry out an examination. G.L.B. (Derby). — (1) Bees have died of starvation, although some show signs of dysentery. (2) We would certainly not ad- vise you to use the food for other colonies, as it is probably the bad stores that have been the cause of dysentery. Endicott (Worcester Park). — Bad case of dysentery. The candy you send is totally unfit for bee-food, and is no doubt the cause of dysentery. If you will I'efer to page 171 of "Guide Book," you will see that brown or moist sugar should never be given to bees. Surrey (Walton-on-Thames). — Both the lets of bees sent have suffered from dysen- tery. In view of the prevalence of disease in your neighbourhood, we would not advise you to keep the frames of comb to use again, but to destroy them, as it is far the safest plan. A.I. (Watford). — Bees have died of dysen- tery, but in view of Isle of Wight disease in your neighbourhood, you should destroy combs, frames, etc., and disinfect hives. C.C. (AlversLon). — (1) Dysentery. (2) Bees can have dysentery in the autixmn if they do not get proper food, and when forage is scarce they may suck the juice of decaying fruit. (3) If it is brown sugar it is cer- tainly injurious, and would cause dysentery. Nothing but white lump or granulated cane sugar should be used. (4) It is quite pos- sible for apple juice to cause the miscief. Anxious (Devon).-— The stomachs were quite empty, and the bees appear to have suffered from starvation. X.Y.Z. (Lftwes) and H. (Renfrewshire). — In the reply last week inadvertently "spores" ■>vere mentioned instead of "bacilli," as B. pcsiiforniis apis of Dr. Maiden usually asso- ciated with Isle of Wight disease is a non- spore-bearjng organism. H. (Renfrewshire). — Undigested pollen in abundance, but among the numerous bac- teria we could not identify the bacillus usually present in Isle of Wight disease. March 2 191 1.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 81 Editorial, Notices, &c. GLAMORGAN B.K.A. The annual report of the Glamorgan Bee- keepers' Association, read at the annual general meeting held at the Mack- worth Hotel, Swansea, on February 11th, states that the Association has passed through a critical period during the past year. The former secretary, Mr. William Richards, who worked so strenuously for nine years, was compelled reluctantly to relinquish the secre- tarial duties. The county council had re- duced their grant to the Association by £50, reserving the other £50 for the salary of an expert bee-keeper of their own appointment. The work stipulated by the county council as a condition of the £50 grant entailed great sacrifices on the part of the members of the committee, and a sum of £15 was added to the county council grant from the subscrip- tion list. In order to comply with the con- ditions laid down by the county council in reference to their grant, the county was divided into ten areas, and local experts were appointed. The honey season generally was a very poor one, though the honey gathered was of very good quality. Some instances are re- ported of exceptionally good yields of ex- cellent quality. Late swarming was rather prevalent, which in part accounted for the reduction in the quantity of honey harvested. The experts' report showed that there were 364 apiaries, with a total of 1,191 hives and skeps, of which 1,121 were hea'lthy. The estimated produce was 15,000 lbs. of honey and 724 lbs. of wax. The financial statement reveals a healthy position, the I'eceipts being £117 9s., against an expenditure of £102 7s. 7d., the credit balance being increased by £5 3s. lid. on the year's working. FOUL BROOD LEGISLATION. [] In view of the controversy on the above subject we give an extract from Gleanings on some experiences of the Editor in foul brood inspection work.] During the last few days we have been getting some real experience in helping out the Ohio foul brood inspectors. We have driven from forty to seventy-five miles in a day with a machine, carrying the inspectors about from bee-keeper to bee-keeper. If there is any one fact that was impressed on us it is this: That foul brood finds an easy lodging- place among the old-fashioned bee-keepers, who either have box hives or old hives of an antiquated pattern — so old, in fact, that there are cracks all over them. Of course, some of these farmers do not take any bee-paper, and they probably do not even read the apiarian department in their agri- cultural papers, if they read any paper at all. At two or three vards we found where the bees had died the previous winter. Exami- nation showed the characteristic scales of foul brood on the combs. The bees had, no doubt, been so weakened by the ravages of this disease during the previous summer and fall that they were unable to withstand the winter's cold. The result was^ there were several hives in the spring containing honey in the combs, with no live bees in. Neighbouring bees found these hives, of course, and robbed them out and thus scat- tered foul brood right and left. We ran into one section where fully 99 per cent, of the farmers had foul brood among their bees ; and we found not a few of them having empty hives with foul-brood combs in them, all of which gave evidence of having been robbed out the previous spring. No wonder their cry was, "Bees don't pay like they used to." In every case the farmers were willing to be shown what to do, and to comply witl the provisions of the Ohio law, and scarcely one of them knew he had the disease. AMONG THE BEES. COLOUR AVD bees' TEMPER. By D. M. Mocdonald, Banff. A great deal has been written in the past on this question, and at present it is en- grossing the attention of bee-keepers. Many have strangely reasoned it out that because some have unfortunately received a good deal of adverse attention from the bees when clothed in black garments, the mere colour alone was the cause from which the ire of the bees arose. I never experienced bad results from such a cause, and the reason is always present with me, because I wear black or very dark garments, and bees never show me any special disfavour on that account. Among my friends and correspondents are a number of clericals of all denominations, and all of them agree in certifying that they have ex- perienced no ill effects from working among their bees when clad in the orthodox black ministerial habiliments. It is not with any of them a question of fancy, but one of simple fact — not theory. Since writing the above, I have seen and spoken to three clergymen on the subject, and all declare positively and emphatically that the idea is a myth, without any founda- tion in reality. I dropped three other dis- tant clergymen a post-card inquiring as to their experience, and all three agree that it does not make a whit of difference. One says his white shirt, if any part, gets more stings than anything black about him. That is exactly my experience. If stings are going anywhere they will be most plentiful on the white wrists under the white cuffs, but I do not for a moment say it is because these are ivhitc, but would venture a guess that it is because some pressure has been brought to bear on the bees who have endeavoured to explore the vast void, to them, which lies beyond. I know my neck at times gets a fair share, when the veil is thrown on hurriedly, but, reasoning by analogy, it should be the white collar, and 82 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 2, 191 1. not the black coat, that should be the attrac- tion. I feel it is neithei'. I presume some venturesome worker investigates as to a vul- nerable point of attack and gets caught as in a trap, with the result that it vents its vitriolic venom on my white skin, not on my black garment. My eyebrows are black, not yet even a sabled silver ; still stings, when they are delivered in that region, are not often thrust into the dark object, but above or below. I am not so foolish as to think that it is the colour, either white or black, which has such a fascination for the Amazonian warrior's spear-thrusts. I know it is the motion which attracts them. The eter- nal movement of the eyelashes appears to be a menace, and these spiteful little ladies vent their ire on that which seems to them a cause of offence. A dead stillness they dis- regard ; motion, in their eyes, is a caiisus belli, and they strike first. My veil is black, in common, I suppose, with the majority of these indispensable pieces of armour, worn to defend us from the wrath of the bee. Has it ever been seriously proposed by any sane bee-keeper that the colours should be changed in order that stings might be decreased ? If so, I never heard of such a suggestion. When do we don these black headgears, if not when bees are ireful? And then, when stings are going, do these black objects suffer unduly? Some years ago I had a spiteful Cypro- Carniolan stock — patent stingers they were, too ! Something irritated them especially one day, and dropping the veil, I stood stock still, to test them. This same subject had been up for discussion shortly before. Although hundreds of bees most spitefully buzzed all round this black veil of mine not one stung the netting. My grey cap was literally covered with stings where it showed above. My white shirt sleeves suffered un- mercifully every time I moved my arm, and in the end, so many pierced the skin through that thin, white summer garment that I had to clear out ; I am afraid in rather an un- dignified manner ! In the same way, my black boots never get stung, yet when the bees crawl up higher the white skin is not spared because it hap- pens to be white, but is pierced venomously by almost every bee finding its way beneath the outer garment, which is black, by the way. A small white spot on the top of my head, unfortunately extending in area annually, has a species of fascination for the bees at times, while the dark surroundings are left severely alone. Leaving the personal argument alone, I tried to prove an assertion of an old-time correspondent as to a "bogey man" curing a vicious lot of bees, and erected a dark and a light scarecrow near the extra vicious stock mentioned above. Both were utterly dis- regarded, not one single sting being adminis- tered to either. A friend who has been in Africa informs me that he has seen the native "blacks" almost stark naked, getting off scot free, when Britishers in white rai- ment were severely punished while engaged in robbing hives of bees. One of the clergy- men mentioned above humorously wrote say- ing he could only speak for one side, and that a baker in his Sunday suit, contrasted with the same individual in his workaday clothing, would be better evidence. For- tunately, such a case was available, and the individual consulted declared that it was a case of "six of the one and half a dozen of the other." After a lengthy experience, he is confident that his "Sunday best" is no detriment when working among the bees. For the various reasons given, I can only conclude that colour alone is not a generator of ire in the bee. Correspondence. The Editors do not Jiold tJiemselves responsible for tJie opinions expressed by correspondents. No notice will be taken of anonymous com- municalions, and correspondents are requeste.i to ivrite 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. Illustrations should be dranm on seycwate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected commurvications. IS "ISLE OF WIGHT DISEASE" INFECTIOUS? [8098] Last summer an expert wrote say- ing that "Isle of Wight disease" was so in- fectious that he could communicate it by speaking or thinking of it ! Whilst touring he visited an apiary where this trouble had started, and later in the day, when passing a bee-keeper friend, he shouted the fact to hmi. A few days later "Isle of Wight disease" appeared in his friend's apiary, and s-lso in his own. When the disease visits a. number of hives or apiaries in succession, it by no means follows that the trouble is communicated from hive to hive. If it could be communi- cated by robbers it should be possible to communicate it artificially, and to do this is absolutely impossible (see Dr. Maiden's re- port). I consider it to be a food trouble, and whether caused by starvation or fimgus poisoning, it would affect stocks in just the same way. If Mr. Woodley knows how the disease can be conveyed from one stock to another I should be glad to hear it. That one stock suffers after another is no proof of infection. If they get it from a common source we cannot reasonably expect them all to develop it at exactly the same moment. When Bonner states that swarms dis- appeared leaving only the queen and a few bees, the explanation of the long winter will not apply. I think it is reasonably certain that if a number of pollen-distended bees were sent to the B.B.J, with a note saying that only the queen and a score of bees were left in the hive, the owner would be advised to treat it as a case of "Isle of Wight March 2, 191 1.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 83 disease." They are the only symptoms that we have to go upon. I read that about eighty years ago, of 300 hives in one parish one stock survived the winter, and in the adjoining parish four escaped out of 200 hives. Bad weather and death and disease of bees are associated throughout the history of bee-keeping. In the summer of 1894 "bees were gorged with pollen, that in times of scarcity of honey they appear to consume, which they cannot assimi- late or discharge." When a good honey flow comes we shall hear very little of "Isle of Wight disease." — G. W. BuLLAMORE, Albury Herts. EXPERTS AND DISEASE. [8099.] My grateful thanks to Mr. Wood- ley (p. 84) for his sympathy and advice. Had there been a Foul Brood Act in force I should at least have known whether there was an apiary with foul brood in my neighbour- hood. I do not complain of having had to destroy the stocks. It is the least one could do to prevent other apiaries becoming in- fected. Mr. Woodley has confused dates somewhat. The expert who examined the stocks on July 29th, 1908, was Mr. Charles Lodge, a well- known and successfid Essex bee-keeper, and the winner of numerous prizes. Under his advice I managed to cure i\u. 1 stock, and it was the only one that swarmed the following year. There was no foreign queen in it, and I had been near no other apiaries. Query : How did the foul brood arise in this case ? It was in the following year, 1909, that on July 24th I found foul brood in No. 3 (not No. 1), and this was confirmed by the county expert on his examination on July 29th, five days later. I had been near no hives but my own all that year, so I did not bring the infection, nor could the county expert have done so. It is true that the hive had an imported 'Italian queen, but she had been there since June 8th, and had bred a large number of healthy bees. No. 1 was not looked at either on the 24th or 29th of that month. It had supers on and I was un- willing to disturb it. This leads me to combat Mr. Woodley' s views as to experts, or inspectors under the Act (if, happily, there were one in force) conveying infection One has only to look at the ordinary practice of medical men in infectious cases. Who would ever allow a doctor in the house, knowing his practice brings him into contact with infectious cases daily, if the doctor often or even ever carried the infection with hini ? The answer is obvious. The doctor takes precautions, and does not carry infection, and what the doctor does surely the inspector coidd do. As to dysentery, I don't think this can be attributed to glass quilts ; otherwise all my stocks would have suffered. All had the same sources of nectar supply, were fed alike and wintered alike. I wrote my views very fully as to the merits of glass quilts in the Journal of May 26th, 1910 (No. 7824). At the same time, I cannot deny that they are not recommended in England at least, and it may well be that there is some hidden drawback in their use here. This year I intend in re-stocking my apiary to try half with my glass quilts and the rest with ordinary quilts, and study the results. i made my syrup exactly in accordance with the formula in the "Guide Book," using cane sugar in crystals. As for ex- tracting the unsealed food, I assume Mr. Woodley means removing the frames that had more of it than of sealed stores. I did that at the time of closing up for winter, when I inserted three frames of candy. Otherwise I have not in any way "pottered" with the bees. 1 am still awaiting a satisfactory solution of my trouble. — "Depressed." FEED THE BEES ! WHY? [SlOO] I send these few notes on the above subject because the last few days have brought under ray immediate notice the necessity for bees being fed at once if many (very many) now promising stocks are to be preserved to reap the benefit of the coming season, and to give a due meed of profit to their owners. Bees have had during the last few weeks many opportunities for cleansing flights, and where not already dead from starvation, are in most eases in good condition; but all, with hardly an exception, are practically without stores, and unless cakes of soft candy are at once siven, the loss will be great. T have been told, when I have suggested this littla help, that the bees have got over the worst of the winter, and will now do all right as they have done in the past. My reply to this was a question: "Do your" bees pay?" and the majority have answered, "No, they have not done so for years." True, we have had several bad seasons of late, and hundreds of stocks have died out, but it is more bad management than bad weather that has caused this high mortality and failure. The erroneous idea that bees are self- supporting under the present system is no doubt responsible. Bees are self-supporting. ?„nd could well do without help if bee-keepers did not take the heavy toll of surplus every season, and in many cases so closely are the bees denuded of their stores that not suffi- cient natural food is left to keep them dur- ing the cold and inactive period of the year. A few pounds of watery syrup may be given in the autumn, but I never saw a hive yet properly fed back in autumn to recompense or make up the deficiency of the deprivation. Herein lies the root of all the evils of bee- keeping, in my opinion, summed up in two words — improper management. But to return to my subject, why feed now? Maybe there is still a little honey left within the hive ; it may or may not last out until the fruit blossom comes. I noticed pollen being car- 84 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 2, 191 1. lied in on February 15th ; where it came from or how far the bees had to travel to get it set me thinlcing, and hence these lines. Pollen is for the young now being reared ; it is necessary for their existence and well being, and the bees, alive to their re- quirements, are out on every available oppor- tunity seeking for means to supply the de- mand. They would, however, often have been better at home. On the date I men- tioned it was true the sun shone, but the wind was icy cold, and nothing but necessity brought those bees out to fetch the neces- sary food. How many were there that never returned? How much weaker are the stocks thus positioned than they were a month ago? Where will such stocks be in a month's time, living, as neai^ly all are, on something less than will properly keep them, the old bees half starved ; and what about the battalions of young bees that should no\Y be hatching? In the majority of unfed hives you will find a little patch of brood in the centre of the cluster, totally inadequate in size to com- pensate for the daily loss of old bees. Yet this is no fault of the bees, and the remedy is with the bee-keeper. I say if your bees are still alive, don't disturb them more than is necessary, but feed them for their sakes, and for your own if you wish to make them pay and to return you a hundred-fold in the future the present trifling outlay. In good stocks breeding commences with the new year, and provided food is all right the stock will gradually grow stronger in young though weaker in ol'd bees, but if food is short the stock will grow less, no brood be raised, and even m.ay die outright. Such a stock will of a surety be too small when the season comes to give a good account of itself. Why, therefore, should you run the risk of the loss when a cake of candy now and again will induce an increase of breeding. Feed and keep the bees in good heart, save them long and fruitless joiu'neys in search of what is not to be found, ward off disease, and eventually work them, in a few months, into such a condition that be the harvest great or small they will be ready to render a satis- factory account of themselves. They will give a return to their keepers not dreamed of by those who place bees in their garden and on their farms, and expect them to do the vest aud keep their keepers. P.S. — At f his time of the year I advise pea-flour candy being given. — H. W. Brice, Green Street Green, Orpington, Kent. FOUL BROOD LEGISLATION. AN opponent's reply. [8101] I feel constrained to again solicit space in your attractive and helpful Journal, in order to reply to some remarks that my previous letter has occasioned. May I ask you to kindly allow me to bring evidence from the reports of county associa- tions which have appeared in your own pages during 1910, and also the present year, to help to remove the impression apparent m the editorial footnote to Mr. Gordon (October 6th, p. 398), in which you state that "It is quite certain the industry cannot go on much longer unless some steps be taken to checK the spread of disease." Report. B.B.J., February 17th, 1910 (p. 64), Glamor- gan County Association: — "Percent- age of foul brood was reported to be small." Do. March 3rd, 1910 (p. 83), Derby- shire : — "It was pleasing to note that there was a large decrease in the number of diseased stocks in the county." Do. March 3rd, 1910 (p. 86), Cumber- land:— "Sixty per cent, diseased in 1899, 7 per cent, in 1909." Do. March 10th, 1910 (p. 94), Hertford, Ware and District: — "106 hives and nine skeps. Only four colonies dis- eased." Do. March 24th, 1910 (p. 114), Lanca- shire : — Chairman congratulated on the fact that the expert had reported a decrease in the number of foul brood cases in the county. Do. April 14th, 1910 (p. 144), Warwick- shire : — Membership 500, 4.4 per cent, stocks were diseased. Record, April 1910 (p. 176), Notts:— 729 stocks, 3.6 per cent, diseased — "a very low rate." B.B.J., May 26th, 1910 (p. 205), Stafford- shire : — 851 stocks examined, 1.5 (about a dozen) diseased. Do. February 9th, 1911 (p. 52), Cumber- land : — "Report stated that 1910 must be considered the best year they had had for many years." Record, February, 1911 (p. 18), Devon :— 277 members. "The report was ex- ceedingly gratifying" (Col. Walker). "It was gratifying to know that bee- keeping was making such strides" (Mr. Scholefield). The editorial footnote to R. Whyte, Rutherglen (p. 360), quotes the reduction of disease in New York State from 30 per cent, to 5 per cent., by help of a Bill. North- umberland's reduction from 60 per cent, to 7 per cent, is a much better result even with- out a Bill. [All these results are among members only, and show what can be done by the experts, but they do not touch non- members, who form the majority. — Ed.] The editorial footnote to Iceniland (p. 448), states: "Old hands who do not allow foul brood to be in their apiaries will not require a visit," etc. Recent events in Ireland prove that they will have to put up with the visits whether required or not, or go to law, like Messrs. Stephenson and Doyle in co. Wexford. Editorial footnote (p. 489) and Mr. Craw- shaw (p. 48) (1911), should refer to the edi- torial in Gleanings (August 15th, p. 509) for the single instance required. The Editor of Gleanings says as follows : — "The facts are that European and American foul brood are March 2 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 85 spreading over the United States, in spite of the McEvoy treatment. One State inspector, with an excellent law back of him, wrote us a few days ago, stating that he was some- what discouraged over the outlook; that do everything he could, with his corps of in- spectors, the diseases were raging as strongly as ever." [The Editor tells us why, because "the McEvoy treatment was expensive, and many bee-keepers were disinclined to follow instructions, and others made bungling work of it." — Ed.] Our Editor informs us on page 27, footnote to .J. Pearman, that he has been able to keep his apiary free of foul brood for thirty years, and at a conference some time ago stated that the only time he experienced it was by the introduction of an Italian queen ; yet in reply to "Depressed" last week (who admits having introduced an Italian queen from abroad, and finding foul brood a short time after. He cures this, and the following year intro- duces two more Italian queens from abroad, on June 8th, and finds foul brood on the 24th following) our worthy Editor suggests that there was probably some ignorant or careless bee-keeper living near, who was the probable cause of the outbreak. Mr. Quinton (p. 396) states that just before he left Surrey for Ireland, there was hardly a bee-keeper left in that county, owing to foul brood. It would be unkind to suggest that he took the disease with him to Ireland, yet it is a fact that only a year or two later it is recorded in the B.B.J, that Surrey had the largest membership of any county associa- tion in England at that time. That its honey show and able secretary are worthy of emu- lation to-day is apparent to all. Isolating by placing a gauze tent over a hive, however good in theory, would be '■distinctly wrong" in pi'actice, especially when the bees in a strong yet slightly in- fected stock are in full work in the midst of a honey flow in June or July. Mr. Quinton says that I misunderstand the working of the Irish Act, but do not the fol- lowing particulars rather point to the fact that he himself is not acquainted with its working. He states that "it is only where the bee-keeper does not carry out instruc- tions that he receives notice to destroy." If this is so, then there is a very recalcitrant body of bee-keepers in Ireland, for in the Returns of the Irish Board of Agriculture for the twelve months ending September 30th, 1910, in one county alone twenty bee- keepers received the inspector's three days' fnot twenty-four hours, as he says) notice to destroy, and compensation was paid in nine- teen cases, three at 2s. 6d., one at 3s. 6d., eleven at 5s., one at 7s., one at 7s. 6d., one at 15s., and one at 16s. Whilst questioning whether recent events in the carrying out the Irish Act amount to more than Mr. Crawshaw's (p. 421) concep- tion of them would be in practice or not, I must acknowledge that he has surpassed me, and let his fancy for analogy soar to higher flights than my own poor effort reached. He has even disregarded the influence that mcum et tuum might have had on the poor Irishman's indulgence of his simple pleasures. The bees are nis own, the cattle his enemy's. As to compensation, the view that compensa- tion should not be given for a valueless article is, in my opinion, not the right point of view to take of this matter. I look at it rather from the standpoint that it is not for the worthless foul broody skep or stock that we would be paying, but for the bee-keeper's interest, and securing his good- will in co-operating with us in the removal of the unhealthy skep. By purchasing his in- terest and goodwill, a great step in advance is be'ng made. Persuasion is better than force. As to submitting to the committee the name of a suitable cottager, Mr. Craw- shaw will no doubt, on reflection, see that after I had in my own way put both sides before one of these, he would most un- doubtedly refuse to serve on any committee formed for the promotion of a Foul Brood Bill. At least, from past experiences I feel convinced he would. If such a keen observer and delightful writer, as Mr. Crawshaw undoubtedly is, were to spend his next holiday in Belgium (a country which has done more than any Bill-ridden country has been able to do), the information he might obtain there, together with the knowledge he already possesses, as displayed in his excellent address at the con- versazione on May 12th last, on "Insurance etc., in Switzerland," there is no doubt in my mind but that a good step towards solving the foul brood prolslem would ensue. I feel much diffidence in crossing swords with a bee-keeper of such ripe experience as Col. Walker (No. 7944), but when he states that "Our colonies and the more virile branches of the Anglo-Saxon race entirely refuse to hear of compensation," I am tempted to re- call to his mind that one of the peculiar fea- tures of Anglo-Saxon Society was the "Wergyld" or "life price." A sum was settled upon every freeman for nearly every injury that could be done to his person, civil rights, his honour, or his domestic peace. From the operation of this principle no one was exempt. The king, as well as the peasant, was protected by a "Wergyld." That compensation is being paid in Eng- land and Germany to-day more than ever it was in the past ( annot be denied, and if Col. Walker will refer to page 138 of the "Immigrant's Guide and Settler's Handbook" of New Zealand (one of the most virile of our colonies to-day), he will find the following amounts are allowed as compensation for stock destroyed compulsorily, viz. : Horses £20 each, cattle £8 each, swine £2 each, and sheep £i each. I also ask him, as an experienced adminis- trator of the law, whether he would accept, as evidence of proof, such mythical statements as "No doubt it has been introduced from a neighbouring apiary," or "probably some careless or ignorant bee-keeper has foul brood near." As Mr. Hopkins (5014) is one of the two foul brood inspectors in New Zealand, I at 86 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 2, 191 1. once take his word that they are not, as he says, "callous or cold-blooded." I assure him that the "reHection" he mentions came from the account of the police court proceed- ings, taken by him or his confrere, against the Otaki bee-masters. That the New Zea- land expert inspectors have been on the trail of the bee-keepers, the following passage in his letter to Gleanings of October 1st plainly shows, viz., when referring to the effect of his Act on the non-frame hive bee- keepers, he says : "The effect of this has been to drive out of the business, automatically, the great majority," etc., etc. [We complete the sentence, which is "of the ignorant and careless, leaving only the frame-men to deal with." The very object of the Act was to do away with the "ignorant and wilfully careless non-hive bee-keeper." — Ed.] From letters I receive from old pupils settled in New Zealand (the latest of whom states that he safely arrived two days before Christmas) the action of the "boomerang" may yet prove typical of this drastic and "very stringent Act" (to use the words of a New Zealand commissioner in a letter which lies before me). At the last census taken in New Zealand there were 15,000 bee-keepers. It would be interesting to see by the next census how many have been "got rid of," and "driven out of the business." The conditions in New Zealand, with its ten persons to the square mile, and 30,000.000 acres of unoccupied land, are vastly different to those in the old country. In the contents page of Bulletin 18, Bee Culture, dated 1907, foul brood is not even mentioned, but a year later they have, to use an Americanism, made things "hum" in New Zealand, in order to get in first in bee legis- lation, as they claim to have done in women's franchise, old-age pensions. State insurance, State coal mines. State railways, penny post- age, etc., etc. New Zealand bee farmers should read the remarks in Gleanings, September 1st, 1910 (p. 560) of Dr. Smith, State Entomologist. in which he states "that the foul brood inspection laws in force give too much power to the inspector, and that none of them contain any right of ap- peal from the decision of the inspector, and if the Bills got into the courts, as they surely would, they would certainly be declared un- constitutional." I admire the discretion of Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Crawshaw in refraining from applying such terms as "what rot," or "the fool and the knave" to a brother bee-keeper's re- marks, or character. We are^also entitled to differ in opinion as to the side on which the persons alluded to in "D.M.M.'s" epithet (B.K.R., p. 189) "the clamant few" occupy in this discussion. — Herbert Samways, Carmarthens. FIGHTING FOUL BROOD. [8102] All sympathy to "Depressed" (8090), B.J. February 16th. I am glad to read that he is not yet "knocked out" although so badly hit. Is it possible (paragraph 11, line 5) the woodyard spoken of is the cause of the con- stantly recurring foul brood and dysentery. Last March I went after a supply of timber and in selecting the stuff found many of the boards had hundreds of bees on then., many dead, and numbers of the boards filthily soiled, especially planed yellow pine. I was told the occupiers knew of no bee- keepers near, but that the bees were a great nuisance, and at times made some of the tim- ber "stink." Could "Depressed" get permission to make a thorough examination of the yard ? Would it be likely the swarm remained there? And, also, it might be well to do away with the wooden platforms and place hives on bricks only, or, at any rate, wash underneath and sides with hot lime wash? — H.C., Essex. THE SPREAD OF "ISLE OF WIGHT DISEASE." [8103] I cannot help feeling that the bee- keeping industry is in a veiy serious state. Doubtless other readers of the B.B.J, be- sides myself would be glad to know if there is any prospect of a cure being found for tlic "Isle of Wight bee disease," for, failing such cure, bee-keeping is faced with the prob- ability of being wiped out, which would be as great a calamity for the fruit and seed grower as for ourselves. Has a fresh start yet been made successfully at keeping bees in the Isle of Wight? The question arises whether it would not be wise to take time by the forelock and clear out of the business at once. Bee-keeping has had quite enough draw- backs to contend with, without this "last straw" being added. — Rd. Dutton, Essex. [8104] According to reports that have reached me, the "Isle of Wight disease" is spreading so rapidly over many parts of this rountrv that it is time something should be aone m bringing the matter be tore the Board of Agriculture. The disease is of so serious a nature that it threatens in a short time to destroy all the bees in this country, which would mean a serious loss to the nation, especially the poorer classes, who depend on the produce of the bees for their home supply of honey. It will also have a disastrous effect upon our fruit crops, the important part bees play in the fertilisation of fruit blossoms, etc., of every sort being well known. My committee have alreadv approached the Member for Windsor (J. F. Mason, Esq., M.P.), who promises to bring the matter at once before the Board of Agriculture, there- fore, wc sincerely hope that all bee-keepers will brinsr this matter before their Members of Parliament, with a view to urging the Government to appoint some practical bee experts, in conjunction with well-known bacteriologists, to investigate the cause and, March 2, 191 1.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 87 if possible, discover remedies, and inform bee-keepers what should be done for its pre- vention. The quantity of 'honey imported into the United Kingdom is large ; in addition to our own supply some £45,844 worth was im- ported in 1910. Bee-keeping is largely increasing, and we are anxious that this source of income should not be checked by disease. In the name of my committee, I ask all bee-keepers, whether they live in places in- fected or not, to unite in bringing to bear all the influence they can with their M.P.'s, to do their utmost to prevent the destruction of our bees. — (Mrs.) W. S. Darby, Hon. Secretarj', Windsor Branch of the Berks B.K.A. CAPPINGS OF COMB. BY L. S. CR.4WSHAW, NORTON, MALTON, YOKKS. Soft Candy (p. 34). — Is there any disadvan- tage whatever in the use of this during the winter? I seem to remember occasional ad- vice given against its use, but I do not re- member any reasoning advanced. I have noticed, in company with Mr. Woodley, that bees have sometimes preferred candy to stored syrup. Not only so, but candy has been consumed, perhaps only in connection with storing, in preference to breaking into sealed honey. Whilst I am in the habit of making candy and supplying all stocks of fair strength and light stores, giving it upon favourable occasions during the winter, such stocks have not seemed to suffer in any way from the disturbance. Is there contrary evi- dence, or is the big business which is done in the commodity based upon sound practice? I.O.W. Disease (p. 34). — We are now getting reports of this from the North, and we naturally want to know how the cases arise. Perhaps those who know will take note of Mr. Woodley's injunction to investi- gate, and will repoi't, so that we may form some idea of how the disease is communi- cated. Here, if ever anywhere, is work for the local association. Webb's Hive Divider (p. 35). — It is ques- tionable whether Mr. Fischer Webb's well- intentioned effort to defeat, by means of vaseline, the instinct of the bees in thus stopping the saw kerfs will be attended by any benefit. Is it not a fallacious supposal that greater inter-radiation of heat, that is to say, a flow of air from one side to another, is desirable? Such a current would be largely dependent upon the direction of the wind. I should prefer to keep each colony in a multiple hive as individual as possible, whilst separated by, if you like, the thinnest of partitions. Bee Problems (p. 35). — I wonder if others find these as interesting as I do. Oftentimes I run over the details several times before confessing failure to solve, or deciding upon a definite solution, which occasionally in- cludes possibility of error on the part of the narrator. And such admissibility of errc arises occasionally, I believe, from failure * note down the exact date when observation made. This is a point well worth the atten tion of those who desire to share their ex- periences, and obtain comment or criticism. Such careful data as those given by "Humble Bee" have a value which is not inherent to partiallj^ investigated and loosely detailed facts, which are only too often coloured with theory. Having said so much, my friend "Humble Bee" will forgive me for ques- tioning whether his queen was mated on July 10th. I have never known a queen to lay upon the mating day, as would be at least necessary on his figures. I am not to be understood as asserting that it could not occur, but I think that hers was was a sub- secjuent flight, the first eggs being possibly already laid, and her altered appearance due to her already pregnant condition. The later symptoms read like "I.O.W. disease," but I am not, thank heaven, able to speak from ex- perience. If they were not, they show how little we know of what actually passes through the bee mind in these abnormal cases. I wonder if the manure could affect them. By the way, the most profitable place for hen manure is from two to three spits deep in the land. Will some of our garden- ing friends who have not done so try it, and note the results? Do not be afraid of bury- ing the manure, as the products of fermenta- tion will be available for plant growth. Electric Embedding (p. 37). — The cur- rent is conveyed to the wire by making contact at each end close to the end bar. Two small handles, or a combined handle, connected to the circuit are used for the purpose. A dry battery, unless very povverful, would not do the work. Quite a number of cells of about 2 volts each would be required to sufficiently and quickly heat some- thirteen inches of No. 60 wire in con- tact with foundation. I do not know how many, but anyone having an installation could determine it in practice, but it wouhl certainly not pay to use cells for such a pur- pose alone. Current obtained from a lighting system would be suitable, in conjunction, as described by "D.M.M.," with a resistance frame to reduce the intensity. Anyone hav- ing a power extractor could couple up to the engine a small dynamo which would do the work, but unless many frames were to be wired, it is difficult to see where the economy would come in. Floii'ers of January (p. 38).— These notes by "Lordswood," tinged as they are by the writings of Eichard Jefferies, whose spirit he seems to have absorbed in great measure, might almost have been penned this year. I am struck, however, by his omission of the modesi snowdrop. Our first snowdrop opened this year on January 7th, and at a date equal to his own we had bunches of these deli- cately petticoated ladies nodding in the grass and the border. Most years I have thought they showed to greater advantage against the wet, dark earth, but this year I am in doubt. 88' THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 2, 191 1. it must be due, I think, to a difference of season, and with less rain, a difference in the ground colourings. Have you ever really looked inside a snowdrop, a double one for preference, although the single variety hangs with a special charm, and admired the con- trasting colours of green and white? I think it is Ruskin who depreciates this lovely winter flower, on the ground, forsooth, that it has no smell. Whilst its smell may not be overpowering, yet it is there. The bees, at least, appreciate its attractions, and are to be seen visiting blossom after blossom in the sunny days of January and February. Queries and Replies. [4091 i Bee-Keeping in Ontario. — I intend going to Port Arthur, ]Siew Ontario, Canada, in April, to take up mixed farming or market gardening. Can you please give me any par- ticulars respecting bee-keeping in that dis- trict? We have an apiary of about a dozen stocks here, in which I do most of the work- ing, as my partner has other duties, and is away most of his time. We have made all our hives on the W\B.C. and Combination patterns. We had a very poor season, but got all our stocks into winter quarters in a strong and healthy condition, and I do not think there has been a single week that the bees have not had two or three days flying throughout the winter. I should also like to know about bee literature in Canada. I am a regular reader of your paper, and look for- ward to it every week, and get manj' useful hints from it. — "Port Arthur," Scarborough. Reply. — The southern part of the Province on Lake Ontario is where bee-keeping is mostly carried on successfully, but we cannot say what the prospects would be at Port Arthur. We would recommend you to put yourself in communication with Mr. Morley Pettit, Provincial Apiarist, Ontario Agricul- tural College, Guelph, Ont., who would prob- ably be able to give you all the information you require. There is an Ontario Bee-keepers' Association (secretary, P. W. Hodgetts, Toronto), and The Canadian Bee Journal is a monthly paper, edited by J. J. Hurley, and published at Brantford, Ont., at a dollar a year. [4092] Bees at a Railway Station. — There are several bee-keepers in this locality, the writer being one of them, and during last season a case of some kind of fruit syrup was left on the station platform in a leakiiijj; condition, which attracted the bees. This case was taken into the booking office, and the syrup was spilled all the way. The bees took possession of the office, and a porter came for me and asked me to fetch them away. On my arrival I found all paisena:ers at the far end of the platform, the booking office door and windows all closed, and inside were several porters and clerks remov- ing desks and other articles of furniture into che centre of the room. The windows werti covered with bees, and the men were burning brown paper to smoke them out, and killing them as fast as they could. I told them to open the door and windows, as it was getting towards night and it was evi- dent that the bees wanted to go home ; also to mop up the syrup with hot water and strong carbolic, and this they did. I want to know what could anyone getting stung have done under the above circumstances. Could the company or any passenger claim damages, and from whom? — "Montpellier." Reply. — We should think that if any ill effects resulted from the stinging, the com- pany would be primarily responsible, and under the circumstances the passenger could proceed against them. The company would have their remedy against the bee-keeper if they could prove his bees to be a nuisance, but in this case the bee-keeper would be able to show contributory negligence on the part of the company. [4093J Transferring Bees. — Will you kindly Jet me know in your next issue of the B.B.J. '^.he following : — (1) I have an old hive which is tumbling to pieces. Kindly advise me hoW; and when, to remove the bees into a new one. (2) Last August I put one of Taylor's super skeps on the same nive, as the bees \\ ould not swarm ; they filled the skep with comb, and yesterday I noticed that the centre comb was partly sealed in the middle. Would this be brood? (3) When ought I to remove the skep, and ought I to provide pea-flour for the bees on sunny days ?. (4) When shall I be able to transfer the bees from Taylor's skep into a frame- hive, and how ?— E.A.B., Ruthin. Reply. — (1) The bees should be transferred the first real warm day in March. (2) If the cappings covering the cells are white in appearance it is honej, if light brown and mealy-looking it is brood. If it is honey you can remove it on a warm day. Drive out the bees and run them in at the front of frame hive. If at is brood you must allow it to remain until the queen descends to the frames ; then put on an excluder between skep and frames. Three weeks afterwards the skep can be driven as stated above. (3) If pollen is scarce in your district you can put pea-flour out in a box or skep containing shavings for the bees to collect. (4) See leply to first query. [4094] Good Bee Districts. — I am consider- ing taking up bee-keeping. Would you kindly through your valuable weekly paper let me know which of the two districts is the best for honey, East Kent, or the Isle of Man?— E.G. B., Southport. Reply. — East Kent is a very good district for bee-keeping, as is also the Isle of Man. We should prefer the former, as in the island the scope is limited. There are a good many bee-keepers there already, and we know of one or two others who intend to settle there and keep bees, so it is quite possible for the place to become overstocked. March 2, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 89 THE BEE PEST PREVENTION ACT (IRELAND). RESULT OF PROSECUTIONS. At Clonroche Petty Sessions, on February 10th, the cases under the Bee Pest Preven- tion Act, which were adjourned for two months in November, 1910, again came on for hearing. Particulars appeared in the B.B.J, in November last. The County Council prosecuted Mr. J. StepheuEon, Adamstown, and Patrick Doyle, Kellystown, for refusing to allow the bee inspector to examine their bees. Mr. J. Elgee appeared for the County Council, and Mr. Scallan for the defendants. The case had been adjourned from a previous court. The Chairman asked was there any settle- ment? Mr. Elgee — No. Mr. Scallan : On the last occasion a depu- tation was to wait upon the County Council, about the inspection, and Mr. Stephenson, who undertook to have the case settled, took no action in the matter. Mr. Scallan went on to criticise the action of the inspector, who, if the bees were suffering from foul brood, should have ordered them to be de- stroyed on his first visit, instead of leaving them for six weeks later. Consequently, when the inspector called the last time, the bees were in the honey flow, and Mr. Stephenson would not let him disturb them. Mr. Doyle did not deny the right to in- spect. Mr. Elgee submitted that that decided the case, as, under the Act, the inspector was empowered to inspect bees at any reasonable time. Mr. Scallan said that the question was, whether the time was a reasonable time. Mr. Elgee said that the Act stated that reasonable time was between April 1st and October 31st. Mr. Scallan said that this was the first prosecution of its kind in Ireland, and it seemed as if the County Council deliberately singled out these men, who were the greatest honey producers in the county, for a prose- cution. Mr. Elgee said that was the reason the two men were singled out. If they refused to allow the Act, when enforced, the smaller bee-keepers would follow suit. Pati'ick F. Byrne (bee inspector) gave evi- dence to the effect that Mr. Doyle refused to allow him to inspect the bees. This was in July. Previous to that Mr. Doyle invited him to inspect the bees. Cross-examined, witness said that Mr. Doyle gave as his reason for not allowing him in, that inspecting the bees would throw them back in their work. The reason defen- dant did not get notice to destroy the bees before six weeks, was because the order to destroy them could not be issued until after a meeting of the County Committee of Agri- culture. In reply to the Chairman, defendant said that he had destroyed a number of hives after they had produced the honey. Mr. Scallan submitted that the action of the County Council was most unreasonable. When the bees were ordered to be destroyed Mr. Doyle had gone to considerable expense in putting on the crates, and it was unfair to ask him to destroy them when the bees were making honey. Defendant said that he understood that a deputation was to wait upon the Department to have the time changed to a more suitable one. It seemed there was no truth in that whatever. Mr. Elgee read a letter from Mr. Gill stating that there would be no attempt made to ask the Department to alter the rules dealing with bee inspection. The Chairman said he believed Mr. Doyle had given the County Council every facility ; however, as he had committed a technical offence, he would be fined 6d., and 4s. costs. No professional costs were allowed. in the case against Mr. Stephenson a similar order was made. — The Echo. OLD BEE LITERATURE. {Concluded from page 79.) Tiiey have (beside) a marvellous order among them: namely, that the youngest Bees fly abroad, and bring home the food; the elder sort biding at home, to dress and prepare it. But that which is yet far more admirable is, that when the young ones arrive, laden with herbs and flowers laboriously, some of the aged sort meet them, at the entrance, and help to ease them of their burden. Moreover, such as come so home over- charged, seek the sweetest airs to pass through, and where they are calmest : as fearing, lest rude winds should make them let fall what they have carefully gathered, or dry up their honey, and therefore they fly lower towards the ground : and such as bring home no lad- ing carry little stones or gravel, that by the weight of them they may resist im- petuous winds. Bj' this precedent example, young men are admonished, that they ought to stir and labour in the Commonwealth; and the more aged, to preserve the fruits of their pains. Young men also, that do busy their brains in the bluster- ings or ambition; should take a lower flight and nearer to the ground, esteem- ing themselves to be no more than men : considering uprightly in their souls that whatsoever benefit ensueth by their pains to the Commonwealth, they stand go THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 2, 191 1. bound thereto by obligation. Let no man therefore overween, or strive to out go or be above other, except his con- tention be honourable, and that his travel may most advance the good of the Commonwealth. While thus these poor creatures are labouring abroad, their King, abides at home, having a strong court of guard about him, well armed with their stings, lor the defence of his person. He goeth abroad but very seldom, and when it is his pleasure to go forth, he is (in like manner) royally attended. But when lie will have his army abroad to any expedition, three days before, loud sum- mons is given for orderly preparation. If any troop of them swerve from fol- lowing him, they find their error, by sinelliijg to the ground where the King hath past, and so pursue in that tract, until they overtake him. It is to be admired, how highly they are comforted in his presence : for if he be lost by their negligence, the army loseth itself, and then they go to join with another King. Pliny also reporteth, that when their King dieth, they are so full of anguish and sorrow, that they will neither feed nor fly abroad for any provision ; so that if he be not taken away dead from be- fore them, they will also die with grief and hunger. Tutoring us herein, that if strifes and variances happen among us, they should not last of any continu- ance : also how the death of our Prince should be irksome to us, because little benefit cometh by changing governors. Thus we perceive, how many good ex- amples may be derived from the Bees Ccminon wealth, not utterly unnecessary for our imitation. Notices to Correspondents G.W.A. (Cai'lisle) Books on Wild Bees. — The best and most complete work on British wild bees is "The Hymenoptera Aculeata of the British Isles," by E. Saunders, F.R.S., published by Lovell Reeve and Co., London. This can be had with three structural plates for 16s. net., or a larger edition, with forty- nine coloured plates, for 48s. net. "British Bees," by W. E. Shuckard, by the same pub- lishers, price 9s. net, is an older, but very useful, work, and contains a great deal of information on the habits of bees. "Wild Bees, Wasps and Ants," by E. Saunders, published by G. Rovxtledge, London, price 3s. 6d. net., is a popular little Book, but only describes the commoner species. E.A.M. (Kidderminster) Respecting an Old Book. — "The Natural History of Bees," 1744, i&^ a translation from the French "Histoire Naturelle des Abeilles," byleSieur Bazin. It is not a rarity, as it figures from time to time in second-hand catalogues at prices varying from 2s. to 4s. We are much obliged to you for offering to let us see it, but we have the original, which is in two volumes, and the English translation pub- lished in one volume, which you describe. E.C.E. (Nuneaton) Dead Bees. — The bees died of starvation, as the cells are all occu- pied by bees head downwards. No doubt in the cold thej' were not able to reach their stores, and have died with plenty not far off. The small quantity of brood is chilled, and there is no sign of disease. W\iNTS TO Know (Cumberland) Working for Surplus. — (1) If the circumstances are the same, the reply given (4087) is equally applic- able to your case. (2) In re-queening stocks, remove old queen and introduce new one by any of the methods recommended on pages 135 to 142 of "Guide Book." R.C.M. (Lincoln) Disinfecting Combs. — Fumigation with formalin would be partially effective in destroying spores, as it could only affect those on the surface. Burning in- fected combs is the safest remedy. J.U.G. (Kent) .Aylesbury as a Honey Dis- trict.— (1) This IS considered a good district, but if you will apply to the secretary of the Bucks B.K.A., Miss E. Scott-Walker, 6, High Street, Slough, you will obtain the in- formation you require. We do not think that foul brood and "Isle of Wight disease" are more prevalent there than in other parts. (2) So far, "Isle of Wight disease" seems to have spread from the south towards the north, along the eastern counties, but it is not correct to suppose that more than half the country is infected. Some of the cases in the north have been clearly traced to swarms and driven bees obtained from the south, and these now form centres of in- fection. There are no legal powers to pre- vent the spread of the disease or compel the destruction of infected stocks, and until such powers are obtained the B.K. Associations are powerless in the matter. Suspected Disease. G.J.F. (Barnet). — Many of the bees have died of starvation, there also appear to be traces of "Isle of Wight disease." Burn all internal fittings of the hive and disinfect it thoroughly. W.W. (Herts). — The bees have had dysen- tery first, and then died of starvation ; tseing few in number, they were not warm enough to move to the combs containing food. You had better melt down the combs and disinfect the hive by washing with carbolic acid. See "Guide Book" (p. 198). English and black bees are the same. W.T. (High Rickington). — There is nothing to show that the bees have any disease, but those sent seem to have died of starvation. A.T.G. (Trimsaran). — Bees appear starved. March 9, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 91 Editorial, Notices, &c. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION The annual meeting and conversazione of the British Bee-keepers' Association, which will be held on March 16tli at the Gardenia Restaurant, Catherine Street, Covent Garden, "W.C, promises to be of unusual interest. Dr. Maiden, of Cam- bridge University, has consented to ad- dre,ss the members at the conversazione following the meeting, on the result of his experiments in investigating the Isle of Wight disease. Mr. O. R. Franken- stein has promised to read a paper on " Marketing Honey," and a further at- traction will be the bioscope pictures of bee life, by Mr. J. C. Bee-Mason. In view of the efforts made by the council to ensure that members and their friends shall spend both an instructive and en- joyable evening, it is hoped that all who are able to do so will attend. Light re- freshments will be provided as usual, and all interested in bees and bee-keeping will be welcome. The meeting place is a most convenient centre, and can easily be found, as it is next door to Drury Lane ''.'heatre. We should also like to remind readers that insurance policies should be renewed ■iLis montli. The new forms can now be had from countv B.K.A. secretaries, or from the B. B.K.A. office. 23, Bedford Street, vStrand. Bee-keepers should not delay in safeguarding themselves from loss by insuring their stocks before the active bee season commences, whe,n the risk of accidents is greater than at any other time. FOUL BROOD LEGISLATION COMMITTEE. A meeting of the above committee will be held on March 16th, at 2 j^.m., at 23, Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. As there are a number of items for discussion it is hoped that all members will make an effort to attend. — L. S. Ceawshaw, Hon. Sec, F.B. Legislation Committee. REVIEWS OF FOREIGN BEE- JOURNALS. By " Nemo." Wax-irorks of Bees. — Af. Bourgeois says in V .IpicuUeur that the secretion of wax and the construction of comb are two quite different functions of bees, although fre- quently confounded. The former does not rfccessitate the latter, but comb-building requires the secretion of wax. This secretion is involuntary and produced un- knowingly by the bee, and if not used im- mediately the wax-scales are cast off as lefuse. The construction of the combs is the united eftort of all the members of the colony, whereas wax-secretion is the natural product of each individual bee. The amount of wax which a colony can produce in a season depends on different causes. In practice, M. Bourgeois finds 1hat a harvest of 10 kilos (221b.) of honey induces a natural secretion of wax vary- ing between 300 to 500 grammes (lOi to 17^ ounces). Certain nectars and pollens cause the production of more wax than others. During hot weather, when it is cloudy and slightly moist, wax-secretion is more abundant than if it is hot, bright, and dry. M. Bourgeois says that it is usually stated the bees confined and fed artificially produce wax by digestion. In practice this is found to be an error, for, though such bees will prodiice a small quantity of wax, it is at the expense of their health, and if persisted in it ends in the bees dying of exhaustion. Baron Bela v. .imbrozy. — German papers announc-e the death of the Baron Bela V. Ambrozy, of Temes-Gyarmatha. Hungary, which took place on 18th January last. The Baron was 72 years of age, and a zealous promoter of bee- keeping in Hungary, and rendered special service by his introduction of the move- able comb system, which has largely super- ceded the old skep methods. He was an indefatigable worker and had an apiary of between four and five hundred colonies, and to the last managed two hundred of them himself. He adopted the Dzierzon twin hives, and attributed his great suc- cess to their use, and in order to improve the honey resources of the neighbourhood he sowed Phacelia seed extensively. Baron Ambrozy was the author of a Hungarian manual' of bee-keeping and a frequent contributor to bee journals. He was also a regular attendant at bee-keepers' con- ventions, and president of the Hungarian Bee-keepers' Association. No. 3 The Hawthorn (Crato'gu.s o:ccantha). Nat. Ord., Bosacccc. The genus of which this is the only British representative, only differs from Pynis — the genus containing the apple, pear, &c. — in some minor points, and. like it, is spread over all the tem- perate regions of the northern hemi- sphere. Among the numerous and beautiful plants of the hedgerow the hawthorn takes a verv prominent place. Its masses of white flowers, their rich fragrance, and the earlv time of year in which they are found all make the hawthorn a general favourite. 92 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 9, 1911. This plant is equally well known by the names of hawthorn, whitethorn, or may. To the fact that in the autumn it is loaded with bright red berries, which are popular- as "haigs" or "haws," may be at- tributed its first name. Whitethorn is doubtless given to it to distinguish it from Prunus spinosa, or blackthorn, the bark of Avhich is darker than that of whitethorn. The third name indicates the time of flowering as in some other similar cases — e.g. {Helehorus niger) the Christmas rose; (Lilium candidum) Easter Lily, &c. It is seldom found well in flower in the month of May, be- cause of the calen- dar having been al- tered since this name l.Dr>^ was given it, and consequently the month is much earlier than it was formerly. There is great variety in both form of foliage and colour of flour. The leaves 0 re stalked , deeply serrated, which di- vide them into three or five segments. The flowers are generally white, though sometimes pink, and even a deep crimson, and are grouped in little clusters on short, leafy branches, which are botanically known as "corymbs." There was, some years ago (and it "may still be there), near Glastonbury Ab- bey a famous haw- thorn which always flowered twice a year. It is stated that Joseph of Ari- mathea first brought Christianity to England, and that one day when he was preaching in Glastonbury he thrust his staff into the ground to emphasise what he was saying, and to convince the islanders it at once grew and blossomed, and ever after flowered each May and December. There are other specimens in England which are known to bloom twice in the year. Hawthorn is considered by the majority of bee-keepers, I believe, to be a good nectar-producing flower, but I am inclined to think it is not so good as it is thought to be. That it does yield abundantly I will admit, but, as far as I have observed, it appears rather fickle. Tor it to yield nectar, climatic conditions must be ideal. Often, when in bloom, bee-keepers are thinking that their bees are obtaining not only sufficient for the needs of the colony, but also some surplus, although, as a matter of fact, the blossoms may be yielding next to nothing. Its pollen, which is borne on bright pink anthers, when taken from the flower and viewed by transmitted light, is a dull pale green, but when taken from the bee it is a dull dark green. Its first form is like that of the apple as seen at 1, and measures yo-on by ^^^|. When. placed in water it at once assumes the spherical form with the extine greatly extended as seen at 3 a, and eventually as seen. at 3 B. In oil it is of the same form as when dry, except that the oil makes it trans- parent. I have never found that pollen grains change their form in oil ; but this method of ob- servation often en- ables one to better realize their con- struction. In formalin we get the triangular form with a very granu- lated appearance, as seen at 4. From honey we find it triangular and almost spherical,, but the triangular is the last form this grain assumes, and it then measures^ from base to apex, The colour FIG. 6. POLLEN OF H.\W"THOKN _1L 10 0 0- is a dull yeUow. It will be noticed how much alike are these and the pollen grains from the apple which is of the same natural order. (To be continued.) HONEY IMPORTS. The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom during the month of February, igii, was ^403- — From a re- turn furnished to the British Bee. Journal by the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs. Marcli 9, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 93 Correspondence. The Editor does not hold himself 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. NOTES BY THE WAY. [8105] MarcJi has come in quite lamb- like fashion, with nothing of the roaring of the lion about it, so far. Sunday (the 4th) was a beautiful day, and the bees were on the wing, in large numbers, at the watering places, and away to the woods for natural pollen. The artificial SI pply provided was cleared up, time after time, during the day, while a large tin of thin Avarm syrup, given after my return from church, was t^aken into the hives in an hour or two. These helps, 1 consider, are worth the trouble they entail, as they in- duce the extension of the brood nest, and, as I have no other bees nearer than a mile, by open feeding I am giving a supply to my own bees only. I notice " D.M.M." (page 77) wonders if many beekeepers use smoke at the entrance of hives when they are manipu- lating. I never think of doing such a thing ; I remove the wraps, except the la.st piece of carpet, then spread out my carbolized cloth, or rather shake it out ready to spread, take the front two corners of the quilt and peel it off the frames and the carbolized cloth takes its place. I at once spread the combs as required for examination of any par- ticular comb; this is easily done in the combination hives with the frames parallel with entrance and a mov- able dummy at the back of combs. The high llin. sides of these hives prevents the cloth being blown off, as is the case with those having frames level with the sides of the hives. That million dollars (page 77) seems a big sum to spend in a vain attempt to check disease, as we have it on good authority that foul brood is spreading at an alarming rate in the States of America. Yet friend " D.M.M." evidently vishes Britons to accept a Foid Brood Act that will prevent a British bee-keeper from disposing of any product of his apiary if a small outbreak of the disease should be found there by an inspector. Page 89 of our journal shows how the Irish Act is being administered ; the piominent bee-keepers are made the scape- goats by the inspectors, who, when once appointed, are masters in everything per- taining to bees. They can choose their c\A n time to inspect them, even in July^ just in the mid.st of the honey harvest. Consider what it means to a man with one or two hundred hives, to have his. whole apiary upset by a hive-to-hive ovei*- liaul when every hive is supered. Why, it would cause a loss of several pounds (£ s. d.), as the upset would mean a day's AAork lost to every colony examined, or, in short, 100 days' work lost to the owner of 100 hives ; and then, if the inspector should find one of the hives infected,, he V ould iiave the power to prevent the owner from disjiosing of the produce of the ninety-nine healthy stocks — -perhaps a ton or two of honey. That was in the draft of the last projected Act, which we are adjured to accept; and anent that Act I noticed a little par. bottom of page 80, and I shoidd like to know the mean- ing of the last four lines. Are we to be tieated in England as the Irish bee- keepers were over their Act, a year or tv>o ago? I trust our Brnisli Bee-keepers* Associatio 1 will never stoop to get an Act through Parliament without consult- ing the bee-keepers of England, by way of referendum, or that the larger bee- keepers of England shall be exempted fiom any Act relating to bees, except when they make application for the servicas of the inspector. — W. Woodley, Beedon, Xewburv. •DZIERZOX.' " I wamt a hero — an uncommon want When every year and month brin^ fortb a new one." Byron's ideal hei'o, however, must be martial, for straightway he enumerates a long list of possible names, all of whom are warrioi-s. Why search for heroes amid the clash of arms? In the daily struggle of life, heroic deeds are done, and unknowingly Ave rub shoul- ders with heroes. The world is full of heroism, nor need we the candle of Dio- genes to aid us in the search. The man of intellect in advance of the thoughts of his days who has the courage to nail his theses to the cathedral door, and there defend them against all comers — that man is a hero, and such a one was Dzierzon. But so recently has the tale of his life been told by more able pens than mine that I need "hardly stop to dwell on it. I have in front of me his book, "Rational Bee-keeping," and. as this year is the centenarv of his birth, it may interest and willbe instructive to ramble through its pages. The preface tells me it was written in 1861. fifty years ago. What marvellous progress have we made since 94 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 9, 1911. then. Take this book and the date, and look back to it, as one of the resting places from which we may count our milestones on the high road of progress. How primi- tive now seem the hives of those days, the Lager and tStander, the Straw Stiilper, Bognestiilper and Thorstock, the latter similar in appearance to the straw travelling basket one sees nowadays for dogs and cats. Foundation was just being thought of, for he argues that ''it will hardly obtain much jjiactical importance, because it will re- main a pretty expensive article, and will j be difficult to fit to bars," and he in- structs one '• to be careful in keeping and pieserving from waxmoth all the pieces of ccmb which he obtains when uniting colonies," to be used as guides. But when Dzierzon teaches of the feeding of bees then we begin to fear lest we may have lost some treasured secret. As a substitute for pollen he recommends a milk and egg preparation. "The new milk is boiled and strongly sweetened with sugar. The contents of the egg are thor- oughly mixed with honey or dissolved sugar, and used as food in that way." AA hen further he says, "This problem has teen brilliantly solved by manifold experi- ments in egg and milk feeding, the results of which have been communicated to the meetings at Halle, Strasburg, and Bres- lau," one wonders if there is anything in it. Does any modern bee-keeper stimulate or go to the winter feeding his bees in this fashion? It would be interesting to know, and the results obtained. Again we smile when he comes to his catalogue of " Apicultural Implements," implements of torture. 1 could almost write. They remind one of the hooks and piongs used in the Middle Ages for politi- cal and religious offenders. How "gain" for use would be his smoker, half garden syringe, half old-fashioned domestic bel- lows, or his bee veil, again to quote him, " In its usual shape, a small oval sieve, with a bag attached of corresponding width, to go over the head, but it is vei-y uncomfortable and very oppressive in great heat." Quite agreed, and also, "but a proper bee-keeper rarely or never makes use of a bee veil." Yes, give the insects a chance. It is scarcely playing the game, except in extreme cases, to so encase your- self that the bees cannot get at you. You have the advantage of the smoker or the carbolic cloth, and need little more. : In all good humour we criticise the conceits of bygone days, but there are thoughts and Avords of Dzierzon's which are worthy to be written in letters of gold. Would you read an author who writes? then .study the preface of his book. It is a justification of its existence, and from the preface of the German edition I cull tlie following sentences: "For he only is entitled to be called a rational bee- keeper who clearly comprehends why a thing is done in a certain way, and not in any other, and who is able to give the reason for everything he does." To comment on this would be akin to painting the rainbow. Let me then hasten to other words of wisdom. " The more intimately he becomes acquainted with the nature of bees, the more wonders he \vill discover, and tlie more enjoyment he will derive from bee-keeping," and yet, again (for I am keeping the best wine for the last). "Nothing affords such pure and lasting pleasure as the contemplation of the works of the Almighty, in the wonders of Nature, but nowhere do we find such an exhibition of the wonders of Nature as -in a colony of bees." Science has not stood still since Dr. Dzierzon A^rote, and we know now, in a later century, that many of his deductions were incorrect, but he was a glorious pioneer. I have in this article only col- lected together a series of extracts. I can- not conclude in a better manner than by adding one more, the words of a former editor of the " British Bee Journal " — Charles Nash Abbott — "a work by an authority that contains riches in every 1 age well worthy the study and con- sideration of all bee-keejjers." Such were his ojjinions when presenting to English readers the translation of the writings of this master mind in the " Poetry of Api- culture."— Inc. Smalt.wood, Hendon. FOIL BROOD LEGISLATION. [8106] Little time or desire as I haA'e for controversy I feel constrained to acknowledge my error as pointed out bv Mr. Samways (8108, p. 85). I do so the more gladly because the correction helps to establish the point upon which I laid stress (p. 426). viz., that even if on sanitary grounds compensation be granted for losse.s arising from the compulsory destruction of cattle, pigs, &c., there is no adequate reason for extending it to cover the ca.se of bees. That the jsrinciple 8.houLd have been so clearly recognised in New Zealand iis highly satisfactory. In days when men were scarce upon th^e land, and the rough and ready system of blood for blood was apt to make them scarcer, the institution of AVergild may well have had its merits. The difficulty lievs in connecting it with the modern id?a of sanitary compensation. As to the legal question propounded. 1 must a.sk Mr. Samways to pardon me if, in Parliamentary fashion, I let it remain unanswered. — H. J. O. W.^lkek. Lieut- Colonel. '8107] It seems to me that the oppo- nents of foul brood legislation have seized March 9, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 95 on my unhappy case to extract froan it arguments in support of their contention that beekeepers should be allowed, without let or hindrance, if they are indifferent to their own interests or those of their neigh- bours, to spread infection broadcast in their vicinity. Will you permit me to point out to Mr. Samways (p. 85) that my first attack of foul brood was in 1908, when I had no imported queens in my pos- session ; that my next attack Avas on July 24, 1909, more than six weeks after the imported Italian queen was intro- duced ; and that last year's attack was just about a year after the imported queens and their progeny had been de- stroyed, and I had then nothing but Eng- lish queens in my apiary. To put the three annual attacks down to the imported foreign queens in the middle year of the three is, I venture to think, unreasonable. Besides, what justification hais Mr. Sam- ways for being so cocksure that the im- ported queens brought foul brood ? Does it folloM- always, or even once in a hundred times ? On what does he base his belief ? In most things I think the Englishman (and rightly so) is an individualist, and hates interference in the management of Ms affairs, either legal or otherwise. But the legislation in connection with in- fectious or contagious diseases, both human and animal, has been found essen- tial to the well-being of the community, and has proved to be of inestimable value — take rabies alone, now stamped out, though serious enough some years ago. I need say nothing about the Acts in connection with foot-and-mouth disease, pleuro-pneu- nijonia, swine fever, i^^c. I am pretty sure that had bee-keeping been a sufficiently important industry years ago, an Act would have been passed, similar to the Irish Act, and foul brood would by this time have practically disappeared. I do not say it in any unkind spirit, but I should like some opponent of foul brood legislation to have a man sent down as his immediate neighbour whose hives were full of foul brood, and who refused to destroy them or to take other steps to get rid of the disease, or even to let any- body else do it for him ; or, lastly, even to sell his hives to his neighbour in order that the latter might destroy them. I have heard of such a case. I am pretty sure the views of the opponent of foul brood legislation would rapidly change under the force of e\-ents. In my opinion an innocent bee-keeper whose bees were being decimated by foul brood, caused by such action on the pai-t of his neighbour, would succeed in an action for damages if he could prove that the latter, having the disease to his know- ledge in his apiai-y, had taken no pi-ompt and active measures to stop the spread of infection ; and I should certainly recom- mend any man who finds himiself in that position to test the matter by an action. But that is where the merit of the Act would come in. In small communities it is so unpleasant to be at odds with one's neighbour that most men would rather suffer than take proceedings, but with the Act in force, the local authority would be able to put an end to the trouble withf>at causing bad blood between neighbours. Allow me to thank H. C. Essex (p. 86), for his suggestion; I will certainly takr, an early opportunity of examining +he wood yard. (Later). — Chance has placed in my hands to-night (March 4th) a report corroborative of my own suspicions, as well as the editor's, as to my apiary probauiy contracting foul brood from an infected neighbour, whose name and address are, however, as yet unknown to me. A friend of mine, a lady, who used to keep bees witnin a few hundred yards of my house, but who sent them early last year to her son in the country, called on a dealer and bee-keeper in London the other day for some ap- pliances. She was being served when the attendant, probably knowing where she lived, volunteered the remark that he had been, a few days before, to see an apiary in , mentioning a district within less than a mile of my house. " and." he added " he has enough foul brood to in- fect the whole neighbourhood." I intend, of course, to follow this up, and try to find out further particulars. If I clo succeed in getting my neighbour's address, I shall certainly call on him and ascertain his views as to his duty and responsibility in the circumstances. — Depkessed. THE AMERICAN STANDARD FRAME. [8108] I have for the past five years tested the Langstroth American Stan- dard frame side by side with our British Standard, and without hesitation I can say it is far superior to our own. The bees winter well in hives containing these frames, come out stronger and develop surprisingly in the spring with little attention, take to the sections almost at once, owing to the greater warmth coming from the narrow brood nest, give more sur- plus, and should one get a swarm, it is a "bumper." In my opinion this is the frame for the progressive bee-man, and it only requires our appliance makers to stock frames this size as used by our Ameri- can cousins (both brood and sh^-How foi- supers) to ensure their adojition by l)ee- keepers. — Seventeen Ye.\r Bee-keeper. Bonhill. [We are sorry to disagree with oui- correspondent, for we have also tried the Langstroth hive, and at one time, in the earlier days of our bee-keeping, some forty vears ago, we had ten such hives in an 96 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 9, 1911. apiary of forty colonies. Although we succeeded very well with them, we found for general purposes our British Standard frame in every Avay the more useful, and therefore by degrees eliminated the Lang- stroth hives. All our large takes of honey have been from hives with the British Standard frame, and we can claim for this all the advantages our correspondent claims for the Langstroth. Dealers some years ago used to stock this hive, but it did not meet with much favour, and we suppose they have discontinued doing so because there was no demand. — Ed.] SHAKESPEARE AND THE BEE. [8109] I have enclosed some lines from Shakespeare Avhich I thought might be of interest to those readers of the B.B.J., who have not read them before. — W. G. HiKDE, Olney. Therefore doth heaven divide The state of man in divers functions. Setting endeavour in continual motion ; To which is fixed, as an aim or butt. Obedience : for 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 teiit 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-eyed justice, with his surly hum, Delivering o'er to execiitors pale The lazy, yawning drone. — " King Henry V.," act i., sc. 2, lines 184 to 204. Queries and Replies. [4095.] Subduing Bees. — When sub- duing bees, how long, after smoking, should one wait before opening out the hive? I find they make a loud buzzing noise when smoked. Will this buzzing c^ase and will they become quite quiet when completely subdued? If so, may they be dealt with as soon as the buzzing stops? Your advice will oblige. — Novice. Reply. — The buzzing is quite natural^ Provided the bees have plenty of food in the combs, if you wait about a minute it will give them time to gorge themselves with honey and you can then manipulate with safety, [4096.] Stimulative Feeding. — As a constant reader of your invaluable little journal, may I ask you a few questions? — (1) When should I start stimulative feeding? I see my bees are carrying pollen \Aell ; should I provide pea-flour ? (2) What flowers are best for planting in the garden for honey-yielding? I am giving up a big piece, formerly used as a vege- table garden, to flowers this year, to pro- vide plenty of work near home for the bees. I am a beginner and have three hives, all of which seem to have wintered excellently. I bought my bees (one hive) at the end of 1909, and did very well last year, considering what a bad summer it was — about 301b. yield. Other two hives purchased since. I shall be very glad to see you start the suggested " Hints for the Week " (or month) that you say you intend giving. I much enjoy reading the journal. D. A. B., Reading. Reply. — (1) Wait for another fortnight before commencing stimulative feeding. If there is not a sufficient supply of pollen from natural sources, you can supply it. (2) Borage, Chapman honey plant. Wall- flower, Limnanthes douglas, Arabis, are all good bee flowers. [4097] Moving Skep from Bar-Frame Hive. — (1) Last spring a stock of bees in a skep was put over a bar-frame hive, in order to see if the bees would transfer themselves. The skep has not been re- moved. Please tell me, through the Bee JotjENAL, what to do. The bees were fly- ing a fortnight ago, but I am afraid they are short of food. (2) Will driven bees settle in a place a quarter of a mile from the old stand? I have your "Guide Book" and "Practical Note Book." I should be glad to see an ele- mentary weekly course in B.B.J. — Beginner. Reply. — (1) If there is no brood in the skep yon can take it off on the first warm day, and drive out the bees, if any re- main among the combs. If there is brood in the skep, you must wait until the queen goes below, and as soon as she commences to lay in the combs in the frame-hive, put on the excluder zinc, making sure that the queen is below on the combs when you do it. In three weeks' time the bees in the skep can be driven and put in the frame- hive, the .skep being taken away. If the bees require food, cut a hole in top of skep and put on a cake of soft candy. (2) Driven bees will readily settle down a quarter of a mile from their old stand. [4098.] Strange Behaviour of Bees. — I am sending a report of, to me, strange happenings in my small apiary of five stocks, during last summer, and would very much like your opinion and advice (Queries continued on page 98). March 9, 1911. J THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 97 HOMES OF THE HONEY-BEE. THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS. Mr. E. Watts, whose neatly arranged apiary is illustrated below, may be taken as one of the large class of our readers who delight in a hobby of an instructive as well as an enjoyable nature. He has also interestedi his three sons in the bees, and it is pleasant to hear of a family who are united in this way in a common pur- suit. The practical work these boys have taken part in, such as hive making, painting, etc., as well as the initiation into the wonders of bee-life, should be of in&stimable value to them in after life. We hope that in the coming season Mr. Watts and his young assistants will be as cult with such rough material, but our hives are well made and watertight, and, having calico roofs painted, can stand any weather. This hobby (bee- keeping) has taken up most of our spare time, but it has given us infinite pleasure, and we all love cur little friends the bees. " We have had an abundance of swanns, so that our supers have usually been abandoned, with adver-se results so far as surplus is concerned, after the bees had filled several sections. On one occasion three swarniis united, and clung to a hive where we had recently hived a swarm. This we seciired after repeated failure, and it seemed tliat most of the bees had MR. E. watts' APIARY, LLOVDSC ROFT, PARTRIDGE GREEN, SUSSEX. successful in obtaining surplus, and gain- ing prizes as they have been in increasing their apiary. A short account of their ex- periences sent to accompany the illustra- tion says : — '■ My apiary was established in 1908 by my three boys and myself at Partridge Green, Sussex. We commenced with a small swarm which we found in one of our meadows, and this gave us bee-fever, and now tlie apiary has increased to the respectable number of twenty-four colonies. Four of the hives were purchased new, but the others seen in the photograph were made by myself and sons during the winter from 1-in. wood piano paicking- cases. "Needless to say, the work was diffi- entered the hive and killed off the rightful tenants, for it was choked with thousands of dead bees. " We have been called in by neighbours on several occasions to help with their bees^ and in most cases found them in a oad way ; but we value these opportunities for placing colonies in a healthy condi- tion. Our bees came through the winter well last year, and some of our swarms last seaison were about three gallons measure, the brood-frames in many of the hives being solid with healthy food. My eldest son is only sixteen, but we intend this year to compete with our honey at the shows. We have pleasure in testifying to the value of your paper, from which we gain much useful information." 98 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 9, 1911, {Continued from page 96.) through the Bke Journal. On going into my garden in front of the hives at midday early in June last, I saw some twelve to twenty bees running wildly about on a patch of ground about two yards square, and tumbling off into the path, usually finding their way to the lowest point, where they died. This con- tinued several days. Sections had been put on with one or two partly filled from previous years, probably with a little fer- mented honey in some of the cells. Might that be the cause of the strange be- haviour? Shortly afterAvards I noticed a very peculiar smell when walking in front of the hives in the evening, and on one occasion, when it was very pronounced, the expert for our district came in, and we traced it to the strongest and best- working stock, and examined it. The expert said it was foul brood (I found what I thought chilled brood through spreading it before, when supering), but there seemed only a few cells that he could say were foul brood. I procured apicure f^nd napthaline and put them in the hives, and in autumn fed Avith medicated syrup arid later M'ith candy. The season AA-as so bad here that breeding stopped entirely jearly in the autumn, and, when examinii|g, the expert said there Avere a few cecils he though foul broody. The stock is ptill as strong as any, and I pro- pose putting in more apicure and naptha- line, anji Avatching results. Is this the best thing to do, in your opinion? If not, kindly tell me hoAv to proceed. — A Twenty- five Ye4r Bee-keepeb, Shepton Mallet. Reply.; — From your description, it ap- pears that the bees. Avere suff'ering from paralysis. The peculiar smell might have been caused by the floAAers upon which the bees werfeAvorking. Tlrereig-often a very strong odour AA'hen they are AAorking upon such floAvers as the gooseberry, currants, t&c. Unless it Avere a very bad case of disease, no smell would be noticed out- side the hive, and, as you say only a feAv cells Avere affected, this could not be the cause. If bees feed upon fermented food it causes dysentei-y, and does not make them excited. If you persevere AAith apicure the disease if present Avill disappear. PRESS CUTTINGS. bee-keeping in south AUSTRALL-i. The bee-keeping industry in South Australia has made rapid progress during recent years, as the farmers and - gar- deners generally are realising the benefits to be derived from jiossessing a number of hives and working them in conjunction Avith their other business. In districts AA-here cultivation has not displaced the native timber, large apiaries of from 500 to 800 colonies are to be found, and in many instances they constitute the sole occupation of their owner. Considerably over 1,000,000 lb. of honey was produced in 1910, and for the coming season many apiarists predict an exceptionally heavy flow. Although the bulk of the honey is consumed locally, an oversea export trade has been built up, and, in anticipation of an increased production this year, the Trades Commissioner in London has al- ready secured orders from different ports in England, Germany, and Holland, where any surplus from the local and inter-State trade has ahvays found a ready sale. — Field. bres and pollination of fruit-blossom. In the course of investigations made at Oregon Agricultural College into the question of self-sterility of apples, some experiments Avere made to ascertain the part played by the wind and by bees in pollenising fruit-trees. Small glass slides 1 in. by 3 in. in size, smeared AAath vase- line, Avere placed at distances varying from 4 ft. to 30 ft. from large trees in an orchard, and at heights from the ground- level 'to 9 ft. After an exposure of tAverity-four hours the number of pollen- graiiis found on each slide varied from seven to sixteen. The trees were in the height of their blooming period, and a strong Avind Avas bloAving,'.so that it is concluded that the wind cannot be relied upon to transfer pollen from tree to tree. To confirm the point, the blossoms of a tree were emasculated, and the petals, by AA-hich ,bee§ are attracted, were removed. During the' .AA^liple period, that the pistils of these blossoms remained receptive only eight bees Avere seen to '^visit the tree, Avliile more than tAA'ice_ that ,number were seen in half an hour on a tree that blos- somed profusely 20 ft. away. Out of 1,500 blossoms emasculated only five set fruit, from Avhich it is concluded that fertilisa- tion is almost entirely dependent on bees and other insects. — Gardeners^ Magazine. OLD ENGLISH BECIPES. A writer in the Woman^s Supplement of October 15 remarks on our debt for cookery recijDes to the Church. Besides the Churchj Ave also owe some good old recipes to our grandmothers. In an old Welsh farmhouse I came aoross a Book of Recipes beautifully Avritten in violet ink by the grandmother of the present OAvner (aged 80). Among them the following : — " To Thicken Haire. — Take Dead Bees. Put tlieni in an Oven, Avhen dry, powder. March 9, 1911, THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 99 and mix them up with a little honey, and anoint ye balde place." It was considerate, at least, to console the ashes of the poor burnt bees with 6ome of their own honey. For heroic remedies our grandmothers would be hard to beat in our own day, as witness : — "For a bone that sticks in ye throat. — Take a thimble-ful of Gunpowder, and swallow it Downe : it will dissolve ve Bone." That they knew how to cook pigeons as well as pheasants, as described in the Woman's Supplement recently, is evi- denced by this : — "To Pickle Pigeons. — Take your pigeons and bone them, and lay two in one, and season them with pepper, nutmeg and salt, a little thyme and marjoram and shalot, cut very small and put inside your pigeons and soe them up whole. Make your pickle of old cyder, water and salt and two or three bay leaves. Bake them with Boughted Bread, and use cold with oil and vinegar." The spelling and punctuation are the ancient lady's own. The recipe is easy for us moderns if we like to try it. — A Corre- spondent in the Times Woman's Supple- ment, October 29, 1910. TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. James Lee and Son, Ltd. {Head Office and Power Works .; Martineau Head, lliglxhurij, London, S. Shou-rooin : Id, Silver Street, Holborn. Bee-farms : Ful- bourn, Camhs.). — This, as usual, is a well-got-up catalogue of 44 pages and con- tains illustrations and prices of this old- established firm's well-known appliances, a new addition being the '' Coronation Hive," which is a marvel of cheapness. .\lso a special point is made of calico- covered roofs. A reduction is also made in the prices of the famous British-make Weed Foundation. Cardboard section- cases are made a speciality by this firm. The catarogue is post free on application. E. H. TwLOR {Hive Works, Wehcyn. Herts). — Another old-established firm, the catalogue being quite up to the usual standard, containing 80 pages; it also con- tains prices of poultry appliances and in- cubators. This firm now manufacture Weed Foundation. Catalogue post free on application. R. Steel and Brodie {Wormit Works, Dundee). — This is a very neat and well- got-iip catalogue of 63 pages, which also contains list of jwultry appliances ; every appliance necessary for successful bee- keeping is illustrated, and Northern bee- keepers especially will do well to write for it, }X)st free. Mrs. Seadon (The. S. J. Baldu-in .ipiari/, Bromhji, Krnt. Bee Farms : Broni- ieif and Farnhorough). — This is a more up-to-date catalogue than any previously issued ; it also contains illustrations and prices of bee-houses, incubators, poultry appliances, photographic dark-rooms, and dog kennels, and consists of 48 pages. Special features are a new design in veils, which is very neat, and an improved steam wax extractor. The catalogue is post free. A. H. Wilkes {Lichfield Boad, Four Oaks, Birmingham). — This contains many illustrations of this firm's specialities in wire excluders, dividers, feeders, &c. — 13 pages. Speciality : Spun aluminium feeders, which prevent all rust ; and als v a candy-holder, of the same material. Can be had post free. A. W. Gamage {Holborn, London. Bet- Farm : Finchlei/). — This catalogue consists, principally of illustrations, of which theri; are a large number in the six pages. The catalogue is post free. WEATHER REPORT. Barnwood, Gloucester. February, I9I1. Coldest night, 1st 15L Mean temperatuie for month, 40 I ; 9 of a deg. belo -■ average. Relative humidity » or percentage or moisture in the air, at 9. a.m. 87. Number of daj s wit b sky complete] w overcast at 9 a.m.. 10; do. cloudless, :!. Percentage of cloml. 68. Percentage of wind force, 25 ; Prevailing directions N.E. and S.W. F. H. Fowler (F.R.Met. Soc.j. Rainfall, 1-28 in. Below average, •26in. Heaviest fall, T9 in. on 18th. Rain fell on 13 days. Total to date, 231 in. as compared with o7 in. for the cor- responding period of last year. Mean maximum tem- perature, 46 7 ; 17 deg. above average. Warmest day 17th. 57 s Mean minimiim tem- perature. 336 ; 3 4 deg. below average. WEATHER REPORT. Rainfall, 217 in. Above average, T9in. Heaviest fall, "57 in on 27th. Rain fell on 15 days. Sunshine, 839 hours. Below average, 74 hours. Brightest day, 26th, 9 hours. Sunless days, 10. Maximum tempera- ture, 56° on I7th. Westbourne, Sussex. February, I9I1. Minimum tempera - ture. 25" on 2Dd. and 14th. Minimum on grass. 20° on 1st. and 2nd. Frosty nights, 12. Mean maximum, 45 7. Mean minimum, 34 6, Mean temperature, 401. Above average, 19. Maximum baromet-r. 30746 on 1st. Minimum barometer 29-498 on 19th. L. B. BiRKETT. 100 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 9, 1911. Notices to Correspondents. Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space devoted to letters, queries, and replies is meant for the general good of bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately following the receipt of their communica- tions. C. L. N. P. (Shalbourne).— /7/iproi;emen^ in Smoker. — We can hardly tell without seeing it whether the improvement you have made is worth patenting, but all the points you mention are desirable in a smoker. The first four, however, are already secured in the "Bingham" smoker, and possibly some of those you mention are found in others, but we could only tell by examining your design. L.A. (Lincoln).— Feerf(nf7 Becs.—{1) Cer- tainly you should feed the bees if they are short of stores, as they will not be able to gather much for some time to oome. (2) Candy is best at this time of the year. (3) You can use your two-year old honey for feeding later on, . but it would be well to add a small quantity of water to bring it to the con- sistency of syrup. (4) Overheated honey should not be used for bee-food, for from what you say as to its having become dark, it has probably been burned. (5) If your No. 3 hive is over-burdened with stores, you can take out a comb or two and give them to the hive short of food. (6) We thank you for your appreciation of B.B.J., and are glad to find it has been helpful to you, and that you have been so suc- cessful. J.F.A. (Northam).— D/sin/ec/irif/ Hives. — The object of applying disinfectants to hives where there are no bees is to destroy any spores that they may harbour. You will notice that the disin- fectants used for this purpose are very much stronger than those used when bees are present in the hives, and would be just as destructive to bees as they are to the spores. Certainly the spores cannot hatch in the woodwork, but they remain dormant for a long time, and bees which are constantly passing over the woodwork may dislodge and carry off some of them, which, oji getting into a suitable medium, would germinate. The strong disinfectants, acting on the surface as germicides, destroy these spores, and tl^ius render them harmless. Napthol beta in syrup makes it an anti- septic, which will act on the bacilli, and destroy or ]ii-evont their growth. T. R. (Dumfries).— JZojie?/ Sample. — The honey is not pure heather; it is a blend •of ling, bell-heather, and wild thyme. The flavour is very palatable, but it has not the jelly-like consistency charac- teristic of ling-honey, being thin and somewhat unripe. The wet season con- siderably affected the secretion of nectar in many districts. Suspected Disease. J.B. (Steyning). — Bees are suffering from dysentery and " Isle of Wight disease." R.T.R. (Birmingham). — Beginning Bee- keeping.— Our estimate of an outfit is quite correct, and there are many who have made a start on much less than £2. If you will examine some of the leading dealers' catalogues, you will see that there is no discrepancy in the prices we quoted, for you will find com- plete outfits for £1 2s. 6d., including in addition to the articles mentioned, a book of instructions. If you apply to the Secretary of the B.B.K.A. for a pamphlet on " How to Commence Bee- keeping." you will find that you can get such an outfit for £1 Is. 5d. A swarm of bees purchased in the country usually costs 10s., and if you buy of a dealer, it would cost 15s., so that you can see there is nothing misleading in our ar- ticle. There is no reason at all why the bees should cost £2, or that you should start with other than the common British bee. Nor is it necessary to have a W.B.C. hive, as this was not men- tioned in the article to which you refer. D. C. D. (Minsterley). — There is no trace of brood in the comb, which appears to be perfectly healthy. The cells contain pollen, some of it dry and mouldy. Your bees may have died of starvation, or the stock may have become queenless. The presence of drones in the hive so late in the season points to the latter. You should have seen to the condition of the queen when you noticed that the stock was not doing well in the summer. It will be quite right to melt up the old combs and use the wax as you suggest. Specia.1 Prepa>d Advertisements. SFECIAI, NOTICE. The prices of advertisements in " Special Pre- paid" Column have been revised, and~lire now as follows : — Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees. Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertiseme^its. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per j in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. WANTED, STRONG STOCKS in straw skeps; state price, when swarmed, how mamy. — LARKIN, Woburn Green., Bucks. g 65 HEALTHY STOCK OF BEES in g-ood fmme hivo, 17s. 6d. — 15, Seaforth-avenue, New Maiden, Surrey. S 64 Harchie, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 101 Editorial, Notices, &c. REVIEWS. Profitable Bee-keeping for SrnalJ- Holders qji,d Others, by H. Geary (Lon- don: C. Arthur Pearson, Ltd., price Is. jiet). This is No. 1 of the "Small-holder" Library, in which we are told that no small-holder should be without a few stocks of bees, and if he neglects to provide these adjuncts to his other forms of enterprise, he is not utilising to the fullest extent the means which lie at his hand. The very foundations of success on small hold- ings, we are told, rest on the tenant deriving his income from more than one source. This, however, entirely depends upon what he understands about his -different ventures and his business ability as an income may be easily turned into a loss, even if the business is only on a small scale. As an elementary intro- duction to bee-keeping this little book will be found usefiil to the small-holder, as it will show him what he should do if lie wishes to succeed. Verivertung des Honigs im Haushalt, hj J. Dennler (published by Hachmeister and Thai, Leipzig, price 20pf., equal to 2^d.). This is a capital little pamphlet, by the Editor of the Alsace-Lorraine Bee Journal, on the value of honey in the liousehold. After briefly alluding to the chemical composition and properties of honey and its food-value, M. Dennler describes its use in the kitchen, cellar and sick room. He gives a number of receipts for making cakes, sweets and drinks, such as mead, honey-wine and beer, as well as vinegar. A chapter is devoted to the use of honey as medicine. This pamplilet is No. 77 of the "Lehrmeister Bibliothek," and will be found useful for popularising the use of honev. NOTTS B. K. A. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual general meeting of the above association was held in the People's Hall, Nottingham, on Saturday, March 4tli. "Captain J. A. Morrison, M.P., presiding. There was a large attendance of members. Mr. George Hayes, lion, secretary and treasurer, presented the report and bal- ance-sheet. In his report he stated that of late years they had not been able to speak of the honey harvest in very eulo- gistic terms, and this applies to the last season, which, although somewhat better than the few preceding years, left much to be desired. However, there was every -opportunity for putting bees into winter quarters, well fitted to come out this spring in the best condition. One bright aspect of the coming season was that owing to' the late scarcity, there would be very little honey on the market, and it would be an easy matter to dispovse of what they might get, while a better price should be obtained. The Association commenced the year with 269 members, and 41 others joined during the season. There were, however, numbers of bee-keepers in the county, many of whom would, most prob- ably join the Association, if the advan- tages were put before them. There was plenty of scope here for those members who were willing to assist the industry and the Association. He had pleasure in being again able to put before the members a satisfaciory bal- ance-sheet, for, although there was a slight loss on the year's working, there was still a small balance to the good, and they would see that the funds had been well administered. The annual county show was held in connection with the Southwell Horticul- tural Society, on July 21st, and from almost every jDoint of view it may be con- sidered a very successful one. The entries were more numerous than at any previous show, and what was still more pleasing, most of them were staged. The following members had entered and passed the B.B.K.A. examination for expert certificates (third-class) : W. H. Windle, West Bridgford : John C. Mellars, Norton, Cuckney; Thos. N. Harrison, Carrington. The report was adopted and ordered to be printed and circulated in the usual way. Mr. Pugli proposed, and Dr. Elliott seconded, that the thanks of the Associa- tion be accorded to all the retiring oflficers, and that her Grace the Duchess of Por1> land be re-elected president for the en- suing year ; the resolution being carri-ed with applause. Mr. G. Hayes was then re-elected secretary and treasurer ; Mr. W. Darrington hon. auditor ; and the Committee was re-elected en bloc. A vote of thanks was accorded to Capt. Morrison for presiding, who in replying, complimented the Association on the great amount of good work they were doing, and AA'ished them every success. He hoped that every member might have a good re- turn in the coming season. Of all the minor industries he considered bee-keep- ing the best, and could recommend it as a good thing for all small-holders to adopt. Tea was then partaken of by about 120 members and friends, after which tlie meeting was resumed, with Wm. S. Ellis- Esq., in tlie chair. The niedak certificates. Szc won at the annual show 102 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 16, 1911. were distributed, and the delegates to the B.B.K.A. made their reports on the business done at the meetings. Mr. Puttergill (Beeston) then read a short paper on " The Return of Exhibits from Shows," and suggested a new form of label to be used for this purpose; so that each exhibit oould be easily traced. The label was passed round for examina- tion, and it was finally resolved to refer the matter to Committee. Mr. Dolman (Keyworth) then brought forward the question of " How are our judges to be trained?" stating how he saw great difficulty in getting to know the qualities, &c., of different honeys other than those produced in their own county, and suggested a little co-operation of mem- bers desirous of advancing in this know- \edge. This brought forth a lively and nteresting discussion. A vote of thanks was accorded these two gentlemen for their papers. The usual prize drawing brought to a close the meeting, which was considered by all present to have been the most suc- cessful on record. — ■ Geo. Haves, Hon. Sec. MID-KENT B.K.A ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the above asso- ciation was held at the Carlton Cafe, Maidstone, on March 8th, the President, G. Marsham, Esq., occupying the chair. A very satisfactory report was presented by the Secretary, the number of members having increased from fifty-six in 1909 to eighty-one in 1910, and new members are. still being enrolled. The Expert in his tour called upon fifty-nine mem- bers, and examined 247 bar-frame hives and twenty-three skeps. He found that jvhere he had given advice as to treat- ment of foul brood the previous year, in most cases there was a considerable im- provement, but as he covered much new ground, the percentage of diseased stocks aad not been reduced. In a discussion which subsequently took place, it was admitted on all sides that legal powers were necessary to prevent the spread and renewing of the disease by the careless- ness and neglect of owners of diseased apiaries. It was stated that a notoriously badly diseased apiary of about a dozen stocks and empty hives were to be sold by auction, and would probably be scattered all over the county. The President kindly promised to do all he could to help the Association in their efforts to suppress the disease. It was also' decided to consider the desirability of applying for affiliation with the British Bee-Keepers' Asso- ciation. Two most interesting and instructive lectures M'ere given by Mr. W. Herroll during the year, and a successful show was held in the autumn.. The balance-sheet showed a deficit of 35s.,. but this is covered by the value of ap- pliances which belong to the Association. John C Robehts, Hon. Sec. AMONG THE BEES. An Abnormal Winter. By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. So. much of the past, or passing, wintei- has been so open and mild that matters are pretty certain to be abnormal in the hive interior. Many enjoyed seeing their bees so very much alive on many occa- sions, but did it never occur to such that this unseasonable activity must have been carried on at a sacrifice? Stores have been heavily drawn upon, and may be running out already. Bees age more from work than from length of days, therefore more old bees are in evidence. One might congratulate oneself that- young bees may take their place. Yes, but this, happening too early, tells- adversely in three ways. The queen has a strain put on her untimely, the early breeding is a heavy tax on stores, and the pollen presciently gathered last autumn may run down prematurely, thus stopping all breeding. Further, the heavy tax put on the bees by early brood rearing tells upon their vitality. To rear young bees, water is indispensable; therefore visiting water sources wears out the carriers prema- turely. Let a cold snap come, and all the heavy strain imposed may end in dis- aster. Brood may be chilled, the larvae may die for want of pollen, and the undue excitement of the adults may result in dysentery. The true winter is a season of repose; too open a winter rouses bees untimely. In general, a severe winter brings bees out stronger in numbers and fitter for work than an abnormal one. Therefore look well to the bees for some weeks in the near future. Carbolic Acid. — The use of this intimi- dant or bee-quietener should be accom- panied with great care and circumspec- tion. Any taint of carbolic about honey should make it unsaleable. Yet at times the cloths are so saturated with the solu- tion that they can scarcely fail to do harm. Moreover, when the dose is too strong it works for evil and not good, as it rouses instead of stilling the bees. At a county honey show during the last season a leading prize-taker forwarded a sample bottle in competition smelling so strongly of carbolic acid that it would have nauseated not only a lover of good honey, but anyone not at all supersensitive in either taste or smell. If using the carbolic cloth, make it up as follows : Obtain a graduated ounce bottle from March 16, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 103 jour doctor or druggist, jwur in loz. of Calvert's No. 5 carbolic acid and 2oz. of water. Provide the bottle with a tight- fitting cork, but, before inserting it, cut a small groove along its length so that v/hen pressetl home it will allow the liquid to be shaken on the cloth in small drops. The cloth should not be saturated, but sprinkled until slightly damp. Roll it up and keep it in a small tin box, when it can be carried in the ve«t pocket until required. In this form it comes in very hand}^ if one is away from home and is called on to do some amateur expert work with bees; but, when taking section honey o£E hives, I would not care to use any other pacifier than smoke. Personally, I would vote for smoke every time. Division Boards. — Hitherto I have used the word dummy to describe any board used inside the hive to contract the inter- nal space, but in future I will distinguish between loose substitutes for frames and a board touching the sides of the hive. The first will be designated a dummy and the latter a division board. One is always learning. I learned this when sitting at the feet of Gamaliel ! The word dummy exactly describes what it is inserted for. The body box, for one or other of several reasons, is contracted by withdrawing one, two, or three frames, and their place is taken by a dummy frame, a solid piece of wood instead of the comb, but measuring 14in. by S^in.. exactly the dimensions of a standard frame. If it is deemed advis- able, however, to lessen the inner area, one or more of these dummies are left out and the division board pressed for- ward to contract the internal dimensions by that space. Both terms are appro- priate. Cone Escapes. — I think at least one of these should be fixed on the roof of every hive. They are better than simple pieces of perforated zinc as ventilators, and they exclude drifting wind, sleet, or snow more perfectly. When manipulating hives, if bees are left in the open space between the inner and outer cases, or about the quilts, they are not kept prisoners until death follows, but find a ready exit at these convenient outlets. At times too, early in the season cones serve as super clearers, and racks of sections may be cleared of bees by their aid as quickly and peaceably as by any other means. Paintinr/ Hives. — I am not myself a good painter, but there is one consolation (or regret) frequently in my mind — judg- ing by what I see on my travels, many bee-keepers are worse. It is advisable to paint all hives every few years. They look better, resist wet more effectively, and they last longer when jjainted. My hives trouble me in two ways. In one set after some time the paint comes oflf in a powder, often soiling my clothes. In another lot the paint peels off in small or large flakes, leaving an irregular, blotched surface. A painter tells me that in botli cases badly made-up paint is the cause, but from different reasons. In the first case the paint has been made up of pure lead and oil only, and has no solidity about it, and lasts so short a time that it has to be frequently renewed, but when being repainted the task is a light one, as the surface, when rubbed down, permits of the new coat being administered easily and smoothly. In the other case the oil and lead has had zinc added, and this has given it a harder and more durable surface. But in course of time this coating begins to peel off and cause an irregular, blotched face. When the hive is being repainted the result is far from pleasing, and on a roof it is a fertile source of dampness. It seems we amateurs don't half mix our paints, and that we mix them up in the wrong proportion. We also coat it on irregularly, give a second coat too soon after the first, and frequently apply it with the wood too damp. NECTAR-PRODUCING PLANTS AND THEIR POLLEN. By Geo. Hayes, Beeston, Notts. (Continued from Page 92.) No. 5. The Pbimrose (Primula Vulgaris). Nat. Oed., Primulacce. This is one of the plants which appears to need no description, for there is none better known nor more widely appre- ciated. The graceful form of the widely expanded blossoms, the delicacy of their colour and fragrance, their profusion, and the time of the year when they are found are all features that tend to en- dear them to the lovers of plants. The colour of the flower is peculiarly its own ; the delicate sulphur tint of the petal and clear deep yellow throat are always greatly admired. The generic name is derived from the Latin primus, meaning first, in reference to its early appearance ; vulgaris refers us to the fact that it may be found, as we say, almost anywhere. Where it grows it is generally found in profusion. Woods, banks, hedgesides, and meadows are its favourite spots, and there is no sight more entrancing than a long hedgerow or coppice starred over with its thousands of delicate blossoms, re- flecting back to you the light from the sun. April and May are the best months in which to find it "flowering ; though I have a number of transported roots m my garden from which I could gather just a 104 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 16, 1911. small bunch as I write, in the month of November, and I shall be able to find a few all tlirougli the winter and up to April, the proper time for blooming. I am unable to say whether bees visit these flowers much where they are plenti- ful, and, unfortunately, I have no such place near my home; but, judging from the attention given to those in my garden, I should say they Mall be very helpful to our bees. The description is more particularly given on account of the jollen. The cowslip, oxslip, and greenhouse stamens, and the other just the reverse. The pollen from each of these two varieties is alike in shape, but differs in size. The form is a corrugated or fluted cylinder flattened at each end, 1, A and c. The corrugations are eight in number, as seen at d and e. In the long style " a " the measurement is, y^o by ^jL.g while in the short style, " b," it is -2ig by yl^^-p- The colour, when dry, is of a pale primrose, and when seen under the microscope in honey is very pale in colour, which makes it a difficult subject to photo- graph. IDry. ^.TromHoney. POLLEN OF PRIMROSE. The magnificat'ons in the first instance are about 150 diameters. primulas, &c., are other familiar plants of the same genus. In the primrose the calyx is tubular with five points. The corolla is regular shaped like a salver with five deeply notched lobes, ending in a straight tube. The stamens are five in number and inserted in the tube. The style is filiform with capitate stigma. The peculiarity of this genus is that there are really two kinds of flower in each species, which is not perceptible except upon close observation, the differ- ence being in the style and stamens — one variety having a long style and short This pollen, after being in honey for some time, assumes a spherical form, and sometimes grows a process, but re- tains its corrugation, in a less marked degree, as seen at 2, a, b, and c, (To he continued.) In the morning when thou irisiest unwillingly, let these thoughts be piresent— I am rising to th© work of a human bedng. Dost thou not isee the little plants, the little birds, 'the antis, the spider, the bees working too:ether, to put in order their several parts of tihe 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?— MarcMS Aurelius. llarchie, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 105 Correspondence. The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents. No notice will be taken of anonymous communications, ecause the nurse bees are all dead. Again, if the suggestion is true that sprayed poison is the cause, I should expect to find the brood fed on the incom- ing poisoned nectar jioisoned also, or at least, some part of the brood dead or dying from the same cause. If the poison affects only the wing-power of the bees it may not affect the young bees in the cells until they are hatched and ready to take their first flight, that is, if there are enough nurse bees left to keep up the ^lecessary warmth for their development. A bee-keeping friend writes that he has lost during th^ autumn and winter some thirty out of forty stocks; these have died in their hives principally, only a few on the ground or alighting-boards; some in clusters, and some in heaps on the floor of their hives, and mostly, he says, with plenty of sealed syrup food, which he fed during late summer and early autumn. Here we have fairly strong stocks dying, clustered in usual winter fashion with food in abundance around them. How can this be accounted for? Can this be another form of the " Isle of Wight disease"? Or did the bees peiish from cold? These last mentioned losses are the property of a bee-keeper of several years' standing, who is both a careful and painstaking man; a member of our Berks Association, and a successful ex- hibitor at our local shows.— W, Woodley, Beedon, Newbury. ROSS-SHIRE NOTES. DU.\L-QUEBN SYSTEMS. [8111.] The current month so far has at times been decidedly wintry_^ but a sunny day last week permitted an mside inspection of hives. All full colonies and nuclei alike were found alive and with abundant stores. No manipulating was done, the sight of pollen being carried m and downy young bees sporting at the entrance being sufficient to show that all is well with the queen. The problem of successfully working two or more queens in a hive has a particular fascination for modern bee-keepers. The " Wells " hive is known of all, while here in the North the "Reid" plural-queen hive is being met with everywhere. Over in America, they are on the same track, many beemen feeling sure that the way to increased honey production lies along the line of dual-queen hives. The " Ferris" method makes use of a twelve-frame hive, in which two six-frame colonies are wintered with a dummy between. In early summer a second brood box of drawn combs similarly divided is placed on top, thus giving each queen a twelve- frame brood chamber. In this way twenty or more frames are filled with brood previous to the honey flow. One queen is then removed and the other left to head the combined colonies, now contracted to a single brood chamber. The surplus brood is tiered up in the section supers, and as it hatches out main- tains the colony's strength. This scheme was devised to suit a district where the honey flow, although heavy, lasts but a few days, and a large surplus is obtainable only from such powerful colonies as the dual-queen system ensures. Another means of attaining the same end is exemplified in the " Hand " method 106 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 10, 1911. of working a plurality of queens in sec- tional brood chambers, each separated by excluder. These sections are about the same depth as our shallow frame supers. Two stocks each in a single section are wintered in one hive with a board between, a temporary entrance being arranged for the upper colony. In spring the board is replaced by excluder zinc, the upper exit closed and both stocks work together from one entrance up to the eve of the honey flow. The after management can be varied to suit the locality or season. The com- bined colonies may be supered as one, or if swarming is feared the entire working force with one queen is shaken on to foun- dation just as the honey comes in. In this case the swarmed hive, a mass of brood and immature bees, is worked as an auxiliary to the supered colony and both are finally united for the late gathering. —J. M. Ellis, Ussie Valley, N.B. FIGHTING FOUL BROOD [8112.] A bee-keeper, living near here, whose acquaintance I made (who kept about twenty stocks of bees), told me that he did very well with them before my time, but latterly had been very unsuccessful, although others living in the same district had done well. He spoke to me of his bad luck — no swarms, no honey, stocks dying, &c., and I asked him if he had examined the bees to see if they were diseased. " No," he re- plied, "I don't believe in manipulations, as that is the way to produce foul brood." I asked if he would let me look at them, and he agreed, but when I went I was only allowed to look at the outside of the hives. This man died and a son took over the house and the bees, the son com- plained of the bees doing badly, and on being asked if they had foul brood, replied in disgust that he was sure his bees would not have tliat. I, as secretary of an association, wanted to examine these bees, as numbers of members in the district could not keep their hives clean, do what they might. At last a friend of mine ob- tained jDermission to look into the hives. Besult. — No. 1 was found very badly diseased, and No. 2 rotten with disease; both with about a pint of bees in them which the owner intended feeding up for the winter. The bees were dead in most of the remaining hives, but the hives had not been cleaned and were infested with wax-moth, and the entrances had been left open, but we could do nothing with them without the owner's consent, which he would not give. Now this man is going to emigrate, and his bees and hives are to be sold by auction next April. What can we do to save the non- offending beemen in the neighbourhoods to which they will go. The empty hives, will be as bad as those with a few bees in them. Our association is not rich enough to buy and destroy them. Why should a county association, which has worked hard to clear its county of disease, have these abominations planted down in its centre, and then have all the cleansing work to do over again? Would not our friends who are afraid of the "com- pulsory " bogey wish that it were in our power to legally prevent this man from selling these hives, if there was a chance of their having them placed within easy reach of their own bees? I might mention, in conclusion, that the' friend referred to had been opposed to Foul Brood Legislation, but now he is strongly in favour of it. He lives in the neigh- bourhood and has been a sufferer. — Jno. C. Roberts, Maidstone. SPRAYING CHARLOCK. [8113.] It is a glorious day (this 9th of March), and looking north I see the hills in Berkshire, and in the south the distant hills in the Isle of Wight,. Winchester lying snugly in the valley below. It is but five years ago that a picture of my apiary appeared in the Bee Journal, but what a difference in appear- ance there is now ! All bee-men on the. chalk hills of Hampshire around here tell the same tale of woe — "all dead."' We are smitten with that deadly " Isle of AVight disease," while only one slight case of foul brood can be heard of. There are- over 100 frame hives empty in about a three-mile radius. In the towns the- back-garden bee-keepers are free from it. Now why is this? The last three summers- have been wet and cold, and the charlock has bloomed more freely than ever I have seen it before ; with the result that spray- ing has been carried on more extensively than ever. Last August there was a. tremendous crop of charlock, so I put on bottles of hot syrup to try to get the bees to take it down ; instead of getting nectar from the poisoned plants,, but not a drop Avould they take. We have- had a crushing defeat, but I am more de- termined than ever. .The only remedy that I think of is to crowd the bees on three or four frames, giving them no room in which to store surplus, and let them hang in clusters on the flight-board, as we used to see them in the days of the old straw skep. This seems to be the only way we can keep our bees alive ; but never more shall we get those lovely sections we used to take off until this spraying is stopped. It is a crime to put down poisoned meat and grain, but not copper sulphate. This is a thousand times worse March 16, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUR^^AL. 107 than foul brood. I have lost over thirty stocks in two years. — W. Drew, Saint Cross, Winchester. CAPPINGS OF COMB. BY L. S. CRAWSHAW, MORTON, MALTON, YORKS. Winter Brood Chamber (page 39). — It must not be forgotten, when comparing the number of frames, that the Langstroth comb area is one-third more tlian our own. This lends additional point to the argument in favour of ten frames. For my own part, I see little use in reduction, except it be in thin single-walled hives. But whoi uses these? Of course, if combs are wanted for driven bees, the question is complicated. But whatever may be said, combs are not readily and truly in- terchangeable. Given the opportunity, bees form a winter nest in their own oombs. Whilst, if each colony retains its set of combs, the risk of spreading un- suspected disease is lessened — three very excellent reasons for keeping the- combs where they belong. I admit that I have never been in a position to carry out the teaching in its entirety, but am convinced that it is- sound, even at the expense of an occasional mouldy comb. Parthenogenesis in Greenfly (page 45). — I cannot think that Mr. G. G. Desmond has either read my note on page 16 care- fully, or that he is accustomed to the strict use of language which is essential when dealing with the sciences. Other- wise he would have noted my familiarity with, the phenomena he details, and would have appreciated my criticism of " D. M. M.'s" wording. " D. M. M." is, no doubt, familiar with aphidian life his- tories, and it was only because the phras- ing appeared misleading that I com- mented upon his note. Mr. Bullamore, to whom I am correspondingly obliged, has, however, on page 75, taken up the cudgels for me far more eflEectively than I could have done, and ^vith such clear detailing of the point at issue, that he has by this time, I trust, made the con- tention perfectly clear to Mr. Desmond. In this connection I have had a most in- teresting letter from "Humble Bee," who sends me some greenfly which have sur- vived the winter upon an arum lily in a greenhouse sufficiently cool for ice to form there. As tliese are apteix)ces, is it possible that they are a parthenogenetic generation, or may they be hatchings from eggs which have "hibernated" for a very short period ? Southern Snatches (page 54). — Differ- ences evidently exist between South African bees and our own. Ours will hardly touch super foundation after the flow is over, let alone attempt to convert it. My own troubles with conversion have al- ways been the other way, viz., from worker to drone. Possibly the S.A. bee is slightly smaller, which may account for its re- jection of drone base, except under pres- sure. A slight difference of this kind would also facilitate the travel of workers through excluder zinc. The mere presence of excluder Avill often deter a queen (as will the wood of sections), even though she may be able to pass through its "meshes. " Mr. Martin is clearly a con- cert to the use of worker base in supers. A wis© decision, as the drawbacks of the drone base outweigh its advantages. "7.0.TF. Disease" (page 55). — I wish it were possible to believe that Bonner's ac- count referred to this disease, as then we might face the future more complacently, attacks in the past having failed to extirpate the industry. I fear, however, that the consolation is denied to us, and Mr. Bullamore no doubt coupled the ac- count, as a satire upon those who too readily diagnose any case of dysentery as the fell disease. Some of these empiri- cists are, no doubt, those who at other times saw evidences of foul brood in stored pollen ! Hives, Nuclei and Driven Bees (page 56). — Does Mr. Harris describe a floor- board with the usual-sized entrance, several inches back from the front of hive — or is the entrance supposed to be bigger by the corresponding retreat of the alighting slope? In the latter case, are the entrance slides deeper, and the sides of the slope closed by permanent blocks? Or are they of triangular section, and held between hive and floor? This is a splendid account of an April nucleus. Such a nucleus is far better value than a May swarm. But the price is about the same. A five frame nucleus with a young queen, and an early top- swarm with an old queen, can each be bought for about fifteen shillings. It looks as. if swarms are overpriced. If I might add a proviso, I should dis- agree with Mr. Harris's verdict upon comparison of 2ilb. of bees in September and 51b. of bees in October. Of course, October bees should not be expected to seal stores, but should be put upon sealed cc.mbs, warmed up and arranged in winter fashion. Whilst if 2ilb. of bees are given Tiuch comb filling and sealing to do, let alone conib-building, they will be in poor shape for winter. More Winter (page 63). — Several writers have threatened us with trouble on the strength of Candlemas weather, but a month has elapsed since their pro- phesies, and the sun is gaining power daily. So much so that everything is on the 'move and bursting into leaf, birds have begun nesting, and bees are breed- 108 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 16, 1911. 3ijg in earnest. Tf half the winter is still to come vv-e are in parlous case. Yester- day, Sunday, and a fair day, birds hurry- ing southwards warned us to be ready for bad weather. So all was made snug, garden peas and sweet peas being quickly protected. To-day we see the snow with •equanimity, but hope that the proverb will prove to be wrong, and that it is only a parting shake of the white bear's paw. The Shunt System (page 66). — This is being discussed in America as a new thing, under the title of the Hand's Con- trol device. I first made its acquaintance in a now defunct, but not uninstructive, publication called "Bees," published by W. P. Geary. I purchased from him a patent hive. His system was, I found later, forestalled by the Langdon device, which hailed from America, and which writers there appear to have forgotten or over- looked. Good results can be obtained in methodical hands with stocks, of medium strength, and most stocks seem to belong to this class. Such strong stocks as described by "J. M. E." would, no doubt, 1)© better "on their own." But, whatever the system, trouble results from a paucity of supers, and the mistake appears to liave been in limiting the number to six when mors were evidently required. Pos- sibly the supers remained too long upon one of the allied colonies. The conclusion is that the Peter and Paul system is un- suitable for the Well's hive, and nee-ds separate hives which can be tiered up to any extent. THE SPREAD OF BEE DISEASE. Sir, — Noticing in last week's issue of the B.B.J. that the Berkshire bee-keepers were going to take actiooi with regard to the " Isle of Wight Disease," it might be of interest to your readers if you published the en- closed from the Hants Chronicle. I might add that our member (Capt. Baring) is not quite satisfied and iis going to press the matter further, at the request of the elub. — H. J. Day, Hon. Sec, Winchester and District Smallholders' Club. BEE DISEASE IX HAMPSHIRE. We are soi-ry to hear that what is known as the "Isle of Wight Bee Disease' has obtained a serious hold in many parts not only of Hampshire but of the country generally, and is causing considerable uneasiness among bee-keepers. In the neigh- bourhood of Winchester there have been cases, and the matter has been vigorously taken np by the Winchester and District Smallholders' Club, of which Mr. H. J. Day, of Lower Stockbridge Road, is Hon. Secretary. Mr. Day has addressed the following letter to The Smallholder, in which he clearly sets out his views: — Sir, — ^As the " Isle of Wight Bee Dis- ease " is on the increase in this country, especially round Hampshire, I should be obliged if you will insert this letter as soon as possible, so that other Smallholder Clubs can assist us in our moveanent by taking action similar to ours. We are getting signatures all around here, from bee-keepers and others in- terested in the district, to a petition to our member for this division, and also the member for West Hants, asking them to use their influence with regard to securing legislation at the earliest possible oppor- tunity to try and stamp out this scourge among our little brown benefactors. I have heard this week of one man near here who has lost thirty hives this winter, and to-day I was told of another ; but I can't at present vouch for the accuracy of this. What we want is proper Government inspectors (as for swine fever and goose- berry mildew) in all districts with full powers to condemn and destroy by burning all hives and remaining stock, with com- pensation, if we can get it, and to bar that person from keeping bees on the same ground again for two years. I should, by this letter, like to advise all my smallholder friends not to buy any bees or hives or appliancas from a district where it is known that the disease exists without first ascertaining from the Small- holder Club hon. secretary in that district whether the seller has now or has had previously bee disease. Also, do not buy second-hand hives, as there is nothing to stop a. person from cleaning out a hive or two, and offering them at a cheap price — the unsuspecting buyer of the hive would be also buying disease. If you put this letter in your next issue, then other smallholder clubs will be able to help us in our agitation by taking similar action. By that means we may stamp out bee disease, as swine fever has been nearly stamped ovit. Thanking joxi in anticipation, I remain, yours truly, Henry James Day. Winchester and District Smallholders' Club. Stockbridge Road, Winchester. The Editor publishes the following note : — " Mr. Day, Hon. Secretary for Win- chester, has sent me a very ianportant letter on the subject of the dreaded ' Isle of Wight Disease.' It is the usual way in this country that we first allow an evil to take a firm root and then set about curing- it with tuppenny-ha'penny remedies. In this case Mr. Day suggests a better method. ' He wants this dread disease tackled now, before it has spread ovei the country ; and wants it tackled in such a vigorous manner that it will be stamped out as effectively March 16, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUEXAL. 109 an ■ foul brood,' for instance, has been istamped out in New Zealand. I appeal to every reader in the South of England to help Mr. Day in his most praiseworthy effort." Mr. Dav has gone further and has en- listed the active interest of the Hon. Member for Winchester (Captain Guy Bar- ing), who has brought th© matter forward in Parliament. The following questions and answers are from the Parliamentary Paper of March 2nd : — Captain Baring asked the Parliamentaiy Secretary to the Board of Agricidture whether his attention had been drawn to a disease known as the "Isle of Wight Bee Disease," which was causing considerable loss to bee-keepers in certain parts of Hampshire; and, if so, what steps he pro- poses to take to stamp out this disease ? Captain Clay asked the Parliamenta}- Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that an outbreak of • Isle of Wight Bee Disease " has occurred in West Kent ; when will the Board of Agri- culture issue their report on the subject; and, pending the issue of such report, what steps do the Board propose to take to check the further development of this epidemic? Sir E. Strachey : May I be allowed to reply at the same time to the question to be asked by the hon. gentleman, the Mem,ber for Tonbridge. The Board are well aware of the existence of this disease, and it has been under investigation for some years, but no remedy for it has yet been discovered. In the Parliamentary oral answers for the 6th March the following appeared : — Captain Baring asked what was the last occasion on which a representative of the Board made an investigation into an actual outbreak of the " Isle of Wight Bee Disease " ; and whether any recomnienda- tion has followed by leaflet or otherwise. Sir E. Straehey : An investigation by one of the foremost English pathologists was made into this disease last autumn. The result was negative, and no recom- mendations could therefore be issued. Capt. Baring: Is the hon. gentleman prepared to make further investigation into this disease^ which is rampant in my district ? Sir E. Straehey : If the hon. gentleman thinks it will have any good effect I will consider the matter. Mr. C. Bathurst : Is there any scientific knowledge at the Board of Agriculture with regard to this disease? Sir E. Straehey : I have just informed the hon. member that we have made en- quiries. Mr. Douglas Hall : Is there any reason why the Isle of Wight should be men- tioned ? Sir E. Straehey : Reference was made tc the Isle of Wight because the disease originated there. Mr. Douglas Hall : Has the hon. gentle- man found authority for that ? Hampshire is a noted honey-producing county, and we trust bee-keepers who have suffered through the disease^ or can give- information with refei'ence to others, will put themselves into conimtmication with Mr. Day. From the British Bee Journal we find that similar steps are being taken by the Windsor Branch of the Berkshire- Bee-keepers' Association. As showing the- importance of the Bee industry it may be mentioned that in addition to our own supply the quantity of honey imported, into England last year was £45,844. Queries and Replies. [4099.] Moving Bees.— I should be much obliged to you if you would kindly give me a little information: in your next iasue of B.B.J, on the following : I am about to purchase a stock of "Blacks," in the hive they have wintered in — (1) Should I run any risk of losing many bees, as the distance from the seller to their new home will only be ahout one nule? (2) What would be the best method of carriage? If two strong pieces of wood were fastened under the floor-board, with the ends projecting; for handles, could it be carried easily? (3) Is it necessary to put the bees into a. new clean hiv^? — I started bee-keeping; last April with a stock of hybrids, but, sorry to say, they were robbed out, so I lost them. I am starting in a different place this time and shall take more care to guard against robbing. — Thanking you for your valuable hints given from time- to time in the B.B.J. — E. B., Bromwich. Reply. — (1) No risk whatever, especially if the bees have, through bad weather, not been able to fly out for about a week. Move at night, to prevent excitement and possible robbing. (2) Yes. (3) It is advis- able to spring-clean the hive, and this is done more easily if the bees are changed into a hive previously cleaned and disin- fected. [4100.] Painting Hives. — I have been a constant reader of the B.B.J, since I first took an interest in Bees, two years ago, and find it a great help to me. I should be glad of your advice on the following matters: (1) AVhat distance should the hives be placed, one from the other? (2) Does each hive require to be painted a sepa- rate colour, or may they all be painted white? (3) As I make my own candy, I should like to know where I can obtain' 110 THE BHITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 16, 1911. pea-meal, and what quantity would be required for 101b. of sugar, to make a good candy for sjoring feeding. — X. Y. Z., Carnarvonshire. Reply. — (1) About twelve feet apart, if possible, but not less than six feet. (2) You can paint them wliite, as bees locate the position and not the .hive. Stone colour, with a white roof, is best, as it does not show the dirt so readily. (3.) Symington's pea-flower, which can be ob- tained at any grocers. Quantity required : l^lb. to 101b. sugar. [4101'".] Sj^riny-deaning Rives. — Will you kindly tell me" through your columns, if it is necessary to transfer bees to clean hives each year : and if so, when is the best time to do this.— A Beginner, Oswestry. Reply. — It is not necessary to transfer bees to fresh hives each year : at the same time, the hives must be cleaned out at the beginning of the season, and if you have a clean empty one it makes the work much easier if they are transferred; the one previously occupied can then be well cleaned and washed with disinfectant, ready to transfer the next one, and so on throughout the apiary. The opera- tions should be carried out on fine days m April. Notices to Correspondents. New Reader (Barnstaple).— (>i(ecn li'ear- ing.^il) If you will read the instruc- tions in " Guide Book ' carefully, you will see that the young queens do not take their fertilising Hight from the compartment in which the cells are raised; in fact there is no provision for this. The queen cells are either placed in nursery cages (fig. 94) or introduced into, nuclei. The next chapter (page 132) will give you full instructions. (2) Queens do not" usually sting, and if one is caught in the way described on page 136, there is no possibility of her doing so (3) If you write to the Secretary of the B.B.K.A., 23, Bedford Street, .Strand, London, you will get printed instructions of examinations for third- class certificates, which will give yo'i all the information you require. E. J. (Porthwry). —Making Canchj.—Th^ ,candy is just a trifle too hard. It has evidently been overboiled. J. B. (Steyning)— Parrtsiie on Bee.— Ihe bees were crushed flat in post, and it was impossible to examine the insects, but from your description we sliould say they were those of Br aula ca'ca or blind louse, a parasite which sometimes infests the queen and worker bees. F. L. (Herts).— Ca«c7)/ - making.— T-he candy has been boiled too much. You can add water and make it into syrup for feeding pur^joses. B. J. (Sydenham). — Telling the Bees. — It is merely a superstition. The death of the owner would not, of course, affect bees, any more than it would other live stock. Suspected Disease. Humble Bee (Yorks). — Bees have died of dysentery. The fouled combs should not be given to swarms even if syringed, and in view of the prevalence of "Isle of Wight dis- ease," we would advise you to destroy them, and thoroughly clean and disin- fect hive before using again. E. T. R. (Aberayron) — 1. — Dysentery (see reply to "Humble Bee"). 2.— If the syrup is good you can use it for stimu- lating, beginning towards the end of Mai-ch. 3. — Clean and disinfect hive, and supply with new frames fitted with comb foundation. It is best to start with an early .swarm in May (see page 145 of "Guide Book"). BoLDEA (Lanes). — Bees contained undi- gested pollen and numerous bacteria, such as are found in decomposing bees. Your safest plan is to destroy combs, frames, and quilts, and disinfect hive before you use it again, and start with a swarm. E. P. (Malvern). — Nos. 2 and Shave been suffering from dysentery, and a{p- jDarently "Isle of Wight disease." Nos. 6 and 7 were dry, and too long dead to diagnose. The honey should not be given to other bees, but if extracted and boiled, could be used for household purposes. The combs, frames, and quilts should be burned, and hives dis- infected. Honey Samples. B. B. (Ramsgate). — Neither first-class honey, and No. 1 of fermentation. X. Y. Z. (Taunton). — The sample of honey is not a good one and it is fermenting. We should not care to sell it with or without a la&»l. Special Prepaid Advertisements. LARGE MEADOWS RIPENER with lift and strainier, used once, 10/-; also Abbott's ex- tractor, 'Seconidhan'd, good order, 10/-. — F. E. MATTHEWS, Cofton Apiary, Northfield, Birming- ham^ COUNTRY STORES wanted, making good living; good bee district preferred.— Particu- lars to LANCASHIRE,_2B.B.J." Office. g 87 FOR SALE, 6 Hives and Stoclcs, bee® healthy; Hiveis Leie's impirovod pattern, perfect condi- tion, a bargain. — Particulars, apply H. J. BURGESS, Wheathampstead Road, Harpendien, HertiS. g 82 'ANTED, Honey in bulk, medium colour preferred. — ParticulaTS and price to JUDGE, Hawley, Dartford. ] g 85 FOR SALE, 5 or 6 healthy stocks of Bees, in nearly new Sandringham or BuncefieJd Hives, 355. each.— 21 Maury Road, Stoke Newington, N. g 84 sample is shows signs March 23, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUEIs'AL. Ill Editorial, Notices, &c. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE B.B.K.A. It was an exceptionally satisfactory ir.eeting over which the chairman pre- sided on March 16 ; and if anyone has any idea that bee-keepers are losing interest, and are no longer as enthusiastic as they used to be, such a person would have been undeceived liad he attended this meeting. It was one of the largest held for many years, and although there was an attemjDt to introduce a few discord- ant notes, the attempt signally failed and the interrupters were " hoist with their own petard." It is some years since the Council hav3 been able to present such a satisfactory report, for not only was there a, large increase in membership, but also a con- -siderable increase in the income of the -Association. Owing to the illness of their late secretary and the neglect of his brother to deliver up the books, or do the work which he had undertaken to do, the Council had found a number of accounts for 1909 unpaid, and in consequence of the j^ersistent neglect of the affiliated asso- ciations their relations with the parent association were not as cordial as they should have been. The Council thoroughly realised the position, manfidly faced the difficulties, and set to work to remedy the trouble ; and, as the report shows, have succeeded in re-establishing the friendly relations which should never have been interrupted ; so that there is now every hope that when the re-organisation scheme is again considered a mutually satisfac- tory conclusion ma}' be reached, which will result in a benefit to the industry and in farther strengthening the position of the central body. The result of these friendly relations is seen by the increase in the number of affiliated associations whichj at the end of last year, was thirty-four, in- stead of twenty-eight in 1909. Associa- tions in the South African Colonies are also now seeking affiliation with the British. With the exception of the loss of nine out of the ten colonies at the Association's apiary from " Isle of Wight disease," the report showed satisfactory progress in every other direction, and the members •expressed their approval in an unmis- takable manner by their constant ap- plause. It was a pity that there was a jarring note, but this brought out more strongly the resentment of the meeting at the unreasonableness of the criticisms. One individual had a grievance, in that, not being a subscriber he was not allowed to bring forward a motion of which he had given notice. He had been allowed, through courtesy, to speak at former meet- ings, and this he seemed to look upon as giving him a prescriptive right to inter- fere at a meeting of members, although not a member of the Association himself. The meeting naturally resented such inter- ference. Not finding anything in the report he could find fault with, another criticised the amount spent on postages, and petty expenses, without giving any crcKilit for the increased amount of work that had been done. It was notorious that the Coirnty Associations had been neglected, even the secretaries and delegates not receiving riotices of meetings. This has all been changed, and during the year, with a larger number of affiliated associations, the immense increase of correspondence. It was pointed out by one of the County Secretaries that now they got replies to their letters, whereas formerly no atten- tion was paid to them. The most frivolous criticism was that respecting the apiary account, brought forward, strange to say, by a member of the Council, who was also a member of the Finance Com- mittee and had approved of the accounts. As a member of this Committee it was his business to know the details of the items iraking up the account, and it is evideirt that he thought to bring discredit on the Council by springing this '" tit-bit " on the meeting. " Apart from the bad form of showing such discourtesy to his colleagues, he forgot that he was discrediting him- self, and as a result of his temerity, when the ballot was taken for the election of the new Council, he was the only one who lost his seat ; the members in this un- mistakable manner expressing their feel- ing that one so ignorant of the work was not a fit and proper person to represent them. The County Associations repre- sented by these delegates have certainly no reason to be proud of them, but not- As tbstand'ng ihese trivial incidents, which at first caused amusement, and when the irterruptions were persisted in, reseni- m.ent, the meeting was a thoroughly en- thrsiastie one. It marks a turning point iU the history of the B.B.K.A., and with the strengthening of the Council by the acdition of three new members _ augurs v\fell for the future of the Association. REVIEWS. The lUustratcd Australasian Bee Manual and Complete Guide to Modern Bee Culture in the So^dhern Hemisphere. By Isaac Hopkins, Auckland, New Zea- land. (Wellington N.Z., and London. Published by Gordon and Gotch, 15, St. Pride Street, E.C., price 2s. Gd.) In this revised and mostly re-written fifth edition the various forms of bee dis- eases and the methods of coping with them receive due attention, and there is added a digest of the New Zealand Apiaries Act which was introduced by the author while Chief Apiarist to the 112 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Maicli 23, 1911. Government. This Act, as he points out, Avas the first to prohibit the keeping of tees in anything but movable frame-hives. The author uses the Langstroth hive, which he introduced into Australasia, but he is wrong when he state* that this " is used now in all jjarts of the world with the exception of Great Britain." As a matter of fact, there are many other patterns of hives used even in America, and on the Continent of Europe very few, if any, Langstroth hives are to be found. The British " Standard " frame is also largely used in South Africa. In the 18th chapter, " Bees in Relation to Agriculture," the objections sometimes raised by ignorant farmers to the visits of bees are considered and answered. The next and last chapter contains a useful calendar and some bee-keepers' axioms. The illustrations, though not of very high quality, are sufficient for an ordinary reader ; the style is clear and un- jsretentious ; and, generally speaETng, the high character of Mr. Hopkins' manual has been well maintained. Shadij Gardens, by T. W. Sanders, F.L.S., F.R.H.S., London; Agricultural and Horticultural Association, price Id. In this new One and All Garden Book — No. 32 of the useful series — the experienced author deals with Shady Gardens, Borders, NookiS, and Corners fully, telling how to plant them to advantage, and convert even sunleskS ispots into beautiful gardens of shades. The book is fully illustrated by its editor, Mr. Edward Owen Greening, with interesting scenes and johotographs on every page. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING. The annual general meeting of members was held at the " Gardenia " Restaurant, 6, Catherine Street, Strand, London, W.C, on Thursday, March 16tli, 1911. Mr. T. W Cowan jDresided. There v.ere over one hundred members present from all jiarts of the country. The Chairman called upon the secretary to read the minutes of the previous meet- ing, when a person present rose and com- l^lained that he had been refused permis- sion to bring a motion before that meet- ing and the Chairman pointed out that as he was not a member of the association he was not entitled to do so, and was out of order. The minutes of the previous annual general meeting were then read and con- firmed. The Chairman referring to the report said that it had been sent to all the members, and that as they had a great deal of business to get through that after- noon he would only make a very few remarks. He was quite sure that they would be pleased Avith the present im- proved position of the Association, greatly due to the energy and zeal of their new secretary, Mr. Herrod. It will be remem- bered that owing to the illness of their late secretary and the neglect of his brother Avho had undertaken to do his work, the Association had got into a very critical position, which gave the Council considerable anxiety. They were vinable to get the books and when at last they did do so they found many accounts out- standing that should have been paid. During the year there had been a steady increase in membership from 214 to 361 (applause), and the number of affiliated associations had increased to 34. Refer- ring to the finances the Chairman con- gratulated them on the satisfactory improvement in the accounts and balance sheet. Their subscriptions had increased from £109 Is. in 1909 to £168 lOs. 6d., a.n increase of £59 9s. 6d. (applause). The total amount of receipts had been £362 Is. 5d. instead of £287 12s. the previous year, an increase of £74 9s. 5d. When they got their books they found that there were outstanding accounts of 1909 amount- ing to over £112. These ha.d all been paid and £20 had been added to the reserve fund, which now stood at £151 3s. lOd. AH accounts for 1910 had also been paid and the £63 15s. for the W. B. Carr Memorial Fund had been invested in Consols. The Association was now entirely free from debt, and had a balance of £57 14s. lid. to commence the year with, which did not appear so large as that of the previous year which stood at £100 4s. lOd., but at that time there was £112 owing whereas now there were no debts and the reserve fund had been increased. They would find some of their property had been Avritten off, lantern slides reduced from £4 to £3, bees and appliances from £25 to £10, and the tents were Morn out and were therefore, of no value. The balance sheet therefore showed that the excess of assets over liabilities amounted to £223 17s. 2d., or £71 more than last year (applause). With regard to the library he Avould like to say hiow much the members were indebted to Colonel Walker for the trouble he had taken in cataloguing, indexing, and valuing their books. He spent over a foi'tnight at the office over the work and found it a dirty job, as the books had all been stowed away and were covered with dust, but now they were all nicely arranged in cases. Some were missing and had not yet turned up. He was sorry that the report of the Apiary was not so satisfac- tory for they had suffered like other bee- keepers had done, and had lost nine out of their ten colonies through Isle of Wight. March 23, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 113 disease. The exhibitions during the year also showed a satisfactory imiirovement. At the Royal Show there were 140 entries again.st 117 the year before, at the Dairy show 9o instead of 87, and at the Groceries 229 against 200 in the previous year. With respect to examinations eight candi- dates had received second class certificates and 122 third class, and he was sorry that none of the candidates for the first class certificates had been able to satisfy the examiners. As to Insurance there had also been an increase, 12,955 hives had been insured against 11,281 the previous year. There were 751 members and 257 non-members insured, a total of 1,008, against 801 the previous year. He would point out the advantage which affiliated associations had, as their members paid no registration fee, and as this was 1/- for non-members the Associations practi- cally got back their affiliation fee if 21 members insured, the parent Association bearing all the cost in connection with the work. He was pleased that the council Avere able to present such a satisfactory report and without referring to any of the other matters he moved that the report and statement of accounts be received and adopted (great applause). The motion was seconded by General Sir Stanley Edwardes. Mr. Skevington raised the c^uestion of expemses of the apiary and postages, two other non-subscribers also >speaking on the same subject. The Chairman replied that as Mr. Skev- ington was a member of the Council and also — as o'ne of the Finance Committee — had checked and signed the accounts and had presented their report at a number of Council meetings, and that the balance sheet had been j^assed by the Council, he should know all about it. He would how- ever ask the secretary to explain. The Secretary said that perhaps, on the face of it the apiary appeared an expen- sive matter, but when they took into con- sideration that it included the payment to him of all the lecturing done at the Royal Show, Swanley College, and else- where, the provision of bees for these lectures and demonstrations, and also for examination purposes, also a certain amount for travelling expenses, it would be found that the actual cost was only a few pounds. The apiary was established as an experimental one, and not on a commercial basis, as the district was not a good one for honey, but well situated for visitors, of whom there were a number each year. With regard to the amount for postages he was pleased that this had increa.sed, as it was a testimonial to the fact that he had not neglected the correspondence. The more the Association grew naturally the postage account would increase. If they referred to the report it would be found that very few members were in ai-rears with their subscriptions; this had only come about after a considerable amount of writing in the form of appli- cations for payment. Two of the gentle- men who had questioned the amount were' secretaries of associations. In one case; when it was important to obtain reports of affiliated associations to back up the application for the grant from the Development Fund, he wrote six applica- tions for the report of that Association, and up to the present had not received it. In the other instance, it was with the greatest difficulty he extracted the affilia- tion fee after about nine letters and a threat to remove the name of that Asso- ciation from the list according to rules. They would thus see that nearly five per cent, had to be expended to collect that one guinea, and yet that secretary now found fault with the postage account. Also he was now sending out each month sixty notices of Council meetings against twenty-one in previous years. He had kept postage books, with the name of every person for whom even a halfpenny stamp had been used, which were open for the inspection of any member who wished to see tliem. Mr. Sander strongly objected to the tone and manner of the criticism. Criti- cism he welcomed as it was most useful, but the manner and tone of those speak- ing he considered was a reflection not only on the isecretary, but also on the auditor and Council, making it appear as if some- one were dishonest. Mr. Snelgrove said he had received a whole budget of correspondence from Mr. Herrod where it was impossible in the past to get even one answer. He con- sidered the increase in postage told con- siderably in favour of the efficiency of the secretarial work. The matter of apiary was left for the Council to deal with. Mr. Watson proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the retiring Council and officers. They had passed through critical times, and steady work of the kind they had done would eventually put the Association on a much firmer basis than the violent form of reformation that had been pro- posed.— Mr. Falkner seconded, and it was carried unanimously. Mr. Reid rose and asked the chairman, if he wa.s not out of order, that he might say a few words. 'He thought it was only right at that juncture to propose a vote of thanks to their secretary. He knew he was a paid official, and the proposition might be a little out of order, but he was quite cer- tain Mr. Herrod had done a lot of hard work outside his ordinary duties, and lifl 114 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 23, 1911. •could say in all his work he was tliorough and conscientious. He was quite sure the membens would be gl^d of this opportunity to show their appreciation. Mr. Ealeis seconded the resolution. He knew from personal experience that the secretary had not ispared himself in his labours. Mr. Pvigh heartily supported the motion. He knew the secretary's heart was in his work and to show that the County Associations had his sympathy, he would like to say that he visited the annual meeting of the Notts B.K.A. representing the B. B.K.A. and this without an invita- tion although it meant a journey of over 200 miles. The Chairman said he could fully testify to the immense amount of efficient work Lxieir secretary had done and their present satisfactory condition was largely due to his efficiency. The motion was carried unanimously. The Secretary in reply said this was a most unusual motion regarding a paid servant and it had surprised him so much that he scarcely knew what to say. When.. a little over twelve months ago he was appointed secretary, he said he would do iiis best and he could conscientiovisly say that he had carried out that promise, and without egotism he could say that the "work had been very hard. He would like to pay tribute to the valuable assistance and sympathy rendered him by the chair- man and some of the members of the Council — to mention names would be invidious. These gentlemen though occupy- ing high positions in the commercial world, and therefore very busy men, had not grudged time to help the Association gratuitously, and without their help the work would have been much more difficult. One of the Council had remarked that " Herrod was paid a thundering big screw and does nothing." He would like that councillor to take the work on for six months, when he thought he would alter his opinion. The work was a labour of love with him, and his one desire was to see the British Bee-keepers' Associa- tion second to none in the world. That he was anxious for that was proved from the fact that to help the Association out of its difficulty he had offered to do the work for one year for nothing ; this offer the Council would not entertain. The work liad been sti-enuous and had taxed him to the utmost, so much so, that a few weeks ago he seriously con- sidered whether he could go on "with it. It had l>epn more than one man's work and he could not have done what he had, had it not been for the splendid assist- ance given him by his wife; but for that in all probability he would have had to give up. He had tried to be just to all ; it was very difficult to tighten the reins when rules and conditions had been administered in a lax manner for a con- siderable time. He might have offended some by so doing, but he could assure them that he had tried to do his duty without fear or favour. His sympathies were with the Affiliated Associations and he wished he had time to visit more of them. Not only did he visit the Notts annual meeting, but on Satur- day last he travelled over 400 miles to be present at the annual meeting of the Lancashire Association. That by this resolution they had shown that they were satisfied with the work he had done was ample rejaayment for the extra exertion and he sincerely thanked them all for the kind appreciation he would continue in the future as in the past to do his best. Mr. Lamb proposed the re-election of the vice-presidents, hon. treasurer, analyst and solicitor, this was seconded by Col. Walker and carried. The Chairman said that he had a letter from Mr. Willard resigning his appoint- ment as auditor on account of failing health. This Avas accepted with deep re- gret, and it was resolved that the best thanks of the meeting be accorded to Mr. Willard for his long and valued services. Mr. Cowan proposed and Mr. Eales seconded, that Mr. Sanders be elected auditor, and this was carried unanimouslv- Mr. Sanders said when Mr. Cowan asked him before the meeting if he would accept the post he felt honoured and said yes, but after the acrimonious •tone of the criticisms of one or two people he now felt inclined, to refuse. He would accept, but he assured them if the accounts were criticised when he had done them, in the same tone as they had been that day he should refuse to undertake the work again. Mr. Reid proposed, Mr. Dant seconded, rnd it was carried, that the honorary and foreign corresponding members be re- elected. The election of Council for 1911 was then proceeded with. The Chairman re- marked that thei'e were tw"enty-three candidates for twenty-one seats. The elec- tion could be by show of hands, but if a ballot Avere desired any three members in the room could demand one. Mr. Smallwnod, Mr. Eales and Colonel H. J. 0. Wallcer demanded a ballot, and the Chairman nominated Mr. Snelgrove and Mr. Salmon as scrutineers. The voting resulted in the election of Miss M. L. Gayton, Miss K. M. Hall, Messrs. T. W. Cowan, W. F Reid, R. T. Andrews, T. Bevan, C. L. M. Eales, O. R. Franken- stein, E. Garcke, H. Jonas, J. B. Lamb, A. G. Pugh, A. Richards, E. Walker, J. Smallwood, E. Watson, General Sir Marcli23, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 115 ;Stanley Edwardes, Dr. T. S. Elliot, Capt. F. Sitwell, Col. H. J. 0. Walker and Rev. A. D. Downes Shaw. Mr. Bevan moved pursuant to ^lotice : That rule 5 be altered, the first and second lines to read as follows: — "The Association shall have power to elect honorary members also, -etc." This was seconded by Mr. Pugh and carried. Mr. Coltman pointed out the injustice according to rules of delegates being allowed only to attend and have a say at Council meetings, and not at the annual meeting, and after discussion Mr. Lamb gave notice that he would move at the next general meeting of members that " each affiliated Association should in future be able to exercise all the rights of membershiiJ of the British Bee-keepers Association through one of its members." This concluded the business of the meeting. After the annual meeting the Council and delegates met, but as it was then 5.45 it was resolved to adjourn the nieet- ine- to a future date. Report of Conversazione ii-ill appear next week. Correspondence. The Editor does not hold himself 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. ISLE OF WIGHT DISEASE. [8114.] I shall be at Southsea the first week in April, and if any afflicted bee- keeper in the Isle of Wight cares to allow me to insjject stocks where the disease is in progress, I shall be glad to avail niy- ■velf of the opportunity. With reference to the alleged outbreak among driven bees in the North, I should like to call attention to the views held by skeppi-sts in the days of the sulphur pit. It was considered bad policy to winter stocks that went to the heather and such .stocks were usually r'ondemned. If it was necessary to preserve them it was recog- nised that they built up well in spring -;/ fheij survived. But it was noticed that many stocks succumbed with the bowel dis- tended with polJen a^id it was always advisable to feed stocks with sugar syrup to minimise this danger. In heather, tree, and fungus secretions there art orobably astringent principles of which bees can stand but a limited quantity without de^'-iment. I hope northern bee-keepers will exhaust this possibility before accusing southerners of sending them a virulent contagious- disease. — G. W. BuLLAMORE, Albury. Herts. [8115.] I am sorry to read in the pages of the Bee Journal, of the spreading of the Isle of Wight disease amongst bees, so will give you the following for what it is woi'th. In the years of 1902 and 1903 I kept about forty stocks of bees at Lupton, nr. Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmorland, and had the hives on a southern slope where they got plenty of sun — in fact too much of it, and in those years during the summer months I noticed hundreds of bees crawling on the ground about the hives, unable to fly, though they kept trying to do so. The bodies of some were much swollen, and I thought at the time it was due to the summer heat, so gave them all the ventilation I jiossibly could, but as soon as I heard about the Isle of Wight disease I thought my bees were just the same — the only difterence being that mine came through all right. Now, about there they use a lot of basic slag for the. clover fields. Can that have had anything to do with the disease? There was also a lot of charlock in the cornfields, but I do not know if the farmers sprayed it at all. I kept bees at Lupton until 1906, and during the last three years I saw nothing of the sort again. I removed to Derbyshire in January, 1907, and so far have not seen any diseased stocks of that kind, and trust I may not do so. though I visit a great number of apiaries during the spring and autumn. I am much afraid we shall get it in Derbyshire as it seems to be spreading at a very alarming rate. — R. North, Breaston, Derby. [8116.] Life is not long enough for me to re-enter a barren controversy as to whether aphides reproduce by budding or from eggs. (page 107.) I would suggest that the B.B.K.A. can, by collecting facts relating tu '^a'^-h outbreak of "I. of W. disease," get as near to an understraiding of the dis- ease and a remedy as one or two patholo- gists working without an extensive in- quiry. I would suggest that you collect information to show, among other things, whether the disease has been accompanied by the spraying of fields with suli^hate of copper or what not. the coming into the district of bees from elsewhere, the buying of old hives, the presence of foul brood, the importing of Italian queens, much or ficial pollen, the presence of unusual flowers, much work or breeding asked of tha bees, and such other circum- stances as it may be deemed wise to ask about. If a great number of papers can 116 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 23, 1911. be filled up with "yes" or " no" opposite a row of questions of this sort, it might be an easy thing to pick out the single cause of the disease. I do not believe that spraying has anything to do with it, for example ; but since there are some who do, I would certainly include an inquiry as to this in the form which I hope you vsill see your wa}' to draw uy) for bee- keepers to sign. — Gr. G. Desmond, Camber- well. B.B.K.A. CONVERSAZIONE. BIOSCOPE PICTURES. [8117.] At the close of the conver- sazione last Thursday, I Avas informed that it was the opinion of several members present that my scarecrow pic- ture was a " fake" viz., that I had placed the bees and combs in the body of the figure just before taking them out. I can assure all who saw the picture that it was perfectly genuine. The scare- crow stood on a piece of ground belong- ing to Miss M. E. Messent of Street Farm, Lamarsh, Essex. About the first week in June last I received a letter from that lady informing me that she had seen a stray swarm of bees enter underneath the waistcoat of the scarcecrow and that she had tied a sack round it to keep off the rain. About the middle of Julj^ I went to Lamarsh with a cinematograph operator and removed the bees. — J. C. Bee Mason, Biires, Suffolk. SOMERSET B.K.A. ANNUAL MEETING The Somersetshire Beekeei^ers' annual meeting was held on March 11th, at Taunton, Mr T. W. Cowan presiding over a large gathering of members from all parts of the county. The work done by the association was shown in the ably- compiled report of the council by the hon. secretary (^Mr Louis E. Snelgrove). Some of the items were as follow : — Although the year 1910 may be char- acterised as one of the most unprofitable that Somerset beekeepers have ever known, yet the county association has increased more rapidly than ever before. The balance-sheet shov.'s a total turn-over of £80, as compared with £64 6s. 7d. for last year. The principal work of the association, that of the visiting experts, has been largely increased, and tnere is every prospect that this increase will be steadily maintained. The balance in hand is £5 16s. The membership for the current year will exceed 400, an increase of about 80 over last year. The experts have made 460 visits and examined about 1,272 hives, of which 62 were reported as suffering from foul brood. Unfortu- nately, black brood still exists in one small district, but happily the Isle- of Wight disease has not appeared in the county. The sales of the association honey label have been small, an inevitable consequence of the meagre honey crop. In every district this has been much below the average, and it is doubtful whether in any part a true surjilus was secured. Of the nine candidates who sat for the third class examination, the fol- lowing obtained certificates: — Messrs N. J. Reynolds (Huntspill), H. Jarvis (Taunton), T. Jones (Weston-super-Mare), J. Spiller (Taunton), and W. Gliddon (Yatton). Mr. Cowan, in speaking to the report, said that it must be a matter of satis- faction that subscriptions had increased insteadi of falling off, after such a disastrous year for bees. The experts'^ fees were much more, and this denoted how the work of the association was extending. The report having been adopted, the Chairman presented the various prizes and experts' certificates. The hon. secretary, Mr. Louis E. Snel- grove, and the assistant hon. secretary,. Mr. L. Bigg-Wither, were thanked for their services. Mr. Tite was added to the list of vice-presidents. The company then sat down to tea, after which, Mr Cowan gave a short address on "The Isle of Wight Disease." The proceedings shortly afterwards, terminated. NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM B.K.A. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Northumber- land and Durham Bee-keepers' Associa- tion Avas held on March 11th at Crosby's. Cafe, Newcastle, Mr. J. N. Kidd (Stocks- field) presided. The report of the hon. secretary (Mr. G. G. Robson) stated the membership was about fifty. Reference was made to the Isle of Wight disease, which had done much damage in the South of England, and which stated to have- broken out in the Chester-le-Street dis- trict. As many as 275 hives were insured last year. A new branch had been estab- lished in Weardale, and efforts were being made to establish one at Barnard Castle. The financial statement showed a credit balance of £8 3s. Id. Lord Barnard was re-elected president; whilst Mr. H. F. Bulman and Lord North- bourne were elected vice-presidents. The hon. secretary was re-elected. It was announced that arrangements had been made for excursions to Mr. Kidd's place at Stocksfield and to Cockle Park. Marcli23, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. ii: STAFFORDSHIRE B.K.A. ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Staffordshire Bee-keepers' Association was held at the County Council Buildings, Stafford, on March 4th. Mr. A.'H. Heath presided. The annual report was read by the hon. secretary (the Rev. G. C. Bruton). It stated that the number of subscribers was 166, which was an increase on the previous year, and the amount received in subscription, £28 16s., was equal to the average. In his report, Mr. Tinsley, the association expert, said that in those dis- tricts which had produced large quanti- ties of honey he found that the supply of white clover was unlimited, and that the land was farmed by scientific agricul- turists, and these were a great help to the bee-keeper. The apiaries in the county were kept at a much higher standard than formerly. The percentage of foul brood in the county was the lowest on record, it being 1.2. The drastic methods employed to stamp out the infec- tion, coupled with the willingness of bee- keepers to assist, had alone been respon- sible for Staffordshire occupying such a satisfactory position in regard to the disease. Mr. Heath was elected president. NEW B.K.A. FOR BARNET AND DISTRICT. A bee-keepers' association for Barnet and district was successfully formed on Friday, March 10th. A large and repre- sentative gathering of bee-keepers at- tended, and welcomed the society as filling i\ long-felt want. Several able speeches were made by prominent local bee-keepers, and the resolution to form an association was unanimously carried. Thirty mem- bers were enrolled at the meeting, and the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman, Mr. W. H. Cut- 1)ush. Anyone desirous of joining the society can obtain rules and particulars on application to the hon. sec, G. J. Flashman, 37, Falkland Road, Barnet. Queries and Replies. [4102.] losing Drairn-out Conihs. — I write to thank you for reply in B.B.J. , ])ut owing to illness, have not been able to send you some bees from the hive which had dysentery. Why that stock should have this complaint I cannot understand, as I have fed all my bees on soft candy since last October : possibly there may have been some unsealed honey in the brood-chamber which I had not noticed. I asked vour advice about some frames I have half-full of honey. I took them out of a hive which died out, some- thing having gone wrong with the queen. I omitted to inform you that the combs were only drawn out last season, and are spotlessly clean, except for a little pollen here and there. If they had been old I certainly would not have thought of troubling with them, but thought as they are perfectly healthy, of putting them on top of a strong stock later on, and having queen-excluder between. When cleaned out and filled with honey, I could extract them, then place them in another hive for a swarm. Would this work out all right ? I have been a constant reader of the Journal for a long time, and always look forward to seeing it every week. Regard- ing the frequent mention of Foul-brood Legislation, I hope that such legislation will not be far distant, as it is very much needed for the protection of the industry. — Anxious, Berwick. Reply. — You must not use the brood combs for supering if you wish to use them for a swarm, as by the time they are sealed the swarming season will be over. Use them in the hive in which you put the swarm, interspacing them with frames fitted with full sheets of founda- tion. If you use the combs for supering, they might be utilised later for putting driven bees on to. [4103.] Bees and Fertilisation of Fruit. In the month of July last I started bee-keeping by purchasing a W. B. C. hive, and a stock of bees (hybrid), for which I paid £1 15s. I did not put any extra frames or sections on the hive, so that they might accumulate a good food supply for the winter. I also fed them up with syrup which was medicatecl with anti-foul-brood mixture, and of this the bees partook very freely. 1 ^vas very much troubled with robber bees, so much so that the carbolic mixture, as recommended in the '"Bee-keepers' Guide," did not keep them away, so I opened the zig-zig entrance very widely, and placed a piece of perforatecl zinc across the same to en- able the bees to have plenty of air. At the beginning of winter I filled the space l.etAveen the hive and the outer cover with chaff, where it still is, and the robbers, having gone, I removed the zinc from the entrance. All the frames wei-e not covered with bees, so T put those that were- covered near each other as directed in the "Guide," using the dummy frame, and placed some candy under the quilt. There were two quilts and two pieces of sacking over these again upon the frames for warmth, and Mhen the vceather was very cold I had two sacks put over the hive at uinht and removed in the day. I find 118 THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. [Marclx 23, 1911. that the robber bees are again visiting my hive without any movement on the part of my bees, and I have placed the zinc across the entrance, so that they may have plenty of air. On looking under the quilts to-day I could not see any bees between the frames, but this was done hurriedly, and without lifting any of the frames out. Failing to see any sign of life makes me fear that they miist be dead, but I do not care to make any thorough examination until the weather ij milder. A good deal of the candy ap- pears to have been consumed. I have Tiot seen any dead drones on the alighting board, though there were a good many living ones around the hive last autumn. Will you have the kindness to let me know what I should now do, as I see by the "Guide" book that the hive should not be examined until the end of this ]iionth, a ad I am anxious to know whether the bees are alive or not. My chief ob- ject in keeping them was to see whether my fruit-trees would bear better by reason of the bees fertilising the blooms, as not- withstanding the large show of bloom I have every year, the fruit crop is small. .Should the colony prove to be dead, I wish to get another lot with as little delay as possible. What kind would you recommend me to have in that event? — W. F., Anglesey. Reply. — Your bees have evidently died out from some cause, and the hive is liOw being robbed. Examine it on the first fine, warm day, and if the bees are dead, remove the hive indoors until it can be attended to, as it will do your neighbour bee-keepers harm to leave sweets exposed for their bees to rob. There is not the slightest doubt but that your fruit trees will benefit by bees being kept, and we advise you to obtain a good stock of English bees as soon as possible. [4104.] Hybridising Bees. — I should very much like to ask the following ques- tions with regard to breeding queens. I have a White Star (Simmins') Italian Queen, some imported queens from Italy, and some ordinary Blacks. I should prefer to try pure Italians, but would be pleased to know it the progeny of a black queen crossed with an Italian Drone Avould be of viscious disposition, and also which Italian queen would you advise for rearing queens, and Avhich drones. Thanking you in anticipation. — A. Warminstkr. Reply. — (1) If you hybridise it is almost certain you will get vicious bees; Breed queens from the "White Star" and drones from the imported Italians. [4105.] Storing SutjjIus in Brood-Gham- her. — Last yeivr I was una])le to get my bees up into the supers, and consequently had no surplus. The stock was fairly :strong, and the bees stored a great deal of honey in the brood-chamber. If you would give me any information as to the best way of guarding again.st such an occurrence in the future I would greatly appreciate it. Would it be safe to work without an excluder, as that seems to me to be the cause of the trouble? — I. G., Ijisvane. Reiply. — Last season was a. very bad one, and this was most probably the cause of bees not working in supers. On no ac- count must you dispense with excluder if working for extracted honey, but if sections are your object you might do without it, though it is not advisable to do so. [4106.] Propolis — Finding the Queen — Sowing Clover Seed. — (1) Would a privet hedge, in immediate vicinity of hives, be injurious to bees, and would they swarm on it? (2) A large larch plantation lies close to my new apiary here. Bee-keepers here tell me their racks of sections get so glued down with, propolis that great difficulty arises in removing them. Is there anything better for greasing bottom of racks than petroleum jelly or vaseline — such, for instance, as lard? (3) Even on a very long swarm board, I have never been able to "spot" the queen when run- ning in. In hiving swarms, if I fixed a strip of excluder zinc at hive entrance, and so prevented the queen getting in, would be objectionable. I ask it, because I am short-sighted. The excluder zinc could be fitted into a narrow wooden framework, made for the purpose of exactly fitting door- ways. My hives are Lees' W.B.C's As I do not want increase of stocks this season, and wish to return swarms to the hives from which they issued, I may want to destroy a few old queens and let new ones hatch out from good queen cells in different hives. (4) Will destruction of the old queen materially affect the gathering of surplus honey, and for how long? I work only for sections. My district is a fairly good clover and flower one — and later on ling heather everywhere. (5) What would be the best clover seed for bees, to give a local farmer to sow along with his ryegrass seed, and what quantity per acre? Reply. — (1) A privet hedge would not be injurious, and the bees would probably swarm on it. (2) Vaseline is the best material to use to prevent propolization. (3) There is no objection to this method beyond the fact that it takes longer for the swarm to get into the hive. It is the method we advise for anyone afflicted with imperfect sight. (4) Destruction of the old queen will not affect the honey harvest very much, as it is only the old bees that go foraging. It would be Marcli23, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 119 better to have young queens ready lo j introduce twelve hours after killing the old one, first destroying all the queen cells. (5) White clover seed, about thre'- pounds to the acre, would be very u&' [4107.] Xeighhours and Bees. — "Would you kindly aclvise me, in your valuabi-^ little journal, which I have taken since I began bee-keei3ing, on the following? 1 have five hives of bees in my garden in the country, surrounded by a high oft. fence, on the other side of which is a right of way. Lately, my neighbours have made a tennis lawn in their meadow, the other side of the right of way, about 70 yards from my fence ; they now fear my bees may trouble them, and want me to move them. Am I bound to do this? It would be a great trouble and expense to me, as I should have to move my bee- house too, and I have nowhere else to put them. Would I be liable if any one got stung. The bees have been in this place five years. — Rogue, Essex. Reply. — There is not much danger of your bees interfering with your neigh- bours under the conditions you name, and urless they can prove they are a nuisance, y<'U cannot be compelled to move them. You can insure against injury to third parties, and we are sending you a. form for this purpose. [4108.] Unitinrj Bees. — Will you answer me the following cjuestions? T wish to unite two stocks. They have wintered well and have plenty of stores, one was a driven lot in August last, which I put on to two frames of brood and stores and four more frames and fed them uji well. Would the Queen with the driven lot be a 1910 one. The other stock was a 4 lb swarm, I gave them some soft candv in February, but on Mai-ch 11th they had eaten the candy and got sealed stores and a little brood on two frames. Wlien shall I start feeding with syrup, and how and when is the best time to unite them. I should like to take them to the country for the honey flow ; when shall I move them, is early in May a suitable time? — G. H. W. B u rton-on-Trent . Reply. — If the driven bees were from a skep that had swarmed, the Queen will be a 1910 one. You can unite the first fine warm day in April, and you should move them about a week afterwards. Syrup feeding may be commenced in urst week in April. [4109.] Huhridising Bees. — Of the following Hybrids, which in your opinion produces the gentlest bees. (1) English queen crossed with Carniolan or Italian drones. (2) Carniolan queen crossed with either Italian or English. (3) Italian queen crossed with English or Carniolan. Your kind advice will oblige. — Bust Bee, Alnwick. Reply. — In all cases you are almost certain to get vicious bees. Our choice would be English queen mated to Car- niolan drone. Why not stick to English bees ; they are much the best ? Notices to Correspondents* Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can he purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space derated to letters, queries, and replies is meant for the general good of bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We ivish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in. advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately following the receipt of their communica- tions. Queen Excluder (Plymouth). — Wire Xetting as Excluder. — The wire netting will not do to use as a queen excluder, being very inaccurately made. Use the proper excluders sold by all ap- pliance dealers. Particulars as to subscribing to foreign bee journals are being posted to you. J. H. (Whitley Bay). — Utilising Comh Hrjneij. — Y'ou cannot "dissolve" honey in the combs without melting the latter down. Give the combs to the bees as they are, they will utilise the honey as food, while the pollen will also Ve useful to them. Extracted honey can be thinned down with water to the- consistency of syrup before being used as bee food. E. S. (Sandplace). — Fumigating Combs. — We do not supply formalin. Write to J. Lee and Son, 4, Martineau Road, London, N. W. T. (Bridgnorth).— ,S'foc/v of Bees Dis- appearing.— Judging from the particu- lars given, the colony has either dwindled away or, as you suggest, the bees have joined another stock. This, happens sometimes. The syrup in the comb appears quite right, and it may he used for other colonies. E. A. B. (Ruthen). — Making Candy. — You were right in putting pea-flour into the candy, but unfortunately you have overboiled the latter. F. C. H. (Lambourne). — Phenijle Solu- tion.— 1. This disinfectant for washing hives should be in the following proportions. 2 tea-spoonfuls of soluble phenyle to 1 quart of water (see Guide Book, page 198). 2. The candy has not been boiled quite enough. F. J. M. (Wokingham). — Honey Sample. — The sample is of fairly good flavour, but is thin in consistency. C. F. (Bracknell). — Buying Skeps. — Y'ou evidently made a very dear bargain. You will have to work the bees down 120 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 23, 1911. into proper frame hives (as per instruc- tions on page 149 of Guide Book) before you can hope to be su-C'cessful with your bees. II. E. (Kidderminster). — ALedlcatina Syrup-food. — The naphthol beta solution must be stirred in as soon as the syrup is removed from the fire, while hot. W. A. P. (Blythe Bridge).— Dr/uen Bees. — The Guide Book will give you all the practical information you require if you study it carefully. (See pages 147 and 154 re driven bees.) D. M. (Doune).— Transfer rinrj Bees.^ You can only discover when the Queen takes possession of the lower hive, by making an examination of the combs there for signs of brood. It would have been better to have given candy and not syrup, but as you have commenced with it, give the syrup slowly, about half a pint per week, or the bees will store it in the cells, and in consequence there will be no room for the Queen to lay. L. A. S. (Broadway, Wore.).— Parasite on Bees. — The insects are the Bravln coeca, or blind louse. PufE a little tobacco smoke in at the entrance of the hive, which will cause them to drop, lift off tiie brood chamber, and brush them off the floor-board which might then be washed with disinfectants. This will get rid of them. (2) The white substance on the oomb is simply mouldy pollen. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed reading the B.B.J, even before you were able to keep bees. Suspected Disease. M. K. H. (Alton, Hants). — The bees have died of Isle of Wight disease. Burn oombis, quilts, &c., as you suggest, and disinfect the hive as if foul brood were present. It can then be used again. "W. (Harborne). — The bees have had dysen- tery and there are signs of Isle of Wight disease. Attend to disinfecting the hive, &c., at once. G. B. (Droitwich). — Sample is a bad case of foul brood, and we should advise you to burn the contents of hive and disin- fect thoroughly. W. H. R. (Franklin).— The bees are too dry for us to be able to give cause of death. Queen is a virgin. Enquirer (Horsforth). — One bee shows signs of dysentery. The candy is of excel- lent quality and cannot have been detri- mental to the health of the bees. A. H. Four Oaks). — Bees show signs of Isle of Wight disease. Follow instructions given to M. K. H., Alton. A. D. T. (Nantwich).— (1) The bees have evidently died of dysentery. (2) Yes, they might be used again if thoroughly cleaned. (3) We have heard of one suspicious case, but it was not definitely ascertained that it was an outbreak of. Isle of Wight disease. G. S. (Luton). — Your bees have been dead too long and are too dry for proper examination. They appear to have died naturally. Specia.! Prepaid Advertisements LIMNANTHES DOUGLASSII, early spring bee flowers, commencing to bloom, 1/6 per 100 free. — HAWKINS, Ashgrove, Queenstown, Co. Cork. h 7 THE PREPARATION OF HONEY and Wax for Show Bench, 7d.— TINSLEY, Stone, Staffs. h 5 FOUR GOOD STOCKS OF BEES, in well-miade W.B.C. hives, nearly new. What offers?— TURNER, Park Cottages, Pinkneys Green, Maidenhead, Berks. h 3 'HITE WYANDOTTE EGGS, 7s. 6d. sitting; puHetis mated np and purchased from t^he White Wyandotte speeialist to a coek guairanteed, from 1909 Palace and Dairy winner.— NORRIS, 3, Pexivaie Gardens, Ealing. h 12 Q p' S. HEALTHY STOCK BLACKS, 20th oen- Ot> tury hive, smoker, veil, excluders, &c., free on rail.— G. SHEPHERD, Northcote, Upper Clap- ton, N.E. h 4 HEATHER HONEY, lib. screw jars, 10s. doz.; • compressed pu.p pots, 8s. 6d. doz. carriage paid.— .JOHN HONEYBEE, Dorchester. h 10 WANTED, PARTNER or MANAGER, or PUPIL to take over Apiary, lease house, end of season.— MATTINSON, Happisburgh, Nor- wich, h 8 EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY. Bee Hives and AppiianceiS, new, state requirements; cash, or e.xchange double gold Albert.- BODE, 195, Ply- mouth Grove, Manchester. h 11 TWO STOCKS BEES for sale, in modern frame hives, guaranteed healthy, 1910 queens, 27s. 6d. each.— Particulars, IRVING, Galabank Apiary, Annan. h 9 OLD BEE LITERATURE 3 books by Wighton, Mills and Cotton (see issue Feb. 23rd for des- criptioni), exchange modern literature or nucleus with queeni, or part extractor. — 19 Pelham Road, Norwich. h 5 TO LECTURERS and OTHERS. Bee life on the bioscope, as shewn at the B.B.K.A. Con- veirsaziO'ne.—WTite for terms to BEE MASON, 27, Ashtead Road, Clapton Common, N.E. FOR SALE, A SMALL APIARY, comprising 15 Stocks of healthy Bee® in bar frame hives, with super and shiatlow frames, 10 new spare bar frame hives with ail necessary appliances.— Apply to HEAD GARDENER, Chicksands Priory, She£- ford, Beds. g 96 WANTED, PURE BLACK QUEEN.— State price to M. WILLIAMS, Wheeltoni, Chor- ley, Lancashire. g 97 HEATHER and CLOVER SECTIONS fOT sale, first grade O'nly.-P. M. RALPH, Settle, g 98 BEE JOURNALS, vols. 1908, 1909, 1910, clean, unbound, cheap, 9s.— J. CHAWNER, Desfoird, LcJcester. g 99 'ANTED, BOARD-RESIDENCE with bee- keeping instiruetion; heather district pre^- ferred.. — Write inclusive tiCrms (moderate) to HENRY BROOME, 17 Arthur Street, Glouces- ter, g 100 March 30, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 121 Editorial, Notices, &c BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION [('ontiniicd from page 115). THE CONVETJSAZIOXE. At the couclnsion of the annual meet- ing the members and friends assembled for the usual conversazione. After partaking of the refreshments provided, the com- pany, numbering over 120, adjourned to the lecture-room to hear Dr. Maiden's iiddress. Mr. T. W. Cowan presided, and among those present were : Mrs. Illing- worth, Mrs. Herrod, Mrs. and Miss Inglis, Miss E. Scott Walker, Mrs. Mason. Miss L. M. Carr, Miss M. E. Carr. Mrs. G. Coat«5, Mrs. E. E. Ford, Miss E. F. Kettlewell, Mrs. Kidd, Mrs. Paul, Mrs. H. P. Perkins, Mrs. Seadon, Mrs. T. Mar- shall, General Sir Stanlev Edwards, Colonel H. F. Jolly, Colonel H. J. O. AValker, Rev. A. D. Downes-Shaw, Dr. Elliott, Dr. Musson. Messrs. B. Alexander, D. Arthur. W. R. Allen, G. R. Alder, J. C. Bee Mason, S. Beard, D. H. Bracock, T. Bevan, Harry Brice, D. AV. Bishoj),- Ackerman, J. Baddeley, J. P. Biss, C. H. Bocock, G. Bryden, G. W. Bidlamore, E. R. Body. J. Cunningham, W. G. Coates, R. H. Coltman, L. S. Crawshaw, H. G. Ceiley, J. Cooper, E. F. Dant. O. S. Dawson, H. Edwards, A. C. Elsdon, O. R. Frankenstein, W. G. Fischer-Webb, R. W. Furse, H. Filmer, W. L. Falkner, X. J. Ferry, E. Garcke, G. H. Garrett, L. L. Goffin, C. Grinham, W. L. Goldsworthy, Geo. Hayes, F. C. Hodges, W. Herrod, S. Hill, B. Hud.son, J. Hudson. R. Heffurd. G. H. Horscroft, A. J. Harris, J. Ide, J. J. Jessiman, W. Jarman, G. W. Judge. W. T. Joyce. P. W. S. Jefferies. G. Ket- teridge. A. Kent. J. M. Kidd. G. H. Lander, W. L. W. Larkin, J. B. Lamb, E. Lee, H. J. Marshall, G. Masom, W. Mai'tin, W. P. Meadows, A. E. Palmer, A. E. Paul, H. P. Perkins. A. G. Pugh. AV. F. Reid, G. E. Rogers, A. Ross, A. Richards, G. O. Rous, A. E. Smith. V. Eric Shaw. W. A. Simkins, A. W. Salmon. L. E. Snelgrove, H. H. Smart, G. Steventon, E. H. Smiles, J. E. Smiles, S. H. J. Smith, T. E. Stone, E. R. Seadon, J. Smallwood, E. E. Treni- lett, N. S. Toms, F. B. White. T. W. White-, E. Wells, A. Willmott, E. Walker, E. Watson. F. AV. W^atts, and W. AYard. The Chairman, in opening the proceed- ings, said he was very pleased to intro- duce Dr. AA". Alalden, of Cambridge, who liad done much work in investigating the 'Isle of AA'ight" disease, and who had kindly con.sent^'d to address them on the subject, and he was sure that they would be in- terested to know more about this epidemic from him. as he could speak from ex- perience. He would, therefore, now ask Dr. Maiden to read the paper he had pre- pared on the "Isle of Wight" disease. Dr. Maiden then addressed the meeting and said : May I be allowed to thank the B.B.K.A. for inviting me to read this paper to them at their annual meeting, and to say how much I appreciate the honour they have done me. I told your secretary when he asked me to read a paper on this subject that I had very little fresh information to give you, but I gladly embraced the opportunity oflEered to me because I wanted to ' get into touch with bee-keepers in all parts of the country, for it is by them that accurate information must be collected as to the actual facts connected with this disease, if we are to arrive at true con- clusions as to its nature and means of propagation. This complaint, ax^er being confined to the Isle of Wight for several years 1904-1908, has crossed to the main land, has invaded many counties in the South and Midlands, and threatens to spread over the whole country, practically exterminating the bees in its devastating progress. The first point I want to deal with is the fundamental one of whether or no we have to deal with an infectious disease spread by actual contact of bee with bee, or is it merely a seasonal com- plaint due to inclement weather, or to poisoning from some sorts of pollen, improper feeding or stai'vation? If we examine the facts so far as they are known as to the origin and spread of the disease, I think we shall have no difficulty in coming to the conclusion that it must be of an infectious nature communicated in some way or other from bee to bee. If this complaint is not an infectious disease but due merely to low temperatures, wet weather and absence of honey flow, why isliould it have remained confined to the Isle of Wight for four years? Surely the same climatic conditions were present all over the country to a greater or lesser extent, and yet there is no evidence of the com- plaint appearing anywhere except in the Isle of Wight from 1904 to 1908. The same argument applies to the other alleged causes of the complaint such as pollen poisoning, improper feeding, etc. Was the particular pollen which the bees are supposed to have taken peculiar to the Isle of Wight during these four years!" and has it since appeared on the main land? Such a supposition is ridiculous. Again, this complaint, though generally more prevalent in the early summer, may attack a hive at any period of the year. I have cases reported as occurring in nearly every month of the year which could not possibly be the case if the com- plaint was one due to poisonous pollen, feeding on honey dew, or other unsuitable food. 122 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March Id, 1911. The argument that the compUiint is due to starvation is not supported by the facts. I have myself opened numei'ous hives in ^^•hich evevy bee was dead from the com- plaint and "found the frames well supplied Avith stores, both of honey and pollen, and the same conditions have been reported to me by a great many bee-keepers, so that this supposition may be ruled out. The complaint was first noticed in the late summer of 1904 at a village a little south of Newport; in the following year it appeared in several villages round about the original starting place(see Map), and in 1906 it had spread over nearly the whole island, but there were a few outlying places where it had not appeared. Tn the venr 1907 v.hen Mr. Inims visited Cooper, of Thorley, who is a most intelli- gent and careful observer made a tour round the coast of the main land nearest to the Isle of Wight, and was unable to discover a single instance of the disease. Thus we may take it as a fact that for four years the disease remained confined to the Isle of Wight ; had it been due to seasonal conditions or in fact to any cause save infection, is it possible to believe that the conditions which would have given rise to the complaint were not jiresent on the main land during this time ? In the year 1909 the disease crossed the narrow channel and appeared in Hani]ishire, Dorsetshire, S^ussex and Surrev, i-onnties vou obser\e which are BEE DISEASE APPEARED O 1905 D 1906 @ 1907 o 1908 MAT SHOWING THE COURSE OF THE DISEASE IN THE ISLE OF WIGHT. the island he found that there were only two localities where bees were kept which had escaped. These were Cowes and Norton, places at the extreme angles of the island. In the following j-ear 1908 when I paid a visit to the island I found that the two places mentioned by IMv. Imms had been attacked later on in the year. I made a most careful inquiry all over the island, and as the result I was only able to discover two original stocks remaining which had survived, one at Gurnai'd, which was at least two miles from the nearest bee-keeper, and one at liembridge belonging to a bee-keeper Avho liad lost all his stocks but one. These last lemaining stocks died in 1908. Later on in tlie summer of that year Mr. H. M. geographically nearest to the island. After this my information is not full enough to be able to give you an accurate accou)it of the spread of the disease, and I am hoping to extend my knowledge on the subject this afternoon, and to find out fi-om bee-keepers in other counties when the complaint was first noticed in the localities they reside in or are acquainted with. So far then as our information extends, the spread of the complaint has been In- direct extension from place to place in exactly the same way as an infectious disease among human beings spreads. There may probably have been extensions of the disease into regions lying at some distaiici^s fi-om sources of infection l)rought March 30, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 123 about by infected bees sent from one part <»f the country to another, and this method probably accounts for the fact that the disease has sjiread much more rapidly during the past two years, since the time it gained a footing on the main land. I think we may take it as proved, so far as the evidence goes, that this complaint is an infectious disease spread from hive to hive. The next point I would like to consider that the disease remains confined to them ; in only a few cases have I been able to find that the drones were affected, and in none that the brood showed any signs of it. I have myself opened several hives in which nearly all the workers were dead, and the queen with a few attendants alone remained alive while the brood appeared quite healthy and were emerg- ing from their cells. This fact goes a long Avay towards proving that the disease MAP SHOWING INFECTED AKE.4S IN GREAT BRITAIN IN 1910. is, how is the disease spread and what is the nature of the infection ? Here we are on much more difficult ground and must therefore proceed with the utmost caution taking nothing for granted, but proving every step we take before coming to a decision. When a hive is attacked by the disease, it has been noticed l)y nearly every bee-keeper with whom I have been in communication, that the foraging adult bees are the first to suffer, and generally- is introduced from outside by foraging bees bringing it back with them, and being in consequence the first to suffer. It has also been noticed by several caieful observers that if robbing goes on from an infected hive, tluit the disease almost invarial)^y breaks out in the hive from which the robbers come. '! his certainly looks as if the bees conveyed the infection from hive to hive. There may be possijiv othei- wavs in vhich infection is trans- 124 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Mai ch 80, 1911. mitted, such as by a bee visiting a flower which had previouslj- been visited by an infected insect, but this is impossible to be certain of, or if the infection is trans- mitted by the excrement it is possible that the water supply may be contaminated and thus the disease may spread to healthy stocks. This takes us to still more debatable ground on which it is at present impossible to dogmatise, and we require a great deal more work on the subject before we shall be in a position to be certain as to the cause of the disease. Arguing from the analogy of other infectious diseases we should surmise that the complaint was either due to a pathogenic bacterium or else to a protozoan, as all the infectious diseases in man or animals with which w© are acquainted are due to one or other of these two forms of parasites. The other bee diseases, the pathology of which are fairly well understood, such as foul brood and malignant dysentery, are caused in the first case by a bacterial, and the second by a protozoal, infecting agent, and it is therefore quite natural to expect that the disease under consideration is caused by one of these microbes, though at pre- sent w'e are not in a position to say with absolute certainty what actually is the pathogenic cause. In investigating any disease the first line of research is natur- ally the anatomical one, and this was the first point to be inquired into when an investigation of this disease was started. What anatomical peculiarities are there about a bee suffering from the Isle of Wight disease, which will enable us to say definitely Avhether or not it has the com- plaint? Unfortunately there are none; at least none that are distinctive, the conditions which are usually present are externally, first a disinclination to work, the affected bee flies about in an aimless way or sits on the combs or alighting board. Next the ability to fly becomes less and less marked, till at length the insect is unable to fly at all. If examined, Avhen in this condition, it is usually sluggish, disinclined to move, or use its sting, its wings are frequently dislocated and apparently the power to readjust them is lost; this peculiarity tliough very frequeiatly present is not in- variable, and may occur in other condi- tions. The abdomen of an affected bee frequently looks swollen and pendulous in consequence of the enormous dis- tension of the colon with faecal matter. But this again is not necessarily a distinc- tive characteristic of the disease, since even normal bees when unable to leave the hive through bad weather, and, in con- sequence, not being able to defecate, get their colons distended in precisely the same manner as do the diseased bees. It appears that the overloaded colon is only a sign that the bee is unable to fly and therefore unable to void the solid excre- mentitious matter which fills itis gut. The craving for pollen and Avax which diseased bees appear to have also tends to cavise accumulation in the large bowel, and was considered by Mr. Imms, who first investi- gated the disease, to be the essential trouble ; this, however, is certainly not the case. So far as I am aware there are no other external signs which indicate with certainty that a given bee is suffer- ing from the disease under consideration and those that do occur are not dis- tinctive, but may occur in other con- ditions. Are there any internal anatomi- cal peculiarities which are distinctive ? On removing the digestive tract from a diseased bee, the enormously distended colon is the first object which meets the eye ; it is usually of a bright yellow colour, but not invariably — sometimes it is a dirty brown. The contents of the colon are usually very solid, but sometimes quite loose and watery. On examining the contents of the colon they are found to consist of undigested pollen grains of various sorts, particles of wax, excrementitious matter and in- numerable bacteria yeasts and moulds. All these products may be present in the gut of a healthy bee, though I believe it is very unusual to find particles of wax or such enormous numbers of pollen grains except in bees suffering from this disease. The small intestine does not appear different to the naked eye from the normal, nor are there any microscopical diflerences that I have been able to de- tect. The chjde stomach is naturally the next organ to be examined and here in many cases there does seem to be some departure from the normal. The organ appears to be more tender than in a healthy bee and frequently ruptures while being withdrawn from the abdomen. Its appearance also is generally different from that of a healthy chyle stomach, which is pinkish in colour with well- marked rings which mark the muiscular bundles in its walls; in the diseased state the rings are less evident and: the colon more a dirty white or brown than pink. It is more fragile and ruptures more easily apparently in consequence of the degenerated condition of the muscular coat. This degeneration is also very noticeable when the chyle stomach is ex- amined microscopically, the lining mem- brane which supports the digestive glan- dular structures is frequently stripjiinl off from the muscular layer and the cells appear to be degenerated. Bacteria can often be seen lying between the cells and behindi them and within them. The honey sac does not appear to be -the seat of any March 30. 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 125 marked cliange in this disease, nor do the gullet or salivary glands. Nothing abnor- mal has been discovered in any other organs, the vascular and nervous system, air sacs, tracheae, fat bodies and Malpi- ghian tubes ajipear to be quite normal. ,So far, then, the disease from an ana- tomical standpoint is confined to the ali- mentary canal, particularly the chyle stomach. Investigations of the bacteria contained in the alimentary tract of the bee were rendered long and tedious from the fact that the noi-mal bacteria had never been studied or classified in this country. In America a good deal of work on the sub- ject has been done, but unfortunately this did not pro\-e of much value to u's in England as the bacteria of the American seem tt) be quite different from those wiii'ch occui- in the English bee. It was found that bacteria were generalh' present in normal bees from the honey stomach to the anus, and that they increased in number the nearer you got to the Lower end of the gut, that there were very few ir. the honey stomach, more in the chyle stomach, and very large numbers in the colon. In diseased bees there always appeared to be many more bacteria in the chyle stomach, when smears were made and examined microscopically. Among the bacteria which were commonly found in the diseased chyle stomach was one which had never been observed in the healthy bee, and it was therefore considered pos- sible that this organism might be the cause of the disease. From its morijho- logical appearance and staining qualities I calle:] it B. Frstifnrniis apis. It is a short, ratlier thick, bacillus, with rounded ends, which with aniline dyes stains deeply at the ends, leaving a band of unstained or only lightly stained material in the centre 9 ^ this pecularity gives it the appearance of being a diplococcus, it fre- quently occurs in pairs which lie at an obtuse angle ^^ ^^ to each other. This organism was found to be present in aioout sixty per cent, of the diseased bees which were examined. x4ttempts to cultivate the bacillus were not very suc- cessful. We had no idea as to what were suitable media for bee bacteria to grow upon, and the American work did not help us very much. There are a large number of different media for growing bee bacteria, and I have tried most of them, but so far have not found them of very great value, and a great deal more work is required on that ]3articular point to find out what are the best media for growing the bacteria in diseased bees. (Continued next week.) Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. ROSS-SHIRE NOTES. [8118] The cold weather of March has kept things quiet in the apiary — ^out- wardly at least. Inside the hives there is i^rogress, shown by the increasing warmth of the quilting. Judged by the temperature test, a double-storey stock of "White Star'' Italians is easily first, and should provide a sight worth seeing some sunny day when the still hibernating cluster dissolves for the first flight. Colonies wintered with the section racks left on appear to be flourishing. Instead of extracting unfinished sections last season, I replaced them in the racks with- out dividers and put them on sti-ong colonies when winter packing. xuese racks containing about 121b. of honey are ahead of candy cakes as a pro- vision for reserve stores and winter pas- sage combined. In spring they do duty as feeders, while in early summer, when every inch of the brood combs is wanted for brood alone, the queen is accommo- dated by the shifting of honey to the storehouse above. Such colonies may yield an earlier and heavier surplus than any others in the apiary. Controversy often rages as to the re- spective merits of autumn or spring feed- ing of bees. In this part of the country we seldom need to practise either, as in- most seasons the late crop provides suffi- cient stores to last until the following April. Then comes equalising of the food supply, exchanging heavy combs from honey bound stocks to those less wealthy (a la Lloyd George). During May, pollen comes in fast, the brood nest is rapidly extended, and stores run low with no pros- pect of outside gathering. Then is the time to feed, and keep on feeding right into June, or even July, if necessary. For clover may bloom, but if the weather is unfavourable our bees may die in the midst of plenty. What with the advancing tide of foul brood and "Isle of Wight" disease, our pleasant craft is sorely threatened. The B.B.J, these days teems with " In Memoriam " notices of defunct apiaries. In this happy land of good bee forage and excellent honey prices, disease is 126 THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March ;;0. liJll. tmknown and starvation the only trouble that proves fatal to the bee people. But in this case the bee-keeper and not the bees should be singled out for treatment. —J. M. Ellis, Ussie Valley, N.B. SPRAYING CHARLOCK AND DISEASE. [8119.] It may interest Bee Journal readers to know that I have for about five or six years been spraying charlock (sometimes my own fields and sometimes my neighbours), and that to the best of my knowledge it has done no injury to my bees, of which I have about sixteen colonies. It is true I lose a few stocks (three this winter), but the .spraying was done in June last. Spraying certainly robs the bees of much honey. If it is proved to do harm to the bees the spraying should be done in May before the charlock comes into bloom. I have thought that by .put- ting "weed killer" on the paths of the garden I have lost numbers of bees, and I only did this once, preferring to salt the ground round the hives. This answers my purpose and does not seem to hurt the bees. — J. M. Stephens, Hereford- shire. [8120.] I think most bee-keepers will agree with Mr. Desmond (8116, page j-Io) that a referendum should be taken of those concerned, in order to discover the cause of tlie outbreak of what is known as the "Isle of Wight" disease, though personally I think bee-keepers themselves should voluntarily send in to the Bee Journal those particulars, without de- pending upon the B.B.K.A., which would be put to a lot of trouble and expense which could be avoided. And, after all, it is the bee-keepers themselves who stand to lose most. Unlike Mr. Desmond, 1 am fully con- vinced that spraying with sulphate of copper is the cause, and that the bees die of a poison which causes paralysis, a well- known symptom of the "disease." Until last summer, spraying had nevei- been done in this district, so far as I can discover ; and when I saw it being started I felt certain what would follow, though older bee-keepers, to whom I mentioned it, seemed to think differently. Now, since the bees Avere packed down ]ast September, over thirty stocks have died in what might be called the Itching- field District, which is under two square miles in extent, and all around us we hear the same tale. A large proportion of the colonies still alive were driven bees, fed up with syrup last autumn, and had not any natural stores in the hive. It seems tO' me that if sowing poisoned corn is unlawful, spraying charlock should be equally so: especially as the spraying: is done just when the charlock is coming into bloom, Mhen it is certain that the bees will visit it. — Arthur Cheal, Hor- sham. A CORRECTION. [8121.] I am sorry that, through my not making myself plain perhaps, an erroneous idea has got about as to the very large profits 1 have made by my bees. It has been stated in the daily Press, in a report of Dr. Maiden's address at the B.B.K.A. meeting, that 1 sold £240 wcjrth of honey during liJUCi fiovi my own apKinj. This was not the case, and I did nt)t hear Dr. Maiden make such a state- ment, or I should have cori-ected it at the time. There are several other bee-keepers in the Royston district, and I buy their honey, if of good quality, to sell in audi- tion to what my own bees produce. In 1906 I did this and the market being good disposed of a considerable amount. I much regret to have unintentionally mis- led the members at the meeting in this re- spect. I was only trying to show that 1 had been very successful in selling all the honey I could get even in the best years. The past four seasons have been very bad, 1909 being an utter failure with me, and in 1910 I lost nearly all my 160 stocks, Avliich is disastrous when one is wholly depending on the bees for a living as I am. I had no intention of saying anything when I went to the meet- ing, and I now wish I had not done so, as my neighbours are telling me that I ought to have made a fortune by now, and must be " well off," which unfortu- nately is a very long way fi-om being true. I have lost nearly all my bees, and with them my livelihood, as at 64 years of age I am too old to start anything else. I hope you will insert this correction in the Bee Journal. 1 merely said that I sold in 1906 about £240 worth of honey and did not say that it Avas from my own apiary, on increasing which I have spent nearly the whole of the p]"ofits made, only to lose all within a fcAv months. — W. Jarmax, Royston. THE B.B.K.A. CONVERSAZIONE. [8122.] It Avas rather unfortunate that the order of jiroceedings at the B.B.K.A. Con- versazione should haA'e been altered, as many of those aaIio had to leave earl}- to catch their trains Avere unable to see any- thing of the cinematograph entertain- ment. Had the original order been adhered to, it Avould have been possible even for those haA'ing some distance to go to have both seen the cinematograph and also to have beard Dr. ^talden's paper, March 30, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 127 only missing part of the discussion which followed, of which a very good idea might have been obtained by reading the printed report in the B.B.J. I had brought a young friend with me, who is anxious to begin bee-keeping on his own account, and the pictures Avould have been much more interesting to him than the technicalities of the "I. of W. " disease, but we Avere obliged to leave with- out seeing anything of them. I beg to suggest that, in future, those • subjects (where there is anything to be shown, such as jiictures, specimens, appli- ances, etc.) Avhich cannot be adequately described in ^Jiiiit, be taken first, especi- ally such as are unlikely to give rise to any lengthy discussion, and that no one subject should occupy more than an hour, each speaker after the first being limited to from five to ten minutes or less as the chairman may determine. In this way nearly everybody would be able to hear something of more than one subject, and those obliged to leave before the end would miss nothing but what they could see a good account of in the B.B.J. "Isle of Wight" Disease — Am i right in assuming that this scourge has destroyed every hive-bee in the island, and that bees cannot be re- introduced there? If so I take it the Isle of AVight has been beeless as far as the hive-bee is concerned for two or three years. It would be interesting to know how this has affected farmers and fruit-growers on the island with regard to the fertilisation of flowers and its effect on crops. — L. Illinuwobth. [An endeavour is generally made at these meetings to take the most important subjects first and to consult the conveni- ence of those who have been invited to read papers. It cannot be questioned that Dr. Maiden's paper was of greao im- portance to bee-keepers and many came icuig distances expressly for the pur- pose of hearing the matter discussed, and they had to return the same evening by train. Dr. Maiden also had to get back to Cambridge, and when scientists are invited by the B.B.K.A. to address its members it would hardly be courteous to allow a cinematograph entertainment to take the precedence, for after all this is more of an amusement which can be seen at many of the electric theatres through- out the country. No, the island has never been without bees, and we have had reports from bee-keepers all the time. The value of bees in fertilisation is so well established, that any scarcity of them must be detrimental. — Ed.] FOREIGN BEES AND DISEASE. [8123.] I have just lost my bees through the •' Isle of Wight " disease, and being a "back garden'' town hee-keeper. char- lock spraying, as a cause, can be counted out. Having thought over the matter for some time past, I am convinced that the cause is one for which we have no one but ourselves to blame. It is a well-known fact that human beings from more favoured climes cannot stand the climate of England. How many negroes do we find acclinifitised m this country, for instance? And is it not logical to infer that the continued impor- tation of Italian queens to this country, followed by the succession of bad seasons we have lately had, togethei- with the cold, damp winters, have been largely to blame for the creation of this new plague? The cf)nstitution of the good old Black British Bee, through countlevSs centuries strengthened to resist the rigours of our islands, has been seriously undermined by this unnatural propagation of an alien species, and, like the introduction of rabbits in Australia, and thistles in Cali- foi-nia^ — the dread results are with us and are likely to remain. 1 should like to sound this note of warn- ing t) fellow bee-brethren — if it be not ali-eady too late : Let us have no moi'e foreign blood introduced ; opinions as to its advantage from the honey harvest 2>oint of view are about equally divided, and it is at least possible that your humble servant has not understated his case against this more handsome race of bees. — A. Schofield, Beckenham. SPECIAL NOTICE. Next week a leaflet will be inserted in every Journal, and we shall esteem it a favour if each one of our readers will help to increase the circulation by placing this in the hands of a bee-keeping friend, or one interested in bees, who is not already a reader. AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS. ExTR.^CTS AND CoMMEJSTS. Bi/ D. M. Macdonald. Banff. V nivi'isitj/ Classes. — Syracuse Univer- sity, New York State, jiroposes to give a short apiculturiil course early in May. The lectures will be follo\Aed by demon- strations of the actual manipulations re- quired in the treatment of bees and bee diseases, (rlranings expresses approval cf this movement, and congratulates the bee- keepers of the State on this advance in apicultural instruction. Enliglitened Bee-keepcis. — An effort is being made in ^Michigan to get a new foul biood law passed, and the most extensive bee-keepers of the State are foremost in the movement, pleading for " very strin- gent measures to stamp out disease.'' One of the very largest bee-keepers writes : " Remember, brother bee-keepers of Michi- gan, we are depeiiding upon i/ini. and yon alone, to get tliis measure througli.'' 128 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 30, 1911. How very differently do these Princes of Beodom view the subject from some of our so-called extensive bee-keej)ers in this country! (And, N.B., the proposed Act contains "disinfection." Anotlier exten- sive bee-keeper and F.B. inspector, writes : " We use the McEvoy treatment entirely, and also require disinfection of hi^es by burning them out." He further adds : " Black bees prevailed in these small apiaries, yet where the work was faithfully performed I know of no failure ill the cure.") Yet another 1,000 colony man writes : " Hip ! hip ! hurrah ! Ver- mont at last has a Foul Bro'od Bill. If the big bee-keepers of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States, rejoice over the passing of effective repressive measures, why should our big men moan and groan over the very men- tion of a Bill.P On second thoughts, I must retract that statement, or rather iitcdify or qualify it by saying some exten- sive bee-keepers, because I know per- sonally, that many of our leading apiarists are enthusiastically in favour of legisla- tion. Old Comhs. — Some good bee-keepers be- lieve in regularly renewing their combs, uiainly tO' prevent the spread of disease, but some do so fearing that the constant shredding of the larval cocoons will, in course of time, contract the area of the cell, and so bring about a lessening of the life of the young bees. Many who have old combs can take comfort from the fol- lowing, from Dr. Miller : " I will be a bee-keeper fifty years next summer, and I never yet melted a comb because it was old." Enthusiasm. — Here is that ""j-oung man of ninety years," the sage of Marengo, as enthusiastic as ever, singing the praises of bee-keeping. A bee-keeper's life never becomes monotonous. He is enjoying life every day as he goes along. The pursuit is a healthy one. It is a " home " busi- ness, carried on in the centre of the family circle. It lengthens the span of a man',s life, and, moreover, lengthens the span of his efficiency. This last idea pleases me well ! " Age is not much of a handicap in bee-keeping. My largest crop of honey was harvested when I was seventy-seven years old." We Avill hope a yet larger crop will be the good Doctor's reward in this year of grace, when he will be eighty ! Riches may not always be the bee-keeper's reward, but here is something better — A long life and a happy one! .4 Nonarjenarian! — Mr. John Cline, Wis- consin, has the reputation of being the oldest bee-keeper, having had bees for eighty-six years. He harvested over 10001b. of comb honey last season. He I reads three bee papers, and adds, " I can't do without them." Swarm Control. — Mr. Hand, in Revieir, distinguishes between swarm prevention and swarm control. The former, he main- tains, "exists only in tne minds of brain- less philosophers." His system of swarm control secures the end by " forestalling the event by substituting the artificial for the natural." In fact, it is " shook swarming " without the shaking. He contends that he saves labour, saves bees, and saves brood ; all this the new system means to bee-keeping. And then, after dangling all this aggravatingly before our eyes, he proceeds to inform us that the equipment can onlj- be had " through his regixlar authorised agents." Buj/ing or " Baising " Bees. — Mr. Hutchinson reports that he increased forty colonies by 136 per cent., and that his results paid him better than if he had purchased more bees. If a colony is worth $5 it figures out about as follows : Hive, $1; Queen purchased, 75 cents: food, 75 cents; foundation, 50 cents: total, $3. He does not see why even a large apiary should not be thus dealt with, and pay in even an average year. A Lively Imagination. — A writer from this country makes the astounding asser- tion that Italians are less inclined to " resort to the fluids excreted by aphides, to damaged fruits, &c., than the black bees. No wonder Dr. Miller writes : " That's new. I wish the proof had been given." I looked up the reference, and A^as pleased to note that even the writer hiis doubts of his own "theory," and has the grace to add that Avith increase of knowledge even the theory "may require considerable modification." A little knowledge is a dangerous thing! A Winter Brood Nest. — A rather in- teresting discussion has been going on for some time, dealing ^ith this feature of successful wintering. Messrs. McEvoy and Byer, both of Canada, maintain that if bees are placed on solid blocks of sealed combs they will winter safely. Mr. Root, on the contrary, contends that a certain part of the lower half of combs in the centre of the brood nest should have vacant cells. Wc, in this country, favour this space, believing as we do, that this area forms the ideal clustering ground of the oval-shaped ball the bees instinctively form themselves into on the approach of zero weather. There is thus no severing of the solid phalanx as would result if one or more cold solid combs of sealed stores cut it into divided sections. Every cell will have a bee lying in semi- repose, with its head almost touching three bees on the other side of the comb in contiguous cells. This double layer is March 30, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. 129 protected by a clinging mass of bees in the space between each frame, rising up to the top of the cleared space, in order that all may be in direct or indirect contact Avith the fountain of life contained in the sealed cells wherein the nectar is stored. When feeding up driven bees I always like to re-arrange the combs, if all are solid slabs of honey after heavy, rapid feed- ing, and I would like to feel that they have such a space when winter packed as would show, say, three frames, with empty cells in the lower third of each frame. Queries and Replies. [4110] Storing honey in barrels. Siiper- clearers. I beg once again to ask the aid of your knowledge and advice on the following points. (1) Is there any evidence of the enclosed bees having died of "Isle of Wight" disease? They were taken from two stocks I bought three weeks ago, but the owner has, I find, had one or two stocks die recently. If these are affected, have I time to stop infec- tion spreading to my other colonies? (2) Would you also kindly state whether casks or barrels are ever used by honey producers or wholesalers for carrying or storing honey? (3) Is it usual for com- mercial bee-keepers to have a large supply of super-clearers for use, say one to each hive? Or do they use the same for only certain hives taking super (bees included) to the bee-house, and there brushing bees off oombs? (4) Do you know of any bee- keeper having used " Galvanit " to re-tin a honey ripener or can, or an extractor? I thought of experimenting with same on the bottom inside of my extractor. With many thanks and good wishes — A Small- holder, Stockbridge. Reply. (1) There are signs of " Isle of Wight" disease in the bees, destroy bees, all combs and internal fit- tings of the hive at once, and disinfect it. (2) These are used frequently abroad but not often in this country. They should be painted inside with melted beeswax first to prevent tainting the honey. (3) All supers should be cleared while on the hive with a Porter escape. To do as you sug- gest might induce robbing, An average of one escape to three hives will be ample. (4) We have no experience of this process. [4111.1 Obtaining Drawn-out Combs. — As I am a reader of the ' ' British Bee Journal '' I should like to ask you a question about a subject of which I am in doubt. If I place a frame with foundation in a hive containing drawn-out combs the result is an irregular comb. It states in the "Guide Book" that on no account should built-out combs be alternated with .sheets of foundation, or the result will be irregular combs. Taking this into account by what process can I obtain built-out combs from foundation without them being irregularly constructed ? — Cake, Belvedere. Reply. — If you read the '" Guide Book " carefully you will see that in .spring straight combs can be obtained by putting sheets of foundation between drawn combs, as at that time the bees are desirous to build comb. In autumn (and this is the part you have read) the opposite is the case ; the bees then store food in the combs already built, and for this purpose will elongate the cells in preference to build- ing new combs, Refer to pages 24, 25, and 151 of "Guide Book," when you will see the instructions you have i-ead are foi- dealing with driven bees. [4112] Mahing W.B.C. Rive. I shall be grateful if you will kindly answer the following questions • (1) I am going to make some W.B.C. hives; which wood is the best for the jjurpose, red deal or ordinary pitch-pine? (2) How thick should the wood be if the hives are to be double-walled? (3) What is best material for covering the hive-roofs, sheet zinc or calico painted? (4) Is there anything to prevent the tin honey-extractor rusting while not in use? (5) As I am going to form a nucleus, where should I "place it, near the parent stock or close to the stock which is to be re-queened when the proper time comes? (6) Where is the best place to keep foundation until required? 1 am a beginner, having .started with one stock of natives last spring which gave 321bs. of extracted honey, and is evidently doing very well now judging by the amount of pollen and water the bees have been carrying in. I find the "B.B.J." a veiitable boon to me, and always look forward to receiving it every Friday. 1 also have the ' Guide Book" and "Note-Book," both of which I find very useful for reference. — C. C, Stourbridge. Reply. — (1) Yellow pine is the best wood on account of its freedom from knots. (2) At least ^in. thick. (3) Calico painted, as it does not get so hot. (4) Immediately after the extractor is done with well wash in hot water, dry it before a fire and rub with a vaseline cloth. (5) About a couple of yards away from the colony to which the neucleus is going to be united. (6) Keep it in a dry warm place. As you have the "Note-Book" you will see that the thickness of the wood is given for all parts of the W.B.C. hive. Many thanks for your appreciation of the Journal, we are glad it is a help to you. [4113.] A Novice's Queries. — Kindly reply to the following questions. (1) Are bees total abstainers because they will not touch stale beer as wasps and flies do? (2) We buy lib. jars that have been used for jam. The weight of honey they can hold is more than a pound in each jar: is 130 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 30, 1911. it a. gr&at waste of honey. (3) Where can we get 1 or 2 oz. jars suitable for samples, and state price. (4) How can the bees v\-ork in dark hives that have no windows, and why don't they go out in the night? (o) I see in the paper entitled '" How long animals live," the life of a queen bee is one or two years. Is this correct? (6) Which is the best sort of willow to plant for the bees? — W. H. (Cambridge). Reply. — (1) Bees are clean feeding creatures, wasps and flies are carnivorous and act as scavengers, hence the former's objection to stale beer. (2) The question is not quite clear. If for home use there is no waste, but if sold as a pound of honey then you are not wasting, but giving it away. To prevent robbing your- self, weigh the jar first, and then charge for the actual weight of honey put in. (3) Write to the dealers who advertise in our columns, no doubt they will be able to supply you. (4) The hives are not totally dark, also by means of the antennae the bee can find its way about inside the hive by the sense of touch. The temperature is too low as a rule for bees to fly at night, and also you must know that the majority of flowers close up at sun down. (5) The queen in a natural state lives about five years. (6) The ordinary willow {Salix caprea), which produces pollen in abundance. Notices to Correspondents. (Mrs.) J. (Winchester). — Bees Dying.— The bees have apparently dwindled through the queen being too old. Melt the combs down for wax, and etairt with full sheets of foundation in clean frames. Suspected Disease. A. F. B. (Bexhill). — The bees appear to be suffering from " Isle of Wight " disease. Destroy the stock at once, burn combs and all internal fittings and scorch out the hive as if disinfecting for foul brood. C. T. (Ashford). — If you will send on a few live bees from the affected hives we shall be better able to say what is the matter with them. W. M. P. (Enfield). — We regret to say that the bees show every sign of " Isle of Wight" disease. F. T. (T^dworth). — We cannot find any trace of "Isle of Wight" disease. It is evidently a case of spring dwindling. Anxious (Four Oaks). — The bees have dysentery ; there are also signs of " Isle of Wight " disease. On no account must you use the combs or food for other stocks. Best destroy these and disinfect the hive as for foul brood. It can then be u.sed again. H. G. G. (Farnborough). — ^The bees were too dry for us to say if they died of disease. 8o far as we can judge starva- tion was the cause of death. Please note change of address. Warwickshire Reader (Hockley Heath). — Your supposition is right, the bees have dwindled, and want of warmth has prevented them moving to the food. They Jiave consequently succumbed to starvation. J. G. S. H. (xVshbourne). — The bees were so crushed in post through bad packing that we could do nothing with them. They should have been enclosed in a tin box. (Several letters, dec, are in type, hut ar>' unavoidably held over till next iceek.) Special Prepaid Advertisements. SPECZAI. NOTICE. The prices of advertisements in " Special Pre- paid " Column have been revised, and are notu as follows : — Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 5s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. WANTED, GOOD HONEY EXTRACTOR.- Particulars and price to RAYMOND PENNY, KnowJs, Taunton. h 18 HONEY. One 28Ib. tin to spare, 8d. lb. WAIN, Thorpe Bank, Wainfleet. h 19 4 GOOD SKEPS BEES, 15s. each.— A. J. PHILLIPS, 25 AJtoert-strieet, Stevemagie, Herts. h 20 WHAT OFFERS? 3 bound volumes of " B.B.J.," 1887, '88, '89.— CADMAN, corn mierchant, Hay. h 21 WANTED, EXTRACTOR, LAMP, UNCAP- PING KNIVES, in good oondition.- MISS GORDON, Weithersfieid-plaoei, Braintnee, Essex. h22 LADY BEEKEEPER OFFERS BOARD; simple life, lovely country.— McPHERSON, BredOins No.rton, Worcestensliire. h 23 TWO STRONG STOCKS FOR SALE, with rack sectionis, 25s. each.— HALL, 230 High-stmeieit, RochiBsteiT, Kent. h 14 WANTED, 2 or 3 cwt. LIGHT ENGLISH HONEY; price with sample.— R. CARTER, Chartridge, Chesham, Bucks. h 15 ^f\ HIVES, including standard frames, 5s. ^\J each for 10 or 16 frames; also 4 Ford WeiUs, 8s. each, with plenty of lift, newly painted, only safe and sound goods forwarded; can be seen ait 3 GladiStone Cottages, Norwood Green, Southall.— Addireiss, P. HANSEN, gardener and bee expert, 59 CastJebar-road, Ealing, Middliesex. (h 16 SALE OR EXCHANGE, SEVERAL WELL- MADE HIVES; guaranteied sound and healthy.— ASTON, Powdck, Worcester. WANTED. SEVERAL STOCKS OF BEES; state number and full paTtdculars.— WEBB, BroomfieM Gardens, Sunimngdal/e, Berks. h 26 April 6, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 131 Editorial, Notices, &c THE -ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. Now that tke prevalence of this disease has been brought so prominently forward by the British Bee-keepers' Association, it is desirable that bee-keepers throughout the country should co-operate for the purpose of obtaining such information as may lead to a better knowledge of the cause of the great mortality among bees. When this knowledge has been gained we have no doubt that means will be devised for either checking the spread of the disease or of efficiently curing affected colonies. Although the Board of Agricul- ture have had the matter under investiga- tion for some time, much more information is needed before any conclusion can be arrived at or recommendations made. Dr. Maiden has asked the B.B.K.A. to appoint a committee to assist him in collecting more information and to be of any use we must have the co-operation of bee-keepers in obtaining it. The question is a national one, as it not only affects bee-keepers, but fruit growers as well ; we Avould therefore ask to have such particulars sent to us as Dr. Maiden asks for on pages 132-3, and we will properly tabulate them so that they may be available for reference. As there appears to be s^me idea that the mortality may be due to poisoning owing to charlock spraying, full particulars should be given as to when it first commenced among the bees, and whether it was before or after the spraying. So far chemical examination of the bodies of large numbers of diseased bees has failed to show the presence of either arsenic or copper. It is, however, a matter that could easily be decided, and no doubt some of the Agricultural Colleges would undertake it if asked to do .so by the proper authorities. We would there- fore ask our readers to help in the way we have suggested so that progress may be reported during the coming season, and some solution of the trouble discovered. iBRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION THE CONVERSAZIONE. {Continned from page 125). Cultivations from the chyle stomach of the affected bees frequently showed no colonies, although numerous bacilli had been seen in the smears. In a very large number of instances some variety of the hay bacillus was present which grew so rapidly as to cover and •obliterate all other bacteria. In only a very few instances was it possible to isolate the pestiform organism, which grew very slowly. The cultural characters of the bacillus •were fully described in my report to the Board of Agriculture, and I will not here repeat them. In order to prove that a particular organism is the cavise of a particular disease, it is essential that the organism must first be grown in pure culture and then by innoculation or feed- ing reproduce the disease in healthy specimens. Innoculations are, of course, out of the question in work on bees, and since the disease probably gains access to the body of the bee by the mouth, it was natural to expect that feeding experiments would prove \\ hether the pest- iform bacillus was capable of producing the disease in healthy bees. In this, however, the results have been negative, and so far the disease has not been re- produced by feeding healthy bees with syrup with which the bacilli had been mixed. So far also other infection ex- periments have given negative results. Infected bees, or at least bees from in- fected stocks, have been introduced into hives containing only healthy bees, but up to the present time it has not been found possible to introduce the disease by this method. A great deal more work is required before these points can be re- garded as settled one way or another, and these experiments must be repeated because though the evidence seems to point strongly to the fact of the disease being an infection, so far the infection experiments have given negative results. If you carry out experim^ents in a neigli- bourhood where disease is already present, it would be folly, because the bees might introduce it in that way, and your results would be wrong. We have found that it is possible to keep bees in confinement in a building with a large muslin cage in front, and when fresh flowers are put there every day, they will live for upwards of a year, but it is not absolutely a normal condition, and it does not do to attach too much importance to an experi- ment of that nature. On Monday, March 13th, 1911, I visited Mr. Walter Jarman, Royston, who told me that he had kept bees since 1885, and for the last ten years had been solely dependent on them for his living. The best 3'ear he had was in 1906, when he sold honey and wax to the value of £240. He had invested a good deal of money in hivas and appliances and tried so far as he could to have everything as perfect as possible. He painted his hives every spring and kept them clean ; they were all modern box hives, well made and warm. He had only tmce been troubled with foul brood, which was introduced by foreign combs, but had easily got rid of that complaint. In June, 1910, he had 160 hives in his apiary, which was situated close to his house. He had thought that his stocks looked stronger and better than thev had ever done before, and he 132 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 6, 1911. quite contemplated getting a good honey harvest after three rather bad years. About the middle of June he noticed that the bees from one of his strongest and best hives were dropping on the grass in front of it, and were unable to fly off the ground. On opening the hive the brood was plentiful and seemed healthy, and there were plenty of stores. The bees continued to die off rapidly and were all dead by September. About one month after, that is the middle of July, the next hive to. the one first affected showed signs of the disease ; there had been no robbing that he could detect from the first hive. All the bees were dead by September. At the latter end of July a third hive, situated some distance from the first two, began to be affected, and in a few days a fourth, not very far off, also developed the disease. From the middle of August the disease spread rapidly, first affecting the hives nearest to those that were originally infected, and a good deal of robbing now went on, and was impossible to prevent. By the end of October fifty hives had gone, and the disease continued to spread all through the winter, so that now he lias less than thirty remaining, and several of these show signs of being affected. The nearest apiary in which disease had appeared be- fore his own began to suffer is situated about If miles from his house. He had imported no outside stocks or queens, all his appliances were new, and he never used frames or sections a second time. Mr. Jarman has no doubt in his own mind that the disease is an infectious one, and Avas either introduced from the apiary. If miles away, or else, from the founda- tion wax which he used for his frames. He is of opinion that the young bees are affected very soon after emerging from their cells. He frequently noticed that batches of young bees on their first flight were unable to fly far, and frequently tried to enter other hives, and conse- quently were killed. He had never seen any appearances to make him think that the brood was affected, and the queens never showed any signs of the disease. His bees were almost entirely English, with only a very slight strain of Italian blood in them. This tale of disaster, which has prac- tically ruined a hard-working and pre- viously successful bee-kee)>er, gives much ground for reflection. What has hap- pened in this case has happened before in other parts of the country, and will assuredly happen again in any apiary to which this virulent pest gains access. I Had this man burnt the first lot that | showed sign of disease he might have es- I caped the great loss that has fallen on j him. I say he might, I cannot say for | certain that he would have escaped, as. we dO' not know the exact incubation period, or when a newly infected hive be- comes capable of spreading the infection, but it is the only safe treatment to adopt, and the bee-keeper who trifles Avith sul- phur or medicated syrujis is lost. There are 1jwo points in this little history that deserve notice : (1) That the young bees a2:)peared to be affected early, if not at the very be- ginning of the outbreak. This point has not, to my knowledge, been noted previously, and if it is a fact, it goes some way towards proving that the disease originates in the hive and is not conveyed to it by foraging bees, which was the explanation I had al- ways considered the most probable. 1 hope all bee-keepers who are ainfor- tunate enough to have outbreaks of the disease in their apiaries will make careful notes on this point. (2) The theory that the disease may be introduced by means of infected foun- dation wax. This theory, on the face of it, seems to be extremely improbable, when the process of cleaning and pre- paring wax for foundations is enquired into. I believe it is a fact that the impure wax, which has previously been melted into cakes, is subjected to the action of superheated steam. This, if continued long enough, would certainly destroy any germs, even spores, that were present in the wax. Experiences of other observers, do not lend any support to this theory. In several instances swarms have entered hives whose original inhabitants have died from this disease and made use of old combs, without contracting the com- plaint. In some instances frames from infected hives have been placed in healthy ones without communicating the infec- tion. To my mind, it requires most con- clusive proof of the possibility of any germs escaping destruction in the process of purifying the wax before we can accept this as even a possible source of contam- ination. I am now making some experiments. Avith the crude wax, melted down from combs, and also Avith foundation wax, to see if there is any possibility of infec- tious germs being carried in this manner. May I be allowed, in conclusion, to lay before the Association a few of the points, on which more information is required, and ask for the co-operation of its mem- bers in obtaining it : (1) Accurate information as to how the- disease is introduced into an apiary. This is sometimes a most diflScult mat- ter to be sure of, and sometimes it is- April 6, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 133 quite impossible to be certain of how that introduction takes place; but a careful observation of the facts, coupled with our present knowledge of what has luippened in other cases, will enable a bee-keeper to arrive at a reasonably fair conclusion. (2) Whether the disease appeai-s first in the foraging bees or in the young ones before they have left the hive. (3) Whether the drones are affected. In- formation on this point is scanty, and it is desirable to know if the drones acquire the disease in the same way as the workers. (4) Whether there are any cases in which a stock has recovered after being affected by the disease. At present I have no recorded cases of complete re- covery ; in some there has been a partial recovery, but the complaint has even- tually destroyed the entire stock. (5) Whether English or foreign bees ap- pear most susceptible. It has been sug- gested by some bee-keepers that Italian or hybrid stocks are more resistant than the English, but the point is not quite clear. (6) Accurate observations as to the first appearance of the disease in difi^erent localities. (7) Information as to any remedial measures which have seemed to be of value in checking the complaint. (8) Information as to the incubation period of the disease — i.e., how long an interval elapses after one hive is affected before a second one shows signs also. (9) Some method of collecting and tabulat- ing information on these points, so as to make the information of practical value in adding to our knowledge. (10) Providing a supply of diseased bees for further bacteriological research. The Chairman (Mr. Cowan) said they all felt very much indebted to Dr. Maiden for addressing them on this subject ; it was a most important one, and a serious matter to bee-keepers, because of the rapid spread of the disease. Dr. Maldon had asked for information, and he would be pleased if there was anyone present who could help in this respect. He would like to ask Dr. Maldon with regard to the brood, whether he understood him correctly that the brood was not aflFected, and if this was so whether it was safe to give the brood of a hive that has died out, or is dying out with this disease, to another colony, taking care not to give any of the affected adult bees. Mr. Bullamore understood Dr. Maiden to argue that the trouble could not be due to poisonous pollen or honeydew. Supposing, for instance, it is one of the plant parasites similar to bunt that attacks the pollen. When the bee gathered that it would be stored and used in every month of the year, because the bees use pollen all the while they are breeding. There had been a great increase of parasitic disease in plants owing to the bad weather, and if during a spell of fine weather the particular form of plant parasites that are produced by honeydew are prevalent, the bees would gather that in the absence of other nectar. That would be poisonous, when it got into the stomach, if absorbed by the bee. If they looked into the history of bee-keeping, they would find that whenever there were spells of bad weather, thi-s sort of trouble appeared. He found that in 1861 Mr. Woodbury stated that this form of dysentery in whi^rh the abdomen was distended was only too common, and was due to starvation or damp hives, and suggested that the bees had died of internal moisture. They never seemed to haA'e bees die of starvation or internal moisture now, but it is generally put down to the Isle of Wight disease. He had hunted up some five or six cases him- self, and when he had got genuine information about five of them he had found they all had food trouble. When the bowel contents are examined, one finds, in addition to pollen, a large amount of yeast, plant-- which should not be present in the bowel of properly fed bees. He thought that the whole difficulty in investigating the disease was because they thought it an infectious disease instead of a food trouble, and he would like the disease investigated from that standpoint. Mr. Sander said that in the latter part of last summer his neighbour, who had only started bee-keeping that year, lost all her bees. She removed before Christmas, and he had taken her house, and about the 12th December he moved his bees into this next garden. He had at the time four strong, healthy stocks. Some time early in the year when he looked at one of the hives he found that the bees were all dead. A few weeks later, in February, he thought, to make sure that the bees had enongh food, he would give them some candy. In the first hive he opened 'he found the bees were all dead. The other two were alive and he gave them candy. Since then there was a suspicious quietness about the hives, and the other day — last Saturday week — he opened them and found they were quite cold inside and the bees dead. That seemed to point to the fact that it was the site that developed the disea.se, as in the garden next door they had been perfectly healthy. They were warmly protected, and the hives were full of stores, so that they could not have died of starA'ation. Nevertheless the fact remains that they all died. Mr. Paul said his experience was similai* to that of Mr. Sander. He had three- stocks, and about the middle of Decembei- he found the bees crawling about outside 134 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 6, 1911. on the ground, and a great number of them died. He sent some up to the " British Bee Journal" and got the answer too familiar to most of them, that it was evident they had the Isle of Wight disease. Very shortly afterwards he found two stocks had died out, and the third stock appeared to be all right, but a few days ago, seeing some of the bees crawling about on the ground, he opened this and found the bees reduced to a mere handful, so he had lost almost all his bee.s. His apiary was about a quarter of a mile away from Mr. Sander, so the disease was in the district. Mr. Toms said in his experience he found the disease occurred about the beginning of July. He had five hives, and noticed one day that some of the bees were crawling about on the ground, but as there had been a good deal of rain, he thought that they had been beaten down by it, and took no further notice for a few days. A few days later he found a great many more crawling about, and since then all the colonies had died out. The young bees were attacked, and it was a pitiable sight to see thousands of young bees unable to rise from the ground. The colonies were all in good condition, and the bees were descendants of those he had in his apiary for years and they were not imported or foreign bees, and as far as he could see there was no reason for them to get the disease from surroundings. At the end of September he got two lots of driven bees and put them into hives with co-mbs from which the bees bad died, and he was anxiously waiting to see whether the bees will emerge and get the disease from these combs and hives or not. He sincerely hoped that Dr. Maiden would find some remedy, so that they would be able to overcome this disease. A question was here sent up asking, " Have experiments been tried with bees in hives constructed of material other than w^ood or straw ?" Rev. Downes-Shaw said it was extra- ordinary how this disease seemed to jump about ;over intervening parts of the country. He believed that it was in the South of Cambridgeshire, and he had heard of no case in the North, but last year one of their most successful bee- keepers— a man who took prizes at most of the shows — lost nearly all his apiary. This disease had jumped right into Norfolk. Of course the question was why did it jump across these tracts of country, and the only reply he could find was that people were in the habit of buying honey and wax from all parts of the country, and in this way they have probably brought the disease in the honey. He did not know, but this seemed a plausible reason why the disease got right into their midst. If it was anything to do with the flowers why did not his bees have it, but he had had no case in his apiary. When they got to Massingham the bee-keepers there say nearly every stock was swept out. Mr. Crawshaw asked Dr. Maiden if it was found that continuous culture had been effective, and if so what medium was found to be the best ? Whether diluted honey would be possible or suitable as a medium ? He rather gathered that he adduced the inability of the bees to fly to a kind of paralysis of the muscles. He would like to know how he reconciled this with the foeces of the bees in the hive. One of the audience here mentioned that in 1907 the disease broke out at Albury Heath, near Guildford, where 32 out of 35 stocks were lost. In the same year about one hundred stocks perished in a corner of Bucks and Herts. Mr. Herrod asked Dr. Maiden if ever he had found queens affected. Another speaker believed the disease was due to pollen poisoning. It broke out early in June in his locality when bees were gathering from wild mustard, and again in the autumn when working on cultivated mustard. In bad cases he had found a small number of the larvae affected. Dr. Maiden had said that the bee-keeper who trifled with sulphur was lost, but he had found this the only thing that had been of the slightest use. Mr. Kidd thought that if they had to theorise it seemed to him that the out- break in the Isle of Wight might be due to foreign honey, and he would suggest that investigations be made in foreign countries where the honey comes from and see if any disease in the bees could be traced. This will help them in the matter. Mr. Reid said Dr. Maiden had given them some very interesting information, and he thought they were naturally bound to give him any scraps of knowledge gained in their apiaries. It is, of course, most important, if they could possibly trace the origin of the dis- ease. He got it into his apiary and lost all his bees in about two weeks. He be- lieved it came to him from the Woking direction, because he traced the apiary that was infected next to his, and at Woking three or four years ago there was a case in the apiary of one of their own members who was present. It seems that the infection was first at Maybury, then it came to Addlestone, and there all the bees have died. He had tried various remedies, and the only thing that he had found of any use in prolonging the life of the bees was Bulgarian sour milk. Using it regularly in the household he had it fresh every day, and he gave it to the bees with diluted honey. The two colonies that were not treated in this way died very soon, but the other four hives he kept all April 6, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 135 the autumn. They were weak when they went into winter quarters, but by degree.s, as he had not time to persevere with the feeding, the last lot died out. He did not know whether this was a remedy which might be utilised ; but at all events there was partial success with it, and if he had had more time to devote to it he might have carried it out with more success. It would be worth while for others who have time to try it, but it is only a remedy, and not a cure. He was quite sure his bees did not get their disease from mustard because there was none in his district. He did not think it had anything to do with the flora becauise they had the disease in patches, only in certain places, and you must either trace it in having been brought by foreign honey into this country or otherwise by means of bees and swarms. It is most difficult to say how the disease (in these days of rapid transit) is carried. They lived under different conditions from their forefathers, and thought nothing of sending bees and bee-products from • country to country, or from one part of the country to another, and if they could prevent the introduction of foreign bees and bee-products he thought they would have a better chance of keeping their stocks alive. (Concluded next week). AMONG THE BEES. BEE-KEEPING IN NEW ZEALAND. By B. M. Macdonald, Banff. The Genesis of the Industry. — Just about seventy years ago the first Bishop of New Zealand left our shores and with him as his chaplain went the Rev. W. C. Cotton, author of " My Bee Book." An enthusiastic bee-keeper at home he deter- mined to carry with him some hives of bees, being encouraged thereto by a state- ment in one of the earliest works published on the Colony, wherein is recorded that ''many of the flowers abound with honey. ^' Mr. Cotton determined " to make a good try at bringing it to pass that bees should be established there," and so be able to confer on the natives and colonists the pleasure and profits of having bees of their own. A true patriot, he believed that '"the bee of England like the man of England is surpassed by none in the world," and so he determined to have nothing to do with bees from India, America, or New Holland, but to carry with him over the 6,000 miles of ocean the ■genuine home product. In his " Bee Book " he gives us a lucid description of his mode of procedure in preparing them for the lengthy journey. In order that he might accomplish his purpose with at least a measure of success he had several alter- native schemes. If one went wrong the other might succeed- Even at that early date, the Rev. Mr. Cotton made a resolu- tion that bee-keeping should be in- augurated in the Colony on " the no kill- ing way." A Languishing Industry.- — Let me give just another kaleidoscopic glance at the industry after a period of nearly fifty years. With so fine a climate as the greater part of New Zealand is blessed with and such a wealth of bee flora as is seldom met with anywhere else one would imagine the industry would advance by leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, ignorance of the habits and requirements of Apis MelUfica. the lack of interest in the industry, the faulty homes of the honey-bees used, the scant demand for the produce, and the difficulty of packing, forwarding, and dis- posing of surplus, hindered its rapid deve- lopment. Few, too, appreciated the value of the industry, and bees were scarcely to be purchased for love or money. Then, more unfortunately still, when some began importing, foul brood was introduced. With that the woes of the antipodean apiarist began. Box hives and log gums were the favourite form of hives for a long time. Eventually, however, frame hives became more common, and now these only are authoritatively recognised as legal bee- domiciles. The act automatically drives out the ignorant and careless, leaving only the men who adopt up-to-date appliances. Each man before this period was a law unto himself, and consequently the in- dustry could not prosper. Indeed, it lan- quished almost to the point of utter extinction. A Bising Industry. — Several pioneers battled against the severe handicap, some even starting anew repeatedly after their apiaries had been devastated. One man deserves special mention for the part he took in the good work of rejuvenating api- culture, viz., Mr. Isaac Hopkins, who after- wards became Government Apiculturist, a position from which he retired only last year. The restoration of the industry may be largely ascribed to his untiring efforts. Another power for good was the fact that the New Zealand Department of Agriculture considered bee-culture worthy of recognition. They now run two State apiaries, one a model apiary (the illustra- tion in recent Bulletin would lead one to conclude that it really deserves its name), at Ruakura, and a queen-rearing apiary at Waerenga. The Department issued last year an excellent Bulletin, the former one of 35,000 copies being exhausted. It deals with every phase of the industry, and is a most informative compilation. The State also supports a "Cadet" department in their model apiary, where young people of either sex may engage in a course of in- struction, witii an opportunity of gaining a certificate at the conclusion of their course. Further, these apiaries are open 136 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 0, 1911. to all persons desiring instruction. Ladie.s, it is pleasing to record, take " an active part in actual work, even putting together and painting the hives, making the frames, and doing everything necessary on a bee- farm." A lady, a first-class expert of the B.B.K.A., and an ex-student of Swanley College, is in charge of the model apiary. .4. Paying Industry. — The fact that the Department of Agriculture took bee-keep- ing under its segis put new life and energy into the industry, but nothing could have made it so prosperous as it now is if the authorities had not wisely passed "The Apiaries Act " — the most efficient for deal- ing with foul brood in the world. Two of the most commendable features of this Act are — -1st : Frame hives only are recognised as fit domiciles for bees. 2nd : Disease where it makes itself manifest is stamped out thoroughly, and drastic disinfection follows every attempt at a cure. Olover is the staple source of nectar supply, and yields the finest honey, but " bush " honey is abundant over a wide area and supplies the largest surplus takes. Mr. Hopkins advises that bee-keeping should be carried on in combination with some other in- dustry, and he instances fruit-growing and poultry-farming as the most suitable to associate with it. A few extensive apiaries are found, one consisting of nearly 1,000 hives, and the owner claims to turn out 33 tons of honey annually, finding a ready sale for it> at a satisfactory figure. In- tending emigrants could get information about the best locations from the Govern- ment Apiarist, Wellington, or the High Commissioner, London. The Future of the Industry.— With the suppression of the box-hive, the curbing or destruction of disease, and the enlight- ened aid of the Department of Agriculture in fostering, extending, and encouraging bee-keepers, the industry has every pros- pect of a bright future in the Dominion. In many parts the climate is as fine as any in the world, bee-flora is abundant, and honey of a fine quality can be produced. The trained cadets will yearly spread over the length and breadth of both islands and disseminate a knowledge of the practice of iipiculture at its best. The fine queens turned out from the Government queen- rearing apiary, must greatly improve the stock and gradually " leaven " the entire race. The good ship " Tomatin " arrived in New Zealand just seventy years ago almost to a day. That was the day of small things. Mr. Cotton's "four stocks of bees" is now represented by a large army num- bering many thousands. I would prophesy that the industry is only in its infancy and that it will yet make great and giant strides in New Zealand, a land so highly favoured climatically for the successful prosecution of our industry. Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. CHARLOCK SPRAYING AND DISEASE. [8124.] I have read with great interest the correspondence which has appeared in the B.B.J, on the subject of the "Isle of Wight " disease, and especially the first part of Dr. Maiden's address, published in the issue of March 30th. There is one definite. hypothesis put for- ward of the origin of the disease, and that is the spraying of charlock. Whether there is any likelihood of this hypothesis being a correct oUe, I am not in a position to say, but unless the attribution ot the disease to the spraying of charlock] is altogether absurd, what I wish to ask you is, what steps is it proposed to take to test the only definite theory which has hitherto been propounded ? It would surely be the greatest folly, in view of the enormous damage caused by the disease, to let another season pass without carrying out some experiments to ascertain whether the theory is correct or not. It would not require much ingenuity, to my mind, to devise some means by which some stocks of bees could be allowed aecess to charlock sprayed with sulphate of copper, and others denied access to it, the forage being in other respects the same. Let such an experiment be repeated two or three times, and there can be no further doubt for ever after whether the " Lsle of Wight " dis- ease is caused by the spraying of charlock or not. Dr. Maiden, throughout his address (and especially in a paragraph printed on p. 122 where he speaks of " any cause save infection"), would appear to assume that if the disease is caused by infection it can- not be caused by anything else. But why not .P I criticise with all deference, being neither a bacteriologist nor even a very proficient or experienced bee-keeper ; but to my lay mind there seems to be nothing impossible in the conjecture that the dis- ease may originate with the poisoned char- lock in the first instance, and may after- wards be conveyed from bee to bee. Should this be a true account of the case, neither can Mr. Schofield (B. B. J., March 30th, p. 127) be sure that the loss of his beosj was not due, ultimately, to the spraying; nor can the back-garden bee-keepers men- April 6, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 137 tioned by Mr. Drew (B. B. J., March 16th, p. 106) count with certainty on the immunity which they have hitherto enjoyed. I most heartily agree with Mr. Desmond (p. 115) and Mr. Cheal (p. 126) that all pcssible information on the subject should be obtained and examined. Was the char- lock spraying practised for the first time in the Isle of Wight in 1904, or for the first time in 1908 in that portion of North Wales marked with a cross in the map accompanying the report of Dr. Maiden's address ? Supposing the answers to theise two questions were in the affirmative, they would constitute the strongest presump- tive evidence that spraying is the cause of the disease. The answers cannot be diffi- cult to obtain : surely, then, it is our duty to obtain them. Mr. Stephens' letter (Journal, March 30th, p. 126) is not conclusive. He says he loses a few stocks, but he does not tell us if he has noticed the symptoms of "Isle of Wight" disease. It may be that charlock-spraying has been carried on in some cases without the bees taking any harm. But we must not conclude from that that it may not be the cause in other cases. Bees may be visiting other flowers, and not the spraj'ed char- lock. Or again, it might be a matter of degree. A little poison is often innocuous where much is fatal. That is why, in any experiment, the bees must be carefully watched to see that they visit the poi.soned flowers, and the sulphate of copper must be applied in varying quantities. As to the experiments I suggested, let me say that I for one would be very glad to subscribe to a fund devoted to the purpose of having them carried out. I must confess to a feeling of irritation when I read so many unverified surmises in the Journal, and so few statements based on reliable evidence. We need more data, better sifted ; that is certain ; jorobably more open-air experiment, carefully carried out ; and of laboratory research it is, of course, impossible to have too much. — H. Balfour Gardiner. [Up to the present, chemical examination of diseased bees has failed to show the presence of poison, but we hope a thorough investigation, as suggestedi by our con'es- pondent, will be made with a view to determining whether spraying has any- thing to do with the mischief. We cer- tainly need more data, based on reliable evidence, and this is what the Board of Agriculture are endeavouring to obtain. — Ed.] NOTES BY THE WAY. [8125] The month of March has sus- | tained its character for varied weather, i rough and cold days predominating. How have the bees fared during this cold spell? There have been but few days on which they could leave their hives in search of the needful pollen and water ; those bee- keepers who have taken the trouble to provide a constant supply of both in a sheltered spot near the hives, especially where a large number of hives are kept, will be amply repaid by the flourishing con- dition of their stocks. Small apiaries can generally find sufficient natural pollen and do not require any substitute. There has not been a day during the month when hive-j could be examined with safety to the brood, and so I have continued to feed candy and some thin syrup in the open, when the weather has been warm enough for the bees to be about. " Is the ' Isle of Wight ' disease infectious .^ " asks Mr. Bullamore. I have a letter from a gentle- man in Scotland, living some 30 miles from Glasgow, who ^\ rites, " In June, 1909, I pur- chased a swarm from Surrey and hived the bees on foundation in the usual way. Soon afterwards I noticed something was wrong with them, some were crawling about on the alighting board and others up the legs of the hive; remedies were tried, but the stoek died and also twelve others out of the fourteen comprising the apiary. The remaining two stocks died during the winter of 1910." This cccuiTed some 300 miles north of the source of contagion or infection and is proof enough for me that this swarm carried the disease with them, and that the healthy stocks in the apiary were infected by this means, as the nearest apiary was three miles distant in a bee- line, and there have been no losses amongst other bee-keepers in that district.. I notice in report of British Bee-keepers' Association meeting that the bees at the Association's apiary have nearly all perislied from the '"Isle of Wight" disease. Can Mr. Herrod give any clue as to its first outbreak in that place ? and if any remedies were tried ; also if other bees have died in or near Swanley. I trust that every bee-keeper who is so unfortunate as to get this dis- ease in his apiary will give his experience in the Bee Journal, and endeavour to prevent its spread as much as possible by burning and burying the ashes of all frames, combs, wraps, and bees, disinfecting the hives if worth keeping, or if old, split them up for firewood, making sure that the wood is put where foraging bees cannot reach it. Th-? ground should be dug over, taking care that the top soil is well buried. Those whose bees are infected should not examine any neighbouring stocks after handling diseased hives, as you may convey the germs to healthy stocks. I appeal to bee-keepers not to sell stocks or swarms from infected apiaries — except to neighbours who wish to re-start — and I hope our Editor will publish a list of the 138 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 6, 1911. names of districts where the "Isleof Wight " disease is known to exist, so that Ibee- keepers may not order from those places. We must remember that this "Isle of Wight " disease is much more deadly than the worst type of foul brood.— W. WooDLEY, Beedon, Newbury. CAPPINGS OF COMB. BY L. S. CEAWSHAW, NORTON, MALTON, YORKS. Roney prices (page 78).— The "Con- crete ExamiDle" which D. M. M. adduces does not quite demonstrate the tendency of honey to decline in price. Thus, taking his figures, when pork was 5 cents per lb., honey was 6^ cents ; when pork rose to 10 cents honey was 9 cents. So that the value of honey shows a distinct and gratifying increase, even though there may not have been the same forces behind the prices Will D. M. M. give the Banff prices to which he refers? And is the inference that less income, due to the drop in price, is derived from the sale of honey than used to be the case "some years ago?" Nucleus or Nuclei (page 78).— Dr. Miller and D. M. M. seem to have had quite a little verbal "set-to" over points of grammar. They are both learned men, ^nd I fear them accordingly. But D. M. M.'s argument that "forming- nuclei" and "nuclei-forming" are inter- changeable terms would seem to be a good reason for sticking to the better-known and more orthodox phrase. Certainly if one were to use the latter in an examina- tion paper without at the same time a long explanatory note (and even then!) it would not be unlikely that each obtuse and hard-hearted examiner would exercise the point of his blue pencil! I am irre- sistibly reminded of the child story about ^'keeping a bee." If it is to be under- stood that a bee-keeper is a keeper of bees, could he write himself a bee-keeper to make it plain, without transgressing the "rules of common sense?" As to "queen-right," is not D. M. M over-critical? I feel like Saul among the prophets, but it does seem to express shortly a condition which would other- wise require a sentence. "Shook" swarming, and "chunk" honey are, no doubt, reprehensible slang, but surely ^1 apron'' and "lid" are good English. "Apron" has several technical meanings, and may include the alighting board, whilst "lid " is appropriate to the Ameri- can type of roof. I do not, however, sug- gest that these are the best terms, as I believe in uniformity of technical terms. Thus, T hope we may yet see " European " and "American" foul-brood replaced across the water by "black-brood" and "foul- brood." Should there be, as is suggested, any local difficulty with nomenclature in existing disease laws, it may be possible to amend the laws to cover mere change of terminology, and new laws will no doubt make their inclusiveness clear. Colour and Choler (page 81). — It is doubtful whether D. M. M. will have alto- gether disposed of the theory that colour affects the temper of bees. These things die hard. Many of the cases he gives are hardly effective evidence. For instance, bees induced to sting by pressure of a garment. Such bees are not intending to sting, and are not free to choose their locus. Their action merely proves that like begets like, the pressure of a collar inducing temioer ! But I should expect a white garment which had been worn for a week to be more provocative than a Sun- day black ! For I believe in the efficacy of cleanliness as an associate of godliness. No doubt some of the past evidence has been due to the kindly fact that black does not show the dirt. Bees are, however, creatures of habit, and will follow a friendly lead, so that a coat which has been once stung is more likely to become a "cloak of maliciousness" than a "gar- ment of salvation." Foul-brood Legislation (page 84). — (1) The comparison between a reduction from 30 per cent, to 5 per cent, and a reduction from 60 per cent, to 7 per cent, is not necessarily favourable to the latter. Expressed graphically it might give a curve showing greater difficulty in dis- posal of the later 2 per cent, than an earlier 30 per cent. (2) Mr. Samways attacks my suggestion of a gauze tent upon, I think, mistaKen grounds. Perhaps he has not actually used one. It is not essential that the tent should interfere Avith the hive entrance, nor that the top should be closed . (3) I am willing to admit my dulness, but I do not quite see the point of his remark about mcum and tuum. Does he mean that the Irishman in pursuit of simple pleasures should be allowed to breed disease because the bees are his own, as he might be allowed to enjoy smallpox unchecked or keep a mad dog? (4) Official comijensation and insurance are qviite different things, and must not be confused. (5) May I assure Mr. Samways that it is indeed the few who are against legis- lation, and the many who favour it. 1 hope shortly to be able to prove this to his satisfaction. I may say that the whole subject is under discussion by the committee, and we yet hope to be able to meet the views of critics, and to get such bee-keepers as Mr. Samways into line with us on the subject. April 6, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 139 Rainfall, ISO in. Below average, '19 in. Heaviest fall, '82 in. on 12th. Ram fell on 15 days. Sunshine,1261 hours. Below average, 182 hours. Brightest day, 22 ad, 10 hours. Sunless days, 3. Maximum tempera- ture, 60° on 22ud. WEATHER REPORT. Westbottbne, Sussex. March, 1911. Minimum tempera- ture. 27° on loth and 17th. Minimum on grass, 23«onl0th. Frosty nights, 9. Mean maximum, 481 Mean minimum, 359.. Mean temperatm-e, 420. Above average, O'l. Maximiim barometer, 30-384 on 3rd. Minimum barometer. 29-436 on 13th. L. B. BiRKETT. FERDINAND AND THE CENSUS. (In Austria the census inquirers are strict. If you keep bees you must enumerate them in detail.) A mile outside Vienna Ferdinand had stocked a farm, And he tilled it single-handed : for he much enjoyed the charm Which the soil exudes for people who enjoy that sort of thing. While he worked (his neighbours noted) Ferdinand would laugh and sing. Life was pleasant for young Ferdie. First, he'd pat a fav'rite cow, Then he'd traverse several acres at the tail-end of a lalough. He'd scratched the porcine vertebrfe, the happiest man alive. Oh, sorry was the day on which he went and bought a hive ! Was it mere financial reasons or some temperamental gust Which led him thus to go upon an ajjiar- ian bust.^ Ask not. I cannot tell you. But I know the place was warm When Ferdinand's big buzzers started^ in- stantly to swarm. He liked to see them swarming : and their numbers quickly grew Till a census-man came bearing, like a meteor from the blue. A paper, asking Ferdinand how many bees he had, Upon receipt of which he went completely to the bad. He lives in crowded London : liis farm neglected lies. He has bumps upon his forehead. The twelfth bee blacked his eyes. His nose is very shapeless, and his brain is apt to freeze When he contemplates his state if he had counted all his bees. Queries and Replies. [4114.] Early Drones. — I have a solitary stock — super not removed — which last year was normal and cleared itself of drones in the autumn. There are now quantities of drones in the hive, and with cold north winds blowing — ^what is the best method of introducing a queen? — M. M. W., Chorlev. Reply. — You must first make a thorough examination for the unfertile queen, which in all probability is present in the hive. It may, however, happen that there is a comb of drone cells where bees have clustered and commenced breeding, and this is the cause of the early appearance of the drones. In the latter case the queen will be all right. In the former, when found, kill her, and allow the bees to be queenless for at least twelve hours. Then introduce a fertile queen in the usual way. Choose a fine warm day for the examination. Notices to Correspondents. W. H. W. (Haydon Bridge).— Hermo- phridite Bee. — The bee is a hermo- phridite, having a drone's head, and the male organs are partly shown in the abdomen. There are five segments to this, no .sting, and, curiously enough, there were wax-scales in the wax-pockets. W. F. (Amlwch).— Bees Found Dead- Painting Hives, etc.~-{l) The bees have been dead for too long a time to enable us to say if they have died from disease or not. So far as we can judge they have died of starvation. The •' odd bee " was the queen. (2) You can buy a stock of bees or wait until later and pro- cure a swarm. We do not advise you to buy skeps. (3) Paint the hive now while it is empty. Hives should not be painted when they contain bees. J. J. B.^ (Newton).— A'af/ves v. Italians. — (1) Native bees are best for this country for many reasons. (2) Buy a swarni, prices of which will vary according to size, time of purchase, etc. You will easily obtain what you require through our advertisement columns. A. M. B. W. (Cheadle Hulme).— iJe- arranging Ipior//.— The position in which you propose to place your hives will answer quite well, and there will be no need to raise the hives on boxes. The 6ft. hedge is useful, as it will cause the bees to fly high, and minimise the risk of their stinging passers-by. Amateur (Paignton). Stimulative Feeding and Bobbing.— We cannot quite grasp your meaning. It is impossible for bees 140 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April G, 1911. to steal from themselves, but if you mean — Will bees in a garden rob each other? the answer is yes. A Cambs. Bee-keepee. — Using Comhs from Infected Hives. — Until something more definite is known about " Isle of AVight " disease, we should not consider it safe to use the combs for healthy bees. H. S. (Cheshire). — Syrup-feeding, and other Queries. — (1) You can commence syrup feeding about the first week in April. (2) The stock can be transferred on any fine, calm, warm day when the bees are flying. (3) We have not heard of " Isle of Wiglat " disease being very prevalent in the district you name. The Journal and Record covers can be used for any year. X. Y. Z. (Ramsgate). — Stockholm Tar and Bees. — It will be quite safe to paint your bee appliance shed with Stockliolm tar or pitch, as neither will be injurious to your b&es. Suspected Disease. H. A. (Ecclesden). — The symptoms you describe are those of "Isle of Wight" dis- ease. Destroy the affected stock at once, burn all combs, etc., and disinfect the hive as for foul brood. The bees should have been enclosed in a tin box when sent, as they were so crushed in post that we could not examine them. H. C. F. (Eastleigh).— The bees have died naturally of old age. Those you notice outside have been cleared out of the hive by the bees. The candy may be given, but it will soon be time to feed with syrup. A. P. W. (Alfreston).— The stock is badly affected with foul brood. Burn every- thing without delay to avoid contaminat- ing the rest of the apiary. The hive itself can be retained if very thoroughly disinfected. T. E. A. — Bees have evidently died from " Isle of Wight " disease. See replv to H. A. (Ecclesden). L. B. (Midlothian). — Bees have dysentery. There are also suspicious signs of "Isle of AVight " disease. H. J. K. (Sidcup). — We cannot find any disease. The bees appear to have died of starvation. Bill Bailey (Devon). — A bad case of foul brood. See reply to A. P. W. (Alfres- ton). Do not use the syrup in combs for healthy bees. F. N. (Sussex). — We regret to say that there are indications of "Isle of Wight " disease in several of the bees sent. We cannot be absolutely sure, but it will be safest to burn combs, etc., and thor- oughly disinfect the hive and the ground on which it has been standing as an extra precaution. Special Prepaid Advertisements. Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimurr\, charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADV£RTISEMEKTS. FOUR GOOD HEALTHY STOCKS, 1910 Queens, in exceilient standard Hives, 23s. each; genuine bargains.— WINKWORTH, Pangbourne, ■berks. h 28 SEVERAL GOOD STOCKS OF BEES for Sale, Standard Frame Hives.— THOS. HILL, Sc0t- lande, Can nock-road, "Wolverhampton. h 27 OR SALE.— 30 Brood Boxes, 27 Roof Tops, 53 Section Racks to take 21 Jb. sections, all at 9d. each; 400 Slotted Tin Dividers, 3s. 6d. per 100; 480 empty Sections, some drawn out, 15s. the Lot; geared Extractor, reversible cages, take iwo Frames, and Icwt. Honey Ripener, 25s. the two; Observatoiry Hive, take 1 Frame and 4 Se&tdons, 7si. 6d.; alil second-hand.— SHARLAND and MITCHELL, Dorset Apiary, Broadstone, Dor- set^ h 38 EVERAL STRONG HYBRID NUCLEUS FOR SALE; overstocked; 1910 Queens, perfectly healthy; exchange cycle, or from 10s. to 15s. each. —JOSHUA CREWES, beekeeper, Txuro, Corn>- wall. h 34 ANTED, SECOND-HAND OBSERVATORY HIVE, Lee's make preferred; particulars.— STEBBINGS, Hijiborough, Norfolk. hJ7 rpWO STRONG HEALTHY STOCKS in, good X Hives, 1910 Queens, 303. each.— C. TOWNS- END, Lawnfield, Maidenhead. h 56 CHAPMAN HONEY" PLANT SEEDS, about 21bs. FOR SALE, cheap. What offer?— P. W. MILES, Alburgh, Harleston, Norfolk, (h 35 6 COTTAGE HIVES, 10 Frames, dummy, lift legs, crate, 21 secLioniS (unused), the Hive® used one season only, painted 3 coats, guaranteed healthy, 7s. each; also large Meadow's Ripenier, with lift and stTainer, used once, 10s.— F. E. MATTHEWS. Cofton Apiary, Northfield, Birming- ham^ g 62 WANTED, CHOICE ENGLISH HONEY.— Adidiress L., " B.B.J.," 23 Biedford-street, Strand, London, W. h 40 SEVERAL STOCKS OF BEES, 1910 Queens, on Bar Frames, for Sale, guaranteed healthy; also several Nuclei.— RECTOR, Elston. Newark. h33 OR SALE. HARMSWORTH HISTORY OF THE WORLD, complete 52 parts, as new, 23s.; or exchange one healthy Stock Bar Frame, or two Skeps Bees.— R. WOOD, 7 Spring Bank, Ripon. h 30 EALTHY STOCK OF HYBRID BEES FOR SALE, with Hive, 30s.— ANDERSON, 128 Castelnau, Barnes, S.W. h_29 FOR SALE, A SMALL APIARY, complete, in very best conditiion; 5 Stocks Hybrid Bees in Lee's best W.B.C. Hives, started froni swarms (W.B.n. Apiary. Lutcn) in l^-og; havp had no djisease of any kind, now very fit and strong; also 3 spare Hives (Lee's W.B.C). as gcod as new, aiM accessories and apD'Mances lifts, supers Cowan's ExfracloT. Ripieni-'r. Lee's Extract.ing Tray and Table; owner selling on'y as he has to live near London; open to im-orrtion'. Price, the 'ot, £12.— Aproly, MAJOR E. BARNES, Winton Hill, Stock- bridige, Ha.nits. h 51 dT* BEE HIVES FOR SALE. 5 with gnoi st'-f^nar O stocks; a'.so Frames and Sections ready for this season. Honev EvtrTcter, Smokers, &c.— Apoh- Mrs. BAGNALL. Rrpctnn,. Stafford. h_32 INSTRUCTiON AND PRACTICE IN BEE- MANAGEMENT; varied coursips duririg Mav and June; 40 Colonies.— BUGDEN, Wye, Kent, h 41 April 13, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 141 Editorial, Notices, &c THE "ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. We have received letters from Kent and Susses referring to the map published on page 123 of B.B.J., and complaining that the whole of the counties are marked black, whereas there are many districts still free from the disease. The map is an exact copy of the one accompanying Dr. Maiden's paper, and is certainly not in- tended to convey the idea that the whole of the marked areas are infected, but is simply meant to show the progress that the disease has made in the diflEerent counties. It is evident that on a small scale map of this description, it is impos- sible to mark every spot where colonies have succumbed to the disease, and the only way is to show in which counties it is present. The Southern counties are shown darker, because the disease has been prevalent in them longest. It has spread from the Isle of Wight to Hamp- shire, Surrey, Dorsetshire, Sussex, Kent, Berks, Bucks, Middlesex, Essex and Herts. It does not necessarily follow tliat because the county is shown black that every part of it is infected. It would, indeed, be a ste.rious matter for bee-keeping if it were so, and we are pleased to know that there are districts still free from the disease, and sincerely trust that they may remain so. When we get reports of the wholesale losses of colonies in different districts, it is just as well that bee-keepers should know that there is danger, so that they may take every precaution to guard against ' it. Until the investigations of the Board of Agriculture and Dr. Maiden are completed, and we know more about it, the disease should be treated as an infectious one, especially as all the evidence, so far, tends to show that 3t is so. Therefore, we would again urge on our readers not to trifle with the disease, but, on the first outbreak, to destroy the bees, and thus prevent it from .spreading in the apiary and neighbour- hood. Bee-keeping is of national im- portance, as not only bee-keepers, but fruit growers also are dependent on bees, it is, therefore, better to adopt drastic measures to cope with the trouble, and leave experimenting in the endeavour to cure to those who understand dealing with infectious diseases, otherwise more harm than good will be done. We would also ask bee-keepers to give the Inspectoi's of the Board of Agriculture who are now collecting evidence in affected districts all the assistance in their jDower. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION THE CONVERSAZIONE. (Continued from page 135). Mr. Jarman said he had tried sulphur, but it did no good, and he had lost in six months one hundred and twenty stocks. Col. Walker said he would suggest that attention be paid to the possibility of the wind being the conveyor of the disease, as it might explain the problem. It would also help to explain how, after being con- fined to the Isle of Wight, the disease crossed to the mainland, but if that was the case, he thought they ought to look on pollen as a possible cause, and it was to the trees that they should look for the explanation. He did not think it would do to look to the minor complaints such as moisture, because that could not pos- sibly be conveyed, but it might be pollen from trees that were diseased, or possibly the germs. He would only suggest that they did not lose sight of that possibility. Mr. Salmon would like to ask whether there was the possibility that in-breeding was the primary cause of the disease, as in the Isle of Wight bees they were more or less isolated. In the case mentioned by Dr. Maiden, he said that the bee-keeper had not imported foreign bees or bees from any other districts, and so in breeding from the 160 stocks they would come more or less from the same hives of bees. He thought it might possibly have something to do with the bees. Mr. 0.sborn would like to sujjport what Dr. Maiden had said in regard to sulphur treatment, as he did not think it of the slic^htest use. He would also like to men- tio^ that in his experience with six stocks of diseased bees, he had distinctly found the young bees affected — 'Some of the very youngest of the bees — and directly they took to leaving the hive they became affected. With reference to the charlock theory, he had seen a good deal about it in this week's '•British Bee Journal." Where his bees were situated he did not know of any charlock within four or five miles. Mr. Cowan, in closing the discussion, said that they had had certain evidence that went to show that the disease had been carried from one place to another. When it broke out in Durham they had managed to trace the disease to its source, which was the importation of driven bees from Essex. One or two other cases have been traced in the same way, and cases in Scotland had been traced to the bees having been received from the south. He thought that tended to show that the dis- ease was conveyed and that it was an infectious disease carried from one locality to another, and when once it had been established in one locality, it was very easy for it to spread. Those cases ot Ml. Downes-Shaw were clearly cases of 142 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 13, 1911. importation, and they formed the nucleus lor starting the disease in that neighbour- hood and were centres of infection. How the disease had got into Cornwall he did not at present know, because he had not had any report about it. He would mention that the disease does not go through an apiary regularly attacking one hive after another. He had a chart of the outbreak of the dis- ease in the North of Wales (which the speaker held up for inspection), where the disease had attacked colonies promiscu- ously commencing with one colony and jumping to quite another part of the apiary. As the ground had been well covered, he did not think he need say any more, especially as it was getting very late and they had other entertainments to come on. He would now ask Dr. Maiden to reply to the questions that had been put. Dr. Maiden, in replying, said that the Chairman and Mr. Reid, had saved him a great deal of trouble in answering many of the questions, because their remarks applied to many of the things asked, par- ticularly as to the spread of the infection. He had no doubt that if they possessed the means they would be able to trace in every case how this disease has been spread from one locality tO' another. Althoiigli very difficult, and in some cases impossible to say for certain how it had taken place, he believed it would be found to be by means of communication. Several points had been raised. Of course if it was a pollen disease and the pollen was from honeydew, it would be eaten during the winter and produce the disease. His objection was that he could not imagine that the infected pollen was only present in certain localities, unless it was a pollen disease which was spread- ing about. The disease first appeared in the Isle of Wight without being present everywhere. Then, again, we know that any disease tends to lower the digestive functions, and there is no doubt about it that in a diseased bee you are more likely to find strange matters in the bowel which would not occur in a healthy bee, such as various fungi which had been mentioned. He believed it was a fact that in this disease when brood dies it is because there are not sufficient bees to keep the larvse warm and look after them ; otherwise they are healthy. He was sorry to say that the experience of the two gentlemen from Kent was the same as that of others. It was quite typical of the way in which the disease was being spread. He was inter- ested to hear that other people have ob- served younger bees being affected, as he had not noticed it before, and in the Isle of Wight the idea seemed prevalent that the disease was due to the foraging bees. He hoped all bee-keepers would make an important note of this point, as it would help to solve the difficulty of how the bees become affected. With respect to continuous culture, he had kept the germs alive on artificial media, and he had found ordinary nutrient agar, with two per cent, of honey, the best culture medium. Where did the bees come from in the outbreak of the disease in Surrey in 1907 f He would not be surprised if it was found that they had come from the Isle of Wight. He had never seen a queen affected, although he had frequently examined hives in which the queen was the only one alive except some emerging brood. It appears that the queen is not susceptible ; it may be a question of feeding, but that is a point that requires further investiga- tion. He was interested to hear the remarks about the outbreak in Fife being traced, because that was very important, and answens Mr. Downes-Shaw's question about the disease jumping about from place to place. It all tends to prove that it is an infectious disease, and not a pollen or food disease. Sulphur had been mentioned as of some use in checking the disease, but he still thought it very dangerous for a bee- keeper to trust to it. He had far better destroy the first lot than risk the spread of the disease by trusting to sulphur. He had searched carefully, but had found nothing descriptive of bee diseases occurring on the Continent or in America that quite resembled this disease ; it appeared to be something entirely fresh. He was interested to hear that Mr. Reid had been partly successful in feeding bees with Bulgarian Sour Milk. It was quite a rational treatment, because we know that in some cases of human disease the intro- duction of sour milk enables one to get rid of the digestive trouble, and this disease of bees is mainly one of digesting pollen. He hoped that some other bee- keepere would experiment on these lines and note the results. He thought it possi- ble that the wind may have conveyed the disease from the Isle of Wight to the main- land, but it was very difficult to prove, and he did not think one could get evidence on that point. He had asked bee-keepers in the Isle of Wight, but they did not think that the bees flew across the narrow channel, and he thought it more likely that the disease was conveyed by bees being transmitted from place to place. The Chairman's remarks also bore out his own proposition that it was an infectious disease, but when once it got into an apiary it was difficult to say how it was spread because it did not go from hive to hive, and they could not be certain if it was through robbing by some particu- lar colonies which were the first to go, or whether they were infected through the water supply. April 13, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 143 The question was asked whether experi- ments had been tried with bees in hives made of other material than wood or straw. What work he knew of had been done in wooden hives. The Chairman (Mr. Cowan) said they were all very much indebted to Dr. Maiden for giving them so much information on this subject, and he was sure that they would all join in thanking him. There watS one thing he had alluded to which he (the Chairman) would like to emphasise, and that was not to tamper with the disease, or with remedies, but at the first outbreak of the disease to destroy the bees at once. This was much safer than tamper- ing with uncertain remedies. As soon as the nature of the disease was known remedies would be found, but until then he thought the safest plan was to destroy the bees. He would like Dr. Maiden to tell them exactly how he would like samples sent for his inspection. He mentioned this because most of the bees sent to the British Bee Journal were quite unfit to diagnose, and he had not only received recently dead bees, but also those that had been dead for some time, and others dried up. He thought they should know that such bees were no good, and that only live bees from affected colonies were of any use for examination. In reply. Dr. Maiden gave the following particulars of how to send samples for inspection, to be addressed to him at the Pathological Laboratory, Cambridge Uni- versity. The bees, to be of any value, must be alive, and there must be a sufficient number of them to keep each other warm. They must have food, and be in ventilated boxes. He had found the best way of sending them was in a small box with perforations for ventilation, with a little candy in a muslin bag fastened in a corner. Two or three hundred bees, if possible, should be sent, and a bit of wood or cotton-wool fastened in the box for them to stick to. If they were sent in that way they would remain alive for several days, and give a chance of arriving at some satisfactory conclusion. He would like the Association to appoint a small committee to help him in investi- gating this disease. It was a national question now — (hear, hear) — and it ap- peared that if no steps were taken the bee industry would be paralysed, and he thought that the British Bee-Keepers' Association should urge that steps be taken in the matter, and if they could see their way to appointing a small committee to confer with him on the difficult points fhat require investigation he would be very much obliged. It would be of enormous value to him, and he was certain that they would arrive at much better results than would be possible if only one man was | working alone in a laboratory. It wanted the careful co-operation of bee-keepers all over the country to arrive at the best results. The cinematograph entertainment which Mr. J. Bee Mason had provided next took place, and those present were able to see depicted on the screen the removal of bees from a farm-house wall. The operation of removing the tiles, smoking the bees, cutting out the combs, throwing the bees out on to a sheet and their running into the hive were shown in a realistic manner. Transferring bees from a tree and barrel to frame hives and work on a modern bee farm were very attractive, and highly pleased the audience, who expressed their appreciation by frequent applause. At the conclusion the Chairman, in thanking Mr. Mason for the treat he had given them, congratulated him on the expert skill he had displayed in carrying out such difficult operations, as he was sure it was a good lesson for those there who might contem- plate removing bees from difficult places (Applause). Mr. Mason, in returning thanks, said that in removing bees he had noticed points which he would like to mention. There was the absence of wax moth. He did not think he had noticed a single case in which it was present with bees under natural conditions. It occurred to him that quilts were re- sponsible for the increase of wax moth. Another thing was that bees were more vicious, because bee-keepers had a tendency to re-queen from stocks of a gentler nature. But were they thus studying the welfare of the bees ? In their wild state bees are more or less vicious, and those that are tame are liable to be robbed out. All his bees were more or less vicious, and he found no tendency in them to rob each other. Queens living under natural conditions were smaller than those in the modern hives. In adding beauty and size to the queen it occurred to him whether breedens were not studying their requirements at the cost of the vitality of the queen, because he had proved that bees in their wild state were much smaller, but very hardy and active. A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings and one of the most enjoy- able conversaziones held by the Association. HONEY IMPORTS. The value of honey impoi'ted into the United Kingdom during the month of March, 1911, was £1,572.— From a return furnished to the British Bee Journal by the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs. 144 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 13, 1911. REVIEW. Guide to Bee-keeping in British 'Columbia, by F. Dundas Todd. This is Bulletin No. 30, issued by the Department of Agriculture, Victoria, B.C. The bee- keeping industry has not been so much de- veloped in. British Columbia as iu the Eastern provinces, especially in Ontario, where a great many depend on it entirely as a means of livelihood. In British Columbia bee-keeping is common only as a side issue and in dairying and fruit growing districts a small apiary seems a necessary adjunct to almost every ranch. In some localities there is one keeper of bees to every twenty people. There is therefore no necessity for home-seekers in this part of Canada to bring bees with them as there are plenty to be had. This bulletin has been specially compiled to meet the demand for practical information, and has been adapted to the conditions prevailing in British Columbia. The author recommends the 8 frame Langs- troth, but states that there are other hives in use, some bee-keepers on the mainland using the " British Standard " frame ; this is probably owing to the fact of the " British Bee-Keepers' Guide Book " being the recog- nised standard of the Department of Agriculture. The information which the author gives is derived from practical work among bees, and it is interesting to find some of the well-known half tone illustra- tions from the "Guide Book" reproduced, though following a far too common practice, no permission to use them was asked, nor mention made of their source. The bulletin, which consists of 50 pages and is divided into 14 chapters, is well illus- trated and will be useful for those who contemplate bee-keeping in British Colum- bia. Chapter 4, "The Cycle of the Bee- year in British Columbia," gives instruc- tions for work to be done in every month, from March to November, also a diary of plants in flower. At the end there is a useful list of bee-keepers in the province. APICULTURAL EDUCATION IN ENGLAND AND WALES. By W. Herrod. In most foreign countries the whole of the teaching of bee-keeping is provided for at the Government cost, while in Eng- land and Wales the major portion is car- ried out by voluntary work on the part of Bee-keeping Associations. These are in some cases helped by grants from County Councils, but altogether the amount thus provided from Government funds is totally inadequate for such an important industry. No money is spent at all on such scientific research as for instance is the case in America, and the disadvantage of this was clearly shown in Dr. Maiden's paper on the "Isle of Wight" disease. It is time that more were done, and fruit- growers are beginning to realise that their industry will suffer considerably by our misfortune. By the united action of both bee-keepers and fruit-growers at this junc- ture, it should be possible to wake the Government from its lethargy and make them do something for us. Below I give a list of counties where aid is given, with the number of lec- tures and the average attendance in 1908-9 and 1909-10. Also a list of those counties where no instruction of any kind is given. Those marked with an asterisk spend money in their Agricultural Colleges &c., on bee-keeping. County. No. of Average Lectures. Attendance. *Beds 60 70 Bucks — 30 Cambs 3 well Cheshire 13 .. 5 .. 36 .. 4 .. 10 .. -10 .. 3 .. GO .. 10 .. 5 6 .. attended well *Cornwall attended well *Cumberland *Derby Devon attended '.''.'... '^^'.''. 59 80 Essex 17 Glos 20 Hereford Herts 60 Hunts 26 Kent 11 Lanes 32 Lines., Holland... 68 Lines., Kesteven 9 Lines., Linclsey ... 12 .. 50 Middlesex *Monmoutli — Norfolk 34 Northants 16 *Notts 3 Oxford — Somerset — *Staffs 10 E. Suffolk 2 W. Suffolk 4 *Surrey 33 Warwicks — *Wilts 48 Worcester 12 York (West Riding) 12 Carmarthen .. — Flint 10 *Glamorgan 20 — In the blank spaces no j^articulars have been furnished. Those counties where no teaching or lecturing is done are as follow: — Berks, Dorset, Durham, Isle of Ely, Hants, Isle of* Wight, Leicester, Northumberland, Rutland, Salop, E. Sussex, W. Sussex. Westmoreland, Yorks., E. and N. Ridings, Anglesey, Brecon, Cardigan, Carnarvon, Denbigli, Merioneth, Montgomery, Pem- broke and Radnor. 52 40 .250 51 68 9 April 13, 1911.] THE BlUTISH BEE JOURNAL. 145 Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not ■undertake to return rejected communications. THE "ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. [8126] In response to the request made by our Editors and Dr. Maiden, for facts in regard to this malignant and insidious trouble, I am able to supply the i following six : (1) I received a splendid swarm in 1907 from Hants which did good work up to some time in September. It ■showed distinct symptoms in October and died out by May of the following year ; proving that the disease can be conveyed a distance by an apjDarently healthy swarm. (2) Two colonies on one side of the diseased swarm, and three on the other, showed signs of distress during the summer of 1908, gradually got worse and were like the original stock destroyed ; proving that the trouble is contagious. (3) AU brood frames were burned, but several oombs of honey were preserved for future swarms, the extreme virulence of the disease then not being fully under- stood. The honey conveyed the infection to these perfectly healthy bees, proving that honey partaken of, conveys the disease. (4) Hives affected were cleaned out, but not over carefully disinfected. They retained the seeds of disease and ' affected driven bees hived in them on clean frames, proving that the germs and spores are persistent. (5) The queen of the original swarm, being a prolific one was transferred to a queenless stock, and did good work during that and the following season, while two of her daughters are now heading powerful colonies; proving that t|Lieens are not affected by the disease. (6) We have practically no charlock near here, and no spraying; proving that this was not the source of the disease in any of the deceased stocks. Making a holocaust of frames, combs, quilts and everything movable about the hive, and thoroughly disin- fecting the interior of all empty hives \\ ith a painters' blow-lamp flame is the only cure I would advise. Let me earnestly plead that no colonies, swarms, or driven bees should be sent north from any in- fected area this season, and all ordering these should ask a guarantee of health. — D. M. Macdonald. Banff. BEES IN DARKEST AFRICA. [8127] I am sure you will consider the above title very apropos, when you read the story of my present season's experi- ence in bee-keeping, which, I hope, is sufficiently interesting to occupy a corner of the B.B. J., as I should like British bee- keepers to occasionally give a kind thought or word to us in this new bee-keeping world, where we are nearly all learners, and where teachers are scarce, and experi- ence very dearly bought. My first honey of the season is gathered from eucalyptus, peach, apricot, grapes, apple &c., in the months of September, October, and November, but, owing to a large plantation of eucalyptus, nearly half a mile square, being cut down last year during the winter, for the use of the Rand Gold Mines, the principal source was eliminated. My second crop was supposed to oome fi'om the veldt flower and alfalfa, or as it is generally called here, lucerne, but, owing to continued dry weather, month after month, the bees were hardly able to gather sufficient for their own requirements. I opened up eighteen hives last week, most of which are supered for extracting, but could only find one frame well sealed. I have not seen a single swarm so far, and as the honey flow is completely finished for the district by the end of March, I am afraid this season must be written down as a failure. Most of my bee-keeping friends tell the same story. At the end of this month I shall close all hives down for the winter, with a rack of shallow frames with extra wide ends above the brood chamber, for, owing to the winter climate being quite warm in comparison with that in England, and the bees breeding throughout the winter, together with the fact that we have no snow or rain during that time to prevent them from flying, I have found, from experience, that they winter better that way than if treated on the " Guide Book " plan. There is no danger incurred by thoroughly overhauling a colony during winter; in fact, it seems to act in the same manner as our American friends' " Jouncing " plan. We have to congratulate ourselves in this country on the fact tliat we have no foul- brood, and no "Isle of Wight" disease to contend with, and I trust our bee laws will protect us from these diseases. The South African has had too much experi- ence, with stock diseases and pests, to tolerate or compensate any person wlio endangers the safety and health of the property of others. But our, bees have their work cut out to make, a living, menaced as they are by other enemies, such as ants, wasps, beetles, and spiders of all kinds, besides a few specially-de- signed South African insects, without 146 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 13, 1911. having added " Bacillus alvei, Burri, and Co. I should like to corrobo- rate the remarks made by H. Martin, of Dannhauser, Natal {B.J., page 54), regarding the use of. drone foundation, which so exactly coincide with my own ex- periences, that I fear, if I relate them, I shall be accused of plagiarism, I have drone-comb foundation in shallow-frames which have been on one hive or another for the last two years, and so far they have only been made a mess of. I have only had one frame fairly well sealed during that time out of eight sheets originally put in different hives, and even that frame was finished in the manner Mr. Martin so ably describes. This foun- dation was made by the same firm who manufactured most of the foundation I have used, and is of excellent quality, so neither the wax nor the making can be blamed. I am willing to admit all the advantages claimed for the plan of using drone foundation for surplus honey, but from my own past experience, the original one pound I bought will last me for many years to come. As regards Mr. Martin's opinions as to the use of excluder zinc, they differ from mine, for I use it on every hive I super, either with frames or sections. Last year, being short of excluders, I had to make shift on one hive with a piece of zinc about 1ft. square, trusting to its being sufficiently large to keep the queen below on the twelve frames in the body-box, but on taking oflF the first rack of sections finished, I found four of them contained drone larvae, which was sufficient proof for me that a full sheet of zinc is necessary to keep the queen below, especially if the frames in the brood-cham- ber are spaced as I space mine during the honey-flow, l^in. apart. This hive was also the only one which swarmed. I suppose bee-men in England are all getting ready for the 1911 season. I hope they will have a more successful season than we have had. Nothing remains for us in the Pretoria district but the bee- keeper's oldest and staunchest friend — "Hope " (for better times). — J. L. Tayloe, Winterboom Apiary, Pretoria. IF YOUR BEES ARE A NUISANCE. [8128] " A fellow-feeling makes us Avondrous kind." Of course anyone " wi' a bee in his bonnet " can excuse another, who is similarly aff^licted, keeping bees in a garden just close by where there is so much traffic, 'cause why ; when once a man has caught the bee-fever, Dzierzon says : " It will not be an easy thing to induce a wise bee-keeper to exchange bee-keeping for any other occupation." The man who has to grind, grind, grind daily at his business fand this, doctors tell us, spells nervous breakdown), how many hours of healthy distraction does not he owe to. our little winged friends ?. Yet who would wish that that which is "his 'enjoyment ishould be a trouble 'to others, .^sop in his fables tells us how an old frog croaked out the warning from his pond to the boys who were pelting him with stones, " What is fun to you is death to us." Apply the same moral at home. Should you have a vicious stock in your apiary, and perhaps your neighbour's horses, get in the bees' line of flight, or his fowls develop a taste for bees as a dietary article, then, as Robert Stephenson said of the " coo " suggested to have got in front of a railway train, it would be a bad job for either of them. A. I. Root men- tions a case where horses had to work in front of a hive and how he enveloped them in horse blankets and mosquito netting, but this is not always practicable, and it is slightly ridiculous. It may be that this is only the curtain raiser to the scenes to follow. The owner of the horses or chickens which have been stung obtains an imperative command (served on you to the edification of the whole village by a blue-coated myrmidon of the law) to abate the " nuis- ance," and by post you receive a letter from a lawyer, demanding that the sum of twenty pounds (with si)x shillings and eightpence for his courtesy in writing you this letter) shall be paid as compensation for damages done, or proceedings will be taken forthwith. Naturally you resist, the day of trial comes on, and the local Ser- jeant Buzfuz pictures to the jury the enormity of the crime of the villain who keeps bees to the peril of His Majesty's liege subjects, and to their grevious bodily harm. Of course, you lose the day and are mulcted in heavy costs. You sell your bees to pay the fine, and retire from bee- keeping in disgust. You think I am exaggerating! I have chapter and verse for every statement I have made. And are you to take all this " lying down?" Is there no preventative? And if the extreme happens have you no help ? There are preventatives, and if you are provident there is help. Let us discuss both the first and the last. It is a matter of common knowledge that bees, when starting on a foraging ex- pedition, if forced on leaving the hive to mount on high do not afterwards descend ; therefore, erect an obstacle on the side where the danger lies to the height of 12 or 14 feet. This may easily and cheaply be done by surmounting any fence sur- rounding your apiary with lattice work, or even wire netting, and train to grow over this Avild hop, Virginian creeper, any oi the various climbing plants, or the beauti- ful rambling rcses. This will enhance the picturesqueness of your garden and give greater privacy. April 13, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 147 But should you be blest (or cursed) by a neighbour next door who will not be com- fortable, throw a sop to the Cerberus ; allegorically choke him, not with, melted butter, but with a jar or two of honey or a few sections. Don't give him time to .speak, give to the wife or " kiddies." You will have, then, powerful friends at court, and their advocacy will be cheaper than a lawyer. So far for preventives. Now what help may you hope for in your time of need ? The old adage runs thus : " What is everybody's business is nobody's." There- fore have the " nobodys " combined to form " somebodys," and the results as seen in the State, in trade, in agriculture, are Parliaments, Chajnbers of Commerce, and Agricultural Societies, who each in their own sphere agitate for the common good. And we have our combination yclept, " The British Bee-keepers' Association," whose special role it is to interest itself in matters apicultural. Much good work has it done and various, notably that which interests us at the moment — its scheme of insurance. Eight years ago an arrangement was made at "Lloyds," whereby the members of the Association or affiliated Societies were insured against any liability for damage done by their bees to a third party up to the amount of £30 in any one year, and at what cost? The ridiculously small premium of one penny per hive. The privilege was afterwards extended to non-members for an entrance fee of one shilling. Great has been the success of ihe scheme. In 1910 there were 1,008 bee- keepers who availed themselves of the benefit representing 12,955 hives, and claims in that year amounting to £22 5s. were speedily settled to the satisfaction of all concerned. At the nominal outlay one wonders why every keeper of bees does not insure. And the procedure is so simple. Write to the Secretary of your Association for the needful forms, or to the British B.K.A. if you belong to no affiliated branch. Pay your pennies, and if a claim arises, don't worry. Make your demand on the Association, go to sleep, and they will do the rest. Life is too short for worries. We have not time for them. We prefer to spend it on something else, to " cut our losses." Why, therefore, if you can avoid it, incur the risk of the haunting thought that your neighbour " has the law of you " to accom- pany you to your pillow, and to be the first thought in the morning. Better to turn this "Comedy of Errors" into a "Mid- summer Night's Dream " by insurance. In which case if Dame Fortune is unkind and the day should go against you, all your work will not be "Love's Labour Lost." — In Smallwood, Hendon. EARWIGS AND BEES. [8129] Having read in the B.B.J. several times that earwigs are not in- jurious to bees or honey in any way, I thought the enclosed specimen might interest you. I noticed two bees bringing something out of the hive ; one of them flew away and, on looking, I found the other one trying to sting the object, which proved to be an earwig, Avhich had its nippers firmly embedded in the body of the bee. The bee died M'hilst I was looking at them, the earwig also dying about half-an-hour afterwards without having been able to free itself. — Geo. S. Gibsok. [We are exceedingly obliged for the specimen sent, which is unique. We have never seen this happen before. Earwigs will, at times, damage the cappings of combs by perforating them ; they also lodge in the cells, sometimes making the combs objectionable by soiling them with excreta. — Ed.]. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND BEE DISEASE. [8130] I have read with much interest your articles this week on "I.O.W." bee disease, and shall be glad if you can spare room for the enclosed. Our Member is taking up the matter very thoroughly, and we are seriously considering the advisability of introducing a Bill into Parliament at an early date to make the disease a notifiable one, by which means we think it would tend to arrest the spread of the disease in this country. It is very bad in our district. I have this, week lost my first colony. With regard to charlock-spraying being the cause, I have had an interview with the Hants. C.C. expert, and he considers that the trouble may be caused by fermentation or decomposition after the spraying. I send a cutting from the Hampshire Observer, giving Captain Baring's ques- tions, and the answers, in the House of Commons ; the previous ones appeared in your journal, page 108. — H. .1. Day (Winchester and District Smallholders'' Club). In the House of Commons, on Monday, Captain Baring asked whether the Board of Agriculture is fully equipped, both financially and scientifically, for conduct- ing inquiries into the diseases affecting bees. Sir E. Strachey : Yes, sir. Captain Baring asked whether the agri- cultural departments of several foreign governments have bee farms of their own for purposes of investigation and research, and whether he will consider the desira- bility of following their example. 148; THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 13, 1911. Sir E. Strachey : The Hungarian Government have a State Bee Farm which, however, has for its object instruction in bee-keeping rather than investigation and research. In Berlin the Imperial Biolo- gical Institute conducts investigations into bee diseases. I will consider the lion. Member's suggestion. Captain Baring asked Avliat immediate steps his Department is taking to collect further information on the "Isle of Wight " bee disease. Sir E. Strachey : The Board Inspectors are collecting very detailed informatioii from bee-keepers as to. all the various cir- cumstances connected with outbreaks ot the disease, and we are making arrange- ments for its further scientific investiga- tion at Cambridge, under the charge of Dr. (jrraham Smith. As we intimated last week, the Board of Agriculture promised that an inspector should visit the locality within ten days. The period expires to-day, but no com- munication has been received stating whether he may be expected. No more fresii outbreaks are recorded, but Mr. Day, suspecting that one of his hives Was infected, took the precaution of destroying all the bees in it and sealing it vp., pending tlie arrival of the inspector. Bees have for some time swarmed in the rcof of Lainston House, and these have been attacked, as have all Mr. Bostock's hives. The bees in the roof crawl out, and not liaving strength to fly, drop off on to the ground, where they are picked up dead. The action taken by the Win- chester and District Smallholders' Club has initiated quite a campaign all over the country, and bee-keepers are waking up to the dangers facing them, and the need for protective measures. There will be much less English honey produced this year than in former years. Echoes from the Hives. To-day (April 3rd) being the first oppor- tunity I have had this year, I took advantage of the exceptionally fine after- noon and liad a peep into my hives, seven in number, situated at Consett, and found they had wintered very well. All queens are last season's, and are laying. Those stocks left with sufficient natural stores gathered from the ' ling have come out the strongest by far. On October 6th, last year, there were drones in ,all hives, and this being' the latest 1 have ever seen drones allowed to remain under ordinary conditions, I overhauled my hives in con- sequence, and found all queens laying on that date. I packed down for winter, leaving sufficient sealed stores to last to about the middle of May. Trusting all bee-keepers may have a record sea- son during 1911, John Watson Eggle- STONE, Bishop Auckland. NOVELTIES FOR 1911. Mr. A. H. Wilkes, Four Oaks, Birming- ham (of queen excluder fame) has been responsible for bringing out some useful appliances in the bee world, and this year he has utilised the resources of aluminium in the perfection of feeders. REGISTERED PBT. APPLIED FOR FEEDER WITH SCREW VALVES. This feeder is made from pure aluminium, sjiun, similar to a piece of clay, moulded on an arrangement identical to tiie potter's wheel. As will be noticed, it has three screw valves for regulating the' syrup. As a Spring feeder it will assist the bee-keeper considerably in stimu- lating colonies, and at the same time supply the exact quantity of food for the bees' requirements. The regulating of food in the Spring has always been a diffi- cult task. Too much is as bad as too little. By using this invention the syrujD can be accurately gauged to the exact amount of food necessary for stimulation. The greatest point in its favour is the fact that aluminium will not rust. PSIENT APPLIED FDR A.H.W RAPID FEEDER. An aluminium rapid feeder, which is also seamless and non-rusting, is another STEEL 15RUSH. excellent article. The capacity is one quart. It consists of four pieces, lid, cup with glass top, vessel, and a cork circle April 13, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. 149 from which the bees feed. The feeder when on the hive covers six frames. The syrup flows from the outer chamber to the inner one, and the bees walk up the narrow funnel, the rough surface enabling them to get a good foothold. As an autumn feeder it is exceptionally service- able. A labour-saving device is the steel-wire brush. This is specially designed for quickly removing any refuse from the floor-boards during spring-cleaning. This appliance will be extremely welcome, doing away with the laborious task of scraping the floor-boards with pieces of tin and glass. TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. E. J. BuBTT {Stroud Road, Gloucester). This is a very neat list of twenty pages ; replete with good illustrations of the articles sold. In addition to bee appliances particulars are given of bottles for fruit-bottling, mouldings for framing pictures, and all appliances for fitting up Sunday and other schools on the most modern lines. Catalogue sent post free to all applicants. Notices to Correspondents. J. C. R. (Maidstone).— ZsZe of Wight disease. — We deal with your letter in an editorial this week. No case, so far as we can find out, has been reported from your immediate district. A. H. (Perth). — B.B.K.A. Conversazione. — There is evidently an error in the report of this conversazione to which you allude, as the "Chairman" did not say that " he had lost one hundred and twenty hives in six months, " but this was said by Mr. Jarman, to whom allu- sion was made bv Dr. Maiden. H. J. D. (Winchester).— ''7s?c of Wight " Disease. — The Board of Agriculture have been for some time making investiga- tions in different districts, and we are pleased to hear that your Member has got them to send an inspector into your neighbourhood. The Board have never allowed the matter to drop, but we know, as a matter of fact, that they have not had the funds to devote to the necessary investigation, although the matter has been brought before them repeatedly. If your Member of Parlia- ment, as well as the others who have been interested in the industry, could induce the Treasury to provide the funds for these investigations, they would be rendering considerable service, as it would enable the Board of Agricul- ture to proceed more rapidly. So long as the honey is not given to l)ees, it is quite good to eat or far household purposes. : . • J. L. (Great Broughton). — Bee Floicers. — There is a list of suitable bee flowers on page 159 of "Guide Book," also on page 51 of B.J. for 9th Feb. last. Annuals can be sown where they are to flower, and perennials and biennials can either be sown and transplanted or purchased of nurserymen who generally keep a stock of plants on hand. Among the best annuals are Common Borage, 2ft. to 3ft. ; Limnanthes Douglasii, Gin. to 9in. ; Forget-me-not, 9in. ; Nigella, 18in. ; Phacelia tanaceti folia, 18in. ; Mignonette, 1ft. Of perennials and biennials you can select : Arabis, P., 3in. ; Canterbury Bell, B., 2ft.; Wall- flower, B., 18in. ; French honeysuckle, P., 3ft., Clovers of sorts, 9in. to 18in., Sainfoin, 18in. ; Sedums Gin. ; Vetch, ISin. Annuals should be sown now, and the others in June. M. C. {BeMei-iham).— Making W. B. C. Hive. — You can obtain all instructions for making the above in the " Bee- keeper Practical Note Book," post free from this office. Is. Id. J. D. (Warrington).- — Maggots in Comhs. — The bees have died from starvation, and the bodies becoming decayed have attracted flies, which, according to their habit, laid their eggs in the decomposed matter. The creatures you see are fly- maggots, therefore your bees have not caused the trouble. E. H. L. {nuW).— Bidding Sheps of Wax- moth . — Kill all the grubs you see before putting the skep on top of brood-cham- ber of new hive ; an occasional examina- tion, to see that none transfer them- selves with the bees, will be advisable. The use of " Apicure " in the hive will kill them off effectually. King's Norton, Dirindling Stock. — The queen is a virgin. Please note change of address. W. L. W. M. {Chatham).— ^Beneicing Brood Comhs. — After the second year, at least two sheets of comb foundation should be given to each colony. To do this, remove the two worst combs when making the first examination in spring, when naturally, they will contain no food ; close up the eight frames remain- ing, by means of the dummy. When these are well crowded with bees, place the two new frames of foundation on either side, outside the brood nest. j!. a. (York). — Unsealed. Stores. — As a^^- parently the unsealed food has not harmed the bees during their confine- ment, during the winter, it is in whole- some condition, and now that the bees can take flights it will do no harm. The way to test for sourness is by tasting. M. P. B. (Attleborough).— Bee.s for Fruit- 150 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [AprillS, 1911. fertilization. — If you wish to establish the bees at once in your orchard you oould buy a stock, or commence with a ijwarm in May. Either can be obtained from advertisers in our advertisement columns. We should advise your study- ing the " British Bee-keepers' Guide Book," before commencing. "Bothered with Swarming." — The '•Alexander " Method. — The methods followed in other countries are, as a rule, not suitable for our erratic climate. The plan has already been referred to several times in our columns. You can obtain full particulars in " Alexander's Writings on Bee Culture," which can be had from this office. 'A. H. C. (Southampton). — Small-holders^ Clubs and Bee Disease Legislation. — The B.B.K.A. are proceeding with a Bee Diseases Bill. A meeting of the Com- mittee appointed to deal with the mat- ter was held on March 16th, a report of which will appear in our pages shortly. We are pleased to hear of your endeavour to promote co-operation between your club and the B.B.K.A. on the subject of legislation, and wisli all bee-keepers would do likewise. J. B. (Middlesbro).— Bees Short of Food in April. — (1) There is very little for bees to get outside the hives at present. Feed with syrup, if you are afraid they are running short of food. On no account must you open the hive in cold and windy weather ; but, on the first calm, warm day, make an examination, but even then get through the operation as quickly as possible. (2) AVe are sending you particulars of Insurance. (3) The County Bee-Keepers' Associatioii nearest is the Yorkshire. Write to the Hon. Secretary, Mr. W. E. Richardson. 14, Carter Mount, Whitkirk. Leeds. Cottager (Tonbridge). — United bees and Queenless colony. — (1) It is impossible to say which of the two queens heads the colony, as you kept no record when you united the second and third swarms. (2) Your best way would be to unite the queenless colony to one having a queen. If you give them a comb of brood from another hive they may raise a queen if they have not been queenless too long. You would have to take the chance of there being drones ready to fertilise her. (3) Naphthol beta dissolves readily in methylated spirit, but the powder you sp'nd will not do so, and even pure alco- hol has no effect upon it, so we think your chemist must have made a mistake. It is quit-e useless for making naphthol beta solution. Svsperted Disease. r. S. (Worcestershire). — Through improper packing the beet, arrived badly cruslied. We could not examine them properly. but from their appearance they may have died of starvation. W. W. (Swindon). — Bees have evidently died from starvation. A. C. H. (Lambourne) and " Sarumite." — The bees show every sign of " Isle of Wight" disease. C. 1'. (Hants). — (1) The specimen bees were so dry that it was impossible to diagnose cause of death Avith certainty, but, so far as we can judge, they died of starvation. (2) These show signs of " Isle of Wight " disease. Beesvv^ax (Devon). — E. E. C. (Woodham Terrace) — and Scot (Falkirk). — Bees are affected with "Isle of Wight" disease. Destroy at once. H. H. (Hampstead). — There does not appear to be any disease. The bees have been chilled by the cold weather. E. A. H. (Epsom). — The symptoms are those of "Isle of Wight" disease. Special Prepaid Advertisements Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. SEVERAL STRONG STOCKS iii good Hives, 1910 queens, 30s.— C. TOWNSEND, Lawmfield, Maidenliead. h 52 FOR SALE, CASSELL'S TECHNICAL EDUCA- TOR, 24 parts complete, lis., or exchange one healthy skep bees.— LEWIS, St. Clears, War- burton-road, Brockley. h 51 WANTED, SIMMINS' CONQUEROR HIVES, warranted free from disease.— GILLMAN, Staplieford, Notts. h 44 FOR SALE, Small APIARY, comprising nine stocks of healthy Bees in modern 10-frame Hives, one lot in skep, four spare hives, and appli- ances. What offers?— COOPER, MicheJmiersh, Romsey. h 45 HIVE comiplete, with two supers, sections, feeder, smoker, gloves, veil and skep, 16s. — THOMPSON, Maybush, Felixstowe. h_48 WALLFLOWER, strong plants, 3s. 100; fine show Pansies, Is. doz; Violias, named. Is. doz.; Carnations, named, 6d. each; samples, 7d. — GORDON, Springboiig, ShettlestO'n. h 49 PRIME STRONG SWARMS, guaranteed healthy, May_, 14s. 6d.; June, 12s. 6d.— BAR- FIELD, Broom, BiggLeswade. h 42 FOR SALE, four Stocks of Bees.— Apply, T. NORWOOD, Thurning, Oundle. h_43 EW STRONG HEALTHY STOCKS FOR SALE.— CLARKE, PoMard's Hill, Norbury. F GLOUCESTERSHIRE BEE-KEEPER'S ASSO- CIATION.—CERTIFICATED EXPERT re- quired to work in the district.— Apply, stating terms, to the Rev. F. H. FOWLER, Barnwood Vicarage, Gloucester. WANTED, CHOICE ENGLISH HONEY.- Address L.. " B.B.J.," 23 Bedford-street, Strand London, W. h 40 April 20, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 151 Editorial, Notices, &c. REVIEWS. Propolis, by Dr. M. Kiistenmacher. (Berlin : Berichte der Deutch. Pharm. Ges. Jahr XXL, Heft 1.). Of honey and wax as products of bees much has been written, but propolis has been neglected. The author of this monograph has taken the subject in hand with the result that he is able to throw a good deal of fresh light upon it. It has always been stated in bee^ books that propolis was obtained from the buds and limbs of trees, and that it was carried like pollen on the hind legs of bees. The author on the other hand shows that it is the oil or balsam derived from the outer coating of pollen grains. In order to understand its origin he traces the develop- ment of the pollen from the primitive cells to the production of the colouring matter. With the appearance of colour the balsam begins to form, and it is this that appears later in the hive as propolis. This balsam flows between the cellular layers and covers the pollen cells generally with a yellow to reddish oil. In botany this oil has hitherto been called a " fatty oil " as it dissolved in alcohol. The author believes, however, that it is a balsam — i.e., a natural resin dissolved in etherial oil, as he has been able to obtain it from many pollens from plants as well as from those brought into hivee by bees, a fact which he has been able to demonstrate by chemical analysis. The author describes the way propolis is introduced into the hive and how it is elaborated in the stomach of the bee, also its use in comb construction and for other purposesi of the hive. He attributes the different colours which wax assumes to propolis. Dr. de Planta, it will be recol- lected, attributed the colouring of wax to pollen, so that if propolis is derived from pollen it would corroborate Dr. de Planta's findings. The author goes very fully into all its bearings in relation to the bee com- munity and shows its importance in the economy of the hive. Its chemical analysis and composition are carefully exposed and in the last cliapter Dr. Kuistenmacher shows why he considers that the source of propolis is not from the buds of trees. This monograph of 30 pages is certainly a valu- able addition to our knowledge and shows that propolis is of very much greater importance to bees than has been hitherto supposed. Chrysanthemums, by Richard Dean, V.M.H. London : Agricultural and Horti- cultural Association. Price one penny. This book on Chrysanthemums by the late Secretary of the National Chrysan- themum Society adds a new feature of great value to the series of One and All ■Garden Books. The illustrations clearly show the varieties of the popular flower, and help to explain the author's cultural instructions. AMONG THE BEES. queen's. By T. M. Macdonald, Banff. As the queen is the parent of every bee in the hive it must be seen that the difference between a good and a bad one makes all the difference possible in secur- ing the success and progress of the colony. One queen mother laying a thousand eggs in a given time must have an immense pull over another laying only a few hundreds in the same period. The first colony comes to the crest of the wave a long way ahead of the weaker one, so that the progeny of the better queen is fit for honey-gathering and storing at the auspicious period when forage yields its best, while the laggard, being weeks behind, fails to obtain a full force until the supply of nectar has run dry. Here is a high ideal to work up to. Endeavour to have all queens of the best. I have from time to time given many different plans for introducing purchased queens, but I think, all things considered, for the majority of bee-keepers the caging method is the best and safest. The cages now generally used serve the purpose admir- ably, and the printed instructions accom- panying them are so precise and lucid that even the beginner can follow them with the best results. When the imprisoned queen is enclosed with candy, covered with thin cardboard, requiring a fair period to elapse before the bees liberate her, there is scarcely any chance of non- success following the operation of intro- duction. All stocks should first, however, be carefully examined to make it posi- tively certain that there is no virgin in the hive. In the majority of cases where failure takes place it can be attributed: to the presence of an unsuspected unmated queen whose personality, however useless, the bees have come to hold in a measure of respect. Three Eoney Becipes.—I have forgotten the source of these, but I give them for what they are worth. (1) If threatened with a cold just before jmnping into bed, take this drink. One spoonful honey, one half lemon juice stirred in a tumbler ot boiling water. Drink as hot as possible. (2) For all burns, sores on the skm, chapped hands, and kindred ills take two table-spoonfuls of honey, one of camphor, a small piece of wax, all heated together, and then let cool. (3) For coughs and sore throats take one table-spoonful ot spruce gum, pounded fine and dissolved in a pint of honey. A Very Old Bee.—" In a sarcophagus in a museum at Cairo can be seen a bee with wings outspread, but whose legs are 152 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 20, 1911. glued to the linen stripes enveloping a mummy. Tlie insect doubtless had been caught at the moment the embalmer was smearing the body, and that may have been 4,000 years ago. Time has respected the delicate structure of the bee, and she still remains as if quite ready to fly away." Here is another extract dealing with bee-keeping in very ancient times. A nomadic people living thousands of years ago are being described. "They dwelt in the mountains under the shade of thick trees, and in caves, and other places that naturally afforded them a shelter and covering, the building of houses not being found out. They were very ingenious, and therefore invented many things very useful and profitable, for they were the first to teach how to manage flocks of sheep, and to tame and bring up cattle, and how to gather honey." The concluding words convey to us the first germ of bee-keeping. Then, and for long after, it was a process of simply "gathering honey." Many and various were the domiciles in which the bees dwelt at that time. The clefts of the rocks, the carcase of a lion, and a site on a sheltered tree-bough are some of the places men- tioned in ancient history. That honey was plentifully produced in these sunny lands of the Far East is abundantly proved by extracts I lately made from the Bible. The Koran also has much to say of bees and bee-keeping. " Bees are sacred in- sects, blessed by God, and placed above all His creatures after the human race." " She alone has the honour of providing with its pleasant scent a substance created to be used in hours of devotion, and which lights up the House of Prayer for all religions." "Led by her Creator in all she undertakes, it is useless to look after her; she knows what to do, nature advises her." Then honey is described as " His sweet, wholesome substance, which sustains and strengthens the body, and which cures all maladies." Truly a high eulogium on the bee, its honey, and wax. Shifting Hives. — The best time to re- move bees a short distance is after a long spell of cold or stormy weather, during which they have been kept close prisoners to their hives. They should be liandled very gently, and carried carefully without in any way jarring the hives during their transit. It helps them very much to locate the new site if the entrance has a piece of glass, about twelve by six inches, placed slanting up to the entrance, so that they have to look about them v-^hen they first seek egress, and so mark their new bearings. Thej will be aided in this by further placing a board resting against the front of hive, or a green bough may be suspended above the entrance to fix in their minds that there is a change of location to note. An excellent preventive of wandering back to the old location is. to pack the entrance pretty closely with moss or dry grass. The bees make per- sistent efforts to find a way out, and gradually nibble the obstruction, when see- ing everything strange on issuing they mark the new site of their future home. The new " Claustral " chamber in front of a hive serves the same purpose effectively. The beating and tossing about of the bees during the process of driving enables them to forget the bearings of their old home, and driven bees settle down anywhere quite contentedly. The same has been claimed for the lately invented system of " shaking " bees. LEICESTER B.K.A. ANNUAL MEETING. At the annual meeting of the Leicester- shire and Rutland Bee-keepers' Associa- tion, held at the Highcross Coffee House, Leicester, on April 1st, the 29th annual report presented by the Council, recorded that the work accomplished during the year and the financial position of the Society were satisfactory, having regard to the fact that the past honey season, although somewhat better than the three preceding ones, had been unfavour- able for bee-keeping in all parts of the country. During the year thirty-six new members were enrolled, and the number on the books was now 301, compared with 321 in 1909. The receipts during the year amounted to £75 12s. 3d., and there was a balance in hand of £7 4s. 9d. Mr. E. J. Underwood (Leicester), who IDresided over a good attendance of mem- bers, pointed out that while the financial position remained about as it was a year ago, they had lost a number of members owing to the bad season, and in some cases to a want of regard for the work of the association. He emphasised their desire to encourage a more intelligent culture of the bee, and to extend interest for the love of the cult, so that they might pre- serve to the countrj'-side some of those pleasures which bound men to their homes. A vote of thanks having been accorded the retiring officers, Lady Levy was again elected president, and Mr. A. E. Biggs (Cropstone) was chosen cliairman for the year in succession to Mr. J. G. Payne. The Executive Council was constituted by the election of Messrs. S. Clarke, J. G. Cotton, G. W. Dunn, J. Fewkes, J. Hay- ward, C. Halford, E. A. Jesson, G. J. Levers, A. J. Marriott, A. Spencer, J. Thompson, T. H. Wright, W. H. Wood, with Messrs. W. P. Meadows, J. E. Roper, and E. J. Underwood as hon. past chair- men. April 20, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 153 Other officers appointed were Mr. W. K. Bedingfield, hon. treasurer; Mr. E. J. Underwood, hon. auditor; Mr. John Waterfield, hon. secrolary. Mr. Palkner and Mr. Meadows pre- sented reports as delegates to the British Beekeepers' Association. After tea the programme included a lecture- on " Bee curiosities and green- craft," read (in the absence of Mr. W. K. Bedingfield, through illness), by Mr. Morris. There was also a paper on " Diffi- culties and pleasures of expert work," by Mr. F. H. Hubbard, and the introduction of novelties and matters of interest by Mr. W. P. Meadows. Correspondence. The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents. No notice ivill be taken of anonymous communications, and correspondents are requested to torite 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. THE "ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. [8131] The warmest thanks of the bee- keeping community are due to Dr. Maiden for his painstaking and laborious endeavours to throw some light upon the distressing trouble that has over-taken so many of your readers and others. Fortunately, having had no personal experience with this new disease, I am not in a position to say that a. cure can positively be effected ; and, like others, I am still in the dark as to the origin of the complaint. Nevertheless, I am convinced the trouble can both be kept under and ultimately cured if bee-keepers will only take reasonable precautions. I fear there have been some loop-holes left open through which the plague has been enabled to escape from earlier source®, and thus attack many apiaries that might otherwise to-day have remained healthy and prosperous. It appears to me that the Committees of the various Bee Associations should at once take some effective measures to help pre- vent the spreading of this new disease. To my mind the most important of these is that an expert should have strict injunctions to cancel any further visits to other apiaries should he come across a case, or a suspected case, of "Isle of Wight" disease during his tour of inspec- tion. Next, I need hardly propose that should any recognised or appointed expert him- self have the same disease in his apiary he should be at once restrained froiw visiting other apiaries, though his own common-sense would probably save him from such a blunder. Moreover, until we know and fully understand the nature and course taken by this particular disease germ, founda- tion manufacturers will be benefiting themselves, as well as studying the interests of their clients, if they studiously decline to buy wax from known sources of infection ; or better still, let them insist upon a guarantee that the wax offered them does not come from such depleted apiaries. Finally, as far as possible, bee-keepers should be discouraged from visiting other apiaries when that of either may be; known to have the "Isle of Wight" disease. It goes without saying that the sales of bees or tenantless hives from infected districts is a matter that would not be entertained by any conscientious person. _ Now, it is to be noted that late in the summer of 1908 Mr. H. M. Cooper made a tour of inspection along the coast of the mainland, and was unable to discover a single case of the "Isle of Wight" disease, but in the following summer the disease was found to be prevalent in the counties nearest the Isle of Wight. This visit of Mr. Cooper's is a matter for the most serious consideration, and we may well ask if that visit of inspection had anything to do with the outbreak on the mainland. Had he recently been in an infected apiary as well as coming from an infected district? Had he recently carried out any experiments with the disease, and did he take with hira his own veil (if one) or his smoker? Did he wear the same boots or clothes he may have used in his own diseased apiary? All these points may be satisfactorily cleared up, but they should in any case tend to throw some light on the methods of spreading the disease unconsciously by bee-keepers. I had never accepted Mr. Woodley's theory that brood diseases were spread by experts, as simple precautions, well known to them, would usually avert any trouble in that way ; but this new disease is so far a baffling one, and probably spreads more easily by contact (or without direct con- tact)" than the older and well-known trouble. The map illustrated in the March 30th issue of the "B.B.J.," showing how the dis- ea.se spread in successive years over the Isle of Wight, is of considerable interest; but that of the mainland is indefinite, and neither helpful nor instructive, to my mind. Notwithstanding one doubts the wisdom of blacking whole counties when large areas thereof remain free of the com- plaint, we must agree with the Editor 154 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 20, 1911. and Dr. Maiden that there were obstacles in the way that made it most difficult, if not impossible, to clearly define the districts actually affected; or even more so, to show the order in which they became so. With the true spirit of the scientist and the born investigator. Dr. Maiden has pursued his researches, not hesitating to attempt the infection of healthy bees, though without success. May it be tliat he has not yet secured the really mis- chievous germP Many normal colonies will have an occasional bee after winter, or during a long, cold spell in spring, that has the appearance of the bees he ■describes, and though not always worn out, these have every appearance of being paralysed. After a warm spell, nothing more of the kind is to be seen. I shall look forward with interest, and in earnest nanticipation, with regard to Dr. Maiden's further investigations.^ — Samuel Simmins, Heathfield, Sussex, April 15, 1911. POUL BROOD AND DISINFECTION. [8132] Referring to Mr. R. Whyte'.s letter in your issue of Jan. 5th last, page 8, wherein he appears to support the views of the anonymous writer in the "Canadian Bee Journal " for October last, re disinfection in New Zealand, I must ask that gentleman to read my reply in the same Journal for January ; he may then modify his opinion of the value of the anonymous writer's statements. The general consensus of opinion is over- whelmingly in favour of disinfection of hives and all appliances that have been in contact with diseased bees. I cannot call to mind a single scientific investi- gator of bee diseases who does not recom- mend disinfection ; and I would ask, are the opinions of such investigators as Drs. Maassen, Burri, Zander, G. F. White, Messrs. Imms and Clieshire and others, to be set aside in favour of those of a few laymen? I have nothing to say against those who believe they have goodi reasons for the faith that is in them, uut until the matter is finally set at rest by a thorough and complete investigation, scientifically and practically, I am going to follow the advice of those gentlemen quoted, and disinfect. Mr. Whyte, in drawing attention to a communication of mine in October " Glean- ings." in which a Digest of our Apiaries Act is given, seems surprised, seeing that I am_ in favour of disinfection, that iir. mention of it is made in the Act. He says: — "If disinfection was an essential part of the treatment in eradicating foul- brood in New Zealand, would it not be mentioned in this Digest?" My reply to Mr. Whyte's query is that in putting it he has entirely overlooked the unwisdom of including any schedule of treatment in an Apiaries Act. I was fully aware of this when dealing with the draft ; had I inserted any part of a treatment to be made compulsory it would have appeared meaningless unless the whole treatment had been included. Supposing for a moment that the McEvoy or some other treatment had been maae compulsory, there would have been nothing to hinder an unscrupulous person who had done nothing to rid his bees of foul-brood saying: — -"I have treated my bees according to the instruc- tions in the Act, and, cured or not cured, there they are." A nice rnuddle would result, for his word would count for as much as an inspector's in court. All mention of the kind of treatment was purposely left out ; the use of frame hives, however, is compulsory, and also that where there is a possibility of cure the bee-keeper must undertaKe to get rid of the disease. The treatment is left entirely to himself, and all that I have done in my bulletin, apart from the Act, is to suggest or recommend the McEvoy method as having been tried and proved to be effective, together with disinfec- tion. Who knows what to-morrow may bring forth? Any present treatment may be superseded, therefore, in my opinion, all Apiaries Acts should be free in this respect. I am pleased to see the Editor holds sound views of bee legislation and disinfection. — J. Hopkins, Auckland, New Zealand, March 10, 1911. [We have amj)le evidence to show that disinfection of hives and appliances is necessary, and in the Guide Book have repeatedly stated that this starvation method, good as far as it goes, has failed from the fact of its not embracing disin- fection of hives and appliances. Knowing, therefore, the risk run, we shall continue to recommend disinfection. — Ed.] "ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. [8133] It IS a great pity that isolated outbreaks such as that described by Mr. Woodley on page 137 are not investi- gated at the time. The accovmt of trouble differs considerably from that given on page 135 by Mr. Macdonald. In the latter case none of the imported bees appear to have been affected, as it is improbable that any of the original swarm (with the excejjtion of the queen) was alive when the disease manifested itself. Unsuitable food Avould account for the facts given, but if Me accept the state- ment that, in the latter case, it was caused by a germ, it is difficult to understand how we can be certain tliat the honey was contaminated. If the liive carried the disease there seems a possibility that the frame round the honeycomb would do so. April 20, 1911.] THE BlilTISH BEE JOUKNAL. 155 Although I am hopeful that the matter will be cleared up this season, and foresee the possibility of a new contagious bee disease being in our midst, I cannot over- look the fact tliat these heavy losses have occurred in the past owing to bad seasons. It is a curious fact that may mean much or nothing that the South of England, East Anglia, and Wales liaA^e had a rain- fall far in excess of the average. This is also true of part of Yorkshire, so that a map showing the wettest and driest counties for 1910 will roughly resemble a map showing the progress of " Isle of Wight " disease. Much of the bee mor- tality is due to the weather, and the only question is whether all the cases that come up for investigation are not of that class. Several writers in " Gleanings " complained of a similar trouble last year, and it is noteworthy that Mr. J. M. Pulley, in an article published October 1st, gives his experience that it is correlated to wet weather. He sviggests sugar syrup as a remedy, and this might prove e£fec- tive in some of the cases over here. There is no means whatever of differentiating " Isle of Wight" dis- ease from any other form of bowel stoppage- When a case can be found which will convey the disease to another stock at the will of the experimenter we shall have made a big advance in the solution of the problem. — G. W. Bulla- MORE, Albury, Herts. FRUITGROWERS AND BEE DISEASE. [8134] Herewith I send you a copy of a letter I have sent to the Fruitgrower re the "Isle of Wight" disease. The afore- mentioned paper, which is the real live organ of the British fruit-growing in- dustry, has lately been giving the subject of this fell disease its attention, and was last week lamenting the impotence of the Board of Agriculture to issue any order for destruction of diseased stocks. If my scheme for relieving the present distress meets your approval, will you lend it the weight of your advocacy? — Yours truly, H. E. SCROPE ViNER. [Copy.] Overbury Fruit Farm, Nr. Tewkesbury. To the Editor of -The Fruitgrower." I see you are taking up the subject, most important to both fruitgrowers and bee-keepers, of the new bee disease, known as the "Isle of Wight" disease, and hope as a ' result there will be some concerted action on the part of all concerned to get this plague stamped out before it is too late. You say the Board of Agriculture have j no power to deal with the matter. While | they may have no power to enfoi'ce destruc- tion of all diseased stocks and affected hive-fittings and skeps, there is a course of immediate action open to them which I may suggest, and which would, I believe, prove of great benefit. Cannot the Board publish a short leaf- let giving in clear, concise language a description of the symptoms of the dis- ease, and ending with a forceful recom- mendation in the interests alike of owner and neighbour to destroy all stocks showing signs of suffering from it? These leaflets, carrying all the weight of authority of the Board, could then be handed over to the British Bee-keepers' Association, and by that body passed on to the various county B.K.A.'s through- out the country, whose individual mem- bers, assisted by all other intelligent bee- keepers, would, I am sure, vindertake to see that every bee-keeper in their imme- diate neighbourhood had a copy. Are we not getting too much into the habit of sitting inactive waiting for the Government to do everything for us, and is it not better to first try the effect of education and persuasion, instead of resorting at all times to arbitrary force in matters affect- ing the good of the community? What- ever is done should be done at once, before another bee season has commenced, and spread the disease to at present un- affected districts. — H. E. S. Viner. [We need hardly say that we thoroughly approve of any means that will tend to arrest or cure this disease, and will give it our hearty support. It is true that the Board of Agriculture have no power to enforce destruction of diseased stocks. They can, however, issue such a leaflet as our correspondent suggests, and, as the matter has already been represented to them, we hope that it will not be long before such leaflets are ready for circulation. — Ed.] PAINTING HIVES. [8135] Good boiled oil and white lead will not rub off in the manner stated by D.M.M. (page 103). I always use this as the body of my paint and have not been troubled by its rubbing off. Some 30 years ago a friend who was managing a smelting works told me he had found a paint which was far better than lead-paint for resisting the atmosphere. He gave me the name, but I have forgotten it, not being, at the time, much interested in paint. Perhaps some reader knows of such a paint. Bees and Smoke. I was much surprised a few days ago when burning some weeds to see a bee hovering round and persist- ently keeping in the smoke, it then settled on the heap of rubbish on the lee side where smoke was issuing and sucked up the moisture. Is it only in the hive that smoke agitates them? 156 THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 20, 1911. Increasing Stocks. I have five stocks and propose increasing to eight this season, at the same time securing as much surplus as I can. The plan 1 contemplate is to let the strongest stock swarm, and then divide the parent stock into three, putting three frames into each of two fresh hives, and filling up with frames fitted with foundation. Do you approve of the method?— W. A. C, Castle Gary. [Your plan of increasing stocks might work out successfully, but a better one would be to make a nucleus as early as possible ; when the queen is fertilised, make a nucleus swarm from the strongest stock. Wlien these two have worked up into strong lots, make an artificial swarm from each. If you could obtain a couple of fertile queens to introduce to the stocks directly after the artificial swarms are made success should be assured. — Ed.] THE "ISLE OF WIGHT " DISEASE. [8136] All bee-keepers must have read with intense interest Dr. Maiden's address on the above subject to the British Bee- keepers' Association. The article in the Becord for April is headed : " The New- Epidemic Among Bees," while the Editor, in the same issue, seeks to administer consolation by pointing out that " similar epidemics have occurred be- fore, but bee-keeping has recovered in those places which had been devastated." Are we to understand, then, that the disease is only an old enemy under a new name? I venture to submit that the latter is the case, and that the mysterious outbreaks of disease dealt with by old writers differ only in name from that which is spreading gloom through the com- munity of bee-keepers at the present time ; and further, that the fons et origo mati is the weather. If spraying field-crops with sulphate of copper were at the bottom of the mischief it is unthinkable that bees should have escaped in countries where spraying is practised as commonly as in infected countries ; moreover, it is physi- cally impossible that a mineral poison should cause an infectious or contagious disease. It certainly seems reasonable to suppose that the introduction of foreign strains from milder climates should have produced a race of bees less capable of withstanding the rigours of our climate, nor is it sufficient answer to reply, as some have done, that foreign bees were introduced many years ago, if former out- breaks of disease were identical with the present one. Dr. Maiden has come to the conclusion that the disease " must be of an infectious nature communicated in some way or other from bee to bee," but he is unable to agree that it is "due to low temperatures, wet ' weather, and absence of honey flow." And yet the- latter theory seems reasonable enough,, especially if it be granted in addition that pollen may become unwholesome or dis- eased fey th© action of unfavourable- weather conditions. Of course, there i& the grave objection that the complaint should have been, so far as is known, con- fined to the Isle of Wight for at least four years, although much the same weather conditions prevailed- in the mainland ; but might not the same be said of " the plague," the bacillus of which is said to resemble that of the bee disease? How can one account for the plague originating from certain definite spots, and spreading thence as an infectious disease, although the same unhealthy and malarious condi- tions must have prevailed widely in the East? I speak under correction, but there appears to be some analogy between the two cases. It is noteworthy that the cycle of bad weather, from which we are suffer- ing now, began in 1903 — the year of the- remarkable rainfall; and the features of this cycle have been — damp and mild winters, cold springs, cool and sunless, summers. These are the very conditions, as everyone knows, adverse to bees — dependent as they are for their health and very existence, on warmth and sun- shine in spring and summer — and sus- ceptible to damp, far more than to cold,, in winter. Statistics are wearisome, but they are necessary to support my conten- tion. In 1903, January, February, March, October, and November, had a, temperature slightly above the average, the other seven months were all below the average as regards temperature, April, June, and July especially so; in 1904, every month was colder than the average, except January, which was a fraction of a degree warmer ; in 1905, February and March had a tem- perature above the mean, while that of the other ten months was below ; in 1906, \h& mean temperature of all the months was below the average, except in the case of January, August, October, and Novem- ber ; in 1907, March, November, and December were slightly warmer than the average, the other nine months were colder ; in 1908, February, October, and November, were above the average for temperature, May was exactly normal — all the other months were below ; in 1909, every single month was colder than the average, with the sole exception of October; in 1910, January, February, October, and December were warmer than the average, tlie other eight months, being below the normal for warmth. The wonder is that bees have survived at all ! The inference is that plenty of sunshine and seasonable warmth will destroy the germs of disease, aided by the unselfish and enlightened efforts of the bee-keepers April 20, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 15' themselves. May Coronation year, and "King's weather," inaugurate better time^ for bees and their masters! — F. H. Fowler. HOMES OF THE HONEY-BEE. APIARIES OF OUR READERS. We have pleasure in presenting to readers a picture of the apiary of Mr. G. Kennedy, and as we have visited the same we can say it is thoroughly up-to- date in every respect. The description given shows what village lads can do if they are energetic 'and willing to make the most of their opportunities. Mr. Kennedy sends some interesting notes to accompany the picture, and writes as follows : '" I have for some time been an ardent reader of the " B.B.J.," ^\hicli has added much to my knowledge in the craft of bee-keeping. a rack of sections. Unfortunately the weather became bad, and therefore very few of the sections were completed. This hive having been well prepared for winter came out very strong the fol- lowing spring. As we wanted increase, we left it to swarm, and by the end of the season we possessed three stocks of bees in good condition, with provision for the coming winter, besides having obtained sufficient honey for our own use and for friends. Fortunately, at the end of this our second season, Mr. W. Herrod came to give a course of lectures for the County Council on bee-keeping in a neighbour- ing village schoolroom, and as we wished to increase our knowledge we attended, and by this means we soon gained a fair knowledge of the subject, for which we are deeply indebted to our instructor. In our third season we felt quite capable of managing a much larger apiary, so MR. G. KENNEDY S APIARY, ODELL, BEDS. I have been particularly interested in the various experiences shared by many as related in the "Homes of the Honey- Bee" articles, and think that a brief outline of my own career as a bee-keeper may be of some interest to your numerous readers. 1 first became enthusiastic about bees nine years ago, when at work with a friend (whose parents kept bees), who on being told that a swarm had issued from one of his father's hives, asked me if I would like to assist him in taking it. Having been successful in the new enter- prise, we decided to become partners, and then took possession of a bar-frame hive properly fitted up, the ten frames having full sheets of " Weed " foundation. In the evening we allowed the swarm to enter the prepared hive. At this time the weather was very favourable for bees, and there being plenty of forage around, our swarm soon filled the brood-chamber and required more room, so we gave the bees year by year we invested money in buying bees and eventually became possessed of from thirty-five to forty stocks. The apiary at the present time contains twenty-three frame hives and two straw skeps. The majority of the hives are home-made, and of the "W.B.C " pat- tern, which we strongly advocate and hope eventually to use no other type than this simple yet efficient hive. The apiary is not situated in the best of bee districts, therefore we cannot boast of big '"takes," the largest being about 50 lbs. from any individual hive, but this we consider very fair for this district. The main crop is obtained from limes and clover, the limes being the principal source. One great disadvantage is that our bees have such long distant flights to the forage, which, of course, hinders the work considerably. Although our crop has never been large, we have always had honey of the best 158 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 20, 1911. quality, which is proved by the numerous prizes we have taken at the local and other shows. We find no difficulty in disposing of our produce ; in fact, we never get enough to supply the growing demand of our customers. For several years past we have raised our own queens, but this has been very tedious work, owing to the adverse weather, which has made it most difficult to get the queens mated. For the last two years we have made bee-keeping more of a business than a hobby, and have the management of a good number of apiaries, consisting of several hundred stocks, and often we are calle.'l upon to examine bees. Yes, alas! how often, too, to find them suffer- ing from that dreaded malady "Foul Brood," and we have gained considerable experience in dealing with this most con- tagious disease, with, in most cases, com- plete success. At the time of writing we know of hives which last year were contaminated with disease, and regret to say we have been unable up to the present time to induce the owners to destroy them. Therefore, we are of opinion that bee-keeping is handicapped to a very great extent, and will be more so in future unless an act is passed to enforce the destruction of diseased stocks ; and we shall welcome such legislation. Four years ago our apiary had an attack of "Odourless Foul Brood," which, however, is easily cured. Since this we have: made special efforts to keep out disease by keeping our stocks strong, by ' medicating all syrup and candy, by having napthaline in the hives, and since the invention of " Apicure " we make it a rule to keep this in the hives too, renewing it as re- quired. I may mention that Mr. R. S. Askew, my late partner, has emigrated to New Zealand, where he hopes to follow up this same pursuit. Queries and Replies. [4115] Mice in Hives. — I take several bee papers, but can find nothing in them to enlighten me as to the following strange occui-rence : About a month ago, on a very fine day, I changed one of my two stocks of bees from an old hive to a newly painted one, and placed it within a couple of yards of its old position. The bees seemed to settle down at once. There was plenty of stores in the combs at the top corners of the right-hand side, and I also put in a cake of candy. I kept the enti'ance well open, but on return of the cold weather 1 closed it to within ^in. On my morning and evening visits, especially during the past week, I have noticed a considerable amount of debris about the lighting-board ejected from the hive, but put it down to spring cleaning inside. On Saturday last, not seeing much signs of activity, I Jooked inside, and was sur- prised to find the stock reduced to about a quarter, or less, than the former num- bers; the bees crowded into a foodless part of the combs, were all dead, with the exception of .about half-a-dozen — candy untouched. The greater surprise, how- ever, was finding a mouse-tail gnawed off, apparently at the stump. The combs were all badly bored, honey and wax was eaten wholesale, and one of the sliding opening bars was gnawed as if the mouse, having been imprisoned by my reducing the opening, had made its own way of escape. Would you kindly let me know if you think the bees have simply been frightened off their food and out of the hive to starve, by the depredations and smell of the mouse .^ Do you think they are diseased? If the latter is the case I suppose you advise the destruction of the wbo^e lot. In the meantime, I am hunting a " manx " mouse and its progeny, bristling, I hope, like a porcupine with stings. — D. B., Ormskirk. Reply. — There are signs of constipation in the bees, but we should say the main cause of death was the depredations of the mouse. The combs will not be worth saving; burn them and disinfect the hive well before using again. [4116] Bee-farming as a Business. — If the following questions are not con- sidered absurd, answers to them through the columns of your much-appreciated paper will be welcomed by a " Budding Apiarist:" (1) Can Bee-farming pure and simple, be made to pay commercially in England at present? (2) What, in their order of merit, are considered the best bee counties? (3) How many colonies in a year, when the honey-flow is ordinary, would one require to have to make a living out of bees.- -A. H., Skye. Reply. — We are at all times pleased to help our readers, and your questions are anything but absurd : (1) Climatic condi- tions, so variable in this country, prevent bee-keeping alone being lucrative enough to be the sole means of livelihood. (2) .All the following counties are good : Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambs., Lines., Berks, Hants, Kent. (3) In a good season and district each hive will give an average return of twenty shillings if properly managed. [4117] Curious Behaviour of Bees. — May I ask for your invaluable advice on a point of difficulty? I have a skep occu- pied by a last season's "cast." I have April 20, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 159 seen so few bees throughout the winter that I almost thought they had died off. A week ago to-day I cut a small hole at the top of skep and placed a cake of medicated candy there, and after two or three hours three bees had come up. At 2.30 this afternoon, in sunshine, to my surprise, bees poured out of the entrance until the air was full of them, and then nearly all sud- denly sank to the ground, set- tling on bushes, grass plants, and ground generally, leaving about a dozen flying at the entrance. Horrible visions of "Isle of Wight" disease seized me, when the bees, as suddenly, all rose and crowded back until the large board on which the hive is fixed was black with them. When nearly all had passed in the queen suddenly appeared round the back of the hive and passed in with the remainder, apparently unnoticed by the workers. They are now distinctly irritable, objecting to anyone standing near. Can you explain this behaviour, and why the queen was walking about outside the hive, why bees should have settled on the ground even as far as 12ft. away, apparently at a given signal, to return? Wliat am I to gather from this behaviour .P I placed napthaline on the floor-board, pushing it well bacK, four months ago, as the skep with bees was given to me. I know the skep is a very old one and possibly with diseased combs. I had already carefully closed up all cracks at the base, and there is only one possible doorway, so the queen must have come out by the front door and walked round the skep on the floor-board outside. — Interested, Branscombe. Reply. — The bees were no doubt short of stores, and this accounts for their action. When this is the case in March they will sometimes come out and cluster exactly as a natural swarm would. [4118] Charlock-spraying and Disease. — Was charlock sprayed with sulphate of copper in the Isle of Wight four years before any spraying was done on the mainland? The answer to this seems to me a sufficient test, if spraying is the cause of the disease. Many thanks for reply to last letter. I have destroyed everything in hive. Is the feeder I used last autumn likely to be infected? Un- fortunately I do not know wliich I used on this hive. — A. P. W., Alfriston. Reply. — In answer to the first part of your query we cannot say. Disinfect all appliances most thoroughly before using again. [4119] Increase — Disinfecting Hives. I should like a reply to the following ques- tions, in the " B.B.J. ," which I take every week and look for it with pleasure : (1) I have lost five stocks of bees, and having one left alive. I am anxious to try again. Would you advise me to wait for a natural swarm, or to work up to get an artificial one, if it can be done from my own hive? (2) I would like to disinfect the empty hives so that tliey will be fit for use this summer. Would washing with carbolic acid, soft soap, and boiling water, afterwards putting them out in the air to dry, answer the purpose? If so, what proportion of carbolic should I use ? — W. D., Hersham. Reply. — (1) Proceed to make a nucleus as early as possible, then when the queen is fertilised make a nucleus swarm. (2) The best way to disinfect hives is to scorch the inside with a painter's spirit- lamp, or, failing this, wash the hive with paraffin, set it alight, and when scorched put out the fire by smothering with a wet sack. Fire is the best disin- fectant known. THE POLLINATION OF FRUITS. SUGGESTIONS FOR EXPERIMENTS W'lTH THE OBJECT OF GAINING PRACTICAL INFORMATION. 1. Choose flower buds of apple, pear, plum or cherry., a few days before the blossoms expand, open the blossoms and destroy the anthers by care- fully removing them, and when the blos- soms are fully expanded (a) pollinate half the flowers with pollen from a different variety of the same kind of fruit ; (b) leave the other half to the care of the bees and see which gives the best result. (An experi- ment of Thomas Andrew Knight, 100 years ago.) 2. Place paper bags over bunches of flowers of apple, pear, plum and cherry of different varieties before any flowers open, and tie so as to exclude insects, then notice whether they set fruit with their own pollen — i.e., are "self-fertile," or do not set fruit — i.e., are "self-sterile." 3. Choose some of the best market varieties of apple, pear, plum and cherry, two sets of blossoms on each variety, selecting two or three unopened flowers ; in group A, when these flowers are nearly ready to open, twist off petals, and snip out stamens with small sharp scissors with long handles by preference, or pull out with tweezers ; then pollinate stigmas with pollen of some other good market variety, either by touching with anther or with pollen on spatula or brush, then bag and tie, label and note in book. In the case of group B, treat flowers in a similar way, but pollinate with pollen of the same variety, label (with number, date and what has been i done) and keep paper bag on for, say, three I weeks or more. When mature, notice I whether the blossoms receiving foreign 160 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 20, 1911. pollen produce better fruit than those which received pollen of the same variety, also examine the number and size of pips in the apples and pears in each case. It is recommended that the flowers to be used as pollenizers should have bags placed over them before they open, so as to be sure of the pollen being absolutely true ; a twig of flowers for pollen may be cut off, placed in a jar of Avater and kept indoors or in the glasshouse, for convenience in collecting pollen ; pollen can be j^laced and kept in a small bottle if quite dry. 4. In order to ascertain which varieties are good pollenizers apply the pollen of one variety of say apple or pear to different varieties of the same ; also try the different pollens on some good variety, such as Cox's Orange Pippin or Williams' Bon Chretien pear, to find the best pollenizers for these varieties. Preferably make all trials in duplicate. 5. In the case of berry fruits, such as gooseberry, black and red currant, straw- berry, raspberry, blackberry, loganberry, place muslin or paper bags over some un- open blossoms to exclude bees and note result as to whether any fruit sets, whether seeds are smaller, whether fruits are more juicy. Please send record of your trials to the "B. B. J.," or any horticultural paper or journal, or to Cecil H. Hooper, Fern Villas, Wye, Kent. TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. C. T. Overton and sons. Crawley, Sussex). — This catalogue, which can be had on application, post free, is replete with every requisite for the beekeeper. It also includes poultry houses, incuba- tors, greenhouses, and rabbit appliances. WEATHER REPORT. Barnwood. Gloucester. March, 1911. Coldest nights, 16th, 25. Mean temperature for month, 41"9 ; '6 of a degree below average. Relative humidity, or percentajije of moisture in the air at 9 a.m. 87. Number of days with sky completely overcast at 9 a.m. 17; do. cloudless, 2. Percentage of cloud 73. Percentage of wind force, 29. Prevailing direction, N.E. (F. R. Met. Soc). Rainfall, 2 08 in. Above average, '53 in. Heaviest fall, 66 in. on 12th. Rain fell on 19 days. Total to date, 4-39 in, as compared with 6"35 ins. for the cor- responding period of last year. Mean maximum tem- perature, 47 "9; 'lof a degree below the ^ average. Mean minimum tem- perature, 3.5"9 ; 11 deg. below the average. Warmest day, 2nd 59-5. F. H. Fowlei Notices to Correspondents. J. S. (Frampton). — Early Queen-Mating. — There is just a possible chance of the queen being fertilized. No, this is not a record, as we have seen queens reared earlier than the date you give, but as a rule they are not of much use. T. G. D. (Loughboro). — Bees and Neigh- hours.— There is no danger whatever to your neighbour if the hive is placed in the position indicated in your plan. He ought to be grateful to you for keep- ing bees, as undoubtedly his fruit trees will be greatly benefited by their visits. You can insure against damage. The Sec. of the Leicestershire B.K.A., Mr. J. Waterfield, Jr., Kilworth, Leicester, will send you particulars if applied to. SUSPECTED DISEASE. J. H. B. (Lincoln). — The bees have died from " Isle of Wight " disease. A. J. S. (Somerset). — ^The bees are all con- stipated, and there also appear signs of " Isle of Wight " disease. B. (Herefordshire).— (1) " Isle of Wight " disease has been the cause of death, not suffocation. (2) We should not advise you to use the combs again ; it is best to destroy them, together with all the internal fittings of the hive, which should then be thoroughly disinfected. Special Prepaid Advertisements Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 5s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. FSZVATE ADVERTZSEMENTS. QUEENS. Six young, healthy, fertile, native queens, 4s. each.— HILLMAN, Stonehouse, Glos. h 55 WANTED, EXTRACTOR; also Uncapping Knives. Particulars and lowest prices.— HARGREAVES, Knottsvvood, Todmordren. h 53 WHAT OFFERS for PLATE GLASS TROPHY STAND, up to date, taken first prizes at the County Show.— WOOD, ©xipeirt, Arnold,, N^otts. ti 57 SEVERAL STRONG STOCKS on- 8 Frames, guairantiCC'd healthy; no Hives; £1.— L. MATTHEWS, Gt. RolMght, Oxon. h 54 B EES FOR SALE, on frames, 17 Stocks.— GARWOOD, Ptr. Beighiam, Gt. YarmoutJi. h58 SEVERAL STRONG STOCKS in good Hives, 1910 queens, 30s.— C. TOWNSEND, Lawnfield, Maidenhead. h 52 April 27, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. 161 Editorial, Notices, &c. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION The monthly meeting of the Council was held on April 20th, 1911, at 23, Bedford Street, Strand, London, W.C. Mr. T. W. Cowan presided, and there were also present: Miss M. L. Gayton, Messrs. W. F. Reid, A. G. Pugh, E. Garcke, E. Watson, C. L. M. Eales, J. Smallwood, A. Richards, T. Bevan, R. T. Andrews, J. B. Lamb, J. E. Smiles, and G. W. Judge (Crayford), L. McNeill Stewart (South Beds.), and W. Herrod (Secretary). Letters expressing regret at inability to attend were received from Col. H. J. O. Walker, Messrs. 0. R. Frankenstein, and E. Walker. The minutes of the Council meeting held Feb. 16th were read and confirmed. The following officers were elected : — •Chairman, Mr. T. W. Cowan. Vice-chair- man, Mr. W. F. Reid. Finance Com- mittee : Messrs. T. Bevan, C. L. M. Eales, A. Richards, J. B. Lamb, J. Smallwood. Exhibition Committee: Messrs. T. Bevan, C. L. M. Eales, 0. R. Frankenstein, A. G. Pugh, E. Walker, E. Watson. Publi- cation Committee: Messrs. T. Bevan, E. Garcke, J. B. Lamb, W. F. Reid, J. Small- wood. Emergency Committee: Messrs. W. F. Reid, J. B. Lamb. Committee to lielp Dr. Maiden : Messrs. A. Richards, J. Smallwood, E. Walker and the Secretary. The following Associations applied for affiliation and were accepted: — Mid. Kent, Hertford, Ware and District, Soxxth African Association, The Pretoria and Dis- trict B.K.A., South Africa. The following new nxenxbers were elected:— The Honbl. Rose Booth Wilbraham, Blythe Hall, Ormskirk ; Miss F. M. Durham, 7, Cannon Hill, Terrace, Merton Park, Loxidon, vS.W. ; Miss M. V. Holmes, Powis Castle Park, Welshpool ; Mrs. E. A. Birch, Brandize, Okehampton, Devon; Mrs. Barry, Clifford Vicarage, Boston Spa R.S.O., Yorks ; Mr. S. Mooxx, The Cottage, Chessington, Surbi- ton ; Mr. A. Beethaxxi, Bishop Moxxkton, Leeds; Mr. P. M. Ralph, 2, High Hill Grove, Settle, Yorks ; Mr. G. G. Desmond, 109, Grove Lane, Camberwell, London, S.E. ; Mr. W. H. Sims, Darley Dale, Stratford Road, Hall Green, Birming- ham ; Mr. G. Thomas, Coedixxelyn, Stack- pole, Peixibroke ; Mr. S. Simmins, Queen- land, Heathfield; Rev. T. H. Haynes, Staunton Rectory, Glos. ; Mr. T. O. Greenwood, Pretoria, Soxxth Africa; Dr. W. E. O. Musson, L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., 61, Bridge Avenue, Haxnmersmith ; Mr. F. C. Holmes, Powis Castle Pax-k, Welshpool; Mr. W. Lloyd, 2, Baixk Road, Lancaster ; Mr. G. Bryden, 46, Star Hill, Rochester; Mr. G. H. Ceiley, Caythorpe. Fortis Green, London, N. ; Mr. E. R. Bodey, 6, Haycroft Road, Brixton Hill, London, S.W. ; Mr. J. C. A. Nesbit, 32, Stracey Road, Harles- den, London, N.W. ; Mr. J. W. Eggleston, Reservoir Hoxxse, Consett, Durhaxxx ; Mr. H. Goxxde, F.R.H.S. ; East Dereham, Nor- folk; Mr. A. J. Griffiths, Post Office, Trixnsaran, Kidwelly, Carixxarthen ; Mr. H. Edwards, 22, Carnarvon Road, Read- ing. The followiixg xxames of delegates were submitted and appi'oved : Mr. A. R. Moreton and Mr. J. P. Phillips (Worces- ter), Dr. P. Sharp (Lixics.), Mr. J. N. Kidd and Capt. Sitwell (Northuixxberland and (Durhanx), Mr. E. E. Scholefield and Mr. R. W. Furse (Devon), Mr. H. Collins and Mr. R. Hefford (Northants), Rev. G. H. Pratt and Mr. T. Cooper (Shropshire), Mr. J. Vicars aixd Mr. J. Lunnin (Cumberland and Westmorland), Mr. W. W. Falkner (Leicester), Mr. A. Wilhxxott and Mr. Guy (Hei-tfox'd Ware aixd District). The repox't of the Finance Committee was presented by Mr. C. L. M. Eales, and it was rasolved that payments be made amounting to £51 8s. 6d. The recexpts for the month of February were £31 7s. 6d., and for March £56 Os. 2d. The balance in hand at the end of March was £159 6s. lid. It was resolved that " a forixx for the sxxbmitting of names of delegates by Association Secretaries be drawn up," and this was left to Mr. A. Richards to draw up and submit to the next nxeeting of Council. The First Class Examination was fixed for May 19th and 20th. Col. H. J. O. Walker was appointed examiner. The Second Class Examination, was fixed for November 24th and 25th. It was resolved that "Mr. T. W. Cowan, Col. H. J. 0. Walker, Mr. W. F. Reir, and Rev. A. D. Downes Shaw, be the exaxnining boax-d for Fix'st and Secoxxd Class Examinations." The examiners' report on third class examinations held at Pretoria, South Africa, was presented, and certificates were awax'ded to Mr. J. L. Taylor, Won- derbooxn Apiary, Boom Street, Gezixxa, Pretoria, S.A., and Mr. D. Caimcross, Church Street, Pretoria, S.A. An application for medals aixd certifi- cates for the Grocers' Exhibition was received, and these were granted, Mr. T. W. Cowan and Mr. E. Walker being appointed judges at same. The Staffordshire Association applied for the appointment of Mr. A. G. Pugh as judge and examiner at their show on Jxxly 19th and 20th; this was granted. The amended leaflets of the Assocxa- tioxx were presented and accepted. A. hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Garcke and Mr. Lamb for their labour in revising same. 162 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 2T, 1911. The Pretoria Association applied for the appointment of permanent examiners and it was resolved "to appoint Mrs. Stewart Russell and Mr. H. L. Attridge for twelve months only, to date from this meeting." A letter was read from the British Dairy Farmers' Association asking for a grant towards the prizes for honey at their show in 1911 ; it was decided that the state of the finances would not permiL of this being done this year. MIDLOTHIAN BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION. At a recent meeting of this Association, Mr. J. W. Moir in the chair, it was unani- mously agreed to support legislation against bee diseases. A more active propaganda was decided on, and now the Edinburgh and East of Scotland College of Apriculture has arranged that the well-known Scottish expert, Mr. R. Steele, shall give four lectures on bee-keeping in the Scientific Hall, Dalkeith, on Friday, 21st April, and the following Fridays, at 7.30 p.m. Admis- sion is free and discussion is invited. — John W. Moir. HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By W . Herrod. First Examinations. — These should be carried out only in suitable weather ; do not be too anxious to manipulate so long as it is seen that the food supply is ade- quate, and that it will be sufficient until a nice, still, warm day cames along, en- abling a proper examination to be carried out. Though the sun may be shining, ofttimes there is a keen wind blowing, and exposure to this, be it ever so short, will chill the brood and so do an immense amount of harm. Also watch very closely for the. bees balling the queen, and above all, do not attempt to handle the queen during the first two or three examinations or it may quickly cause this to happen. Water and Pollen. — Attention to the supply of these two necessaxy articles will save the bees a tremendous amount of labour. Artificial pollen can be supplied by placing a box of shavings, cut straw or hay, in a sunny position well-sheltered in case of rain, with Symington's pea- flour dusted upon it. I say Symington's, not because I hold a brief for this firm, but because it is a fine poM'der, instead of being granular, which is the case with some kinds of pea-floiir. Water can be given in a shallow vessel, filled with stones to prevent the bees being drowned ; corks move too much, and very often precipi- tate the bees into the water. If the bee- keeper is at all handy with tools, it is an easy matter to make a grooved board upon which a bottle, full of water, can be inverted. A little salt should be added to the water, so preventing the bees from going to objectionable places for saline matter. Drinking-vessels and pollen-box should be placed where it is impossible for animals or poultry to get to them, or a good many bees will be sacrificed. Spring Cleaning .—This operation should be carried out as soon as possible and should be done in a methodical manner and not haphazard, which is so often the case. Examine one comb first to see that the bees are healthy, then scrape off from the top bars all brace combs and propolis. Examine each frame carefully when separated for this purpose ; all bits of dirt which have lodged between the combs from the first operation will fall on to the floor-board, and this is the reason that the top bars should be cleaned first. Close the bees on to the number of frames they cover ; to conserve the heat put back the quilt. Place the lifts and outer-case, one on the top of the other, corner-ways for stability, and then lift the brood chamber and stand it corner-ways on the top of these; by so doing, no bees are crushed,, and dirt and stones do not cling to the bottom bars or edge of the brood chamber, which is the case if it is placed right on to the ground. Have a box handy, and scrape all the refuse into this so that it can be burnt when the work is over, and the ground round the hives kept neat and tidy. The scraper should be held tight down on to the floor-board, so as to avoid maiming bees. Put the brood chamber back carefully with a gentle screwing motion, so tliat any bees on the under edge will run away upon the slight pres- sure being put upon them. Renew the- supply of napthaline ; see that all is covered down snug and warm. Colonies that are weak should, be united at once, also those which have useless queens. One strong colony will gii'e surplus, but weak ones will only be able to build up strong enough for wintering. The bee-keeper, as a rule, does not like to reduce the number of his colonies in this way, but it is the only profitable method. Where unit- ing is necessary, flour the bees well, inter- space the frames, and be sure to cage the queen for at least twelve hours. Touring Experts. — The experts have now started on their spring tours, sO' have everything in readiness for them, so that their work may be expedited. Insurance. — Don't neglect this; it is a foolish policy "to lock the stable door when the horse is stolen." Do it Now. April 2T, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURJ^AL. 163 NECTAR-PBODUCING PLANTS AND THEIR POLLEN. By Geo. Hayes, Beeston, Notts. {Continued from page 104) No. 6. The Sycamoee. (Acer pseudo-platanas). Nat. Ord., .iceracecc. The sycamore tree next claims our at- tention. There are many species, six of which are indigenous to Europe, but this one only deserves our notice as a source of nectar. One well-known species is Acer saccharinum, the American sugar-maple which supplies the ^^ maple sugar of com- huryj_ merce. maple, plane, under tion, Z.lnWatjf^r 3 . In Formal ill. 4.fVoinHonc>. The great or mock- is the one considera- and it is generally knoAvn best in this country by tha name of sycamore. Sycamores grow rapidly and attain a great height. The timber is close and compact, easily cut, and not liable either to splinter or warp, and on this account is useful for a variety of purposes, such as carvings, mouldings, &c., and in earlier times was used ex- tensively for making platters and bowls. As the juice of the maple, both in the leaves and in the tree, is sweet, it at- tracts numbers of insects. At certain seasons wild bees and wasps may be seen about the tree in crowds. The flowers are loose, oblong, hanging racemes, and are conspicuous by retaining their green colour similar to the surround- ing leaves, but are well woi'thy of a closer examination. They yield nectar abundantly, which, although suitable for the bees' requirements, does not produce a very desirable honey. I am inclined to think that in certain seasons our bees will avail themselves of the saccharine matter exuded from punctures by other insects POLLEN OF SYCAMOEE. of the leaves, &c., which further deteriorates the honey. Apart from this, the sycamore is looked upon as one of those sources very helpful in bringing our bees up to full strength ready for the later and better flow of nectar of clover and limes. It yields pollen in fairly large quantity, and this, when taken fresh, is of a greenish yellow colour, measuring, dry, -j|ig in. by — \^^ in. and from honey -J-- in. bv -li^ in. This is a fairly large grain, especially when compared with the chestnut; it is oval in form, with three long inden- tions reaching nearly from end to end, and distributed at equal distances around it. The surface is slightly striated when it is dry, but more pronounced in oil or honey. Its general form may be seen at 1, 0 and E, and variations at B, and D. water it assumes a spherical appearance, with three slight processes. The extine expands and the fovilla concentrates, appearing as at 2, the inner part being of deep yellow colour, and the outer ring almost colourless. From honey the three indentions have be- come three long pro- trusions, and in the centre of each is seen a small process, as shown at 4, A and B, and enlargements. A the middle is shown othei 1, A, In section through at 5, to make this more clear Correspondence. ~The Editors do not '^^''^ «'^«»J,«,«J^;?^XX"no t£ia^ To -S!^^^^:L=^^^^^ GLASS SIDES FOR OBSERVATORY HIVES. [8137] In 1907 I began experiments with 164 THE BRITISH BEE JOTJRNAL. [April 2T, 1911. observatory hives by buying a 2-frame, second-hand one, advertised in the "B.B.J" I improved it in various ways, stocked it, and exhibited it at a show in Edinburgh, taking first prize. It could be gently warmed by an electric heater. In 1908, I had a 6-frame hive made. Each standard frame was contained in a separate box. These can be placed along- side of each other, with or without glass, making, in the latter case, an ordinary 6-frame hive. At the top and bottom of each frame-case are communicating door- ways, and each of these has a long sliding door in four parts, viz., open, shut, venti- lating and queen-excluding. It can be erected to show each side of each frame, being mounted on brass discs, and an entrance of Messrs. Jas. Lee & Sons' make. I had the greatest difficulty in getting it finished for the Royal Agricultural Show at Newcastle, for which I had entered it. I suppose that the cabinet-makers found it more troublesome to make from my drawings than they expected. Anyway their promises remained unfulfilled. On the 29th of June, I went down to the work- shop myself and found my hive well begun : no more. I had sent down all the metal work and glass. I got several men on the job and we worked and planed and sawed and screwed till after midnight, when it -was completed. I got home with it about 3 a.m. of the show day, put in the frames of comb and the bees. How these little ladies resented this Tery untimely manipulation in the dark ! 1 never knew them so wicked, and would not have succeeded, but for my wife's help, and the use of thin syrup, plentifully sprayed over them. I caught the morning train to Newcastle, and on arriving in the sho-wyard, was delighted to find that my little demons had become little angels. Unfortunately, in erecting the frames, the last fell over on the bench as I mounted it to set it in place. The glass broke, some feees e-caped, and the judges came round and disqualified my exhibit. I slipped down to the town, had two or three sheets of glass cut, and with much difficulty got permission to erect my hive. Willing helpers were at hand, and I soon had my bees enjoying the open air. Some of the twelve glass sides of this hive were double. But moisture was apt to condense between the sheets of glass, and in warm weather single sheets, covered at night, are protection enough. But I lost two small stocks in the dread fully cold April of 1908, before I got my small 2-frame observatory hive stocked for the Scottish National Exhibition at Edin- burgh, where I had volunteered an exhibit in the Nature Study Section. So I determined to try experiments this year with double glass sides. Consulting Dr. Macgregor, Professor of Natural Philosophy in the Edinburgh Uni- versity, as to the best distance between the glass plates, he informed me that little was known about the convection currents in layers of air contained by sides at different temperatures, and urged me to experiment. As far as conduction is con- cerned air conducts about 50 times as badly as glass. I am therefore beginning with about 1-64 in. air space, and this will equal nearly an inch of solid wax. Then 1-32 in., 1-16 in. and 1-8 in. equal respec- tively to about 2, 4 and 8 inches of glass. I am trying these smaller air spaces first, as the professor evidently thinks the con- vection currents are far more serious than one would think. The larger the air space the less loss by conduction ; the thicker the layer of air, the more loss by convec- tion. He has kindly compared some fine ther- mometers in his laboratory for me, and I mean to take careful, simultaneous obser- vations. But I pointed out that my bees would do much to vitiate my experi- ments, by seeking to maintain the best temperature for their own work. And he has nominated a very clever student for a Carnegie Scholarship for the purpose of studying the transmission of heat in such cases. Meantime if any bee-keeper can tell me where to find records of any experiments already made, or if any scientist can inform me of such published records, I would be exceedingly obliged if they would inform me, and I hope to be able to give, before many months, some definite results of my experiments. — John W. MoiR, Edinburgh. [We do not know of any experiments that have been made with a view to ascer- taining the best distance between the double glajss. It would be useful to know more about how the heat from the bees is communicated by radiation, conduction, and convection. We know that the glass in an observatory hive is constantly cool- ing by radiation, and thus convective move- ments are established, but to what extent has not yet been determined. When we worked our observatory hive, there was a quarter-inch space between the two sheets of plate glass, and the doors were lined with green-baize and wool, which proved sufficiently satisfactory. We shall be pleased to reco'rd the results of any experi- ments our correspondent will supply us with. — Ed.] "ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. [8138] A good deal of space in the "B.B.J." has lately been devoted to the subject of "Isle of Wight " disease and its probable cause, but up till now no one has suggested what appeared to me may pos- sibly account for it, and I should like April 27, 1911.] THE BUITISH BEE JOCTIINAL. 165 Dr. Maiden and some of our prominent bee-keepers to give it their consideration in carrying out future experimente. Napthol Beta solution is prepared with -alcohol, and I believe a great number of bee-keepers are in the habit of giving this to their bees in their spring and autumn food. It has been proved beyond doubt that alcohol has a most disastrous effect on the human body, and if so bad for the human body, why not even worse for the bees with their delicate little stomachs and nervous systems? I believe bees have a great aversion to being manipulated by persons who habitually use alcohol, and I think it a pity for them to be forced to take it in their food after being robbed of their pure honey at the close of the season, or in their stimulative food in the spring. I should like you to publish this letter, as it may help to solve the problem and save us from the loss of the whole of the bees in Great Britain. — T. H. Witney, Walthamstow. [Our correspondent's apprehension of the harm done by alcohol is groundless in this ■case, for in the first place half an ounce in seven pints of water would be such a dilution as to be imperceptible, and in the second place, the solution is added to the syrup while the latter is still hot, and is evaporated before it gets cold. The alcohol is used as a vehicle for dissolving the napthol beta, which becomes sublimed and diffused in the syrup as the alcohol evaporates. For twenty-five years we have used this dilution in all food given to our ■bees without any ill-effects. — Ed.] BEE DISEASES. NEED OF LEGISLATION. [8139] It is no doubt news to most. IJeople who live outside the little world of bee-keepers that Dr. Maiden, of Cam- bridge, has been engaged for some two years, at the instance of the Board of Agriculture, in investigating the nature and possible cause of "Isle of Wight" disease. In the most able and exiiaus- tive paper which he read at the Annual Meeting of the B.B.K.A. on March 16th, he states that "if we examine the facts so far as they are known as to the origin and spread of this disease, we shall have no difficulty in coming to the conclusion that it is of an infectious nature, com- municated in some way from bee to bee, and that it is introduced into a healthy stock by the adult bees (who are the first and generally the only ones, to suffer) robbinp- from an infected hive." The special correspondent of the Daily Mail, writing under the date of April lOtli, mentions "the derelict hives which one sees in all parts of the island." If this be the case it is not surprising that bee-keeping is hopeless there, for these derelict hives, left probably just as they were when the bees died out, are a con- stant and continuing source of infection. Alas ! derelict hives are not peculiar to the Isle of Wight. Go where you will in almost any county of England, you see the same sad sight, not perhaps brought about by the same cause, but by the ravages of foul brood. And there they stand, a source of infection to all the bees of the neighbourhood. Surely it is time that an Act of Parliament was passed which would put an end to this state of things, and compel ignorant and careless keepers of bees — you cannot call them bee- keepers— to cure the disease, which is easily done by proper treatment, and to burn or disinfect and store away all con- taminated hives, and thus prevent them injui'ing their neighbours. Until a Bee Diseases Bill is passed which will bring bees within the scope of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, and put the diseases to which they are liable in the same category as pleuro- pneumonia, anthrax, swine-fever, rabies, &c., and confer upon the various County Councils the power, and impose upon them the duty, of appointing properly qualified Inspectors with power to inspect any hive of bees and to order destruction by fire if found to be diseased, we shall never be able to stamp out infectious diseases or to make bee-keeping a paying industry in England. In this matter of legislation England lags behind other countries. In South Africa there are stringent rules against importing bees or bee appliances except under certain conditions. In New Zealand the Apiaries Act, amongst other wholesome regulations, makes it an illegal and highly penalized act to keep bees in anything but movable comb hives. The present mysterious epidemic may prove a blessing in disguise if it will lead to drastic legislation which will weed out of the ranks of bee-keepers those who are unfit to keep bees, and allow those who make a study and business of it to carry it on comfortably and profitably. — Pheg. DEALING WITH "ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. [8140] It appears from the correspon- dence in the "B.B.J." that the so-called "Isle of Wight" disease is making havoc among our brethren in Hampshire, and Mr. Woodley has reported in the "B.B.J." of March 16, serious losses in his county where some bee-keepers there have lost 30 and even more stocks, one having only a I single stock left out of 80. I should like to I know the name and address of this unfor- I tunate bee-keeper, and should he still I have in his possession some of the combs I on which the bees have died, I shall be 166 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 27, 1911. glad if he will kindly forward to me a set of the frames in a ventilated travel- ling bos, first extracting the honey, if any. The top bar should be cleaned and the name of the owner written on it so that he may identify his own frame again. I will place these frames in my hives, get them filled with brood and return them free of charge. I should like them to remain with me for thirty days, so that I may see the first hatched bees ready to fly. Combs must be guaranteed free from foul- brood, and should reach me in early May. I will undertake to prove that the disease is not always in the combs. The first symptoms of "Isle of Wight" disease were seen in this part in 1904, and for two or three years the malady was so deadly that it reduced my apiary of about sixty stocks to fourteen, ten of which were very weak and four in medium condition. I began experimenting with these, and discovered that it was safe to use the best combs again. I next took a set of the very worst soiled combs, and made an arti- ficial swarm, giving these combs to the swarm. They are on them to-day, in a perfectly healthy condition. When I found the worst- soiled combs could be used again I made rapid increase and saved all my combs and increased the four- teen stocks mentioned to fifty, and sold over half a ton of honey. I have still continued"T;o increase, the number of my colonies being now ninety-five, and I have all the combs in use on which the bees died when the disease was devastating my apiary. There is not the slightest trace of disease in any of the hives, and all have wintered so far well. Some are covering two sets of frames, while many two-frame nuclei made in July last are breeding well also. If the weather is favourable enough to ensure a plentiful food supply, little need be feared of any loss. My apiary is open for inspection, and lessons given free of how the so-called disease may be, and is, bred out. — T. Stapleton, Gwinear, Hayes, Cornwall. PAINTING HIVES. [8141] I should like to endorse what W. A. C, Castle Cary (page 155), says regarding painting hives, and to add that it is necessary to have the proper quantity of turpentine and driers, with the boiled linseed oil and good white lead. In my early bee-keeping days I used un- adulterated white lead, which was very satisfactory and endurable ; but after a time I bought some paint ready mixed in tiiLs, which easily rubbed off a few months after use; and, more unfortunately still, I gave a coat of this mixture over the genuine white lead paint, and one soon destroyed the other. In fact, the hive was no better than if it had been only covered with oil and a little whiting. I don't use paint for any of my new hives now, but give them two coats . of " Solignum " or Pitcher's " Stop-rot," which in my opinion is much cheaper, more quickly applied, more lasting and far superior as a preservative for the wood. — D. Hancox, Oxon. EARLY HONEY-GATHERING. [8142] To-day (the 24th April), on opening my hives for the first time this season, I was astonished to find a box which had contained candy filled with new honey, two of the brood frames also being in like con- dition. The stock of bees, which are strong and healthy, wintered on nine frames and weT© a late swarm (which issued from the parent hive on July 21st last year). In another hive (a stock which also swarmed last year) the bees had built drone-comb in the candy-box and the queen had filled every cell with eggs. There were two frames with plenty of room for the queen to lay, but tliere was not an egg in either of them. A bee-keeper of wide experience,, who was present at the time, tells me he has never seen such a thing so early in the season. — T>. Ernest, Essex. AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS. EXTRACTS AND COMMENTS. By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. Queen Exchider.- — My dislike of this appliance has been recorded in the past. Here are two short quotations, one from Texas, and one from Australia, condemning its use. Mr. Chambers writes as follows : " Certainly I do not believe in excluders. I cannot comprehend how anyone should wish to use an excluder that enforces such discomfort on the bees. I agree with Mr. Schoill, when he says that it is a honey excluder, as well as a queen and drone excluder, and I regard excluders as a handicap of the most unpleasant kind." This sentiment in Gleanings is supported by the testimony of the Editor of " The Australian B.K." who says: "I do not use a honey-board on any honey gathering colony, nor can I see any advantage tO' be gained therefrom." Honey CooJcing Becipes. — Much good would be derived from a collection of these, if published in a handy form, and Mr. Root is preparing such a compilatioin. He has a new list of over 100 recipes after throwing out duplicates and doubtful cases. The list includes cakes, cookies, bread, biscuits, gems, dough-nuts, jelly and preserves, candy, popcorn balls, &c., &c. It is certain that a booklet giving a large number of practical ways of using honey in cooking will help considerably in April 27, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 167 educating the public as to the value of honey as a food, and I should think extend its use. Beciprocity.—lt appears that Canadian beekeepers are not deeply in love with the proposed tariff arrangements between their Dominion and the United States. Mr. Byer says : " Many Ontario beekeepers feel that the markets they have been building up for years will now, by reason of geo- graphical conditions, be snatched away from them. Whether it will work out as bad as it looks is for the future to decide, but I believe nine-tenths of the bee-keepers of Canada would prefer matters as they are." The " Canadian B.J." takes even a gloomier view. " Now a new danger threatens us. Bee-keepers with honey to sell will soon have the privilege of selling it freely where they wish, and the honey business is likely to be ruined as a conse- quence." And yet before the paragraph ends one concludes the wail is not to be taken seriously. Perhaps the extended market may only work towards good and not evil. I hope so. A Woman'' s Column. — The "Canadian,'" imitating the "American B.J." and •' Gleanings," is providing readers with a Lady's Department, conducted by Miss R-obson, the resourceful young lady bee- keeper I mentioned in January Extracts. This is a healthy feature in apiculture. I know none of the small cultures which can hold a candle to our craft, when viewed as an occupation suited to the gentler sex, and I see no reason why many of them should not take a place in the front rank of apiculture. The Ideal Colony. — It goes without say- ing that strong and powerful colonies are of primary importance in working towards success. Still, mere numbers will not alone avail. Something in the inner polity and government of the hive, something in the character of the strain of bees, and something yet further depending on the condition of the brood nest are determin- ing factors. Dealing with the first and last of these factors, I quote from "Beview : " " The ideal colony must not be over-populous. A hive is so when the working force is too great in comparison with the dimensions of the hive, and with the number of wax-building bees. The bees seem to see the combs all but filled and capped, and anticipate that they will soon be crowded. Such a condition is intolerable, and their instinct teaches them to begin loafing even before the hive is over-populous." Mr. Bentine, in " Ans- tralian B.K." deals with the second point, the question of strain : " My queens of the golden variety would at first out-strip all others in the number of combs of brood and the number of bees in the hive, but a record of yields of honey kept accurately for a number of seasons showed that thev were considerably behind other hives less populous, but evidently with longer lived bees. The average bee-keeper breeds from these most prolific queens, but sooner or later eveirything goes wrong with the progeny of such mothers." I endorse this statement regarding this strain. Bees Under Snow. — Doolittle considers that hives snowed over are not favourable to safe wintering, as he holds that the pure air is cut off to a certain extent, and this, combined with the generated warmth,, brings about conditions so unnatural that loss follows. " Most of the colonies were dead, and the few left were very weak in bees, while the combs were foul with excrement." In Canada, where the test should be more severe, a beekeeper reports that after three mouths had passed withtlie hives drifted over, he found the bees in perfect condition. That would be some- what like our experience in these cold northern climes. The drifted snow acts like a warm blanket, preserving the inter- nal heat, keeping the bees quietly clustered all winter, and greatly conserving stores. " Topsy Turvy Land." — Just at present our kith and kin over in New Zealand and Australia have completed the " reaping " of their honey harvest. In many parts the best flow began about the New Year. There at present the bee-man's thoughts are on checking robbing, supplying arti- ficial stores for winter food, uniting weak colonies, small nuclei, or any queenless lots, and in general doing such necessary work as we feel is incumbent on us to perform in October, when preparing our bees for winter quarters. In most parts the honey harvest has been a bountiful one. One says " too much " honey ; and that intro- duces the question of too low a price! Echoes from the Hives. The effects of last year's bad season are manifesting themselves this spring in South Oxfordshire. I have examined the hives of several people and find many- colonies short of food. The other day I was asked to examine a hive in which the bees had died, the owner thought from disease. The moment the quilts were removed the cause of death was evident. A closer inspection disclosed the fact that there was not a drop of honey in the combs. About a quart of bees lay dead on the floor-board, while others had re- mained in a cluster after death. The combs were quite clean and healthy. To me the sight of a heap of dead bees is always a pitiful one, and, thinking that the living colony hard by might be in straits, I undertook an examination. These were not quite so strong as the others had been : but they were rapidly running short of food, and in a day or two the colonv would have been extinct. 168 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 2T, 1911. I advised putting on the feeder that even- ing, using for just one feed any sugar available. A week earlier I accepted the invitation of a friend to look over seven colonies he had bought. Three had fifteen frames in the brood nest, and all but one colony had supers left over from last season. I took these off, and we estimated that they contained 901b. of honey. This had for the most part granulated. Only one of the seven colonies was a little weak, and as for three, they were in grand condition, and, should good Aveather prevail, there will be early swarms. The ways of some bee- keepers are mysterious. The man from whom these bees were bought had boasted, on hearing others talk of putting supers on, that he had already taken sections off. I hope beginners in the craft will not regard this method as a wrinkle for get- ting early sections for the show bench. By the way, my friend who now owns these fine colonies lost four or five about February. He told me that he fed his stocks very late in the autumn, but that when the bees died he discovered that though there was an abundance of food in the hive granulation had set in so that the bees starved in the midst of plenty. I did not see any of the combs with these granulated sweets and can only give hearsay evidence. On Easter Monday I went to see some bees which were for sale at a remarkably low price. I found that two stocks in skeps had been "transferred." In one case "transformed" would be a better word, for the gentleman who owns the bees had transformed what to all accounts was a prosperous colony into half a tea-cupful of bees which he had got on ten frames of combs and comb foundation. The queen had spent forty-eight hours in the open air and, as I was told, " could scarcely crawl when put back into the hive." ihe next stock to this was fast becoming strong, but I had the unpleasant duty of informing the owner that he hadi foul- hrood in his apiary. I was shown the combs in the skep and found them badly infected with foul-brood. This hive had been placed in front of the others in order that the bees might lick up the honey. Who can M'onder that foul-brood spreads? — C. H., Reading, April 18. Queries and Replies. [4120] Sealed Stores. — I have a hive which contains about thi^ee frames of bees, including a queen, which I have kept through thie winter. Ilplon exarivining. the stock I find it has three frames full of winter syrup all sealed up. Will you kindly inform me, through the " B.B.J.,'' whether I should uncap the frames in question, and if so, if it will be necessary to supply the bees with syrup during the spring? I am thinking of building this small lot up by taking frames containing brood from my other colony. Kindly say if I shall be doing right, also what would be the right date to remove the brood frames. — W. Elridge. Reply. — If you uncap the food round the brood nest it will stimulate the bees. Until the warm weather comes -it would be unwise to give frames of brood, as the small lot of bees would not be able to maintain sufficient heat to keep them alive and the brood would be chilled. [4121] Making Stocks Strong. — Many thanks for the information you gave me last autumn regarding moving my bees. I carried out the operation successfully. I shall now be glad if you will kindly answer the following queries : — I have three stocks of bees. No. 1 is very strong, and of good working qualities. No. 2 is of medium strength ; this lot is only now working down into a frame from a box in which they were placed last summer as a swarm. No. 3 is decidedly weak ; I am afraid the queen is old and useless. I want to get three good average stocks if possible, and should be glad if you would inform me the best way of doing this. (1) Would it be possible to work as described (at foot of p. 126 and top of p. 127), in Guide Book, dequeening No. 3 after having strengthened it a week or two previously by a frame or two of sealed brood from No. 1, also taking the frame of eggs from No. 1 ? (2) Or would it be better to work as described on page 130, fig. 93, using No. 1 hive for this purpose? My diflficulty in using this method is that I have never yet been able to "spot" the queen in No. 1 hive on account of the quantity of bees. If you recommend No. 2 plan (a) Would the frame of eggs serve the same purpose as the special queen-cell carrier adi'ised ? and (b) Would this frame have to be put into hive No. 3 as soon as the queen cells were sealed over, having made the stock queenless three days beforehand ? (c) Could the young queen remain in the special compartment until she was ferti- lised ? The objection to this course seems to me to be that the young queen returning from her nuptial flight might enter the wrong side of the compartment and be killed. Or can you suggest any other simple method of giving No. 3 a good young queen from No. 1 ? (3) When is it necessary to remove frames of sealed and unsealed honey when packing up for the winter and there are no other stocks requiring food, and one does not possess an extractor, can they be kept till spring, and in what manner? (4) In my opinion it would greatly add to the value of your useful little journal if April 2T, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 169 you gave, week by week, a few seasonable hints, having due regard of course to the weather, locality, etc.— F.S.E., Ipswich. Reply.— (1) Yes. The plan you suggest would work ail right. (2j Under the cir- cumstances it would be best to adopt plan No. 1. (3) Keep the combs of honey in a warm, dark, dry cupboard. (4) You will see your suggestion is carried out this week, and will be continued fort- nightly. [4122] Woikinrj for Honeij and In- crease.— I shall be much obliged for a reply to the following in the "B.B.J.'' I have at present three hives, one contain- ing nine frames of bees to which I added a frame of foundation, as the hive is rather strong and contains large quantities of brood. The other two hives are empty. I should like to get some honey and also to increase my stocks. The average yield of honey per hive in the district is 301bs. How many lots of bees (nuclei) could I get strong before winter from a 10-frame hive of bees? I should be glad if you can tell me (1) Can I get both honey and a swarm from one stock ? (2) Can I obtain a nucleus from two hives, and also get surplus honey? (3) How strong will the nucleus be when the time for winter- ing arrives? — H. S., Cheshire. Reply. — -It will need very careful management and a good season to do as you desire. (1) When the hive is brimful of bees make an artificial swarm, letting it remain on the old stand, and super the swarm, but not the stock. (2) Yes. (3) All depends upon the care expended and the season. If conditions are favour- able you can work up the nuclei into a stock covering ten frames. Bee Shows to Come. June 26 to 30, at Norwich (Royal Agricul- tural Society's Show).— Bee and Honey Section under the management of the B.B.K.A. Prizes arranged in groups of counties for Associations affiliated to the B.B.K.A. Schedules from W. Herrod, Secretary, B.B.K.A., 23, Bedford Street, Strand, London, W.C. Entries close May 31. August 23, at Radstock, Somerset. — Honey Show in connection with the Radstock Horticul- tural and Farmers' Association. Open and gift classes. Write for Honey Schedule. B. M. Clark, Foxhills, Radstock. BEE CONTROL CLOTH. The Irekling Corporation write with reference to our notice of the Gillies trans- parent bee control cloth which we pub- lished under the heading of "Novelties'' that the cloth in question has been used throughout Ii eland and in many parts cf England and Scotland for over seven years, and that its uso is continually extending. They also ask us to state that it is not exclusively a fine weather cloth. In a gale, however, the operator must face the wind working forward, and vice versa. Then the wind helps. Notices to Correspondents Letters or queries uskiitQ for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, 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 tcish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately following the receipt of their communica- tions. W. B. (Torphins). — Working for Ex- tracted Honey. — Buy the "British Bee- keepers' Guide Book," which will give you all particulars with regard to supering. An ordinary queen excluder is better than a Raynor Honey Board. These can be had from all appliance dealers. W. E. B. (Dudley). — Suspected Viryin Queen. — The queen is an unfertile one, and would have been useless if you had kept her. Y. R. (Buth).— Stock Dwindling Aivay.— The queen is evidently old and worn out, and in consequence the stock has become very weak. Suspected Disease. X. \^. Z. (Lewis). — Bees are affected with " Isle of Wight " disease. R.E.J. (Ware). — There is no trace of disease, bees dying head downwards in the cells betray a condition of starva- tion. In all probability the feeder had become blocked. R. E. (Edenbridge) ; J. McH. (York); E. P. H. (Southampton); Anxious (Eastleigh). — Bees have died from " Isle of Wight'' disease. Burn all internal fittings of the hive, dead bees, &c., and scorch the inside of the hive with a painter's spirit lamp. E. D. (Sleights). — Your parcel was badly packed and became so crushed in the post that it was impossible to examine it. G. R. (Carrington). — The bees were too dry for us to say if disease was the cause of death, but we think not. Yes, try again. H. W. (Smethwick) — There are symptoms of " Isle of Wight " disease. The stag- nant water would not cause death. R. S. (Cambridge). — Starvation only has caused the death of your bees. W. A. T. (Herts).— Nos. 1, 2, and 4 show distinct traces of " Isle of Wight" dis- ease. No. 3 is too dry to diagnose cause of death. W. J. B. (Wylde Green).— The stock hav. dwindled through being queenless. There are one or two cells containing chilled brood which has been dead for a very long time. W. H. H. (Methwold).— We cannot find disease in either sample of comb. 170 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [April 27, 1911. Special Prepaid ^Advertisements Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 5s. per | in., or 5s. per inch. FRIVATi: ADVERTZSEMEITTS. SWAEMS, guaranteed healthy, May 3s., June 2s. 6d. lb., boxes returnable, cash with order — ANDREWS, Longthorpe, PeterborC h 66 CLEAN STANDARD COMBS, 6s. doz.; shallows, 5s.; appliances cheap.— HuLBEIiT, Astwood- road, Worcester. h &2 BEES.— Good healthy lots in Skeps, I5s.; good Stocks on standard bars, 30s.— PHILLIPS, 23 Albert-street, Stevenage, Herts. h 74 B EES.— Healthy Stock and Hive for sale, 25s.— 59 Auckland-road, Ilford. h 73 QUEENS.— Eew surplus, healthy, 3s. 6d. each.— ARNOLD KING, Alma-terrace, Silverhiil, St. Leonards-on-Sea. h 72 SEVERAL Stocks and few empty telescope Hives, Crates, complete; owner going abroad. What offers? — VARLEY, Co wick, Snaith, Yorks. (h69 THREE HEALTHY STOCKS in Standard Hives, 4 section racks, 2 excluders, feeders, smoker, pair Birkett gloves, the lot £3.15.— NELMES, Cathcart. ti 57 FOR SALE, 3 choice 1910 English Queens, 5s. each.— CROWE, Central Avenue, Wigston Leicester. £ 55 REMOVAL SALE.— 13 Burtfs W.B.C. Hives, new, 3 coats white lead paint, calico covered rools, 23s. each (includes legs, &c., 10 brood frames and ends, 2 shallow boxes, 8 frames each, wide ends, all full sheets, weed foundation wired); 12 Nucleus Hives, with 8 frames and ends, used one season, 3s. 6d. each. Following 2-year-old hives repainted : 6 Garner's Sleaford, 11 frames and ends, 2 lifts with 9 shallow frames, wide ends, all full sheets, wired foundation, 13s. 6d. each; 3 Garner's Cottage, 11 frames and ends, 5s. 3d. each; 4 Lee's Alliance, 10 frames and ends, 6s. 3d. each; all on rail; 91bs. Weed foundation, thin brood, 18s., post free; 4J ditto, 9s. 3d.— REV. W. E. MATTINSON, Happisburgh, Norwich. h 76 FOR SALE, Shallow Frame Racks with 8 clean, healthy drawn out Combs, wide ends, com- plete, 4s. 6d. each, or £1 for 5.— A. GREEN, Tangley, Andover. h 63 B EES FOR SALE, on frames, 17 Stocks.— GARWOOD, Ptr. Heigham, Gt. Yarmouth. h58 WANTED, SIMMINS' CONQUEROR HIVES, warranted free from disease.- GILLMAN, Stapleford, Notts. h 44 WANTED, good Brindle bull-terrier dog pup.— W., "B.B.J." Office, 23. Bedford -street. Strand. BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. JUST THE THING FOR BEES.-Michaelmas Daisies, large clumps, fine mixed varieties, Is. 6d. doz.; 50, 3s. 6d.; also Hardy Perennials various, mixed, large clumps, 20 for 2s. 6d.— A Special Prepaid Advertisements.- Con«mMe SWARMS.— Guaranteed healthy. May 15s., June 13s.; boxes returnable.— ADAMS, Farnham, Blandford. ti gg qpTTH YEAR.— Three framed Nuclei, healthy OeJ queen, bees, brood, 12s. 6d.; empties re- turned, paid.— ALSFORD, expert, Haydon, Sher- borne, h 61 HONEY WANTED.— Price and sample to S. W, CATTON, Rose Cottage, Old Lenton, Notting- ham, h 75 -| Q 1 "I VIRGINS, Blacks, Carniolans, Italians, -L«-'J--L Is. 6d.; Americans (Golden), Cyprians, 2s.; Swiss, 2s. 3d. Send for price list. Cash with order.— FREDERICK VOGT, 38 Clementina-road, Leyton. h 70 QUEENS, fertile, in introducing cage; delivery guaranteed, 5s. 6d.— BRICE'S APIARIES, Otford, Kent. GOLDEN PURE CYPRIAN fertile Queens, gentle strain, five yellow banded, 6s. each, post free.— Write to DERVISHIAN BROS., Nicosia, Cyprus. h 71 STRONG STOCKS in Skeps, 18s. 6d. Swarms, May 15s. 6d., June 12s. 6d.; boxes 6d.; guar- anteed healthy.— HIGGINSON, Egerton, Kent. h64 NOTICE.— The tone blocks used for printing the pictures of " Homes of the Honey Bee " in " B.B. Journal " may be obtained from this office, cost free, 2s. 6d. each. They are useful for adver- tising purposes, or for picture post-cards. Room s wanted, and those now in stock will be kept for a short time only. FOR SALE, 2 gross Jib. Best White Granu- lated Honey, screw top, 5s. doz.— FRUSHER, Crowland, Peterborough. h 60 ALNWICK BEE FEEDER, price 6d. each; postage of on© costs 5d.; two, 4d.; six, 6d.; dozen, lOd.— J. BALMBRA, East Parade, Aln- wick, h 56 1 O 1 A QUEENS. — Natives, 5s.; goldens, 7s. l.tJ L\J each, healthy.— 0. KNIGHT, Epney. Stonehouse, Glos. b 59 INSTRUCTION AND PRACTICE IN BEE- MANAGEMENT; varied coursies during May and June; 40 Colonies.— BUGDEN, Wye, Kent, h 41 WILKES' ALUMINIUM FEEDERS are a pleasure to use; they never rust. Soid by all dealers. 1911 list of latest ideas fre©.— A. H. WILKES, Four Oaks, Birmingham. COMFORTABLE APARTMENTS for Brother Bee-keepers visiting DougJas. Terms : Tea, bed, and breakfast, 3s. 6d.; or full board, 59. per day.— HORSLEY'S, Merridale House, top of Castle Drive. Douglas, Isle of Man. BUFF PLYMOUTH ROCKS. Bred from win- ners at the BuirnJey and Street laying com- petitdone. Egg*— 15, 5s. 6d.; 50, lOs. Chicks— 13, 6s.; 50, £1,— J. HOUSEHAM, Huttoft, AJford. Lines. COVERS FOR BINDING "B.B. JOURNAL" and "RECORD." cloth gilt; " B.B.J.," Is.; Record," lOd.; post free.— " B.B.J." Office. PHOTO OF FOUL BROOD. Reduced price, 9d. post; free.—" B.B.J." Office, 23, Bedford-street, Strand, W.C. JENSEN, Kingston, Hornchurch. WANTED, bound volumes of Reports of British Bee-keepers and Affiliated Associations for year 1897.— K., " B.B.J." Office, 23, Bedford-street, h 78 I Strand, W.C. May 4, 1911. J THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 171 Editorial, Notices, &c. " ISLE OF WIGHT " DISEASE. We would call the attention of our readers to the notice issued by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, respecting the investigations which are being carried on, and to urge on them the necessity of giving all the information thej can. Tlie matter is of national importance, so that every reader should endeavour to obtain all particulars from any bee-keeper who has lost colonies from this disease. It is a matter also that Bee-keepers' Associa- tions should take up, so that the question may be solved during the coming season. We would therefore urge our readers to send for the circular alluded to, and do their best to supply the information. The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries desire to inform bee-keepers in Great Britain that investigations are being carried on by their scientific advisers into the causes and characteristics of the dis- ease among bees which has now broken •out in many counties, and which originally made its appearance in the Isle of Wight. The Board would be glad to receive com- munications from bee-keepers whose bees have been affected by the disease, and who would be willing to supply informa- tion likely to be of service in connection with the investigations. A statement of the points upon which it is desired to obtain particulars will ^je sent on appli- cation. Information as to new outbreaks in districts only recently infected is especially desired. In certain cases specimens of disea-sed bees will be required. Correspondents are, therefore, requested to say whether they could send bees for examination. Bees should not be sent to the Board until asked for. Communica- tions should be addressed to the Secretary, Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, 4, Whitehall-place, London, S.W. REVIEWS. Der Bail der Bienc, by Dr. Enoch Zander (Stuttgart : published by Eugen Ulmer, price five marks or five shillings). This is the third part of the handbook respecting the bee, the first two of which, namely those on " Foul Brood and Dis- eases," and "Enemies of Bees," we have already noticed. This book on the struc- ture of the bee is the result of careful work, begun fifteen years ago, and some of which has from time to time been im- pairted to bee-keepers. In it Dr. Zander describes the outer and inner structure of the bee, and deals with a great many of the hitherto unsolved jiroblems in connec- tion with the anatomy of this insect. The Torovk is profusely illustrated, tliere being 149 engravings in addition to twenty very fine plates consisting of seventy-five figures, reproductions of photographs, mostly of microscopical preparations. A usieful feature of the work is the com- paring the anatomical structures of the bee, with analogous parts of wasps and other hymenoptera. For instance, in the honey bee, the wax glands are situated on the inner sides of the lower abdominal rings, whereas in Melipona, they are under the doi-sal rings. The sting is carefully worked out, and much additional know- ledge is imparted. Here again, the com- parison ivith the stings and ovipositors of other insects is most instructive. Chapter VII., treating of the alimentary canal, is full of useful information, and the description and illustrations show with what painstaking care the author has worked at this part of bee anatomy. He is also able to throw new light on the use of some of the glands. The author deals with parthenogenesis and shows that it not oidy obtains in bees, but is much more common than has been usually sup- posed. A chapter deals with the prepara- tion and mounting microscopical speci- mens for study, which will be found most useful. This woa-k is far in advance of anything we have respecting the anatomy of the honey bee, and the photographs of the dissections show the perseverance and skill with which Dr. Zander is en- dowed. We are pleased to welcome this book, and recommend it to our readers who are interested in the anatomy of the bee. La Loque des Aheilles, by Fritz Leuen- berger (published by M. Keller, Morat. Switzerland). The author of this pamphlet on foul brood, is the Chief of the Insurance Department of the Swiss Bee-keepers' Society. The object of the pamphlet is to describe foul brood in such terms as to make it easily recognisable by the uninitiated. The difi'erences in the ap- pearance of mild and virulent foul brood as well as sour brood are described. The author treats briefly on the rapid multi- plication of the germs, their vitality and the way in which an epidemic is propa- gated. Lastly, the methods of treatment are described, great stress being laid on the importance of disinfection. We have also received from the same author: Bericht uher die Faulhrutyersi- cherunci des Vereins Scluceitzerisclier Bienenfreundr fur 1910. This is a report on the results of the working of the foul brood insurance scheme in Switzerland, during 1910. There were 7,498 members who insured 102,197 colonies. It was satis- factory to find that the number of cases of foul brood had decreased owing to the work of the inspectocrs, from 137 in 1909 to ninetv-six in 1910, or a decrease from 1.3 per cent, to 0.9 per cent. This is a 172 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 4, 1911. result which shows that the measures adopted had not been fruitless, and that the inspectors are on the right road to success. Some of the Cantons, Appenzell, Zug, Uri, Glaa-us and Schaffhausen, are now quite free from foul brood, not a single cas3 occurring during the year. In Graubunden, a badly infected canton, it has been reduced from nineteen to eleven cases, and in Canton Zurich out of 19,280 colonies there was only one case of foul brood. On the other hand, in Canton Tessin, the disease is still firmly estab- lished, and 25 per cent, of the insured colonies had foul brood. This canton is the home of the Italian bee, and, as the report points out, also the home of foul brood, which is of so virulent a nature that the re-infection of colonies is the rule, and not the exception, as in other cantons. The Canton Valais shows 6.6 per cent, of cases, and in this, both Italian and native bees are cultivated. Unterwalden shows 3 per cent, Graubun- den 4 per cent., and the others less than 1 per cent. Notwithstanding the high percentage in Canton Tessin, the total number of cases in the eighteen cantons works out at 0.9 per cent., which is very satisfactory for one year's work in insur- ance and inspection, assisted by legisla- tion, and should do something to convince the sceptic as to the value of legislation. In most of the cantons the premiums paid amounted to more than would cover the compensation, but in some of them the latter greatly exceeded the premiums. For instance, in Canton Tessin, the premiums amounted to only 89.80 francs whereas compensation, owing to the large number of cases, cost 1157.80 francs. On the other hand, there were cantons where there was no need for compensation, and Adhere the premiums amounted to large sums. The total of premiums amounted to 13,924.25 francs, and compensation to 12,211.44 francs. Altogether the year'.s work shows very encouraging results. WARWICKSHIRI5 B.K.A. The annual meeting of the above Asso- ciation Avas held on April 6th, at the Grand Hotel, Birmingham, when the re- port and accounts were duly approved. Mrs. Oliver-Bellasis, of Coventry, presided. In the report the committee I'pcord an increased membership in spite of another very unfavourable season from a bee-keepers' point of vieAv. The income for the year amounted to £131, and the expenditure to £144, so that the year closed Avith a deficit of £13. The associa- tion held a show of honey, appliances, &c., in conjunction with the WarAvickshire Agri- cultural Society, at Leamington, which proved to be one of the most successful exhibitions the society had ever held, notAvithstanding that the yield of honey in some parts was most indifferent. The bee tent Avas crowded each day, thus testi- fying to the continued interest in apicul- ture. Demonstrations under the auspices, of the Warwickshire County Council were given by the experts (Messrs. George and Edward Franklin) at the following places • Coventry, Stratford-on-Avon, AUesley, Kenihvorth, Tysoe, Marston Green, Leam- ington", CliftonO'n-Dunsmore, Bedworth. Arrangements are in progress for holding, an exhibition in August next at the Coventry Show of the Warwickshire Agri- c ultu r al Society . After the business part of the meeting AA as over, Mr. Geo. Franklin gave an interesting address on " Hints for the Bee-Keeper's Calendar," thus bringing an enjoyable evening to a close. — J.. Ingerthoepe, Hon. Sec. MIDDLESEX B.K.A. ANNXIAIi GENERAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the above asso- ciation was held at 23, Bedford Street, Strand, on Thursday, April 6th. Mr. T. Bevan, and later, Mr. J. B. Lamb, pre- sided, and there were present : Messrs. J. N. Farrant, S. C. Hadley, T. F. Judd, C. J. Heywood, C. A. Pond, J. Daniells, Andrew Clark, J. B. Lamb, J. R.. Brooks, J. F. Fitch, J. Smallwood, and Miss Bennett and Mrs. Cranfield. The minutes of the last general meeting Avere read and confirmed. The report was read and adopted, and the statement of accounts passed. A cordial vote of thanks was carried unanimously to the Editors of the British Bee Journal for placing their office at the. disposal of the committee for the meeting. It Avas decided that His Grace the Duke of Bedford be invited to accept the office of president of the Middlesex Bee-keepers' Association. The folloAving vice-jiresidents, were also elected: — Right Hon. Lord G. Hamilton, Lord Avebury, T. W. Cowan,. Esq., Sir E. M. Nelson, K.C.M.G., H. C. Stephens, Esq., and Major Fair. Mr. J. B. Lamb Avas unanimously elected Chairman of Committee, and Major Fair treasurer, vice Mr. Way, Avho has retired. Tansley Witt, Esq., J. P., was re-elected hon. auditor. A cordial vote of thanks. Avas aceorded him for his serA'ices. It was proposed and seconded, and car- ried unanimously that Mr. W. Herrod be hon. secretary of the association in room of Major Fair who retires. A cordial vote of thanks was passed to Major Fair for the great interest he has taken in the association by acting as general secre- tary for many years. The folloAving were- elected on the committee: — Messrs. J. B.. Lamb, AndreAv Clark, J. N. Smallwood^ May 4, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 173: J. N. Farrant, T. Bevan, W. T. Iggulden, and Mrs. Wakefield. At a meeting of the committee after the general meeting it was decided to meet on the last Thursday m February, May, July and October, at five o'clock, but this year to call meet- ing late in May or early in June, so that the report may be in print.— A. W. Fair, Hon. Sec. AMONG THE BEES. IS IT QUEENLESS? By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. If you are searching for a queen which you caiiuot find, should you give up the work as a bad job after examining the combs more than once? is a question for- warded to me recently. If the handling of the frames has disturbed the bees so much as to stampede them, you should at once close the hive and try another day. If you have reason to conclude that some kind of queen exists in the hive, try the following plan, which reveals her presence as nothing else can. Take a frame of comb with eggs and unsealed larvse from another hive and put it into the centre of the one you wish to search. Leave it undis- turbed for about forty-eight hours, then examine the comb, and if you discover the formation of endimentary queen cells, you can safely conclude that there is no queen present. You are absolutely safe in this conclusion without any further searching. If, on the contrary, the bees have simply carried on the feeding and the sealing of the developing larA'se, you can be as fully confident that the bees in that colony have something that they recognise and treat as a queen, however worthless as a mother it may be. Should your aim be to re- queen, then a diligent search must be made until she is found and deposed. Without this preliminary proceeding, no care in introduction will assure the recep- tion of your purchased queen. However valuable she may be the veriest scrub will be more welcome tO' the community than this alien queen. In the height of the season, if you are doubtful of the presence of a queen, and after diligent searching do not find her, then look in one of the centre combs, and if you see a roundish oval part near the middle of these combs quite dry, cleared of honey, and highly polished, you may all but safely conclude that a queen is present and that the prescient little brains of the busy workers have decided that she will soon begin ovipositing. In looking for eggs in a broodless hive, don't waste time examining frames unless you discover some cells thus dried and polished. There, if anywhere, you will find the eggs deposited by a lately-fertilised queen, and as likely as not, she will make her presence mani- fest on one or other oi these patches. Small virgin queens are often very hard to find, owing to their being so little dis- similar to the ordinary workers in size,, and indeed in general appearance, if the glance is only a casual one. Then she is very elusive in her movements. She dodges round the corner of a frame and back again in a most provoking and secre- tive manner. She hides under the shelter- ing shade of a bunch of bees, so that she is often imperceptible to even the sharpest eye. She makes for any cluster found on the floorboard, or sides of the hives, and she even takes wing from one point to another, in order to elude observation. There is nothing staid, queenly, or motherly about her movements. The graceful stately stride of a fertile queen has not been acquired by this flighty, fickle creature. At times another form of queen is hard to find. You open a hive and discover unmistakable signs of the presence of a drone breeding queen. I think she uses no artifice to elude your observation, like the young bashful virgin. She simply lies low. She has not the heart to care whether she is seen or not it would appear. Life is no joy to her, she is simply a machine, and lies inert, almost lifeless, regardless of the future. You may withdraw the combs carefully, using little or no smoke, you may search them diligently one by one. All are laid aside, or returned to the hive, but your queen remains invisible. Repeat the process from the other side, and end where you began, and yet you frequently find your work profitless, and your search- ing vain. Recently three pair of eyes fruit- lessly tested the truth of this statement. The light was not very good, but after a double search the drone-breeder remained queen of the hive. One of the chief causes for the non-discovery of a queen in a fairly populous hive is the use of too much smoke at the very beginning of the investigation. Set the bees once on the run and you may as well close up the hive and begin your search on some other day. Very little smoke should be given when the frames are exposed, and after, as the examination proceeds, simply waft a slight zephyr over the tops or sides of the frames. No clouds, no strong blasts, no hurricanes, are permissible, as these fairly stampede the bees and send them " all over the I shop.'' In ordinary circumstances proceed a& follows : Expose two or three frames at mos.t, and check the meditated outrush of bees by a few gentle puffs. Withdraw the dummy and place it aside (I always insert the dummy at the right side of the hive looking forward, and therefore know it is always there). The first frame is generally withdrawn and deposited at the side of the hive. A glance is given down the near side of No. 3, as the second comb is with- 174 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 4, 1911. drawn, and this is attended to as future combs are raised. Very frequently indeed does the shiny glance of her abdomen, as she walks down to take shelter behind the next frame, reveal her presence. In that position she shows off her queenly appear- ance better than in any other. If, how- ever, she is not seen, the second frame is raised to the level of the eyes, the back turned towards the sun, and, on examina- tion showing she is not there, the right hand is depressed, the left raised and a half-turn given to the frame, when all the second side is exposed in the best light to full observation. No time should be lost in returning this frame or laying it aside to give more room. Without devoting much time to the exposed side of the next frame, it is quickly reversed and examined. The same process is carried out until every frame is examined. In nine times out of ten she is discovered. In the odd case a re-examina- tion of the frames in reA'erse order reveals her presence as a rule, but at certain times in very populous stocks the task is not a light one. In a special case bees could be shaken from every frame, and allowed to run into the hive, when the queen is easily noticed if bees are allowed to enter slowly. In an extreme case they could be allowed to jjass through excluder zinc, which would hinder her entrance. Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be draum on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. APICULTURAL NOTES. SPRING FEEDING. [8143] The season for 1911 has now commenced in earnest, and bees seem to have wintered well in this locality. I have two blauks caused by queenlessness out of fifty colonies, which I consider very satisfactory. At this period of the year a few remarks on that ever-seasonable topic — the feeding of bees — might not be inapropos. Some years ago I paid a visit to an old lady bee-keeper — one of the old school — and, being like most other ladies fond of a cup of tea, she told me that tea was good •for the bees, and that she had been in the liabit of melting sugar with the hot tea but of the tea-pot, and feeding it to the bees by means of shallow tin troughs, i:)ushed in at the eJitrances of the hives, which, in her case, were straw ones ; her opinion being that the bees liked the tea-flavoured syrup, and that it was very good for them. In thinking the matter over, I resolved to give it a trial. Last autumn, when boiling sugar, I put in the pan as much tea as gave the syrup the colour of what would be considered a nice shade and strength for a cup of tea. All the hives I fed with this tea-syrup — and I fed some of them heavily— came out well in the spring, showing no sign of dysentery. This. I consider the more noteworthy, seeing that the sugar I used was not the most suitable for bee-food. My experience leads me to think that the astringent, to say nothing of the stimulative, properties of tea, would, when mixed with ordinary beet or other sugar, prove as good, if not a superior winter food to syrup made from the best cane sugar. There is no doubt we often use beet- sugar while thinking we are using cane. The only thing we are sure of being that we paid for cane. If the inference I have drawn from the result of n\j experiment be correct, it would mean a saving of expense to the bee-keeper. Manner of Feeding. — During my long experience of bee-keeping 1 have tried many methods of feeding, and incidentally many different kinds of feeders. For the most part, I have practised the usual plan of placing the feeder on the top of the hive or brood-nests. But, in most cases where feeding has to be done, I have come to the conclusion that a better way is to place the feeder on the fioor-boai'd, just outside the rear division-board. To give access to the feeder in this position, the simplest and best way I have found is to take a half-inch thick board, about 6in. broad, and the same length as the dummy or division-board. In the centre and on one side, cut an opening which might extend to six inches long, and four inches into the board. On the toji of the opening, if feeding is done by means of an inverted bottle, perforated zinc sliould be put : but, with ordinarj' flat feeders, this would not be necessary. This makes a nice feeding-stage, and there are two ways of giving access under it : one is by making a corresponding opening in the bottom of the division-board, or by simply lifting it up and pushing the stage underneath, the advantages I claim for this method of feeding are its convenience, and more im- portant still, it does away with the neces- sity of removing any part of the covering over the brood nest, and, if properly carried out, there need be no jarring which might disturb the bees. I am convinced that it is a matter of vital importance that the heat, generated in the brood-nest, should May 4, 1911.] THE lUUTISn BKK JOTTKNAL. 175 not be allowed to escape, as so frequently happens wlien the whole, or even part, of the covei-ing is removed. Everyone knows what would happen if, on a cold night, the bed-clothes were wholly, cr even partially removed ; and the same lesult happens t-o the bees when their bed-clothes are taken off. It should be borne in mind that it is not the covering that warms the body, but the body that warms the covering — and it takes some time to do it. In the case of the bees it is the time required to do this in which tbe danger lies. This applies to any sea- son, but more particularly to spring, if feeding has. of necessity, to be resorted ■.to at that time. .Of course, feeding, as described, can it I would seriously advise him not to take the tea out of his wife's tea-caddy. This is wliat I did and was found out — the result can be imagined. It proved the truth of the saying : " The way of trans- gressors is hard." — Alex Reid, Balloan, Boss-shire. A SOUTH AFRICAN APIARY. [8144] I have pleasure in sending a photo of my home apiary which I hope is good enough for reproduction in the "B.B.J." Most of the hives shown are W.B.C. pattern, and my own make from ^in. clear pine. The one in the front on the right is an observation hive. The trees all round are gum trees of various kinds, which provide both honey and AVONDEBBOOM APIARY-, GEZINA, NEAR PRETORIA, S.A. only be carried out in hives that have sufficient space outside the dummy; or hives of the combination type, having the frames running across the entrance, and with space-room at the rear. I shall be pleased if this small contribu- tion to the pages of our Bee Journal shall elicit any discussion or criticism, as a change fi-om the all absorbing and apparently never-to-end discussion on the subject of bee diseases. I feel like my friend, Mr. Ellis, that one almost re- quires to be disinfected after reading it in case of carrying infection to one's own bees. In conclusion I must say one word mora about this tea-feeding theory. If any married bee-keeper should think of trying pollen in early spring and give my bees a start. The conditions are such in this district that I have by syrup feeding in- creased a five frame colony up to ten full frames during the winter time. I obtained the 1st prize medals at the last Pretoria Agricultural Show, for sections, granulated and liquid honey, of which we were very proud. Mj- wife takes as much interest in bees as I do, in fact she claims the medals as her property. As I am not a judge of English honey, will you please tell me in what respects the sample of my honey sent by same post differs from the English of the same class. My biggest take from one hive — not assisted by other colonies — is 871b. partly section, and partly extracted. So far this year I 176 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 4, 1911, have only 471b. as a record, but as the honey season is not yet finished that amount may be increased. As highly qualified bee-keepers are very scarce in South Africa, I have had to rely on the "Guide Book," and my own experience for the knowledge I have gained. Mr. F. Sworder very kindly assisted . me in my first attempts, and 1 am willing to return his kindness by assisting every bee-keeper I meet in any manner possible. — J. L. Taylor, Wonderboom Apiary, Gezina, Pretoria. PARTHENOGENESIS. [8145] AVith regard to queens being able to control the sex into which the egg will develop, I expect it would be found on observation that this is not confined to the bee. I am sending two gall-nuts which were found growing on stunted; oak trees. I do not refer to the oak-apple, which is much larger. This gall, I think, is supposed to have been introduced to this country some years ago. In one of the specimens I am sending it will be seen that there is a centre cavity which contained the larvse ; in the other as well as the centre cavity there will be seen several smaller ones near the base of the gall-nut. From these male gall flies were hatched and they appeared a considerable time before any females ; they were much smaller than the females, and darker in colour. Out of twenty of these gall- nuts which I kept under observation only one produced males, that is the one with five openings ; all the others contained but the single female in the centre of the gall-nut. The arrangement of the males at the base of the nest, and five or six eggs being laid instead of one seems to me to prove that the gall fly was quite aware of the sex of the egg which she was depositing. There has always seemed to me to be many difiiculties in the way f)f proving parthenogenesis with queen bees. For one thing I doubt whether there is any time of year that drones may not be found under some conditions. Late in the autumn I have found a single drone in a strong hive that appea-red to have escaped the general massacre, and was being tolerated probably to spend the winter in the hive. With wasps it is different; males only fly late in the summer, and with some species very late. Last summer I found a nest of Vespers Britannica attached to a branch on a gooseberry bush. I cut it off and removed it to the side of my window, where I could observe the inmates. Most of the wasps remained and went on with their work as usual, but some — I expect the older ones — re- turned to the old spot, where they com- menced building a very irregular sheet of paper which could hardly be called a nest. In the centre of this is a small piece of brood comb was built and to my surprise on looking one day I found it full of larvae. The weather then turned cold and something seemed to have destroyed all the wasps and larvae when I again looked at it. The first time I am able to repeat the experiment I shall hope to do so ; whether the young larvae would have turned out to be males or females I cannot say, but from the size of the cells built I should almost have expected that they would have developed into females, I never saw the old queen amongst those that returned to the bush, and feel con- vinced that the eggs must have been laid by the workers. The males did not leave the nest that I had at my window for a considerable time after. I wonder what our Swiss friend would say to this. I am sending the rudimentary nest made by the workers for inspection, and also one made by a queen wasp. The difference in the construction of the two is remarkable. I have no doubt that our friend Mr. Crawshaw was right as to the date when the queen in my baby nucleus hive was mated last year, but I could not be certain as_to this owing to her being able to pass through the excluding zinc at her own sweet will, and without my leave. Speaking of wasps I ventured my head very close to the entrance of a nest to see if they passed their legs OA^er their antennae on emerging into the light, as* I think all bees do. I was not able to see that any of them did so, but I am con- vinced that it is not the cleaning of the antennae previous to taking flignt with the ' bee ; when this is done it is a much more leisurely proceeding. Swarminc). — It is often said that bees, dart through the air in every direction when swarming. Is this correct? I believe it is not ; on the contrary they fly very slowly, many being young, and all with their honey sacks filled. The appearance of darting through the air is, I think, an optical delusion. If one bee is carefully followed in its flight, it will be noticed to fly very slowly.— ^Humble- Bee, Allanvale. RE-PAINTING HIVES. [8146] May I, as a practical man of twenty-six years' experience, j)oint out the. probable cause of the paint rubbing off. as described by D. H. M., page 103. In the event of genuine Eng- lish white lead being used too much,, turpentine was added ; or on the con- trary foreign or broken-down lead was probably used. I may add that up to the present I have not found a ready- made paint or substitute to take the place- of white lead. If your readers will try May 4, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 177 the following method, I do not think they will be troubled with leaky roofs or with l^aint rubbing off. The first coat should consist of boiled oil and red lead, to which, if time is pressing, may be added a little patent driers. Then the work should be well stopped. Three coats of paint should follow, made as follows : Genuine English white lead, boiled or raw linseed oil, and patent driers in the proportion of lib. driers to six or seven of lead; a little turpentine, say about quarter portion, may be used in the first two coats to harden off quickly, the last coat to be oil only. If the hive is to be painted white, raw oil should be used, and a touch of drop black or blue added. Boiled oil being dark is suitable for stone or other colours. — G. J. F. Barnet. DISEASE IN ESSEX. [8147] "Isle of Wight" disease ap- pears to have wiped out all the hives in the village of Thornham, near Hun- stanton. The village is on the corner of the Wash and is, I believe, twelve miles from Massingham, the nearest known place where the disease has appeared. The bees, I am told, crawled aoout in thousands, unable to fly. Sulphate of copper is used in the village for sprinkling. Does this not appear to have had something to do with the disease? I do not think that any queens or stocks are ever purchased from any other district by the Thornham bee- keepers. I am glad to say that this part of Essex has so far escaped the disease. — E. J. A., Booking, Essex. EXTRAORDINARY PHENOMENON. [8148] During the recent severe weather, some clear liquid honey (labelled pure Calif ornian), contained in a glass jar, formed again into the original comb, the latter being in a slanting nearly up- right position in the middle of the liquid honey. Can you or any of your readers kindly inform me if this is a usual occurrence in cold weather, and if so, what is the law of mutual attraction by which the atoms of wax re-adjust themselves into so complex and accurate a form as that of the comb, under pressure of atmospheric conditions only? I shall feel greatly obliged if you will kindly inform me on this point. — iMiss I. M. Fellowes. [Dealers sometimes sell as pure Cali- fornian ,honey, a piece of honey-comb sur- rounded by glucose. It may be this that you have found. Such an occurrence as you describe would certainly be an unusual one, if there was no comb before, as there is no law of mutual attraction by which atoms of wax which do not exist could re- adjust themselves. — Ed.] CAPPINGS OF COMB. BYL. S.CRAWSHAW, NORTON, MALTON, YORKS, Cost of Disease (page 93). — It is possible that friend Woodley is in error in suppas- ing that the million of dollars is actually- spent in a vain effort to combat disease in. America. Is it not likely that the very round figure is an estimate of the loss which I'.S. beekeepers annually incur through the existence of disease? Perhaps D.M.M., who has access to the F.S. bulle- tin in question, will put me right. It is a little early yet to say whether the pro- pots-ed diseases of bees legislation will pre- vent beekeepers from selling their products. The whole text of the Bill is. under consideration by the Committee appointed to deal with it, and the result will appear in the " B.B.J." in due course. But if this objection to the recently pub- lished text should be removed, may we hope that Mr. Woodley will come into line ? As to the referendum, I may set his. mind at rest by informing him that no move will be taken by the Committee, un1:il he, in common with other beekeepers of the land, has had an opportunity of expressing his 'views for, or against, the proposed legislation. Size of Frame (page 95). — It is quite possible that, in exceptionally good districts, the standard frame may be on the small, side, but as an all-round frame it has distinct merit. I refer, of course, solely to the size relation, and not to the vexed question of construction. Has No. 8108 compared the results from the Liang.stroth, which he praises, with those from a standard, plus shallow com- bination fi-ame. If not, may I suggest to him that he try the combination. Some years ago, I made experiments: such as I suggest, with promising results, but the combination proved to be uiLSuited to the district. The super of shallow frames is to be considered as a part of the- brood nest, and allowed to remain on the- hive for the winter. Later the shallo'ws may be either raised to induce the bees to- enter supers, or placed underneath the brood nest to stimulate breeding, or temporarily removed to form nuclei, assist a needy stock, or even for extraction. In fact, there are many manipulations which will no doubt suggest them.selves to the experimenter. Queen cells, for instance, may be easily discovered on the lower edge of the sliallow comb without much dis- turbance of the brood nest. It is advis- able, however, to vaseline the outside of the frames to prevent attachments. Division Board or Vummi/ (page 103). — I am glad to find D. M. M. also amongst the prophets, and would congratulate him upon the fact, even at the expense of my 178 THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. [May 4, 1911. •being called " Gamaliel." I did not at first recognise myself. But would D. M. M. -have known himself as Saul ? Not the Son of Kish, of course, but his Tarsine namesake. Be that as it may, I am very glad to second D. M. M. in his plea for ■definition. Simplicity of terminology is not always obtained by the elimination of terms. Thus Dr. Miller, who admonishes D. M. M. would apparently abolish the word "stock," and confine us to "colony." Yet the term "" stock," as used in this country, has its definite use as opposed to the term " swarm," whilst colony would surely, speaking strictly, include both. But per- -haps Dr. Miller will explain. Spraying Charlock (page 106). — It is all very well to theorise, but theories must be tested by the light of facts. Spraying is quite modern, whilst there is some ■evidence that similar outbreaks of disease have been known in the past. Again, the disease has appeared in northern districts, ■and in all cases I believe it has been traced to the importation of southern bees. 'Certainly the immunity of the brood points to food trouble, but in that case it is not primarily a disease at all, and the search for disease germs is futile. In support of this, I understand that failure has so far attended attempts to reproduce the dis- ease with the various cultures. But does the " Isle of Wight " disease rage with greatest severity at spraying time? If spraying charlock be the cause, the trouble should be i>revalent in autumn. On the other hand, the disease has been identified by some authorities with May pest. Whether or no, if spraying with sulphate of copper be the cause, it should be possi- ble to reproduce the symptoms bv adding Bordeaux mixture to the feed. Queries and Replies. [4123] Artificial Increase and Re- queening.—l should like your advice in the following. I have three stocks of bees in W.B.C. hives, one seems very prosperous (working early and late), and is headed by a native black queen, which T bought last year. I wish to do away with the other two queens — hybrids — and wonld like to rear queens from the first- mentioned hive. Is it possible to succeed ■with the following plan ? To let the stock •containing the black queen swarm naturally and take away the parent hive and bees, putting the swarm on the old : stand. Then form three nuclei from the nine frames from the old stock. When the queens commence to lay, introduce one each to the other two hives, and join all nine frames, with bees, together again with the third queen, thus forming a new stock. — Beginner, Flint. RiEPLY. — Your proposed plan should work successfully, especially if you want to increase the number of your stocks. [4124] Storifi/ing for Surplus. — I shall be much obliged if you will give me an answer to the following. (1) I am feeding all my stocks — eight in number — with syrup, which they are taking greedily. Ihe apple trees are just coming into blossom, so I suppose it will be unnecessary to feed much longer — for a time at any rate — as there are in my garden a lot of raspberries, strawberries, and some time trees. I am not sure whether there is white clover sown close at hand — but if not I suppose, after the above-mentioned blossom is over, I ought again to feed them. They are carrying in large quan- tities of pollen now. (2) One at least of my stocks looks very strong, though the weather so far has not allowe'd me to examine it. I propose to employ this foi- surplus extracted honey, and to proceed as advised in "Guide Book," page 61, by placing a second brood-box on the top of the other, or to place the brood combs in another brood-box above it, and put fresh combs down below. The word hive is mentioned ; I sup- pose brood-box is meant, as a nive would mean a separate entrance, and this would not do perhaps. (3) I have only just discovered that the syrup I have made is not from cane-sugar — at least I understand it is probably beet and cane mixed at the best. I propose to make it in future from pure cane. I suppose no harm is being done. — Devon. Reply.— (1) As a rule it is not necessary to feed after May. (2) The plan adopted by most bee-keepers is to use shallow- frames for extracting purposes. If you double as you suggest you must have only one entrance ; it can be done most com- fortably with a double-walled hive. (3) The bees will probably suffer no injury, but it is best to use cane-suger. [4125] Supposed Virgin Queen — I have one stock of black bees, which was built up from two driven lots in September, 1909. Last year they stored a small quantity of sur- plus, and when the super was removed (about August 7), I noticed several queen cells on the brood frames. At that time there were a number of drones in the hive, and also a good-sized patch of drone brood. The drones were cast out about the middle of September, and after being fed up with syrup, the stock went into winter quarters, covering about six frames. The colony does not seem to have dwindled or increased perceptibly since last September, but though the bees still have plenty of sealed stores, and seem to be carrying water to the hive on warm days, I have not been able to see a single load of pollen. I believe I remember a note bv a corres- May 4, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. ITD' pondent of your journal, which inferred that queens mated late in the autumn frequently do not begin to lay till well on in the spring, and then build up the colony very rapidly. Is this so, or am I to con- clude that the bees' attempt to requeen last autumn was unsuccessful and that a fresh mother must be purchased in order to save the stock ? I may say I have only just moved to this locality and the bees were carried from South London, also that until the last fortnight I was not able to keep them under observation, only paying visits about once a month to the place where they were k ept . I should be grateful for any advice you can give me, as a novice, through the medium of your paper. — T. M., Ilford. Replt. — On the first warm day examine the brood nest. If there is brood all is well ; if not obtain a queen and introduce her as soon as possible. A PETRIFIED BEE-HIVE. EXTRACT FROM THE NATURAL. HISTORY SECTION OF THE ANNUAL REGISTER, 1767. The following is an account of a petri- fied bee-hive discovered on the mountains of Siout in the Upper Egypt, by M. Lippi, Licentiate in physic of the faculty of Paris. "M. Lippi found on those mountains at the entrance of a vast cavern, a body of real stone, of an irregular figure, but quite porous, which he had the curiosity to open. He was very much surprised to see the whole divided into oval cells of three lines in breadth, and four lines in length, placed all manner of ways about each other, but nowhere communicating, all of them lined with, a very thin men- brane. and what was more wonderful, each enclosing a maggot or a fly perfectly like a bee. The maggots were very hard and very solid and might pass for petrified ; but the flies were only dried up and well preserved as ancient mummies ; and small oval grains which appeared to be eggs were often found under them. There was at the bottom of many of the cells a thick juice, blackish, very hard, appearing red when exposeth to the light, very sweet, making the saliva yellow and imflammable as resin. It was in short real honey; but who should ever think of finding honey in the bosom of a stone. •' M. Lippi conceives that this was a natural hive, which at first had ueen formed in a loose, light and sandy-earth, and afterwards was petrified by some particular accident. The animals that inhabited it were surprised by the petri- fication, and as it were fixed in the state they were then found. Their dried up mucosity had formed the membrane that lined the cells. At the time when the hive was yet soft the bees went out of it to seek their food and leave their honey in it. 'Still seeking in the same place other' ^particulars to clear up this fact M. Lippi^ found in several parts the beginnings of a. like hive. It was as it were the first bed formed of a number of little cells for the most part open and containing the animal in all its different states but dried up and very hard. As well as the hives- he saw bees-wax on one of the first beds, a second composed of a heap of little- hillocks of about five lines in length, and I an inch in diameter at their base. They were granulous, easily reducible into dust,, and nearly resembled the hills thrown up' by moles. M. Lippi opened them by striking gently and found in every one of them two or three oval cells filled with a yellow maggot." Notices to Correspondents Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or tchere appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, can only be inserted as advertisements. The- space devoted to letters, queries, and replies is meant for the general good of bee-keepers, and not' for advertisements. We wish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries- cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately following the receipt of their communica- tions. Optimist (Somerset). — Sprai/incj Trees.. — (1) Spraying with arsenates should be-! done after the blossoms have fallen and the apples are formed. Spraying when the blossom begins to burst is no use, and would not only damage the blossom, but also affect the bees. We have found the ■ most efficacious time for spraying to be = from two days after the blossom has fallen, , and not later than ten days, as the calyx remains open for that time, so that the - arsenic lodges in the eye, and when the calyx closes over it keeps the poison in position. (2) Bees gather nectar from swede blossoms, which they convert into honey. (3) The shade temperature at which nectar is secreted varies for different flowers with the amount of moisture in the ground and atmosphere, as well as the time of the day. and ranges ■ from 68 to 83deg. Fahrenheit. W. T. B. (Wansford).— .Suf/ar for bees.— No. 1 sample is most suitable. Suspected Disease. H. B. (Stourport). — The bees were too. dry for us to discover cause of death. It will be safer to melt the combs, disin- fect the hive, and start with new frames and foundation. M. D. (Blandford).— The comb is slightly mildewed. This frequently happens in winter ; they will become all right when the warm weather comes. P. W. (Olton) and A. E. H. (Essex).— Bees have died from " Isle of Wight " disease. Ayrshire. X-B. — The comb is affected with foul brood. ISO THE BRITISH BEE JOUHNAL. [May 4, 1911. H Specia.1 Prepaid Advertisements Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per i in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE AOVERTISEMEJNTB. -| K HIVES FOR SALE, for 10 or 15 Standard A-tJ Frames, 5s. each; Section Crates, with sections, 2s. each; only safe and sound goods for- warded; can be seen at 3, Gladstone Cottages, Norwood Green, SouthalL— Address, P. HANSiiN, gardener and bee expert, 59, Castlebar-road, Ealing, Middlesex. h 99 FOUR STRONG STOCKS ENGLISH BLACJvss, in 1911 Gamage W.B.C. Hives, each 3 lifts, 29s. each; also 4 new empty W.B.C. Hives 7s. each. —J. B. WALSH, Thornton Marsh Villa, Thornton, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lanes. h 95 IVES FOR SALE : 1 Conqueror, 1 W.B.C, double walls.— HARDY, Aldbrough, Hull. HIVES.— 5, practically new, well painted, for sale, cheap; also bupers, etc.— Full particu- lars, FREEMAN, Singleton, Sussex. h 94 TWO NEW BAR FRAME HIVES with lift and 10 Frames, wired, canvas covered roof, painted, lis. each; photo and particulars.— HEARD, Orchard Hill, Bideford. h 98 WHAT OFFERS per lb. for about i cwt. of excellent 1910 CAMBRIDGESHIRE HONEY? Sample in screw top glass jar, 3d. — SCHOOLMASTER, Bourn, Camoridge. h_97 WHITE FANTAIL PIGEONS.-Several pairs of last year's birds for sale, 3s. a pair. — gCHOOLGIRL. Elston Rectory, Newark. h 92 WANTED, a few Colonies of healthy BEES on frames; boxes for travelling will be sent.^ — ^. LEWINGDON, The Club, Wokingham. h 91 ONEY EXTRACTOR for sale, nearly new, 12s. 6d.— WRIGHT, Roxby, Doncaster. h 88 I1XTRACT0R, 2 guinea Cowan, good order, 15s.; J 3-division Mahogany Showcase for 12 sections, 6s.; 100 Super Boxes to hold 7 sections each, 25s.; 5O0 tin Dividers, 4Jin. by 4Jin., 5s.; 120 pieces glass, 4Jin. by 4Jin., 2s.; 60 springs in blocks, 3s. Going abroad. E. Davis, Great Bookham, Surrey. h 87 STRONG HEALTHY STOCKS on 8 Frames, 1910 queens, £1 each.^J. C. JUDD, Welfare Apiaries, Pinkney's Green, Maidenhead, Berks, h 86 XPERIENCED BEE-KEEPER WANTED to look after Apiary in Scotland. Send all par- ticulars.—D., " B.B.J." Office, 23, Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. h 85 It) STOCKS OF BEES in good Hives for sale. ^ —SPECK, 855 Stratford-rd, Spark Hill, Bir- mingham. h 84 URE HONEY in lib screw top bottles for sale; also Honey in Combs; took first prize about 3 years ago Taunton Flower Show.— THE VICAR. Stoke Saint Gregory, Taunton. h 83 OOD LIGHT HONEY, granulated, 141b. tins, 9s.— WILLAN, Sizergh, Kendal. h 78 H G IT^NGLISH HONEY, dark, good flavour, 141b. li tin, 5s.; 1 strong Stock Bees, guaranteed healthy; 3 empty Hives, all good, worth £1 each; geared Extractor aordiances, £2 the lot; going abroad.— R. SAINSBURY, 54 Charlton-rd, South- ampton^ h 80 8 SHALLOW FRAME RACKS, complete, with 8 healthy wired Combs, metal ends, 3s. 6d. each: 30 shallow Frames, full sheets foundation. 5s.; 7 Queen Excluders, 3s.; 60 standard brood Combs, free drone cells, wired, metal ends, 6s. dozen; 12 Standard Hives, made of g red deal, double walled, 4s. each.— Particulars of above from | W. WATTS, Westbay Farm, Chickerell, Wey- \ mouth. h 79 1 Special Prepaid Advertisements.— Co/Umuect BEES FOR SALE, 3 strong, healthy Stocks, 1910 queens.^Apply, P. HEATH, Thremhall Priory Cottages, Bishop s Stortford, Herts. h 77 SWARMS, guaranteed healthy, May 3s., June 2s. 6d. lb., boxes returnable, cash with order. — ANDREWS, Longthorpe, Peterboro'. h_80 THREE HEALTHY STOCKS in Standard Hives, 4 section racks, 2 excluders, feeders, smoker, pair Birkett gloves, the lot £3.15.— NELMES, Cathcart. h 67 EMOVAL SALE.— 13 Burtt's W.B.C. Hives, new, 3 coats white lead paint, calico covered roois, 23s. each (includes legs, &c., 10 brood frames and ends, 2 shallow boxes, 8 frames each, wide ends, all full sheets, weed foundation wired) ; 12 Nucleus Hives, with 8 frames and ends, used one season, 3s. 6d. each. Following 2-year-old hives repainted : 6 Garner's Sleafora, 11 frames and ends, 2 lifts with 9 shallow frames, wide ends, all full sheets, wired foundation, 13s. 6d. each; 3 Garner's Cottage, 11 frames and ends, 5s. 3d. each; 4 Lee's Alliance, 10 frames and ends, 6s. 3d. each; all on rail; 91bs. Weed foundation, thin brood, 18s., post free; 44 ditto, 9s. 3d.— REV. W. E. MATTINSON, Happisburgh, Norwich. hJ76 EES FOR SALE, on frames, 17 Stocks.— GARWOOD, Ptr. Heigham, Gt. YarmoutJi. h58 B WANTED, good Brindle bull-terrier dog pup.— W., "B.B.J." Office, 23. Bedford-street, Strand. BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. FOR SALE, overstocked.— Shallow Frame Crates, 8 clean drawn-out combs with ends, 4s. 6d. each; 5, 20/-; do. full sheets wired drone base (new), 3s. 6d. each. Kitson, Stansted, Essex. h 90 TRONG, guaranteed healthy SWARMS, ex- pected daily, 15s. 6d., boxes 6d.; June, 12s. 6d.; strong, healthy Stocks, Frame Hives, 29s. 6d.; Skeps, 18s. 6d.; satisfaction assured.— HIGGIN- SON, Egerton, Kent. h 82 SWARMS.— Guaranteed healthy. May 15s., June 13s.; boxes returnable. — ADAMS, Farnham, Blandford. , h_68 Qp:TH YEAR.— Three framed Nuclei, healthy 00 queen, bees, brood, 12s. 6d.; empties re- turned, paid.— ALSFORD, expert, Haydon, Sher- borne^ h 61 1 CI 1 1 VIRGINS, Blacks, Carniolans, Italians, J_\jJL±. Is. 6d.; Americans (Golden), Cyprians, 2s.; Swiss, 2s. 3d. Send for price list. Cash with order.— FREDERICK VOGT, 38 Clementina-road, Leyton. h 70 QUEENS, fertile, in introducing cage; delivery guaranteed, 5s. 6d.— BRICE'S APIARIES, Otford, Kent. GOLDEN PURE CYPRIAN fertile Queens, gentle strain, five yellow banded, 6s. each, post free.— Write to DERVISHIAN BROS., Nicosia, Cyprus. h 71 NOTICE.— The tone blocks used for printing the pictures of " Homes of the Honey Bee " in " B.B. Journal " may be obtained from this office, nost free, 2s. 6d. each. They are useful for adver- tising purposes, or for picture post-cards. Boom s wanted, and those now in stock will be kept for a short time only. WANTED, a Well-Educated YOUTH to learn Bee-Keening, either for three or six months, live with family.-Apply, LEWIS J. HOBLEY, Chilver's Coton, Nuneaton. h 93 BEES, Stocks on Combs, guaranteed healthy, six, eight, and ten frames, 20s., 25s., 30s.; empties returned.— F. A. BEAN, Snaith, York- shire. hJ2 WANTED, SWARMS.— Reply, giving price per pound in May and June, to HERROD and STEWART, Apiary, Luton, Beds. SWARMS, guaranteed healthy. May and early June 10s. 6d.— COMLEY, Dynever Place, Fairford, Glos. h 81 May 11, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JQUENAL. 181 Editorial, Notices, &c. SHROPSHIRE B.K.A. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Shropshire Bee-keepers' Association was held at the Mayor's Court, Shrewsbury, on Saturday, April 29th. Mr. Roff- King presided. The report of the committee stated that they had the pleasure of an- nouncing a very successful step lately taken in the interests of practical bee-keep- ing. The examination held last August was in every way satisfactory, most of the candidates having satisfied the examiner. The annual show held in the Quarry in con- junction with the Shropshire Horticultural Floral Fete last August was very success- ful, the entries exceeding the number in 1909 by 85. The balance-sheet showed a balance in hand of £21 4s. 5d., as compared with £30 15s. Id. in 1909. The decrease was attributed to the increasing of the awards at the show. — The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The Mayor of Shrewsbury was unani- mously elected president for the ensuing year, and Mr. Seville Stanier, M.P., and Mr. Wm. C. Bridgeman, M.P., were ^elected vice-presidentsi. The Treasurer (Mr. Holland) and the Secretary (Mr. Cartwright) were unanimously re-ap- pointed, and Mr. P. Scott was again ap- pointed expert to the Association. The committee were re-elected, on the propasi- tion of Mr. Oliver, seconded by Mr. Hol- land.— Mr. Cooper proposed, and Mr. Hol- land seconded, the re-election of Mr. Roff King as chairman. Votes of thanks were passed to the offi- cers for their services. — The Rev. G. E. Pratt and Mr. T. Cooper were appointed delegates to the British Bee-keepers' Asso- ciation. On the motion of the Rev. G. E. Pratt, it was decided to support the Central A^so^ ciation in their endeavour to obtain a ''Foul Brood Bill," and that the Shrop- shire M.P.'s should be asked to do like- wise.— S. Caktwrioht, Hon. Sec. ABERDEEN B.K.A. annual MEETING. The first annual meeting of the Aberdeenshire and District Bee-keepers' Association (in affiliation with the British Bee-keepers' Association) was held on Sat- urday, April 8, in the Agricultural Class- room, Marischal College, Aberdeen. There was a fairly large turnout of members, over which Mr. Middleton, Maryculter, presided. Mr. Low, the secretary, submitted a re- port of the business of the association since its formation in June last. This report was considered highly satisfactory, the membership being now close on 100. Mr. Moir, station agent, Grange, then gave a most interesting practical diemon- stration on the making of bee candy, showing the advantages of some slight alterations in the customary recipe whicli is given in every bee-keepers' text book. These alterations consist in, first, adding about a teaspoonful of cream of tartar to the text book ingredients, and, second, in reheating the candy during the final operations. Mr. Moir explained that the bee-keepers' difficulty in making candy is to get it without granules. It should be " just like putty." After the discussion, the secretary read correspondence with regard to examina- tions in connection with the British Bee- keepers' Association. Further, it was agreed to alter one of the rules as to the size of the committee, making it smaller, but in the future including in it all the district secretaries. The usual votes of thanks brought the meeting to a close. — A. LoAV, Hon. Secretary. HONEY IMPORTS. The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom during the month of April, 1911, was £4,441. — From a return furnished to the Bkitish Bee Journal by the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs. BEE-KEEPING IN LEWIS. BY J. ANDEKSON, M.A., B.SC. If you glance at the map of Scotland you will notice that the north-western coast is guarded by two groups of islands — the Inner and the Outer Hebrides. Lewis is the northern and larger part of Long Island, which, in turn, is the largest of the Outer Hebrides. It has a population of almost thirty thousand, nearly all of whom can speak Gaelic, and a considerable number understand very little English. There are many square miles of heather, acres of white clover, and countless varie- ties of wild flowers, yet when we started bee-keeping in May, 1909, there wasn't a hive bee in the island. The writer happens to be science master of the largest school in Lewis, and bees were introduced as a branch of the practi- cal science course. The usual volume of cold water was thrown upon the scheme. " The bees would sting the children." "It had been tried before and the climate had proved too damp." " It was exposed to cold winds, and bees would not live without trees." But our experience goes to show that Lewis is specially suited to bees. They winter well, consuming very little honey during the cold period; they 182 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 11, 1911. start work . as early as in any part of Scot- land, and the season lasts much longer than in the south of England. Last year we had bees working in supers in the third week of October. The absence of timber means the absence of propolis, so that our sections are unsurpassed for whiteness and beauty. This season our best stocks began breed- ing just after the New Year, were col- lecting pollen in the second week of February, and now (28th March) have brood on four frames. One stock has actually a small patch of capped drone honey collected in the fag-end of -the season. The fear of stings proved groundless. We can Avalk round the hives singly, in groups, or in classes, and the bees pay no attention. The boys — and girls — can manipulate without veils or gloves, and the teacher never has a more interested class than when he is opening a hive. How the little ones tumble over each other in order to "see the queen! " Four of the big boys are " Bee Specialists." These have examined the bee under the compound microscope, and MANIPULATING WITHOUT VEIL OR GLOVES. brood — and yet they have had no syrup this season. The most profitable colony last year was a late June swarm from the south of England. It was hived in Devonshire on 20th June, and travelled northward by train and steamer on seven frames of foundation. It was transferred from the travelling box by what little light remained after it arrived here about 11 p.m. on the 22nd. The first bee began foraging in Lewis on the morning of the 23rd, and this swarm never received any feeding. Yet it filled two racks of sections, and gave six frames of heather honey. This, with thirty pounds to winter on, makes at least 100 pounds of have made beautiful drawings of every part. They have made themselves hives in the school workshop, and the teacher is going to advance them a swarm each, for which they will pay out of the proceeds of their first hundredweight of honey. They can find the queen, identify brood in all stages, and manipulate (without veil or gloves) like trained experts. After examining various observatory hives, and making extended tests of one or two commercial forms, we devised one of our own, which we have proudly named the " Nicdlson," after the name of oiir school. At the end of last season this hive was sent to Mr. Brodie, . of Messrs. Steele and Brodie, and his varied May 11, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 183 experience, gathered in two continents, was able to suggest certain useful modi- fications. The " Nicolson " Observatory resembles the " Brice " in taking just one standard frame, but there are material differences which we believe to be imjirovements. The chief difficulty in a one-frame hive is the disproportionate lateral extension of the cluster, and the consequent rapid loss of heat. In some commercial forms this diflSculty is increased, because the structure of the observatory permits a. cold draught through the hive. In the "Nicolson" this loss of heat has been minimised by providing ample room for quilts, by double glazing, and by fitting cosy, removable shutters to the sides. The hive opens at top and bottom, so the bees can be manipulated as easily as in a standard hive. The turntable is fastened by four screws to the inside window-sill, and a passage under the table leads to a flight-hole in the window-frame. In windows too valu- able to be auger-bored, we make the flight- hole in a flat piece of wood clipped under the raised sash. Outside there is a small alighting-board. The hive can be turned round on the table with perfect ease and freedom from jar, and every bee in the hive can be seen. If wanted for a lesson in another room, the hive is simply lifted off its table, the entrance being temporarily closed by a slide. Any bees outside at the time of removal can cool their heels in the passage till the lesson is finished. These observatories — we have usually three or four in use — arouse extraordinary interest. And it is not only the pupils — many grown-up people pay special visits to the laboratory to see the bees. We have placed them in windows facing the south, so the sun shines in during the part of the day when the bees are most active. We turn the hive at right-angles to the sun-rays, and direct the light on the comb with a hand mirror. In this way we can see the bottom of any cell, examine the new-laid egg, observe when the tiny grub first appears, and follow its history till it emerges as a downy youngster and starts to preen its wings on the comb. We have made a large number of obser- vations during the last two seasons, but these are not yet ready for publication. Some of these confirm accepted beliefs as published in certain bee-manuals, others are a trifle unorthodox. For instance, we have confirmed to the very letter certain observations made by Videt Bernhard, a little English girl of nine, who wrote to "Uncle Amos," of Gleaninrjs, in 1884. These related to the storing of pollen and are like this : A pollen-bearer comes fussing over the comb, shaking its body in a characteristic way. It appears to waste much precious time in searching for a cell with the same kind of pollen. When such a cell is found at last, the bee hangs on to its upper wall with its front feet, its abdomen is curved as in stinging, and the hind legs inserted in the cell. The pellets are pushed off by the middle pair of legs. The bee gives itself a final shake and marches away over the comb. In a very short time another and apparently younger bee comes along, and peeps into the cell. It sees two little pellets resting on the lower wall, thrusts in its head, moves round for about two minutes, and withdraws. Another glance into the cell will show that this fresh accession of pol- len has been neatly incorporated with that previously packed in the cell. The books say that the pollen-bearer packs her own load, but we found that Videt was right every time. It seems to us tliat bees are very suit- able as subjects for nature study. All THE NICHOLSOtN ' OBSERVATORY HIVE. schools may not have accommodation for full stocks, but nearly all can have a one- frame observatory. We are sure any bee- keeper would supply a frame of bees. If it contained eggs, the rearing of the queen might be followed. The bees could be, returned at the end of the season. The ideal arrangement, however, is to have the obsei-vatory for minute study, and one or more standard hives in the school garden as well. We have seven full stocks and four observatories, but then we have over a thousand children. Our school apiary has had remarkablei secondary effects. In 1909 ours were the only bees in Lewis ; three other bee-keepers started in 1910; other four are beginning this season: and May, 1911, will see twenty-two stocks in Lewis, without counting possible swarms. The honey is 184 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 11, 1911. of excellent quality, and is sold locally as soon as it comes off the hives. Bee-life in our little obsei-vatories seems to be quite noi-mal. One of them actually swarmed last season, and all the usual phenomena were exhibited. Two queen •cells were built and one of the queens was duly mated. Before she began to lay, however, one of the workers lost patience, :and began to display great energy m ■egg-laying. We saw as many as five eggs in one cell, and eggs on top of honey and pollen. Extra eggs are said to be re- moved, but more than once we counted at least two grubs in one cell. When the queen began to lay, those drones were all cleared out. nut, and beech trees in bloom. In addi- tion to this welcome spell of fine weather we have another cause for thankfulness in that we have in this district so far escaped the " I.O.W. " disease, and I hope Mr. Bullamore's pro- phecy will come true, tliat, given a good bee season, we shall not hear much more of this most deadly of bee pests. The case I mentioned in South Scotland of the outbreak which occurred in an apiary of fourteen stocks, through the introduction of a swarin from Surrey, and in which disease developed shortly after they were established, showed the well-known symptoms of the " I.O.W."' disease — this was m June, 1909. The bee- THE BEOi-KEEPING CLASS AT NICHOLSON SCHOOL, LEWIS. Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. NOTES BY THE WAY. [8149] The present month of May, especially the last few days, has brought ideal bee-weather, and the bees are making the most of it here. Though it cannot be said that there is abundant forage just at present, the dandelion is now be- ginning to flower in every piece of old fawn and meadow, and the brilliant sun- shine has brought the turnips into full bloom, which is an additional help, though over a restricted aiea. In a few days we shall also have the sycamore, horse-cliest- keeper, instead of lamenting his loss, set about repairing it at once. For the loss of wing-power he administered nervines in food, hoping to discover a remedy ; this failed to prove of benefit, so he tried other remedies, and at last hit upon a herbal powder, with which he fed last sum- mer, and to-day he has his apiary of four- teen stocks in a healthy condition. My friend, also referred to as hav- ing lost some thirty out of thirty-seven or thirty-eight stocks, in the Reading Dis- trict, is ti-ying this Scotch remedy on his surviving colonies. I hope to be able to give the result in my next notes. I thank Mr. Crawshaw for note, page 177, re F. B. Bill, still under consideration — and it seems to me that it will require very serious consideration before we shall willingly allow travelling expei-ts to handle our bees after they have been in contact with all and sundry bees, and old appliances. Just now, with the "I.O.AV.'' disease rampant in the May 11, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 185 southern division of the country, I would not, under any conditions, allow a Berks., or, for that matter, a Government inspec- tor to overhaul my apiary unless I was guaranteed compensation for any disease he might introduce by his investigation. The present condition of things apicul- tural makes on© feel really glad that we rallied our forces five years ago, and scotched the Bill of those days, otherwise, if so-called experts had had the run of the of my entire number last year, that I went into Melal Valley, where there had been no loss at any time, and is none at the present time, and purcliased 225 colonies of very strong bees, and had them moved into Cache Valley, where I had the loss last year, and expected that I would accomplish a great deal with them; but when I heard of Mr. Bullock's loss in that locality. I at once made an investigation. I was there yesterday, and • ■a large part of the entire 225 colonies are affected with what appears to be paralysis. While there is no trembling, they drop down in the grass in front of the hives,! and are unable to fly ; they seem -to mount the grass and twigs with great difficulty, and in taking them up in my hands they were unable to fly away, and, if thrown into the air, would drop to the .ground. They seemed to have no desire even to sting. It appears to be oon- . tagious, for it seems to affect- a certain part of a row, while another section of the TOW seems to be strong and swarming. ■ A number of hives have all gone under. The entire yard, of course, is exposed, for the reason that a few, perhaps twenty colonies, from what were left of the lot last year were put with them without any thought of anything being wrong, except that they were weak. " I am fully satisfied now that the loss last year, which would number at least 2000 colonies in Cache Valley, was due entirely to this condition. I am now anxious for some remedy to overcome this difficulty, and shall appreciate very much instruc- tions and information which will enable me to overcome it. " I have advised my partner in the business to sprinkle powdered sulphur in the hives at night. He has been vising salt and water, but that does- not seem to have verv much effect. — B. P. Critchlow, Ogden, tltah, 1904." Queries and Replies. [4130] Spraying Fruit-Trees.—I shall be glad to know if your reply to Optimist, Somerset (page 179), re spraying with arsenatis, applies to loganberries? I have heard that it is the intention of a fruit-grower here to spray rasp- berries and logans with arsenate of lead and treacle during the time they are in bloom. This is to kill the raspberry beetle which enters the open bloom. Will not spraying be as efficacious if done after the fall of the. blossom? but logans are in bloom for weeks.— Enquirer, Essex. Reply. — No fruit trees should be sprayed while the blossoms are open. Arsenate of lead and treacle would cer- tainly be destructive to bees. There is however no necessity to use treacle at all, as soft soap does equally as well and would not entice the bees like a sweet substanc'e' would. Spraying open bloom is not onl/ bad for bees but also injures the pollen, and consequently affects the pro- duction of fruit. [4131] Uncapped ijarvce. — If you will kindly answer me the following through the journal, I shall be glad. In looking through a hive previous^ to purchase I saw two (only) open cells in a good-sized patch of brood. The larva was alive, nicely curled up, and a good colour, but judging by their size should have been capped over. Is this a symptom of F.B.? or what is the cause. I may add there has been no disinfectant in the hive, but plenty of natural stores. — I. Jones, North Wales. Reply. — You will frequently find this happen, it is only natural. The larvae are younger than those surrounding them which are capped over. TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. Messrs. Jones Bros., (Monks Acre Apiary, Anclover), have sent a very neatly got-up catalogue. There are several original ideas, the whole being well and clearly illustrated — specialities, honey tins, and the Dreadnought extractor. It is sent post free to applicants and well worth applying for. WEATHER REPORT-. Baenwood. Gloucester. Rainfall, 101 in. Below average, '66 in. Heaviest fall, '21 in. ou 28th. Total to date, 5 4 in., as compared with 8'7 in. lor the cor- responding period of last year. Mean maximum tem- perature, 534 ; 36 of a degree below the average. Mean minimum tem- perature, 38'2 ; 3'8 deg. be'ow the average. Warmest day, 14th, 63-7. April, 1911. Coldest night, Hth, 23-5. Mean temperature for month, 45-8; 3-7 of a degree below average. Relative humidity, or percentage of moist ui*e in the air at 9 a.m. 74. Number of days with sky completely overcast at 9 a.m. 12; do. cloudless, 2. Percentage of cloud 65. Percentage of wind force, 33. Prevailing direction, N.E. and S.W. F. H. Fowler (F. R. Met. Soc). May 18, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 199 Bee Shows to Come. June 26 to 30, at Norwich (Royal Agricul- tural Society's Show).— Bee and Honey Section under the management of the B.B.K.A. Prizes arranged in groups of counties for Associations affiliated to the B.B.K.A. Schedules from W. Herrod, Secretary, B.B.K.A., 23, Bedford Street, Strand, London, W.C. Entries close May 31. July 13 and. 14, at Brigg, Iilncs. — Lincoln- shire B.K.A. Great Show of Honey, Hives, and Appliances, at the Brigg E.xhibition of the Lincoln- shire Agricultural Society. Valuable prizes offered in Open Classes for Trophy, Extracted, Granulated, and Comb Honey, Observatory Hives, Bee Appli- ances and Hives. Schedules, &c., from Mr. J. H. Hadfield, Alford, Lines. Entries close June 9. August 3, at Weston-super-Mare. — Annual Show of the Somerset B.K.A., in connection with the important Local Annual Flower Show. Classes for Appliances, Honey, Wax, and Bee Products. Several open and free classes. Liberal prizes. Numerous attractions. Excursions from all parts. For Schedule, &c., apply to T. Jones, Assistant Show Secretary, North View, Milton-road, Weston- super-Mare. Entries close July 29. August 23, at Badstock, Somerset.— Honey Show in connection with the Radstock Horticul- tural and Farmers' Association. Open and gift classes. Write for Honey Schedule. B. M. Clark, Foxhills, Radstock. Notices to Correspondents J. H. (Rugby). --Wild Bees.— The bee is Andrena nigrocenea, one of the common solitary bees. The burrows noticed have been made by the females for their young. These bees are quite harmless, they will not spoil your lawn, and no more burrows wilf be made until next spring. (F.W.L.S.). Novice (Eccles). — Inexpensive Extractor. — You might use a "Little Wonder" Extractor, which costs about 7s. 6d., and can be obtained from any dealer in bee-appliances. Honey should remain in the ripener about twenty-four hours. N. M. R. (Windennere). — Time for Queen- cells — It was too early to expect queen- cells, when you made the examination, especially so far north as you are located. The death-rate is only normal. W. L. W. (Ilford). — Averacje Life of Worker-Bee. — The duration of life of a worker in summer is from six to eight weeks. R. J. B. (Twickenham). — Preventing In- crease.— If you kill the queen as you propose, you will in all probability spoil your honey harvest.. It is a much better plan to give room in advance of requirements. Also ventilate well, and if the bees send off a swarm return it to the hive. 2. Supers should only go on when the bees are crowded in brood- chambers, and require more room. S. H. W. (Felsted).— C7i(?f/btn(7 Sicarming. — the operation is carried out straight away on t~he same day that swarm issues. Put the new hive in the same position as old one, placing the excluder and supers in position before hiving the- swarm. A. B. C. (Salisbury). — Queen Found Dead. — The queen is an old one, and the wings are badly torn. Also from each, of the right-side legs the foot is miss- ing. The bees have evidently superseded her on this account. H. A. B. (Rhayader). Bees Bcdling Queen. — ^The queen appears to be quite normal; it is evidently a case of " ball-- ing " through manipulation, which sometimes happens in early spring. J. W. (Pwllheli). — Insurance. — Apply for a form to the Secretary of the B.B.K.A. 23, Bedford Street. W.C, who will also furnish you with the particulars as to. joining the Association. Honey Samples. K. C. P.AYNE (Birmingham). — The honey is almost as thin as water, being quite unripe. We should say it has been ob-- tained chiefly from the Sycamore. W. G. A. (Elgin). — Sample is principally from heather, but there is a slight admixture of honey from other sources. We consider it a very good table honey. G. H. (Bisley). — 1. The white colour of your sample is due to granulation. It has of course not become so hard as English honey usually does. 2. Not being acquainted with the flora of Jamaica we cannot say. 3. It is not adulterated so far as we can judge, but appears to be a typical sample of the honey of the country. Suspected Disease. R. E. C. (Tewkesbury). — The comb shows, that the stock is suffering from foul brood. It should either be destroyed, or if you are not afraid of the risk of infecting other healthy stocks, treat it as recommended in "Guide-book," on the starvation plan. G. C. (Great Missenden), and T. B. (Mitcham) — We regret to say that the- bees have " Isle of Wight " disease, and should advise your destroying them at once. B. R. G. (Norton-on-Tees). — The bees are suffering from constipation. They are all one kind, the smaller ones have ueen reared in old cells, hence their size. HiLBRE (Essex). No. 1 is black brood,, and No. 2 odourless foul-brood. For other particulars see " Guide Book." The water from the ditch would cause neither of these diseases. P. M. (Devon). — It is odourless foul-brood, and can easily be cured with " apicure." B. K. A. (Ware). — The comb sent is. affected with foul-brood. A. O. (Kendal).— The brood is chilled": only. 200 THE BHITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Ma^^ 18, 1911. Specialf Prepaid Advercisements Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per h in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVAXi: ADVERTISEMENTS. TWO New Bar-Frame HIVES, with lift and 10 Frames, wired, canvas covered roof, painted, lis. each. Photo and particulars, HEAKD, Orchard Hill, Bideford. h_98 BEST BEE PLANTS, Limnanthus Duglassi, 25 plants 4 stamps, post free.— KERR, English- street, Longtown, Cumberland. J 40 QUEEN BEE, Native Black, 1910, 4s.; also pure- bred Wyandottes and Rocks.— Particulars, ALUN JONES, Brynawel, Halkyn, Flintshire. J 37 FOR SALE, nearly new Claustral Hive with 2 shallow frames, 7 standard combs, 3 full sheets foundation, 4 super combs, 4 sheets founda- tion, queen excluder, 2 feeders, smoker, wiring- board, £2 or best offer on rail.— BEGGS, Mann- ville-road, Keighley. i 34 EXCHANGE for BEES, 4 volt electric accumu- lator, 2 Osram lamps, 1 switch. Bichromate medical battery, mated pair canaries, breeding cage, or cash. — BOULTON, Stephen's-road, Leicester. J 33 FOUR GOOD STRONG STOCKS, English, on 8 combs, 25s. each; guaranteed free from any disease.— IVE, Boughton, Newark. j32 STRONG NATURAL SWARMS, guaranteed healthy, 12s. 6d. packed, safe delivery.— CABMAN, Codsall Wood. J 31 TWO GOOD ITALIAN STOCKS on frames, 30s. each, including hive.— SAUNDERS, Thelma, Stechford, Birmingham. J 30 2 STRONG HEALTHY STOCKS in W.B.C. Hives, 1910 Queens, 30s. each.— RUMNEY, Whitley, Preston Brook, Cheshire. j28 EALTHY STOCK OF BEES with Hive.— O. MORRIS, 31 Claude-road, Cardiff. j 27 H FOR SALE, cheap, splendid Wells Hive, also W.B.C, and other Hives, shallow frame crates, smoker, spirit level; stamp for reply.— WALLACE, Bramhall, Cheshire. j 26 PRIME NATURAL HEALTHY SWARMS, 15s.— GEORGE BELL, Shoreham, near Sevenoaks, Kent. j 25 1710R SALE, cheap, 2 Frame Hives, Section Racks, Excluder Zincs, dozen new Frames and Foundation, Honey Extractor, Smoker, Veil, price 25s., or separately.— SEATON, 40, Argyle-road, Ilford. j 42 FOR SALE, 2 STRONG HEALTHY STOCKS, on 10 Frames each, without Hive,; travelling boxes to be returned, price 25s. each.— HENRY SMITIIFIELD, Egremont, Cumberland. j 41 10NLY, COTTAGE HIVE, 8s.; 2 W.B.C. Hives, 15s. each, all complete, painted and unused; Meadows' Extractor, 13s.— MRS. PRITCHARD, (Jarterton, Oxon. j 20 EXCHANGE splendid white or black WYAN- DOTTES for Bees, Stocks, or Swarms, guaranteed healthy.— DYCHE, Flackwell Heath, Bucks. j 19 Special Prepaid Advertisements.— Continued YPEWBITER, Williams, visible writer, cost £22, splendid condition, 60s., bargain.^ WAKEFIELD, Newhall Hill, Birmingham. j 3 WT.B.C. HIVE, with exceedingly strong Stock T T English Bees, will swarm early. Spare hive, sundries, equal new, the lot, cheap.— DART, West Horsham. j 12 BEES FOR SALE, 3 strong, healthy Stocks, 1910 queens.— Apply, P. HEATH, Thremhall Priory Cottages, Bishop's Stortford, Herts. h 77 BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. TRANSPARENT " BEE CONTROL " (Gillies') POCKET CLOTHS and 100 re-charges, 1/-.— GAMAGE, London; BURGESS, Exeter; CROSS, Belfast. Wholesale : IREKLING CORPORATION, Dublin. h 79 YOUNG FERTILE QUEENS, 4s. 6d.; Virgins, Is. 9d.; safe arrival guaranteed. — TOLLING- TON, Woodbine Apiary, Hathern. j 39 MUST SELL, grand little APIARY, 5 Stocks Lanaways 20s., Hives crammed with Bees ready for immediate supering, smoker, all appli- ances, splendid start for beginner, guaranteed healthy, bargain, £6 15s..— Particulars, HIGGIN- SON, Egerton, Kent. j 35 PRIME NATURAL SWARMS now ready, 15s. 6d.; boxes 6d.; Stocks on 10 frames, 30s.; guaranteed healthy. — HIGGINSON, Egerton, Kent. j 36 fff\f\f\ PURE FERTILE 1911 QUEENS TO ftJXJXjXJ BE SOLD DURING SEASON, Swiss Brown Natives, 5s.; Blacks, Italians, Car- miolans, 3s. 6d.— FREDERICK VOGT, 38, Clemen- tina-rd, Leyton, Esse.x. LAST SEASON we dispatched over 100 Swarms. Am booking orders for after June 7th, 2/6, guaranteed; cash with orders given preference. — SOUTHCOTT. Gittisham, Honiton. j 1 £*f\ NATURAL SWARMS, guaranteed healthy, \)\J May, 3s.; June 2s. 6d. lb.; packages free. —MASON, expert, Moorend, Stony Stratford, j 6 WARMS (surplus), sale on issuing; Pupil- assistant wanted.— BUGDEN, Wye, Kent, j 15 S GUARANTEED HEALTHY SWARMS, 3s. lb., cash with order.— WATS'ON, Pine View, Mildenhall. j 21 QprTH YEAR.— Nuclei, 3 frames, 12s. 6d.; 4, OO 14s.; all wired, healthy; empties returned paid.— ALSFORD, expert, Haydon, Sher- borne. THE PREPARATION OF HONEY AND WAX for Show Bench, 7d.— TINSLEY, Stone, Staffs. j 24 "^ OLDEN PURE CYPRIAN fertile Queens, gentle strain, five yellow banded, 6s. each, post free.— Write to DERVISHIAN BROS., Nicosia, Cyprus. h 71 BEES, Stocks on Combs, guaranteed healthy, six, eight, and ten frames, 20s., 25s., 30s.; empties returned.— F. A. BEAN, Snaith, York- shire. h 89 ITALIAN FIRST CROSS, best honey gatherers, good tempered, strong 10 frame Stocks, with last season's Queens, guaranteed healthy, this season's work; package free, 25s. each. — O. KNIGHT, Epney, Stonehouse, Glos. j 38 PRIME NATURAL HEALTHY SWARMS, ENGLISH BEES, May, 12s. to 15s.; June, 12s.; swarm boxes returnable; cash or deposit.— LEWIN, Molesworth, Hunts. j 29 SWARMS from Bar-framed Hives, guaranteed healthy, May, 15s.: June, 13s.; Stocks, 30s.— J. REAVELEY, Starbeck, Harrogate. j 18 May 25, 1911.] THE BHITISH BEE JOUENAL. 201 Editorial, Notices, &c. MALIGNANT DYSENTERY. We have received the report just issued by the Imperial Biological Institute, Dahlem, of the work done during 1910, and in it we find, under the title " Zur Oetiologie und Epidemiologie de Ruhr bei den Bienenvolker," a report by Dr. Maassen of his further investigations respecting dysentery in bees. — In a former Tei>ort issued in 1910 (see "Bee Journal " page 483, December 8th) Dr. Maassen confirmed the discovery by Dr. Zander of the presence of Nosema apis in certain bees and found the parasite very widely distributed. He pointed out that it may be present in small numbers in healthy bees without multiplying or causing any inconvenience, and only be dangerous when the health of the bees becomes im- paired through any cause. -In this report he confirms his previous observations, but differs from Dr. Zander on some points of importance. He has no doubt about the parasite being present in most colonies, and in Germany he says there are very few apiaries entirely free from it. The colonies in the different apiaries, however, show marked variations in the virulence of the infection. In some apiaries the parasite is plentiful, and the results are evident, but in others it can I)e found only by careful investigation. The parasites are usually abundant in weak bees, suffering from dysentery, and in these the spores are found in large numbers. Dr. Maassen states that the discovery of these parasites now is nothing new, for Donhoff and Leuckart had already men- tioned them so far back as the middle of the last century. They found them in the chyle-stomach, as bright oval bodies which they took to be spores of some fungus. They also succeeded in reproducing the ■disease by feeding bees with these spores. At that time many colonies were lost in Westphalia, Hanover, Baden and Schleswig, and in the apiary of Dr. Dzierzon sixty colonies perished from this disease. It was not surprising that these scientists took these oval bodies for fun- goid sjiores, for at that time bacteriology waiS not so advanced as it is now,, for even the spores of Nosema homhi/cis, the cause of " pebrine " in the silk-worm, were ■classed amongst fungi, and it is only later that they were put into the class with unicellular protozoa. Dr. Maassen says Nosema hombycis and Nosema apis are very similar in their development, but are easily distinguished. He points out, however, that the parasite of the silk-worm is not pathogen to the bee, nor the parasite of the latter to the silk-worm. He found that badly infected bees sometimes live a long time, and that drones were also liable to be affected. In the autumn of 1909 he wintered thirty colonies, in the bees of which Nosema was abundant. Of these, in the spring of 1910, three developed dysentery, two lost a large number of bees, one of which ulti- mately succumbed for lack of food, and the remaining twenty-four wintered well, and eventually became strong.. The ■dysenteric bees also recovered. He was able to find the parasite in all the colonies, but observed that it did not appear in the young emerging bees, so that brood was free from the disease. The parasite was also found in the queen, although fi-equently ivr infected colonies healthy queens were observed. At intervals during the summer these colonies were examined and Nosema was generally found present in the bees, although the colonies behaved like healthy ones. The young bees became affected at a later period after beginning work in the hive. Dr. Maassen considers that the sjjread of the parasite is due to the fact of keeping weakly colonies, and the inter- changing of combs in different hives. The danger exists in the bees discharging their excrements, which abound in spores, in the hives. As an experiment Dr. Maassen placed twelve marked and infected bees into a nucleus containing two combs of healthy bees. In eight days 40 per cent, of the bees became infected and in three weeks every bee contained the parasites. The parent colony from which the nucleus was formed remained healthy. Colonies that through any cause are weakened are the ones to succumb during the spring, this is why the mortality is greatest at this season of the year. Strong colonies may become affected if disturbed during winter, and in consequence consume large quantities of food, principally pollen, or are confined to a badly ventilated hive or one unprotected from cold and wind. Also if the sugar syrup becomes crystallised it becomes detrimental. Dr. Maassen was at the time of writing wintering bees on sugar syrup, conifer honey, and heather honey, and intends to give the results in a future report. In many respects this Nosevia. disease resembles the " Isle of Wight" disease, which is probably only a variety of the former. " ISLE OF WIGHT " DISEASE. The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have just issued a leaflet (No 253), giving a description of the symptoms of this dis- ease. Although some progress has been made with the study, it is not yet possible to say definitely what is the originating i 202 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 25, 1911. cause of tlie disease, but in the meantime bee-keepers are recommended to watcb their bees, and on the appearance of the symptoms described, to destroy diseased' colonies and disinfect hives and ground. The main points of difference between this and kindred diseases are also mentioned, so that there should be no mistake in diagnosing the complaint correctly. The leaflet may be obtained by applying to the Secretary, Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, Whitehall Place, London, S.W. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION The monthly meeting of the Council was held on May 18th, 1911, at 23, Bedford Street, Strand, London, W.C. Mr. C. L. M. Eales presided, and there were also present Miss K. M. Hall, Messrs. J. Smallwood, E. Watson, O. R. Frankenstein, J. B Lamb, A. Richards, R. T. Andrews. Q. W. Judge, J. E. Smiles (Cray- ford), and W^. Herrod (secretary). Letters expressing regret at inability to attend were received from Miss M. L. Gaylon, Messrs. T. W. Cowan, W. F. Reid, T. Bevan, G. W. Avery, E. Garcke, and Rev. A. D. Downes-Shaw. The minutes of Council meeting, held April 20th, were read and confirmed. The folloAving new members were elected : Miss A. R. Francis, 37, Delaware Mansions, Sutherland Avenue, W. ; Miss A. Adams, Grove Cottage, Farnham, Blandford; Mr. J. Trendell, Netherton, Harrietsham, Kent; Mr. J. Hawes, 14, Stafford Place, Buckingham Gate, Lon- don, S.W. ; Mr. J. W. Mason, 27, Arthur Street, Withernsea, East Yorks; Mr. G. Field, The Mause, Throop, Christchurch, Hants; Mr. A. Raymond, 1, St. James Terrace, Holland Park, W. The following names of delegates were submitted and approved : Mr. J. Water- field (Leicester), Mr. W. E. Hamlin and Mr, J. Kaehler (Surrey), Mr. J. Cun- ningham (Cambridge and District). The report of the Finance Committee was presented by Mr. J. Smallwood, and it was resolved that payments be made amounting to £15 6s. 3d. The receipts for the month of April were £25 15s. lOd. The balance in hand at end of April was £133 14s. 3d. The resignation of the Buckinghamshire Association from affiliation was accepte<] with regret. The Shropshire Association applied for the confirmation of the appointment of Rev. T. J. Evans and Mr. A. Watkins, as judges at their show on August 23rd. The Glamorganshire Association applied for a third class exandnation to be held at Cardiff on July 26th, with Mr. S. Jordan as exandner. — Both applications were granted. The form for submitting names of delegates by Association secretaries was J- resented by Mr. Richards; it was re- solved to send "same to the Publication Committee for approval. Mr. Lamb made a short report upon the deputation, consisting of Mr. Reid, Mr. Garcke, and himself, to the Develop- ment Commissioners, which showed very hopeful signs of the Association obtaining a grant. " Mr. Eales said they were deeply grate- ful to the members of the deputation for the enormous amount of trouble and time expended m this work, and if their hopes^ were realised the result would be mainly due to their exertions. A vote of condolence to the vice-presi- dent, Sir James Whitehead, in his. bereavement, by the loss of Lady White- head, concluded the business. Next meeting of the Council, June 15th. = 1 REVIEW. The Lore of the Honey-Bee, by Tickner Edwardes (London : Messrs. Methuen, Ltd., price Is. net). This is a new and popular edition of this interesting work, \yhich first appeared in 1908, and has. since met with considerable appreciation. Three editions have already been printed, this being the fourth, although the first at the popular price of one shil- ling. We have many popular technical treatises on bees and bee-keeping, but tuis. is the only book by a modern English writer that deals with the subject from an antiquarian as well as a literary point of view. As the author is also a bee- keeper his book covers the whole field of ascertained facts in the natural history of the honey-bee as well as the romance of bee-keeping. He also shows that the utility of bees was known in ancient times, for so far back as the Bronze Age it is certain that wax was used in casting ornaments and weapons. All the con- ditions favourable to insect life must have been present in the world ages before man appeared in it, and insect life undoubt- edly existed in a high state of develop- ment. It would be as unreasonable, the author thinks, not to infer that the honey- bee was ready on the earth with her stores of sweet food for man as that man did not speedily discover that store and make it the object of his daily search, just as he went forth daily to hunt and kill four-footed game. Thus the first hunter was in all likelihood a bee-hunter. From the earliest days the author draws, a picture of the honey-bee passing and working through the ancient civilisations of the world to the present day. He says nature is always wonderful, but not always admirable ; and a close study of ^ May 25, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 203 the life within the hive brings out this truth more clearly than with any other form of life. Absolute community implies incidental cruelty, and it cannot be denied that bee-polity has its unpleasant and even revolting aspects, as, for instance, the destruction of the queen when her powers of egg-laying fail, and the slaughtering of the drones when their services are no longer needed. The author alludes to ancient writers, and after having studied them he comes to the conclusion that " dipping into these sent the extremes of bee-manship as still extant in modern times. The book is not illustrated, there being only one picture on the wrapjDer, showing drone and worker brood, but a perusal of the contents is sure to fascinate every reader, who will find much to interest and delight him. HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By W . Her rod. Use of the Dummy Board. A "dummy" is supplied with every hive sent out, yet I-hoto by J. Russell & Sons.} MR. TICKNER EDWARDES. Author of "The Lore of the Honey-Bee." time-worn records of the xVIiddle Ages, with their embrowned, scarce legible type, and their antiquated phraseology, one comes at last to realise how little the old bee-masters actually understood of the true ways of the honey-bee, or, indeed, of any real essential in bee-craft." Further on Mr. Edwardes dwells on the romance of the bee-hive and touches upon the wonderful communal life within it in its varying aspects, and winds up by intro- ducing the reader to a Sussex village where live two bee-keepers who repre- in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred it either remains at one side of the brood- chamber and is glued fast with propolis until it becomes immovable, or is taken out, laid on one side, and lost. When building up weak stocks it is as necessary to use thd "dummy" as the feeder. Upon the first examination the bees should be closed on to just the number of combs they are covering by means of the dummy ; in this way, heat, which is so vital for brood-rearing in the spring, is conserved; it is exactly like dealing with a long room 204 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 25, 1911. having a fire-place at one end ; in sucli a case, in the winter time, for the use of a few people, a curtain across the room will make the fire-place end snug and warm, instead of the whole room having the chilled feeling there would be if it were not there. Then, again, the food supply is economised, as less is required by the bees for raising and keeping up the temperature, as the heat is generated by the consumption of food, resjiiration, and by rapid movements of various parts of the body of the bee. Also the use of this appliance releases a larger number of bees to go out foraging. The dummy should not fit close down to the floor-board, a space of about three-eighths of an inch should be allowed, so that bees can pass freely underneath. On the unoccupied side it is advisable to keep a few frames fitted Math foundation. These serve a double purpose, they help to keep the quilts snug and sti-aight, and also prevent the bees wasting their energy in building drone comb in the empty cavity, which will happen if they are neglected for a time, and overpojDulate the combs on to which they are confined. The bee-space under the dummy will alloTv them to pass to the fitted frames, and carry out useful work, instead of swarming, or wasting time as stated above. The use of the dummy means a little more labour and careful watching, but this is amply repaid by the rapid building up which results. Not until the occupied combs are well crowded with bees should extra ones be given, and when this is done they can be placed in the centre of the brood-nest, but on no account should more than one comh be given at a time, and only at such intervals as are necessary for allowing sufficient increase in the num- ber of bees, so that all the time every comb is crowded, even the outside ones. The same operation applies to swarms which are first hived on to the full num- ber of frames, these being reduced about the second day. This will ensure the building of perfectly straight combs. Stimulative Feeding. In most districts, excepting those where a large amount of fruit is grown, stimulative feeding will still be necessai-y, and can be carried out in both colonies with plenty of natural stores, and also those where there is a shortage In the former, it can be done by broising the cappings on food cells. The idea of stimidative feeding is to give just sufficient food regularly to induce the bees to feed the queen abundantly for the production of eggs. The cappings bruised should be those just on the outside of the brood circle, and only a narrow strip at a time should be uncapped, the thumb nail drawn back- wards once round is about the right breadth. Thi* ensures that sufficient food will be exposed, and when taken by the bees the empty cells will be im- mediately utilised by the queen for ovipositing as they are next to the brood, which is already growing, and in the natural position for the expansion of the brood nest. If the cappings at the top of the comb are bruised the bees will take the food, but the growth of the brood patch is not nearly so rapid. Where there is no food, thin syrup should be given in a bottle feeder, or a small quantity every few days can be given in a rapid feeder. The food should not be supplied in sufficient quantity to allow of storing, as this would do harm instead of good by blocking up the cells required by the queen for ovipositing. A feeder, , which can be filled and regulated, is really the most satisfactory, as it entails less labour and ensures a constant small supply. Thin syrujj does away with the necessity for the bees having to carry m a lot of water. The food should also be given ".new-milk" warm, so that it will help in a double sense ; first, by assisting to keep up the temperature, and, secondly, supplying food. If given cold a lot of energy and food is wasted by the bees in warming it, for the cold syrup will absorb heat until it reaches nearly the same tem- perature as the brood chamber. One experiment will quickly prove this to the bee-keeper. Place a bottle of cold syrup on a colony in the evening, the next morning, if the hand is placed on it, it will be found quite warm. Swarms in all cases should be fed for about seven days' longer if the weather is bad. Shotring. — The product of the novices' bees stands an equal chance with that of the more experienced bee-keeper. The art of preparation is acquired by practice, which should be obtained as soon as possible, and at the best shows. Entries for the Royal Show close on May 31st, and as the crop will be a short one, the novice who obtains honey stands a veiy good chance of winning a prize at the premier show in Coronation Year. To do this will make the year more eventful still. Enter at once. Correspondence. The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents. No notice will he 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. Illustrations should be draion on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. NOTES BY THE WAY. [8165] The month of May has been a merry month for the bees. It has cheered May 25, 1911] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 205 the hearts of the bee-keepers, enlarged the brood-nests, and increased the population of the hives by leaps and bounds. We have already heard of two or three swarms in the cosy corners of our district, but we in the breezy positions must " bide a wee," and exercise patience for a week or ten days, and then we shall have some swarms worth hiving. These early swarms show that the bees are healthy in the neighbour- liood for which, I trust, every bee-keeper is thankful. Folding sections will now be the order ■of the day, and a word to our novices on the best way — in my experience — ^of making the corners tough, so that they will not break }n the folding, may not be out of place. Take a clean towel, saturate it with clean water, wring slightly, fold it to a width of llins., place it on a brick floor against a wall — a damp one if you have it — now take your sections and place them edgewise on the damp cloth (say fifty sec- tions), fold the cloth , back over the top edges, and then place more sections in the same position on top of the first layer and bring the end of the cloth back over them. If you are folding a large number, more cloths can be used — after the sections liave been wrapt in the damp cloths for a few hours they will fold with practically no breakage. Then my method of cutting foundation may be of interest, and to a novice, useful. Take a folded section and a side of another section, cut the bevelleil edge of the piece square for l|ins. — ^this would fit tight in your folded section — and leave fin. of the piece of section, above or rather below the edge of your section, fix with glue or pins ; this makes a stoi). Lay your strips of extra thin super-foundation, about ten of them at a time, get the ends all true, place your cutting-guide with the stop at the end of the sheets of foundation, warm a table-knife and cut the foundation on the outside of the section, and you will find that the squares of wax are cut exactly the size of the inside of your 4^ sections. With split top or plain top sections these pieces of foundation toucii the sides, and one of the first jobs the bees undertake when they take to the supers is to fix the foundation to the sides of the sections. I may add I always order my foundation cut 12in. by 4in., this leaves a little shaving at the end of the third squares to be cut off. Enlarging the Brood-Nest. — If the honey flow in your district does not com- mence till white clover blooms about I'Oth of June, give a sheet of ivvred foundation in the centre of brood-nest, and remove the oldest outside comb if you have ten frames already in the hive. One or two sheets of wired foundation, given yearly, and the worst two combs taken away, will ensure the well-doing of the stock, and keep the brood-nest in the pink of condition. Feed- ing swarms when first hived, if they have come a distance by rail should not be neglected, it helps to start them well in their new home. — W. Woodley, Beedon, Newbury. ROSS-SHIRE NOTES. [8166] Bees have made rapid progress here during the first summer month, and the present condition of stocks leaves little to be desired. Drones were first seen on the 23rd April, and their loud hum is now heard daily. This is very early for the North, and a marked contrast to last year when June was well on the way be- fore the burly fellows appeared. As our honey flow is not due for a month yet, a temporary enlargement of the brood-nest may be necessary to check swarming. Doubling the brood-chamber by the addition of a shallow or full-depth super is all right with extra prolific queens. Ordinary stocks can be worked to advantage on the dual queen system. When a colony fully covers ten frames, re- move half the brood 'into a spare brood- chamber and fill up both brood-chambers with drawn combs. Place the portion con- taining her Majesty on the floorboard and the other on top, with excluder between. There must also be a single sheet of news- paper under the excluder, and another above it. If this division is carried out on a warm morning, by evening the upper portion will be found deserted by all but yoiuig bees. These will readily accept a laying queen. The bees soon gnaw their way through the paper, and both lots unite peacefully to work as one at building up a large working force that will pile up a fine surplus when the days come for honey- gathering. This scheme has worked well with me. Bee-paralysis. — My experience of this nightmare has fortunately been confined to one stock, and none of the rest show any signs of the dread trouble. By the way, what are the first signs ? In my case the affected stock, althongh fairly strong with abundant stores and the queen laying well, gathered no pollen what- ever this spring. Not a single load of pollen was seen going into that hive while all the rest were busy that way. Possibly the bees infected by this strange malady recognise that they are doomed, and make no effort to prolong the exis- tence of the colony. I fear the Bulgarian sour milk treatment is not exactly applic- able to this business. The life of a bee during summer is but a few weeks, and the bee-keeper's life, also, is too short to permit of his diagnosing^ and dosing suc- cessive generations of diseased bees. In such cases we must destroy to cure, antici- Dating and emulating nature, which, while 206 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 25, 1911. mindful of the race, is careless of the individual. — J. M. Ellis, Ussie \ alley. YORKSHIRE AND "ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. [8167] I sho'uld be gladi if you woixld allo'v me to add a word of emphasis to Mr. Crawshaw's protest against the blackening of Yorkshire as a diseased area in the map which appeared in the Journal gome weeks ago. A protest seems to me to be the right thing until we are told (1) who drew the map ; (2) what are his qualifications ; (3) how he has got his information ; and (4) liow far over this big county that information covers the ground ? To publish such a map, without giving reasons in justification of what it says, is not in accordance with the old considerate tone of the Journal, or the well-known natural justice of its venerated Editor — in my opinion. I have, unfortunately, been too ill all this winter to leave my bed, and I have therefore seen nothing of bees, healthy or unhealthy. But for the last twenty years I have kept, on an average, fifty stocks of hees in perfect health. I have carefully examined bees in some hun- dreds of Yorkshire villages. I have taken bees, year after year, to the moors, where quantities of stocks are massed together; and with this experience I wish to say that I consider that Yorkshire is, on the whole, very fairly free from disease as to its bees, though, of course, here and there foul brood has a hold. It must be remembered that we have long and trying winters. This is a blessing in disguise. It kills off weak stocks, and discourages unskilful bee^men. This means strong stocks surviving, and fairly good bee-keeping only ; and we have the advan- tage of plenty of room. As a rule, one village is quite out of bee-flight from the next ; and then again, we buy compara- tively few bees from outside the county. All these things may be in favour of health among the bees. All I ask for is that reasons should be given before we are pub- liclv placarded as a thoroughly diseased area. I should also, however, like to suggest that it seems possible that the new disease is not yet so thoroughly diagnosed as to make it certain that all its symptoms, as Tisually described, belong to it and to nothing else. — Sidney Smith, First Class Expert, late Hon. Secretary, Yorks. B. K. Association. [We are quite sure that Dr. Maiden did not intend to imply that the whole of York- shire was infected by disease, but in pre- paring his map he adopted the usual course of indicating tlie counties in which the disease had appeared. It will be noticed that there is a distinction made in the shading, showing that the disease exists only to a small extent in those countries with light shading, in contradistinction to the darker shading of the southern coun- ties, where the disease has been prevalent the longest, and to a greater extent. Of course, only Dr. Maiden can answer our correspondent's question, but as he is mak- ing the investigations in connection with the inquiries being carried on by the Board of Agriculture, he has, no doubt, had their assistance in the matter and has adopted the usual practice. As the map accom- panied the paper read by Dr. Maiden, we could not do othemvise tlian publish it, but we have already explained and made it clear on page 141 of B.B.J. Ed.] "ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. [8168] I have already lost three lots- of bees by the above disease, and a fourth is affected, with which I am experiment- ing. I have consequently read with great interest the letters' that have appeared in your valuable journal in reference to the disease. Some of the writers suggest how it originated. After duly considering the matter, I am firmly of the opinion that it is caused by a gradual degeneration of the race of bees through repeatedly taking away too much honey, and consequently having to almost entirely feed them on sugar, which, even of the best cane, is not natural food. There may also be something deleterious left in the sugar, after it is manufactured. — P.W., Olton. BEES IX STORNOWAY. [8169] This has been a niarvelloiis spring for bees m Stornoway. Two of my stocks are working in sections, and one had drones flying a week ago. The honey seems to come mainly from flowering cur- rant, which is very plentiful round here. — John Anderson, Stornoway, May 4. AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS. EXTRACTS AND COMMENTS. By D. M. Macdonald, Banff Carniolans. — ^A writer in Gleanings hailing from California sings the praises of these bees and he has proved them better than Italians in three ways. They resist disease better, they breed better, and they put less honey in the brood- nest and consequently more in the supers. " The last season proved to many of our valley bee-keepers that the Carniolans would withstand disease better when the Italians in the same apiary were infected and re-infected. With the mammoth colonies they supply, one would be surprised at the amount of honey they will gather May 25, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 207 even in a poor season. Then during our honey flow Italians are always crowding the brood-nest with honey. This is not the ease with Carnolians." This race has been well spoken of in this country, but has been well nigh discarded on account of their immoderate swarming. Where increase is desired they are the bee, also they are uncommonly sweet tempered, and they are admirable cappers of comb-honey. Of late several Canadian bee-keepers have taken them up again and speak highly of them. For those who "ship" swarms they should prove a paying asset as they are such prolific breeders. Florida. — A good deal of notice has re- cently been given to this State by Messrs. Root. Another writer specifies fifteen good honey sources, eleven of these being from trees. " Four strictly first-class honeys are orange, saw-palmetto, tupelo, and black mangrove. The state as a whole enjoys a fine warm climate, but that is not always a true test as to success in bee-keeping, as I note one who has tried California and Canada, votes in favour of the latter. In Ontario a crop can be secured nine years out of ten ; in California only two good crops can be relied on in the same period." Flavour. — In some tables giving a scale of points the Editor of Australiasian Bee- keeper allots fifty points to flavour in the candied honey class, forty in ex- tracted, and for comb honey the entry is nil. The last entry struck me so forcibly that I hunted up a few specimens of the scale of points sometimes used in this country, the States, and Canada. Every one I lighted on took note of flavour in some shape or other, and in one prominent example, although it is not specially men- tioned in the points, emphasis is laid on tasting every section, and it is advised that the final decision should rest on the flavour. That will be more than ever the determining factor with me in the future. The Food of the Bee. — ''This consists normally of pollen, nectar and honey. The first is eaten entirely with the man- dibles, while the other two are taken through the proboscis. The pollen is to the diet of the bee what meat is to ours : that is to say, it contains the proteid or nitrogen — containing ingredient of the food, which is necessary to the support of any animal, and also substances compar- able to fat called in generiil Ji]/drocnrhon.'!. The nectar and honey consist principally of grape sugar, fruit sugar, and cane sugar, which belong to the class of sub- stances known as carhohydrafes." We may gather from this that both kinds of food are necessary to the well-being of the denizens in any hive. This is a fact that bee-keepers are perhaps too apt to forget. With active breeding going on the rapid accumulation of portean food is very apparent, as it is an essential to the rapid increase of any colony. But to the adult bee it is no less a necessity. An overplus of it in early spring is, I think, one of the chief generating causes of dysentery in a colony unseasonably housed. Honey is a predigested food, and bees can consume relatively considerable quantities without desiring a cleansing flight. Over indulgence, however, in nitro- genous food quickly necessitates evaeua- tion, and hence we have spring dwindl- ing and attendant ills. Gleanings from "Gleanings." — "A queen- less colony is just the one with the most pollen, because for a time the bees con- tinue to carry in pollen for which there is no market." " I got track the other day of a man who is actually getting rich on what other men throw away. He buys up ''slumgum" and gets a fine grade of wax from it. A very old brood-comb weighed 36ioz., a new one that had never been bred in weighed only lloz. That might fool a bee-keeper to let his bees store for want of stores." "We know that diseases which infect the human family may lie in old garments for decades, then why not in "old garments" occu- pied once by baby bees." " It would pay us to look after our winter entrances better than some of us do, because the size of the entrance may make a material difference in the welfare of colonies." "It is interesting to know that it takes 37,333 bee loads of nectar to make a pound of honey. This means more than a million flowers visited to obtain one pound." " A few orchards in Vermont produced heavily, where no bees were kept in the vicinity. This was puz- zling until it was discovered that an immense number of bees were wild in the woods near." "If the mothers of our land could be taught to understand the value of honey used instead of sugar, the con- sumption of honey would be more than doubled in a very short time." "Using flying machines to move bee supplies and honey from our mountain canyons is a dream of a Californian bee-keeper. Hurry up ! " Queries and Replies. [4132] Obtaining Increase and Surplus — I am expecting a stock to swarm shortly and have been advised after the swarm issues to move the parent hive to another part of the garden standing the swarm i in its place. By doing so, will all the 1 bees from the old hive return to the old 208 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 25, 1911. stand and join the swarm. Would you advise me to follow this plan, or shall I put the swarm by themselves, and if a cast issues nine days later, return it to the parent hive? Ax Essex Beginner. Reply. — If you wish to increase your stocks, and also get some surplus honey, do as advised, putting the super on the swarm which stands in the old position. The reason for moving the parent colony is so that all the flying bees will join the cf fence. Don't string the wires too tightly, but simply press on the grooved half of top bar firmly, until the shoulders at the top side meet, and every wire is instantly tightened by the friction joint, and the foundation is fixed as firm as a rock. Pass the spur embedder over and the frame is completed — a square and sound job. There is no need to nail the grooved half of top bar after pressing it on ; it can tlien be taken off for any future PROCESS OF WIRING. swarm, thus making it strong enough to yield surplus. There will be sufficient young bees left in the parent colony to carry on the work, as young bees do not fly until they are a fortnight old. NOVELTIES FOR 1911. NEW " PERFECTION " FRAME AND BLOCK, Messrs. G. and E. Thorpe send two illustrations of their nevv^ invention, the "Perfection Frame", and block for wiring, the advantages of which are described by them in the following notes : " The fixing of foundation and wire is done at one operation. When wiring the foundation, put the frame together and lay It on tne block-board, leaving off the grooved half of the top bar ; now lay in the sheet foundation close up to the tongue of the top bar. After cutting the wires to the required lengths, press one end lightly down into the split pin at the end of fence-board, and pass it ever the tongue to the pierced holes at the bottom of frame, and up again to the opposite end of fence, as shown by the arrows on the block-board. Proceed like- wise with another wire from the other end uses. IMessrs. James Lee and S-on, Ltd., Highbury, London, have the sole right to PERFECTION FRAME. m.anufacture these frames and blocks in the United Kingdom." May 25, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 209 TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. F. W. L. Sladen {Eipple Court Apiary., near Dover). — This is a catalogue of bees, queen-bees and queen-rearing appliances. Mr. Sladen makes a speciality of "British Golden," a strain which is noted for the good qualities of the bees. He also supplies queens of foreign varieties, and a perusal of his catalogue will show the appliances used in his own queen- rearing establishment, and which will be found useful by other bee-keepei-s wishing to rear queens. The catalogue is beauti- fully got up on art paper and should be of interest to all bee-keepers. Bee Shows to Come. June 26 to 30, at Norwich (Eoyal Agricul- tural Society's Show). — Bee and Honey Section under the management of the B.B.K.A. Prizes arranged in groups of counties for Associations affiliated to the B.B.K.A. Schedules from W. Herrod, Secretary, B.B.K.A., 23, Bedford Street, Strand, London, W.C. Entries close May 31. July 13 and 14, at Brigg, Lines.— Lincoln- shire B.K.A. Great Show of Honey, Hives, and Appliances, at the Brigg Exhibition of the Lincoln- shire Agricultural Society. Valuable prizes offered in Open Classes for Trophy, Extracted, Granulated, and Comb Honey, Observatory Hives, Bee Appli- ances and Hives. Schedules, &c., from Mr. J. H. Hadfield, Alford, Lines. Entries close June 9. July 19 and 20, at Stafford. — Honey Show in connection with the Staffs. Bee-keepers' Association. Four open classes. Schedules from Joseph Tinsley, 22, Granville Terrace, Stone, Staffs. Entries close July 10. July 26 and 27, at Cardiff.— Annual Show of the Glamorgan B.K.A. in connection with the Car- diff and County Horticultural Show. Separate tent for honey, wax, and appliances. Open classes. Special prizes. Schedules from Hon. Sec. Mr. Wiltshire, Maindy School, Cardiff. August 3, at Weston-super-Mare.— Annual Show of the Somerset B.K.A., in connection with the important Local Annual Flower Show. Classes for Appliances, Honey, Wax, and Bee Products. Several open and free classes. Liberal prizes. Numerous attractions. Excursions from all parts. For Schedule, &c., apply to T. Jones, Assistant Show Secretary, North View, Milton-road, Weston- super-Mare. Entries close July 29. August 23, at Radstock, Somerset. — Honey Show in connection with the Radstock Horticul- tural and Farmers' Association. Open and gift classes. Write for Honey Schedule. B. M. Clark, Foxhills, Radstock. Notices to Correspondents. B. B. (Ramsgate).^OZ(;^ Foundation. — The foundation is quite fit for use, the whitish appearance being due to its having been stored for some time. Warm it steadily in front of the fire, when it will resume its normal appear- ance, and become pliable and soft. The bees will then accept it readily. M. y. S. (Harperley). — Best Book on British Wild Bees. — The Hymenoptera Oculeata <.f the British Isles, by E. Saunders. F.R.S., published by Lovell, Reeve and Co., price 68s. net, with forty-eight plates, or a smaller edition with three plates, at 16s. net. M. T. (Farnborough). — Bees Visiting Drains. — The bees are attracted to the drains by the saline matter contained in the water, and their going there is no evidence of disease. Try adding a little salt to the water you supply them with. The trough should be put in a warm, sunny place, and the bees should be able tO' reach the water without risk of drowning. T. C. (Derby). — Drone Eggs in Worker Cells. — -The queen is either an old, worn-out drone breeder, or one reared this year too early for fertilisation. The eggs are unfertile, and only drones can be produced from them. This is the cause of the elongation of the cells. J. M. (North Lyne). — Swarms. — The colony will not swarm until all the combs are crowded with bees. H. G. (Cardiff).— gucen Cast Out Dead — The queen is a young one, and her death was probably caused through fighting with a rival, as from your description the colony had been queen- less for some little time and had reared young queens. H. H. (Dartford). — Poison in Stings. — The only research work on the poison in stings is that written by G. Carlet in Combs Bendus, 1884., The origin of formic acid in honey was fully dis- cussed in "B.J," 11th June, 1908, page 231. Perhaps this may be of some use. E. B. (Birmingham), and G. A. (Edin- burgh).— Wild Bees.— The specimens sent are Andrena fulva, one of the most common of our wild bees. H. R. (Cheadle Hulme). — Drone Organ — This organ, once extruded, cannot be drawn in again. N. C. (Tatton). —Hants B.K.A.— The Hon. Secretary of the Association is Mr. E. H. Bellairs, Bransgore, Christ- church, Hants. B. W. D^ (Shemeld). —Destroying Wild Bees — Your gardener is right. As the nest must be destroyed, pour tar into the hole at night, and block it up so that there is no means of egress. Suspected Disease. C. F. B. (Cornwall).— Cause of death is foul brood. To burn hives and contents and start afresh would be the best course to take under the circumstances. Beginner (Carmarthenshire). — Comb is affected with foul-brood ; as the stock is weak and queenless destroy it without delay, and on no account use the combs for another hive. W. F. H. (Whitland).— The bees have died of starvation; you can use the combs again. 210 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 25, 1911. Special Prepaid ^Advertisements Two Words One Fenny, minimum. Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. FOR SALE, 2 Lee and Son's Frame Hives, one fitted with 6 frames of foundation, almost new. Smoker and Gloves; first reasonable offer accepted.— OWNER, Youlgreave, Croydon. j 59 2 GOOD STOCKS, in Standard Hives, guaranteed healtliy, 45/-, ciieap.— SMITH PICKLES, Pecket \vell, Hebden Bridge. j 44 FOR SALE, several shallow Frame Supers, clean Drone Comb, overstocked, healthy, 4s. each.— ROUSE, Rochford, Tenbury. j 43 QUEEN, Sladen's strain, choice, 1910, prolific and iiealthy, 5s.; Bees, Sladen's, 8 Frames 1910, Queen, 30s.; cash with order.— BROOKS, Ashing- don Chase, Rochford, Essex. j ^5 TYPEWRITER, Remington, universal key- board, perfect condition, very clear writer, will last a lifetime, cost £22, sell 80/-; great bar- gain.—L. WAKEFIELD, Newhail Hill, Birming- ham, j 46 CHESHIRE. Strong Stocks, guaranteed healthy Bees for sale, young Queens and good Combs, from 20/-; Swarms, May, 3s.; June, 2s. 6d. per lb.; several empty Hives; seen by appointment. — H. BROOK, Polygon, Bowdon, Cheshire. j 47 mWO STANDARD BAR-FRAME HIVES, outer X chamber iin. wood, well painted, zinc roofs, almost new, no disease, IDs. 6d. each.— WADDING- TON, Tremerchion, St. Asaph, N. Wales. j 48 TOMATO PLANTS, Holmes's Supreme Up-to- Date, Laxton's Open-air, Is. doz., post free.— F. W. GELDER, Sturton, Lincoln. j 49 2 STRONG, HEALTHY STOCKS FOR SALE, 3i0s. each; no hives.— CLARKE, Pollard's Hill, Norbury, S.W. j 51 WANTED, a few Skeps of Bees, with old and tough combs for driving purposes. — HER- ROD, " Bee Journal " Office. S WARMS of healthy Bees for Sale, May 14s. 6d., June 12s.— BOWREY, Swallowfield, Berks, j 53 FOR SALE, 4 powerful Stocks, guaranteed sound, healthy, working in supers, 25s. each; 12 spare hives, from 4s. each; also 12 volumes " Bee Journal." Is. each; must sell, leaving district. — TREVOR, Highleadon, Newent, Glos. j 54 STRONG, NATURAL SWARMS FOR SALE, June lis. each.— COOK, Barton Mills, Milden- hall. j 55 GUARANTEED HEALTHY STOCKS, ready for Supers 35s. ; Standard Nucleus Hives, unused. Is. 6d.; Tamlin Incubator, lOO-egg, as new, £2 10s. — BEECROFT, Abbotts-road, King's Heath. j 56 OO —Five large Hives, several section racks, i5//W» trunk full of frames, sections: exceed- ingly cheap.— SMITH, 106 Crown Lane, Horwich, Bolton. 3 58 PREPARE FOR SUPERING.— Racks of Sec- tions, fitted starters, ready to put on. 18in. by 21in., Is. 6d. and Is. 9d. each.— LITMAN, Castle Gary. j 57 SpecisLl Prepaid Advertisements.— Contmued ATURAL SWARMS FOR SALE, June 1st to 17th 2s. 3d., after 2s. per lb.— R. ALLEN, Tusmore, Bicester. j 52 TWO New Bar-Frame HIVES, with lift and 10 Frames, wired, canvas covered roof, painted, lis. each. Photo and particulars, HEARD, Orchard Hill, Bideford. h 98 STRONG NATURAL SWARMS, guaranteed healthy, 12s. 6d. packed, safe delivery. — CADMAN, Codsall Wood. j 31 TWO GOOD ITALIAN STOCKS on frames, 30s. each, including hive.— SAUNDERS, Thelma, Stechford, Birmingham. j 30 FOR SALE, cheap, splendid Wells Hive, also W.B.C., and other Hives, shallow frame crates, smoker, spirit level; stamp for reply.— WALLACE, Bramhall, Cheshire. j 26 10NLY, COTTAGE HIVE, 8s.; 2 W.B.C. Hives, 15a. each, all complete, painted and unused; Meadows' Extractor, 13s.— MRS. PRITCHARD, Carterton, Oxon. j 20 EXCHANGE splendid white or black WYAN- DOTTES for Bees, Stocks, or Swarms, guaranteed healthy.— DYCHE, Flackwell Heath, Bucks. j 19 .B.C. HIVE, with exceedingly strong Stock English Bees, will swarm early. Spare hive, sundries, equal new, the lot, cheap.— DART, West Horsham. j 12 BEES FOR SALE, 3 strong, healthy Stocks, 1910 queens.— Apply, P. HEATH, Thremhall Priory Cottages, Bishop's Stortford, Herts. h 77 BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. ITALIAN QUEENS, direct from Italy. See com- plete advertisement in " British Bee Journal " May 18th.— Address, E. PENNA, Bologna, Italy. BEES WANTED, any quantity. Stocks, Swarms, etc.; state lowest price.— BRICE'S APIARIES, Otford, Kent. HEALTHY NATURAL SWARMS, May, 3s.; June, 2s. 6d. lb.— GEO. MASON, expert, Moorend, Yardley Gobion. j 50 TRANSPARENT "BEE CONTROL" (Gillies') POCKET CLOTHS and 100 re-charges, 1/-.— GAMAGE, London; BURGESS, Exeter; CROSS, Belfast. Wholesale : IREKLING CORPORATION, Dublin. h 79 QAAA PURE FERTILE 1911 QUEENS TO ffj\j\J\J BE SOLD DURING SEASON, Swiss Brown Natives, 5s.; Blacks, Italians, Car- miolans, 3s. 6d.— FREDERICK VOGT, 38, Clemen- tina-rd, Leyton, Essex. LAST SEASON we dispatched over 100 Swarms. Am booking orders for after June 7th, 2/6, guaranteed; cash with orders given preference. — SOUTHCOTT. Gittisham, Honiton. j 1 f*f\ NATURAL SWARMS, guaranteed healthy, \)\J May, 3s.; June 2s. 6d. lb.; packages free. —MASON, expert, Moorend, Stony Stratford, j 6 WARMS (surplus), sale on issuing; Pupil- assistant wanted.— BUGDEN, Wye, Kent, j 15 S GUARANTEED HEALTHY SWARMS, 3s. lb., cash with order.— WATSON, Pine View, Mildenhall. j 21 orTH YEAR.— Nuclei, 3 frames, 12s. 6d.; 4, OtI 14s.; all wired, healthy; empties returned paid.— ALSFORD, expert, Haydon, Sher- borne. THE PREPARATION OF HONEY AND WAX for Show Bench, 7d.— TINSLEY, Stone, Staffs. j 24 June 1, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. 211 Editorial, Notices, &c. REVIEWS. Die Biologie der Biene, by Dr. Hans Stadler (published by H. Stiirz and Co., Wiirzburg, no price given). This book which is purely scientific, treats of the biology of the honey-bee, and gives a general description of its anatomy and physiology. The bee at her work in comb-building is described, and there are thirty-three good illustrations, which aid in understanding the descriptions con- tained in the eighty-four pages. Only one chapter is given on practical bee-keeping, most of the book being devoted to the biology. The last chapter deals entirely with theoretic and comparative biology, and the author treats in- it of the various organs of which at present we know very little, and describes the development from the solitary to the social bees. There is also a table of various measurements, which would be useful to those studying the structure of the combs. Ganstige ResuUaten verhregen door de Bevruchting van Oofthloesems door Bijen, by T. W. Cowan. This is a translation into Dutch by E. W. C. Plancius, of Mr. Cowan's pamphlet on the " Beneficial "Results from the Fertilisation of Fruit Blossoms by Bees." It is published by W. A. van Os, Bijenstand " de Bree," Amerongen, Holland. SURREY B.K.A. ANNUAL MEETING. The members of the Surrey Bee-keepers' Association held their annual meeting at the County Hall, Kingston, on Saturday, May 6th. Alderman W. Welch, J. P., of Cranleigh, presided over a fairly well attended meeting. Mr. F. B. White, the hon. secretary, was unable to be present owing to illness, and, on the motion of the Chairman, it was decided to send him a message of sympathy and sincere wishes for a speedy recovery. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and financial statement, ob- served that since 1896, when the old Surrey Bee-keepers' Association was revived in a new form, it had made steady progress until last year. The decrease in membership was, no doubt, due to the present epidemic, and to the recent seasons, which had been the worst known in the country for a great many years. He was glad to say that several new members had joined the asso- ciation since the annual report was issued. — Mr. Mann seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr. Seth-Smith moved a hearty vote of thanks to the County Council for the re- newal of their grant in aid of technical education in bee-keeping. — Mr. Reid seconded, and, speaking of the good use to which the County Council's grant was put, said that though he travelled all over the country, he knew of no county where so much valuable work was done for so little money as in Surrey. — The vote was carried. Mr. Bond proposed a cordial vote of thanks to the retiring Executive Council, Joint Committee and officers, for the ex- cellent work they had done under great difficulties. It had been his unfortunate experience to lose all his hives this year. — Mr. Overton seconded, and Mr. Hedger replied. The following gentlemen were elected on the Executive Council : Mr. Archibald Seth-Smith, Lieut.-Col. J. A. C. Younger, Messrs. C. H. J. Evershed, F. S. Fletcher, W. P. Gornall, G. C. Halahan, W. E. Hamlin, A. T. Hedger, John Kaehler : J. W. Lewis, A. H. Miller, W. F. Reid, W. Sole, E. J. Stevenson, E. Walker, A. Watkins, T. H. E. Watts-Silvester, M.A., M.R.C.S., and F. B. Wliite. Mr. Reid afterwards made some inter- esting observations on the bee disease, and the steps which were being taken to cope with it by the Board of Agriculture, who w^ere in very close touch with the British Bee-keepers' Association. A hearty vote of thanks to the Chair- man brought the meeting to a close. — F. B. White, Hon. Secretary. LECTURE AT BECKENHAM. An address on the so-called Isle of Wight disease was given at Beckenham on 18th April, by Mr. A. Schofield, who said that as bee-keepers were confronted witli the prospect of having their stocks suddenly and mysteriously wiped out by this mysterious disease, they must be deeply interested in the subject. After alluding to the appearance of the disease first in the Isle of Wight, and subsequently spreading to the mainland with such disastrous results, and its resisting all efforts to stop it, he referred to Dr. Maiden's recent address before the B.B.K.A., which., although interesting as o-iving an exhaustive exposition of the subject, afforded no consolation, as no hope of a remedy was held out, from the fact that infection experiments had only given negative results. Mr. Schofield thinks the questions asked by Dr. Maiden indicated that scientists can give little help at the present time, and after mentioning hiis own disastrous experience, he pointed out that the disease appeared before the bees were closed down for the winter ; that they are able to ref^ist its effects for a longer p>eriod during the winter months ; and that it was directly or indirectly caused by 212 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 1, .1911. improper food. With legard to the last lie istated that dysentery is usually associated with improper food. He next alluded to the importation of Italian bees into this cour/ry, the trade in which had so developed that thousands of queens were imported yearly. T^e Italian drones bred from these queens had cross-bred with neighbouring blaeks to such an extent that there were few pure strains of Engli&li bees. As man's interference with nature's scheme is usually disastrous, he thought in this case the delicate constitution of the Italian bees, coming as they did from a hot climate, had so impaired:! the constitution of the English bee as to make it susceptible to disease, which followed cold and wet seasons. Mr. Schofield thought it was more reasonable to have recourse to a strain from a colder climate, if we wished to strengthen and make more haixly our bees, and if it seemed desirable to introduce fresh blood. Hitherto, all efforts for improvements had been concentrated on the Mediterranean bee, totally disregarding the factors of climate and its possible baneful effects, and this in face of the teaching of history which, in the human race, showed numer- ous instances of the beneficial result fol- lowing on invasions from the North, which could not be given of similar outbreaks from the south. Mr. Schofield said he believed the hybridisation of the British bee to be indirectly responsible for the Isle of Wight diisease, by reason of the racial difference, which, being in the wrong direction, tended to weaken the stamina of the native bee. He suggested that Par- liament should be petitioned to withdraw the clause allowing the importation of foreign bees by post, and that queen- breeders should be urged to rear queens from_ the Old English strain, which is still obtainable in some places. He was con- vinced that Isle of Wight disease is acute dysentery, and as we had had two exceed- ingly bad years, bees had perished whole- sale from this cause. AMONG THE BEES. CRITICISMS. By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. I deal with critics, as a rule, with reluc- tance, because a wealth of more profitable matter is always waiting treatment, but marginal marks on last volume and the current one, have been accumulating, and have to be wiped out. 1. On page 109, vol. 38, Mr. Crawshaw writes : " Figure what it would mean to count 729,000!" Why, nothing is easier. In^ these days of mental gymnastics in arithmetic boys before entering their teens can find the value of 93- Pick up the nothings, and theire you have it, 729,000! 2. On page 110, I commended an aesthetic editor for adorning his frontpage with pleasant pictures. I discommended an unaesthetic editor for not "adorning" his hives by painting them. Why should inverted hrains be necessary to compre- hend my meaning. It should be patent even to a blind man. 3. L.S.C., on page 149, gaily imagines me placed in the pitiable plight of being ground by a "Miller," between the upper and the nether millstone ; but instead of grounding me to powder, or crushing me to pulp, the genial doctor later on favoured my views, and granted that in like circumstances he would carry them out. I don't feel a bit " crushed!" 4. It was not intended that my words, on page 394, regarding the construction of comb, should convey the idea that the whole force of bees some 50,000 could be engaged incomb-huilding at the same time, as " Cappings " implies, page 400. A mul- tiplicity of other labours would reduce the builders to less than half the force at least. I would not condemn the saw cut, and for most bee-keepers dove-tailed frames serve the purpose best. 5. Honey prices are dealt with on pages 500, and 78 current volume. Note in first my ideal retail price is given as Is., not 8d., at which low price it was selling to the disadvantage of the up-to- date bee-keeper. I think the cents got transposed, so the conclusion holds good. Butter has nearly doubled in price here during the last quarter-of-a-century ; honey has come down in proportion. In regard to colour and choler, I gave my experience. If it does not tally with that of others the result is nothing new. 6. My statement on page 486 in regard to generation is literally correct, inasmuch as no further intercourse takes place. Don't read into it something I never said,, please, as is done by a writer on page 187. 7. Dr. Miller joins my friend from Maldon in deprecating my use of the term nuclei forming. Will this make it jDlainer? I did not nucleus hives — nuclei manifestly wrong. I _ nuclei — something that I could form ; that I did form. From one nucleus, I pro- ceed to form several nuclei — not the hives, they were supplied by the appliance dealer. How could I be plucked for writ- ing so obviously plain a statement, in the tersest possible form of Avords, unless the examiner should be the one who so delights to pick holes ! 8. Gamaliel I find from my dictionary was one of the most " distinguished (bee) men of his time," his views were ''tolerant and large-hearted." This admirably suits Mr. Crawshaw. I am not fitted physically, as he knows, to take the part of Saul No. 1, but I am well speak of forming there would be- wrote of forming June 1, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUIINAL. 213 content to adopt the role of Saul No. 2, and sit at the feet of any one who can teach me more bee wisdom. At the time too it was absolutely correct. He was a first- class expert. I was not. 9. Mr. Woodley recently unearthed one Scotsman opposed to legislation for suppressing bee diseases. He must be a mra avis. I know of one apiarist (no he merely keeps bees !) who does not believe in associations, who thinks no other man in his parish should keep bees, who con- siders he could run the Bee Journal better than any man who ever tried it. Can the two be one? 10. Mr. Samways's contributions would be welcomed more frequently, as they are generally very well worth reading, but on page 378 he seems to have gone in for special pleading, and so produces weak arguments. First let me say I am not one of the duellists on the question of legislation, simply because I never saw an argument on the other side worth trying to confute. We have a few stock phrases reproduced with " Blessed reiteration." All I have done is to record from time to time, the views of others, and, parentheti- cally, add a word or two of my own to elucidate or emphasise. The sixpence fine paid by the Otaki boxhive men is a weak argument, surely. They could scarcely have whined over the amount, but, even if they did, bee-keeping was bettered by the magistrate doing his duty. I am in- formed the surrounding bee-keepers blessed him for thus aiding them in suppressing disease. In the same way the " poor Irishman struck by the mailed fist," deserves no sympathy. Rather let us bestow what we can spare of that rather scarce commodity on the '' ninety and nine" who needed no compulsion in doing their duty. If Mr. Samways saw some of the devastation lately produced by disease, I think he would prai/ for 'egislation if he is the man I take him to be. (11) Mr. BuUamore, dear reader, was liit, page 128; Mr. Bullamore hits back, page 187. He marks me down as a "Northern man of prejudice." That is merely " Eccles' Vein!" The critic looks on what he estimates as intelligence in himself as prejudice in his opponent. To show my large-heartedness and wide- mindedness, I will meet him this far. I will discard all prejudice and adopt his shaky theory when he gives us even a shadow of proof to show that the acute intelligence of the Italian bee leads it to eschew deleterious trash, which the pre- sumably more obtuse brain of our native bee leads it to indulge in to its undoing — hut not till then! Mr. Bullamore seeks to place an extinguisher on me in [8155], but it does not fit, as I see daylight all round. Let me, therefore, deal with his points seriatim. (1) He robs Mr. Gray of the credit of his so-called discovery in 1909 by transferring the claim to Mr. Woodley in 1905, but I do not believe the latter will lodge a claim, asking us to include that as one of the very many benefits he has conferred on Beedom. Personally, I never set up a claim, although I practised it in 1900. I can go back much further for a knowledge of the art, but, cui bono? (2) " Kirby and Spence " makes admirable reading, but I don't think I quoted "Entomology" as an authority of weight on honey dew. Critics would greatly oblige by naming page when quot- ing. (3) As noted above, a meaning is read into my words on generation, which they will not bear. A favourite device of some critics is to set up a bogey to knock down, thinking thus to destroy the original. (4) I never said the McEvoy system included disinfection (another side issue), but I said, and repeat it, that as practised in Nev: Zealand, it does. Dr. Miller and Mr. Woodley might also note the words I have italicised. The Bulletin,, as I have repeatedly shown, does advise disinfection, so does the Report on Apiculture ; and they practise it in the Government apiaries. Recently, Mr. Hopkins wrote me strongly in its favour, and in letters to bee papers the other day he repeated his belief in its efficacy. The Australasian Bee Manual (1911), page 189, recommends disinfection, even though " Mr. McEvoy himself contends there is no necessity." This should surely be the last word on this subject, which is being kept up ad nausea. (5) Has my reading of bee literature really been like water running into a sieve? Alas, my poor readers, if this is so! But I think not. And as proof, I may refer to " Fifty Sting Cures," "B.B.J.," page 452, 1908, where salt is given as a cure and accorded an important recommendation ; and also to April "Record" of last year, where my article deals with " Salt in the Apiary," wherein I give it as a cure " as valuable as any of the group." Might I respect- fully ask critics to read before they write. Now, please turn to [8114], page 115. Does Mr. Bullamore really mean us to believe his statements in paragraphs two and three? If so, he has knowledge about our honey which we benighted "Northerners" never heard before. In a few sentences he makes six statements, the full truth of which I am not prepared to accept without further evidence. A wide and lengthy experience among the heather compels me to doubt — but that may be only the effect of my prejudicel 214 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 1, 1911. L.Drv-. Secfion 2.IiiWater. NECTAR-PRODUCING PLANTS AND THEIR POLLEN. By Geo. Hayes, Beeston, Notts. {Continued from page 163.) Nq. 7. The Blackberry or Bramble. {Buhus fruticosus). Nat. Order. Bosaceoe. This plant varies in its growth and peculiarities to a very marked degree, so that it is impossible to give any hard and fast description of it. It is readily recognised by most people, while to the botanist, perhaps, few plants are less readily identified, owing to an excessive multi- plication of sup- posed species, and the passing of one imperceptibly into another. Certain broad features are apparent, and en- able anyone of ordinary intelli- gence to say that the plant before him is a blackberry. while many minor features become visible on close and attentive study. The one simple Bramble becomes a very Proteus amongst plants, and develops into a large number of species. " The British Flora" (8th ed.) admits six species, but " Bab- bington's Manual" (8th ed.) dis- tinguishes no less than forty-five. We shall not enter into all these botanical distinc- tiontions, but take what may be called the ordinary type^ — Buhus fruticosus — for description. The root stock is perennial; from this the flowering stems are produced ; these latter are ordinarily biennials, and grow woody in substance. Though usually shooting upward, and maintaining tht- erect position, they will at times be found rather straggling or prostrate. The stem, which is generally five-sided (pent- angular), though the angles are not always clearly to be seen, is lavishly furnished with prickly hooks, whose powers are very well known to those who have essayed to " go a blackberrying." A beautiful and delicate lilac bloom is often found on these stems; at other times POLLEN OF BLACKBERRY. it may be a delicate pink, or pale-greenish- grey. Where the stem is angular, it will be found that the prickles, abvindant as they are, will only be met with on the angles themselves. The leaves are usually composed of three to five leaflets, the two or four lower ones inserted together at some distance below the terminal one, and not only is the leaf-stalk, but also the mid-rib of the leaves on the lower surface, armed with sharp, strong, hooked prickles ; while the general under surface is more or less doAvny. The blossoms are either white or vary- ing degrees of pink, in panicles at the ends of the branches. The petals, five in num- ber, are of a delicate satin-like texture ; and as they surround a mass of deep yellow anthers in the centre, make a very beautiful flower. The fruit is almost as black as its name implies, for, when rijie, it is so deep a purple, as to appear almost black. The Generic name Buhus was be- stowed by Linnaeus, and is supposed to have been suggested by a Celtic word 7-eub, to tear. The specific name does not, as some might imagine, mean fruitbearing. It is a Latin word mean- ing bush or shrub, and refers to the bushy nature of the plants. This is .another of the many useful plants for the bees, yielding freely both nectar and pollen. The colour of the pollen is almost white when dry, and ovoid in form, the flutings in the grain being wide, closely approach the oval form, and from this cause, when viewed in its dry state, it appears in a variety of outline forms. The size varies considerably, some grains being quite double the size of others. The average size, however, is ^^^^^ in. by ^J^ in. when dry, but when taken from honey or water, are of an almost spherical foirm, measuring generally ^^^i^ in. by ^^L^ in. When viewed by transmitted light they June 1, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 215 are of a pale yellow colour; and almost transparent. Tlie illustrations in this case explain -themselves. (To he continued.) Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. FOUL BROOD LEGISLATION IN NEW ZEALAND. [8170] Allow me, Mr. Editor, to thank jou heartily for completing the sentence in my letter to Gleanings^ only partly quoted by Mr. Herbert Samways (page 86, 2nd March), with the evident design of conveying an entirely wrong impres- sion regarding the working of our Apiaries Act. It is very interesting, but rather droll, that objections to our Apiaries Act should come from one who is not affected in any way by its provisions, while not a single word against it is heard in the country where it is in force. In fact, I may state without fear of being contradicted, that there is not a bee-keeper from one end of the Dominion to the other, including former box-hive men, who does not look upon tiie Act as the saviour of commercial bee-keeping in New Zealand. In quoting the New Zealand Commis- sioner's words, Mr. Samways has merely said " dragtic act," why not honestly quote the full sentence, or the paragraph which exjilains the beneficial effects of the Act? Then again, Mr. Samways infers that a foul-brood Act was not thought of in 1907, because " in the contents page of Bulletin 18, Bee Culture, dated 1907, foul brood is not even mentioned." Really Mr. Editor it tries ones patience to have to correct such writers, and were it not that I wish to assist those who are honestly endeavouring to improve British bee-keeping I would not take the trouble. If you. sir, refer to my Bulletin No. 5 (a copy of which I am posting you) dated May, 1905, you will there see (pages 12 to 18 inclusive), what I had then to say on foul brood and the need of legislation. As this bulletin was current when No. 18, which Mr. Samways refers to, was pub- lished, there was no need for me to in- clude a chapter on foul brood in that. Before concluding, I will draw your attention to page 17, Bulletin No. .5, wherein it supports what Mr. D. M. Macdonald lias contended for, viz., that I recommended modification of the McEvoy treatment, and this modification was chiefly in the direction of disinfecting foul broody hives. — I. Hopkins, Auckland, New Zealand. [The chapter alluded to by our corre- spondent in Bulletin No. 5, is on " Foul brood and its treatment," and on page 13 it is stated that " It is absolutely necessary and just that the careful bee-keeper should be protected from his careless neighbour, and the only way this can be done is by State legislation, which shall control and compel the careless man to take steps as will prevent the propagation and spread of disease in and from his apiary." This clearly shows that so far back as 1905, legislation was strongly advocated. After describing the different ways of treating foul brood, Mr. Hopkins says on page 17, " I have full confidence in recommending to our New Zealand bee- keepers the following modification of the McEvoy treatment." He then explains how it is to be done, and concludes by saying "I certainly, in all cases, strongly recommend disinfecting hives, and other implements that have been in contact with diseased colonies." This is sufficient proof that the McEvoy treatment as recom- mended in New Zealand does include dis- infection, and we hope it is conclusive enough to end the controversy over this question. — Ed.] WEARDALE NOTES. [8171] The be© season in this part of Durham, opened with cold, wet weather, which has continued till the last few weeks. Bees are^ therefore, generally in a backward condition, for the last week of May. I have not heard of any local swarms yet, but the present hot weather will bring .stocks on rapidly, and there will, no doubt, be an epidemic of the swarming fever during June. The "May" blossom seems to be very I early in bloom as it is now in full flower, I which is not generally the case till June, 1 at least this has "been so for some I years past. Our main flow is from whits clover, and it behoves bee-keepers to keep their stocks strong, to take advantage of it when it comes, as the time they can work on it is only short. A good deal of useful work can be done now in prepani/- tion for swarming-time. If increase is desired, all empty hives should have the roofs made water-tight, and the whole hive well painted. Frames should all be fitted with full sheets of foundation, and the hive, or hives, placed on the stand they are to occupy. As 216 THE BHITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 1, 1911. soon as the expected swarms are hived, they must be fed liberally for the first few days, when they will quickly draw out the foundation and build up a strong colony in time for the heather. If the queen heading the swarm is known to be past her prime, a young one can be run in when hiving it ; care must be taken to secure the old queen before doing so. T am glad to say the "Isle of Wight" disease lias not made its appearance in the dales, and foul brood is practically unknown. A few energetic bee-keepers Kave started an Association for Weardale, and a fair number of members have en- rolled. We are hoping that it will prosjDer, and give new life to bee-keeping in this part of the county. It is our intention, if possible, to have lectures on the best methods of bee- management, and also practical demonstra- tions at different members' apiaries. Those who have a few hives are cordially invited to join, " The AVear Valley and District Bee Association;" this embraces the whole of the Western portion of Durham. Trusting all brother bee-keejsers will have a good season during 1911. — W. S. Watson, Southview, Wolsineham. REMOVING A SWARM FEOM A CURIOUS LOCATION. [8172] It may interest some of your readers to hear how a swann was removed from a lamp-post by the writer and two other students of the Horticultural College for Women, Swanley. A message came to the College on the evening of May 16th, asking if any student could come and give assistance as a swarm of bees were in the grounds of the Farning- ham Boys' Homes. No one there knew anything about bees, and they wished to obtain the swarm. It was then too late to do anything, so we promised to go over next morning. We arrived on bicycles with veils, smoker, carbolic cloth, &c., at 8.30 a.m., to find a crowd of excited people gazing up at a tall street lamp- post, the top of which was swathed in muslin. Inside was a small cluster of b€es, but the majority had gone down a tiny hole round the gas-jet, right into the standard. We first obtained a ladder, and tied a half-peck basket round the top of the lamp, keeping the light out with coats, &c., and put syrup inside to entice the bees up, but all to no purpose, and as we were in a hurry to return to the College, something had to be done quickly. Pickaxes were procured, and the bottom of the lamp-post was under- mined. The bees began to pour out, and we hoped they would continue to run through into a peck basket we put there; presently they ceased to move, and were not affected by drumming the sides of the standard. A plumber was then fetched to bore a hole in the middle of the shaft for us, a good stream of bees came through it, settling round the top of the lamp, meanwhile we kept a sharp look out for the queen ; suddenly one of ray fellow-students saw her run out on the gi-ound, and caught her. We put her in a match-box inside the basket at the top of the lamp, and the bees began to collect thei'e. Meanwhile, we loosened the gas-pipe inside the standard, and drew it carefully up. Pieces of comb were already built round it, showing that the bees intended to make this, their future home, and hundreds of thetn were clinging to the side.. Looking down the standard, we saw it was still lined with bees. We got a long rubber tube, and put it up the standard and smoked through it, but this only seemed to stupefy the bees, and not to stir them. There seemed to be no way of moving them, when a brilliant idea occurred to us. We took a long string, which we weighted at one end, and dropped it through the hole at the top of the standard. When it came out at the bottom, we tied a carbolic cloth on to- the end, and drew it slowly up. This was most effectual, and in a short time all the bees weie up in the basket. In the meantime, we thought it best tt) release the queen into the basket. This, we did, and sprayed the flying bees with v.-ater, which caused them to settle. We next arranged a hive in a suitable corner of the garden ; as we could not stay longer it was necessary to hive the bees at once, in spite of its not being a good time t,a carry out this operation. We shaded the- hive with an umbrella, and when all was ready, threw the bees in front, putting some handfuls close to the entrance, and syringing water round to keep them from flying. The rest of the bees began ta pour in as fast as they could, until nearly all were in. We then noticed they were very unsettled and excited. On in- specting the last cluster of bees, what was our dismay to find the queen in the centre, half -dead, whether from injury caused by her subjects or by ourselves, we do not know. Our only hope was to put her in as she was and secure the bees with muslin over the entrance of the hive. We inquired if there were any bee- keepers near, but could not hear of one nearer than four miles. The wagonette was hurriedly got ready, and off we drove. The cottage owner was most will- ing to help, and allowed us to overhaul his single hive, and take what we liked. The stock was very strong and healthy, so June 1, 1911 ] THE BRITISH BEE JOtJRNAL. 217 we took a good frame of eggs. This \\e wrapped in flannel and drove trinmpli- antly back, and put it in the new hive. AVe then collected a few more bees which had gathered round the lamp, hived them successfully, put a feeder full of syrup on and left the bees humming contentedly, and already forming chains across the frames and fanning at the entrance. We hope they will rear a new queen, and do well. We were unable to avoid killing a small proportion in digging and driving them cut of the lamp. There are, how- ever, enough to make a good stock with proper attention. There is just a chance of there being another queen, for though the one we found was old, there were so many young bees that a cast niay have united with the swarm. The bees were marvel- lously quiet, veils were not worn at all, and amongst the people standing round, and others passing by, we had only three stings caused through our inadver- tently squeezing an unobserved bee in working them out of their extraordinary location. The keenness of the owner and all who assisted was most exhilarating, and it promises well for the success of the future apiary. — Hilda Haslucf Turner. [The above shows how the teaching in all branches of the work at this, the first college of its kind (which even now holds premier position), is so thorough that it enables the students to carry out difiicult and unique operations at a moments notice in a most satisfactory manner. Swanley College also has the distinction of having supplied the Government apiarists to New Zealand, and the Orange River Colony. Incidentally the action of the cottager-bee-keeper is an instance of the readiness with which the members of the craft help one another. It was indeed an unseltish action to allow a frame of brood to be taken from a colony at this vital time of the year by absolute strangers. — Editor.] A GOOD REPORT FROM EVESHAM. [8173] Being a touring expert in Worcestershire, I thought it might in- terest your readers to hear how bees are faring in this part of the country. I have finished my spring tour, and taking all things into consideration, found the bees fre in grand condition. Several hives have two racks of shallow frames or sections nearly completed. The bees have had a grand time working on the plum and apple blossom around Evesham, and have built-up veiy rapidly, especially where the queens were young. I, myself, have taken two racks of sectio7is off con- taining twenty-one in each, and one rack of shallow frames. Naturally, round the district, I found many gaps through starvation, in cases where the bee-keepers never troubled to find out whether the bees had enough stores to last through March and April. The first swarm that I heard of came off on May 5th from a fikep, of which there are still a great number kept among the villages. I have not found any trace of "Isle of AVight " disease (and don't want to), in this dis- trict.— W. J. AVooLLEv, Expert to Worcestershire B.K.A. POSSIBLE CAUSES OF DISEASE. [8174] With our esteemed Editor's per- mission, I should like to make a few sug- geistions, for the consideration of my com- patriots in bee-keeping, with regard to the new disease that is now affecting an indus- try, in w'hich I, with others, liave found great pleasure and increasing interest for the last thirty years. Although the new disease has not come my way yet, I have an occasional loss from foul brood, for which I am indebted to some of my care- less and negligent neighbours. I have read all that Dr. Maiden has said on the subject of the "Isle of AA^ight" disease as reported in the " B.B.J. ," but what has struck me forc-ibly is the absence of questions as to the means and methods we, as bee-keepers, are pursuing. Is there anything in our practice that is responsible for this disease? If a general loses a battle the first thing is to enquire into the weakness that has brought about the disaster, so I would like to place before the readers of the "B.B.J.'' a few queries, and I have no doubt our Editor would be willing to allow the enquiry to be carried into the region of practical bee-keeping. First as to feeding : For the past twenty years feeding has been resorted to very much, no doubt, owing to the growth of utilitarian ideas with bees as in other departments of our life. The question about everything is, "Does it pay," and with many bee-keepers' feeding their bees after depriving them of most of their natural store, feeding is a necessity. The question arises : should artificial feeding be resorted to as much as it is, and is it harmful? No doubt, pure sugar is the best substitute, but it is not honey. Then there is the question of the purity of the sugar on the market. In a town near me there are about a dozen grocers, and from only one can I get a sample of cane sugar, and that of very impure quality, so that I have to send to London for a consign- ment. Grocers will not stock it because it is dearer. The demand for cheapness brings into the market an inferior quality of laeet-sugar, which, I fear, many 218 THE BRITISH liEE JOURNAL. [June 1, 1911. ■unwai-y bee-keepers buy, and when this has the additional chemicals added to it, as per recipes for candy cake or syrup with wliat no one knows of in the process of manufacture, it must be an unwholesome food for the bees, tending to a weakness of constitution and vigour. A few years ,ago I entered a shop where there were exhibited eight samples of sugar in a glass case in front of the counter in four dif- ferent sized granules — four white and four golden yellow. I took one sample of the golden yellow third sized granules, and placing them in a glass of water, found the water puddled and the granules at the bottom white, minus the gloss and colour. None of our articles of food are adulterated so much as our sugar pro- ducts, which are such important articles of consumption ; but what has that to do with the " Isle of Wight '' disease, some will say. Much of the sugar used in feeding the bees is questionable, the •difference between the two sugars may be small, and may lead some to quibble about it, and think it scarcely worth noticing but we must remember that in the hive we have thousands of infant lives that need wholesome food, and if unsuit- able or unwholesome food is given to them, the result must be prejudical to the health and activity of the bees. — J. Brown, Launceston. {To he continued). Queries and Replies. [4133] Using Swarm Catchers. — I have a " Brice " swarming appliance, and shall he obliged if you will say how I may tell, without taking out the frames, when to fix it to the hive. I put on a super a fortnight ago and although the bees crawl about the bottom of the sections, they have stored nothing in it. A few days ago they opened another entrance into the hive, and now they stand all along the threshold fanning. Does the excluder zinc hinder their progress to any great extent? I suppose it does, as otherwise, the swarm-catcher might be kept in posi- tion the whole year round. — E. F. L., Lee. Reply. — Like all swarm-catchers the " Brice " does hinder the bees a little. If you keep it on till the bees are working well in the supers, it will be long enough. When taken off give ample ventilation by propping up the lower chamber, so that a current of air passes underneath the hive. CAPPINGS OF COMB. BYL. S. CRAWSHAW, NORTON, MALTON, YORKS. Isle of Wight Disease (page 131). — I am more than pleased to see the stand taken by our Journal in this matter. At the be- ginning of the trouble, many of us, myself included, thought that the Journal was a little slow to appreciate the importance of the outbreak. But the present appeal to beekeepers to co-operate with all the infor- mation in their power is in the nature of an amende honoiahle, and should meet with a loyal response, so that we may be better equipped to face the scourge. I am also glad to note that justice was done by Dr. Maiden to Mr. Cooper's efforts in this direction. Quilts and Waxmoth (page 143). — It is doubtful whether Mr. Mason's theory that quilts are responsible for increase of wax- moth will bear investigation. The happy hunting ground of these folk would seem to be the straw skep, which is quiltless. (I hope that " Mr. Printer " will not rendeir that "guiltless"). What is probably more true is that our artificial dwellings provide more crevices near the edge of the combs where the larvae can lurk. And quilts help the matter by covering the top bars of the frames, particularly so in that style of frame with the abominable central sawgate. But quilts, that is to say, good quilts, made of Brussels carpet, are not in themselves favourable haunts. After all, the waxmoth existed before quilts were thought of. Bee Lectures (page 144). — If this state- ment of the average attendance at lectures in the Couaty of Surrey be correct, and I do not cast doubt upon it, it is a wonder- ful average, and one would like to know how it has been attained. First think of an average of 250 at 33 lectures. York- shire and Lincolnshire come next with a few lectures and about a fourth of the average. Propolis (page 151). — This is a new and somewhat startling pronouncement. If true, one would expect to find propolis abundant in the spring when pollen- gathering is rife. This is the case, but it is also collected freely in the autumn, when less pollen is collected. I have noticed, or have thought so, in connexion with moor-going stocks, that propolisation has been considerable when the hives were within flight of pine trees, and that the trouble has been inconsiderable when away from trees. If this be true, does it not weaken the argument. That bees are not confined to pollen for the source of their " propolis " is known, for they have been noticed to attack varnish and similar substances. I have not read the mono- graph, so am not in a position to criticise, but it should be possible to check or con- firm that part of the theory which deals with its introduction into the hive. Again, is the colour of the pi'opolis related to that June 1, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. 219 of its particular pollen ? If so, one would expect to find virgin comb coloured like Joseph's coat, as tlie pftUen source varied. Whereas, with such notable exceptions as that of sainfoin, we do not find this to be the case. Also, districts would seem to vary in the supply of propolis. Dr. Miller 3f Marengo, 111, records that his district is exceptionally bad. Yet there is no lack of pollen in other districts. Is it possible that his strain of bees is at fault? What are the explanations ? Painting Hives (page 155). — It is pos- sible that W.A.C. refers to graphite paint. This is advertised as having greater flexi- bility and adhesive property than lead paint. I have not tried it for painting wood, but have used it for ironwork with satisfaction. Bees and Smoke (page 155). — There is no doubt that the bee which investigated the " smudge," thought it had discovered the enemy whO' recently breathed into its home, and prepared to have its blood whilst the said enemy slumbered. Isle of Wight Disease (page 166). — Per- y haps Mr. Stapleton would give further de- tails of what he means by breeding out the disease. For what is possible in Cornwall is also possible in the Isle of Wight. Does he mean that the disease loses its virulence ? or that the surviving bees are better able to resist it ? Earhj Drones (page 166).— Will Mr. .Ernest tell us whether the queen proved to be a drone layer? Such cases are of more than ordinary interest. It is pos- sible that a wintered virgin might lay eggs in drone comb of set purpose. I have not known such a case, but evidence to the point would be of value. Bee Shows to Come. June 26 to 30, at Norwich (Royal Agricul- tural Society's Show).— Bee and Honey Section under the management of the B.B.K.A. Prizes arranged in groups of counties for Associations afBliated to the B.B.K.A. Schedules from W. Herrod, Secretary, B.B.K.A., 23, Bedford Street, Strand, London, W.C. Entries closed. July 13 and 14, at Brigg, Lines.— Lincoln- shire B.K.A. Great Show of Honey, Hives, and Appliances, at the Brigg Exhibition of the Lincoln- shire Agricultural Society. Valuable prizes offered in Open Classes for Trophy, Extracted, Granulated, and Comb Honey, Observatory Hives, Bee Appli- ances and Hives. Schedules, &c., from Mr. J. H. Hadfield, Alford, Lines. Entries close June 9. July 19 and 20, at Stafford.— Honey Show in connection with the StalTs, Bee-keepers' Association. Four open classes. Schedules from Joseph Tinsley, 22, Granville Terrace, Stone, Staffs. Entries close July 10. July 26 and 27, at Cardiff.— Annual Show of the Glamorgan B.K.A. in connection with the Car- diff and County Horticultural Show. Separate tent for honey, wax, and appliances. Open classes. Special prizes. Schedules from Hon. Sec. Mr. Wiltshire, Maindy School, Cardiff. July 27. 28, and 29, at Rotherham.— Show of Hives, Honey, &c., in connection with the Royal Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Schedules and Entry Forms from Secretary, Blake-street, York. Entries close June 17. August 3, at Weston-super-Mare.— Annual Show of the Somerset B.K.A., in connection with the important Local Annual Flower Show. Classes- for Appliances, Honey, Wax, and Bee Products. Several open and free classes. Liberal prizes. Numerous attractions. Excursions from all parts. For Schedule, &c., apply to T. Jones, Assistant Show Secretary, North View, Milton-road, Weston- super-Mare. E'ntries close July 29. August 23, at Radstock, Somerset.— Honey Show in connection with the Radstock Horticul- tural and Farmers' Association. Open and gift classes. Write for Honey Schedule. B. M. Clark, Foxhills, Radstock. Notices to Correspondents. W. H. (Kent). — Young hees cast out. — We have frequently known cases of brood being cast out of hives short of stores, at a time when nectar from outside was not available, but as in your case the hive was well provided with stores, this cannot be the cause. Sometimes when a stock is troubled with wax-moth the larvpe will burrow under the cappings of the brood, and the bees will then uncap the brood in the manner you complain of. We shall be glad to have further particulars. C. C. (Haddington).— W/ki Bees.— The bees are specimens of Andrena fulva, a wild bee common in spring. Enquirer (Suffolk). — Failing Queen. — The cause of the failing is either age,, or the queen has been injured while fighting with a rival ; tne latter is prob- ably the true solution as her wings are badly torn. E. A. H. (Dartford). — Drone hrood cast out of Hive. — The probability is that during the cold spell experienced on the 20th and 21st inst., the brood was chilled and the bees have simply turned out the dead. Suspected Disease. Francis (Torquay). 1. Comb is affected with foul-brood of long standing. 2. It will be quite safe to use the hive if you scorch it thoroughly inside with a painter's spirit lamp. J. A. (Kirkby Stephen). — The bees are badly constipated, there is also dis- location of the wings, and the other symptoms you mention are suspicious signs of '"Isle of Wight" disease. W. A. C. (Somerset). — The bees are suffer- ing from constipation, and this has no doubt caused their death. S. F. (Truro). — We are sorry we cannot tell you the cause of death. We have reports of a number of similar cases which we are investigating. (See replv to W^ H., Kent). R. D. (Essex). — The brood is chilled only, there is no sign of any disease. Beginner (Cardigan). — Both combs are affected with odourless foul-brood. A. S. (Wilts). — Brood has been chilled. 220 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 1, 1911. w Special Prepaid Advertisements Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. FRZVATZ: ADVERTISEMENTS. FOR SALE, 4 dozen lib. jars, mostly heather HONEY, from Quantock Hills.— HAWKINS, Aisholt, Bridgwater. j 76 WO February-hatched PULLETS and COCK- EREL, white Wyandottes or buff rocks, bred from finest layers obtainable, 8s.; Queen Bee, 1910, 2s. 9d.-ALUN JONES, Brynawel, Halkyn, Flint- shire^ jj75 i)f\ NEWLY-PAINTED Standard Bar-frame /wU Hives with llin. outer case, 9in. lift, brood chamber, floor board, and zinc-covered roof, on rail, £6 the lot; or 6s. 6d. each.— J. P. IRELAND, Vernham, Hungerford, Berks. j 77 ATURAL SWARMS from Bar-framed Hives, guaranteed healthy, to June 7th 15s.; after, 12s. 6d. — WILLIAM DENNIS, Brownsover, Rugby. j 67 GUARANTEED healthy, 4 strong Stocks of Bees for sale, supered, in W.B.C. Hives, 2 lifts, 2 supers, excluder zinc, all complete; overstocked. What offers?— J. RIMMER. 51 Sunny-rd, South- port. j_68 ANTED, Second-hand Nuclei Hive, for Queen rearing, 4 or 6 divisions, good, clean —REV. BUCHAN, Kilbirnie. j 69 HEALTHY SWARMS FOR SALE, May, 3s.; June 2s. 6d.— F. H. BUCK, Wimbish, Saffron Walden. WANTED, GOOD STOCK, or SWARMS, in ex- change for 68 sixpenny parts of Cassell's History of England, 8 volumes unbound.— WHEATLEY JUN., Spa, Hinckley. j_71 2SLADEN'S TWIN NUCLEI HIVES, new, complete, folding frames, cover, &c.. price 5s. 6d. each, or 10s. the two f.o.r.— SINFIELD, Upper George-st, Luton. j 68 PREPARE FOR SUPERING.— Racks of Sections fitted starters, ready to put on. to hold 18s. and 21s., Is. 6d. and Is. 9d. each.— LITMAN, Castle Cary. j_72 WHAT OFFERS?— 6 Cottager Hives, used one season only, each containing floor board with legs, brood chamber with movable porch, 10 frames, dummy, 6in. lift, crate of 21 lib. sections (unused), Queen excluder, quilt, roof, painted 3 coats; large meadows honey ripener, used once, with strainer, lift and lid; Sladen's double Baby Nuclei Hive, with folding frames, used once. — F. E. MATTHEWS, Cofton Apiary, Northfield, Birmingham. j 73 URPLUS COMBS.— A few racks good, clean, healthy, drawn out shallow Combs for sale. 4s. each.— A. GREEN. Tangley Estate. Andover. j 74 STRONG, guaranteed healthy. Swarms, 10s. each, 51b. upwards. 2s. 6d. lb: boxes returnable: cash with order.— R. WHITTING, Manea. j 1i [ TWO 4-frame Nuclei, 1911, laying Oueens. 15s. each, oacked free; also new Hives.— BOW- DEN, Broomhill, Witley. Surrey. j 80 CLEARING cheap. Frames, Sections. Founda- tions, &c.; list.— 65, Raleigh-road, Richmond i^urrey. jjl^ FOR SALE, 2 Stocks Bees, each on 10-frames. splendid condition. 25s. each; 3 hives, large stock of appliances, cheap.— BEATTIE, Ravens- neuk, Penicuik. N. B. j 82 \ LIMITED SUPPLY of BORAGE PLANTS to ■tX. flowe.r this summer, 20 for 6d.. carriage paid. — HEWETT, Carringtonroad, Dartford, Kent, j 84 Special Prepaid Advertisements, — Continued LEARANCE SALE.— W.B.C. Crates, Racks and Brood Bodys, 25 for £1, a few with frames; Queen Excluders, Honey Strainer and Ripener, Extractor (Cowan's 2-frame).— RINGER, The Apiary, Tatsfield. j_83 IT^OUR BURGESS "PERFECTION" W.B.C. : HIVES, 18s. each; one double Hive, 18s.; glass quilt, brood chambers and shallow frames, Ac, &c., to go with lot; the lot, £5.—" METROPO- LITAN," 56, St. Martin's Court, London, W.C. j 86 BOOKS ON BEES.— Cheshire's " Bees and Bee- Keeping," 2 vols., 30/-; " A.B.C. and X.Y.Z. of Bee Culture," 4s. 6d., all as new.— METROPO- LITAN, 36, St. Martin's Court, London, W.C. j 87 HEALTHY NATURAL SWARMS, 12s. 6d. and J 5s. —GEORGE BELL, Shoreham, near Seven- oaks, Kent. j 88 AY SWARM in new Hives for sale.— MRS. ANSTRUTHER, Woolston Grange, Wllliton, Somerset. j 89 IVTUCLEI (4-frame with Queen) in W.B.C. and I^ other Hives, 25s. to 30s. each, complete.— W. H. SIMS. Hall Green, Birmingham. j_90 SWARMS on Frames, guaranteed from healthy Stocks, 20s.; boxes returned carriage paid.— F. A. BEAN, Snaith, Yorkshire. j 53 FOR SALE, motor cycle, 2i Minerva, sound engine; Palmer tyres, good condition, Eadie httings, spares, £10.10.- WILCOX, North wood, Qlton. j_64 HIVES and Extracting House from healthy Apiary; also Trophy Stand for sale, cheap.— SPiiCK, 855 Stratford-road, Sparkhill, Birming- ham^ j 65 TYPEWRITER, Remington, universal key- board, perfect condition, very clear writer, will last a lifetime, cost £22, sell 80/-; great bar- gain.—L. WAKEFIELD, Newhall Hill, Birming- ham^ j 46 WANTED, a few Skeps of Bees, with old and tough combs for driving purposes.— HER-- ROD, " Bee Journal " Office. NATURAL SWARMS FOR SALE, June 1st to 17th 2s. 3d., after 2s. per lb.— R. ALLEN, Tusmore, Bicester. J ^^ TWO New Bar-Frame HIVES, with lift and 10 Frames, wired, canvas covered roof, painted, lis. each. Photo and particulars, HEARD, Orchard Hill, Bideford. h 98 K BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. AT-A-LOG is the best Ad.; send postcard to old firm.— MEADOWS, Syston. j_85 DEEP or SHALLOW FRAMES, g by I top-bar grooved, made up and metal ends. Is. 9d. doz^ v.'ired, 2s. 6d. doz., carriage paid.— APPLIANCE WORKS, North Square, Dorchester. J_62 PRIME NATURAL JUNE SWARMS, 12s. 5d.; Virgin Queens, blacks, Is. 6d., post free; satis- faction guaranteed. — FOLDS, Church-street Luton. 121 DOOLITTLE STRAIN OF BEES again on the move. Customer writes :— " Took first prize with your Bees in observatory hive; also firso tor comb honey. They are now my best stock. Now is the time to order Virgins, Is. 6d. each (ready); fertiles, book now for delivery in turn, 5s each. There are no better Bees to be had.— D. lAlLOK, Ilminster. J "•'• ITALIAN QUEENS, direct from Italy. See coni; plete advertisement in " British Bee Journal May I8th.-Address, E. PENNA, Bologna, Italy. QUEENS, fertile, in introducing cage; delivery guaranteed, 5s. 6d.-BRICE'S APIARIES, Otford, Kent. .' TRANSPARENT "BEE CONTROL" (Gillies') POCKET CLOTHS and 100 re-charges 1/- - r< A AT APT? London- BURGESS, Exeter; CROSS, BelSst*: Wholesale :' IREKLING CORPORATION Dublin. " '^ June 8, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 221 Editorial, Notices, &c. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION NOTICE. Prize cards with the silver and bronze medal of the " B.B.K.A." embossed 'n natviral col<erienced bee- keepers in the legist, but they may induce beginners, or others who are somewli-at ■careless in such matters, to neglect carry- ing out a very important part of the treatment of foul brood, and thus en- danger themselves and their neighbours. Foul brood is caused by certain bac- teria which attack and destroy the brood. When onc« they get a footing they in- crease and spread throughout the hive i't an enormous rate, and if not checked the ■disease rapidly spreads through the apiary i and district. It is well known that one \ of the chief agencies in the distribution of foul brood germs is the bee itself, as in the case of robbing a colony weakened by disease. After passing through the active stage, that is, when all the substance upon which the bacteria exist has been consumed, they develop into spores or seeds, and remain dormant until, by acci- dent or otherwise, they are transported to some suitable medium, such as the living hee-larvse, when they again become active and carry on their work of destruction The spores exist in myriads in the dried scale of each destroyed larva attached to the lower walls of the cells, with which the adult bees are constantly in contact. The spores are so microscopically small that multitudes of them may be carried about by the bees ; hence, one of the chief causes of the disease spreading so rapidly. Under these circumstances, it will be readily understood that the spores are as likely to be attached to the sides of the interior of the hives in which disease' exists as on the combs themselves. The inconsistency of those who contend that the hives in question may be used again without being disinfected and with- out risk of contamination is shown by the fact that they quite agree that the combs and frames from a diseased colony should bo destroyed. They recognise that both may and will carry disease, yet the hive, which is in close contact with them and over which the bees are constantly travel- ing, they claim, can be used again withovit any cleansing. This contention, on the face of it, appears to me devoid of all common-sense . A person signing himself " A New Zea- land Reader " has lately written to the ■'Canadian Bee Journal" in a very self- conscious manner, as though he was com- missioned to represent the whole of oui New Zealand bee-keepers on the subject, ridiculing the idea of disinfection and those who advocate it, and incorrectly stating that it is not practised in New Zealand. Had this writer confined him- self to an intelligent discussion of the subject and presented his view of it, not the slightest objection could have been taken, but when a person runs counter to and pretends to know more about the matter than the scientific experts, it is proof of unsound reasoning. Among those who advise disinfection are Doctors White, Maassens, Burri, Zander, and Phillips, and Professor Imms — all bacteriologists who have specially studied bee diseases, and the authors of all the standard works on bee-culture. I, therefore, strongly recommend all bee- keepers wlio have to treat their bees to lun no risks, but to include as part of the treatment the disinfection of hives good enough to keep, and destroy others by fire. There can be no doubt that the spores of foul brood can stand, without being destroyed, great heat and cold, and also considerable strength of the usual dis- infectants. For instance, Dr. G. F. White, Ph.D., expert in bacteriology, says (as I have stated in bulletin No. 18) : " The spores of this bacillus (bacillus larvfe) are very resistant to heat and other disinfectants. They resist the boil- ing-temperature of water for fifteen minutes. In 5 per cent, of carbolic acid 222 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 8, 1911. they were not killed in two months' time. Likewise it has been demonstrated that the spores of bacillus larvae, when taken from the scales of American foul brood, resist the action of mercuric chloride (cor- 'rosive sublimate), 1 : 1000 aqueous solution, for two months. Having such facts before us, we can better judge the methods for treatment.'' This goes to sliow that whatever dis- infectant may be used the solution should ■ be strong. T. W. Cowan, author, " British Bee-keepers' Guide Book," and editor, " British Bee Journal," advises for wash- ing hives, floor boards, etc., soluble phenyls, two teaspoonfuls to one quart of water, or Calvert's No. 5 carbolic acid one part, water two parts. This is painted on the hive. For disinfecting clothing, hands, etc., Calvert's No. 5 carbolic acid, loz., to 12oz. water, is recommended. Singeing the insides of hives by fire is strongly recommended by many ; a painter's blowlamp is handy for this pur- pose. Before using the solutions, the hives should be scraped and the scrapings burned HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By W. Herrod. Manipulating. — The glorious weather of the last few weeks has enabled the novice to gain experience in the handling of bees without fear of harming the colony by chilling the brood. Constant meddling with the whole of the stocks possessed will so disorganise their work that the best results cannot be obtained. I would strongly recommend beginners to set aside one stock for this purpose during the first season. It will, in all probability, ruin it, but it is the least expensive way of gaining practice and knowledge, and will also satisfy the keen desire to be handling the bees while it is nOvel. The second season finds the bee-keeper more experienced and restrained in the desire to be constantly looking insidei the hive, for he will, by that time, fully realise the baneful effects of over-enthusiasm. Before commencing work, have everything ready to hand, also have a definite object in view, if it be only to hunt for and find the queen. The smoker should first of all be prepai'ed, the best kind to use being the "Bingham" pattern. The fuel should be dry and may be either paper, fustian, or touchwood. On no account should tobacco-paper be used, or paper prepared with saltpetre to make it burn ; either of these if used ever so little to excess, will kill the bees. If ordinary paper is used a thick felty one should be chosen, as the thin variety refuses to burn properly. The papei- should not be folded and then rolled, but torn into strips about four inches in width, then rolled fairly tightly into a round cartridge, so that the- draught will pass straight through, or it can be folded zig-zag fashion into a bundle sufficiently large to fill the barrel of the smoker. Light one end and place it in the barrel of the smoker, with the lighted end downwards. It may seem superfluous to give these minute instruc- tions about so simple a matter, but dozenii. of times have I seen people fill the smoker, then light the top-end and wonder why it will not burn. If the wind is blowing,, hold the lighted match just inside the barrel to prevent it being blown out. Get the paper well alight, and then, if the smoker is kept on end when not in t:se, it will burn until all the fuel is ex- hausted. Corrugated paper makes very good fuel, but does not last long. Treat all fuels ill the same manner. When, finished with, the fire can be put out either by putting a cork in the nozzle, (r stopping it with earth by plunging it into the ground. Sometinies one sees even an experienced bee-keepei- struggling to get the nozzle on. It will fit quite easily if the seam on the nozzle is fitted over the soam in tho barrel. A carbolic cloth may be used instead of smoke. In my experience, smoke is the better of the two, especially in the autumn. A veil should always bo worn, if not over the face, it should be on the hat, so that it can be- pulled down m a moment if the bees turn vicious. All being ready, blow a few puffs of smoke in at the entrance, putting the nozzle of the smoker close up for the purpose ; wait about a minute, to give the bees time to gorge themselves with honey. The roof and lifts can now be removed and placed well out of the Avay. Turn back a corner of the quilt and blow in a little sm^oke to drive the bees away from the top of the combs, where they have collected to feed upon the honey which is stored there. Use two quilts, one at each side, and as one is rolled back to take out the frames, the other should be rolled for- ward, so that only just the frame to be removed is exjiosed. This prevents chilling the brood, and also stops the bees from flying up. In examining the comb it should ah^-ays be kept over the hive in case the queen drops off. Should she fall on the ground on account of the comb being held clear from the hive, it is almost certain she will be trodden upon before she is noticed. Turn the comb in thc' i:)roper manner, i.e., in such a way that the frame is, always kept edgewise; if turned flat, the honey will drop out, and in hot weather, possibly the comb also. Replace the comb gently, and avoid crush- ing a single bee. Stand on that side of the hive which affords the best light, but never in front. Difficulty is sometimei, experienced in removing frames from a hive that just holds ten; this is easily June 8, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 223 accomplished without damage if the first frame is raised slightly, and the next one diavvn so that the metal ends rest under those on the first one; the third frame is then drawn back, so that its metal ends are under those of the second. Ample room for manipulation is provided by this method. In replacing the quilt, do not imprison bees betiieen it and the top bars ; they can be driven back by smoke, or putting down and lifting up the quik very quickly two or three times, causes them to run down out of the way. See that the quilt fits down neatly all round to prevent the escape of bees and also to avoid draughts. The top quilts can be fitted more snugly if the lift is put on before they are replaced. See that the roof sits down properly ; put it on without wriggling and banging it; this is bad for the bees' temper. Take hold of the roof on each side at the eave, so that the fingers come out just below the fitting edge, put it well forward, and draw it back (letting the fingers run along the edge of lift to keep it in the right position), until the front edge of lift stops it coming further, now put the raised end down gently when it will fit perfectly. Correspondence. 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 ivrite 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. ROSS-SHIRE NOTES. AN EARLY START. [81 7-5] The honey season here has begun a month ahead of the usual time. Never before did I put on sections in May, or remove completed ones on the second day of June. They were good sections, fully sealed and scaling over a pound each. The continuance of fine warm weather with the abundant bloom on hawthorn and fruit-trees has put our colonies in fine condition for the main | honey flow from white clover. The strong stocks, those covering eleven frames, have been supered with two racks apiece, and had their entrances opened full width to discourage swarming and brood-nest storage. The latter evil was already in evidence owing to honey coming in before bees were strong enough to occupy the supers — some colonies crowd- ing out their queen with masses of pollen and sealed honey. In such cases a full sheet of foundation was given, all sealed stores bruised, and the brood chamber re- versed, thus bringing the dripping honey next the entrance, to be promptly shifted into the "bait" sections above. Section-nuclei. — I generally work a few small mating boxes a la Swarthmore, and always with success. In fact I have given up using full-size brood-combs for this purpose, preferring to get the queen fertilised from the baby-hive before in- sertion in the larger nucleus. This avoids any broodless interval. Management is ot the simplest, so are the appliances. Any small box to hold a couple of sections will do if fitted with a lid, and a small entrance cut on one side. When queen cells are hatching, the mating-box is stocked with a pollen comb, and a section of unsealed honey with all adhering taken from a strong colony. The queen is then run in at the entrance, the latter closed, and the little hive kept in a warm place for five days. After confinement few bees will desert the nucleus when set out, and the queen gets mated quickly — sooner than from an ordinary hive. — J. M. Ellis, Ussie Valley. BEES IN SOUTH AFRICA. [8176] I only recently became a sub- scriber to your valua-ble journal, and I find it very helpful, though the conditions under which bee-keeping is carried on in South Africa differ so much from those in Britain. I write now with the object of asking you whether anything can be done towards inducing bees not to gather quite so much pollen as they sometimes do gather here. It may be the case in South Africa alone, but I have charge of some seventy colonies in various localities, and, in many of the hives, the amount of pollen brought in seems far more than is necessary. Indeed not a quarter of it is ever used, and the surplus so fills up the combs that the queen cannot find sufficient room for her requirements. I should be glad if your advice on this matter if you think it of sufficient interest. With reference to Mr. J. L. Taylor's remarks in your issue of the 13th ult., I do not suppose it was intended to convey the idea that the season just over had been a failure in South Africa as a whole. It is a large country, and conditions and climate vary in different districts. In some parts I know that the season has been fairly good — especially on the coast belt from the Cape Province. About fifty miles from here there are fifteen colonies in my charge. There were nine when I took them in hand last November. By dividing and also bringing in swarms from the veld, I made the fifteen which were not in good condition, having been 224 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 8, 1911. neglected a good deal. I saw them again in January last, when they had improved considerably, but had not yet stored any surplus. Last month — April — I took off seventy-nine frames (American standard) of sealed honey from the fifteen colonies. — George Mathie, Caledon, Cape Colony. [It is difficult to advise you on this matter, but in this country the plan of placing excluder zinc over the entrance is sometimes practised. This will scrape the pollen from the bees' legs as they enter the hive, but at the same time it will hinder them in their work. — Ed.] A SUBURBAN APIABY [8177] I am not sure that my funny little apiary ought not to be illustrated and given as a " Home of the Honey-bee." I find that people with gardens as small as mine hesitate to try to keep bees, and I admit that the location of my second hive cost me a good deal of thought. I am half a mile from Caniberwell Green. The first hive, which has been there two years, is on a platform just under a first- floor window, from which all the manipu- lations are done. It is thus about 10ft. from the ground, and I think a good deal more convenient for the bees than if it were upon the ground in our narrow and overhung garden. This stock nearly died of May sickness last year, but managed to get enough honey to take it through the winter. Now, at the eve of the lime blos- som, it has nearly 401b. of honey in the brood nest, and about six in the shallow frames. I wish it was all in the supers, but as one comb downstairs, if not two, are solid with honey, I shall do some ex- tracting from the brood nest. There is certainly brood on ten frames, but it is sadly circumscribed with honey. The new stock is at the opposite end of the garden, which is 15ft. wide, and 60ft. long. It was a driven lot last autumn and came through the winter on six frames:. They have done nearly as well as the old lot, which wintered on eight frames drawn out. Down the centre of my narrow garden runs a path, along which my folk hang the washing once a week. At the end is a door used weekly for sending out the dust- bin, so the space between wall and path and available for bees is only 7^ft. I erected posts and made a canvas screen round a square of 5ft. Gin. The canvas walls are 5ft. 6in. high, and as the brick walls are higher, the bees fly in over the heads of those who hang up wash- ing or trundle the dustbin. The hive stands outside this enclosure, but the alighting board projects into it through the canvas. It is on a stand 2ft. high, so that the bees clearing the canvas near the opposite corner have to come in at an angle rather steeper than 45 degrees. Ideally, I should think 45 degrees ought to be the limit, but they seem to manage their steep descent fairly well. This new lot has now got ten frames all drawn out, and all, I think, with brood on, but the brood patch on each is rather woefully small, because so much honey has been gathered. There must be quite 301b. of honey, and though the shallow-frame super has been on for a long time, without excluder, and with an inch space round three sides of the sheet below, the bees will not go up. I have just taken a frame partly sealed from the other lot and put it in the middle of the super, so I think this will entice them. So far, both colonies have been good enough not to swarm, and as every ounce of honey made (in excess of requirements) last year was at or subsequent to the lime blossoming, there ought to be something to take off this year. The acacia is strongly out now, and the lime is on the point of opening. — G. G. D. EXHIBITING HONEY. [8178] "The product of the novices' bees stands an equal chance with that of the more experienced bee-keepei- " (so writes Mr. Herrod, in "B.B.J.," page 204). It ought to do, but does it? Hear what " Stingproof " in the " Rural World" says: — "There are few prizes won with non-faked honey." There you have it. The faker, not the bee, decides the ques- tion. With the connivance of the judges, lie has reduced showing to a farce, and his methods and his product are a blot on an otherwise honest craft. Let the Editor and Mr. Herrod, as leading judges, strike a blow at the faker by disqualifying or ignoring his fraud vilent exhibit. Honest bee-keepeis will then have a look in, and Mr. Herrod's statement will contain a larger measure of truth than can be at- tached to it at present. Honey shows will also become true to name, anointed by the Council are those on Avhosf integrity they can rely, and they ^o disqualify or ignore fraudulent ex- hibits. Many of the County Associations' shows are carried out on similar rules. We have so actecl in every case unhesitatingly, and we know other judges do the same. We have attended a great many shows, and, in our long experience, must say that we have not seen the wholesale dis- honesty alleged by our correspondent. As he is so '' conversant with all the tricks of the faker," his obvious duty is to bring any such cases to the notice of the Show Committees or other authorities, and if he can prove dishonesty we have no doubt that proper action would be taken to prevent anything of the sort in future. To say tJiat, "with the connivance of the judges," the faker had "reduced showing to a farce," is a gross libel, and we challenge o;3r correspondent to prove his accusations. Mr. Herrod is quite right in his statement with regard to novices. Many of them have takeii prizes. We judged at a large show last summer when a lady, who had only begun bee-keeping the previous year, won first prize in a good section class. There was no faking, but she had simply carefully followed the instructions given in the Guide Book. — Ed.] CAUSE OF BEE DISEASE. [8179] I started bee-keeping by buy- ing one diseased stock, through which I learned expensively to overcome some of the difficulties in bee-keeping. I have now about thirty healthy stocks, fifteen of which are accommodated in a specially constructed house. Your "B.B.J." has been of considerable help at times, and always a source of pleasurable reading. Recently the .so-called "Isle of Wight" disease has been very much to the front. I have seen it in this district, and in my opinion there is undoubtedly very little connection between the conditions producing foul brood and "Isle of Wight" disease. The former is in the cell essen- tially, whilst the latter attacks the young bee soon after it hatches, hence many of the theories which have appeared in the "Journal" are of very little value — not to say amusing. One of j'our corres- pondents recently advised " destroying the entire popidation of an affected colony," and "brimstone the diseased broodless bees." Bees that are destroyed in this way are. in my opinion, slaughtered uselessly. Has it yet been proved that the "Isle of Wight" disease is infectious? It occurs in various places widely separated, arid the sufferers are generally the strongest as far as numbers go. Are we unquestionably correct in fastening- the trouble on the bees them- selves? TV hat about the manipulators:^ Are they not vital factors in an apiary? I am strongly of the opinion that the causes of the disease are being looked for in the wrong direction, and hence the cures have not been found. Another of your correspondents strikes the same nail as I am aiming at, for he says : " burn- ing and burying have but little effect, if any." The \subject is being well venti- lated in your journal, and the ventilation needs to be continued till we have a decided "causae and remedy" from a reliable authority. — W. Thomas, Cornwall. A HOPEFUL SEASON. [8180] The bee journals have for some time been so full of lugubrious outpour- ings as to one disease and another, that I think it will be encouraging to you, and to yoi;r readers, to have prompt echo of cheering words, which hopefully point to happier tiu'cs. A souih countryman, in sending me, as an earnest of better things to come, 2s. 6d on account of a considerable debt owing for goods purchased some years ago, before the calamitous outbreak of the pestilence christened " Isle of Wight disease." says: — "This is going to be a grand year, and I do not want to lose the benefit of it ; as fast as money comes in I am laving it out again on swarms to fill up some of my empty hives, and use some of my empty combs, standard and sliallow, which were never even used last vear. The season has opened well, some sections are near sealed, and such lovely weather; 'Isle of AVight ' disease is dead, or inoperative, driven off by change of atmosphere, and my bees perfectly healthy. Months back I fed needy bees with I.O.W. stored combs, with no ill effect whatever." I know something of my man, and if I mentioned the name lie woi'ld be well known to you, and to your readers, and his nord would have greater weight. Surely, without a tinge of cant or maudlin sentirrient, we may thank God, and take courarje. Writing about this pestilence, away back in early spring, another letter from the OAvner of a diseased apiary, in reply to a response from me for any helpful suggestions to pass on to others when they wrote for advice, says wliat ought never to be said in merely the sense of a forlorn hop-', " Providence alone can help. I am inclined to think that Providence is helping. I believe "Isle of Wight " disease is dead, 1 the dry spring has "killed it." That was 226 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 8, 1911. not a bad command the great Protector issued to his sturdy followers, " Trust in Providence, but keep your powder dry." — Gbge-ge Rose, Liverpool. |8181] I have just been looking at the letter I wrote you last year. I find it was on June 27th, and I complained that the bees, although very strong, had only just taken to the supers. What a contrast now ! I have a hive with two racks on (scaling over 701b.), and the clover has not yet come into bloom. The hawthorn and chestnut have really provided a wonderful feast. When they were in full bloom, one stock was gaining 31b. a day. Is not this good for the time of year? [Very good. — Ed.] One is watching and waiting now for the clover to bloom, hoping that the disasters of the last few years may be gloriously retrieved. May a bountiful honey harvest also help to banish the fell disease which we, in the woodland, know, so far, only by report. — H. G. Mace, Buckhurst Hill. POSSIBLE CAUSES OF DISEASE. (Continued from page 218). The next query I propose to offer for replies is that of sanitation, and apart from the necessity of clean hives— and dry — the wholesomeness of the air with- in the hive. A few days ago I glanced at my " B.B.J." as it lay on the table and my eye caught tile following WARNING: — "A cheap and crude naphthaline is now being placed upon the market, the use of which will most probably asphyxiate the brood, &c." What, are we always to be on the. "qui vive " for adulteration? Is there nothing to be obtained pure, not even bread ? The question suggests itself : is it necessary always to have naphthaline in the hive of a healthy lot of bees. In the summer we have thousands of people from all parts of the country visit- ing Bude, Bocastle, and Tintagel, but they don't bring antiseptics with them — they com© to breathe the air that has travelled over 2,000 miles of watery space, charged with ozone. To stand on the cliffs near King Arthur's Castle, on the N. Coast of Cornwall, and fill their lungs with the pure air from the Atlantic, will create a desire that will soon want to be satis- fied with something more substantial. ■^PP^y the simile to the thousands of in- fants and adults in our hives— is it neces- sary to have the inside of the hive like some chemists' shops we may have entered — lavendered or camphored, or something else. It is a small matter, it is true, but it may have something to do with the "Isle of Wight" disease. The third question is that of breeding. We have, to some extent, become specialists in breeding bees. It is a fascinating art, but it is quite possible to go too far, and I want to point out a possible danger in queen-rearing. Ex- cellent men the queen breeders all are,, and bee-keeping owes much to them, and the services they have rendered to the in- dustry. They have made queen-rearing a. science. Is it not possible to stress and strain for colour, size, and productiveness at the sacrifice of something else — a loss of vigour, stamina, and energy. I have been led to write these queries from reading the remarks made by Mr. Bee Mason, at the close of his cinemato- graph entertainment at the last B.B.K.A. conversazione, and if readers of the "B.B.J." would peruse the report on page 143, it might lead them to a solu- tion of the difficulty with which the industry is beset, or some part of it: — "It occurred to him — bees in their wild state were more or less vicious under natural conditions." " That they were smaller, but more hardy and active." Charles Kingsley says : " Smallness of size does not interfere with perfect de- velopment," and I may add, " whether it is the bacteria of the soil or the ele- phant roaming in the forest and all between, but still size counts for some purpose, as, for instance, the cart-horse when compared with the racer." Again, " Nature does nothing for beauty — beauty follows as the inevitable result. Beauty is a conception of the mind." Some readers of Shakespeare may call to mind the following lines " In the Winter's Tale" : — " I have heard it said, There is an Art which, in their piedness^ sliares With great creating nature, &c., &c." We can take a shares in great creating Nature by losing vigour, the power to get,, to hold, to keep, and in exchange gain size,, colour, and, to use a loaded term — beauty. Mr. Bee Mason's bees were vicious ; this is natural to them, at least, and often so with human beings. Bees are creatures of an impulse called instinct, and know nothing of laws which the judicious Hooker says are the products of human reason. It is natural for bees to find the root of defend, to be vice-ous, the un- willingness to give up house, home, store, and life when threatened. The human race would long before this have pushed them out of existence were it not for this vice which they show. In conclusion, I would ask if any of my three queries points to the disease now known as the "Isle of Wight" disease. 1st. Is it not possible that artificial feeding carried on to the extent it now is,. June 8. 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOCJRNAL. 227 is liable to bring about malnutrition, and the weakening of the constitution, loss of vigour, and less power to resist anything calamitous. 2nd. As to sanitation. I yield to no one in this, as a necessity. When on tour once, I sat down to dine with some friends, and someone remarked : " How you smell of carbolic," and if the bees had "the power of speech they would, perhaps, make a similar remark — too much car- bolic or naphthaline. 3rd. In the third query I would like to remind readers of two lines from Pope • "And reason raise o'er instinct as you can. In this 'tis God directs, in that 'tis man." Let us not thrust too much of our art, human activities — upon the bees, and no bring about a weakness — a degeneracy. — J. Bkown, Lauceston. Queries and Replies. [4134] Persistent Swarming. — Last year I purchased a hive of black bees at a farm sale, and later a hive of first-cross Italians on eight frames, from a dealer. From the former I took twenty sections, and from the latter sixty sections. I gave candy in January to both hives, and syrup in April. This year the black bees have one super of sections nearly capped over, and the Italians two supers on, the top one being nearly all sealed. The Italians swarmed on May 16th, when I was away from home ; my man hived them in the only spare hive I had at the time. On the 17th they again swarmed, and this time he left them in the skep. On the 21st they again swarmed, and he put this lot into a box. To-day, the 25th, they swarmed again, quite a. strong swarm, and I added this to the first one that came off, having jieppered both lots with peaflour. This hive has three frames drawn out, with some honey and pollen stored in the nine days since it was hived. The skep is full of bees, and looks a strong swarm. The one in the box was only a small lot in one corner, about three pints. I should like to know what I ought to do with those two lots. I have a new empty W.B.C. hive waiting for the "blacks" to swarm, which, I think, they will do in a day or two. — J. D. A., Somerset. Reply. — The only thing you can do noM' is to let the bees remain in the box and skep, and next spring work them down into a frame hive as per instructions in Guide Book. The best plan would have been to return the swann each time it issued to the parent colony. [4135] Prctjenting Increase. — I have three hives, and do not wish for further increase, but to get all the honey I can. In fonner years I have tried to do this by retarding breeding in the early spring, but the bees have gener- ally swarmed in spite of this about the be- ginning of July, and as we have to depend mainly on the lime trees here, it has interfered with the honey-gathering. This vear I propose to adopt another method, and would like to know if you approve. (1) I have encouraged breeding to get the bees to sw arm as early as possible. AVhen a, swai-m comes off, I intend to hive it on the narent stand, but in a new body- box with tea fresh frames of foundation. I shall cut cut all queen-cells, and pla .■» the parent biood-box, with all young bees and brood above the swarm, with a queen excluder between. This should make a strong hive, and as the brood in the top box hatches out it will become available for storage purposes. Of course, any supers that may be on the top of the hive at the time of swarming will go bacK on the Top of the two brood-boxes again. Would this be all right, or can you suggest a better method? I seem quite unable to get a very strong colony and at the same time prevent swarming. (2) One of my hives has a super on which has^ been nearly filled with a rather dark honey this month ; will this be from hawthorn or other trees ? Some part of it may be from apple-blossom, but not all, I think. — Elas. Sale. Reply. — (1) Your plan is the right one. (2) Probably from beans and fruit. [4136] Completing Unsealed Sections. — Can you very kindly tell me through the "B.B.J." if I can force bees in any waj to cap their honey? My bees have filled about 21 sections with fruit-blossoxn honey, and have capped over the centre sections, but not the sides. The rack has been in its present condition quit© two weeks, and they seem to get no fui-ther. Must the honey be all capped before re- moval, or will the flavour be as good when eaten if unsealed? The bees swarmed on May 17th, but queen-cells were destroyed and the swarm returned the same day — but they again swarmed on May 24th, and were then given a new hive. A strong stock is left behind with a good queen- cell, and these work up in the sections all day, yet seem to get no further with the capping. — M. A. W., Gravesend. Reply. — You should have hived che swarm on the old stand, and put the rack of sections on it, when it would have been completed. It is most improbable that the old stock will complete the work as it has been denuded of the foraging bees ; put tho incomplete rack on the swarm now. Honey should not be removed until it is sealed or it will ferment. 228 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 8, 1911. [4137] Eke left on Rive.— Time for ^manipulating . — I forgot to remove in time the eke from below the body -box in one of my hives. On examining the hive this week, 1 found that the bees had built out the combs beyond the depth of the brood chamber, so that if I removed the eke the lower paits of the combs would be crusheil by the floor of the hive. What ought I to do now? I have left the eke on. The stock is a strong, healthy one, and gave a good supply of honey last year without swarming. Will you kindly tell me also what is the best time of the day lo examine stocks? Last year I opened a hive in bright sunshine and got badly stung. — S. E. H., Edinburgh. Reply. — (i) Leave the eke alone now, and remove it and the extra comb when the honey harvest is over, and there is no brood in it. (2) Manipulate in the dayhime^ midday being best, as then most of the bees aio away. Avoid manipulating in thundery weather, and be sure to subdue the bees properly before commencing. Neglect of the latter was probably the cause of your being stung, or your .stock of bees may be a vicious one. [4138] Badly Draun-out Sections.- — I find that many of my sections are only drawn-out on one side, filled with honey, and capped over. The foundation is quite smooth on the other side, as if the bees had removed the stampings. I have six in this condition in one super. Why is this, and what is the remedy? — T. D. A., Somerset. Reply. — The probable cause is that the sides not built out are those nearest the outside of the rack, or the rack is fitted up so that the bees cannot get to that side to work. Draughts will also cause this to happen sometimes. [4139] Disinferting Hives. — Owing to there being so much foul brood in this neighbourhood, I wish to take every pre- caution. I find if I disinfect with Calvert's No. 5 carbolic acid, it takes so long before the bees will accept the hives again. Would they take to hives earlier if I used liquid Formaldehyde, forty per ■cent, solution; and if so, can you tell me about how many weeks should elapse before bees are put into the hive? — Francis, Torquay. Reply. — You must vse ten per cent, solution of Formaldehyde. When the hive is dry the bees will remain in it quite contentedly, there being no disagreeable odour as in the case of carbolic acid. [4140] Keeping ZJnnsed Stores. — Last autumn I fed my bees with syrup, and in the spring of this year had to take away several combs of sealed stores to make room for the queen to lay. (1) Will these stores do for next winter, or will they be too stale? (2) What is the minimum temperature which you consider safe for manipulating bees and brood, (a) when calm, (h) in a wind? — A. B. C, Kent. Reply. — (1) Keep the food in a dark, warm place, and it will be fit for use in the autumn. (2) About 70 degrees Fahr. Do not manipulate at all in a wind. Echoes from the Hives. I started bee-keeping last year (April 1910) with one stock, this wintered splendidly and sent off a large swarm on May 25tli last. The swarm settled on a small hawthorn bush in a field at the back of my garden, and clustered on the shore, thick main stem. A friend and I sawed through the stem, and carried the bush and cluster over the garden wall to a hive prepared. My friend, who is expert in these matters, shook the bees in front of the hive, and they at once took possession and seem to be now quite settled. — J. Beaumont-Shaw, Wandsworth Common, May 27th. It has been a glorious month of May in this district, and the bees have been working well. I have heard of several swarms around here, and am expctinu to commence extracting early this week. The bees are very busy at present on the red-flowered horse chestnut and the raspberry blossom, which is now com- mencine" to open. — A. R. P., Taunton, May 29th A hive of bees belonging to Mr. Joseph Kennedy, Overtown, Lanark- shire, sent off a swarm on Wednesday, 24th May, weighing 61b. Considering the backward seasons exioerienced in this part of the country in recent years, which were against earlv swarming, this is said to be an excellent result. — Wemyshill. WEATHER REPORT Westbourne, Sussex. Rainfall, 3-43in. Above average, 1 ■48in . Heaviest fall, l"48in., 25th. Rain fell on 9 days. Sunshine, 2427 hours. Above average, 5'2 hours. Brightest day, 29th, 14"3 hours. Sunless days, 0. Maximum tempera- ture, 75° on 29th. May, 1911. Minimum tempera- ture 33° on 22nd. Minimum on grass, 30oon22Dd. Frosty nights. 0. Mean Maximum 63 6. Mean Minimum 45 "7. Mean temperature, 54 6. Above average, 2 8. Maximum barometer, 30-291 on 6th. Minimum barometer, 29-614 on 14th L. B. BiRKETT. June 8, 1911] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 229 Bee Shows to Come. June 26 to 30, at Norwich (Eoyal Agricul- tural Society's Show).— Bee and Honey Section under the management of the B.B.K.A. Prizes arranged in groups of counties for Associations affiliated to the B.B.K.A. Schedules from W. Herrod, Secretary, B.B.K.A., 23, Bedford Street, Strand, London, W.C. Entries closed. July 13 and 14, at Brigg, laincs. — Lincoln- shire B.K.A. Great Show of Honey, Hives, and Appliances, at the Brigg Exhibition of the Lincoln- shire Agricultural Society. Valuable prizes offered in Open Classes for Trophy, Extracted, Granulated, and Comb Honey, Observatory Hives, Bee Appli- ances and Hives. Schedules, &c., from Mr. J. H. Hadfield, Alford, Lines. Entries close June 9. July 19 and 20, at Stafford.— Honey Show in connection with the Staffs. Bee-keepers' Association. Four open classes. Schedules from Joseph Tinsley, 22, Granville Terrace, Stone, Staffs. Entries close July 10. July 25, 26, 27, at Gloucester. Annual Show of the Gloucestershire B.K.A., in connection with the Count.y Agricultural Show. Separate tent for Honey, Wax, and Appliances. Open classes. Special prizes. Schedules from Rev. F. H. Fowler, Barnwood Vicarage, Gloucester. Entries close July 18. July 26 and 27, at Cardiff.— Annual Show of the Glamorgan B.K.A. in connection with the Car- diff and County Horticultural Show. Separate tent for honey, wax, and appliances. Open classes. Special prizes. Schedules from Hon. Sec. Mr. Wiltshire Maindy School, Cardiff. July 27, 28, and 29, at Botherliam.— Show of Hives, Honey, &c., in connection with the Royal Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Schedules and Entry Forms from Secretary, Blake-street, York. Entries close June 17. August 3, at Weston-super-Mare. — Annual Show of the Somerset B.K.A., in connection with the important Local Annual Flower Show. Classes for Appliances, Honey, Wax, and Bee Products. Several open and free classes. Liberal prizes. Numerous attractions. Excursions from all parts. For Schedule, &c., apply to T. Jones, Assistant Show Secretary, North View, Milton-road, Weston- super-Mare. Entries close July 29. August 16, at Lancaster. — Annual Show of Lancashire B.K.A., in connection with the Lan- caster Agricultural Show; open local and cottagers' classes. Write for Honey Schedule to Robert Gardner, 13 Sun-street, Lancaster. Entries close August 2nd. August 23, at Radstock, Somerset.— Honey Show in connection with the Radstock Horticul- tural and Farmers' Association. Open and gift classes. Write for Honey Schedule. B. M. Clark, Foxhills, Radstock. Notices to Correspondents. A. R. P. (Taunton). — Earliest Stages of Foul Brood. — Tn the earliest stage of foul brood, the affected larva begins to move unnaturally, and changes its ap- pearar-ce, loses its plumpness, and assumes a flabby aspect. The colour changes to pale yellow, and before this change takes place, the further progress of the disease may be arrested in the way described in Guide Book. If you wait until the larv.^e turn brown, spores will be forming which it is difficult to destroy. W. N. C. (Castle Caiy).~CeUs of Wild Bee. — The cells are those of Osmia rufn, one of the mason bees. It has made its cells of mortar composed of agglutinated earth. One of the cells has the impression on it of the printing from the newsjiaper to which it wax attached. The pollen stored is food for the future larva, but this nest was evi- dently only in preparation as we couM find no eggs present in the pollen you send. The bee has probably found a small holo bv which it has gained access to the top of the hive. J. D. (Lawrencekirk). — Strengthening Weak Colonies. — The plan you propose would not be a good one, as the weak colonies would not have sufficient bees to keep the extra brood warm. You had much better unite, making two in all and reserving the queens you wish to keep. J. B. (Cranbrook). — Using Apicure. — Ex- perts' Certificates. — The best plannvill be to melt down the suspicious combs. Apicure will not cause the bees to swarm, nor will it flavour the honey in any way. We do not know of an examination to' be held near you at present. Certainly the certificate is of value, and recognised in the colonies. You would .stand a better chance with it than without. Read the Australasian Bee Manual. J. W. S. (Wembley). — Wax-moth in Hive. — Use either Apicure or nai^hthaline in the hive. LiNDFiELD (Sussex). — Artipcial Swarming. — The whole operation is explained in Guide-book, page 93, to which we cannot do better than refer you. Essex. — Stock Dwindling. — It is either caused by a failing queen, or disease may be present in the hive. Send us a small piece of comb containing brood (packed in a tin box), and we may be able to advise you. W. F. Williams (Hemel Hempstead). — Honey Sample. — The honey is not of good quality, being dark in colour, rather ihin in consistency, and having a strong, rank flavour. We should not advise you mixing it up with the light honey you may get, as it would spoil the latter. H. QuiNTiN (Co. SUgo).— Wild Bees.— Tho bee is Andrena pilipes, not a common species.— (F. W. L. S.) Suspected Disease. H. C. (Kent). — The bees have starved to death. There appears to be no disease, but there are traces of wax-moth, which evidently entered the hive after the stock .succumbed. You ought to get a swarm in June for about 15s. Taimont (Newton Abbott). — The trouble is caused by foul brood. Destroy the remaining bees, burn combs and all internal fittings of the hive, and dis- infect it thoroughly without delay. 230 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 8, 1911. J. T. D. (Cardigan). — The stock is affected with foul brood. We should advise yot;, if the Ktock is strong, to make a sw.arm of the bees, putting them into a clean hive filled with full sheets of new foundation. Melt up the used foundation for wax, and destroy the fittings of infected hive, afterAvards disinfecting the latter thoroughly. Thank you for kind appreciation of "B.B.J." W. W. (Troon). — A case of odourless foul brood. Requeen the stock and use Apicure in the hive. Ajax (N.B.). — Odourless, foul brood. See reply to W. W. (Troon). Special^ Prepaid Advertisements Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free 0/ charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per i in., or Ss. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. STRONG, healthy, NATURAL SWARMS from frame hives for sale.— WAGHORN, Liss, Hants. j 95 5 HIVES, painted, perfect condition, 4s. each, cost 15s.; 10 Racks, sections fitted founda- tion and dividers, 2s. 6d.; 2 Smokers, Is. each; no disease.— WEST, Beecroft, Bridgemary, Fare- ham, j 97 n STOCKS BEES, fine condition, in good frame hives, 25s. each.— BECKENSALL, Ringwood, Hants. 3 93 GUARANTEED HEALTHY, 3 Strong Stocks of Bees for sale, 23s. each, or nearest offer. — C. GRIGGS, Harlow, Essex. j 100 QUANTITY TAYLOR'S BEE GOODS (new), crates, frames, sections, foundations, metal- ends, glass supers for skeps, queen excluders, &c. 15% discount.— WELLBOURN, Cranswick, Bever- ley, j 99 TYPEWRITER, Remington, universal keyboard, perfect condition, very clear writer, will last a lifetime, cost £22. sell 80s.; great bargain. — L. WAKEFEILD, Newhall Hill, Birmingham. k 2 NATURAL SWARMS from Bar-framed Hives, guaranteed healthy, 12s. 6d.— WILLIAM DENNIS, Brownsover, Rugby. j 67 1 Q 1 1 CHOICE, vigorous, healthy, fertile JLt/AX Queens, 5s. each. — WOOD, Ash Grove, Ripon. r 5 FREEHOLD PLOT OF LAND, well fenced and hedged, planted with choice fruit trees; buildings comprise two pigsties, fowl houses, and one office on wheels; also 100 head of poultry; reasonable price accepted; just right to commence a small apiary. Photo shewing part (3 stamps). Poultry runs and ground ad.ioining can be rented cheaply.— Apply, RINGER, Tatsfield, Surrey. r 4 W.B.C. HIVE, 10s. 6d.; shallow crate, drawn out combs, 3s. 6d.; 561b, ripener, 4s. 6d.; 2 skeps, smoker, section rack, division boards, 3s. 6d. lot; all as new: brood combs. 4d. each: giving up; healthy.— FERRIDAY, Fouroaks. r 3 HEALTHY SWARMS FOR SALE, May, 3s.; June 2s. 6d.— F. H. BUCK, Wimbish, Saffron Walden. Special Prepaid Advertisements. — Continued SLADEN'S TWIN NUCLEI HIVES, new] complete, folding frames, cover, &c., price 5s. 6d. each, or 10s. the two f.o.r.— SINFIELD, Upper George-st, Luton. j 68 WHAT OFFERS?— 6 Cottager Hives, used one season only, each containing floor board with legs, brood chamber with movable porch, 10 frames, dummy, 6in. lift, crate of 21 lib. sections (unused). Queen excluder, quilt, roof, painted 3 coats; large meadows honey ripener, used once, with strainer, lift and lid; Sladen's double Baby Nuclei Hive, with folding frames, used once. — F. E. MATTHEWS, Cofton Apiary, Northfield, Birmingham. j 73 STRONG, guaranteed healthy. Swarms, 10s. each, 51b. upwards, 2s. 6d. lb; boxes returnable; cash with order.^R. WHITTING, Manea. j 78 \ LIMITED SUPPLY of BORAGE PLANTS to Jr\. flower this summer, 20 for 6d., carriage paid. — HEWETT, Carrington-road, Dartford, Kent, j 84 CLEARANCE SALE.— W.B.C. Crates, Racks and Brood Bodys, 25 for £1, a few with frames; Queen Excluders, Honey Strainer and Ripener, Extractor (Cowan's 2-frame).— RINGER, The Apiary, Tatsfield. j 83 IVUCLEI (4-frame with Queen) in W.B.C. and il other Hives, 25s. to 30s. each, complete. — W. H. SIMS, Hall Green, Birmingham. j 90 SWARMS on Frames, guaranteed from healthy Stocks, 20s.; boxes returned carriage paid.' — F. A. BEAN, Snaith, Yorkshire. j 63 WANTED, a few Skeps of Bees, with old and tough combs for driving purposes.— HER- ROD, " Bee Journal " Office. NATURAL SWARMS FOR SALE, June 1st to 17th 2s. 3d., after 2s. per lb.— R. ALLEN, Tusmore, Bicester. j 52 BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. 1 Cb 1 1 QUEENS. — Golden Italian Queens, JLt/iX 1911, pedigree brood rearers, guaran- teed fertile, pure, mated in Italy, healthy, hardy, prolific, price 4s. each; specially selected, 7s. 6d. Terms cash.^J. B. GOODARE, Woden Apiarv Wednesfield, Wolverhampton. j 96 HEALTHY NATURAL SWARMS for delivery before June 21st, 2s. 6d. per lb.— GEO. MASOM, expert, Moorend, Yardley Gobion, Northants. j 92 YOUNG FERTILE QUEENS, 3s. 9d.; Virgins, Is. 6d.; safe arrival guaranteed. — T0LLIN6- TON, Woodbine Apiary, Hathern. j 91 STRONG PROLIFIC HYBRID QUEENS; 15 years' experience; Swarthmore system in- stalled; fertiles. 4s.; virgins, 2s.— MOORE, The Avenue, Bedford. j 94 STRONG NATURAL SWARMS, guaranteed healthy, 12s. 6d.; safe delivery; second Swarms, 1911 Queens, 8s. 6d.— CADMAN, Codsall Wood. k 1 SWARMS FOR SALE during June, 2s. GEO. MASOM, expert, Moorend, Gobion, Northants. 6d. lb.— Yardley j 98 ITALIAN QUEENS direct from Italy. See com- plete advertisement in " B.B.J.," May 18th. Special offers till countermanded : 4 fertile Queens, taken in one time, 9s.; 6 Queens, 12s. 6d.; 10 Queens, 20s. Cash with orders; Queens sent post- paid; safe arrival guaranteed. — Address, E. PBNNA, Bologna, Italy. K AT-A-LOG is the best Ad.; send postcard to old firm.— MEADOWS, Syston. j 85 QUEENS, fertile, in introducing cage; delivery guaranteed, 5s. 6d.— BRICE'S APIARIES, I' Otford, Kent. June 15, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 231 Editorial, Notices, &c. BEES IN PARLIAMENT. The following answer was given by the Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of -Agriculture and Fisheries, in reply to an inquiry by the Member for "West Perth- shire, which will show tliat the subject of bee disease is receiving attention : — Sir E. Strachey informed the Marquis of Tullibardine (U.) that if the in- vestigations now in progress indicateH that legislation was required in order to prevent the spread of bee disease in Great Britain, the Board of Agriculture would at once bring in a Bill for that purpose. HONEY IMPORTS. Tlie value of honey imported into the United Kingdom during the month of May, 1911, was £4,542. — From a return furnished to the British Bee Jouejsial by the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs. AMONG THE BEES. BEE TEACHING. By B. M. Macdonald, Banff. Our Apicultural Colleges are doing •good pioneer work in disseminating a knowledge of bee-keejiing on up-to-date lines. One of the Aberdeen Lecturers (Mr. A. Manson), went all the way to ^Gloucester to .secure an expert's certi- iicate, and since then the College has been sending him round some ten counties in the North and East to deliver illus- i;rated bee lectures. Mr. Manson is a practical bee-keeper, having been familiar Avith bees from his boyhood, and so his in- struction is first hand, and therefore most valuable. He is at present finishing off a tour during which he has delivered over thirty lectures. In very few centres has the attendance been small, whereas in general the gatheirings have been large and enthusiastic. Everywhere he discovers bee-keepers anxious to learn all the latest and best as to devices, hives, appliances and manipulations. I have no doubt the good seed sown will bring forth good fruit in the future. The college pays all ex- penses and invites all bee-keepers and even non-bee-keepers to the lectures free. I believe the East of Scotland and West of Scotland Colleges have also lecturers cover- ing at least a part of each district, but the area is wide and the labourers are few. i It is, however, in contemplation to appoint a qualified expert in each district who would devote his whole time to lecturing, giving demonstrations and visiting apiaries to give advice, especially in com- Jating bee disease. For Legislation. — I referred in a recent contribution to the likely benefit that might accrue from a communication with our various M.P.'s in regard to legisla- tion to suppress bee diseases. I find that several of our legislators have been ap- proached, and that all have expressed full sympathy with the movement. The Perth- shire Bee-keepers' Association has peti- tioned the three M.P.'s for the county, and requested an interview with the object of securing their active aid in obtaining an Act. The Association unanimously passed a resolution in favour of such legislation, and in Lord Tullibardine bee-keepers have a representative ready to do his utmost to speed the good work. In conversing re- recently with the Aberdeen Apicultural College lecturer on apiculture he was emphatic on the extensive prevalence, bee pest, and the worst of it is that, as a rule, bee-keepers are entirely ignorant of its existence in their apiaries, not being aware of its symptoms. They know that some of their stocks have died out, that many more are languishing, and that even their best are not paying them as they did some years ago, but as to the why and wherefore of the matter they have no knowledge. One instance was given of a man who had hives in which the bees had died, the combs of which were literally rotten, standing open to tempt his neighbour's swarms to take up their abode there. These hives are a temptation and a snare, and foul brood will exist there, while the iniquity lasts. Would not legislation tell for good here? Avction Sales. — At "times bees are to be purchased cheaply at auction sales, but before investing in them it is necessary to examine the hive interior beforehand. Too often this is neglected, with disastrous results. Rarely is any guarantee given when the hives are thus sold, and con- sequently there is no redress if they die out soon after, or if they are badly affected with disease. This is so common a result that I would strongly counsel beginners ■ against investing in them, even if they appear to be getting a bargain. Disease I know has been brought in close proximity to my own hives by thoughtless purchasers who had no idea" that they were doing any harm. I know of instances where from one up to seven hives have been bought at displenish sales where the bees either died out the first season, or lin- gered on a year or two, gradually dwind- ling down until they became extinct, never having brought in to their owners a single farthing. This helps to bring the pursuit into disrepute, and prejudices many against bees. This spring extra good prices were obtained for bees thus exposed at public sales, and a healthy feature was that most of the purchasers were beginners who are starting for the first 232 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 15, 1911. time, and who had the discretion to have the colonies examined beforehand. Bee-keep- ing seems to be in 'the air, and the future of the industry would be assured if — ^a big if — only disease were eliminated. Winter Protection. — I am an advocate of ample protection in winter. Bees are bound to come out stronger and healthier in every respect, nine times out of ten, if they are warmly and, snugly wrapped up to exclude the outside cold and conserve the inside heat. Plenty of overhead cover- ings hinders the dissipation of the warmth generated by the cluster of bees, and thereby saves them from consuming an excess of stores to create further warmth. This process, entailing as it does extra labour, must also wear out the bees, and age them before spring arrives. Yet, now and again, one meets with instances where bees overcome every drawback, and sur- vive in spite of the lack of what goes to secure comfort and strength. Several I examined during the spring were strong or less dependent on insects for fertilisa- tion ; some may be said to be entirely dependent. Thus the pollen grains of goose- berry, red and black currant are globular and stick together in such a way as to be immovable from the anther by the wind and necessitating some mechanical means to transfer the pollen fix)m the anthers to the stigmas ; nature accom- plishes this through the hairy bodies of the bumble bee and hive bee. Experi- menters who have covered bushes of these fruits with muslin to see the effect of ex- cluding bees find that the exclusion of the bee renders the bushes fruitless. In strawberries and raspberries, hive bees are beneficial in pollinating the blooms, though these flowers appear to be able to set fruit without the visit of in- sects, the movement of the air being able to transfer the pollen to the stigmas of the same flower ; bees, however, if they have accass do the pollination more perfectly and the fruit is larger. The best weather P ?- A, B, CHE RRY £>TRftWBERRY RA&PaHRRf APPL t PLU M COB NUT GOOSEBERRY ,j \_Photo by F. Edenden, Wye Kent. THE POLLENS OF FEUiTS {magnified). and fit, and had started considerable breeding, although they were covered in overhead with only two or three layers of old newspapers loosely put on. As each of them had the partly drawn racks of- sections left on from last season, the amount of ventilation overhead appeared to be excessive, yet the bees had overcome all drawbacks and were full of vitality. I note that this leaving on of over- head supers is often practised, but I do not care to indulge in it in my own case. I feel that in cold winters bees are detri- mentally affected by this over-large in- ternal space in which they have to keep up a suitable warmth in zero weather. THE POLLINATION OF FRUITS. BY CECIL H. COOPER, M.R.A.C. With the exception of cob and filbert- nuts and walnuts which are wind pollinated, all our hardy fruits are more for pollination of fruits would seem to be calm somewhat warm and sunny weather, with an occasional shower, whereas frost and cold, strong winds and long continued rainy weather are detrimental to fruit production. The berry fruits appear to be all of them able to set fruit with pollen of the same flower, or from pollen of the same or of a different variety, but in the case of apple, pear, plum and cherry, an addi- tional problem in pollination comes in, namely that as all plants of a horticultural variety have arisen from one seed, each bud or graft used for its propagation acts ■as if part of the original tree; and for cross-pollination purposes the blossoms are sister flowers whether the pollen is from the same flower, from another tree near, or from another tree of the same variety miles away. Many varieties will produce iruit when pollinated with their own pollen, but even with these better fruit is June 15, 1911.] THE BRITLSH BEE JOURNAL. 233 generally produced when fertilized with pollen from another variety. However a .still larger proportion of varieties are found to be " self-sterile," i.e. do not set fruit with their own pollen, and from ex- periments already made it seems probable that eight out of ten of the varieties of apple grown in Britain are "self sterile," and nearly the same proportion in pears: whilst in j^lums and cherries it seems pro- bable that one-third to one-half of the varieties are entirely or partly self-sterile. This fact probably accounts for many trees whilst blossoming well not .setting fruit. The number of hive and wild bees in the 1 cigh]>ourhood also needs consideration. In the U.S.A. and Australia observa- tions by fruit-growers and trials at their be carried far by wind, enough pollen is not produced by one tree to pollinate anothei' tree near or even to pollinate adjoining flowers ; it is therefore only by insects that this cro.ss-pollination naturally takes place. Apparently the more hairy the insect the better is it adapted to the trans- ference of pollen. From observation this year at Wye, Kent, of the various fruit- blossom visitors, I estimate the proportion of insects visiting fruit blossoms as follows: 80 per cent, hive bees, 15 per cent, bumble bees of different varieties, 5 per cent, other wild bees, black midge-JiKe flies, tiny beetles, &c. The bumble bees, especially the largest kinds, plentifully visit gooseberries, black currants, plums and apples on dull days as well as sunny, both 1 2 liHIiiiiiilMMiiii 9 10 11 12 SOME OK THE CHIEF VISITORS TO KRUIT BLOfeSOMS. (Photo by F. Edenden, Wye, Kent.) 1. Boinbus Derhamelius. 2. Bombus muscorutn. 3. Psithyrus barbatellus. 4. Bombylius major. 5. E.i\e bee (Apis mellifica). 6. Andrena (sp'r). T.Apple Sawfly (Hoplocampa testudinea). Q. Andrena (sp?) 9. Bombus lapidarius. 10. Bombus sylvarum. 12. Bombus hortorum. _ many experiment stations have already given valuable practical information on the subject ; considerable knowledge has also been obtained in America as to which are the best varieties to plant as poUenizers for their best varieties of apple, pear, plum and almond : in England we are beginning to study the problems sug- gested by our practical fruit growing brothers and cousins across the seas. As the pollen of neither apple, pear, plum nor cherry is produced in sufficient quantity or is of the right con-sistency to at early morn and dewy eve, often in weather too windy for the hive bee to work in ; they .start work also soon after a shower. The hive bee is, however, undoubtedly the most important and numerous of tue- fruit pollenizers, and is the only one under our control to increase or decrease it& numbers; the diseases of bees are there- fore a very great calamity to fruit- growers, manv of whom unfortunately dt> not value the' work of the bee as highly as they should, and get their work done by other people's bees. 234 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 15, 1911. It would seem that many trees that blossom without fruiting if healthy and well cultivated might be prevailed on to fruit, either by having a hive of bees placed near them or by planting another variety of the same kind of fruit near, or by grafting some of their boughs wi-u another variety flowering about the same time so as to ensure cross fertilization. 'tHe advice from America in planting an orchard is not to plant more than two rows of one variety in one place, but to alternate with another variety, unless a variety is known to be "self fertile." In the future one may see apple orchards planted in the order of blossoming of the several varieties tto give the best chance for cross pollination and the greatest conveni- ence in spraying. I think we may take it that there is much in fruit-growing worth the knowing still to be found out by knocking at Nature's gates. With regard to the illustration of pollens of fruits — the pollens of apple, pear, plum, cherry, strawberry and raspberry are very similar, under the microscope resembling in shape a date stone or grain of wheat when mounted in Canada balsam ; the pollens of gooseberry, red currant and black currant resemble one another, being- globular and adhesive, the grains of black currant especially sticking together in large numbers. As to the photograph of insects, these were caught by Mr. C. F. Vetch a,nd myself, on or near blossoms of apple and other fruits in the orchard of the Wye Agricultural College, and Professor F. V. Theobald kindly named them. This year the large yellow-banded bumble bee has been by far the most numerous visitor next to hive bees. Correspondence. 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 lorite on one side of the paper only and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily for publication, but tts a guarantee of good faith.. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications. NOTES BY THE AVAY. [8182] Scarcity of Sicarms. — June promises to be a grand bee month for early honey-gathering, but the continued honey flow does not conduce to swarm- ing. Every empty cell is used by the workers for storing surplus, thus restiict- ing the brood-nest. I hear of very few swarms, and with my two apiaries I have, as yet, had only four. The unfavour- able month of April depleted the hives by its cold, chilling M'inds, then came May — all one could wish for — but there was a big leeway to make up to get stocks into SAvarming condition. We know it takes about a month to breed bees ready to take to foraging, and when tlie heal^wavc came, bi'inging the fields of flowers into full bloom a fortnight earlier than usual, the brood combs Were used for storing the incoming honey. Hence, whenever pos- sible, the brood-combs, especially the outside ones, are clogged with the best Jioney of the year, and this has restricte melted. Be careful that the water do-iS not boil, or the flavour of the honey will be spoilt. D. D. (Sheffield). — Suspected Disease. — Comb is affected with foul brood, and this will ax?count for the stock dwindling. You probably killed the queen during the previous manipu- lations. H. S. V. (Tewkesbury), — Uniting Bees. — The bees have evidentlj- died from the^ effects of the damp and the strong dis- iiifechmt. After twenty-four hours i- will be safer to flour the bees in both lots before adding more to the weaker. J. D. D. (Buriis). —Dead Bees.— The greater number of the bees are workers, which have died of old age. The re- mainder are drones, which have been killed by the workers. E. S. (Royston).^ — Using Apicure. — All depends on the strength of the colony,, and the weather. In warm weather it will evaporate in a month or six weeks ; in cold it will last about three months. J. W. S. (Forfar.shire). — Curing Foul Brood — It is very wrong of your neigh- bour to keep a diseased stock so near \(>uv bees, as your strong stocks have probably robbed them, and .so contracted it. In reply to your questions (1) Keep the hees confined for forty-eight hours without food, then hive them, when they will be all right. (2) You might try apicuro or formaldehyde, as advertised in our pages. (3) It is foul brood of old standing. 240 THE 131UTISH BEE JOUUNAL. [June 15, 1911. Special Prepaid Advertisements Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the ■Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per ^ in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATi: ADVERTISXIMEMTS. SALE or EXCHANGE for MARCH CHICKENS, Taylor's Centrifugal Honey Extractor, listed 22s. 6cl., new condition, and appliances.— POPE, Jockey-rd, Sutton Coidfield. k 6 SURPLUS STOCK.— 4 W.B.C. Hives, newly painted, complete with Brood Box, 2 Supers, Queen Excluder, 7s. each; Supers, with 8 drawn out Combs, metal ends, 3s. each; Supers, with 8 Combs, not drawn out, and metal ends, 2s. each; W.B.G. Section Racks, with 7 frames. Is. 9d. each; Queen Excluders. 4d. each; drawn out Super Combs, 4s. a doz.— GILBEY, Bretton, Wakefield. k 18 REMOVING.— Guaranteed healthy Stock, with Cowan Hive, 30s.; empty wells hive, 10s.; Standard Nucleus Hives, Is. 6d.— BEECROFT, Abbotts-road, King's Heath. k 19 6 DOZ. Jib. tie-over JARS HONEY, heather blend, 5s. doz., free on rail.— W. WOODS, Normandy, Guildford. k 20 STRONG SWARMS, guaranteed healthy, 12s. 6d. each, carriage paid, boxes returned paid.— L. W. MATTHEWS, Great Rollright, Oxon. k 22 STRONG STOCK of Sladen's strain, healthy, in good hive; will exchange for two Swarms Blacks.— HUGHES, Goat Llanberis, N. W. k 23 STOCKS BEES on Standard 10 frames, in good Hives, 25s. each; Swarms, 12s. 6d., in few days.— BECKENSALL, Ringwood, Hants. k 24 W.B.C. SUPER CRATE, stock box, 3 shallow- ' frame toxes, excluder, zinc, uncapping knife, sundries; free disease, clean, 10s. 6d. lot.— TOWNSHEND, 82, Linden-road, Bournville. k 25 FOR SALE, HONEY RIPENER, unused, cost 12s., hold Icwt., cheap, 7s.— 28, Windsor- street, Wolverton, Bucks. k_7 OR SALE, few Racks good, clean, healthy, drawn out Shallow Frames, 4s.; section racks. Is. each; dividers, 6d. doz.— A. GREEN, Tangley Estate. Andover. k 8 EXPERTS.— Brothers, thoroughly competent, seek situation in Apiary or gardens for a few months.— VARTY, Diseworth, Derby. k 9 STRONG, healthy, 3-franie Nuclei, with 1911 fertile Queens, selected strains, 10s.; 6-frame, IBs. 6d.— L. HACK, Holmwood, Surrey. k 10 IVE, BEES, and FEEDER, free on rail, strong hive, 25s.: makeshift, 20s.. 15s.; 3- fraroe Nuclei, 14s.— NEWMAN, 33, Norfolk-road, Erdington^ k 11 H" EALTHY SWARMS, guaranteed June, lis., or 2s. 6d. lb-: swarm boxes returnable, cash with order.— LEWIN. Molesworth, Hunts. k 12 FOUR doz. finest grade White Clc'er T911 Sections, 10s. doz. — NORTH, Cressing. B ra i n t ree. Essex. k 14 FOR SALE, first-clRSS Apiary, 40 hives, honpy shnd and all appliances, situate Marlborough, Wilts. PC reasonab'p r^ffpr refused: insoect'on in- vite^—Apply, WADEMAN, 5, Gold-street, Roath, Cardiff. k 26 5 HIVES, painted, perfect condition, 4s. each, r.rft ifi's : 10 Rpf'fS. sure to welcome the new members, Mr. J. Cunningham and Mr. G. R. Alder. The work of the Council was heavy, and he Tioped they would be able to attend regu- larly and help with it, as it was more satisfactory and gratifying that the Affili- ated Associations should take an active part in the management of the Association. Examinations of the Third Class were arranged for at Aberdeen, Luton, Chester, Norwich, Swanley, Bridgend, Carlisle, Boston, and Brigg. CoiTespondence was read between Mr. ■Cowan and the Rev. W. Ellison, Chairman of the Cambridge and District Association. It was proposed by Mr. Watson and seconded by Mr. Lamb that the Council fully approve and endorse the letters written by Mr. Cowan, and that he be thanked 'most cordially for the great labour and trouble he had taken in the matter. Correspondence was read from the Secretary of the Derbyshire Association, and it was resolved that the same lie on the table. Proofs of letter re delegates were sub- mitted, and it was resolved that the same be printed and sent to Council for the next meeting, after being approved by the Publications Committee. Next Meeting of Council July 20th. THE BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' GriDE BOOK. TWENTIETH EDITION. The special large edition of 19,000 copies of the above popular work on bees (though only issued in August, 1907) has been completely sold out within four years, and we have pleasure in announcing that Mr. Cowan has prepared a new and revised " Coronation " Edition, which will be on sale in a few days time. While the special characteristics of the book have been care- fully preserved it has been brought up-to- date in every way. The chapter on diseases has received the special attention of the author in view of the late mortality among the bees in this country. An artistic cover, in the appropriate colours of royal red and purple, adds to the attractive appearance of the book, and we confidently expect that the Twentieth Edition will meet with the approval that previous editions have done. HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By W. Herrod. Fitting up Frames. — A little trouble and care expended on this work will save the expenditure of useless labour on the part of the bee, and enable the bee-keeper to manipulate the frames easily and com- fortably. Also, if done properly, the risk of foundation falling is reduced to a mini- mum. In the first place the foundation used must be of the best kind and free from the possibility of disease germs lurk- ing in it. Undoubtedly foundation such as'' that manufactured by the "Weed" process is the best; it is sterilized twice during the time it is being manufactured, so that in reality it is doubly safe. I have a number of times seen disease break out from the use of foundation made by the old dipping method, but i have yet to see the first case of this happening with "Weed" Foundation. Also it is much 242 THE BRITISH BEE J0T3RNAL. [June 22, 1911. tougher than other foundation, owing to the fact that every particle of dirt and pollen is removed so that it will stand any reasonable strain put upon it. To see the diflFerence it is only necessary to take a sheet of the two kinds (i.e., "'Weed'' and the clipped process) and hold them up to the light, when it will be seen that the ''Weed" is transparent, while the other is full of small particles of foreign matter that have not been removed. Having decided upon the foundation, the next item is the frame, and I say without hesitation that the best frame to use is one with a perfectly plain top bar. The split top is an abomination, as it harbours wax-moth, makes the bar weak, so that it often sags in the centre, and also pro- longs the work of removing the comb when it is necessary to replace it with founda- tion. If the plain top is used it compels the bee-keeper to wire the foundation, a very necessary proceeding, as it ensures its being kept in the centre of the frame, reduces "the possibility of it falling, and makes the combs much stronger in case thev have to travel. For this reason it is almost criminal for those engaged in the sale of bees not to have their combs wired. Again, if in the excitement of something unusual happening during manipulation, should the frame be held fiat instead of edgewise, there is not so much danger of the comb breaking out. Lastly, it saves money, as foundation which weighs ten sheets to the pound can be used instead of seven, which is the lightest that should be used unwired. It is just as easy and quick to fasten the foundation to the top bar by means of molten wax as it is to insert it into the saw-cut. When it is necessary to cut out the comb, a sharp knife, heated a little, run along the under- side of the top bar removes the comb and leaves a plain vsurface for fixing founda- tion again. There are various methods of wiring explained in the "Guide Book." The one I have found most satisfactory is that shown on page 75. Complication of parts in a frame are objectionable ; in fact, in any appliance connected with bee- keeping the simplest is the best, providing it is efficient for the work for which it is intended. Instructions for wiring are so clearly given in the "Guide Book," that I need not detail them here, but will mention a few brief hints which will make the work more satisfactory and easier. Use tinned wire, otherwise it will rust and cause death of larva when it touches the cells. Tlie wire for a brood-fi-ame should be stretched at least four inches before it is put into the frame. If stretching is attempted after the wire is in the frame, it is not enough, and the wire soon becomes slack. With nails the tighter the wii'e is ])ullpd the faster the hooks remain. If hooks screwed into the inside of the frame are used they often fall out and they take longer to fix. Be- fore attempting to j)ut foundation into a split-top frame, ciit a small piece off the two top corners, this will allow the founda- tion to go in comfortably. The saw-cut, as a rule, is not carried quite up to the end bar on one side as it is made with a cir- cular saw ; therefore, to attempt to force the foundatiori in will cause it to buckle and result in an imperfect comb. Don't cut off too much or drone comb will be built. Keei> the wiring board damped with hot water ; this will prevent the foundation sticking and also keep the wax in a more pliable condition. If the board is dry, the embedder will cause the sheet to stick along its route, and when an attempt is made to lift the frame off, the- wire cuts right through, so spoiling it. A good embedder can be made by driving a two-inch wire nail into a piece of wood to form a handle, cut off the head, file to a blunt point, cut a nick in this with a small three-cornered file, and you have an embedder that costs nothing and will work quite as well as the wheel pattern sold. Use a spirit lamp to heat the embedder, not a candle ; the latter causes carbon to form, and this blackening the bees object to. Don't get the embedder too 'hot or the wax will be melted right through. When placed in the hive the bees will enlarge these small holes and often build drone comb in them. NECTAR-PRODUCING PLANTS AND THEIR POLLEN. By Geo. Hayes, Beeston, Notts. (Continued from p. 215). No. 8. Horse Chestnut {^^sculus Hippocastauum) . NAT. OED., Sapindacece. The chestnut is a very beautiful tree : its branches are so arranged that thej- give it the form of a paraboloid. If we add to this the shape of its large leaves and its pyramids of white flowers, deli- cately marked with red and yellow, it is not to be wondered that we find this tree in such profusion. It is not a native of Europe, but was introduced into this country about the middle of the 16th cen- tury. It does not produce good timber, and is, therefore, grown chiefly as an ornamental tree. To the bee-keeper it is about the same value as the Sycamore, both as regards nectar and pollen production. The individual flowers of which the pyramid is made up, are worthy of close examination, when it will be found that they are as lovely as many orchids. The beautiful tints on the petals and the more intense colour of the anthers on the white back-gi"onnd give general satisfaction. .Time 22, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 243 The fruit, or nuts, are well known to all, and have something to do with the common name given to this tree. First Horse denotes that it is something large and coarse — as Mint, Horse-mint, Radish, Horse-Radish— to distinguish this from the sweet chestnut (Castania vesca), which in the southern countries forms the food of the common people. Secondly, it is probably from the fact that horses were fed with its fruit. The Turks are said to grind the nuts and mix them with the horsie's food which the latter devoured with avidity. The pollen is of a bright red colour both when on the anthers and the leg of the bee. but its brightness vanishes to some l.Drv^ extent after being- kept awhile, as some taken from bees working on this flower shows. I may here mention that I have a collec- tion of pollen taken from the legs of bees found working on each particiilar flower, so that I may know by the colour of the load of pollen brought home approximately the flower which the bee has been visiting. I say approximately be- cause it sometimes happens that more than one species of flower will be yield- ing the same coloured pollen at the same time, and in such a case we have to refer it to the microscope. Both the Chestnut and the Sycamore are large growing trees, and it would at first no doubt be thought that the pollen grains would be about equal in size, but this is not so, for although the Chestnut hafi the larger and stronger flower of the two, its pollen is A-ery much smaller. Wnen 2. 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 241 ing them. Examined niidev the micro- sooije, the juices appeared normal, but there were occasionallj found hair-like worms which twist and coil in all direc- tions. The illustration shows four of those found. These appear to be a genus of entozoa, probably a species of Mei- nix, which is sometimes found in the intes- tines of insects, and was probably intro- duced with the food by worker bees, who had acquired them with tlie water they had carried into the hive. The worm de- posits its eggs in watery j^laces, and bees carry them in this condition into the hive. The emerging brood was quit« normal. We know of no remedy except removing the brood combs containing such cells. Frequently dead brood is due to constitutional weakness, and in such a case, the only remedy is the removal of the brood, renewal of the queen, with the addition of emerging brood or young bees fi'om a healthy colony. AMERICAN AND COI.OXIAL PAPERS. EXTEACTS AND COMMENTS. Bu D. M. MacdonakJ, Banff. An Avocation for Women. — Miss Hoff- man, a daughter of the inventor of the Hoffman frame, -so popular in America, contributes a, delightful article on bee- keeping for women in the page conducted by Miss Wilson in the Canadian B.J. Remunerative compared with other occupations, she still admits it has its advantages and disadvantages. In a good season the pursuit will yield a better income than that derived from her sister's teaching. Then the season for the honey-flow is short, whereas the other works all the year round. The woman who keeps bees lives and works at home, and can attend to other family and household duties. While a woman cannot farm alone, she can do all the work of her apiary without help from men. She owns that it is not a ■' get rich quick '' busine&s, but, all the same, it will provide a comfortable income for the right man or woman. She manages 200 colonies, and last season, from 170, had a surplus of 14,000 pounds. That is very creditable indeed. Judging by the very handsome face and figure in the photio- graph illustrating the article, bee-keeping agrees well with Miss Hoffman, as she looks the picture of good health. Can any of our lady bee-keepers give us figures in any way matching the foregoing to show how they make the pursuit pay ? Sirarin Prevention. — This is the most engrossing subject in the bee-keepers" minds at present. Gleanings outlines the following well-known plan as the best out of many. " Two full depth borders were given and the queen allowed the full range of all frames up to the honey flow, when the upper story was removed and the best combs of brood given to the lower. The rest of the brood was given to nuclei, or to two-storey colonies not yet up to full strength. Then a half-depth body was put on temporarily, and when the bees were nicely started it was removed and a comb honey super put on instead. The idea of using the extracting super at first was to get the bees into the habit of going above. The secret of swarm control here outlined is in having a large brood nest up to the beginning of the honey harvest. In other words, there should be so much room that the colony will have no thought of swarming. Subsequent conditions should be such as to encourage work, work, WORK, not loaf, loaf, loaf, until swarming prepara- tions are made. A colony that begins to feel cramped just at the beginning of the harvest is liable to get into the swarming notion." This plan is practised to a con- siderable extent in this country, and a splendid array of bees should be ready to profit fully by a late flow like the heather. It is indeed one of three plans I gave many years ago whereby a very strong force can be secured for super work in August. Jottings. — Mr. Doolittle says that his experience, based on many carefully con- ducted experiments, satisfies him that the claim that tin separators have a tendency to cause less work in sections and a decrease in yield is more theory than fact. Mr. E. D. Townsend considers that some of the volatile oils evaporate when extracted honey is left exposed, and so some of the beautiful aroma is lost, thus placing honey nearer the level of the cheaper sweets. He contends that canning- should be done as soon as possible after the honey is removed from the comb. Mr. J. L. Byer maintains that if the top of the hive is sealed down, the least trace of foul brood can be detected at the hive entrance by anybody acquainted with the characteristic odour. At times he has spotted a colony which, when examined , contained only a dozen diseased cells. Mr. Root pleads for more apiaries and fewer bees in each apiary. Where there is one yard that will support 200 colonies there are ten that will not support more than fifty. His conclusion is the result of ripe experience. The much belauded Italian has its faults, it seems! They breed up well for a full flow and then stop breeding altogether. Even stimulative feeding fails to induce them to resnme and work up 248 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 22, 1911. for a second flow. Many are going in for a cross between them and Carniolans. These bees do not " ward " themselves on the first preliminary honey flow. Colour and Temper. — Mr. J. E. Crane does not gO' the "whole hog" in maintain- ing that black clothes lead to stinging. He says : " My only contention has been that they will sting something or some person they are accustomed to less than one they have rarely or never seen be- fore.'' Two hundred years ago an ancient writer advised the bee-keeper to get " familiar " with his bees, and so get them to love him in return! Moving Pictures — A series of these have been appearing in Gleanings for some time. Mr. Holterman was shown lifting hives and carrying them about as if they were feathenveights, because he had the knack of placing the weight where it could be best resisted. Mr. Townsend has appeared as the guide, philosopher and ■friend to the beginner, who is being shown how various manipulations should be carried out. Mr. Metcalfe is shown opening a hive, brushing bees off the combs, transferring the beeless oombs to the wheel-barrow, then when consigning them to the extractor dealing with them there, and later returning them to the hives, the illustrations showing plainly how time may be saved. There is certainly a great deal to be learned from first-class models shown just as they do the various " stunts " in their own home apiaries. Those who work for comb honey are pro- mised a treat in future issues "when Mr. House, a New York Stater, will appear in a series of moving pictures illustrating his methods of comb honey production. WEATHER REPORT. Barnwood. Glottcester. Rainfall, -82 in. Below average. Heaviest fall, 38 in. on 3rd. Total to date, 6'22 in., as compared with 10'21 in. for the cor- responding period of last year. Mean maximum tem- I perature, 65'7 ; 27 '" above average. Mean minimum tem- perature, 44 7 ; 13 deg. below the average. Warmest day, 29 tb, •76. Coldest night, 20th, 33-5. May, 1911. Mean temperature for month, 55"2 ; "7 of a degi-ee above average. Relative humidity, or percentage of moisture in the air at 9 a.m. 70. Nvimber of days with sky completely overcast at 9 a.m. 7; do. cloudless, 3. Percentage of cloud 53. Percentage of wind force, l6. Prevailing direction, N.E. F. H. Fowler (F. R. Met. Soc). Bee Shows to Come. A nominal charge of 2s. 6d. is made for notices (not exceeding 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charged 3s. 6d., up to 15 lines 5s., which covers cost of insertion from order till date of show. Cash should accompany orders for insertion. June 26 to 30, at Norwich (Royal Agricul- tural Society's Show).— Bee and Honey Section under the management of the B.B.K.A. July 13 and 14, at Brigg, Lines.— Lincoln- shire B.K.A. Great Show of Honey, Hives, and Appliances, at the Brigg Exhibition of the Lincoln- shire Agricultural Society. July 19 and 20, at Stafford.— Honey Show in connection with the Staffs. Bee-keepers' Association. Four open classes. Schedules from Joseph Tirisley, 22, Granville Terrace, Stone, Staffs. Entries close July 10. July 20, at Southwell.— Annual Show of the Notts B.K.A., in connection with the Horticul- tural Society's Show. Open class for Single 1-lb. Jar. First prize, 20s. Schedules from Geo. Hayes, Mona Street, Beeston, Notts. July 25, 26, 27, at Gloucester. Annual Show of the Gloucestershire B.K.A., in connection with the County Agricultural Show. Separate tent for Honey, Wax, and Appliances. Open classes. Special prizes. Schedules from Rev. F. H. Fowler, Barnwood Vicarage, Gloucester. Entries close July 18. July 26 and 27, at Cardiff.— Annual Show of the Glamorgan B.K.A. in connection with the Car- diff and County Horticultural Show. Separate tent for honey, wax, and appliances. Open classes. Special prizes. Schedules from Hon. Sec. Mr. Wiltshire, Maindy School, Cardiff. July 27, 28, and 29, at Botherham.— Show of Hives, Honey, &c., in connection with the Royal Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Schedules and Entry Forms from Secretary, Blake-street, York. Entries closed. August 2, at Stoke Park, Guildford. Annual Exhibition of Bees, Wax, Appliances, &c., will be held by the Surrey B.K.A., in connection with the Guildford and West Surrey Agricultural Associa- tion. Nineteen classes (five open to all). Many medals. Schedules from F. B. White, Hon. Secre- tary, Harden House, Redhill, Surrey. Entries close July 22. August 3, at Weston-super-Marei — Annual Show of the Somerset B.K.A., in connection with the important Local Annual Flower Show. Classes for Appliances, Honey, Wax, and Bee Products. Several open and free classes. Liberal .prizes. Numerous attractions. Excursions from all parts. For Schedule, &c., apply to T. Jones, Assistant Show Secretary, North View, Milton-road, Weston- super-Mare. Entries close July 29. Aiigust 7 (Bank Holiday), at Cambridge. Honey Show in connection with the Cambridge Mammoth Show Society. All Open Classes, four Special Hives to be competed for. This Show also includes dogs, poultry, pigeons, rabbits, cage birds, flowers, fruit, and vegetables; also grand pro- gramme of sports and motor racing, &c. Balloon ascent and parachute descent by Captain Spencer. The champion prize band (Irwell Springs) has been specially engaged. Schedules from Hon. Sec, E. F. Dant, Member of B.B.K.A., 52 Bridge Street, Cambridge. Entries close Thursday, August 3. August 16, at Lancaster. Lancaster Agricul- tural Society, in conjunction with the Lancashire B.K.A. 16 Classes for Honey, Bee Produce, and Bee Hives. Numerous specials, including 2 silver challenge cups, 12 silver and bronze medals. Write for Honey Schedule to Robert Gardner. 13, Sun St., Lancaster. Entries close August 2. August 23, at Radstock, Somerset.— Honey Show in connection with the Radstock Horticul- tural and Farmers' Association. Open and gift classes. Write for Honey Schedule. B. M. Clark. Foxhills, Radstock. .June 22, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 249 August 23 and 24, at Shrewsbury. Shaw in connection with the Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Fete. Eight Open Classes for Honey. Free entry for single bottle and single section. Schedules from S. Cartwright, Hon. Sec, Shawbury, Shrewsbury. Entries close August 11. Notices to Correspondents. Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space devoted to letters, queries, and replies is meant for the general good of bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in, the issue imme- diately following the receipt of their communica- tions. A. F. (Lanes.). — Queen Cast Owf.— The queen is an old one, and also appears to have been injured in some way. J. C. B. (Bidston).— Bee Plant.— The plant is too dry and shrivelled to be recognised, but appears to be one of the labiates, which are all more or less visited by bees. We do not think it would be worth sowing as it flowers at a time when pasturage is plentiful. To be of any value plants should be selected which flower when ordinary pasturage is scarce. J. E. S. (North Finchley).— Brood Cells not Capped. — The non-capping of some of the cells is sometimes due to wax- moth passing over and through the combs. At other times, for some reason or another some of the cells are left uncapped, but this does not prevent the bees from maturing. In some cases the nearly full-grown bee dies in such cells, and we have found a hair-like parasite in the bee which no doubt caused its death. This parasite is probably ob- tained from the water collected by the bees. J. H. S. (Leicester). — Bee-Keeping in Queensland. — (1) With the great diver- sity of climate, ranging from temperate to torrid, this State is able to produce almost all the fruits of the known world. The apples and pears, plums, straw- berries, gooseberries, cherries, and other fruits of Europe, the mangoes of India and fruits of Java, Japan, and China, the grapes, oranges, guavas, pome- granates, &c., of temperate climes, the walnuts, filberts, chestnuts of cold coun- tries, the pine-apples of the West Indies are all grown there to perfection, and most of them, especially oranges, lemons, pine-apples, peaches, &c., on a com- mercial scale. You would therefore have no difficulty in keeping bees on a moderately large scale if you made suit- able selections of localities. Of course it would be better for you to select the places when you arrive in the country, after you have made yourself acquainted with the surroundings so as to be near the best pasturage. (2) A British ex- pert certificate would be useful if you were seeking Government or other em- ployment, but is not needed if you are going to start bee-keeping on your own account. (3) To obtain a third-class certificate you would have to pass an examination in practical work during the summer. The examination for second class is held in November, and for first-class the following May. E. F. N. (Shrinagar). — Kashmir Queen. — (1) This queen differs from the English black bee in being slightly larger, the legs are covered with lighter brown hairs, those on the thorax also being of a lighter rufous colour. The abdomen is distinctly marked. The first segment, that next to the petiole or waist, is densely covered with brown hairs. The second segment has a plain shining black band with a fringe of hairs, below which there is a dull black band. The fourth and fifth segments are similar except that they have brighter brown bands. The sixth segment is tipped with hairs. (2) She was a young queen not fertilised. W. H. U. (Haydon Bridge). — Queen and Worker. — One is an old queen, the other merely an ordinary worker bee. J. N. (Old Cumnock). — Increasing the Density of Honey. — If you mean that you wish the honey to granulate you can advance this by exposing it to light and cold. Honey varies in density when in a liquid state, according to the flowers from which it is gathered, and the district. Let it remain on the hive as long as possible, when it will ripen and become thicker. Railwayman (Basildon). — Virgin Queen Cast Out. — The queen is a young one. Probably the old queen died, and, the bees had reared others, and the one you send has been one of those cast out. The excitement was evidently caused by the virgin taking her mating flight. Suspected Disease. Ekal (Essex). — A case of sour brood. Re- queen the stock, and use " Apicure." T. R. E. (Essex). — We regret to say that- the comb is affected with foul brood. The remedies you are using will no doubt be sufficient to effect a cure. C. W. (Hale). — The piece of comb shows that odourless foul brood is affecting the stock. This is less virulent than the ordinary type, and more easily cured. Full instructions as to treat- ment are given in Guide-Book. 250 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 22, 1911, Special Prepaid Advertisements Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders jot three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. TWO NEARLY NEW W.B.C. HIVE.S, complete, with Frames, shallow frames, and sections, 12s. 6d. each.— KINGSTON, P.O., Skelton-in- Cleveland. k 28 HALF-TON of finest English Honey for sale, with gross of sections, more or less, part de- livery in July, remainder in August. Apply G. W., B.B.J. Office, 23, Bedford-street, Strand, W.C. k 38 H EALTHY Drawn Shallow Combs, racks of 8, 4s. each. Bugden, Wye, Kent. k 39 S w GOOD Stocks on 8-frames 1911 Queens, 20s., 10 frames 25s., 3 frames nuclei 12s. Bd., A ditto 15s. Barlow, Stanley-terrace, Newcastle, Staffs, k 41 FOR SALE, COTTAGE with 3 acres of land, fruit, poultry, 40 hives bees, and good con- nection for sale of honey.— 9, " B.B.J." Office, 23, Bedford-street, Strand, W.C. k 45 TANDARD COMBS, healthy, 10s. per dozen.— DAVID HUNTER, Abington, Scotland, k 44 WANTED, first grade Sections and Extracted Honey (English). — Apply, stating price, to R. S., care of " B.B.J.," 23, Bedford-street, Strand, W.C. k 27 FOR SALE, 4 double-walled Hives, good as new, take 3 crates, 7s. 6d. each, including 2 section racks.— CRUICKSHANK, Spey Bridge, Grantown- on-Spey. k 32 OWING REMOVAL, must sell 2 healthy Stocks Bees in bar-frame, non-swarming, new hives, also appliances. Offers, free on rail.- JONES, Emlyn House, Llangennech. k 33 FOUR DOZEN finest grade white clover Sections, 10s. dozen.— NORTH, Cressing, Braintree, Essex. k 31 OULD EXCHANGE GOOD GOAT, in milk, for Frame Hives, must be free from disease. F. BATES, Breach Cottage, Cholsey, Bucks, k 29 FOR SALE, first-class Apiary, 40 hives, honey shed and all appliances, situate Marlborough, Wilts, no reasonable offer refused; inspection in- vited.—Apply, WADEMAN, 5, Gold-street, Roath, Cardiff. k 26 5 HIVES, painted, perfect condition, 4s. each, cost 15s.; 10 Racks, sections fitted founda- tion and dividers, 2s. 6d.; 2 Smokers, Is. each; no disease.— WEST, Beecroft, Bridgemary, Fare- ham. J 97 QUANTITY TAYLOR'S BEE GOODS (new), crates, frames, sections, foundations, metal- ends, glass supers for skeps. queen excluders, &c. 15% discount.—WELLBOURN, Cranswick, Bever- ley^ j_99 WANTED, a few Skeps of Bees, with old and tough combs for driving purposes. — HER- ROD, " Bee Journal " Office. special Prepaid Advertisements. — Continued BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. EJECTIONS, new, wanted by the Honielade Co., iO 20, Moorfields, E.C. k 30 PRIME HEALTHY SWARMS, 12s. 6d. to 15s. 6d., boxes free; Skeps, 15s. 6d.; Frame Hives, 30s. Prompt attention and satisfaction assured. — Higginson, Egerton, Kent. k 40 SECTION GLAZING.— Best quality Lace Paper, made especially for Bee-keepers' use, not com- mon box edging ,white, 100 6d., 300 Is. 4d., 500 2s. 3d., l.OOO 3s. 9d., post free; blue, green, or pink, 100 7d., 300 Is. 6d., 500 2s. 6d.; Lace Bands, 2| in., 3in., and 3J in. wide, white, 100 Is. 2d., 200 2s. 3d., ''OO 4s.; a few in pink and blue, 100 Is. 4d., 200 2s. 6d.— W. WOODLEY, Beedon, Newbury. HONEY, First-Class, 5&s. per cwt., tins return- able; sample, 2 stamps. F. Crick, Firwood Cottage, Halstead, Essex. k 36 ,4 PIARY of 6 Hives for sale, boiling over with x\. Bees, 10 spare Hives, Honey Extractor, 10 Crates Sections, 8 Racks, Shallow Frames, 30 Brood- combs, cheap. Particulars, Watts, Chickerell, Wey- mouth, k 37 HIVES FOR SALE. Stand, floor board (with specially designed feeder saving time and giving great efficiency), 2 12-framed bodies and zinc-covered, telescopic roof, guaranteed healthy and good condition, 6s. each. Hillman, Stonehouss^ Glos. k 42 NUCLEI FORMING BOX. Virgins introduced witri httie trouble and certainty of success, box and instructions complete, 2s. each. Hillman, Stonehouse, Glos. k 43 SWARMS, guaranteed healthy, 10s.; Queens, 3s. 6d.; 3 frame Nuclei. 8s. 6d.; Wanted, Solar Wax - Extractor. — WILSON, Burry-road, St. Leonard's-on-Sea. k 35 SPRING BEE ESCAPES, 4d. each; Super Clearer Boards with above. Is. 6d. each; Metal Ends, Is. 6d. gross; all post paid.— H. CRESSY, Friary Mill Apiary, Dorchester. k 34 SECTIONS of HONEYCOMB wanted to pur- chase for cash.— T. SMITH and Co., Cam- bridge-street, Hyde Park, W. k 13 Q UEENS from Doolittle stock, virgins. Is. 6d.; ferjiiles, 5s.— D. G. TAYLOR, Ilminster. k 17 EXTRACTED HONEY bought in any quantity; prompt cash; receptacles sent.— Send sample, stating quantity, SPRING and Co., Ltd., Brigg, Lines. CHOICE, fertile, black Queens, 5/- each.— WILKES, Lichfield-road, Four Oaks, Bir- mingham. B RICE'S 1911 QUEENS, Hybrids, 5s. 6d.; blacks, 5/-; in introducing cage; delivery guaranteed. — BRICE'S APIARIES, Otford, Kent. EVERYTHING for successful Bee-Keeping, for the amateur and the professional, prime quality, moderate prices. See our new large illus- trated catalogue now ready, and sent post free to enquirers. The fullest and most helpful cata- logue that is published.— SEEDS AND BEES, Ltd. (George Rose), 22, Bolton-street, Liverpool. The British and Irish Bee-Keepers' Prompt Supply Stores. -J O -j 1 QUEENS. -. Golden Italian Queens, .^ « 1911, pedigree brood rearers, guaran- teed fertile, pure, mated in Italy, healthy, hardy, prolific, price 4s. each; specially selected, 7s. 6d. I Terms cash.— J. B. GOODARE, Woden Apiary, ) Wednesfield, Wolverhampton. j % June 29, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. 251 Editorial, Notices, &c. OBITUARY. MR. AV. Z. HUTCHINSON. It is with sincere regret that we have received the news of the death of Mr. Hutchinson, of Flint, Michigan, the able editor of the Bep-Jippvcrs' Hevit'ir, which took place on 30th May last, after a long illness. Mr. Hutchinson was born in Orleans. Co. X.Y., on 17th February, 1851, and keepers to gather more information. Mr. Hutchinson began bee-keeping in 1877 with four colonies and a good theoretical knowledge of the business. He had by diligence and perseverance been able to make a comfortable living by the sale of comb-honey which he obtained by hiving swarms on frames without foundation. His methods were explained in Ghaningx about twenty-five years ago, and aroused much interest at the time, so that he was prevailed upon to write a booklet describ- ing his system. This appeared in 1887 under the title of " The "Production of Comb Honey." In 1888 he started the THE LATK MR. AV. Z. HUTCHINSON. was therefore sixty years of age when he died. Ho migrated with his family to Michigan. At eighteen years of age he began teaching in school in winter, and while doing so came across King's " Text Book " which opened his eyes respecting bee-keeping. Mr. Hutchinson asked the owner of the book, who had fifty colonies, to let him see them, and he thus became acquainted with moveable comb-hives which made him interested in bees. He read all about them and visited bee- Bee-keepers' lieview, which he edited with great ability, and which filled a place not previously " occupied. The distinctive featui-es "were those of reviewing current apicultural literature, and gatnering together from every source the best that was known upon any given apicultural subject. In 1891 he brought out "Advanced Bee Culture," winch has passed through several editions, the last one which appeared in 1905, printed on the finest enamelled book paper, and 252 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 29, 1911. beautifully illustrated, was enlarged to 230 pages. This edition was exhausted some months ago, and Mr. E. T. Boot wrote to Mr. Hutchinson to ask him to get out a new edition. Unfortunately at that time he was in the hospital, where he had been for some months. As there seemed no prospect of immediate recovery it was arranged that Mr. Root should revise ^ixe book. This has been done and Mr. Hutchinson had expressed his entire satis- faction with the manner in which new- matter had been joined to old, and that there had been made just such changes as he would himself have made had he pos- sessed the health and strength to do it. The book will have a melancholy interest, in the knowledge that its author only just lived long enough to see the revision com- pleted. As a writer ' on bees, Mr. Hutchinson had few equals. He was clear and concise, and his love of the pursuit was shown on every page. We had known him since 1887, and our intercourse had always oeen of the friendliest, as can be gathered from the. letter of his on page 34 of "B.B.J." for 1910. His loss will be severely felt by bee-keepers, and we ex- tend the sympathy of ourselves and British bee-keepers to his sorrowing widow and family. THE " ROYAL " SHOW AT NORWICH. The seventy-second annual show of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, held this week at Norwich, has, we hear, been a very successful one so far as entries are concerned. We give the prize-list in the bee and honey section, but will reserve until next issue our comments on the exhibits. The judges were Messrs. W. F. Reidi (Surrey), C. L. M. Bales (Devon), A. G. Pugh (Notts), and the Rev. A. D. Downes-Shaw (Norfolk), their awards being as follows : — HIVES AND APPLIANCES Class 506. — Collection ■ of Hives and Appliances including Suitable Outfit for a Beginner in Bee-keeping. — 1st, Jas. Lee and Son, 4, Martineaii Road, Highbury, London;' 2nd, W. P. Meadows, Systoii, Leicester; 3rd, E. H. Taylor, Welwyn, Herts. Class 507. — Complete Frame-hive for Gi'neral T/se.— 1st, Abbott Brothers, Southall, London; 2nd, H. G. Tunstall, Rainhill, Lanes. ; 3rd, Jas. Lee and Son ; h.c, W. P. Meadows and E. H. Taylor. Class 508. — Complete Frame-hive for Cottager's Vse, price not to exceed. 10s. 6d. —1st, E. H. Taylor; 2nd, Jas. Lee and Son; 3rd, Goodburn Brothers, Millfield, Peterborough; h.c, W. P. Meadows. Class 509. — Honey-extractor. — 1st, W. P.. Meadows. Class 510. — Ohseivatory-hive with Bees and Queen. — 1st, Goodburn Brothers; 2nd, Jas. Lee and Son. Class 511. — Anij Appliance connected with Bee-keeping. — 1st, E. H. Taylor. Classes 512 to 515 confined to members of the North Norfolk Bee-keepers' Associa- tion. Class 512. — Four 1-/6. Sections. — 1st, H. W. Saunders, Thetford; 2nd, W. Nor- man, Harply Mills, King's Lynn ; 3rd, H. Theobald, Brundall, Norfolk; 4th, F. Chapman, Edgefield, Melton Constable; v.h.c, W. M. Gaze, Aldeby Grange, Beccles. Class 513 — Four 1-lh. Jars of Extracted Light-coloured Honey. — 1st, R. W. Lloyd,. Norwich Road, Thetford; 2nd, H. W. Saunders; 3rd, W. J. Norman; h.c, A. E. Jackson, Chalk Hall, Elvedon. Class 514. — 7Bees-wax. — 1st, H. W. Saunders; 2nd, J. Mayer, Hemblington,. Norwich. Class 515.— Collective Exhibit of Honey in Sections, Extracted Honey, and Bees- u-ax. — 1st, W. F. Fake, Gi-eat Massing- ham. King's Lynn; 2nd, S. J. Mayer, Hemblington, Norwich ; 3rd, J. Platten Briston, Melton Constable. Entries in Classes 516 to 519 can only be made by residents in Cheshire, Cumber- land, Derbyshire, Durham, Herefordshire, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire,. Monmouthshire, Northumberland, Not- tinghamshire, Rutland, Shropshire, Staf- fordshire, Warwickshire, Westmorland, Worcestershire, Yorkshire, the Isle of Man, Ireland, Scotland, or Wales. Class 516. — Tu-elve 1-lb. Sections. — 1st, R. Robson, Cheviot Street, Wooler,, Northumberland ; no 2nd prize awarded ; 3rd, W. J. Woolley, Bridge Street, Evesham. Class 517.— Tirelve 1-lb. Jars of Ex- tracted Light-coloured Honey. — 1st, R. Morgan, Cbwbridge, Glamorgan; 2nd, Dr. T. S. Elliott, Southwell, Notts; 3rd, J. H. Hadfield, Hamilton Place, Alford, Lines. ; h.c, J. Boyes, Queen's Head Hotels Cardiff; J. Pearman, Penny Long Lane, Derby; and H. W. Seymour, Alford, Lines. Class 518.— Twelve 1-lb. Jars of Ex- tracted Medium or Dark-coloured Honey. — No 1st aM-arded ; 2nd, J. Pearman ; 3rd, A. S. Dell, Leigh, Lanes. Class 519. — Tu-elve 1-lb. Jars of Granu- lated Honey. — 1st, J. Boyes; 2nd, A. W. Weatherhogg, Willoughton, Lines. ; 3rd, J. Woods, Nettleworth Manor, near Mans- field, Notts. Entries in Classes 520 to 523 can only be made by residents in Bedfordshire, June 29, 1911] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 253 Berkshire, Bucks, Cambridgeshire, Corn- wall, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Gloucester- shire, Hampshire, Herts, Hunts, Isle of Wight, Kent, Middlesex, Norfolk, North- amptonshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Suf- folk, Surrey, Sussex, or Wiltshire. Class 520.— Twelve 1-lb Sections.— 1st, li. Brown and Son, Somersham, Hunts. ; 2nd, R. H. Bavnes; 3rd, H. Theobald. Class o21.--Ticelve l-lh. Jars of Ex- tracted Lirf.ht-coIoured Hnneij. — 1st, R. H. Baynes ; 2nd, R. Brown and Son; 3rd, R.'W. Lloyd; h.c, L. W. Matthews, Great Rollwright, Chipping Norton. Class 622.—Ticelve l-lh. Jars of Ex- tracted Medium or Dark-coloured Honey. — 1st, C. E. Billson, Cranford, Kettering; 2nd, A. D. Boulden, Broughton Monshal- sea, Maidstone ; 3rd, E. E. Gooding, Nacton Road, Ipswich: h.c, R. H. Baynes. Class 523. — Twelve 1-lb Jars of Granu- lated Honey. — 1st, A. S. Hoare, Tre- vollardi, Saltash, Cornwall ; 2nd, Miss F. E. Barker, Barnston, Dunmow ; 3rd, Goodburn Bros. Class 524. — Three Shallow-frames, of Comh Honey for Extracting. — 1st, E. C. R. White, Newton Toney, Salis- bury; 2nd, R. Brown and Son ; 3rd, W. M. Gaze. Class 525. — Six 1-lb. Jars of Heather Honey. — 1st J. Berry, Llanrwst, N. Wales; 2nd, A. White, 25, Glaisnock Street, Old Cumnock, Ayrshire ; 3rd, A. F. Borland, The Knowe, Cum- nock; h.c, M. T. LamboU, Chiddingfold, Surrey, and T. Sleight, Danesmoor, Chesterfield. Class 526. — Six Jars of Heather-mixture Extracted Honey. — 1st, W. Dixon, 27, Central Road, Kirkgate, Leeds; 2nd, J. Woods; 3rd, J. Pearman ; h.c, W. E. Brooking , Marlborough, Kingsbridge, Devon. Class 527.— Honey Trophy.— 1st R. Brown and Son; 2nd, W. Dixon; 3rd, J. Pearman; h.c, A. S. Dell. MISCELLANEOUS. Class 528. — Bees-wax (not less than 21b.).— ist, R. H. Baynes; 2nd, E. C. R. White; 3rd, J. Pearman; h.c, J. Row- lands, Maes Apiaries, Pwllheli, and A. S. Hoare. Class 529. — Bees-wax (not less than 3-lb. in Shape, Qualiti/ and Packaqe suitable for the Bctail Trade).— 1st, J. Berry; 2nd, J. Pearman; 3rd, Goodburn Brothers; h.c, K. C. R. White. Class 530. — Honey Vinegar (1 quart). — 1st, R. Brown and Son ; 2nd, G. W. Kirby, Priory Road, Knowle, Bristol; 3rd, J. Pearman. Class 531.—J[ead (1 quart).— 1st, Jones Brothers, Monks Acre Apiary, Andover, Hants; 2nd, R. Brown and Sons; 3rd, R. Allen, Tusmore, Bicester. Class 532. — Exhibit of a Practical or In- teresting 'Xature Connected with Bee-cul- ture.—ist, A. S. Dell; Certificate of Merit, W. Dixon. HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By W. Herrod. Foundation. — The condition of founda- tion after it has been kept on hand for some time often troubles the novice, who notices that instead of being' clear and bright it has assumed a dull, whitish ap- pearance and lost all its aroma. If used either in frames or sections in this con- dition, the bees are a long time before thej' accept it, and occasionally refuse alto- gether to work upon it. If they do accept it, more labour than usual is necessary, as the surface of the wax has become hard. It can be brought back to its normal con- dition by warming in the sun or in front of a fire. Where the foundation is wired, this warming is absolutely necessary, as the wax must be in a plastic condition, for* if brittle, which it always is if not fresh, the embedder when run along the wires will break the wax. Hiving Swarms into Frame Hive. — The novice usually undertakes this first opera- tion in fear and trembling, and very often does the wrong thing in his anxiety to do right. We will suppose the swarm has been purchased, and has travelled some distance by rail. If bought by weight, the first thing to do when it arrives is to weigh it — travelling receptacle and all. When empty the latter is again weighed, and that amount deducted from the gross weight, when we have the net weight of the bees. Remember that bees lose weight in travelling on account of the food they have consumed before issuing being utilised. For instance a five pound swarm will lose from half to one pound in weight, and the price is based upon the weight immediately they are hived. After weigh- ing, do 'not be in a hurry to liberate the bees, and be careful that they are put in a cool place. If in a skep. they should be taken into a cellar or cool dark room, and allowed to remain with the scrim covering the mouth of the skep upwards until the evening. Towards the middle of the afternoon give food by in- verting a bottle feeder (covered with a double thickness of muslin instead of the Uhual metal-cap) over the scrim cloth. This prevents all possible chance of the bees being hungry and consequently angry when liberated. About an hour before hiving, hang the skep the right way up; (don't place it on the ground or the bees will be suffocated) ; the bees will all cluster at the top of the skep so that the covering can be removed when the time comes without a lot of bees adhering to it. 254 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 29, 1911. If in a proper travelling box the same procedure should be followed except that the box should be placed with the lid down- W'ards so that it can be removed without bees adhering to it when the time comes. The best time to hive a swarm is aoout six or seven o'clock in the evening. If attempted too early, especially when the sun is shining fiercely, heat and excite- ment will sometimes cause the bees to rise and abscond. If attempted too late, the bees do not run freely; they hang round, and if they settle upon the person they creep in amongst the clothes in search of warmth, instead of flying off as they will do earlier. The consequent application of pressure by the clothes is not con- ducive to the comfort of the bee-keeper, especially if it happens quite unexpectedly some hours later, which is more often the case than not. The hive is placed in posi- tion full of frames fitted with full sheets •of wired foundation, a calico quilt only on top, with a bottle of food in position. The entrance to the hive shoiild be projaped up about an inch, and a board sloping from the alighting board to the ground over which a cloth is thrown to make a Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. BUMBLE-BEES. [8193] The frequent occasions on which bumble-bees are mentioned by correspon- dents in the "B.B.J." show that many of its readers are interested in them, and this is not surprising, for the bumble-bee is the only bee besides the honey-bee that lives in colonies containing workers and stores honey in its comb. The largest colonies are made by Bniiihus tcrrcstris and B.Japidarius, and contain up to 300 workers. The habits of the bumble-bee are most in- teresting, and each species has peculiai'i- ties of its own. The queen bumble-bee is ^^^'^Z ^^^J Bombus terrestris. Bombus hortorum . plain even surface for the bees to travel up. The roof should be turned cornerwise to give ventilation. Remove the covering from the skep or the lid from the box; do not break the latter in your excitement but search for the screws instead of prizing off the bottom with a screw-driver, which I have seen done repeatedly. The screws are sometimes at the side instead of the top. Bump the skep or box, mouth upwards, on the ground to make all the bees lose their hold, then shoot them down on the cloth. They will almost at once exercise their natural propensity of creeping up- hill and march into the hive. Watch for the queen and see her safely indoors. At night lower the front of the hive to its normal position, and put the roof on pro- perly. Feeding should be continued for at least i\ week, unless the weather is ex- ceptionally fine and forage abundant, in which case the one bottle of food will suffice. If it is possible to obtain a frame of brood to place in the hive it will reduce the possibility of the swarm absconding to a minimum. Bees rarely forsake brood. an exceedingly intelligent insect and, when she is establishing her colony, tends her brood with as much devotion and care as a bird or quadruped, while she works in all Aveathers from dawn to dusk, discharging the nectar she collects into a large waxen pot or cell which she has constructed to re- ceive it, and the pollen in niches beside her brood. As the bumble-bees hum busily from flower to flower in our gardens their large size and their handsome, gaily- coloured velvet coats make them olijects of interest and pleasure even to the most casual observer. They perform a useful service in fertilising long-tubed flowers such as red-clover, horehound and honey- suckle, which are seldom if ever visited by honey-bees, because their tongues are not long enough to reach the nectar. T am at present studying the distribu- tion of the British species for my new book on them, and should be most grateful to any readers of the " B.B.J." who might like to help by sending me any un- familiar-looking specimens for identifica- tion. I should be very pleased to return, cor- rectly named, ant/ pinned specimens sent, Jime 29, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 255 provided they are in fairly good condition and stamps for postage are enclosed. Also may I ask to be excused from writing letters at this busy season unless some- thing interesting turns up? iwenty species and three sub-species, comprising the genera Boinhus (ind Fsifhyrits, are at 23resent known to inhabit Britain. Most of these are common everywhere, but some are local or rare, and it is about these that more information is needed. One of the most beautiful of the local species, B. lapponicus, is found only in mountain districts. Its coat is long ; the thorax is black with narrow yellow bands in front and behind, and almost the whole of the abdomen — not merely the tip — is bright red. It has been taken in Perth- shire, also at Huddersfield and in Wales. Another, fine local species is B. distin- (jucndus. This is one of our largest species, and is entirely of a pale greenish-yellow colour with the exception of a black band across the thorax between the wings. It is a northern species said to be common in Yorkshire, and found sparingly in Scot- land and even in Shetland. B. joncUus is another northern species fairly common in many parts of Scotland and Ireland, but hardly ever seen in Kent. It has three yellow bands and a white tail, and is known from the universal B. hortoruvt — which is coloured very like it — by its short face, which is no longer than wide. If we exclude B. pomonnn, a doubtful native, the rarest British species is B. cidlumaniis, males of which have been taken in Suffolk, also at Southend, Brighton and Bristol, but not within the last thirty years. This bee is also rare on the Continent, and nothing is known of its habits. — V. W. L. Sladex, The Firs, Ripple, Dover. NOTES BY THE WAY. [8194] Midsummer day has passed, but has not brought us inidsummer weather. We have had for nearly a fortnight in this part a wet, cold, and sunless period ; and as to the bees, alas ! I have no good report to make of progress in the apiary. No sun means no work for the inmates of the hives, and no honey or swarms for their owners. I do not remember a more curious season, althougli I have been connected, more or less, ■vv'th bees and bee-keeping all my life. It was in June, 1856 — fifty-five years ago now — that I hived my first swarm, for a neigh- bour, whose bees were near our own, which I was set to watch. The present honey season opened well with a spell of glori- ously fine, warm weather, and with every prospect of a good crowning year to com- pensate in some measure for the past sea- sons, in which bees have done so badly; but the continued heat brought forward the grass crops so rapidly that the farmers cut all our principal bee forage much earlier than usual. The heat also scorched up the young aftermath, and now, since the rain has come, we get little sunshine and a low temperature. Given a week or two of warm weather, I am hoping to get super work completed, but so far, comparing this year with last, in regard to sections, I had more last year than this. If I had not carefully saved the combed sections I should have had but a very small number of finished ones this season. As to swarms, I am not getting any (four only) from either of my apiaries, and no present pros- pect of any more. The only point in favour of this year — and I grant it is a good one — is that the hives are stocked with food of finest quality; the honey has been put into the brood-combs instead of the bees working the foundation in the sections for its recep- tion. Where drawn-out combs were in the racks every one is filled, but the foun- dation is not started yet. Having many orders for swarms booked, I did not super many of my stocks till I found there was no preparation for sending off swarms. I have had a few letters from bee-keepers in other parts of England ; some have done fairly well, others indifferently. Honey Prices. — The price of section- honey is an important item Just now. One gentleman writes he is making 12s. per dozen of his well-filled sections, wholesale (glazed, I believe, as he ordered lace paper), I quite expect there will be a great scarcity of comb-honey, one reason being the great loss of bees during the winter and spring, and now the short period of honey-flow, owing to the early cutting of crops from which our bees gather the bulk of the surjDlus, coupled with this spell of broken, unsettled weather. Our Editor may be able to give those fortunate bee- keepers who have a good take a hint as to the price they should be able to get for really good quality, well-filled and sealed sections, glazed or boxed in glass-lid boxes. TFa-s^^.s-. — We are very little troubled with wasps here, although our soil is sandy. I have killed a few during the past two months, but not nearly so many as in previous years. We have wax moth in this part rather badly ; they are ever alert to perpetuate their species in any weak colony. — W. Woodley, Beedon, Newbury. SWARM CONTROL. [8195] Mr. Stapleton's letter in " B.B.J." of 22nd June is most interest- ing, and indeed startling, as it disposes of. some old-established theories of queen introduction. If the method proves suc- cessful ill otlier hands than his, it will be 256 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 29, 1911. a boon to many small bee-keepers like myself, to whom swarming is nothing but a nuisance ; and this nuisance nearly always arrives while the bee-keeper is away ! If a sure preventive of a swarm can be obtained at a cost of say 2s. 6d. for a virgin queen, it will be money well spent. I should like to ask Mr. Stapleton one or two questions for the benefit of any who may intend to try his method as well as myself. (1) What is the minimum age of the old queen of the stock to which the young queen may be safely inti-oduced? (2) Does it matter whether the stock be strong or weak ? (3) Does the season of the year afi^ect it, i.e. spring, summer or autumn? (4) How soon after hatching may and must the young queen be intro- duced to the established stock? (5) Can the race or strain be changed in this manner with no precautions? Mr. Staple- ton's kind answers on these points will be much appreciated. If it is a fact that queens can be renewed without examina- tion of frames and the usual hunt for the old queen, it promises easier bee-keeping. — Campbell R. Pinkney, Sleights, R.S.O., Yorks. BEE-STING CURES. [8196] 1 was much interested in the letter in '"B.B.J.," June 22 (page 246) relating to bee stings and Hazeline, as this morning I have had an opportunity of putting it to the test. While helping me with my bees a friend got stung on the leg and wrist ; at once we applied Hazeline, but so far it has had little effect. The strange thing is that my friend was. stung more than a month ago, in the head, and last week, and again to-day, when stung in other places, her face was all swollen up, just where the old sting was in her head. Can you account for this ? I am wondering if some bees sting more deeply than others, as I was stung in the hand some time ago, and it swelled up so badly that I had to have it in a sling, and felt the pain for nearly three Aveeks. I find the old blue-bag cure, and keeping the wound covered from the air, about as good as anything.- — L. A. Snow, Broadway Vicarage, Worcs. PREVENTING INCREASE. [8197] In the "Queries and Replies" column in "B.B.J." of 8th June (page 227, No. 4135), I was interested to see a query on preventing increase. The problem of sAvarming is a difficult one when one is working entirely for surplus. I intended adopting a method this year which I hf)ped Avould meet the difficulty. Unfortunately, through winter losses," I am unable to experiment, as I hoped, but if yon think the jilan detailed here of any value to your readers, I hope you' will make use of it. i.»xy idea is as- f ollows : — When the body box, or brood chamber, is becoming crowded with bees,, and the possibility of swarming Avill soon have to be faced, I propose to place a rack of shallow frames, fitted with founda- tion, under the brood-chamber, with a wire queen excluder between (I say wire-ex- cluder for the reason that it avouIcI not check the carrying up of pollen as one of zinc is likely to do). Of course this could only be adopted with the movable brood chamber, as in the W.B.C. hive. This would give a good air space under the brood-chamber, or the rack could be utilised by the bees if cramped for room above, also the drones aa-ouIcI be imprisoned as well as the queen, but I do not think many Avould be reared, if they had no egress, and there Avas no use for their services. Queen-rearers AA'ould, by this method, be able to control the selection of drones for the fertilisation of their queens. —J. Evans, Sutton Cbldfield. [This method Avas tried some years ago,, but Avas not a success in practice. — Ed.] Queries and Replies. [4149] Bees Storing in Brood-Chamber. — I put on a super containing the full complement of sections about a month ago and looked to-day (19th June) to see if the bees had started to fill them. I found, hoAvever, that no such attempt had been made, but that the brood-nest seemed full of honey, thus restricting the brood-rear- ing space. Shall I take the full frames of honey out and replace Avith empty ones, or leave the hive alone until for Avant of space the bees are bound to AA'ork in the super? Your advice Avill oblige. — J. H. H., TAvickenham. Reply. — You might take out a couple of combs from brood-nest, and extract them to give the queen room to lay. If you have an excluder on, remove it for a short period. A section Avith a little honey in as a bait might attract the bees and start them going up. [4150] Surinns Befurning to 'Parent Hive. — I should be glad if you Avill kindly enlighten me on the folloAving suuject through the "B.B.J." Why do SAvarms so frequently return to their hives this season? I have had over a dozen sAvarms do this, several coming out and returniiig^ three or four times, and other bee-keepers round here are haAdng the same trouble. I have knoAvn sAAarms do this before but never to the same extent as this year. If you can enlighten me I shall be much obliged. — G. H., Kent. June 29, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. ::^o. Reply. — It is simply because the queen does not come out with the swarm. [4151] Shading Hives. — I notice in the Guide Book, that hives should be well shaded in hot weather when working for section honev. All my hives face south, and have no shade except the ordinary jwrch over entrance. Would you please inform me of the best means of proviciing a temporary shade. and oblige. — Alexander Blue, Ardrishaig, X.B. Reply. — Drive in four stakes, and stretch rafBa matting or canvas over them above the hive. [41o2] A Brfjiiincr's Qitcrirs. — "Will you kindly give me your opinion on the following: — (1) Which is the best honey- extractor? (2) The best hive? (3) The best uncapping knife? (4) Address of a good firm from wliom I can buy the above goods. (5) With my hive was sent a wedge-shaped piece of wood. Please let me know Avliat is its use? (6) Which is the best brood — "Weed" foundation, 8 sheets or 9 to 10 sheets to the lb. (7) Proper quantity of thin syruji to give daily in spring. I should like very much to thank Mr. Herrod for his helpful hints for novices. — Xew Reader. Reply. — (1) The Cowan is the best honey-extractor. (2) The W.B.C. hive. (3) We prefer the W.B.C. uncapping knife. (4) We must refer you to our advertisement columns. (5) The piece of wood is one of the entrance slides. There should be two of this shape for regulating the width of the entrance. (6) If you wire your frames, use 10 sheets to the lb. ; if not, 7 sheets. '7) It is best to use a bottle feeder. Keep it constantly filled, and allow the bees access to two holes only. We are pleased to hear you apjjre- ciate helpful hints. The writer is always glad to be of use to fellow-craftsmen. CAPPINGS OF COMB. BY L. S. CRAW SHAW, NORTON, MALTON, YORKS. Isle of Wif/ht Disease (page 206). — The theory enunciated by P.W. is interesting, but perhaps insufficiently worked out. It is difficult to see Avhy, if sugar feeding be the cause, the disease should be at first confined to a small area, and afterwards spread like an infectious disease. Other diseases too should show activity corre- sponding to the supposed degeneration. Again if such degeneration were due to the feeding, one would expect the bees to be most degenerate where feeding was most practised. Of course this might apply to the " Isle of Wight.'' For a good honev district often finds the brood combs full of brood at the close of the season, whilst in a poorer district breeding may be more restricted, and bees be in better condition for winter, upon the removal of the supers. It is also difficult to see just wherein sugar is not a natural food. Chemically there may be slight differences, but the invert syrup which is fed to the bees would seem to be so like their own stores as to be quite as good. Wintering reports too show that mortality may be less with sugar than with some honeys. At the same time it is my belief that sugar, as purchased, does contain deleterious matter. For instance, olue appears to be used to bleach it, and quan- tities of this dirty scum may be. and should be, removed when boiling the sugar. Criticisms (page 212). — D.M.M.'s replies are so many and so formidable that I am willing to "give him best." For if I were to come uji for another tilt, an ex- tension of the lists would be necessary. Indeed the pages of the " B.B..J." itself might not, probably would not, contain all that might be written. I shall beware how I again attack that man of valour, and perhaps for the sake of peace and quietness Saul will be careful how he ventures among the Philistines. Henwving a Sirann (page 216). — Capital ! It does one good to read of such operations. I have often thought that this method is by far the best to get a newly settled swarm out of a chimney, but have never had the opportunity of trying, it. Liiihting a Smoker (page 222). — les, it is curious how ineptly many bee-keepers, even candidates for examination, go about this simple operation. Mr. Herrod's "Hints for Novices" may well be read even by those who have passed the stage, for there seem to be heaps of good things in them which should satisfy those who always want supplementary' instruction. I use rotten wood when I can get it. and find it reliable and long burning. It has faults, of course, but so has every fuel ; at least it does not pi'oduce that evil creosote stuff which drops where it listeth, usually in the wrong place, such as the super. After filling and lighting, I press in a loose bunch of grass. This prevents .sparks and bits from issuing, and the dried hav which results is useful for liahtino- 258 THE BHITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 29, 1911. the- next t-harge. Also if the nozzle fits too loosely, allow the grass to hang out a bit, when the nozzle will wedge so that it will not drop off at some awful moment. Futtinri on a TRoof (page 223).— I have found that the quickest method, and one which ensures the roof settling into place, is t,o grasp the diagonal corners just where the roof fits the lift. Then the fingers steer the roof into place without jar, and with great control, and no after-look is neces- sary to see that the roof is quite down. Try the method, and see if you do not like it. The Season — n Warning (page 234). — In my last notes I referred retrospectively to the season, and considered the possi- bility of a continuance of the favourable conditions. Since then I have had the opportunity of inspecting the clover pastures, and I feel that I must utter a word of warning to those beginners who do not yet anticipate conditions. One kindly correspondent (Humble Bee, Bridge of Allan) writeis me — " as to white clover, why, you have to look for it, whereas last year it was like a snowfall in the fields.'' Aye, if we could only put the body of one horse on to the legs of another we might do wonders. In this neighbourhood, at least, the clover is not likely to make much showing, and it would be well for all optimistic bee-keepers to go slowly, and to refrain from giving the bees much more super room until they are convinced that it will be occupied. Otherwise they are likely to have a good many unfinished sections upon their hands, in place of more saleable product. Those who read Mr. Woocl- ley's notes in B.J. of June 15 cannot fail to be struck by the truth of his diagnosis, and if they will couple his estimate of brood nest conditions, with the possibility of a short flow from fresh sources, they will realise perhaps that it will be well to make sure of the bird in the hand. This seems to be one of those seasons which point to the advantages of shallower frames than the standard, but users of the ordinary frame will have at least the consolation of putting their bees into winter quarters without the labour and anxiety of autumn feeding. Since the foregoing was written, neaily two weeks ago, such a change has taken place that it is almost unnecessary, the best place for honey being perhaps any- where but on the hives ! I am removing sections as the outside row of cells get nicely emptied and cleaned up. Bee Shows to Come. A nominal charge of 2s. 6d. is made for notices (not exceeding 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charged 3s. 6d., up to 15 lines 5s., which covers cost of insertion from order till date of show. Cash should accompany orders for insertion. June 26 to 30, at Norwich (Royal Agricul- tural Society's Show).— Bee and Honey Section under the management of the B.B.K.A. July 13 and 14, at Brigg, Lines.— Lincoln shire B.K.A. Great Show of Honey, Hives, and Appliances, at the Brigg Exhibition of the Lincoln- shire Agricultural Society. July 19 and 20, at Stafford.— Honey Show in connection with the Staffs. Bee-keepers' Association. Four open classes. Schedules from Joseph Tinsiey, 22, Granville Terrace, Stone, Staffs. Entries close July 10. July 20, at Southwell. — Annual Show of the Notts B.K.A., in connection with the Horticul- tural Society's Show. Open class for Single 1-lb. Jar. First prize, 20s. Schedules from Geo. Hayes, Mona Street, Beeston, Notts. Jvily 25, 26, 27, at Gloucester. Annual Show of the Gloucestershire B.K.A., in connection with the County Agricultural Show. Separate tent for Honey, Wax, and Appliances. Open classes. Special prizes. Schedules from Rev. F. H. Fowler, Barnwood Vicarage, Gloucester. Entries close July 18. July 25 to 29, at St. Albans.— Honey Show of the St. Albans and District Bee-keepers' Asso- ciation. Three Open Classes. Schedules, &c., of Mr. E. Watson, Holywell Hill, St. Albans. July 26 and 27, at Cardiff.— Annual Show of the Glamorgan B.K.A. in connection witti the Car- diff and County Horticultural Show. Separate tent for honey, wax, and appliances. Open classes. Special prizes. Schedules from Hon. Sec. Mr. Wiltshire, Maindy School, Cardiff. July 27, 28, and 29, at Rotherham.— Show of Hives, Honey, &c., in connection with the Royal Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Schedules and Entry Forms from Secretary, Blake-street, York. Entries closed. August 2, at Stoke Park, Guildford. Annual Exhibition of Bees, Wax, Appliances, &c., will be held by the Surrey B.K.A., in connection with the Guildford and West Surrey Agricultural Associa- tion. Nineteen classes (five open to all). Many medals. Schedules from F. B. White, Hon. Secr«3- tary, Marden House, Redhill, Surrey. Entries close July 22. August 3, at Weston-super-Mare.— Annual Show of the Somerset B.K.A., in connection with the important Local Annual Flower Show. Classes for Appliances, Honey, Wax, and Bee Products. Several open and free classes. Liberal prizes. Numerous attractions. Excursions from all parts. For Schedule, &c., apply to T. Jones, Assistant Show Secretary, North View, Milton-road, Weston- super-Mare. Entries close July 29. August 7 (Bank Holiday), at Cambridge. Honey Show in connection with the Cambridge Mammoth Show Society. All Open Classes, four Special Hives to be competed for. This Show also includes dogs, poultry, pigeons, rabbits, cage birds, flowers, fruit, and vegetables; also grand pro- gramme of sports and motor racing, &c. Balloon ascent and parachute descent by Captain Spencer. Sept. 27 at Altrincham. Honey Show in con- nection with the Altrincham Agricultural Show. Twelve Honey Classes. Schedules from J. Herbert Hall, 1, Market Street, Altrincham. Entries close Sept. 9. June 29, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. 259 The champion prize band (Irwell Springs) has been specially engaged. Schedules from Hon. Sec, E. F. Dant, Member of B.B.K.A., 52 Bridge Street, Cambridge. Entries close Thursday, August 3. August 9, at Wye, Kent.— Kent Honey Show. Four Open Classes. Fourteen open to Kent. Trophy Cup value 3 guineas. Open to Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. Two Challenge Cups vLlue 6 guineas each. Many other special and money pri^.es Special classes for Cottagers, also class for members of Ashford and District Bee-keepers' Association. Schedules ready early in July, from H. C. Chapelow, Hon. Sec, Wye, Kent. Entries close August 2nd. August 16, at Lancaster. Lancaster Agricul- tural Society, in conjunction with the Lancashire B.K.A. 16 Classes for Honey, Bee Produce, and Bee Hives. Numerous specials, including 2 silver challenge cups, 12 silver and bronze medals. Write for Honey Schedule to Robert Gardner. 13. Sun St.. Lancaster. Entries close Aiigust 2. August 23, at Radstock, Somerset.— Honey Show in connection with the Radstock Horticul- tural and Farmers' Association. Open and gift classes. Write for Honey Schedule. B. M. Clark. Foxhills, Radstock. Aiigust 23 and 24, at Shrewsbury. Annual Show of the Shropshire Bee-keepers' Association, in connection with the Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete. Eight Open Classes for Honey. Free entry for single bottle and single section. Schedules from S. Cartwright, Hon. Sec, Shawbury, Shrewsbury. Entries close August 11. Notices to Correspondents. Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space devoted to letters, queries, and replies is meant for the general good of bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately following the receipt of their communica- tions. Heather (Mumbles). — Moving Hives to Rpather. — They should be nioveu'a dis- tance of two miles or more if you do not wish to lose a great many bees. D. T. (Ballymote). — Dividing Colon jj. — (1) Brood that becomes chilled is usually thrown out by the workers. (2) To make two colonies from one, take a comb of brood and bees on which the queen is found, and put it into a hive, which you fill with frames of foundation. Place it on the stand where the colony stood and remove this to a new location. Close the hive and all flying bees Avill return to the old stand, join the queen and form the swarm. The old stock should have the frames brought close together, and an empty comb iiut at the side to replace the one taken out. This liive should have a laj'ing queen intro- duced or a ripe queen-cell may be given it on the second day after the opera- tion. The colony which it is proposed to divide should be a strong one. Of course you will have to remove the super with sealed honey. Puzzled Bee-keepeb (Kilgerran). — Bees At. tacketl 1)1/ Disease. — The bees you descnoe are affected Ijy the microbe which Mr. Cheshire named B;uiUiis Gaytoni. The affection is constitutional in the queen, and it has been found that if the queen be removed and a healthy one substi- tuted, the colony resumes a normal con- dition. A. G. C. ^Torquay). — Bees Swarming Din- ing Manipulation. — Both queens are virgins : you had best examine each lot at intervals of about ten days, if, on the second examination you do not find eggs you may conclude that they are queen- less, and purchase a queen. Drones usually accompany a swarm. It is not unusual for bees to swarm while being manipulated. L. 1. (Brentwood). — Qucenle.^s Bees Carnj- ing FoUen. — (1) Pollen is used as food by the adult bees, therefore it is not unusual to see bees carrying pollen into the hive even though they may be queen- less. (2) We have seen casts weighing up to three pounds from a frame hive. EsPEE.\NTO, (Clitheroe). — Double Brood - Boxes. — (1) If you refer to page 61 of the Guide Book, the method of using these is explained. (2) No. W. F. (Eckington). — Transferring Bees from Box to Frame-Hive. — It is doubt- ful whether you can manage to get the bees down into the frame-hive this season, but j^ou might follow the plan detailed in Guide Book, J^age 149. If they do not go down leave them till next year, and then try again, following the instructions given in Guide Book as closely as you can. H. W. B. {Thetiord).— Market Prices of FLoneij. — We regret that what you pro- pose is impossible. The price is ruled by quality as well as supply and demand, which fluctuates. The honey quoted in the paper you mention is foreign honey. J. A. (Nottingham). — "' lT>/?s " System. — It is not worth while giving particulars as it has been tried and found to be -a failure. Tloneif Samples. M. P. (Cannock). — The light honey is from charlock, the darker one a heather blend. Both are good in flavour, but are granulated, and should be carefully reliquefied before showing, and they would of course have to be entered in different classes. L. P. (Nelson). — Tlie bottle was smashed in the post and all the honev ran out. 2G0 TH];: BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [June 29, 1911. Suspected Disease. S. E. H. (Edinburgh). — The comb is affected with sour brood. Manod (Festiniog). — The brood is chilled only. J. T. (Tomintoul). — The comb is affected with foul-brood. Full description of the disease and its treatment are given in the Guide Book, but if you do not possess a copy send a stamped envelope to this office for the Board of Agricul- ture leaflet on foul-brood. Special Prepaid Advertisements Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. FSZVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. TWO Secondhand .Screw-cutting Latfies, foot power, 20in., catalogued ±;27 i5s.; i-Oin. cata- loguea £28 15s.; will accept £3 for 20in., £3 10s. lor the 30in., or exchange lor iiees.— PKf OK, Hreachwood Green. TKONG STOCKS on Standard 10 Frames, in good Hives, 25s. each; ready for Supers.— jdJcICKENSALL, Kingwood, ifants. k 49 ERTILE QUEEN in Introducing Cage, with directions, post free '28. 6d.— ROLiLINS, Stour- bridge, k 53 FOR SALE, cheap to clear.— Having sold my Bees, I have a quantity of worked out shallow Jrrames (just the thing for the heather), geared Extractor, 3 Honey Ripeners with taps and Strainers, Uncapping Tray, Knives, <&c; sell to- gether or separately.~For particulars apply G. C. i.YON, 9-, College-road, Hextabie, Kent. k Si BEE FARM.— Owing to ill-health, lady must sell her Bees and Appliances; modern con- venient House with garden and meadow might be taken over, near station, 40 miles from London, excellent honey country, good trade connection. — LYNDHURST, Southminster, Essex. k 50 SURPLUS STOCK.— 4 W.B.C. Hives, newly painted, complete with Brood Box, 2 Supers, Queen Excluder, 7s. each; Supers, with 8 drawn out Combs, metal ends, 3s. each; Supers, with 8 Combs, not drawn out, and metal ends, 2s. each; W.B.G. Section Racks, with 7 frames. Is. 9d. each; Queen Excluders, 4d. each; drawn out Super Combs, iferr'in(j from Skep to Frame-hive. — I am a beginner in bee- keeping, and bought a skep of bees in the latter part of April. Five weeks after- wards they swarmed. On the same even- ing, to prevent a second swarm, and before the new queen was hatched out, \ put the skep over ten frames in a new iiive, expecting to be able to remove it after a few v\eeks. On attempting to re- move the skep I found it propolised to the American cloth quilt, and it felt twice as heavy as when first put on. As the bees assumed a threatening attitude, I ceased from my attempts at removal, and decided to seek your advice. I am follow- ing the instructions given in the "Guide Book." but there the skep is supposed to be placed over the frames at the start in the spring, and I put mine on after a swarm. The "Guide Book" is so clear and explicit, that I anticipated no diffi- culties excepting those born of ignorance, but I find myself faltering at the start. Will you be good enough to tell me what I had best do?— T. H.T Nayland. Reply. — Subdue the bees properly, and pass a fine wire between skep and frames to loosen it. It can then be removed without jarring. If the queen is below, proceed as advised in Guide Book. [8156] Manipitlafing a Superrd Stork. — I should greatly esteem a reply to the following questions through the "B.B.J." which I take regularly and appreciate. (1) What objection is there to working a hive on the combination plan — say ten brood frames, and at the back of these a queen excluder and about five section holders. In an old " Guide Book " it advocates this system, but I do not think it is mentioned in the later editions. It ajjpeals to me because it would be easy to examine the stock after the sections are put in — sometimes a difficult operation when supers are put on top and securely glued down by the bees. I have just had to go through a stock with supers on top to cut out eight queen-cells made since the supers were put on, as the stock appeared to be on the point of swarming. (2) I put on supers without queen excluder, and noticed a few middle sections contain drone brood. If I leave them until brood hatches will the sections be fit to use, should the bees afterwards complete them? (3) Would a stock swarm if the queen was kept in by excluder? (4) To try to pi'e- vent swarming last year I divided a stpck, but in spite of this I had a swarm a few days later. The stock increased rapidly, so that I again divided it, thus getting one natural swarm and two artificial ones. This year the same parent stock is cover- ing about thirteen frames, and the two supers are full of bees. — W. Bee, Yorks. Reply. — (1) If you examine the brood- nest you will see that bees always store the food above the brood nest; for this reason it is best to put on supers instead of following the method you suggest. (2) No; the sections will be soiled, and not fit for sale. (3) The stock would not swarm, but you would hinder the work of the bees considerably. Why not use a Brice swarm-catcher? (4) You ought to breed fi'om such a splendid queen. [8157] Storinq Fitted Frames.— I shall be glad if you can tell me the best way of storing brood frames with foundation fixed in ready for use, and also the best way of storing the six inch frames after the honey is extracted, so as to keep them free from wax-moth. — N. H. R., Winder- mere. Reply. — Frames of foundation and of comb should be stored by being hung in a box which has a lid, the combs should not touch each other. In the case of shallow combs they can be stored in the- racks by packing the latter one above another! On the top of each third rack put a piece of paper about eight inches square, upon which place napthaline or Apicure, the latter for preference. The top one must be covered entirely with paper. [8158] Making a Cirrholic Chth, efc— (1) I shall be glad to know through your journal if one to ten parts of Calvert's No. 5 car, bolic acid is injurious in subduing bees, and for how long does its effect continue upon them. (2) What are the first signs of foul brood, and how is it detected? (3) What are the conditions necessary to obtain a third class expert's certificate, and where 208 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [July 6, 1911. is the nearest spot to this locality where an examination will be held this year, and the date of same? — A. J. G., Trim- saran. Reply. — (1) To make a carbolic cloth for subduing bees, put loz. Calvert's No. 5 carbolic acid into about a table-spoonful of glycerine, then add 2oz. water, and damp the cloth with this. Lay it over the frames, and the bees will go down and gorge them- selves. Carry out the manij)ulation by rolling: the cloth back. If the bees boil up put it over again for a few seconds. It is not injurious to them in any way. (2) You Avill find particulars of i.,bove in Guide Book where all the symptoms of foul brood are described. (3) We are having particulars of examination for- warded to you. [8159] Syringing Fruit Trees. — I enclose for your perusal a cutting from one of our local papers under the heading of Garden Gossip. (It runs as follows) : — "Insects. All wall trees should be care- fully inspected, and if they are infested with insects, syringe with a mixture pre- jDared for the purpose consisting of soft soap and tobacco water, one ounce of the former and a table-spoonful of the latter to one gallon of water; a dash of flowers of sulphur added is a preventive of mildew. This washing will clean the fruit from any decaying matter, and give the trees a fresh, healthy appearance." I iiiould be glad if you would kindly inform me (through the medium of the B.B.J.), whether the mixture prescribed would not have poisonous effects upon the bees of this district, and if anything could be done to stop the spread of the publication of so dangerous a prescription in the Press. — F. R., Staffs. Reply.— The wash would be cjuite harm- less to bees. [8160] Transferring Bees to Xeir Hive. — I have a stock of blacks on nine frames, that had been neglected before I pur- chased them. The combs are badly built so that the frames cannot be taken out singly, but in threes. I want to get the bees to draw out foundation in new frames and then drive them out so as to get the queen on to the new combs, and take down the honey from the old ones. How can I best do this and when? — J. D. A., Somerset. Reply. — Yoti can commence at once by i-emoving the floor-board of the hive con- taining the bees, and placing the stock on top of a proper brood-chambei- or make- shift box containing frames filled with full sheets of foundation for them to Avork down on to. When the queen is down on these newly-drawn combs put a Porter escape on to clear the bees from the mis- shapen combs. ROYAL LANCASHIRE AGRICULTURAL SHOW AT BURY. We are invited to draw the attention of bee-keepers to the above show which is to be held from August 3rd to 7th at Bury, Lanes. Exceptionally liberal prizes are being given for honey, beesAvax, and bee ap2)liances. The entries finally close on the 10th inst., and any bee-keeper hav- ing good honey on hand will be well advised to enter it in view of the impor- tance of the show and the extensive pi'ize list. Though some of the classes are re- served for those residing in the county of Lancashire, there are several open to the United Kingdom. Bee Shows to Come. A nominal ctiarge of 2s. 6d. is made for notices {not exceeding 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charged 3s. 6d., up to 15 lines 5s., which covers cost of insertion from order till date of show. Cash should accompany orders for insertion. July 13 and 14, at Brigg, Lines.— Lincoln- shire B.K.A. Great Show of Honey, Hives, and Appliances, at the Brigg Exhibition of the Lincoln- shire Agricultural Society. July 19 and 20, at Stafford.— Honey Show in connection with the Staffs. Bee-keepers' Association. Four open classes. Schedules from Joseph Tinsley, 22, Granville Terrace, Stone, Staffs. Entries close July 10. July 20, at Southwell.— Annual Show of the Notts B.K.A., in connection with the Horticul- tural Society's Show. Open class for Single 1-lb. Jar. First prize, 20s. Schedules from Geo. Hayes, Mona Street, Beeston, Notts. July 25, 26, 27, at Gloucester. Annual Show of the Gloucestershire B.K.A., in connection with the County Agricultural Show. Separate tent for Honey, Wax, and Appliances. Open classes. Special prizes. Schedules from Rev. F. H. Fowler, Barnwood Vicarage, Gloucester. Entries close July 18. July 25 to 29, at St. Albans.— Honey Show of the St. Albans and District Bee-keepers' Asso- ciation. Three Open Classes. Schedules, &c., of Mr. E. Watson, Holywell Hill, St. Albans. July 26 and 27, at Cardiff.— Annual Show of the Glamorgan B.K.A. in connection with the Car- diff and County Horticultural Show. Separate tent for honey, wax, and appliances. Open classes. Snecial prizes. Schedules from Hon. Sec. Mr. Wiltshire, Maindy School, Cardiff. Entries close July 20. July 27, 28, and 29, at Rotherham.— Show of Hives, Honey, Ac, in connection with the Royal Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Entries closed. August 2, at Stoke Park, Guildford. Annual Exhibition of Bees, Wax, Appliances, Ac, will be held by the Surrey B.K.A., in connection with the Guildford and West Surrey Agricultural Associa- tion. Nineteen classes (five open to all). Many medals. Schedules from F. B. White, Hon. Secre- tary, Marden House, Redhill, Surrey. Entries close July 22. August 3 to 7, at Bury, Lanes. Honey Show in connection with the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society's Exhibition. £35 in prizes (together with special prizes) for Honey, Wax, and Appliances. Schedule from E. Bohane (Sec), Derby House, Preston. Entries close July 10. August 3, at Weston-super-Mare.— Annual Show of the Somerset B.K.A., in connection with the important Local Annual Flower Show. Classes for Appliances, Honey, Wax, and Bee Products. Several open and free classes. Liberal prizes. July (i, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 2cy Numerous attractions. Excursions from all parts. Tor Sciiedule, o each other. Narrow ends should be used, and not the wide ones (see page 40, British Bee-Keeper's Guide Book). (2) T'se either naphthaline or Apicure. (3) Do not hybridize at all ; it is best to stick to the native bee. If you must cross, then Liguriaii queen and English ■drone are the best to choose. To intro- duce a queen von must use a cage (.see pages 131, 135," and 138 of Guide Book). W. A. F. (Settle).— A^a?ne of Plant.— The plant is the common snow berry {S[/nipho)icarpus racemosus), and is very much visited by bees. J. W. G. (Huddersfield). — Immature Bees Cast Out. — The immature bees appear normal, and there is nothing to indicate disease. The adverse weather has no doubt been the cause of their being cast out of the hive. This is not an unusual occurrence. F. F. (Cornwall). — Drone-Brood in Sec- tions.— This occasionally happens through tlie queen being small, and able to get through the excluder. In your case the bees may have carried up the eggs. Suspected Disease J. L. B. (Worcester). — It is certainly not foul-brood, and tliat in the sample ap- pears to be merely chilled brood. rO THE BRITISH 3M^ WUUISAL. puly 6; IfMl. Florist (Milford). — There is no fresh brood in the comb, and nothing to indi- cate disease. Herts. — In "Isle of Wight" disease the queen is not affected, so we do not think this can be the cause of death. Send a few of the bees (alive if possible) to Dr. Maiden, Pathological Labora- tories, Cambridge ; he will be able to tell you. A. N. (Galashiels). — (1) From description it appears to be "Isle of Wight" disease, but we are sending you leaflet Avhich will enable you to decide. (2) It is possible that the disease may have been contracted by the introduction of the queen and frames of comb you men- tion, although it is not yet certain to what extent the disease is contagious. (3) There is no need to send com^ for examination as the disease is one affect- ing adult bees, and dead bees are useless for the purpose. (4) The leaflet will give all information as to treatment and dis- infection. Spscia! Prepaid Advertisements Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, •and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, •but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- :ness " Announcements, immediately under the .Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum -charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. FAWN-COLOURED young hornless Nanny, in full milk, used to children, and broken to harness; exchange for Bees, or sell £1.— WOOD The Crags, Maltby, Rotherham. k 62 WANTED, Extractor, Cowan's, with reversible cages preferred, in perfect order.— PATCH, Ilsington, Devon. k 63 FOR SALE, 1 frame hive, 3 section racks, 1 excluder, 4 feeders, 1 super clearer; all in sound condition, 18s.; free on rail.— F. C, 2 Belle- \ue-road, Southbourne, Hants. k 59 WANTED, geared extractor, good condition, must be cheap. Deposit; approval.— Parti- culars, HAIGH, Twiston, Clitheroe. HONEY RIPENEU and Strainer, new; ex- change for strong March hatched Chickens (pullets).— MULLEY, Filey. k 68 FOR SALE, Yorkshire Terrier, good yard dog at night, gentle and affectionate with chil- dren, price £1, suit poultry farmer, &c.— COLIN HINGE, Northolt, Southall. k 66 FOR SALE, cottage with 3 acres of land, fruit, poultry, 40 hives Bees, and good connection for sale of honey.— 9, " B.B.J." Office, 23, Bedford- street, Strand, W.C. k 45 i Ton pure Ca;ra,bridgeshire fiilfe light-coloured 2 HONEY, I9U, cEiefly sainfoioi, white clover, in Ifcwt. and 281b. tins, for 70s. per cwt.; sample 2d.— JOHN CUNNINGHAM, Stetchworth, near Newmark^it, Cambs. k 63 HONEY EXTRACTOR, must sell for first reasonable offer, cost me 25s., used once, will last a lifetime.— C. WEST, 65, Hemingford-rd, Cam- bridge, k 64 BEES.— A few guaranteed healthy Stocks in W.B.C. hives, for disposal, all in perfect condition, a really first-class lot.— Appy, S., care of "B.B.J." Office, 23, Bedford-street, Strand, k 69 BEE FARM.— Owing to ill-health, lady must sell her Bees and Appliances; modern con- venient House with garden and meadow might be taken over, near station, 40 miles from London, excellent honey country, good trade connection.— LYNDHURST, Southminster, Essex. k 50 IMMEDIATE DISPOSAL.— Six Irish, ditto Lee's Hives, little used, lifts, floor ventilators, 8 combs, and section crate each, 10s. 6d. on rail; absolute guarantee.— Address, M., 5 Park Row, Hornsea. k 52 WANTED, first grade Sections and Extracted Honey (English).— Apply, stating price, to R. S., care of " B.B.J.," 23, Bedford-street, Strand, W.C. k 27 BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. SECTIONS of HONEYCOMB wanted to pur- chase for cash.— T. SMITH and Co., Cam- bridge-street. Hyde Park, W. k 13 PRIME HEALTHY NATURAL SWARMS, 10s. 6d., boxes free, prompt attention, live delivery, and satisfaction.— HI6GINSON, Egerton, Kent. k 65 DEEP OR SHALLOW FRAMES made up com- plete, metal ends and wired, 3s. 6d. doz., carriage paid; foundation fixed at 2s. 6d. per lb. — H. CRESSY, Friary Mill, Dorchester. k 67 PROLIFIC HYBRID QUEENS, 15 years' ex- perience, fertiles 4s., virgins 2s.— MOORE, 10 The Avenue, Bedford. k 60 S ECTIONS, new, wanted by the HONIELADE Co., 23, Moorfields, E.C. ITALIAN QUEENS direct from Italy.— See com- plete advertisement in " B.B.J." May 18th. Special offers are countermanded till further advice.— Address, E. PENNA, Bologna, Italy. QUEENS, 1911, tested, delivery guaranteed, in introducing cage. Hybrids 5s., blacks 4s. 6d. — BRICE'S APIARIES, Otford, Kent. DRIVEN BEES WANTED, Is. 6d. lb. cash, boxes returned carriage paid.— A. W. GAMAGE, Ltd., The Holborn Apiary, Church End, Finchley, N. WANTED, Sections, first quality, prompt cash any quantity.— W. CHILTON, Southdown Apiaries, Polegate, Sussex. SECTION GLAZING.— Best quality Lace Paper, made especially for Bee-keepers' use, not com- mon box edging, white, 100 6d., 300 Is. 4d., 500 2s. 3d., 1,000 3s. 9d., post free; blue, green, or pink, 100 7d., 300 Is. 6d., 500 2s. 6d.; Lace Bands, 2i in., 3in., and 3i in. wide, white, 100 Is. 2d., 200 2s. 3d., 500 4s.; a few in pink and blue, 100 Is. 4d., 200 2s. 6d.— W. WOODLEY, Beedon, Newbury^ APIARY of 6 Hives for sale, boiling over with Bees, 10 spare Hives, Honey Extractor, 10 Crates Sections, 8 Backs, Shallow Frames, 30 Brood- combs, cheap. Particulars, Watts, Chickerell, wey- taouth. ^ ^' July 13, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 2T1 Editorial, Notices, &c. CRAYFORD AND DISTRICT B.K.A. LECTURE AT DAETFORD. The second oi' a series of outdoor demonstrations, held by the above associa- tion, was a departure from the usual, inasmuch as this was held at ' The Dene." Darenth Road, Dartford, by iind permission of Mr. and Keyes, under whose generous hospitality a large gather- ing of members and friends spent a pleas- ant, interesting and educational afternoon on Saturday last, July 8th. The alteration of the usual procedure of hokling the demonstration at Crayford was made with the object of extending its sphere of influence by the Association and the knowledge of apiculture generally, and it is very satisfactory that the innovation was responsible for the a^jpearance of quite a number of new- comers, whom it is hoped will join, ,and so strengthen the hands of this progressive association v\'ith its nominal subscription of Is. per annum. The lecturer (I\[r. W. Herrod), having just returned from the Royal Show at Norwich, gave some very interesting par- ticulars in connection with the apicultural exhibits thoe. From his description of yields and the quality of the honey, this seasDU appears to have been a distinctly good one ; but owing to the succession of bad years, generally speaking, the bees luive not been in the condition to make the best of their opportunities. The information that the favourable weather has done much to get rid of disease was most agreeable news. Mr. Herrod dealt at some length with many points of in- terest, both to novices and veteran bee- keepers, in his usual clear and concise style. Practical demonstration was give)i in driving a skep, securing the queen and rehiving the SAvarm. A supered frame hive was also examined ; the reasons and uses of each c]:)eration being explained as the work proceeded. The lecturer tlien answered publicly and privately a number of questions, such as the members always reserve until the nuich - looked - for demonstration comes round. Mr. G. Judge provided three stocks for manipu- lating, and also on behalf of the associa- tion made the local arrangements for this very successful meeting. The next demonstration of the society will be held iit Orchard House, Crayford, in the grounds of the president, E. R. Stone- liam, Esq., on August .jth. On Septem- ber 2nd the annual honey show will take place, and the usual good attendance of members and friends is anticipated at botii meetings. In conclusion a most hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. and Mrs. Keyes,- and also Miss Powell, for their kindness, which was greatly appreciated by all. — Communicated . HONEY IMPORTS. The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom during the month of June, 1911, was £6,897.— From a return furnished^to the British Bee Journai, by the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs. HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. treatment or sw^\ems. By IF. Herrod. The novice generally commences bee- keeping AA-ith a swarm which he pur- chases, but very oiften we find that through accidently obtaining a stray Bwarm people who had no idea of keeping bees have been initiated into the craft. A prominent case is that of A. J. Root, of America ; from a vagrant swarm which he found has grown one of the largest apiaries and manufacturing plants in that country. Just"^ as the first few years of life are to the human being the most vital for the health and strength in after years, so it is with the bees. Treatment of the swarm for the first few weeks will either mar or make the stock. Instinct teaches wild creatures their work right from the monient they are born, but in the case of man he has'to rely upon his intelligence, and the knowledge obtained by those M'ho have lived before him in dealing with dumb creatuies. We have unique oppor- tunities of seeing how ignorant the beginner ofttimes is with regard to the habits and treatment of bees, and it is remarkable how very few seem to realise the necessity of buying a good text-book dealing with the calling they are taking up. This applies equally well to the upper- as to the working-class, and I must confess that when dealing with queries of such a simple and rudimentary nature that a few minutes' perusal of a text-book would enable the enquirers to see exactly what to do. instead of spending twopence in postage, and very often sixpence for a Avire, I feel inclined in reply to have printed in large red letters, "Buy the British Bee-Keepers' ' Guide Book ' and read it." Readers must not infer from this that editors do not like answering queries : quite the opposite is the case, from the fact that one feels the isatisfaction of giving in a few concise words exactly the help the inquirer probably needs at the moment, and not what may be wanted later on. In the last hints I dealt with the orthodox method of hiving a swarm, and this should always be followed if pos- sible. There are occasions Avhen it is im- 272 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [July 13, 1911.. possible to do this ; for instance, if, after travelling a long distance the swarm arrives on a damp or cold day, it would be foolish to ti'y to run the bees in at the fro]it; they would simply hang together in clusters, and refuse to move. Under such circumstances, take them into a warm room and feed as described pre- viously. When ready for hiving, remove five of the frames from the hive and space the remaining five as far apart as pos- sible : have ready a sheet larger than the top of the hive, "dump" the bees straight in and cover quickly with the cloth. The next day the remaining frames can be put in and the feeder given. On about the second day after hiving, the bees shoiTld be confined to the number of frames they can cover thickly ; when the combs are fully built out in these, then add the other frames one at a time. In this way, perfectly straight combs will be obtained. If spare combs are on hand it is well to utilise these, and interspace them with full sheets of foundation, so providing the queen with cells to lay in straight away. If a swarm is hive^l on all drawn-out combs, then a super should be put on at the same time ; this will give them comb-building work to do, which, by nature, they are well fitted for, as in a natural state they make their home in a combless and foodless hollow. Frequently, when drawn-out comb is given surplus is obtained. Swarms of the previous year very often are weakest in the spring. This can be accounted for by the fact that it is the old queen which accompanies the swarm. Therefore, if a record has been kept and the queen is an old one, she should be replaced about three weeks after hiving by a young, vigorous queen. Where the bee-keeper does not pa}- attention to the recording of the age of queens, or carry on queen-rearing, and he has an idea the queen is an old one, she can easily be replaced by uniting a cast after first killing the old queen. Returning Swarms. — This prevents in- crease and ensures surplus, all other con- ditions being equal. After the swarm has issued, go through the parent stock and destroy all queen cells (to do this effec- tively it is necessary to shake the bees from the combs), put on an extra super, and give bottom ventilation, and return the swarm in the evening. Definition of a Swarm. — People frequently use this term erroneously. At Christmas they tell me they have six swarms (?) in the garden. A swarm is a cluster of bees with a queen, but without combs or brood. A colony or stock con- sists of bees, combs, brood, and food, established in a home. NECTAR-PRODUCING PLANTS AND THEIR POLLEN. By Geo. Hayes, Beeston, Notts. (Continued from p. 243). No. 9. The Lime (Tilia Europoea). Nat. Ord. Tiliaceoe. Of the Lime or Linden there are no fewer than ten species, six of which are natives of Europe, the others being American. For Britain it is limited to a single species. The one most useful to bee-keepers, and commonly met with, is T. communis. although there is a second one, T. petiolaris, flowering a fortnight or three weeks later, and which yields a fair amount of nectar. The different species are often known amongst nurserymen as green twig, red twig, black twig, &c., from the colour of the bark on the young; wood. It is an exceedingly beautiful tree, grows fast, and attains a great size. In Switzerland and Germany there are lime trees of an enormous size. Sir Thos. Brown mentions one in Norfolk as being. 90ft. high, with a trunk 48ft. in circum- ference at l^ft. from the ground. The lime bears the smoke of cities better than other tall-growing forest trees, and for this reason in the cities on the Continent, more especially in Germany, avenues are planted with it, and it would be an advantage, to bee-keepers in' par- ticular, if more were planted in the cities and parks of Britain. It has other advantages; the trunk is smooth, and is not so liable to get unsightly from wounds and decayed branches, as other trees. The leaves are of a beautiful delicate green, its flowers hang gracefully, and throw out a most agreeable fragrance. Although a soft and weak timber, it is valuable for many purposes. It is delicately white and of a uniform colour throughout, and because of this, more than anything else, it is used for making our one-piece sections, as well as many other appliances used in bee-keeping. Tons of it are imported into this country under the name of American white wood, as it is extensively employed in joinery, cabinet-making, musical in- struments, model - making, and wood- carving. In America, the lime is known as bass- wood, and it furnishes in many districts the chief supply of nectar, and bee- I keepers value it, as we do clover or heather. The flowers are pedancles hanging^ amongst the leaves, bordered or winged half-way up by the long, narrow, leaf-like tract. They are light yellow colour, or a July 13, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 273 f pale whitish-green, and both the bnds and seeds are bunches of little balls. The nectaries in this flower are on the inner side of the thick, fleshy sepals, and when it is being secreted profusely it sparkles like dewdrops where the sunlight falls on its blossoms. The honey is of a greenish hue, and at first somewhat pungent, but mellows with age. The pollen is of a dark-green colour when freslily gathered, of spherical form, marked with flutings, laps and processes, and measuring ^^„ in. When viewed in the dry state, owing to these overlayings and flutings the outline forms appear strange and diverse, owing most probably to its opaqueness. These will be seen 1 A. Notwithstanding the foregoing state- ment, the pollen of the lime preserves the most constant form of all that I have examined, for whether dry or in some medium — with the exception of an alteration in the process — its general form and markings are much the same, so that when once thoroughly realized, it is easy to re- member. When it is viewed partly by trans- mitted and reflected light, it is as seen at 1 B and C. In moisture, the flutings fill up and processes grow ; and when in formalin it is as shown at 2. When taken from honey the swellings of the processes are not so well marked as in formalin, and sometimes appear as at 3 A, or as at 3 C, which represent two different faces of the grain. Moreover, it will be noticed that the processes appear to have filaments protruding, which, I think, may be caused by the rupture of the process ; although there does not appear to be any escape of the fovilla or protoplasm of the Pollen grain. The size of this grain is but vei"y slightly increased in any kind of medium. (To be continued). POLLEN OF LIME. Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper, NOTES BY THE WAY. [8205] The month of July is sustain- ing its character for "July heat," which has caused the bees to cluster in the shady porches of the hives as they do in early June. The limes are in full bloom, and bee work begins early and closes with day- light in the even- ing, so that we are hoping to get our share of surplus from the limes this season. This honey, when mixed with that from white clover, makes a good marketable blend, though not equal in flavour to white clover and sainfoin honey. The continued heat has not started swarming, so that I expect the season for this is now over for 1911. Parti- cular wants and requirements affect one's management considerably ; most bee-keepers, when they purchase a do not want their whereas the man who has a de- eagerly watches swarm or steck, bees to swarm, with large apiaries, mand for swarms, _ ^ and hopes day after day for swarms to issue, so that he may fill his orders or replenish his empty hives; and the con- trariety of things mundane will often givo the small apiarist swarms galore, coupled with empty supers, and the large apiarist only a small percentage of swarms. Bee Sting Cures.— My bee man says he has tried many remedies, but that used by his grandfather, viz., spirit of turpentine, is the best; it may relieve the pain, but it does not prevent the swelling. I myself 274 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [July 13, 1911. am so inoculated with bee-sting poison I that I do not trouble to apply any remedy; I simply go on with the bee-work, extracting the sting with the finger-nail. If it is near the eye I press out the jioison whenever possible by pressing the spot between two fingers, as this is the only part which swells. When stung on my hands and arms — and I generally work among the bees with sleeves rolled up — I cannot tell where the sting was in- jected. Queen 'Rearing. — July is a good month for queen-rearing, and a read up of the chapters on the sub- ject in "The Guide Book'' will refresh the memory of the older bee-keeper and enlighten the mind of the novice in the w"ork. If the plain instructions given by Mr. Cowan therein are carefully followed, queens as good as money can buy may be raised, providing one has a good strain of bees. Always start the queen-cells from eggs from the best queen in the apiary, . and see that they are raised from the egg stage, and not from larva. The stocks in whicli you intend to suj^ersede the queens can be de-queened four or five days after you have started the queen-cells, the bees will not worry the drones to death, but will allow them to remain, as these stock.^ will begin cell-building on their own account. These cells must be removed later, and a fine cell from your best stock put in place and allowed to hatch out and become fertile in the hive the queen is in- tended to head. You will thus have no risks on introduction, often a ticklisli job with the amateur bee-keeper. — A^^ WooDLBY, Beedon, Ne^burv. NOTES FROM CORNWALL. [8206] Though no longer engaged t-o a large extent in bee-keeping, I feel I should like to send a few notes, just to keep in touch with the bee world, though my time is so fully occupied in other ways that at pr&sent I cannot give such a large slice of it to correspondence as I used to do. I observe fhat Mr. Stapleton, of Gwinear, has contributed sonie very useful notes, and' so far as practical bee work is concerned, I do not know of a more capable bee- keeper, and his experience with the "Isle of Wight " disease is very interesting. This disease, of which, personally, I have no experience, does not seem to be quite of the nature of an epidemic, but to result mainly from unfavourable seasons, which seriously impair the stamina of the bees. I also note tliat some woiild compel the abolition of the straw skep as a home for bees, believing tlxat it facilitates the per- petuation of foul brood. In my opinion, there never lias been a moi-e hygienic homio devised for bees than the straw skep; it is ideal in its jDorosity, without loss of heat, ■and for M'intering weak lots it is abso- lutely essential. I find that it is very difficult to bring small late swarans through our winter, even in a very contracted brood nest in a frame hive, whereas they thrive splendidly in a dome-shaped straw skep. The skep has its uses and will always be of value for special purposes, and to legis- late it out of existence is not to be thought of. As regards legislation generally, we must bear in mind that government control means " conti'ol," and that we shoidd desire it only as a last resource. The gre-at difficulty is to get really capable men as inspectors, who would be tactful and con- scientious, and not themselves engaged chiefly in business as large bee-keepers ; at any rate, they should not be " out for business ' ' on their own account, selling bees, swarms or appliances. A great mistake has been made in the past in trying to in- crease the number of bee-keepers regard- less of special fitness for the pursuit — a careless man has no business to keep bees at all. It is desirable that more British honey should be produced by the right kind of people, and the price is never likelj' to go lower than at present, which is on the whole a paying price. I lately sampled some honey from Jamaica, but it was vile stuff, and would be dear at one penny per pound ; we need not fear the competition of such honey as this. I fear that the present year is not likely to be noted for a large honey yield. — W. .J. Farmer, Cornwall. BEE-STINGS AND REMEDIES. [8207] Many of the recorded remedies for bee-stings probably owe their value to the mechanical removal of the unabsorbed poison, thus enabling the system to deal witli what has already entered the tissues. Hazeline has astringent properties as well as 25ain-allaving power, and I do not doubt its efficacy in some cases. Theoretically, a remedy should be a chemical antidote to the venom, but it is improbable that ex- ternal application Mill cause the remedy to l^enetrate the wound and combine with the poison already in the tissues. The blue- bag jDrobably modifies the toxicity of the venom, but tlie amount of blue that is absorbed by rubbing it on the skin is hardly worth troubling about. Readers of the Bee Journal should avoid the use of damp earth as a remedy, although it has been put forward on one or two' occasions by a well-known coiitri- l)utor to the Journal. Tlie death of a sliepherd from lockjaw indirectly caused by bee-stings renders this warning advis- able. July 13, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 2T5 The bacillus of lockjaw is present iu jjractically every sample of garden earth, but owing to the fact that it requires special conditions to enable it to become active as a disease producer, it is fre- quently present on the skin and possibly in the tissues without ill-effect. I have liad some thousands of stings, and only in one case was a sting followed by after effects due to the entrance of a bacillus. Nevertheless, I do not advise bee-keepers to increase their chances of trouble by using a remedy Avhich could be used suc- cessfully for the experimental production of lockjaw. From personal experience, I am quite satisfied that bees not only vaiy in the ■desire to use their stings, but also that in the poison injected there is considerable difference. The virulence may vary also according to nutritional factors. The sub- ject is one, however, which presents con- siderable difficulty to exact investigation. The experience of the lady friend of Ml'. Snow (p. 2.56) is of interest in the study of immunity, and I am glad that he recorded it. — G, W. Bullamore, Albury, Herts. [8208] I am not much affected by bee- stings fortunately, as 1 get a gotjd number of them art«d to the rank and file by well- instructed teachers, who are able to give a reason for the faith that is in them? When will they learn the oft-told truth that agriculture has been increased in its products by apiculture? They are twin sisters marching together with linked hands. He who increases the resources of the country, increases its income, is a public benefactor, and deserves well of tlie nation. — J. Smallwood, Hendon. SUGAE AND ISLE OF WIGHT DISEASE [8213] In reply to a query recently appearing in a science journal, I read that sugar is refined by tunsgate of lime, hence the blue tint too often noticed by bee- keepers when boiling siigar for bee-feed- ing. I read : " Many samples of sugar showed this blue oxide of tunsgate, a nauseous sulphury taste and smell." Have any or our scientistvs when search- ing for the cause of "Isle of Wight" disease tried the efi^ect of oxide-of-tunsgate- refined-sugar on a. healthy stock of bees? If not, why not? — S. C, Cambs. CAPPINGS OF COMB. BY L. 8. CRAWSHAW, NORTON, MALTON, YORK8. Scarcity of Sicarms (page 234). — Mr. Woodley's experience has been my own, only " more so," for I have not had a \ single swarm this year. I have waited for them open-mouthed, that is to say with hives all prepared, but to no purpose. In some instances, the conditions which Mr. Woodley outlines may have influenced, but generally my hive conditions have been good. Bees have been well up in the supers, with a fair-sized brood-nest below, so that I am led to think that the season itself, with its continuous honey flow, has not suggested swarming. Then the cold spell put it quite in the background, and now it would seem a little late for swarming to begin. But honey is once more coming in, and re- membering Mrs. Tupper's classic phrase, it would not surprise me at all if the bees were to ignore dates, and suddenly to make up their mind to the annual excur- [ sion, for drone breeding has been steadily maintained in all the confidence of a full cupboard, and is now proceeding in every available corner, so that the Spirit of the Hive clearly contemplates the possibility of their need. Key and Kettle (page 235).— W.S.W. re- fers to the tinkling of these symbols as an obsolete rite. Yet it is curious how firmly fixed in the countryside is that faith. Per- sonally I am not ashamed to confess I have still an open mind on the subject. Quite recently I was talking with a well- known local bee-keeper, Mr. Jesse Fry, of Ilkley, for whose opinions I have a certain respect. He it was, by the way, who instructed me in my initial attempt at swarm-taking. But to return to our pots and kettles. The other day a swarm came off in his absence, and pro- ceeded on its travels. His small son, who has the makings of a bee-keeper, and who was on the watch, hastily grabbed some of the aforesaid musical instruments, and gave chase, playing vigorously, with the result, or at any rate the coincidence, that the quarry wavered, halted, and settled. It would take more argument than I can offer to convince Mr. Fry that the noise did not interfere with the voice of the queen, to which the ear of the swinging swarm was attentively keyed. Certain it is that even we can detect the note at times. And if there be truth in the theory, it may be, reasoning from the probability that the notes would be dis- cordant, that confusion is the cause ; further, that cases of failure may be ex- plained by accidental sympathy of note, and that a fresh frying-pan would ensure success I I am supposing that queens emit a uniform note, as worker bees appear to do. This morning I was watching honey bees and several species of wild bees, all at work upon what is locally called ''Lamb's lug," (ear), and the various notes were easily recognisable. Wiring Frames (page 242). — For some time I invariably used thin Weed brood foundation, but I found difficulty in ob- taining flat combs. Each portion, between wii-e and wire, would expand and bulge. The solution I found was to thoroughly warm each sheet before imbedding, so as to encourage expansion. Needless to say, my frames have plain top bars, and the foundation is waxed to them. Last week I came across an old bee-keeper who had hived a swarm upon i;nwired sheets, intending later to send the stock to the moor ! When I examined the stock, several of the sheets had parted along the top line, and the result may be imagined. In this case, the hot weather had no doubt caused the swarm to expand itself fully, and the highest cells were un- worked, resulting in some terribly weak combs. By the way, it is good to see that Mr. Herrod is opposed to the split top bar. Now perhaps we shall make some more progress with the campaign. "Abomination" is a fine word, and fully expresses itself. Stronfj Stocks (page 243). — This demon- stration might be profitably carried out every year, and all the local bee-keepers might be made to learn its lesson. My best stocks this year were those wintered with two queens. I shall certainly extend the principle this autumn. The hive is 278 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [July 13. 1911 divided tightly and centrally, and entrance given at the extreme ends of the alighting board. Two weak stocks win- tered well in this way, and a strong stock split np with the queenless halt requeened, did equally well. Winters may vary of course, but I recommend that the system be tried on a small scale. Cure for Bee-Stings (page 246). — I must confess to G.S.N., that I do not kjiow what the ancients used to alleviate bee- stings. I suspect they grinned and bore, ■ or applied a fomentation of herbs. But I know that witch hazel (Pond's Extract) is useful, and I believe I am right in supposing that witch hazel is contained in the preparation he recommends. It might be helpful if he M^ould compare in his person the effect of each, to see whether relief is entirely due to this plant. W. Z. Hutchinson (page 251). — As a reader of the Bee-keeper's Review, may I express my sorrow at the loss of " AV. Z.," whose personality had endeared him to many who never saAv him, and whose abilities had elevated him to a dis- tinguished_ place amongst the fraternity, not only of his own country, but on this side of the water also. Quite recently, Avhen renewing my subscription for several years in advance, I wrote him to the effect that if several bee journals arrived by the same post, the Sevicu- invariably claimed precedence. This journal, upon Avhich he has impressed his individuality and his love of the beautiful and perfect, has stood out for years as the organ of the specialist. I cannot but acknowledge the stimulus which I have often experi- enced at his hands. His text was con- tinually one of progress and hope, and it is not easy to see how his place can be adequately filled, and the bee-keeping world repair its loss. Queries and Replies. [8K31] Be(/innrr''s (^lueries. — Will 3'ou kindly answer questions I fisk below? (1) How long would a swarm cluster before dispersing? (Bees sometimes swarm when one is on holiday, and theie is no one to attend to them). (2) What would happen to a swarm if it was not discovered, and was not hived? (3) In hiving a swarm, Avould excluder-zinc over the opening of the hive enable one to discover the queen? (I have never seen a queen yet). (4) I do not want more than the two hives I now have. In the future, failing a private purchaser, is there any firm who Avould ])nrchase the swarm? — Bkginnek. Bepi.y. — (1) Uncertaiii. A great deal de])ends upon the weatliei'. We have known them bang for tliroe days, and at other times oni^y a few minutes. Also at times sw\ tlie first rudiments of treating them jn-operly. ^ et how often do we see bees dragging out a miserable existence under ev~eiy condi- tion inimical to their well being, a misery to themselves, and a menace to others, entirely through the fault of their owners, who seem neither to know enough, care enough, nor troubh> enough to take the slightest intelligent interest in them. These owners do no good themselves, and thej^ are a nuisance to others. Let us have a little legislation on tli" .subject, a little ])u1)lic instruction, aiul a little examination oi' an owner's capa- l}ilities. liCt lis have a little compulsory inspection of his stocks, and finally, con- demnation and prohibition in case of in- competency. Then may we hope that having expelled fi-oni our ranks the iiii Avorthy and the unfit, those of us Avho Tea II V have a genuine fondness for these industrious insects, or, may I say those of us who really and truly "have a bee in our bonnet," may have our most ambitious dreams realised — good seasons, good stocks, no disease, and sui-jilns in al)nnd- jince. — J. T., Tomintoul. AT THE ROYAL. JS219] J had a very severe attack of that maladv which affects so manv of us at tliis season. Its symptoms are a general disinclination for work, a dreamy wander- ing of the mind to other scenes, rural or maritime, and a tender interest in the display of light clothing and straw hats in the shop windows. As the force of the disease increases, frequent references are made to railway and tourist guides. And generally the final development is packing of portmanteaux and the bundling together of fishing rods, tennis bats, and such impedimenta, and early departure some morning by train. But why diagnose the holiday-fever"? Who does not suffer from it and know it? Unfortunately, I could at the moment spare only one day, so I decided I would go to Norwich to the '"Royal." I Avill not take a note-book, I will have a real day "off" and enjoy myself, I thought. But the unexpected always will happen. Scarcely had I got on to the show ground when a well-known personage in matters apicultural, meeting me, greeted me with " Good morning, of course you have come to write an article on the show." Now here was a fix. The "of course" meant that there was something expected of me. Should I say "No," it Avas at once owning that I had been weak enough to give way to "holiday fever," and a conse- quent clay's idleness. My nmnnr proprc shrank from this. On the other hand if I said "Yes,'' well I was not "telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," so like "Brer Rabbit," I looked wise and said "nuflfin." It then occurred to me that perhaps I might find some "copy," something which might serve to give variety to the weekly " menu." Mr. Editor, this is my excuse for troubling you. Needless to say I was at once made free of the "Exhibition." and the mess, byoui' secretary. The quantity and quality of the real hard work done to make the show a success is self evident, and three or four lectures to give each clay in addition I Well, I really don't envy 3^011 your work, Mr. Her rod, but there is one thing I do envy you, and that is the life in the open- air, a la Boheme, for a week, with pleasant companions and aides-de-camp. Your chef, for instance, Mr. Brown, knows how to cook a steak quite as well as how to raise honey. But I have no intention of entering into the merits or demerits of the exhibition, that has already been done by practical pens. Having decided in order to quieten conscience, that it was necessary to find something to write about I mixed with the crowd gathered around the Dee tent. I became I " A chiel amaiig ye takin' notes, I And faith, he'll prent em." I Now Mr. Herrod was holdino; the atten- Uily 20, 1911.] THE lUUTISH BEE JOUKxNAL. 2S5 tiuii of the crowd with his accustomed theme, and a near neiglibour to me was a very well developed example of the gentler sex." Her voice was not exactly dulcet; it would have been no libel to call it gruff. Her accent betrayed the Lancashire lass. The lecturer was describing the massacre of drones at the end of the season, and chanced to speak of them as males. •• Sarve 'em reet," quoth my neignuour. •• HapjDen we'll ha votes for women." I liave hitherto had rather an open mind on this question. Now 1 begin to wonder if ••mere man" is sufficiently protected. 1 watched two men with particular regard, they seemed so interested. Just as the lecturer was concluding, one turned to the other. ''Mate," said lie, "there are some queer wheezes noMadaj-s, what with teddv-bears, monkeys, and toy pups, but to nuike pets of bees is tlie rummiest go I have ever seen." From London these. Southend or Margate had evidently been the limit of their travels hitherto. But there were others standing around who came for instruction, and I was asked why could not similar lectures be given at other shows besides the "Koyal." I re- peated to myself the question " Why not?" Surely in ever}' county there is ability lunning to waste ; there must be some who with a little practice could give an inter- esting lecture to last, say, three parts of an hour. I have been to county shows Avhere there were so-called honey shows and bee tents, and have felt so disgusted with the Avhole fiasco that T could have welcomed with joy a tropical thunder- stoi'm to sweep away the lot. A few bottles of second rate honey, and a dozen or two of indifferently filled sections con- stituted the exhil)its. .\s for the lecturer, often utterly incapable of expressing simple sentences in every day King's Knglisli, needless to say fcAV of the passers- by aie attracted. What is required, and evci'vbody's commonsense must see the trutii. is a little move " thorough- ii(>ss." Tf it is worth while having a show at all. do it well. In the case of county shows, the outlay for a bee tent, and the ske]is to drive is relatively .small, and is amply repaid by increased subscription.-;, but you must put a man in command who knows his work and has some little fluency of tongue, able to answer the questions t brown at him in a tactful, attractive way. So vei^y many of the crowd knoM" but little about bees and bee-keeping — they have heard th? bee has a tongue at one end of its aujitomy, and possiblv have experienced that it has a sting at the other — that when they are shown, as an object lesson, how submissive bees are with nropei- handling-, they get interested, and would like to learn how the sweets may be gathered, with as few as possible of the asper'tie.-. — •J. Smallwood. SIGAH AXD LSLE OF WIGHT DISEASE. [8220] Either through my writing in haste or printer's error (page 277) blue '•oxide of tungstate " and ''tungstate of lime" were both mis-spelt ''tunsgate." Sorrv the error was made. — S.C.. Cambs. Queries and Replies. [8163] Dividing for Increase — I have not had any swarms this season, and have plenty of drawn-out combs. Would you advise me to increase by dividing my stocks, or is it too late for them to build up stiong enough before winter. What is the best method of doing so. Should I re- move the old stock after dividing, or leave it on the original stand. Bees have done fairly well about here during the hot weather, strong stocks stored about (iOlb. surplus. Should the weather improve now there is plenty of white clover in the fields, from which honey may be gathered. — B. W. G., Gloucester. Reply. — It will be best to work for sur- plus instead of dividing the stocks. There is plenty of white clover still in bloom, and with \\arm weather you will get more honey. [8164] Bees Yisitinfj Mineral-Water Factori/. — I should be pleased to receive any information you can give me with respect to the following : I am a bee- keeper, and was troubled last year after taking the supers off with the bees going to a mineral water works close at hanrl, and taking possession of the syrup room. As the ownei- of the works was a near friend, I did all that was possible to check this, viz., smoking them and burn- ing carbolic in the syrup-room. This did check them for a time, but the next day there were just as many. Since then the mineral works has changed hands, and to be on the safe side, I should like to know, if they go again, who will l>e responsible. 1 must point out to you that there is every chance for the bees to get at the syrup, the windows in the room being broken ; in fact, the place is in a very bad condition. liegally. shoidd the owner of this place put it in such a con- dition that the bees cannot get at tlie syrup when filtering? The filters are in square frames, and it would be very little exjiense to put gauze round them, which would exclude both bees and wasps.— M. J. W. Reply. — We know of no law to compel the owner of the factory to put it intf^ such a condition as to prevent bees from getting access to the syrup, but we should think that it must be obvious to him that 286 THE BHITISH BEE JOURNAL. [July 20, 1911. it would be to his advantage to put wire- gauze screens to the windows and doors, or in the way you suggest, to prevent not only bees, but wasps and flies from getting at the syrup. This is usually done in jam factories, and should also be done in such a case as you mention. Although your bees must not be a nuisance to anyone, in your case you ctndd show contributory negligence on the part of your neiglibour, who had enticed the bees on to his premises. [8165] Dealing icith Surwmed Stocks. — I bought two small stocks of bees in October last. I put a super in hive No. 1 on May 13th, and one in No. 2 on May 20th, and as there were signs of swarming, I put a second super in hive No. 1 on May 30th. Both hives, however, sent off a swarm, which were successfully hived. Later, hive No. 2 sent off a cast, which was hived in another hive. Both the first swarms were large, and cover eight and seven frames respectively. The cast covers four frames. There is, of course, verj^ little surplus honey being gathered, as the stocks have been thus attenuated. I would like to know how I can ascertain if there is a fertilised queen in each of hives 1, 2, and 5. Can I remove the supers without detriment to the bees? I have been' feeding the cast as the weather has been unpropitious for foraging. Ought I to reduce the stocks to three or four for the winter .P If so, which colonies should be united, and which queens destroyed? I have no means of knowing the exact age of the original queens, but they have evidently both been prolific this year. I have not thought it necessary to feed the swarms; ought I to have done so? — W. H. C, Cookham Dene. Reply. — You must use your judgment and unite the weakest colonies, destroying the queens, which came out with the swarms, as these will be the oldest. The cast will liave a young queen. If the colonies have about eight frames of bees it will not be necessary to unite, as they Avill stand the winter alone. It is always best to feed swarms for at least a week after hiving. You can ascertain if the queens are fertile by removing the supers and searching for eggs. Their removal will not harm the bees. [8166] Drone Brood in Super. — I shall l)e glad if you will give me advice on the following: — In one of my hives I did not put on the queen-excluder, as the bees were disinclined to go into the supers, but as soon as they harl started work I put it on. Unfortunately, the queen was in the super, and I have only just discovered this; of four supers, two have a large amount of brood. I have now secured the queen, and placed her in the brood- cluimber. One of the supers has drone base foundation, and every cell has a drone larva in it. The queen-excluder will naturally prevent the drones going dov.n into tlie brood-chamber, so they will naturally be imprisoned above. I do not wish to destroy the combs,, as I am short of drawn-out comb, and I suppose I can hardly destroy the larvae without doing some harm to the com.b. If I put them below the queen-excluder I am afraid the queen will again use the comb for laying, especially as the brood-chamber has probably very little room by this time for brood. I have not looked into it, but I gather this from the fact that the queen has been in the supers for more than six weeks. — H. S. C, N. Devon. Reply. — The best plan would be to melt the combs down, and give fresh sheets of foundation for the bees to draw-out. Fail- ing this, your only remedy is to let the drones hatch out. Y^ou can liberate them from tlie super by lifting off the quilt occasionally, and thus giving them an opjjortunity to escape, or Avlien all have emerged you could clear out the workers by using a Porter bee-escape. Any drones left could then be shaken off the combs. [8167] Storing Extracted Honey, and' other Queries. — Will you kindly answer the following questions in the Bkitish Bee Jor-RXAL: — (1) What is the best recei^tacle to keejj extracted honey in till one can sell it, and where should it l)e kept? Can it remain in the ripenerr (2) How many standard frames of honey should one leave the bees for the winter? I think there is a good deal of honey stored in the brood chambers of my hives. (3) How can one keep shallow frame-combs, from which honey has been extracted, for use next year? Will they be all right in the supers wrapped ii^ newspapers and stored in a dry place? (4) When given to the bees to clean after extracting, how long must they remain in the hive? (5) One of my colonies sent out a swarm on Whit Monday. I did not see it issue, but concluded it came from a hive ^xhicii was supered with a rack of sections. These i)ees have done nothing since, the parent colony I mean, not the swarm ; they refused to Avork in the sections, Avhich had starters in them, so T put on a super of shallow frames, Avith full sheets of foundation, and one frame nearlv fuU of honej- from another hive, but all to no purpose. What can be the reason? Two colonies close by have been working well. — " Radnorian," Presteigne. Reply. (1) Honey can remain in the vipener, or you could keen it in 281b. lever-top tins. It should be kept in a dry, cool place. (2) Eight well-filled frames A\ould be sufficient for their needs. (3) Get the extracted combs cleaned up liy the July 20, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 287 bees first, then wrap them up as suggested, and place a couple of balls of napthaline in each parcel. (4) Until they are quite free from all stickiness. (5) It is unusual for a colony to give surplus after swarming. [8168] Sioarm Building t'omhs in Hive- Boof — I shall be glad if you have room to answer the following in the queries and replies column of •' B.B.J." I have had an empty hive standing in my apiary as a decoy for swarms. I was away from the apiary from July 9th to 12th, and on going there on the latter date, I saw bees going in and out of the "decoy" hive. On removing the roof I found a large swarm. Most of the bees were in the roof where they had built some combs, these containing honey and eggs. In the brood-chamber I had left four frajnes of drawn out foundation ; there were some bees on these, not many. I suppose that not finding i-oom enough on the frames, the bees had gone up into the roof, nearly all of them being clustered there. I filled up the brood-chamber with frames of drawn out foundation. It seemed a pity to destroy the combs in the roof, so I intend leaving them, catching the queen and putting her down into the brood chamber with an excluder on top. I shall be very glad to know if this is the proper treatment of the case. — M. G. F., Hawk- hurst. Reply. — Yes, you have done right, but before pulling the queen below you must wait until the combs in brood-chamber are built out, or you could give the bees drawn-out combs from other hives. [8169] A Bundle of 4>i/fr(>.s.— Replies to questions as below would be greatly appreciated. (1) Would shavings from a planing machine, sprinkled with a few drops of Sanitas disinfectant, be detri- mental to bees if used in packing up for the winter? (2) Is boiled linseed oil as good as vaseline to put on frame-ends, and bottom and top of racks? (3) If hybrids were hatched out in a hive of blacks, would it induce fighting? (4) Would drawn-out combs and foundation atter being soiled by bees with dysentery last summer be injurious if used this season? (o) Is the specimen of heather I enclose of the variety that pro- duces the best honey? (6) I should like to know of what strain my bees are. They have been in the family over 60 years, good workers and breeders. Would you kindly let me know if bees ought to be sent dead or alive for your examina- tion and what would be your fee? It is only during the last two years that I became really interested in l)ees, after purchasing a copy of the Guide Book at Cardiff Flower Show. I have also been a regular reader of the "B.B.J." since. Long mav it live! — Seeker, Mertliyr Tydvil. Reply. (1) Not in the slightest. (2) No. (3) It IS not likely to do so. (4) It is not advisable to use the soiled combs, and they are best melted down for wax. (5) Destroyed in the post, so cannot say. (6) No fee is charged for examining Ijees. A few dead ones will suffice to tell whai; varietv they belong to. Thanks for your good wishes. WEATHER REPORT. Barnwood, Gloucester. Rainfall, 207 in. Below average, J6 in. Heaviest fall, 47 in. on 24th. Total to date, 8-29 in., as compared with 12'89 in. for the cor- responding period of last year. Mean maximum tem- perature, 684; 6 of a degree below average. Mean minimum tem- perature, 495 ; 15 below average- Warmest day, 8th. 80-5. Coldest night, loth, 33-2. June, 1911. Mean temperature for month, 589; 11. below average. Relative humidity. or percentage of moisture in the air at 9 a.m.. 64. Number of days with sky completely overcast at 9 a.m. 4; do. cloudless, 7. Percentage of cloud 43. Percentage of wind force, 21. Prevailing dii-ection, N.E. & S.W, F. H. Fowler (F. R. Met. Soc). WEATHER REPORT Westbouene, Sussex. June, 1911. Rainfall, l-99in. Below^ average, 'Hin. Heaviest fall, '59 in., 16th. Rain fell on 1 0 days. Sunshine, 2599 hours. Above average, 26'1 hours. Brightest day, 8th. 15 '3 hours. Sunless days, 2, Maximum tempera- ture, 79'' on 6th. Minimum tempera- ture, 37 <* on 11th. Minimum on grass, 32« on nth. Frosty nights 0. Mean Maximum 665, Mean Minimum 50"2. Mean temperature, 58 3. Above average, 11. Maximum barometer. 30-438 on 7th. Minimum barometer, 29-597 on 24th. L. B. BiRKETT. Bee Shows to Come. July 20, at Southwell.— Annual Show of the Notts B.K.A., in connection with the Horticul- tural Society's Show. Open class for Single l-lb. Jar. First prize, 20s. Schedules from Geo. Hayes, Mona Street, Beeston. Notts. July 25, at Kidwelly, S. Wales (Agricultural and Horticultural Show). Open Class for Honey. 288 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [July 20, 1911. lib. glass jar of present season honey, 1st prize, 10s.; 2nd, 5s.; 3rd, 2s. 6d. Entrance free. Honey to become the property of the Committee. Sec, J. Morgan, Kidwelly, iintries close July 22. July 26, at Nether Wallop.— Annual Honey Show of the Wallop Horticultural Society. Open Classes for Honey. Best lib. jar extracted, best lib. section. Entry free. Entries closed. July 25, 26, 27, at Gloucester. Annual Show of the Gloucestershire B.K.A., in connection with the County Agricultural Show. Separate tent for Honey, Wax, and Appliances. Open classes. Special prizes. Entries closed. July 25 to 29, at St. Altoans.— Honey Show of the St. Albans and District Bee-keepers' Asso- ciation. Three Open Classes. Schedules, &c., of Mr. E. Watson, Holywell Hill. St. Albans. July 26 and 27, at Cardiff.— Annual Show of the Glamorgan B.K.A. in connection with the Car- diff and County Horticultural Show. Separate tent for honey, wax, and appliances. Open classes. Special prizes. Schedules from Hon. Sec. Mr. Wiltshire, Maindy School, Cardiff. Entries close July 20. July 27, 28, and 29, at Botherham.— Show of Hives, Honey, &c., in connection with the Royal Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Entries closed. August 2. at Stoke Park, Guildford. Annual Exhibition of Bees, Wax, Appliances, &c., will be held by the Surrey B.K.A., in connection with the Guildford and West Surrey Agricultural Associa- tion. Nineteen classes (five open to all). Many medals. Schedules from F. B. White, Hon. Secre- tary, Marden House, Eedhill, Surrey. Entries close July 22. August 3 to 7, at Bury, Lanes. Honey Show in connection with the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society's Exhibition. Entries closed. August 3, at Weston-super-Mare.— Annual Show of the Somerset B.K.A., in connection with the important Local Annual Flower Show. Classes for Appliances, Honey, Wax, and Bee Products. Several open and free classes. Liberal prizes. " Small-holder " clock for second highest number of points. Numerous attraciions. luxcursions from all parts. For Schedule, &c., apply to T. Jones, Assistant Show Secretary, North View, Milton-road, Weston-super-Mare. Entries close July 29. August 7 (Bank Holiday), at Cambridge. Honey Show in connection with the Cambridge Mammoth Show Society. All Open Classes, four Special Hives to be competed for. This Show also includes dogs, poultry, pigeons, rabbits, cage birds, flowers, fruit, and vegetables; also grand pro- gramme of sports and motor racing, &c. Balloon ascent and parachute descent by Captain Spencer. The champion prize band (Irwell Springs) has been specially engaged. Schedules from Hon. Sec, E. F. Dant, Member of B.B.K.A., 52 Bridge Street, Cambridge. Entries close Thursday, August 3. August 7, at Epworth. In connection with the Epworth Agricultural Show of Horses, Beasts, Pigs, Poultry, Pigeons, Rabbits, Cage-Birds, Honey, Dairy Produce, &c. Lines. B.K.A. in charge of Honey Section. Schedules from W. E. Burrows, Secretary, Epworth, Doncaster. August 7, at Melton Constable. The Annual Honey Show of the North Norfolk B.K.A. will be held at Melton Constable Park on above date. Several Open Classes. Schedules from Secretary, North Norfolk B.K.A., The Pightly, Letheringsett, Holt, Norfolk. August 9, at Wye, Kent.— Kent Honey Show. Four Open Classes. Fourteen open to Kent. Trophy Cup value 3 guineas. Open to Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. Two Challenge Cups vJilue 6 guineas each. Many other special and money prizes Special classes for Cottagers, also class for members of Ashford and District Bee-keepers' Association. Schedules ready early in July, from H. C. Chapelow, Hon. Sec, Wye, Kent. Entries close August 2nd. August 10, at Madresfield, Malvern. Annual Show of the Worcestershire B.K.A. Open Class for collection of Bee Products. Prizes, 20s., 10s. Schedules from George Richings, 2, Shrubbery Terrace, Worcester. Entries close August 5. August 16, at Lancaster. Lancaster Agricul- tural Society, in conjunction with the Lancashire B.K.A. 16 Classes for Honey, Bee Produce, and Bee Hives. Numerous specials, including 2 silver challenge cups, 12 silver and bronze medals. Write for Honey Schedule to Robert Gardner. 13, Sun St., Lancaster. Entries close August 2. August 17, at Kenil worth Castle, Show of Kenilworth Horticultural Society. Open Honey Classes. Prizes, 10s., 5s., 2s. 6d. Judge, Mr. G. Franklin. Very popular, and an old established exhibition. Schedules from E. H. Thornett, Secre- tary, Kenilworth. August 17, at Ataington Park, Northamp- ton. Northants B.K.A. Annual Honey Show. Special Prizes for Open Classes, includiug one for single lib. jar of Honey. Entry free. Judge, Mr. W. Herrod. Prizes, 20s., 10s., 5s., 2s. 6d., and Is. 6d. Schedules from R. Hefford, Kingsthorpe, Northants. Entries close August 12. August 23, at Radstock, Somerset.— Honey Show in connection with the Radstock Horticul- tural and Farmers' Association. Open and gift classes. Write for Honey Schedule. B. M. Clark. Foxhills, Radstock. August 23 and 24, at Shrewsbury. Annual Show of the Shropshire Bee-keepers' Association, in connection with the Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete. Eight Open Classes for Honey. Free entry for single bottle and single section. Schedules from S. Cartwright, Hon. Sec, Shawbury, Shrewsbury. Entries close August Avigust 30, at Chester. Annual Show of the Cheshire B.K.A. in connection with the County Agricultural Show. Several Open Classes. Good prizes. Schedules, &c., from Hon. Sec, E. W. Franklin, Mouldsworth, near Chester. August 30 and 31, at Coventry. — Annual Show of the Warwickshire B.K.A., in connection with the Warwickshire Agricultural Society. Separate tent for Honey, Wax, and Appliances. Open Classes. Schedules, &c., from J. N. Bower, Knowle, Warwickshire. September 6, at Deddington, Oxon. Show of the Dediiiiigton Horticultural Society. Open Class for Honey. Prizes, 10s., 5s., 3s., 2s. No entry fee Schedules from Messrs. H. J. Harms worth or A. A. Busby, Deddington. Entries close September 1. September 7, at Peterborough. In con- nection with Horticultural Society. County Asso- ciation Class and four Open Classes. Schedules from G. T. Dunham, Albion Terrace, 32, Oundle Road Peterborough. Ilntries close Septem- ber 1. September 13 and 14, at Cambridge. Honey Show in connection with the Cambridge and District Red Cross Horticultural Society. Four Classes, open to all. To be held in the Corn Exchange, Cambridge. Schedules and particulars of Hon. Sec, E. F. Dant, Member of B. B.K.A., 52, Bridge Street, Cambridge. Entries close Satur- day, September 9. September 13, at Conway, N. Wales. Great Annual Honey Show in connection with the Conway Honey Fair. Open and local Classes. Schedules from J. Hughes, Town Hall, Conway. Entries close September 6th. September 27, at Altrincham. — Honey Show, in connection with the Altrincham Agricultural Show, the largest one-day show in the Kingdom. Classes open to United Kingdom. Classes for Trophy of Honey, for Best Hive, Observatory Hive with Bees and Queen, twelve Jars of Extracted Honej . Classes open to County of Chester, for Run and Section Honey, Wax, &c. Special Classes for Cottagers, and Special Classes for Society's District. Several Special Jubilee prizes. Schedules from Mr. J. Herbert Hall, 2, Dunham Road, Altrincham. Entries close September 9, and at extra fees September 13. Notices to Correspondents. H. C. (Old Charlton).— .lf/ijue in Bec- Krrping. — Write to H. Brice, Otford. Kent. •July 20. 11)11. THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 289 E. G. (Leeds). — Artificial Incrca.'ic. — (1) It would be best to make an artificial swaptlia- line should also be used in the hive. W. H. W. {Jlav\ii\gUm).~E.rhiLntinrj Ilonei/. — You made a .serious charge against the honesty of our judges, and aithough we challenged you to prove your accusations you adduce nothing to show that " with the connivance of the judges," the faker had "reduced show- ing to a farce." " Although conversant with all the tricks of the faker," you are not able to bring forward a single proof, and fall back on finding fault with some cloA^er honey which you saw at some show, and you say it " was .so dense that it would hardly leave the bottle when inverted. Any duffer knows it was not taken from the hive in that condition. It was not honey, it was the product of the faker. It was a fraudulent exhibit from my i)oint of view." Jt is evident that you are mis- applying the word " fake," which means ■■ to tamper with, for the purpose of deception," but there is no deception m Mell ripened honey, and this is exactly Avhere the skill of the bee-keeper comes in, and not the faker. AVell ripened lioney is not "fraudulent exhibit," and the ]-ipening is not done for deception, therefore we cannot look at it from your ])oiiit of view. We certainly should not disqualify honey for its consistency, if it were good in other respects. We have, however, passed over such dense samples if they were deficient in flavour. In judaing, flavour always has the highest nunibei- of points, consistency and coloui- coming next. It is for this reason that it is i-ecommended to I'ipen honey Of allow it to remain on the hive to acquire density. W^e have taken honey off our hives so dense that it has ])een hardly p()ssil)lf' to extract it, but this could not be called faked honey. Secretaries at shows are usually pleased to show exhibits in Mliich anyone is interested, but it certainly would not conduce to order if everyone were | allowed to handle exhibits indiscrimi- nately. iNQLiRtR (Basingstoke). — roints in Jndcj- iiuj. — (1) Sections: Colour, 8; finish, b: uniformity. 8; weigiit, 8: get up, 8, total, 30."^ (2) Extracted: Flavour, 3; colour, 6; consistency, H: uniformity, 3; condition, 8; aroma, 2; get uji, 2; total. 3(J. (3) Beeswax: Coloui-, (5; purity of rendering, 8; cleanliness in moulding, 3; texture, 2; phisticity. 2; aroma, 2; uniformity, 2; total. 2:1. (4) The chief characteri.stics of good beeswax are that it breaks with a fine-grained, clear con- choidal fracture, has more or less arorua, is plastic, tenacious, and can be kneaded without \t< sticking to the fingers. Placed in the mouth it is nearly tasteless, and when chewed does not adliere to the teeth. The colour vai-ies, and e.xtremes should be avoided, preference being given to that of a pale clear yellow, lemon or primrose colour. Bleached wax loses its aroma. The most likely faults are .spoiling in render- ing by o\erheating or melting without water, lack of aroma, insufficient cleaning, leaving* grit and dirt in the wax, and sometimes adulteration. Y"ou AA-ould find " Waxcraft " useful for your purpose. TTonci/ Suinph's. A. B. — The honey is from limes. Lime honey is not considered so good as that from Avhitc clover, as the flavour is not so delicate. G. M. (Playford).— The honey is a good sample fi-om white clover. If it is ripe, i.e., sealed over, you can remove it from the hives at any "time. It certainly will not "break the heart of the bee.s," but will keep them busy instead of loafing. T. S. (Stockbi-idge). — Both samples are very good, but No. 2 is slightly better than Xo. 1, which though thick and of a good colour is somewhat flavourless. From white clover. R. S. W. (Ware). — A very good honey mainly from clover, too light for any but light-honey class. It is quite 'good enough for show ])urposes, and should fetch the market price of a first class honey. A. B. C. (Llandudno). — .Vn excellent honey from sainfoin, too light for any but light-honev class. You .should get about lid. or Is. per lb. retail: about 8s. 6d. per dozen bottles, wholesale : if sold in bulk 7d to 8d. per lb. G. S. (Foots Cray). — A good sample of Iioney mainly from sainfoin. Its only imperfections are a lack of density and the presence of particles of wax, Vhicli must be strained out before it is in pi-opcr condition for sale or the show- bench. 290 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [July 20, 1911. Suspected Combs. J. H. H. (Rochester). — It is a case of sour brood . J. B. R. (Haydou Bridge). ~Tlie comb sliov.'s odourless foul brood ; the outbreal?: has occurred this year. J. R. J. (Moffat). — There is no disease in the comb, but it is all drone-brood. Evidently you used starters in the frames, instead of full sheets of worker- base foundation, which ought to have been used. Special Prepaid Advertisements Two Words One Fenny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 5s. per § i7i., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. LADY'S BICYCLE, free wheel, back pedalliug brake; exchange iighi Honey in bulk, uriers. —CYCLIST, "B.B.J." Office, 23, Bedford-street, Strand, W.C. k 86 EXCHANGE new Hives for Bees; Bee-driving required for Bees.— WILLETT, New Maiden, Surrey. k 87 Foil SALE, owing to removal.— Guaranteed healthy, 1 Hive with lift; 2 W.B.C. section racks with frames; 2 queen excluders, new; rack of sections and dividers; 120 grooved a. id split sections, dozen shallow, dozen Drood frames: 100 metal ends; lib. Brit. Weed (super foundation); few sheets shallow frame; porter escape; unuseu skep; super clearer; bottle feeder; 5-section racks, Ac, the lot, 30s.; also 2 liives bees, 1910 queens, £1 each; racks newly drawn out, shallow frames, 4s.; few back unbound volumes of "B.B.J." and " Record," Is. each.— BOKDESSA, Helsoy, via. Warrington. k 86 EXTRACTOR, never used, will exchange honey press; several new hives for sale. — APIARY% Scalby, Scarborough. k 85 HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, with queen, com- mencing August 1st, 4s. 6d. per lot; boxes to be returned; orders rotation; cash with order. — T. PULLEN Ramsbury, Hungerford. k 83 1. lb. k 82 F INE.ST LIGHT HONEY in 281b. tins, WAIN, Thorpe Bank, Wainfleet. »> A TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR advertiser in «j4- " B.B.J."— ENOCH WOODHAM, Clavering. Newport, Essex, has Swarms, Nuclei and imported Italian Quee.is, 6s. each; also home-raised Rhode Island lied fowls and Aylesbury ducks of best blood.— Particulars on application. k 81 GUARANTEED healthy secondhand Hives, fitted with frames, drawn out combs, cheap.— BARBER, expert, Mere Farm Apiary, Cheifurd. k 80 171EW 6-frame lots of Bees for sale, 17s., wired; swarms. 12s.. from healthy stock, cash with order.— F. SOFTLY, Thriplow, Cambs. k 78 BEES FOR SALE.— 10 strong stocks, in bar frame hives, and 2 in skeps, all with supers in; also extra shallow frame boxes with comb.— PENNINGTON, Croft Cottage, Mobberley, Cheshire. k 79 Sfteciai Prepaid Ativertisomcnta.— Continued WANTED, Cowan's extractor, reversible, per- fect condition.— W. I. JOLLY, Toller-lane, Bradford. k 77 EST SCOTCH SECTIONS, 10s. 6d. per dozen.— C. GAUFITT, Coupar Angus, Perthshire, k 76 B A FEW DOZEN specially fine snow-white Sections for sale, fit for the keenest "Display" competition, neatly glazed, at 12s. dozen.— SOAL, Rochford. k 75 "B Q 1 1 QUEENS, black, 3s. 6d. each, guaran- XtF-JLX teed safe delivery. — L. NORTON, Fernilyffe, Cleeve Hill. FLOWER HONEY in Sections or Extracted in Bulk. What offers?— WILLIAM WILSON, 25, Forfar-road, Kirriemuir. k 72 'ANTED, good lot of Driven Bees or Swarm, at once.— TILLING, 12, Green-road, South- sea, k 71 W ANTED, Extractor, must be cheap.— Particu- lars to S. 6. P., 69, Yerbury-road, London, k 70 PROLIFIC CARNIOLANS, 3-frame Nucleus, 1911 Queens, 12s. 6d.— FROST, Hartshill-road, Stoke-on-Trent. k 69 SECTIONS wanted for cash, send price, any quantity.— F. W. WEIZEL, 45. Kempe Road, Kensal Rise, N.W. k 76 FOR SALE, 1 frame hive, 3 section racks, 1 excluder, 4 feeders, 1 super clearer; all in sound condition. 18s.; free on rail.— F. C, 2 Belle- \ue-road, Southbourne, Hants. k 59 BEES.— A few guaranteed healthy Stocks in W.B.C. hives, for disposal, all in perfect condition, a really first-class lot. — Appy, S., care of " B.B. J." OfSce, 23, Bedford-street, Strand, k 69 BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. 1 Q 1 1 C'ARNIOLAN QUEENS, mated in JL«^J-X Carniola, Austria, 4s.; Swiss, 5s.; Italians, 3s.; delivery in one week.— F. VOGT, 32, Selwyn Avenue, Higham's Park, Essex. SPRING BEE ESCAPES, 4d. each; Super Clearer Boards, with above fitted. Is. 6d. each, car- riage paid.— H. CRESSY, Friary Mill Apiary, Dorchester. k 74 1 01 1 QUEENS, 3s. 9d.; Virgins, Is. 6d.; safe ±«/±± arrival guaranteed.— TOLLINGTON. k 84 Woodbine Apiary, Hathern. HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, 6s. lot, August delivery, orders rotation. — BRADFORD, expert, Worcester. k 78 BRITTANY Fresh Butter, Eggs, Poultry, Potatoes, Fruit, Mistletoe, Cider, Honey and Wax forwarded at best terms. Established 1827.— LIMEUL, General Merchant, bee-keeper, Dol de Bretagne, France. k 84 GILLIES' Shilling Control Outfit, refuse sub stitutes.— Wholesale, IREKLING CORPORA TION, Dublin. k 8S PROLIFIC HYBRID QUEENS, 15 years' ex perience, fertiles 4s., virgins 2s.— MOORE 10 The Avenue, Bedford. k 60 ITALIAN QUEENS direct from Italy.— See com plete advertisement in " B.B.J." May 18th Special offers are countermanded till further advice.— Address, E. PENNA, Bologna, Italy. 1Q11 QUEENS. — Golden Italian fertile X«^AJL Oaeens. guaranteed healthy, pure- mated, vigorous, prolific, 4s. each; specially selec- ted, 7s. 6d. each; prompt delivery.— J. B. GOODARE, Woden Apiary, Wednesfield, Wolver- hampton, k 54 July 27, -1911] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 291 Editorial, Notices, &c. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION The monthly meeting of the Council was held on Thursday, July 20th, 1911, at 23, Bedford Street, Strand, London, W.C., when Mr. W. F. Reid presided. There were also present Miss K. M. Hall, Messrs. T. Sevan, C. L. M. Eales, O. R. Frankenstein, J. Smallwood, J. B. Lamb, E. Watson, G. W. Judge and J. E. Smiles (Crayford), T. W. White and G. R. Alder (Essex), A. Wilmott (Hertford and Dis- trict), and W. Herrod (Secretary). Letters expressing i-egret at inability to attend were read from Miss Gayton, Messrs. T. W. Cowan, E. Walker, A. G. Pugh, R. T. Andrews, J. P. Phillips and General Sir Stanley Edwardes. I The Minutes of Council meeting held June 15th were read and confirmed. The Spey Valley Bee-keepers' Associa- tion and the Hitchin and District Bee- keepers' Association applied for affiliation, and both were accepted. The following jiew members were elected: Mr. A. H. E. Wood, Browhead, Windermere (Life member) ; Miss H. Bessir Sampson, The Cedars, Tibsheff, Derbyshire ; Mr. C. H. Rivers, Mount House, Downs Road, Southfieet ; Mr. C. R. Forse, Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent; Mr. J. H. Stephens, 35, West Street, Hor- sham; Messrs. Goodburn Bros., Rock Road, Millfield, Peterborough; Mr. P. G. Russell, Bearton Avenue, Hitchin ; Mr. W. J. Cornall, Minster, near Ramsgate ; Colonel G. E. Beale-Browne, Dowdeswell House, Andoverford, Gloucestershire; Mr. W. E. Batt, Mount Pleasant, Clifton, Manchester; Mr. J. AUbon, The Willows, Hitchin; and Mr. H. Cressy, North Square, Dorcester. The following names of delegates were submitted and approved : Miss H. F. Leaver and Mr. Basil Cozens Hardy, (Norfolk), Rev. H. Morgan and Mr. G. Kirkhouse Jenkins (Glamorgan), and Dr. Sellas (Aberdeen). The Report of the Finance Committee was presented by Mr. J. Smallwood. The balance in hand at the end of June was £179 14s., and it was resolved that pay- ments amounting to £52 10s. 9d. be made. The judges' repoi't on the Royal Show was presented by Mr. C. L. M. Eales, who stated that taken altogether the honey department was better supported than ever before in the history of the Associa- tion and it necessitated the enlargement of the accommodation by fifty feet. The exhibits were not only numerous but excel- lent in quality. Reports on third class examinations held at Brigg, Carlisle, Aberdeen, Wit- watersrand, South Africa, and Norwich, were submitted, and it was resolved to grant certificates to the following : iViiss S. A. Gibson, Messrs. J. Baldry, C. H. Marshall, W. J. Brooke, J. W. Priestman, R. Bain, J. Beverley, J. Brown, P. Catto, J. Hall, W. Kennedy, A. Low, L. W. Hardwicke, A. F. Hind, W. C. Mitchell, G. S. Oettle, M. Paatz, H. E. H. Schwultz, G. IB ryden, C. H. Rivers, J. C. Dalzell, J. E. Lockwood, C. Bocock, H. Gonde, 0. C. Jones, W. G. Goddard, J. E. Smitli, W. Nicholson, and G. H. Barnes. Rev. G. H. Pratt presented himself, and passed the lecture test for the first class certificate. The Chairman read a letter from the Treasury, dater 26th June, 1911, stating that the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury had received a recom- mendation from the Development Commis- sioners that a grant of a sum not exceed- ing £850 be made to the British Bee- keepers' Association under Part I. of the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909, to be expended as fol- lows : (a) A sum of £350 for an experi- mental apiary in some central situation, to be fitted with all modern appliances, and to be used for demonstration pur- poses, and in connection with the training and examination of lecturers ; and (b) A sum equal to the income of the Associa- tion for the present year, but in no case to exceed £500, for general organisation, including the training and examination of lecturers ; the promotion of County Associations ; and the organisation of pioneer lectures and demonstrations, the lectures to be of an elementary and in- troductory type designed to interest coun- try audiences in the business of bee-keep- ing. The letter further stated that the Lords Commissioners were ready to accept these recommendations, and to make a grant, as proposed, and they wished to be informed whether the British Bee-keepers' Association were prepared to agree to the conditions suggested. The Council having deliberated on the matter, it was moved by Mr. J. B. Lamb, seconded by Mr. C. L. M. Eales, and resolved unanimously : That the Council of the British Bee-keepers' Association accept with their cordial thanks the offer of £850 from the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, which has been made on the recommendation of the Development Commissioners, and agree to the terms contained in the letter from the Hon. Sir G. H. Murray, G.C.B., dated 26th June, 1911. On the motion of Mr. Watson, it was resolved unanimously : That Messrs. W. F. Reid, C. L. M." Eales, J. B. Lamb, E. Garcke and the Secretary be appointed a committee to make immediate inquiries with the view of obtaining a site for a« 292 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [July 27, 1911. experimental apiary, and to prepare a scheme for the expenditure of the sum voted by the Treasury on the recommenda- tion of the Development Commissioners, the report of this committee to be laid before the Council in due course. The draft form for the nomination of delegates by affiliated associations was presented and passed for printing. Rev. G. H. Pratt, delegate from the Shropshire Association, was introduced by the Chairman, and welcomed by the Council. Examinations and examiners for third class certificates were sanctioned at Gloucester, Craigellachie, Northampton, Lancaster, Worcester, Bridgwater, and Melton Constable. Judges were approved for Gloucester, Melton Constable, Shrewsbury, Maclres- field, and Northampton. The resignation of the Cambridge and District Association from affiliation was received, and accepted. A letter was read from the Gloucester- shire Association enclosing a donation of one guinea towards a fund for prosecut- ing research in the "Isle of Wight" disease. The Council appreciated most deeply the good feeling which prompted the generous act on the part of this Association. As at present the Govern- ment are doing all in their power to find out the cause through their own bacteriologists, they could not see how the money could be expended. The Secretary was therefore instructed to return the money with the Council's heartiest thanks. Next Meeting of Council will be held on September 21st. REVIEWS OF FOREIGN BEE JOURNALS. By " Nemo.'' The Care of Extracted Honey. — M. J. L. Levieux gives some practical advice in the Bucher Beige on the care of ex- tracted honey. He says when it is liquid and Avarm it passes thi'ough the strainer very rapidly, but when it becomes cold and thick it is much more difficult to strain, and sometimes even impossible. He has had honey that would even granu- late rather than go through the strainer. Supposing that the honey is in the right condition for straining easily, it leaves in the strainer the greater part of the wax particles which accompanied it during ex . traction. This strained honey may ap- pear purified, but it is not sufficiently so. Let it stand in a warm room for a few days and gradually the surface will become covered with a scum, white as flour. This must be removed together with the minute particles of wax and pollen still remaining in suspension in the liquid honey. The scum is produced by the air which adheres to the minute drops of honey driven out by the centrifugal force, and which, in course of time, rise to the surface, with the fine particles of wax and pollen which had passed through the strainer. When the scum is removed the vessel should be covered with the strainer and left for a few days to be skimmed again, and the honey can finally be put into receptacles when no more scum is observed. M. Levieux also says that the cans containing extracted honey should be kept in a dry place, where it is possible to have a cur- rent of air, in order to allow the excess of water in the honey to evaporate. Liquid honey may contain as much as 45 per cent, of water. In this form it is nectar, gathered and converted by the bees, which by ventilation has already lost a certain percentage of the water. When honey is extracted from the combs afte^ these have been sealed, there still remains about 33 per cent, of Avater. Under such conditions the honey does not granulate. This is why it is advisable to assist the evaporation by stirring the honey con- tained in large vessels with a clean stick. When, by evaporation, the water has been reduced to 20 per cent., the honey granu- lates and retains this water permanently. Some bee-keepers put their honey at once into jars after extraction, but this is only advisable if the honey is just in the right condition when extracted, a point not always possible to judge, so that it is advisable to ripen the honey as recom- mended. Safe Capping for Honey Jars. — Bees- wax and resin, melted together, we are told in the Badische Biene, are the best for preventing leakage in honey jars. Parchment paper (not of the thickest) is laid on the mouth of the jar, and the cover pressed on it, and with a sharp pointed knife' the circle is cut out. The molten mixture is then laid on the edge with a small brush, and the parchment pressed on it. The cover can then be screwed on, and the bee-keeper will have the satisfaction of knowing that there wdl be no leakage of honey. HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By W. Herrod. Preventing Casts. — With the passing of the skep the idea of obtaining as much increase by natural methods as possible is being eliminated from the mind of even the most conservative of bee-keepers. The draining of the population of the colony by numerous casts very often means total extinction of the parent stock. Not only so, but if carried to excess it means that the casts are so weak in numbers that July 27, 1911] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 293 eventually they perish before their owner obtains any return for the trouble ex- pended upon them. If increase by natural methods is desired, then the first swarm only should be allowed to issvie. This should be hived in the new hive which is placed on the stand occupied by the colony from which it issued. In this way all the old flying bees are obtained from the parent colony, as bees locate the position and not the hive ; when they leave the old home the next morning to forage, they return, not to the original home, which is now standing in a fresh position, but to the old location. This prevents all possible chance of a cast or second swarm issuing. Have no fear for the parent colony, as it will be entirely populated by young bees not more than a fortnight old, for they do not fly until they are that age. When these young bees do leave the hive for their first flight, they return to the same position J^or they have known no other. Further, the continual emerging of the brood which was sealed over at the time the swarm issued will bring up the numbers, so they will have ample oppor- tunity of working up strong enough for wintering after the young queen has been fertilised and commenced her maternal duties. The entrance to the old home will show no signs of life for a few days after the change of position. This does not point to anything being wrong, but is accounted for, as stated above, by the fact that for several days there will not be bees old enough to fly. By following this method not only is increase secured, but very often surplus as well. I know of one novice who has obtained this year 901b. of honey from a swarm by adopt- ing this method. Another danger which often arises is that casts are lost owing to the agility and restlessness of the Aargin queen. Casts usually issue about nine days after the first swarm, and if the queen is heard piping it is almost a sure indication that a cast will issue. If, through neglect on the part of the bee- keeper or by an oversight, casts come out, they should be returned to the hive, or at any rate two or three should be united. This year those colonies which have swarmed will require attention, owing to the superabundance of nectar. I find in many cases the combs in the brood-chamber are choked with honey ; this will prevent the young queen from laying when fertilised, therefore the ex- tractor should be brought into use, and two or three of the combs extracted and put back in the hive on the same evening. From this cause swarmed stocks are some- times suspected of being queenless, but the provision of room by extracting quickly proves this to be wrong. The cause of casts issuing is but imperfectly understood by many bee-keepers. When we consider that swarming usually takes place be- tween the hours of ten and one — also very often prematurely through intense out- side heat raising the internal tempera- ture unexpectedly to an abnormal degree, making the hive unbearable for its im- mense population — it will readily De seen that a large number of the old bees are out foraging at the time the swarm issues. When they all return the hive is still over- crowded, and, the swarming fever being upon the bees, a cast is the natural result. Another annoying feature about casts is that they issue at any time. I have known them come out as early as six a.m., and as late as eight p.m. They also take not the slightest notice of climatic con- ditions, leaving the hive just as readily on dull days as upon bright ones, and I liave also known them come out when fine rain was falling. Therefore, all things con- sidered, casts should be looked upon as a drawback, and not as an advantage in the apiary. Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. RECORD SEASON IX N. NORFOLK. [8221] The season in North West Norfolk has been a complete success for bee-keepers. Swarms have been few and scarce, but the amount of honey stored has been remarkable. In my own apiary I started the season \^ith "five stocks in frame hives, three Italian and two English. From these I have taken 5921b. of honey, and have had six swarms. Two of the Italian stocks after having given about 751b. to 801b. ftui-plus each, sent off some very big SAAurms. The other three hives have not swarmed and from one " White Star," Italian stock, I have taken 1971b. of extracted honey and have made an artificial swarm of four frames. Besides the above, they have three more shallow frame supers sealed and ready to come off. From the two English stocks I have taken loOlb. and 1251b. each respectively. These also have several racks still on, some being ready to come off. I have also reared fifty queens, and these were all successfully mated and are laying well. If the weather keeps fine during August I believe I shall get as much again as I have already taken. 294 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [July 27, 1911. There is so much honey about that it literally seems to pour into the hives. I found that ten frames in the brood-ne«t was not nearly enough for the Italian queens. The stock that I took 1971b. from had one brood-chamber of eleven frames and two shallow chambers of ten frames, each packed from end to end with brood. Above these were pUiced four shallow frame supers, but still the bees, cluistered thickly under the porch and alighting .board. I mse only W.B.C. hives. In my opinion, a queen can be worn out in one season when working heavily for surplus. My motto is "R«queen every year." This plan I have followed up and always get good returns from my bees. I hope to be able to get 3001b. from this Italian hive and shall have pleasure after the season is over of sending in a full account of the honey yield. Too little attention is paid to having a prolific young queen to head one's colonies. One young queen is worth five old ones, anid a good crop of honey is almost certain if in a suitable locality. Honey seems to be abundant everywhere and I was surprised to see such a large quantity at the Royal Show. The bee department at the Royal was splendidly ari-anged and it reflects great credit on * those in charge of this department, who evidently spared no effort to make the show a success. In closing, I wish to say that I hope bee-keepers all over the coun- try are having a good harvest which will amply repay them for the past three bad years, now happil3'over. — J uliak E. Lock- wood, Hunstanton North. bees were far too weak to go into supers. — G. G. Desmond, Camberwell, S.E. [Of course, our correspondent is entitled to hold a different opinion from ours, but when we are asked for advice we give the best we can, derived from a very long experience of successful honey produc- tion. More than twenty-five years ago such frames of sections were worked in the brood box, and in the "Guide Book," at that time it was stated that they " enabled us to get comb-honey from even a weak colony, during a honey flow." A great many bee-keepers, both in this country and America, advocated the plan at that time, but the fact that it has been entirely given up in favour of supers is sufficient evidence that it is not considered a good plan by honey pro- ducers. If one is satisfied to get a small number of inferior sections no doubt the plan will do well enough, but there is no question about the superiority of supers, both as regards quality and quantity of honey, due to the natural instinct of bees to store above the brood nest. This year the flow of nectar has been so abundant that bees have stored honey in every avail- able jjlace, and even weak colonies have done something. It is quite evident that our correspondent's colonies were not strong enough or he would not have had to wait to get his supers filled. Our hives have already completed two shallow frame supers, and they all have two more on now, quite filled and ready for extraction. If colonies are properly treated and strong at the right time, there is no diffi- culty in getting the bees to store in supers when there is a flow of nectar. — Ed.] OBTAINING SURPLUS FROM BROOD CHAMBER. [8222] A correspondent (No. 8156, p. 267), having asked you about taking surplus from a brood box of more than ten frames, you stated it to be a bad plan. I cannot help thinking it a good one, especially for securing early honey from apple and hawthorn, &c. The frames should run across the entrance and then the bees are very likely to store virgin combs at the back. This year in one of my hives the queen has been l)reeding well on ten frames, and from behind these 1 have taken a very heavy frame of honey and a frame holding six sections. The sections were spoilt owing to wrong spacing, the bees having actually filled each with two combs without touching the foundation. That, however, was my fault. I have been waiting for shallow frame supers on this and another hive, but have not got the rack complete yet. There can be no douT)t that my bees have been far readier to store at the back of the brood-nest than on top. Last year I took a beautiful virgin comb from the same place when the MY INTRODUCTION TO BEE-KEEPING. [8223] My only excuse for writing this letter is the fact that I have just gathered' my first honey harvest. One hot day in July last year, my wife and I were sitting at "breakfast when we both exclaimed almost in the same breath: "Oh dear! I could eat some honey." From wishing for honey our conversation drifted to bees and to wondering whether it would be possible for us to keep them. Up to that time I had never to my knowledge seen a honey-bee, and. rather fancied that the big wild bees were responsible for the honey seen in shops, so it was decided that before doing anything I should get some book on the subject or have a talk with someone who kept bees. Now, Mr. Editor, was it a coincidence or mental telepathy which caused my foreman to come running to me that very afternoon to say that a hundle of icaaps were occupying the workshop, which 1 may say is in the centre of the town in a very busy thoroughfare. The only person July 27, 1911] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 295 A GOOD RESULT. [8224] Last year I commenced bee- keeping by purchasing a hive with bees on ten frames ; from these I had a swarm and cast, but not a pound of honey did I get. In the winter I lost the parent stock, as the two swarms coming out had so weakened it. This year a swarm issued from the first lot on May 16th, and went I could think of who knew anything about the subject of bees was a doctor living about a mile away to whom I sped with all haste only to be told that he was out. Would the housekeeper kindly allow me to see the doctor's bees? She agreed, so away we went down the garden to the hives, when to my astonishment the bees were even more like wasps than mine, being as I afterwards learned, Italians. The inmates of another of the hives however were very much darker and looked exactly like my swarm, so I j decided that after all my wasps must be honey bees. The next question was how to catch the swarm. Never having seen one taken the first thing I did was to get a soap box about eighteen inches square, and smear the inside witli syrup, invert this and place it as near the cluster ^as I dared to go. After waiting a couple of hours without a single bee going inside a happy thought occurred to someone that if we could only entice the queen to enter the box, thi others might follow — but — j^uzzle find the queen. Nobody volunteered to find her, and as I was the only one who wanted the bees I determined to put as many as I could in, and trust to the queen being amongst them. This I did, and consider that it was the bravest act I ever accom- plished, for I cannot think of anything so disconcerting for a novice as to put his hand into a large swarm and try to scrape the bees into a box held in the other hand while thousands of seemingly infuriated demons buzz roimd his head with a noise which seems to him like an ap- proaching surf wave. Strange to relate I never got a sting, but the suspense, while it lasted, was nerve racking. The next day, having in the meantime had a few hints from the doctor bee-keeper, I bought a hive, put the bees in their per- manent quarters and started to feed up. Thanks to the " Guide Book," and the " B.B.J." the Tjees came through the winter very strong, and to-day I have had the pleasure of taking off forty well filled sections, with more to follow, and I hope that in the future we shall never again have to long for honey at breakfast time without having the wish fulfilled. With all good wishes for a prosperous year. — C. G. Nevatt, Chester. right away, yet from this hive I have already taken off eighty completed sec- tions. From the second lot (the cast), I had a swarm on June 1st, which I put on ten frames, and a super of ten shallow frames which they have nearly filled, and have forty jSections completed on the parent stock from which it issued. I have been getting 12s. per dozen retail, and 10s. wholesale for sections unglazed. — S. W. B., Sussex. NOTES FROM CORNWALL. [8225] Honei/ Extractors — Bee-keejjers will soon be busily engaged in extracting honey ; a two-frame extractor is generally used, but from my own experience I can assure others that a four-frame "Cowan" is just as easy to turn, and of course much more expeditious than the former, and just about right for a small apiary. The saving of time is very great as com- pared with the two-frame. The '' Cowan " reversible is about the only type of ex- tractor that I personally would care to use. I have tried cheaper patterns, but they all proved unsatisfactory, especially those that necessitate the removal of the comb from the cage in order to turn it. If a large number of combs are uncapped ready for extracting, they can be emptied in a very short time with the aid of a four- or six-frame machine. .4 Good Bee Plant. — The best bee plant 1 have yet seen for garden purposes is called ''Touch-me-not" (Impatiens-Xoli- me-tangere). The plant is an annual and grows to a large size, about three feet or more in height and diameter, and bears pink flowers which bloom in the autumn when most needed ; the bees simply I'evel in it. ¥/hen the seed pods are ripe they burst with a loud report if touched, which no doubt accounts for its English name. The plant is very ornamental, and most desirable ajiart from its great value as bee forage. I first saw it in Mr. Stapleton's apiary at Gwinear, and he kindly gave me a couple of plants. — W. J. Farmer, Cornwall. AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS. EXTRACTS AND COMMENTS. By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. Hives in Pairs. — Gleanings, in an editorial, strongly recommends this arrangement. "It is highly desirable to locate the hives in pairs. If one colony is a little weak, its brood can be given to the next hive, which can be removed, thus throwing its little strength over to the other colony. Select the best queen, caging her at the time of uniting, then allow her to eat her way out through a 29G THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [July 27, 1911. plug of candy. It is in the fall of the year or early spring that the scheme of having hives in pairs offers particular advantages, for then it is so easy to unite; and it is infinitely better t<) have one good strong colony than two half- way affairs." Interesting Nomenclature. — Two dozen post offices in the United States are named after the bee. Nine are named Bee, two Beecreek, two Beehive, and one each Beebranch, beecamp, Beecaves, Bee- gum, Beehouse, Beelick, Beelog, Bee- spring, Beesvill, Beetown, and Beeville. Smoke at Entrance. — Dr. Miller be- lieves in doing this, and quotes Mr. Town- send as supporting him. The editor of Gleanings thinks the pi'actice is all right, but considers " it is not common on this side of the line." Mr. Townsend I think was Avriting for ijeginners. One of our editors does not practise it, but in writing lately for novices he recommended it. All 1 contend for is that in nine cases out of ten it does no good. At times I think it may do some harm, but my opinions are not very pronounced. Gur.rds might have their vigilance relaxed in a time of robbing thus giving the caterans an advantage ( .^). Foul Brood Inspection. — From the Canadian Bee Journal I quote the follow- ing : The question of old with bee-keepers who had disease in their yards was " How can I elude the inspection?" the question now is "How can I get the inspector here soon enough?" In short, inspection is courted where once it was dreaded. I would, without comment, ask antagonists to read, mark, and inwardly digest the quotation. A Sign of the Times. — I make two further short extracts from the same paper — again presenting them without comment. A clause in the newest Cana- dian Foul Brood Act contains these in- structions, "Hives or appurtenances that cannot be disinfected shall be immediately destroyed by fire— and any appurtenances or appliances capable of being disinfected shall be thoroughly disinfected." Even in Canada there are doubters who ques- tion whether the McEvoy system of cur- ing fotil brood is a full success, among them being such prominent bee-keepers as Messrs. Silabald and Alpaugh. Bee-Keepers^ Tteview. — An interesting personality has gone from our midst, and beedom is all the poorer for the death of Mr. Hutchinson, the editor and proprietor of this well-known monthly bee paper. As he was to a great extent the life and soul of the lievieir, it niav be difficult to re- place him. A model bee-keeper, with all his heart in his work, he was one of the most genial of men. It was always a treat to read his editorials, and perhaps no other beo newspaper turned out such ex- cellent specimens of the photographic art. After life's fitful fever he sleeps well! Latest advices inform us that the Mevieir is to be carried on by Mr. E. B. Tyrrel, Secretary of "National," an able bee-man. Anatomical Drawings. — Mr. Snodgrass in a recent issue of Gleanings falls foul of several drawings on which many of us have been for long depending as true to life, and he describes several as " the grossest kind of anatomical misrepresenta- tion," " Samuelson and Hicks represent the mandible of the worker as having a row of seven teeth on its cutting edge." Girard's dra^^"ings are the crudest ever some of the worst absurdities. Some of Girards drawings are the crudest ever published in insect anatomy. The heart and sting are given as two instances of "absurdities." "Cheshire made little effort to reproduce faithfully the exact shapes of the organs, and their parts." " Anyone who has ever looked into a bee knows that the air sacs and trachea are altogether different from Witzgall's draw- ings." The dorsal vessel, the heart proper, the sting and poison glands, the male reproductive organs and many other parts are represented as they are ' ' not seen in the natural position." This is pretty severe, and I on reading on began to wonder if Mr. Snodgrass claimed to have a monopoly of anatomical knowledge of the bee, but I was glad in spite of the above, and many other points I might name, that he confesses " many excellent contributions to the subject have been made by scientific workers." The article set me thinking, and I owe to it a most delightful evening or two hunting up flie despised drawings of " old and new masters," with the result that I set a higher value on the condemned ones than on the others. Tit-hits. — Experience has shown that queens do not like to lay eggs next to the outside walls of hives. To get pollen out of combs spray with diluted honey, and the bees will empty it. If the present rate of gain is maintained, the eight frame hive will soon be classed as among the odd sizes. One cannot know too much about the brothers, sisters, cousins, and second cousins of the honey-bee. Smoke used too liberally spoils the flavour of comb honey, and for this reason only use what is necessary to handle bees. The N.S. Appropriation Bill set aside $15,000 to carry on investigations in l^ee culture; the increase is to put down disease Pro- vided they are not too large, I like to have sheep in my bee-yards to keep down the grass. Of al] things don't extract '' green " honey. To be sure it can be evaporated outside the hive, but evapora- tion and ripening are two distinct pro- cesses, with different results. The adult July 27, 1911] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 291 queens and the drones receive a certain amount of prepared food throughout their lives, and if this is neglected they become weak and unfit for their duties. In a recent Convention meeting during a dis- cussion on red clover queens, it was easy to see that there was a "big question mark," in the minds of many. I have often freed a balled queen by throwing the ball into a tumbler of water ; now we are advised to throw the ball into an empty cold tumbler. Queries and Replies. £8170] Clover Fasfuif and Bees. — I shall be greatly obliged, if you will kindly give your opinion as to whether hive-bees lessen the value of the clover pasture to farmers. In this district, there is an abundance of white clover, most of the farms being dairy farms, with from twenty to thirty cows on each. A number of the farmers, however, consider that their cows give less milk when the clover is in flower, because the nectar is removed by the bees, and the cows are only feed- ing on the dry bloom. It is not a ques- tion here of fertilisation of the clover seed, nor even of fruit, for the fruit in the gardens consists mostly of goose- berries, raspberries, and red and black cur- rants, and the clover is not growing for seed. It is entirely a question as to whether the bees by removing nectar from the white clover lessen the value of the pasturage to the farmer. Your reply will be much appreciated. — .J. A. C, Thanker- ton. Reply. — It is a fact that cows fed on clover in bloom yield less milk than when fed on it before the blossom comes, but it is not because the bees remove the nectar. It has been computed that bees visit 3,750,000 clover florets to produce 1 Kilo (2ilbs.) of nectar, it is therefore obvious that this small quantity does not enter into the calculation of the food value. The latter depends on the al1)uminoids con- tained in the jilant, and it has been found that when clover was cut j'oung it contained 21.9 per cent, of albuminoids, but when the plants were old or in bloom they only gave 9.5 per cent. In the feed- ing of cows, the albuminoids of the food are dissolved by the gastric juice of the stomach, and ultimately pass into the blood, where they form blood albumen and blood fibrine. As the blood nourishes the muscles, they are modified into flesh fibrine, or, entering the lacteal system, are converted into caseine, while in the appropriate part of the circulation they are formed into the albumen of the egg, or embryo. Xectar is produced in the flowers only so long as fertilisation has not taken place, and as soon as this has been accomplished the flow of nectar ceases. It has no appreciable food value as by the time the flower is produced the plant has already lost, as we have seen more than half its albuminoids, which determine the yield of milk. [8171] Queen-Cell in Section Back- In removing two racks of sections from one of my father's hives, I found four queen-cells on a mis-shaped section, two of them containing a grub each. Do you think the queen deposited the eggs there lierself, or did the bees carry the egg:> there? The queen excluder was not usel, but I found no other brood or pollen what- ever in the sections. — C. H. B. (Bury St. Edmunds). Reply. — Either of ' your suppositions may be the correct solution. [8172] The Biice Sivarm-Cafcher.—ln the next Bee Journal would you please explain the following points in working the Brice swarm-catcher. (1) If the old- queen cannot leave the hive, how is it pos- sible for the young queen to proceed for mating? (2) Does the swarm-catcher make the bees angry and prevent them work- ing? (3) When the swarm is caught is it possible to hook the appliance off, so that the swarm mav be hived. — M. B. J. (Bristol). Reply. — The Brice swarm-catcher is clearly illustrated on pages 22 and 23 of the -'Guide Book." (1) The old queen does leave the hive, Diit is trapped in the catcher which is removed with the swarm, so that lo is quite easy for the young queen to get out for her mating flight. (2) It does not make them angry, but certainly hinders them in their work. (3) Yes. With re- gard to the latter part of your letter, no doubt there was clover in bloom wnich vou were not aware of. Bee Shows to Come, July 25 to 29, at St. Albans.— Honey Show of the St. Albans and District Bee-keepers' Asso- ciation. July 26 and 27, at Cardiff.— Annual Show of the Glamorgan B.K.A. in connection with the Car- diff and County Horticultural Show. Separate tent for honey, wax, and appliances. Entries closed. July 27, 28, and 29, at Rotherham.— Show of Hives, Honey, Ac, in connection with the Royal Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Entries closed. August 2, at Stoke Park, Guildford. Annual Exhibition of Bees, Wax, Appliances, Ac, will be held by the Surrey B.K.A., in connection with the Guildford and West Surrey Agricultural Associa- tion. Entries closed. August 3 to 7, at Bury, Lanes. Honey Show in connection with the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society's Exhibition. Entries closed. August 3, at Weston-super-Mare.— Annual Show of the Somerset B.K.A. . in connection with the important Local Annual Flower Show. Claseee for Appliances, Honey, Wax, and Bee Products. 298 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [July 2T, 1911. Several open and free classes. Liberal prizes. " Smallholder " clock for second highest number of points. Numerous attractions. Excursions irorn all parts. For Schedule, &c., apply to T. Jones, Assistant Show Secretary, North View, Milton-road, Weston-super-Mare. Entries close July 29. August 7 (Bank Holiday), at Cambridge. Honey Show in connection with the Cambridge Mammoth Show Society. All Open Classes, four Special Hives to be competed for. This Show also includes dogs, poultry, pigeons, rabbits, cage birds, flowers, fruit, and vegetables; also grand pro- gramme of sports and motor racing, &c. Balloon ascent and parachute descent by Captain Spencer. The champion prize band (Irwell Springs) has been specially engaged. Schedules from Hon. Sec, E. F. Dant. Member of B.B.K.A., 52 Bridge Street, Cambridge. Entries close Thursday, August 3. August 7, at Epworth. In connection with the Epworth Agricultural Show of Horses, Beasts, Pigs, Poultry, Pigeons, Rabbits, Cage-Birds, Honey, Dairy Produce, &c. Lines. B.K.A. in charge of Honey Section. Schedules from W. E. Burrows, Secretary, Epworth, Doncaster. August 7, at Melton Constable. The Annual Honey Show of the North Norfolk B.K.A. will be held at Melton Constable Park on above date. Several Open Classes. Schedules from Secretary, North Norfolk B.K.A., The Pightly, Letfaeringsett, Holt. Norfolk. August 9, at Wye, Kent.— Kent Honey Show. Four Open Classes. Fourteen open to Kent. Trophy Cup value 3 guineas. Open to Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. Two Challenge Cups value 6 guineas each. Many other special and money prizes Special classes for Cottagers, also class for members of Ashford and District Bee-keepers' Association. Schedules ready early in July, from H. C. Chapelow. Hon. Sec, Wye, Kent. Entries close August 2nd. August lO, at Madresfield, Malvern. Annual Show of the Worcestershire B.K.A. Open Class for collection of Bee Products. Prizes, 20s., 10s. Schedules from George Richings, 2, Shrubbery Terrace, Worcester. Entries close August 5. August 16, at Lancaster. Lancaster Agricul- tural Society, in conjunction with the Lancashire B.K.A. 16 Classes for Honey, Bee Produce, and Bee Hives. Numerous specials, including 2 silver challenge cups, 12 silver and bronze medals. Write for Honey Schedule to Robert Gardner. 13, Sun St., Lancaster. Entries close August 2. August 17, at Kenilwortli Castle. Show of Kenilworth Horticultural Society. Open Honey Classes. Prizes, 10s., 5s., 2s. 6d. Judge, Mr. G. Franklin. Very popular, and an old established exhibition. Schedules from E. H. Thornett, Secre- tary, Kenilworth. August 17, at Abington Park, Northamp- ton. Northants B.K.A. Annual Honey Show. Special Prizes for Open Classes, including one for single lib. jar of Honey. Entry free. Judge, Mr. W. Herrod. Prizes, 20s., 10s., 5s., 2s. 6d., and Is. 6d. Schedules from R. Hefford, Kingsthorpe, Northants. Entries close August 12. August 23, at Badstock, Somerset.— Honey Show in connection with the Radstock Horticul- tural and Farmers' Association. Open and gift classes. Write for Honey Schedule. B. M. Clark. Foxhills, Radstock. August 23 and 24, at Shrewsbury. Annual Show of the Shropshire Bee-keepers' Association, in connection with the Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral Fete. Eight Open Classes for Honey. Free entry for single bottle and single section. Schedules from S. Cartwright, Hon. Sec, Shawbury, Shrewsbury. Entries close August August 30, at Chester. Annual Show of the Cheshire B.K.A. in connection with the County Agricultural Show. Several Open Classes. Good prizes. Schedules, &c., from Hon. Sec, E. W. Franklin, Mouldsworth, near Chester. August 30 and 31, at Coventry.— Annual Show of the Warwickshire B.K.A., in connection with the Warwickshire Agricultural Society. Separate tent for Honey, Wax, and Appliances. Open Classes. Schedules, &c., from J. N. Bower, Knowle, Warwickshire. September 6, at Deddington, Oxon. Show of the Dediiington Horticultural Society. Open Class for Honey. Prizes, ICs., 5s., 3s., 2s. No entry fee Schedules from Messrs. H. J. Harms- worth or A. A. Busby, Deddington. Entries close September 1. September 7, at Peterborough. In con- nection with Horticultural Society. County Asso- ciation Class and four Open Classes. Schedules from G. T. Dunham, Albion Terrace, 32, Oundle Road, Peterborough. Entries close Septem- ber 1. September 13, at Conway, N. Wales. Great Annual Honey Show in connection with the Conway Honey Fair. Open and local Classes. Schedules from J. Hughes, Town Hall, Conway. Entries close September 6th. September 13 and 14, at Cambridge. Honey Show in connection with the Cambridge and District Red Cross Horticultural Society. Four Classes, open to all. To be held in the Corn Exchange, Cambridge. Schedules and particulars of Hon. Sec, E. F. Dant, Member of B. B.K.A., 52, Bridge Street, Cambridge. Entries close Satur- day, September 9. September 14, at Castle-Douglas.— Annual Show of South of Scotland Bee-keepers' Associa- tion. Five open classes; Three 1-lb. jars extracted, 20s., 10s., and 5s.; three sections, ditto (Entry 2s.). lib. jar, also one section, 5s., 3s., and 2s. (Entry free, and exhibits retained unless otherwise agreed upon). Beeswax, 5s., 3s., and 2s. (Entry 5d.). Fourteen classes for members. Schedules from Q. Aird, Hardgate, Dalbeattie, N.B. Entries close September 2. September 26, at Horniman Hall, ITorth. End, Croydon. Exclusive Show of Honey, Wax, Hives, Bees, &c. Increased prizes. Six Open Classes. Judge, Mr. W. Herrod, F.E.S. Schedules from A. Wakerell, 21, Mansfield-road, Croydon. Entries close September 16. September 27, at Altrincham.— Honey Show, in connection with the Altrincham Agricultural Show, the largest one-day show in the Kingdom. Classes open to United Kingdom. Classes for Trophy of Honeys for Best Hive, Observatory Hive with Bees and Queen, twelve Jars of Extracted Honey. Classes open to County of Chester, for Run and Section Honey, Wax, &c. Special Classes for Cottagers, and Special Classes for Society's District. Several Special Jubilee prizes. Schedules from Mr. J. Herbert Hall, 2, Dunham Road, Altrincham. Entries close September 9, and at extra fees September 13. Notices to Correspondents. R. A. W. (Wooler). — Unitiiig Stocks. — When uniting with flour it is not neces- sary to cage the queen, and it is quite sufficient if the inferior one be removed as recommended in the " Guide Book." if the bees are well dusted there is little fear of their attacking the queen. How- ever, if we had a very valuable one, we would take the additional precau- tion of caging her, although in all cases of uniting with flour in our own ex- perience, we have never yet lost a queen. XoREis (Kent). — Qualify of Bees-wax. — The wax is not worth more than Is. 23er lb., and in no case should you at- tempt to use it in the hive. • Elth.am (Kent). — Making Artificial In- crease.— There is no doubt that both queen cells have been occupied ; had you examined tliem at the time you would liave found a residue of food. Examine the stock again in a few days, the pres- ence of eggs will determine whether a fertilised queen is there. If you are ex- jierienced enough, you can of course rind the queen by examining the st'^^^' .July 27, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. 299 Bob (Andover). — Fiice of Foreign Honey. — We have not heard of it, but we know it is sold retail at 6d. per lib. jar. S. H. T. {Uathevn).— Abnormal Bee.— The bees was what is called a hermaphrodite, or one having the attributes of both male and female sex. We have had specimens sent to us before of this curious anomaly. Formic Acid (Cheshire).— Legislation and Bee-Disease. — Your knowledge of the scourge of foul brood must be veiy limited or you would not write as you do. We are a long Avay from being Socialists, but from an experience ex- tending over a quarter of a century during which time we have visited bee- keepers in all parts of the country, we can assure you that a foul brood act would be a blessing to the bee-keeping- industry in this country, as it has been to our colonies and other countries. You must be charitable and give other people credit for having a little commonsense and discretion. Your side of the case has been well ventilaterl in our columns and it will serve no good purpose to keep on repeating the same baseless suppositions. Anon. — Brood Chamhrr Filled with Honeji. — You should extract a couple of the brood-frames to provide room for the queen to lay. This should be done in the evening to avoid exciting the bees too much. Loudon Hill (Galaston). — Dead Bees Cast Out. — The bees are robbers, whicli have been killed by the inmates of the hive whei-e they were found. W. J. B. (Leicester). — Brood not Hatch- ing.— The queen has not been fertilised. We cannot account for the eggs not hatching, unless they have been chilled. E. Rhebs. — Variety of Bees. — The bees arrived in a very sticky condition : so far as we can see they are merely ordinary British bees. Beginner (Coventry). — Bees Under Bed- room Floor. — It is impossible to tell you unless we could see the position of the bees. Write to the Hon. Secretary of the County Bee Association, Mr. J. Noble-Bower. KnoMie, Warwickshire; he may kuo\v of a neighbouring bee-keeper who Mould assist you. Suspected Disease. C. B. (Teiibv). — The comb is affected with foul brood in the advanced stage. XoRTHi'MBRiA (Haydou Bridge). — We can find nothing worse than sour brood in the comb sent. H. L. (Chislehurst). — Send us a few of the bees, and we may be able to tell you what is wrong with them. ^I. E. (Kent). — The comb shows foul- brood in first stage of the disease. Destrov the combs also. Honey Samples. Box (Minchinhampton). — Both samples are good in colour, aroma, and flavour, though slightly lacking density. No. 1 is the better of the two in colour and flavour. P. S. (Bucks). — Honey has been gathered principally from clover. It is good enough for even a county show, being superior to the usual samples shown at local competitions. E. LoxLEY. — A very good heather blend. If the heather flavour was more pro- nounced it would improve it. K. C. P. (Birmingham). — The honey is good in flavour and colour, and quite suitable for table use. It should be kept. in a warm room for a time, in an open vessel covered with muslin, to increase the density, which is very poor. E. C. G. (Nantwich). — As a rule, sealed honey does not require any furth..^- ripening. Your sample is from mixed sources, medium in colour, but rather dull. Would probably fetch about oOs. per cwt. P. G. (Northants). — There is no honey- dew in sample : it is from fruit and beans, good in all respects. O. K. W. (Basford). — No honey-dew in sample sent : it is a good sample of Notts honey (which we know so -well) from mixed sources. KtJTT.A. — There is nothing wrong witli thc> honey; it is only follo\\ing the natural course of granulation. H. Q. (Sligo). — The honey is a very good sample worth lOd. per lb. retail, and 7^d. wholesale. F. B. (Wolverhampton). — The sample is not a first class one, because it lacks density and aroma. TlTe flavour is also poor and the honey is rather dull in appearance. R. D. (Terling). — The sample is an excel- lent one from sainfoin — good in all points. Forester (Glos.) — The granulated sample is from charlock, and the other from clover. The difference is caused by their being obtained from these different sources. J. R. (Gloucester). — The light honey is very thin and entirely without flavour. We therefore cannot tell its source. The dark sample is a much better honey of good consistency, and fairly good flavour, it is from white clover, with a little ragwort in it. Novice (NorthaTits). — Honey is quite good enough to show in the medium class. Cymro (Anglesey). — Nos. 1 and 2 are honeys good in colonr. aroma and flavour, but lacking density. No. 3 is good in all points, and the best one for show purposes. F. G. E. (Ludlow). — Sample is from mixed sources, good in all respects. 300 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [July 2T, 1911. J. P. (Blackburn). — No. 1 is from mixed sources, no. 2 from sycamore princi- pally. Both are too thm for showing. Special PrepaidAdvertisements Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per ivord as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. WANTED, PRIME SECTION HONEY, clean, free from granulation. — Price delivered to \\. T. JOYCE, Farnborough, Hants. 1 10 TWO strong, healthy four-frame Nuclei for sale, 8s. each; Hives 2s. 6d. or return.— G. M. DAK- RlNGTON, Holm Lea Apiary, Wendon, Saffron Walden, Essex. k 91 EXTRACTOR and RIPENER WANTED, must be cheap; full particulars.— R. THOMAS, Liiangced, Beaumaris. k 89 WANTED, a few dozen drawn out Standard Brood frames, must be guaranteed healthy. — B. CASTELOW, 72, Nicholson-street, Portrach- lane, Stockton-on-Tees, Durham. k 88 FOR SALE, half plate stand Camera, Beck lens, shutter, cost £4.10, will exchange for Bees and Honey.— W. GRIFFITHS, Walton, Staf- ford, k 98 SECTIONS, lime and clover blend, 8s. &d. doz., clean, up to weight.— NORTH, Cressing, Braintree, Essex. k 99 CHESHIRE BEES for sale, guaranteed healthy, strong stocks for heather, on ten wired frames. 22s. 6d.; empty hives, 7s. 6d. and 10s.— T. F. BROOK, South road, Bowdon, Cheshire, k lOO FOUR-FRAME NUCLEUS, with 1911 Queens, in new W.B.C. Hives, £1; Bee driving required. WILLETT, New Maiden, Surrey. 1 1 SP. SOAL, Rochford, Essex, has a large • quantity of very fine Clover Sections, 10s. dozen; also a few dozen specially fine Snow-white, which, for a " display " at Grocer's, leave nothing to be desired, 12s. dozen, glazed and packed to perfection. k 97 OVERSTOCKED. — 6 Stocks Bees in W.B.C. Hives, guaranteed healthy; 1910 Queens, good form for heather, natives, excellent comb builders; deposit.— H., 23, Bedford-street, Strand, W.C. k 95 FINEST QUALITY HONEY, &0s. per cwt., on rail, in 561b., 28!b., 141b. tins.— J. IRELAND, Vernham, Hungerford, Berks. k 94 I HAVE still some drawn out Shallow Frames unsold, clearing at a cheap rate.— Particulars, URE Cambridgeshire, light coloured and medium HONEY. 1911. chiefly sainfoin and white clover, in Icwt, and 281b. tins. 50s. cwt. on rail; tins returnable. Sample 3d.— .JOHN CUN- NINGHAM, Stetchworth, near Newmarket, Cambs. 1 6 WANTED, Geared Extractor, reversible cages. Particulars and price to J. TONNER, Kirk- cowan, Wigtonshire. 1 7 8pecia.l Prepaid Advertisements.— Co7UirMt«d GRAND STOCK of BEES covering 11 frames, wed ofr' for stores, 1911 Queen, complete in Hive, with section rack ana queen excluder, 37s. 6d. — WOOD, The Crags, Maltby, Rother- liam. I ;> 'HAT OFFERS in cash for 8 Frame Hives, Taylors No. 4 pattern, 23 racks, smoker, &c., new last season?— MA\ OR, Poulner, Ring- wood, Hants. I -; FINEST SCOTCH CLOVER HONEY, £3 cwt. Sample 3d.— T. RULE, Summervaie, Annai.. Dumfriesshire. 1 8 HONEY, first quality sections, 9s. 6d. dozen, 5 dozen 27s., cash with order.- R. COUSINS, Tne Rosary, Misterton, Gainsborough. 1 9 IVfEW SEASON'S EXTRACTED HONEY, fine 1^ sample, in bulk 60s. per cwt., tins included; lib. screw cap glass jars, 8s. per dozen.— AVERY, Deverill, M arminster. 1 2 Q /J TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR advertiser in O-i " B.B.J."— ENOCH WOODHAM, Clavering, Newport, Essex, has Swarms, Nuclei and imported [tali in Quee.is, 6s. each; also home-raised Rhode Island Red fowls and Aylesbury ducks of best blood. — Particulars on application. k 81 GUARANTEED healthy secondhand Hives, fitted with frames, drawn out combs, cheap. — BARBER, expert, Mere Farm Apiary, Chelford. k 80 1 Q 1 1 QUEENS, black, 3s. 6d. each, guaran- ±«/JLX teed safe delivery. — L. NORTON, Fernilyffe, Cleeve Hill. BEES.— A few guaranteed healthy Stocks in W.B.C. hives, for disposal, all in perfect condition, a really first-class lot.— Apply, S., care of "B.B.J." Office, 23, Bedford-street, Strand, k 69 BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. DRIVEN BEES WANTED, Is. 6d. lb. cash, boxes returned carriage paid. — A. W. GAMAGE^ Ltd., The Holborn Apiary, Church End, Finchley, N. s ECTIONS, NEW, WANTED by the HONIE- LADE Co., 23, Moorfields, E.C. k 96 NEWPORT, Isle-of-Wight, June 20th, 1911. To Mr. J. B. Goodare, Wednesfield.— " Dear Sir, — The 2 Queens you supplied me with last year have done splendidly; I had two strong swarms from both. Please forward me another, and oblige." The above speaks for itself. 1 f\i^ ^O'''^ ^^ DRIVEN BEES, commencing X"\/ August 7th, Is. 6d. per lb.; September, Is. 2d.— SOUTHCOTT, Gittisham, Honiton. HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, with queen, com- mencing August 1st, 4s. 6d. per lot; boxes to be returned; orders rotation; cash with order. — T. PULLEN Ramsbury, Hungerford. k 83 1Q11 CARNIOLAN QUEENS, mated in X*/-LX Carniola, Austria, 4s.; Swiss, 5s.; Italians, 3s.; delivery in one week.— F. VOGT, 32, Selwyn Avenu*, Higham's Park, Essex. SPRING BEE ESCAPES. THEIR POLLEN. By Geo. Hayes, Beeston, Notts. {Continued from p. 273). No. 10. Heather {Erica Tetralix, Erica Cinera, and Calluna Vulgaris). Natural Order Ericaceae. Erica Tetralix. — When speaking or writ- ing of heather, it must be remembered that we have three species that are common. Of the one under consideration we need not say much, for although it is common in the -West, it is not in other parts found in any considerable quantity, and for this reason it is not considered of much value as a nectar-producing plant. It is, however, interesting to know of its existence, and to look it out for ourselves when on the heaths. This plant, like the others of its kind, is a perennial, and should be looked for during July and August by those who would admire its wax-like bells, generally of a pale red colour, tliough sometimes pure white, which are always borne at the top of the branches, forming little clusters of close umbels, all turning in one direction. The leaves grow in fours on the stems at each joint, this fact being set forth in its title "tetralix," meaning four-leaved. It is also called the cross-leaved heather ; for when viewed from above, these four leaves assume the form of a cross. This heath is the badge of the Clan MacDonald (I wonder whether our friend, D. M. M., belongs to this line; he is certainly worthy of it), as E. cinerea is of the MacAlisters, and ling of the MacDonnells. Erica Cinerea, or BeJl Heather. — "Erica" implies that this plant is of a branching habit and difficult to break ; whilst "cinerea" denotes that its stalks are ashy-grey in colour. Vast tracts of country in the United Kingdom are covered by this heath, and we meet it constantly in the uplands of the North and West. It is generally found in Aug. 3, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 303 mostly „ separate!} company with the cross-leaved heath and the ling. In colonr, its flowers are the richest, and are also the largest of the three; although in grace of form and delicacy of tint E. tetralix is a very close rival. Like the other two species, it flowers from July to September. A fort- night will make a great difference in the appearance of a common, as almost all the plants flower at about the same time. If it is visited too early a mass of russet- green is all that meets the eye ; and if too late, the purple splendour has given j^ place to the uninvit fil- ing bi'own hue d ,^^ J^ decay. The plant n * ^b^ (^* of a bushy nature, I the branches springing from the base an(] growing to a height of from Gin. to 12in.. depending upon the nature of the soil. Its leaves are sharply pointed, and they grow in whorls or rings I'ound the stem. The flowers are of a reddish purple, produced in dense terminal racemes one above another, and ^ are shaped like a bell, being nearly ^ closed at the mouth. and just leaving a small opening through g which the style pro- trudes. The anthers are fixed inside the bell all round the 11 style, and arc attached to filament- ous springs, Avhich are operated on by the bee when she Inlbrmatm. rroin Honey cause of so much i>ollen being found in heather honey. This heather is generally considered to yield nectar indifferently, and to be of. very little use to the bee-keeper, but like other flowers, it has its prolific and un- productive seasons. I have had bees gather it abundantly, practically pure, and it has been of a lovely crimson-red colour, and although thin, of very fair flavour. Ling or CaUuna Vulgaris. — Not perhaps so attractive to the general observer as E. cinerea, this species is even more abundant, and is the one that best claims the attention of the bee-keeper ; for to him it is the heath from \Ahich the world- renowned heather honey is produced. It forms a low, straggling shrub. Its brandies are tough, and more woody than in the other two species. Its leaves borne in close masses on the side shoots are very small and placed in rows. They are also covered with knobbv hairs. The flowers, are very small, POLLEN OF HE.\THEE the tongue of thrusts it into the corolla to reach the nectary situated in the upper part of the bell. Thus a shower of pollen is made to fall on the face of the bee whence it is carried to another flower to fertilise a protruding stigma, which comes in contact with her face as she rifles the flower. This and a similar arrangement in the ling is the too, and of a pinkish tint, but occasionally they may be found pure white. What at first glance we might sup- pose t<. be the corolla, is in reality the calvx (as in the fuchsia), and the true corolla, having its petals much shorter and smaller than the enclosing sepals, may be seen within on a closer examination. Outside and beneath the true calyx may be seen four small bracts resembling a secondarv calyx. The calyx is deeply cut "into four lobes, whilst the petals and bracts have each foui- parts, and the stamens are eight in number. The beauty of the heath and its effect in landscape are often referred to by the poets. Of its utility one says: — 304 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. 3, 1911. "Of this. Old Scotia's hardy mountaineers, Their rustic couches form, and there enjoy Sleep : which beneath his velvet canopy Luxurious idleness implores in vain." In addition to its service for the roofing of houses, it is used in some parts for fuel, for fencing, and for heating ovens ; as well as for making brooms, or, as they are called in some districts, "Besoms." I well remember some thirty to forty years ago a man who resided on the " Forest," as the heath was called here- abouts in Notts, who made his living by collecting ling and making it into besoms, and was known by the appellation of "Besom Jack." It is also food for sheep, and the very young shoots are eaten with avidity by grouse, and the caterpillar of Our beautiful Emperor Moth. A good yellow and an orange dye is obtained from its branches, and if oak is added to it we get a lovely brown. We have a few bee-keepers in this county whom I rather envy, because they have in their immediate neighbourhood three of our best sources of honey, viz., white clover, limes, and heather, and I say, " Happy is the bee-keeper who is in such a case." The pollen from these three heathers is very similar, and for this reason we may treat them as from one. These grains are different from any we have considered before, inasmuch as they are of what is known as the tetrad form, though they do not stand alone in this respect, as we shall see later. The peculiarity of this form is that they leave the anther in what is termed the mother cell. All pollen grains are produced in these cells within the anther, but in the majority of cases the grains leave them singly. In the heather, each mother cell contains four spherical pollen grains, and when ex- amined dry, or without friction, they appear as seen at 2, 7, and 11a, though oftener than not they seem to be only .triad, or having only three spheres. This is owing to the position in which they lie, and to the arrangement of the spheres, which is shown perhaps more clearly at la — or, to give an illustration, like three marbles placed close together, and a fourth placed on top in the centre of them, with a covering encircling them tightly. This is plainly seen under the microscope, when the grains are placed in water and rolled about with a stiff hair. This Avas the form I at first expected always to find, as it is maintained mostly in moistui'e, but later, having placed some on a slide after being in medium for a time, and using a little friction with the cover glass, I found some of the mother cells had burst, and three pollen grains were free. These I photo- graphed at the time for a record. In honey these spherical grains swell after being liberated, and I believe they often do so before being set free, and so burst their covering, though many will be set free by mechanical force in dealing with the honey. After being liberated by one of these means the spheres grow three processes, and for a time are as seen at 9 and lid, which grow or swell until they reach their final form as seen at 10 and lie. No. 11a to e shows the whole meta- morphoses, lib being the pellicle or mother-cell. Nos. 3 and 4 are diseased pollen grains, which appear darker than healthy ones, and lose most of their original form. The colour of the pollen by reflected light is white, but by transmitted light of a golden yellow. The reason of this is that the mother-cell is a white covering to the coloured pollen grains beneath it. The after form, of course, is golden- yellow, both by reflected and transmitted light. The approximate measurements are as follows: No. 1 ^^l, No. 2 -j-ij,^, Nos. 6, 7, 8, and 9 a slight increase on last measure- ment, No. 10 Y^TjT, from angle to angle. [To he continued.) Correspondence. 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 ns a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. ROSS-SHIRE NOTES. PLANS IfOlR the heather SEASON. [822i6] With white clover, an excellent crop, practically finished, the coming heather harvest claims our best attention. Bees are in ideal condition, and given favourable weather during August, a heavy crop is certain — but it must be put in the right place. Too often in a good heather season the brood-chamber is blocked with honey that should have gone into the sujDers. In the North, we find abundant super room during the clover flow jjuts onr stocks into good shape for the heather. A colon}' occupying five racks in July will store practically all its surplus above, leaving the brood-combs open for the queen. As the clover harvest ends, all finished sections are removed, and the remainder left for completion at the heather. This works all right when one crop closely follows the other, but in Aug. 3, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 305 some seasons there is a period of several weeks between, during which brood-rear- ing declines and the population lessens. Then, when the heather honey comes, it all goes into the brood-combs. With such a contingency in view, I am giving a trial to several forms of the plural queen method this season. In one hive I have two ten-frame brood- boxes, each with a laying queen ; in another, three full-depth chambers tiered up and Liiree laying queens, separated by excluders, with the bees all working from one entrance. The other day I artificially swarmed a strong stock on to a shallow super half filled with honey. Their un- finished sections and an extra rack with foundation were replaced, and above all, with a board between, was placed the removed chamber, containing eleven frames of brood. A young laj-ing queen was run in, and the new colony allowed to work through an entrance cut in the lift. When the heather flow comes, it will be a. simjDle matter to temporarily cage the queen and shake down her bees in front of the main entrance. I hojDe to try another colony on this plan, which, theoretically, seems feasible enough. Artificial swarming on to empty combs at the moors would simply invite brood- nest storage, but the other method anticipates this tendency, and compels the bees to carry the precious nectar into the sections. For those who prefer it, a simpler way would be to wait until the heather flow has begun, then swarm on to a stored shallow super, with one on frames of brood to occupy the queen. On this place an excluder, then the racks of combed sections covered with enamel clotli, and on top the removed brood and nurse bees. A small hole cut in the quilt be- hind the dummy will allow the young bees to find their way down below as they hatch. Of course, all this means some trouble, but I do not mind that in the least if the result is an increased crop of the much-wanted heather sections. — J. M. Ellis, Ussie Valley. OBSERVATORY HIVES. [8227] Mr. F. de Silva on page 194 gives an extract from Pepy's diary dated 5th May, 1665, referring to an observa- tory hive, and asks if this is the earliest mention of such a hive. If he turns to Evelyn's diary he will find under entry 13th July, 1654 (eleven years earlier), the following passage. "We all dined at that most obliging and universally-curious Dr. Wilkins's, at Wadham College. He was the first who showed me the transparent apiaries, which he had built like castles and palaces, and so ordered them one upon another as to take the honey without destroying the bees. These were adorned with a variety of dials, little statues, vanes, &c., and he was so abundantly civil, as finding me pleased with them, to present me with one of the hives which he had empty, and which I afterwards had in my garden at Sayes Court, where it remained many years, and which his Majesty came on purpose to see and contemplate with much satisfaction." In another part of the diary it is stated that Dr. Wilkins was the brother-in-law of the protector, Oliver Cromwell. — G. W. BuLLAMORE, Albiiry, Herts. BEE DISEASES AND FEEDING. [8228] Is it not just possible that the amount of bee-disease now afflicting the British bee industry, may be in some degree attributable to the habit of forcing bees to live on artificial foods during tlit; winter, a season when their enforced in- activity renders them doubly sensitive to any strain on their delicate internal organs, thus affecting their disease- resisting powers and entire constitution ? It should not be forgotten that honey is a pre-digestcd and highly-specialised bee- food, accurately elaborated by bees for bees, and presumably indispensable for their well-being : whereas sugar-syrups, candies, etc., are merely substitutes, no doubt inadequate, on which bees can exist (for a time), but -not ^jvosper. It is hardly likely that such an im- memorial adaptation as that of honey to bees, or bees to honey, can be artificially set at naught with impunity. And who shall say what injurious effects all this artificial feeding may have on queens and their progeny, especially when it is con- sidered that in place of their own highly- concentrated, aromatic, directly assimil- able food, they are expected to put up with an insipid, watery, unpalatable, in- digestibV; niess like sugar-syrup? Here in Italy, where, owing to the I'uinous price of sugar, bees are allowed to live almost entirely on their own honey, disease of any kind is quite an exceptional condition, though now and then one hears of cases of foul brood. For my part nothing would induce me to feed my bees on anything but their own honey, i.e., that of the Roman Campagna, which, I may incidentally remark. is the most perfect honey I ever tasted. — A Roman Bee-Keepek, Anzio, July 20th. [There is no doubt that sugar-syrup is not a complete food for bees, nor is it recommended as such, but only as a sub- stitute in special cases — that is, when bees 30G THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. a, 1911. have not a sufficient supply of natural stores. It is very rarely that we per- sonally have to resort to artificial feed- ing, as our bees generally store sufficient honey to last them until a fresh supply comes in spring. Should feeding be necessary, we give them the thin honey extracted from combs left unsealed in our supers at the end of the season. No bee- keeper now removes the honey from the brood-chamber, it is usually left for winter food, and it is only recommended to supplement this with syrup if there is insufficient for the requirements of the bees. No doubt some of the diseases, more particularly dysentery, can be attri- buted to using beet sugar instead of cane. — Ed.] BEE NOTES FROM SUSSEX. [8229] Disaster overtook the stocks belonging to my sons and myself last winter, for out of twenty-four stocks only one survived, and we had nearly lost all heart, but when we were offered good swarms at 15s. each, we thought we would make a fresh start, and purchased five this spring. The first swarm, consisting of some two gallons of bees,' was hived on May 28th ; we gave them ten frames, some of which contained honey, which we uncapped for them. A rack of sections with one section drav/n out was added, and within a week the whole . of the brood-chamber was a mass of honey, and the sections were neaily a third full. I took some of the honey away, and gave more empty comb to allow the queen to lay, and this she did at once. I have to-day (July 22nd) placed on the fifth rack of sections, as there are only three sections unfinished out of the other four racks. All the other swarms have done nearly as well ; the honey is very choice and light. I am getting 15s. a dozen easily for my sections, as I sell retail only. I am very much afraid our stocks were carried off by bee paralysis or Isle of Wight disease, but I have now thoroughly disinfected every hive, burnt doubtful comb and frames, besides which, I have locked up my apiary to prevent any expert coming whilst I am away, and perhaps carrying infection to other apiaries. I was astonished to see that my present bees began work at four o'clock this morn- ing, for that was the hour I found them pouring out of the hives, which are located in an orchard, and face east. — E. Watts, Partridge Green, -July 25th. LEGISLATION FOR BEE DISEASES. [8230] In the " B.B.J." of July 20th (page 283) Mr. G. Field calls the resolu- tion passed by the Cheshire Bee-keepers' Association, for the suppression of bee diseases, " A very large order." All that we require is a similar Act to the one in force in Ireland, Avith this exception, that it includes "Isle of Wight" disease, which the Irish Act does not. Mr. Field asks: — "Would it not be wiser for the Board of Agriculture to invite suggested legislation from the Central British Bee- keepers' Association ? " I say : Let them by all means ; but if bee-keepers, as a body, do not use pressure to make the Board do something, we shall find that nothing is done. That is why I suggest that other County Associations should do as Cheshire has done — pass a resolution and send it to the Board of Agriculture, and get their Members of Parliament to support it. As to the question of com- pensation, if an Act is passed and we have power to destroy bees, &c., I should say that if it facilitates the passing of legislation, give it, as is done in Ireland, bat personally I cannot see where the value of the property comes in. If a stock is so badly diseased that the bees and frames have to be destroyed, surely there is no value attached to them. Mr. Field says : " Fear of personal loss would be to many poor men an encouragement to hide their troubles, and thus spread them in a district." Does he mean to imply that badly diseased bees are remunerative to anj^one. I should say that the poor man would lose less by having his bees examined, and if disease is found in its incipient stage, having them treated for it, before it reaches the condition when nothing can be done but destroy. I con- sider that giving compensation would be offering a premium for the careless management of bees. To show how necessary legislation is, one has only to read of the experiences of "J. T.," Tomintoul (page 283), in the last number of the "B.B.J.," and there are scores of the bee-keepers in every county of Great Britain Avho have had a similar experience. How long are bee-keepers going to allow this to go on? Let us all unite and make ourselves heard, and so get the Government to bring in a Bill dealing with the subject once and for all. E. W. Feanklin, Hon. Sec, Cheshire B.K.A. [We do not think such resolutions have much effect on the Board of Agriculture, who have been kept informed by the British Bee-Keepers' Association of the desii-e of tlie affiliated associations for legislation. The question of a proposed bill has also been considered and discussed, and when inti-oduced, would certainly Aug.. y, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 30T include all diseases of bees, and not only foul brood. If the County Associations really desire legislation, they should help the committee appointed by the British Bee-Keepers' Association to get the opinion of bee-keepers, for that is the only thing standing in the way of legislation at the present moment. In the inter- view the chairman of the British Bee- Keepers' Association had with the Presi- dent of the Board of Agriculture, Lord Carrington, the latter stated that if the Central Association could show that the majority of bee-keepers were in favour of legislation, and if they could produce such a consensus of opinion as that which the chairman showed from Cumberland, thej' would consider the advisability of asking the Government to pass a Bill. It remains now for the affiliated associations to get the necessary evidence, and only when this is obtained is the Board of Agriculture likely to move in the matter. The time for resolutions has passed, and now action is required, and we would therefore urge those who wish for legisla- tion to supply the required information to the hon. secretary, Mr. L. S. CrawshaM-, Norton, Malton, iorks. We would add that the committee in charge of the question of legislation have amended the Bill, so as to get over the objections raised to some of the clauses. The committee is to meet again on September 21st, to consider the remaining clauses of the Bill, and it is hoped that the information required will be forthcoming by that time. Resolutions, even supported by members of Parlia- ment have little effect when the in- formation required is not forthcoming, and the affiliated associations would be doing much viseful work by collect- ing such information and forwarding it to Mr. Crawshaw. The question has been thoroughly thrashed out in our columns, so we propose to close this correspondence, while we now await the result of the appeal to the affiliated associations. — Ed.] CAPPINGS OF COMB. BY L. S. CEAWSHAAV, NORTOX, MALTON, TOEKS. Preventing Increase (page 256). — This method has, no doubt, been pretty well tried, but I think it has not always proved a failure. It has failed with me only when the entrance was above the non- swarming chamber, as made by E. *B. Taylor. Some eight or nine years ago 1 got a dozen of these Taylor chambers, and found this fault with them. I lowered the alighting-board, and believe that their utility has greatly increased. It is of little use to put starters under the brood nest, as drone comb is almost certain to be built in quantity. I get a number of useful, shallow combs built below with the minimum of trouble. I do not remember a case of swarming from a hive so fitted, but that does not prove much, as I get very few swanns in any case. An objection to their use is that bees may refuse extra racks of sections, particularly if there is much sealed-honey in the brood-combs. I prefer to keep the bees a trifle crowded below for the sake of better work above. Mr. Evans' theory that an excluder below will retard drone breeding is, I fear, a fallacy. It is more than doubtful whether bees can reason so far as he supposes. Swarm Control (page 364). — It is not quite clear to me what Mr. J. H. Marrs means when he implies that the success of the Stapleton plan depended upon his not destroying queen-cells. As a matter of surmise, the small cell to which he refers probably contained a dead queen. Position of Stores (page 267). — Is it quite correct to say that bees always store above the brood-nest. My experience has been that at least one fat comb is usually to be found at the side of the nest. The diflference in experience may be due to the prolificness of the queens. This year of grace storing has not been confined to the outside comb, but has encroached still further upon the bee's nursery. I have tried the plan suggested by W. Bee. It is not a success, principally for the reason that brood-comb wax is used to build and cap the sections, and they become very dark in consequence. Also, if the brood nest be extensive, pollen will very likely be stored in the sections, and that is annoying, even upon the home table ! Instinct (page 271). — It is at least open to indignant question whether man is not upon an equality with some wild creatures at the moment of his birth. Many <.f these are so helpless that if uncared for they would die, and their only instinct is one which they share with man — thedesiro for food. Man at least arrives with his eyes open. Notes from Cornwall (page 274). — It is like the meeting of an old friend, to heir again from Mr. Farmer. No one regretted more than I, that he was obliged to temporarily desist from writing for the pages of the "B.B.J." I find myself in some sympathy with his present notes. I know of places where the cottager only manages to keep bees successfully in skeps, and I am in entire agreement as to the undesirability of the indiscriminate advocacy of bee-keeping as a pui'suit. I am heterodox enough to believe that many of the unsuitable keepers of frame hives are as great a menace to bee-keeping, m general as is the less educated skeppist with his sealed book. Sting Pemedies (page 275). — I do not know whether methviated alcohol, such as 308 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Auc?. 3, 1911. we use in this couutry, is easily available to Herr Schroder. But if so, would he kindly say whether he finds it equally efficacious with iDure alcohol? Queries and Replies. [8173] rsing the Super-Clearer. — May I take advantage of the kindness to which you give expression in the "B.B.J." of July 13th, by asking for light upon the following matters. (1) About June 15th, I placed a rack of partly filled sections on top of another rack on one of my hives and fourteen days after it was lighter than when put on. Would the inclement weather about the Coronation period account for this or was there any fault in the method. (2) My Guide Book (19th edition), on Page 113, suggests feeding to produce comb when forage is scarce. Could this be carried out during August, and if so would the bees build in supers, either shallow frames or sections. (3) To clear supers of bees, is there any disad- vantage in placing the super above the quilts and allowing the bees to go out of the escapes in the roof, rather than using the super clearer as in Fig. 36. With the former method you. have only to carry the super a^^'ay when clear, but with the latter you have to remove the clearer and eover up again. I find the journal very interesting and helpful, and although a bee-keeper since 1907, I find there is a great deal more to learn. — J. W. D. (Fareham). Reply. — (1) The inclement weather wdiich prevailed about that time would be the cause. Empty supers should be put under the full one, not on the top. (2) Yes. (3) It is much better to use the Porter Escape, it does the work quicker and pre- vents the possibility of bees or wasps get- ting back through the cone escapes. Many thanks for your appreciation. [8174] Cleaning Floor-board. — I should be glad if you would answer me the fol- lowing questions: — (1) How many loads of nectar does it take to fill one ordinary worker cell? (2) What method do you adopt fof cleaning the floor-board of hive without disturbing the bees, and if the operation is done before Fe'bruary, are the bees likely to "ball" the queen. (3) Are there any objections to using old blanketing for packing between the inner and outer case of hive, as this would be easier to remove than chaff or paper, and ■equally warm. — T. P., Staffs. Reply. — (1) It is difficult to say, as a great deal would depend upon its density or otherwise. (2) If you refer to Bee Journal of April 27th, 1911 (page 162), you will find full instructions for cleaning iioor-board. On no account must you do this in February. April is the earliest month for this to be done safely. (3) No packing is required. The air-space is most healthy. Bee Shows to Come. August 7 (Bank Holiday), at Cambridge. Honey Show in connection with the Cambridge Mammoth Show Society. All Open Classes, four Special Hives to be competed for. This Show also includes dogs, poultry, pigeons, rabbits, cage birds, flowers, fruit, and vegetables; also grand pro- gramme of sports and motor racing, &c. Balloon ascent and parachute descent by Captain Spencer. The champion prize band (Irwell Springs) has been specially engaged. Schedules from Hon. Sec, E. F. Dant, Member of B.B.K.A., 52 Bridge Street, Cambridge. Entries close Thursday, August 3. August 7, at Epworth. In connection with the Epworth Agricultural Show of Horses, Beasts, Pigs, Poultry, Pigeons, Eabbits, Cage-Birds. Honey, Dairy Produce, &c. Lines. B.K.A. in charge of Honey Section. Schedules from W. E. Burrows, Secretary, Epworth, Doncaster. August 7, at Melton Constable. The Annual Honey Show of the North Norfolk B.K.A. will be held at Melton Constable Park on above date. Several Open Classes. Schedules from Secretary, North Norfolk B.K.A., The Pightly, Letheringsett, Holt, Norfolk. August 9, at Wye, Kent.— Kent Honey Show. Four Open Classes. Fourteen open to Kent. Trophy Cup value 3 guineas. Open to Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. Two Challenge Cups viilue 6 guineas each. Many other special and money prizes. Entries closed. August 10, at MadresHeld, Malvern. Annual Show of the Worcestershire B.K.A. Open Class for collection of Bee Products. Prizes, 20s., 10s. Schedules from George Richings, 2, Shrubbery Terrace, Worcester. Entries close August 5. August 16, at Iiancaster. Lancaster Agricul- tural Society, in conjunction with the Lancashire B.K.A. 16 Classes for Honey, Bee Produce, and Bee Hives. Numerous specials, including 2 silver challenge cups, 12 silver and bronze medals. Entries closed. August 17, at Kenilworth Castle. Show of Kenilworth Horticultural Society. Open Honey Classes. Prizes, IDs., 5s., 2s. 6d. Judge, Mr. G. Franklin. Very popular, and an old established exhibition. Schedules from E. H. Thornett, Secre- tary, Kenilworth. August 17, at Abington Park, Northamp- ton. Northants B.K.A. Annual Honey Show. Special Prizes for Open Classes, including one for single lib. jar of Honey. Entry free. Judge, Mr. W. Herrod. Prizes, 20s., 10s., 5s., 2s. 6d., and Is. 6d. Schedules from R. Hefford, Kingsthorpe, Northants. Entries close August 12. August 23, at Radstock, Somerset. — Honey Show in connection with the Radstock Horticul- tural and Farmers' Association. Open and gift classes. Write for Honey Schedule. B. M. Clark, Foxhills, Radstock. August 23 and 24, at Shrewsbury. Annual Show of the Shropshire Bee-keepers' Association, in connection with the Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral F6te. Eight Open Classes for Honey. Free entry for single bottle and single section. Schedules from S. Cartwright, Hon. Sec., Sbawbury, Shrewsbury. Entries close August 11. August 26, at Kettering.— In connection with the Kettering Working-Men s Horticultural Society's Show. Open Class for Honey, single lib. jar. First prize value 16s. Entries free. iScheauies from Hon. Sec, W . Heritage, 114, King Street, Kettering. August 29, at Oartmel, Iiancs. Bee and Honey Show in connection with the Cartmel Agri- cultural Society's 2gth Annual Show. Liberal prizes. Open classes. Shedules from J. N. Parker, Cartmel, near Carnforth. Alio- 1911. THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 309 August 30, at Chester. — Annual Show of the Cheshire B.K.A. in connection with the County Agricultural Show. Several Open Classes. Good prizes. Schedules, &c., from Hon. Sec, E. W. Franklin, Mouldsworth, near Chester. August 30 and 31, at Carlisle. — Annual Honey Show of the Cumberland and Westmorland B K.A in connection with the Carlisle Horticul- tural Society's Exhibition to be held in the Covered Market, Carlisle. Schedules from G. W. Avery, Hon. Sec, Heads Nook, Carlisle. August 30 and 31, at Coventry.— Annual Show of the Warwickshire B.K.A., in connection with the Warwickshire Agricultural Society. Separate tent for Honey, Wax, and Appliances. Open Classes. Schedules, &c., from J. N. Bower, Knowle, Warwickshire. September 6, at Deddington, Oxon.^Show of the Dediiiiigton Horticultural Society. Open Class for Honey. Prizes, 10s., 5s., 3s., 2s. No entry fee Schedules from Messrs. H. J. Harms- worth or A. A. Busby, Deddington. Entries close September 1. September 7, at Peterborough. — In con- nection with Horticultural Society. County Asso- ciation Class and four Open Classes. Schedules from G. T. Dunham, Albion Terrace, 32, Oundle Road, Peterborough. Entries close Septem- ber 1. September 13, at Conway, N. Wales. — Great Annual Honey Show in connection with the Conway Honey Fair. Open and local Classes. Schedules from J. Hughes, Town Hall, Conway. Entries close September 6. September 13 and 14, at Cambridge.— Honey Show in connection with the Cambridge and District Red Cross Horticultural Society. Four Classes, open to all. To be held in the Corn Exchange, Cambridge. Schedules and particulars of Hon. Sec, E. F. Dant, Member of B.B.K.A., 52, Bridge Street, Cambridge. Entries close Satur- day, September 9. September 16 to 23, at the Agricultural Hall, Iiondon. — Honey Show in connection with the 19th Annual Exhibition and Market of the Grocery and Kindred Trades. Liberal prizes. Open to all British Bee-Keepers. Schedules from H. S. Rogers, Secretary, Exhibition Offices, Palmerston House, Old Broad Street, London, E.C, September 14, at Castle-Douglas.— Annual Show of South of Scotland Bee-keepers Associa- tion. Five open classes; Three 1-lb. jars extracted, 20s., 10s., and 5s.; three sections, ditto (Entry 2s.). lib. jar, also one section, 5s., 3s., and 2s. (Entry free, and exhibits retained unless otherwise agreed upon). Beeswax, 5s., 3s., and 2s. (Entry 6d.). Fourteen classes for members. Schedules from Q. Aird, Hardgate, Dalbeattie, N.B. Entries close September 2. September 26. at Horniman Hall, North End, Croydon.— Exclusive Show of Honey, Wax, Hives, Bees, &c Increased prizes. Six Open Classes. Judge, Mr. W. Herrod, F.E.S. Schedules from A. Wakerell, 21, Mansfield Road, Croydon. Entries close September 16. September 27, at Altrincham.— Honey Show, in connection with the Altrincham Agricultural Show, the largest one-day show in the Kingdom. Classes open to United Kingdom. Classes for Trophy of Honey, for Best Hive, Observatory Hive with Bees and Queen, twelve Jars of Extracted Honey. Classes open to County of Chester, for Run and Section Honey, Wax, &c. Special Classes for Cottagers, and Special Classes for Society's District. Several Special Jubilee prizes. Schedules from Mr. J. Herbert Hall, 2, Dunham Road, Altrincham. Entries close September 9, and at extra fees September 13. Notices to Correspondents. I Ignorant (Hexham). — Xumhcr of Bees in [ a Hive. — In the month of June there are usually from 40,000 to -50,000 bees I in a good colony ; in the winter-hive about 25,000. A. W. (West Bromwich). — Using Drawn- out Combs. — If the bees did not die of disease you could use the combs, but if there is the slightest doubt, it would be unwise to do so. Comb foundation is so cheap that personally we should prefer to avoid risk by using new frames of foundation. C. J. H. (Northolt).— Frenc/i, Bee Paper. — We do not know of a French farming and bee paper combined, but a good journal on bees is TJApicuUeur, address : Editor, 28, Rue Serpente, Paris. W. H. Rattenbury (Devon). — Queen- mating. — We see no reason why the plan you give should not be successful, but cannot say who advocated it in Bee Journal. Novice (Holmforth). — Hiving Swarjns.^ Queens do not fly abroad, except when taking their mating flight. You may possibly have been mistaken. Suspected Disease. S. B. H. (Horsham). — Bees are suffering from "Isle of Wight" disease, and we should advise you to destroy them at once. Honey Samples. KtJTTA (St. Asaph). — Your second sample is a very nice honey ; good in all re- spects. Like the other, it will granu- late quickly. F. J. A. (Parracombe). — No. 1 is the best for show purposes. M. S. (Bridgnorth). — No. 1 is a medium honey, gathered principally from clover-; No. 2 IS from fruit blossom, and would be classed as a dark honey. Both are good enough to show in their respective classes. Bee (Paignton). — The sample is from mixed sources, and is a very good medium colour honey. As soon as all the scum has risen to the top it can be bottled. (2) Leave two of the pollen filled frames, removing the rest for melt- ing down. Supply drawn-out combs if you have them, certainly. WiLLMOTT (Higham Ferrars).— The honey is a very good sample in all points, and has been gathered mainly from clover. Many thanks for your kind apprecia- tion ; letters such as yours encourage us to persevere in our work for the wel- fare of bee-keeping. E. E. B. (Yorks). — Nos. I and 2 are ex- cellent samples from white clover. No. 2 is quite good enough for showing, but should first be cleared of the air-bubbles and small particles of wax. No. 3 is not dense enough ; it has been gathered partly from limes. H. W. (Leicester). — Tlie honey is mainly from clover, with a little ragwort in it. If the colour is brightened by warming it will do to show in medium class. 310 THE BRITISH BEE JOURXAL. [Aug. 3, 1911. Special Prepaid Advertisements. Two Words One Penny, minimunx Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. W ANTED, 12 lots of Healthy Driven Bees, 4s. per lot— LUNNUN, Fyfield, Essex. I 37 DRIVEN BEES WANTED, any quantity.— Address, " BEES," Abington, Lanark- shire^^ 1 36 CONQUEROR HIVES WANTED, single or double, must be guaranteed healthy, state price.— GARRETT, Hillview, Knock, Belfast. 1 38 WANTED, Extractor, in good condition, must be cheap.— Particulars to J. PEARCE, Bollands-lane, South Ockendon, Essex. 1 20 PRIZE HONEY, finest grade, glazed sections, in perfect condition, price, delivered, 12s. per doz.— BYLES, Redenham, Andover. EST SCOTCH SECTIONS, 10s. 6d. per doz.— C. GARFITT, Barnside, Coupar Angus, Perthshire. k 76 WANTED, 10-frame Observatory Hive; ex- change folding Premo i plate film camera, or sell £1. Is.— PINKNEY, Sleights, Yorks. 1 32 INEST ENGLISH HONEY. 16s. 6d. per 281b. tin; sample, 2d.— DUTTON, Terling, Essex, k 72 F i'^LEAN full-weight Sections, bean and clover, V,' 8s. 6d. doz.; 6 doz, 14oz., finest quality clover sections, 8s. 6d. doz.— NORTH, Cressing, Brain- tree, Essex. I 16 ENGLISH HONEY, good quality, dark colour; pimple 2d.: what ott'ers? also Cottage Ripener with Strainer, 4s.; and drawn shallow Frames, 7s. aoz. — JUASTINGS, Welcombe, Stratford - on - Avon. 1 17 EXTRACTOR, 24 by 16, with Honey Valve, almost new, 10s.— J. MORRISON, 75, Wood- stock-road, Sheffield. 1 18 PURE LIGHT CAMBRIDGESHIRE HONEY, 68s. per cwt.; sample 3d.; also 9 doz. light- coloured Sections, 10s. doz. F.O.R.— W. JOCKMAN, Sidney Farm, Cambridge. 1 19 BEES.— 5 Healthy Stocks in W.B.C. Hives, 4 Section Racks, Smoker, &c., £5 10s., or 25s. each. — DRAKE, 15, Seaforth-avenue, New Maiden. 1 22 SPLENDID SECTIONS, average lb.; also run. What offers?— ALLNUTT, Wittenham, Abing- don, Berks. 1 26 FOR SALE, 2 Stocks Bees on 10 frames. 1911 Queens, £1 each.— FARMBOROUGH, Hazle- mere. High Wycombe. 1 27 FOR SALE, 2001bs. SEALED HONEY in shallow frames. What cash offers?— REV. BRAD- LEY, Chapel Hill, Margate. 1 28 1CWT. FINEST LIGHT HONEY. What offers? — H. ROGERS, Hatherop, Fairford, Glos. 130 A FEW doz. first-class Sainfoin Sections, neatly glazed, 10s. per doz.; also Extracted Honey in 28Ib. tins, at £3 per cwt.— BELL, Bardwell Manor, Bury St. Edmunds. 1 31 FINE SECTION HONEY, 10s. doz.; Extracted, in screw cap jars, 10s. doz.— A. CROSSLEY. Skewbarrow, Kendal. 1 35 F OR SALE, 4cwt. Light Extracted Honey, 56s. cwt.— PAIGE, Station, Saffron Walden. 1 54 OVERSTOCKED. — 6 Stocks Bees in W.B.C. Hives, guaranteed healthy; 1910 Queens, good form for heather, natives, excellent comb builders; deposit.— H., 23, Bedford-street, Strand, W.C. k 95 TWO BEE-HIVES with ten Standard Frames, foundation, ready for driven Bees, 12s. 6d. each.— SAUNDERS, Thelma Stetchford, Birming- ham, k 92 FINEST SCOTCH CLOVER HONEY, £3 cwt. Sample 3d.— T. RULE, Summervale, Annan, Dumfriesshire. 1 8 HONEY, first quality sections, 9s. 6d. dozen, 3 dozen 27s., cash with order.— R. COUSINS, The Rosary, Misterton, Gainsborough. 1 9 IVfEW SEASON'S EXTRACTED HONEY, fine 1^ sample, in bulk 60s. per cwt., tins included; lib. screw cap glass jars, 8s. per dozen. — AVERY, Deverill, Warminster. 1 2 GUARANTEED healthy secondhand Hives, fitted with frames, drawn out combs, cheap. — BARBER, Expert, Mere Farm Apiary, Chelford. k80 UEENS, 1911.— 2 Surplus Fertile Black, 3s. each.— F. BIGGE, Tyburn, Birmingham. 1 39 Q BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. 1 0 1 1 QUEENS, black, 3s. 6d. each, tested ±*/XX layers.— L. NORTON, Fernclyffe, Cleeve Hill, Gloucestershire. k 90 SPRING TRAVELLING CRATES for 12 or 24 Section, 1. 6d. and 2s. each; Boxes with cor- rugated cases, for 6, 12, or 24 Sections, or lib. bottles, Is., Is. 6d., and 2s. each.— H. CRESSY, Friary Mill, Dorchester. 1 25 ECTIONS. new, wanted, by the HONIELADE Co., 23, Moorfields, E.C. 1 24 S HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, with Queen, 6s. lot; Queens, 2s. 9d. each.— BRADFORD, Expert, Worcester. 1 33 SECTIONS of HONEYCOMB wanted to pur- chase for cash.— T. SMITH and Co., Cam- bridge-street, Hyde Park, W. k 13 PROLIFIC HYBRID QUEENS, 15 years' experi- ence, fertiles, 4s.; virgins, 2s.— MOORE, 10, The Avenue, Bedford. 1 23 DRIVEN BEES WANTED, Is. 6d. lb. cash, boxes returned carriage paid. — A. W. GAMAGE, Ltd., The Holborn Apiary, Church End, Finchley, N. NEWPORT, Isle-of-Wight, June 20th, 1911. To Mr. J. B. Goodare, Wednesfield.— " Dear Sir,— The 2 Queens you supplied me with last year have done splendidly; I had two strong swarms from both. Please forward me another, and oblige." The above speaks for itself. 1 AA LOTS OF DRIVEN BEES, commencing JL"v/ August 7th, Is. 6d. per lb.; September, Is. 2d. Cash with order given preference.— SOUTHCOTT, Gittisham, Honiton. HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, with queen, com- mencing August 1st, 4s. 6d. per lot; boxes to be returned; orders rotation; cash with order. — T. PULLEN, Ramsbury, Hungerford. k 83 1 Q 1 1 CARNIOLAN QUEENS, mated in X«^-LX Carniola. Austria, 4s.: Swiss. 5s.; Italians, 3s.; delivery in one week.— F. VOGT, 32, Selwyn Avenue, Higham's Park, Essex. 1Q11 QUEENS. — Golden Italian fertile Xtf AA Queens, guaranteed healthy, pure- mated, vigorous, prolific, 4s. each; specially selec- ted, 7s. 6d. each; prompt delivery.— J. B. GOODARE, Woden Apiary, Wednesfield, Wolver- hampton, k 54 Aug. 10, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL. 311 Editorial, Notices, &c. MALIGNANT DYSENTERY. Since the publication of Dr. Zander's researches in 1909 respecting dysentery ("B.B.J." 1909, page 421) investigations have been carried on by Dr. Maassen in Dajilem, which we reported in the " B.B.J.," 1910, page 483. Dr. Maassen corroborated the finding.s of Dr. Zander with respect to Nosema^apis being the cause of malignant dystentery. He found the parasite very widely distributed, and that many of the colonies had entirely succumbed to the disease, but, strange to say, also some that did not show the usual charac- teristics of the malady. He also pointed out that the parasite may be prevalent in small numbers in healthy bees without mul- tiplying, and only become dangerous when the health of the bees becomes impaired. In Switzerland also Dr. Burri has been in- vestigating the disease, and although he does not find it quite so prevalent as it is in Germany he is able to confirm Dr. Zander's findings. He points out that although ordinary dysentery is caused by the bees not being able to void their ex- crements, the malignant form is due to the presence of the protozoon Nosema apis Zander. Strange to say, he has also found cases with all the symptoms of malignant dysentery in which the proto- zoon could not be detected. The investiga- tions have been further carried on this year, and at the Conference of Bee Inspec- tors at Zug, reported in the Schweit- zerische Bienenzeitung, Dr. Nussbaumer, who assisted Dr. Burri in his investiga- tions, stated that they were able to confirm Dr. Zander's findings. Tlie experiments show that Dr. Zander was right in difi'eren- tiating dysentery as ordinary non-infec- tious, and malignant or infectious. The former is well known and is caused by im- proper food, disturbance of bees in winter and too long confinement in the hive with- out a cleansing flight. In this no bacteria or spores are found. It is quite different with malignant dyisentery which is caused by the protozoon. This grows in the chyle stomach and lives on the cell substance. Tlie growth and increase of the parasites are so rapid that soon all nourishment is exhausted and they turn to spores. These are found in dead bees and in the excre- ments. It was pointed out that in at- tempts to cure the disease it was impor- tant that dead bees and excrements should be removed. In other respects the same remedy is recommended as for foul brood. There is no cure for badly infected colonies, and these should be destroyed by burning sulphur, the bees, combs, and frames, etc., being burned, and the hives! thorougldy dis- infected. Slightly affected colonies in the early stages of the disease can be treated as for foul brood by being made into arti- ficial swarms and made to build new combs. Care should be taken that the drinking places are clean, so as not to convey the disease by means of these. It was stated by Dr. Nussbaumer that 10 per cent, of the bees in every apiary contain Nosema without tlie colonies necessarily having malignant dysentery. It is just the same as with diphtheria or tubercle bacilli in man. The stronger constitutions are able to resist disease, even in the presence of these germs. It is also mentioned that much of the disease was undoubtedly due to the inclement weather of 1910, which had so disastrous an effect upon bees and had impaired their constitutions, and that the fine weather of this year and abundant income of honey and pollen has been tlie means of curing many affected colonies. It will be remembered that Dr. Zander thought possibly May Pest was only an- other form of the Nosema disease. Dr. Burri has not yet been able to come to any definite conclusion on this point, as the investigations have so far only given negative results, but he is continuing the work. It is, however, probable that all the diseases which we at present class as undetermined, such as May Pest, Paralysis, and Isle of Wight disease, will be found to be more or less closely related to one an- other, as they all have certain symptoms in common, although they vary in slight details. Such diseases have broken out as epidemics from time to time and have entailed enormous losses, but like all epi- demics they gradually wear themselves out. If such were not the case bee-keeping would have been exterminated long since. GLAMORGAN B.K.A. ANNUAL SHOW. The annual show of the Glamorgan Bee- keepers' Association was held at Cardiff on July 26th and 27th. The number of entries constituted a record, and the competitors were representative of all parts of the country. The season has been unusually favourable, and large quantities of honey were disposed of by those exhibitors who had brought surplus stores. The exhibits were judged by Mr. S. Jordan (Bristol), who was assisted by Mr. Freeman Gravil (Cardiff), and Miss Forsdike, who undertook the duty of judging the food made from honey. The Rev. H. Morgan, county bee-keeping expert, gave interesting lectures and demonstrations with live bees at intervals on both days, and also rendered valuable assistance in consulting and advising bee- keepers who needed information on the management of their bees. The judges' awards were as follows : — 312 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. 10, 1911. members' classes. Twelve 1-lb. Sections. — 1st, S. Lewis, Bridgend; 2nd, D. George, 'Merthyr Mawr, Bridgend. Three Shallow Frames of Comb Honey. — 1st, R. Morgan, Cowbridge; 2nd, E. Humphrey; 3rd, E. Church, Cai'diff. Twelve 1-lh Jars Extracted Honey {light}.— 1st, D. George; 2nd, E. Church; 3rd, R. Morgan. Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (medium) — 1st, C. Hood, Cowbridge; 2nd, S. Wakeford, Dinas Powis; 3rd, T. Richards, Whitchurch. Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (dark). — 1st, W. Morgan, Llantrisant; 2nd, S. Wakeford. Beesicax. — 1st, D. George; 2nd, R. Morgan; 3rd, E. Church. Articles of Food Containing Honey. — W. T. Gunter, Cowbridge; 2nd, B. Morgan; 3rd, F. Gravil, Cardiff. Bee Candy. — 1st, F. Gravil; 2nd, W. Gunter. Observatory Hive. — S. Wakeford. special prizes. (For honey gathered in districts outside the vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend and Gower.) Six 1-lb. Sections. — 1st, T. Davis. Kenfig Hill; 2nd, S. Lewis; 3rd, W. Lewis; v.h.c, W. Morgan; h.c, D. Rees, Kenfig Hill. Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey. — 1st, T>. Rees; 2nd, W. Brook, Kenfig Hill; 3rd, T. Jones, Nantgarw ; h.c, T. Davis; c, G. Braddick, Cardiff. novices' class. Six 1-lb. Sections. — 1st, W. Brook ; 2nd, T. Richards. Six 1-lb Jars Extracted Honey {any colour). — 1st, W. Brook; 2nd, Mrs. Dare, Llanharan; h.c, A. Church; c, T. Jones. open classes. Collection of Appliances. — 1st, John Hibbert and Son, Cardiff; 2nd, E. Burtt, Gloucester. Twelve 1-lh Sections. — 1st, D. George; 2nd, H. J. Moore, Badstock ; 3rd, C. Kidner. Extra Prizes. — 2nd, R. H. Baynes, Cowbridge; 3rd, J. Fairall, Hellingly, and C. Dyer, Compt-on, Berk- shire. Twelve 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (light). — 1st, W. Gunter; 2nd, D. George; 3rd, H. J. Moore. Extra Prizes.— 1st, H. R. Saunders, Thetford; 2nd, R. H. Baynes; 3rd, R. W. Lloyd, Thetford. Beeswax. — 1st. R. Morgan; 2nd, D. George; Srd, S. Wakeford. - Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (light). —1st, R. Morgan; 2nd, S. Wakeford; 3rd, A. Church and D. George. Six 1-lb. Ja.rs Extracted Honey (dark). 1st, R. Edwards, Lisvane; 2nd, D! George; 3rd, S. Wakeford. The " Small-holder " Presentation Clock was awarded to Mr. David George,, Merthyr Mawr, Bridgend. In the course' of the day three candi- dates were examined for experts' certi- ficates.— W. J. Wiltshire, Hon. Sec. REVIEWS OF FOREIGN BEE JOURNALS. By "Nemo.'' How long does it take a bee to get a load of pollen? — M. Otto Deng, who has made careful observations, says in Practischer Wegweiser that it takes a bee from six to- eight seconds to get the pollen from one heather blossom. In five to six minutes after visiting forty blossoms one can per- ceive the first traces of pollen in the baskets, on the hind legs of the bee. In eighteen to twenty minutes the load is completed, and in four to five minutes afterwards the bee, which had been marked with a red spot, had returned from its hive 300 meters away, to recom- mence its arduous work. Protecting Hives from Ants. — The per- sistence with which ants endeavour to overcome obstacles in their way to get- ting into hives is related by Signer V. Asprea in the Apicoltore of Milan. When he began bee-keeping, in order to prevent ants entering his hives he placed the legs of the stands in basins of water. One morning he was surprised to find a string* of ants coming and going on his hives, and wondered how they had ^ot there. On close examination he found the water in the basins covered with a film of dust which he presumed had been placed there by the ants. Watching them he founa that on coming to the edge of the water the ants hesitated for a moment and then stepped on to the dust and got over with- out wetting their feet. Admiring their ingenuity Signor Asprea replaced the water by turpentine, believing that this would be a remedy, but what was his astonishment to find, a few days later, that the ants had. placed small bits of gravel in the liquid, and thus made stepping stones which enabled them to get at the hive. He, however, found a preventive in a mixture of oil and carbolic acid which effectually kept them away. Making Artificial Swarms. — M. N. Noblecourt describes in V Abeille de I'Aisnc a simple method of making an artificial swarm, which he recommends for those who wish to fill up gaps made by winter losses, or queenlessness. He says that about the 10th of July, strong hives can be divided so as to make two strong colonies from one. For this purpose hives should be selected that are crowded with bees noted for their industry, and other Aug. 10, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. good qualities. It is only necessary to divide the hive in two, without troubling about the queen, which at this season it is difficult to find. Half the frames with the bees are allowed to remain in the original hive and the remaining space is filled with frames fitted witli comb foundation. The other half of the frames, with the adhering bees, are put into another hive and the space filled out in the same way. It is neces- sary to put a few more bees into the hive that is removed to one side, as cue old bees will return to their original stand. Care must be taken that there are eggs and young larvse in each part, so as to give the bees the chance of rearing a queen. Eight to fifteen days later it is desirable to add a comb of sealed oi-ood to each colony. (These combs can be taken from other populous hives.) If there is still a little pasturage in August the two colonies will be able to earn their living. When inspected in September, if they are found to be short of stores, these may be supplemented by feeding with sugar syrup. Foul Brood Insurance. — M. Leuen- berger, the chief of the insurance scheme of the Swiss Bee-keepers' Society, pre- sided at a meeting of Inspectors at Rosen- berg, Canton Zug, and gave an account of the first year's working of the Federal Act which is fully reported in the Schweitzerislie Bienenzeituncj. The Can- tons have delegated their powers to the Swiss Bee-keepers' Society, who are authorised to administer the law. By this every one is required to notify the presence, or the suspected presence, of foul brood in his apiary, but only the members of the Society are entitledto compensation. No purchases of bees can take place without a health certificate, and the pur- chaser who does not conform to this con- dition forfeits all right to compensation in the event of foul brood being found in his apiary. Foreign bees are ex- cluded, as a certificate cannot be obtained, for bees purchased outside the country. Bees Transporting Eggs. — From time to time we have evidence of bees transport- ing eggs, and in the Praktische IVeg- weiser, M. Mattutis describes his experi- ence of such a case during this season. He says that he decided to allow the bees in a skep to transfer themselves into a frame hive in the way recommended in the "Guide Book" (page 150). On April 17th, he prepared a hive fitted with frames of built-out combs partly contain- ing honey, and on this he placed the skep, packing it round carefully. On examin- ing the hive on May 13th, he found that the queen had gone down and there was already a considerable quantity of brood. He then placed an excluder over the frames and on this two shallow-frame supers. As 313 the skep contained a good deal of brood' and a great many drones, he placed this^ above tne supers, putting another excluder between them and the skep. Assuming that all brood would have emerged h© re-^ moved the skep on the 18th June. On. examining it he was astonished to find about fifty cells of brood, some of whicli was already capped, as well as two queen cells. The latter were not yet capped but already contained larvse in Royal jelly. As the queen had left the skep at least five weeks, the only conclusion M. Mat- tutis could come to was that the workers had transported the eggs through- two supers and two excluders, especially as careful examination showed that there was no queen in the skep. HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By W. Ilerrod. Saving and Extracting Wax. — Truly it is the small things which as a rule pay best. We have heard of fortunes being mad^e, by individuals who have collected insig- nificant waste materials, and sold them.i Without exaggerating in the least I oiu certain there are hundreds of pou;rids| wasted annually by the carelessness or thoughtlessness of bee-keepers in the matter of saving wax. As a youngster I had a good grounding in this from the late John Howard. Though each year he, handled some tons of wax in small packages, nothing annoyed him more than to see the smallest particle wasted in any shape or form, his caustic remark to any carelesis workman whom he saw wasting wax being " You are throwing my profit into the gutter." Even the boards upon which we worked were boiled at the end of the season to reclaim the wax which had been spilt upon them. The first consideration is a proper re- ceptacle in which to save the wax, and for this purpose, if possible, a metal one should be obtained, and it should have a, tightly fitting lid so as to exclude moths,: of all kinds, especially wax moth. I find an old hundredweight carbide tin. excellent for the purpose and these can often be begged or obtained for a few pence. Failing this, a good air-tight wooden box can be used. The receptacle^ slrould be placed in some position where it is easy of access, and whenever a piece of comb, no matter how small, is removed, from the hive it should be taken straight away and put into the box or tin ready for melting down when time, can be found for the process. So many times have I seen waste going on thoughtlessly that it may not be out of place to give a few instances. Old black combs from brood-chamber, thrown away as. not worth the trouble; scrapings from the. top of frames when spring-cleaning these j' 314 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. 10, 1911. are usually thrown on the ground instead of being collected ; small pieces of comb built occasionally between the brood cham- ber and outer case in a W.B.C. hive, on ac- count of the bees obtaining access through the brood chamber not being pushed right up to the bridge-slip at the front ; ■ comb built on the dummy board; comb built in candy box, generally thrown away altogether; combs and unfinished sections which break down in the extractor ; small pieces of foundation cut from the top of split in sections when filling up ; corners from sheets of brood foundation when fill- ing into split-top frames and also the top edge when cut level to bar ; wax spilt on the floor, from the smelter or spoon, when fixing foundation to a plain top bar ; and so I could go on, but the above will suffice to show that in many unsuspected ways money often runs away. After saving the wax comes the matter of extraction. The methods for this work are two only — by the heat of the sun (Solar) and by steam or boiling water. Wax should never come in direct contact with heat ; this is well known to bee-keepers of any experience. Yet I have in mind a book, written in recent years, where it is advised to put the wax in a jar in the ■oven; the novice, reading and following "this, would be led astray, for, as sure as ■this is done the colour of the wax will be spoilt, and very often the texture as well . There is no doubt that the simplest and best method of extracting is by the " Solar " ; it has many advantages, as follows : No discolouration of the wax takes place, in fact, the colour as a rule is improved by the bleaching ; by being carried out in an air-tight chamber the full aroma is retained ; if allowed to re- main long enough every particle of wax is separated from the dross ; no residue is left for scraping away from the underside of the cake ; it requires no attention be- yond putting in the combs and taking out the cake of wax ; there is no cost for fuel for heating. If a solar extractor is used there is no need for a storage receptacle, as if it is placed at the entrance to the apiary all spare pieces can be put into it on leaving after the completion of the work at the hives. The one drawback to this system is our climate ; sunshine is absolutely necessary. This .season we have had an abundance, and in those apiaries where a " Solar " is possessed there is not the slightest excuse for unextr acted wax to remain on hand even though it be the accU' mulation of years. For the past few sea- sons only a little work has been possible with the 'Solar," and I well remember the remark of a customer at the Royal Show to an appliance dealer who was trying to sell him a solar extractor (it was raining hard at the time). He said, " I will take it if you will sell me some bottled sunshine to use with it." To work properly the solar should not be filled too full. I find the most satisfactory work is obtained by just covering the bot- tom of the tin receptacle with the comb. After it is well melted the residue should be turned over and allowed another heat- ing, then cleared out ; this is carried out better while the extractor is still warm. The cost of a "Solar" is often a con- sideration, but it will soon rejoay itself in the saving of time and fuel, while at the same time it can be made use of in another way when not being used for its original purpose — granulated honey can be lique- fied in it. Where only a few hives are possessed then a good makeshift is an ordinary garden light ; obtain a tin of the required size, put a partition of perforated zinc across about three inches from one end, place the combs in the larger portion and put in a tilted position under the glass, when the work will be carried out efficiently, although it will occupy a little longer. Failing this just place a sheet of thick glass over the tin and it will work all right. In the garden-light, care must be taken to exclude bees or robbing will be encouraged. To extract by means of steam a. Gerster Extractor should be purchased, or failing this the combs placed in an ordinary potato^teamer when the wax will perco- late through the holes. Another method is to tie the combs in a muslin bag- and sink in water in a copper by means of weights, boil well^ when the wax will rise to the top and can be skimmed off. By the latter method it is almost impossible to obtain all the wax, therefore there is a certain amount of waste. In all cases where water is used it must be rain water. The drawback to the copper method is the difficulty in getting it clean again after the operation, which often results in trouble with the head of the domestic department. This I know from experience. Queries and Replies. [8175] Honey Calce Becipes. Exhibit- ing Honey. — I should be obliged if you would (1) give a good recipe for a honey- cake, suitable for showing. I have some dark honey, which I want to show ; it has been extracted, of necessity, for some little time (a fortnight perhaps) and seems determined to granulate. It is now just beginning to do so. (2) How can I stop it, or reduce it to liquid form again, without hurting its quality for Aug. 10, 1911] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 315 showing purposes. I noticed in the Journal, of July 20th, an answer to one of your correspondents of the name' of W. H. W., Harlington, about faking honey, &c. I think your answer might be made a little more explicit, as 't seems plain that W. H. W. is either not a bee-keeper at all, and, therefore, not a judge of the case, or else is a producer of very poor honey, and consequently jealous of people who have a good thick sample. 1 have plenty of honey now, of which it might be said that '' it will hardly leave the pot when inverted," and it is impos- sible to extract the combs clean, except when wami off the hives. I think that a little explanation might be given of the words : '" We certainly should not dis- qualify honey for its consistency if it were good in other respects." I have always understood that, provided the flavour and aroma are good, the denser the honey is the better. Is this not so ? Supposing two samples were precisely alike in every respect, except density, but one was extremely thick while the other was only ordinary, would the thick not have pre- ference, or is it better to liave honey only moderately dense? It's easy enough to get thin honey, but more difficult to get it nice and thick in my experience, which is not a very long one, though I have been through the bee-keeping mill during the last five or six years. Does W. H. W. not mean to hint that there was glucose in the honey he referred to in his letter to you? If so, of course, he is charging the judge with not know- ing his business, and that is all. — R.B. M., iVorthants. Reply — (1) 4 eggs, 5 cups of flour, 2 cups of honey, 1 teaxjupf ul of butter, 1 cup sweet milk, 2 teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, 1 teaspoonful soda, lib. raisins, lib. currants, ^Ib. citron, 1 teaspoonful each cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bake in a large loaf in a slow oven. This will be nice months after baking, as well as when fre?h. Honey Sponge-cake is made as follows : — One large coffee-cupful of honey, 1 cup of flour, 5 eggs. Beat yolks and honey together, beat whites to froth ; mix all together, stirring as little as possible, flavour with lemon juice or lemon extract. (2) Place the honey in a vessel of water, and putting this over the fire, heat till the finger cannot be borne in the water for more than half-a-minute. Keep at this temperature (no higher), until tho honey is dissolved, then remove it from the fire and allow it to cool without re- moving from the water. (3) If you refer to Ber Jouknal, June 8th, page 224, you will there see the original letter from W. H. W., Harlington, and our comments thereon. Our notice in Bejei Journal of July 20th, was in reply to a further letter. which was just as far from the point at issue, and for that reason we did not think it sufficiently interesting for publication. His contention is that the thickening of honey by the removal of the excessive moisture, either naturally on the hive or by artificial means, is " faking." Your experience proves that he is wrong, and that dense honey can be obtained from bees naturally. If two samples y LIGHT HOiVEi, in Sections, or iiD. screw-top jars, ys. 6ct. doz., pacKca and iree on ran; luu sample. Is. 2d., post tree; cash wiili order.— A. J.bNt;JJ!.l, 6Us. per cwt., tins returnable; sample, 3d.— A. BANHAM, Lilac Cottage, West Meon, Petersneld. i 70 6 DOZ. Light Coloured Sections, from my own hives, 8s. per doz.; l^cwt. light Ciover noney, 58s. per cwt., sample 2d.— J. YOlNGeK, ?1, MacK- enzie-road, Cambridge. 1 74 ■71011 SALE, 5doz. Fine Light Clover Sections, X 9s. per doz.; 2 281b. tins Extracted Clover tioney, 32s., sample 2d.— R. DO'lDSWOKTH, School House Hill, Malton, Yorks. 1 75 SEVERAL new W.B.C. Hives; will exchange for Driven Bees or Honey; Driving required, good terms offered.— WILLETT, New Maldon Surrey. 1 76 XTRACTED ENGLISH HONEY, 12s. 6d. per 28ib. tin, sample 2d.— DUTTON^ Terling, Essex. 1 79 Orr STOCKS FOR SALE, in good W.B.C. Hives. ^fJ headed young Queens, guaranteed healthy; overstocked only reason for sale; exceptional oppor- tunity to acquire reliable stock; also various appli- ances, and shed lift, by 7ft.— W. H. SIMS, Hall Green, Birmingham. 1 80 ECTIONS, 8s. 6d. per doz.; also lib. screw top bottles, same price.— A. WEELEY, Weeley, Essex. 1 77 pr STOCKS OF BEES on frames; will sell t? cheap; owner emigrating.- H. J. MASCALL, Radwinter, Saffron "Waiden 1 58 ENTLEMAN'S BICYCLE, 24in. frame, free wheel, tyres good, exchange 4doz. good sec- tions; 3 days' approval both ways, each pays own carnage.— W^ALKER, Grotto, Kirkby Stephen. 1 55 OOD QUALITY SECTIONS, well fitted, 8,6 doz.— NORTH. Creasing. Braintree, Essex. 1 68 WANTED, new, clean, draw-out, shallow Frames: price and particulars.— T. H. JACKSON, Railway - street, Kirbymoorside, Yorks. 1 67 ■VVTANTED, COWAN'S BEE MODEL. Cheshire's, »? 2 vols Pnd other St^ndfird Bee Works. cheap.— BARBOUR. Ramsey. I. of Man. 1 57 OR SALE, 11 acres FREEHOLD LAND^ situate at Lamnourn. Berks £,2W- two-thir-Is can remain; good site for bee farm.— WADHAM 5 Gold-street Roiith. Cardiff. ] 59 FINEST FLOWER HONEY, in sections. 10/5 per doz.- ey'"'r*or\ Wonov in tjpq Jt^ r^pj. cwt F^'nnie 2d —WILLIAM WILSON, 25, Forfar- road, Kirriemuir. j 50 WT A NTED, from Welsh District. 10 lots hpRl^hv -.T-^T^,^"'"^" ^°'"' "'■ ^"^ 'ot ^'^''"'^ returned.- WTT.T.TAMS RLTJS Glasfryn. Chwilog. 1 ^1 ^ECTIONS -WANTED, for cash: cp„fi .ow-t .^J^, •^'•""•. pnv "iinpti*- ar^-^ "xtracted.— F. W. WETTZFL. 45 Kenpn] Ris». N.W. ) 64 500 LB. HONE^ FOR SALE, in sections and G FOR SALE, Icwt. Light Cornish Hor>"y. F6/- ^.vf tjnq frep: ."^"mn'e 3d.; cash with OT'^pr. —KNIGHT, Kenwyn, Truro. I 56 PiiCJv, iiail-iane, isorton, near Bury St. iiidmunus. 1 "tZ g "(ONQUiiHOR HIVES WAiVTED, Single or V7 uouDiB, must oe guaranteed nealiuy, state price.— (jrAitRE'iT, Hillview, jvnock, iieiiasl. 1 -id VERSTOCKED. — 6 Stocks Bees in W.B.C. Hives, guaranteed healthy; 1910 Queens, good form tor heather, natives, excenent coniD Duimers; deposit. — H., 23, Bedloru-street, Strand, W.c k 9o FINEST SCOTCH CLOVER HONEi, £3 owl. Sample 3d.— T. RulE, summervaie, Annau, Dumfriessnire. 1 8 rVIEW SEASONS EXTRACIED HONEl, line 1* sample, in buik oos. per cwt., tins included; lib. screw cap glass jars, 8s. per dozen.- AVEKi^, Heverul, Warminster. 1 2 BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. DRIVEN BEES, healthy, 6s.; F.O.R. Queens, 2s. bd. each.— TjtiE JriL'RST, Kington, Wor- cester^ 1_72 DRIVEN BEES.— For dispatch August 23r(f, 12 lots, in free boxes, bs. per lot, guaranteed healthy.— AVER I, Deverill, Warminster. 183 HIVES in the flat carefully prepared; 3, with frames, 21s.; tins, feeders, &c.; catalogue tree.— BURTT, Manufacturer, Gloucester. 1 81 VTIRGINS, Is. 3d., safe arrival guaranteed.— TOLLINGTON, Woodbine Apiary, Hathern. 1 78 DRIVEN BEES, guaranteed healthy, 4s. per lot, package returnaole.- CADMAN, Codsall Wood, Wolverhampton. 1 73 EALTIIY DRIVEN BEES, young Queens, 5s. lot, boxes free.— KEMP, Clink, Frome, Somer- set^ Ml MESSRS. STONE and SONS, Chemists, Exeter, are buyers of English Beeswax, in large or small quantities.— Write, stating quantity and price required. RAND STOCK.— Simmins' " White Star " Italians, 1911 Queen, ample stores, frames (17J by 9), packed with brood, complete, in well- made hive; Queen excluder and dry feeder, 30s. — HEISCH, 37, Hermon-hill, Wanstead. SECTIONS WANTED for cash; send lowest price, any quantity.— F. W. WEITZEL, 45, Kempe-road, Kensal Rise, N.W. 1 63 LOTS of healthy DRIVEN BEES, 51- per lot; 30 gross lib. Sections, gross. —DENNETT. Whitchurch, Hants. 1_66 SPRING TRAVELLING CRATES for 12 or 24 Sections, Is. 6d. and 2s. each; Boxes with cor- rugated cases, for 6, 12, or 24 Sections, or lib. bottles. Is., Is. 6d., and 2s. each.— H. CRESSY. Friary Mill, Dorchester. 125 ROLIFIC HYBRID QUEENS, 15 years' experi ence, fertiles, 4s.; virgins, 2s.— MOORE, 1(1. The Avenue, Bedford. 1_93 DRIVEN BEES WANTED, Is. 6d. lb. cash, boxes returned carriage paid. — A. W. GAMAGE, Ltd., The Holborn Apiary, Church End, Finchley, N. NEWPORT, Isle-of-Wight, June 20th, 1911. To Mr. J. B. Goodare. Wednesfield.— " Dear Sir,— The 2 Queens you supplied me with last year have done splendidly; I had two strong swarms from both. Please forward me another, and oblige." The above speaks for itself. 1 AA LOTS OF DRIVEN BEES, commencing XU" August 7th, Is. 6d. per lb.; September, Is. 2d. Cash with order given preference. — SOUTHCOTT. Gittisham, Honiton. 1Q11 CARNIOLAN QUEENS, mated in X»/-l-X Carniola, Austria, 4s.: Swiss. 5s.; Italians, 3s.; delivery in one week.— F. VOGT, 32, Splwvn AvpniiP. Higham's Park. Essex. noil QUEENS. — Golden Italian fertile J_»^-LX Queens, guaranteed healthy, pure- mated, vigorous, prolific, 4s. each: specially selec- ted, 7s. 6d. each- nrompt delivery.— J. B. GOODARE, Woden Apiary, Wednesfield, Wolver- hampton, k 54 Aug. 24, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. 331 Editorial, Notices, &c. "ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. The Board of Agriculture have been for some time investigating this disease, and it will be remembered that Dr. Maiden found amongst a number of different bacilli one that he thought might be the ■cause of infection. His attempts to ■obtain cultures gave negative results, as he was not able to reproduce the disease. The investigations have been carried further this season, and, with a plentiful supply of material to work upon, the result has been that in some of the cases examined enormous numbers of spores of Nosema apis have been found. We have therefore much pleasure in bringing to the notice of our readers the following note on the subject, which appears in the journal of the Board of Agriculture for this month : — " "Isle of Wight ' Bee Disease. — In some of the outbreaks investigated the spores of Nosema apis have been found in enormous numbers in the cells lining parts of the alimentary canals of the affected bees. These cells become completely disorganised and eventually the spores escape from them and are voided in great numbers in tlie excrement. Such cases, which appear to be more frequently met with in the spring, are undoubtedly due to infection with this parasite. "In most of the outbreaks recently in- vestigated few spores, if any, have been found, but parasites, which are probably joung stages in the growth of Nosema ■apis, are usually present in the cells lining the intestinal tract. " It appears probable, therefore, that during the colder months, when the bees show little activity, the parasites grow and reach the spore stage before the bees succumb, while during the warmer months the rapid multiplication of the parasites often kills the bees before the spore stage is reached. " Experiments have proved that normal bees may be artificially so heavily infected that the intestinal cells are crowded with spores. Infection may be produced in various ways : (o) by feeding with spores, (h) by feeding with candy on which in- fected bees had fed, (c) by mixing naturally infected excrement with the food, (d) by confinement in a box in which infected bees had travelled, and (e) by contact with dead infected bees. " The investigations and experiments which have been made hitherto seem to in- •dicate that the ' Isle of Wight ' disease is due to infection with Nosema apis, but that the symptoms of the disease and the growth of tbe parasite within the affected bees are greatly influenced by various conditions." We have already informed our readers from time to time of the researches that have been carried on with respect to Nosema apis since Dr. Zander first called attention to it (B.B.J., 1909, page 421), and so recently as on August 10th last we alluded to Dr. Burri's work in Switzer- land. Seeing that the symptoms are so similar we are not surprised to find that bacteriologists in this country have found the same organism in connection with the "Isle of Wight" disease. Experiments have evidently proved that this parasite is the infective agent, and not Bacillus pesti- formis apis, which is apparently harmless, and we would especially draw attention to the various ways in which infection can be produced. There can be very little doubt but that the inclement seasons we have had during the last few years have been re- sponsible for a good deal of this disease, and it is satisfactory to find that there has been very little of it this season, although there are some districts not yet quite free from it. We would there- fore repeat our advice given on page 311 of "B.B.J." with regard to the treat- ment of affected colonies. Badly infected colonies should be destroyed by burning. In the early stages of the disease slightly affected colonies should be treated as for foul brood, and bees induced to build new combs. Of course, the im- portant thing is to destroy all dead bees and disinfect anything coming in contact with bees, as it is by means of their excreta that the disease is propagated. LANCASHIRE B.K.A. ANNUAL SHOW'. The show of the above association was held in the Giant Axe Field, Lancaster, on August 16th, and was a great success. The following were the awards of the judges, Messrs. J. N. Bold and W. Herrod : — OPEN CLASSES. Twelve Sections of 1911 Honey. — 1st, A. S. Dell, Leigh i 2nd, T. Walker, Hawkshead; 3rd, J. G. Nicholson, Lang- wathby. Twelve Jars 1911 Light Honey. — 1st, A. S. Dell; 2nd, J. vVard. Hesketh Bank ; 3rd, E. Church, Cardiff. Twelve Jars 1911 Medium Honey. — 1st, A. S. Dell; 2nd, T. Walker; 3rd. P. M. Ralph, Settle. Six Jars Heather Honey, any year. — 1st, M. J. Lamboll, Chiddingfold : 2nd, R. Smith. Preston; 3rd. .J. Whitaker, Abbeystead. Wax.— 1st, T. Walker; 2nd. H. W. Saunders, Thetford ; 3rd, A. S. Dell. Beehive — 1st, .Jas. Lee and Son, Ltd., London. 332' THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. 24, 1911. Cottager's Beehive. — 1st, Jas. Lee and Son, Ltd. OPEN TO LANCASHIRE AND MEMBEHS OF L B.K.A. ON THE BORDERS. Six Sections 1911 Honey. — 1st, T. Walker; 2nd, H. Mackeieth, Stodday ; 3rd, A. S. DelL Six Jars 1911 Light Honey. — 1st, A. S. Dell; 2nd, J. Ward; 3rd, H. Mackereth. Six Jars Other than Light. — 1st, T. Walker ; 2nd, T. Ireland, Lancaster ; 3rd, R. Smith; r., Miss D. M. Piatt, Carn- forth. Six Jars (granulated), any year. — 1st, E. P. Hale, Endmoor; 2nd, I. Willan, Kendal; 3rd, H. Mackereth. LOCAL CLASSES. Six Sections 1911 Honey. — 1st, H. Mackereth. Six Jars 1911 Honey. — 1st, C. Hudson, Lancaster; 2nd, J. Ward; r., J. Blair, Hale. Wax. — 1st, Mrs. J. Long, Newton-in- Cartmel; 2nd, J. Wilson, Burton; r., P. M. Ralph. Exhibit of Bees and Bee Produce on the Most Educational Lines. — 1st, T. Ireland; 2nd, C. Hudson. cottagers' classes. Six Jars 1911 Honey. — 1st, J. Blair; 2nd, I. Wilkn; r., J. Ward. Three Jars 1911 Honey. — 1st, J. Blair; 2nd, T. Edmondson, Caton; 3rd, J. Ward. — (Communicated.) [We liave had the pleasure of visiting this show for several vears past, and have with pleasure watched its growth. The honey staged was of excellent quality and the arrangements were perfect, a credit to the local hon. secretary, Mr. W. Lloyd, whose perseverance and energy might be copied with advantage by others. This asso- ciation, which a few years ago was practi- cally extinct, has now asserted itself, and is one of the most important in the country, thanks to the splendid work and influence of its chairman, Dr. Anderton, of Ormskirk. and the late hon. secretary, Mr. J. N. Bold, of West Derby.— Ed.] LEICESTERSHIRE B.K.A. .\NNUAL SHOW The L. and R. B.K.A. exhibition of honey and bees was a very fine display, and the task of the judges proved to be a difficult one, more especially in the light honey classes. The show of the products of the apiai-y was larger and more varied than for many years past, and was con- sidered by those most competent to judge to be a record. The association was fortunate in secur- ing the services of Mr. W. Herrod, secre- tary of the B. B.K.A., as judge, and he was assisted by Mr. H. M. Riley, of Mel- bourne House, Leicester, who was one of the founders of the L. and R. B.K.A., and to whom the association has been greatly indebted in the past. During the after- noon three lectures were delivered by Mr. Herrod on "Bee-keeping for Profit." These proved to be very attractive, illustrated as they were by a hive of live bees. As usual, the observatory hives,, showing the bees with their queens at work, were a great attraction. To Mr. J. Waterlield, the indefatigable secretary of the association, the thanks of the membeis are due for the excellence of the arrangements for showing, and generally for the well-being of the association. Awards : CLASS 1. Observatory Hive of Bees. — 1st, S. Clark, Humberstone; 2nd, W. H. Fountain, Leicester. CLASS 2. Twelve Sections Comb Honey. — 1st, A. J. Marriott, Market Harborough; 2nd, AV. W. Faulkner, Market Harborough; 3rd, Mrs Waterfield, Kibworth. CLASS 3 A. Twelve Bottles lAejht Coloured Honey' (North Lei ester shire). — 1st, G. S. Jesson,. Hose; 2nd, H. Smith, Melton; 3ird, B. Walker, Seagrave ; 4th, Miss A. E. Dray- cott, Seagrave; v.h.c, J. Payne, Luttej- worth ; c, C. Pick, Barkby, and C. S. Spray, Melton. CLASS 3 B. Twelve Bottles Light Coloured Honey (South Leicestershire). — 1st, H. Dilworth,. Shangton ; 2nd, Mrs. Waterfield, Kib- worth; 3rd, J. Waterfield, Kibworth; 4th,^ J. O. Veazey, Wilbarston; v.h.c, W. Ruddick, Desborough; c, H. Burditt, Desborough. CLASS 4. Tirelve Bottles Dark Coloured Ex- tracted Honey.— l&t, Chas. Bottrill, Kim- cote; 2nd, J. Kenney, Cosby; 3rd, B. Walker, Seagrave; v.h.c, A. E. Biggs, Cropstone. CLASS 5. Three Shallow Frantes of Comb Honey. — 1st, J. Waterfield, Kibworth; 2nd, F. Hubbard, Leicester; 3rd, H. Dilworth, Shangton; c, E. A. Jesson, North Kil- worth . CLASS 6. Twelve Bottles Granulated Honey. — 1st, J. Garratt, Willoughby Waterless; 2nd, J. Hunt, Botcheston. J CLASS 7. I Honey Displai/. — 1st, J. Waterfield,. Kibworth; 2nd, T. E. Weston, Huggles- cote. CLASS 8. Six Bottles Dark Honey (novices). — 1st, M. E. Varley, Castle Donington ; 2nd,, Mrs. W. H. AVood, Aylestone. < Aug. 24, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 333 CLASS 9. Six Sections Comh Honey (novices). — 1st, T. E. Weston, Hugglescote. CLASS 10. Six Bottles Light Honey (novices). — 1st, E. S. Jesson, Hose ; 2nd, W. Harts- horne, Market Harborongh ; 3rd, Miss A. E. Draycott, Seagrave. CLASS 11. Honey Beverage. — 1st, H. Geary, Enderby; 2nd, Mrs. Parkinson, Groby. CLASS 12. Sample of Beeswax. — 1st, H. A. Wheat- croft, Asliby; 2nd, E. Varty, Diseworth ; 3rd, C. Bo'ttrill, Kimcote; v.h.c, M. E. Varty, Castle Donington, — (Communi- cated). REVIEWS OF FOREIGN BEE JOURNALS. By " Nemo " Mineral Constituents of Honey. — In an article in the Schweizerische Bienen- zeitung J. Frei tells us that dark honey contains more mineral matter than light honey, and as a consequence it has a far greater food value. The important mineral substances are phosphorus, cal- cium and iron. According to J. Frei, who has analysed 2i84 samples of honey, the amount of mineral matter in honey varies between 0.10 and 1.06 per cent. He has classed the honeys which he had submitted to analysis in four groups according to the amount of minerals they contain. In the first group there were seventy-four samples which contained 0.10 to 0.33 per cent, of mineral matter ; in the second group ninety-six samples showed from 0.34 to 0.57 per cent. ; in the third group eighty-two samples showed 0.58 to 0.81 per cent.; and in the fourth group tnirty- two samples showed 0.82 to 1.06 per cent, of mineral matter. A comparison between light and dark honey showed that the latter contained very much more mineral matter than the former. Of the seventy- four in the first group sixty-eight were light and six dark ; second group, seventy- five light ard twenty-one dark; third group, ten light and seventy-two dark ; and in the fourth group only three light to twenty-nine dark. Calcium and phosphorus are consti- tuents of the human skeleton and are abso- lutely necessary for bones deficient in lime, and are sj)ecially needed for scrofulous children. The brain also needs minerals, and those who have much brain work woiild be benefited by eating dark honey. The most important of the minerals is iron. Both plants and animals store iron in their cells which is abso- lutely necessary for their well-being. Without iron trees would be yellow and [ man anpemic. The human organism re- I quires a good deal of iron, especially in the blood. It is therefore much better to supply this necessary iron by means of honey than resort to chemical prepara- tions. Ansemic persons should also eat a good deal of dark honey, as should also all nervous persons. Bee-keeping Froselytism. — M. H. Ayme says in Hevue eclectique d' Apiculture that bee-keepers like to make converts to bee-keeping. They are so enthusiastic and have such a passion for their art that they would like everyone to share their enthusiasm. This spirit has some good in it, but should be moderated, otherwise if pushed too far it may lead to serious con- sequences. Everyone has not the ability to become a good bee-keeper, and a bad bee-keeper — he who only wishes to keep bees for what he can make out of them — is often a hindrance and may do much harm to the craft. The bad bee-keeper thinks he knows everything and does not wish for inspection; he does not purchase books, nor does he subscribe to a bee journal. He has no time to attend to his bees, although he is able to find time for amusement or for spending hours in a public house. His bees there- fore do not produce anything like those of his neighbour, who is better instructed by reading, and more careful; conse- quently he accused his neighbour's bees of robbing his colonies. Should the season be a good one he sells his honey at any price he can get, but if it is a bad year he allows the bees to die of hunger, and does not notice their condition until some months after they are dead and the combs full of wax-moth. Instead of blam- ing himself for want of attention he at- tributes his disasters to advice which he has sought and which he has failed to follow. The worst comes when foul brood appears, the greatest breeder of this pest being the careless bee-keeper, who leaves about hives in which bees have died of the disease without destroying the con- tents or disinfecting the hives, thus rapidly spreading the malady in the whole neighbourhood. Discretion should be iised in inducing persons te begin bee-keeping. Of ten who take te it perhaps two only succeed, and it is a good thing to impress on aspirants that bee-keeping requires learning like every other industry. HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By IT', Her rod. Driven Bees. — Let us hope that the driving of bees will soon become as great a curiosity as it was when commenced some years ago, to save the lives of con- demned bees. The sooner the old- fashioned skep becomes a thing of the past the better for bee-keeping under the 334 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. 24, 1911. modern system. That skeps abound to-day in some of our more rural districts is due to that conservatism which is so characteristic of the Britisher, more par- ticularly with those of us who live in the country. We bemoan our fate and inability to make money, when ninety-nine times out of a hundred the fault lies at our own door. Lack of endeavour to take full advantage of all our opportunities is generally the stumbling block to progress. Then again, superstition often bars the way. I have found this even amongst the educated class of these Islands. It is a hopeful sign of the times, when we find bee-keepers complaining of the driving- part of the practical portion of the exam- ination for the third-class certificates of the British Bee-keepers' Association on account of their inability to obtain practice in the work through lack of skeps in the district. I was in the Mid- lands the other day, and was assured there that it would be difficult to find a skep of bees within twenty miles. While this is the case in some districts, there are others where skeps predominate. While this state of affairs continues, and until we obtain legislative powers to banish the skep for ever, it is advisable to know how to carry out the work in an efficient manner. While admittedly a nuisance, yet the skeppist is useful to the bee-keeper who follows the riglit system of moveable combs in so much that he provides the bees either for making new colonies or for strengthening those which otherwise would not survive the winter for lack of numbers. If the bees are required only for strengthening purposes, it is only necessary to obtain them and unite to those ah-eady in possession of the hive. If for new colonies, then it is essential that combs should first of all be obtained. This can be done in two ways : by reducing the colonies already possessed to eight frames, thus obtaining two from each. This method also has another advantage in that a certain amount of natural stores will be obtained for the driven lots. Or at the commencement of the season, with the idea of obtaining driven bees in view, colonies can be supered with standard frames instead of shallow. To do this it will be necessary to use a Sin. eke under the shallow frame- box. After extracting the honey these oombs can be given wet to the driven lots obtained. If obtained earlv in August, and the weather is favourable, the driven bees will build their own combs from foundation if kept going Avith a constant slow supply of food. This can rarely be done, as the skeppist has an idea, which arguing to the contrary only convinces him the more that he is right, that tlie later the bees stay before being taken up the more honey he will obtain, so that it is generally September before operations can be com- menced. While some skeppists are ready and anxious to have the lives of the bees saved, there are others who through selfishness or superstition will not permit the work to be carried out but insist upon killing the bees. Yet again, clumsiness or carelessness on the part of the operator the first time they are driven, causing rob- bing, fighting, and sometimes members of the household being stung, means xnat ever after driving the bees is taboo. As a youngster I spent many, many days round the country districts in which I lived driving bees, and in this way learned the art by several bitter experi- ences. The first thing to do is to choose the right day and time. My ideal day for driving was a wet one, for then all the bees were at home and any possible chance or robbing was averted. It also enables one to get through a vast amount of work in one day, and in daylight ; this counts for much when the district in which the operations are to be carried out is a large one, and prevents covering the same ground several times. All that is neces- sary is an open shed such as a cart shed, or even a big gig umbrella, under which to work. Providing the weather is warm the bees will run all right ; they can be fastened up and carried home straight away without waiting until dark. Failing this then the work should be done in the evening, visiting each place in turn on successive nights, gauging the time so that the work will be completed just before it is dark. It will be necessary to carry some re- ceptacle into which the bees can be plac A as driven. If there are only one or two lots then skeps will do very well tied over with scrim cloth. If there are a number to- do,, then it will be necessary to have a trap and a quantity of swarm boxes ; or another method is to use swarm bags. A number of these can be carried on a cycle. Before commencing to work find a nice sheltered position as far away from that occupied by the bees as possible. Have everything ready — table, smoker, car- bolic cloth, driving irons, &c. Ckimmence by first giving a few puffs of smoke into the hive to be operated upon, wait a few moments, then lift up. taking care to hold the carbolic cloth by two corners in the fingers in such a manner that when the skep is lifted it falls naturally over the combs. The cloth should only be a weak one, and care must be exercised in lifting the skep so that the combs are kept edgewise, for if it is warm weather, and Auc2r. 24, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 335 the hive is lifted so the combs are flat they will break down, and of course confusion will be the result. To ascertain the direc- tion in which the combs run the skep should be just tilted a little so that a peep underneath can be obtained. If the skep is a flat topped one it will rest on the table all right ; if dome-shaped, then it will be necessary to have a bucket, which should be weighted with either water or bricks. {To he continued.) Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. NOTES BY THE M'AY. [8232] This 14th August is the fifty- vsixth day of the drought, with only a short shower of rain of about fifteen to eighteen minutes on Sat- urday, August 5th. We are, there- fore, dried up, no water except the deep wells of 75yds. to 100yds., and some of the small farmers have to fetch water for their cattle from the mill streams several miles distant. And what of the bees, do I hear someone say? Well, they are retired from business, living on their means, which, 1 am glad to say, are adequate to carry them on for a long time. I don't think there is much breeding going on just now, as so few visit the watering places at which a supply is kept up ; evi- dently bees do not suffer from thirst. The month of July, 1911, will be long remembered for its honey-flow during the first three weeks and the well-filled sections, many of which scaled 17in. to 18in. with every cell sealed to the wood, and the cjuality is fair, not, of course, equal to the sanfoin and white clover blend of early June, but a good market- able honey. All supers should be removed from the hives, and the sections scraped clean of propolis and graded, and if no orders for them are waiting .they can be stored for a time in the racks, first laying a piece of paper in the bottom of the rack and wedging them up tight. These racks, if made the height of the sections, can be stored, five or six, one on top of the other, in a dry room or cupboard, and the shallow combs should be extracted during the warm weather, as the honey will leave the combs so much more freely. The Solar Wax Extractor has worked efficiently this summer ; Old Sol has poured down his beams week after week, and 1 would advise every bee-keeper to read over again our Editor's article (page 313) of last week's Bee Journal, on wax extracting. Re 817G, Page 315.— I should recom- mend barbed wire for the fence to keep the horses back. A few stakes with charred or tarred ends to drive into the ground would make a fence that the horses would not break or even try to break through. 1 have a meadow at the bacx. of my home apiary (of close on 100 hives), and I have stakes and barbed wire. The cattle which are turned out there a good part of the year never trouble me; my old wooden fence they rubbed down a few years ago, but the barbs defy them. Have the fence fairly high, and plant a ivw of French beans or a thick row of artichokes at the back of your hives, or a row of black currant bushes. I myself have a quickset hedge now 7ft. high in- side the wire fence, but on the road side of my garden or apiary I plant artichokes ; these make the bees fly high over the road, so that not one in a hundred people passirg by know there are bees kept near. The reports I have received point to a fair lake of honey this season for those who 1/ere fortunate enough to keep their bees :live, but the heavy death-rate of colonii^s last winter from starvation and "Isle of Wight" disease must restrict the output by nearly one-half in the southern part of tiie country. It behoves the fortu- nate be.>-keepers not to take any offer for their pi>-duce, but to ask a fair price for it. — W. Ai^oODLEY, Bredon, Newbury. SUGAR FEEDING AND DISEASE. [8233] (Hir Roman friend (No. 8228 of Aug. 3rd) would have us believe that the feeding of sugar syrup is largely, if not wholly, the cause of the malady that has recently overtaken a number of British apiaries. Other writers have expressed similar opinions in the pages of your valu- able and far-reaching journal. No statement could be more devoid of reason nor m.>re contrary to fact. We are asked to believe that a food contain- ing no disease g,>rms, or at least none that are injurious to Lees, is the cause of their suffering from an infectious malady that is only to be transn.Hted from one colony to another by the ge.-m peculiar to that disease. Why should the feeding ^^ a few poun-ls of good sugar cause an outl-^eak of the malady in one apiary, when anow-^r. with ten times the number of colonies, where in 336 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. 24, 1911. dull seasons the autumn finds the owner feeding s<:)mething like a ton of loaf sugar, is found to remain free from any infec- tious disease whatever:' Why are there hundreds of apiaries where sugar feeding is yearly resorted to, still remaining free from infectious paralysis and other com- plaints ^ Is our Roman friend not aware that quite a number of English writers, with no more show of reason, are bitterly at- tacking the race of bees which comes from his own favoured land, as being the great cause of all diseases bees in this country are troubled with? Was there ever such a libel upon a desirable race of bees, or one so flagrant flung at the heads of that large and honourable class of Italian queen-breeders ? England has no monopoly in the new (?) bee-malady, and I would like my friends of the opposition to remember that infectious paralysis has been known as quite an old complaint, and that it is usually one that troubles bees most in localities where feeding is seldom resorted to. I have before me evidence of the disease having occurred in a dozen different States of the American Union, but princi- pally in Florida, Texas, and California where feeding is not the rule. In 1906 onwards, the complaint was causing havoc in Australian apiaries, and. writing in Gleanings, December 1st, 1908, Mr. J. A. Hutchison, of West Maitland, stated that in that district, and many others, it was almost impossible to find an apiary which had no signs of it. The trouble had also been prevalent about the year 1894. in New South Wales ; but there is nothing to show that sugar feeding had anything whatever to do with its presence. The editor of Gleanings had noticed the complaint as early as 1877 in the United. States. Another American bee-keeper of experience, writing recently, had never been entirely free from the trouble for more than thirty years. Another writer of some note goes so far as to say that the bacillus affecting the bee is almost identical with that which so seriously affected the silk-worm. If this is so, then possibly we may get some light thrown upon the origin of the malady. In America the disease does not appear to give much trouble in the north, and when affecting a colony the trouble usually goes off without attention ; hence there is a ray of hope for our Scotch and Canadian friends who have been some- what anxious as to the possibility of the dreaded plague reaching their apiaries. Excepting in heather districts, northern bee-keepers have to do a good deal of feed- ing, and yet the malady does not trouble them. Hence, probably, we have to look to a return of normal winter seasons rather than a good honey year, as an aid to cure. Notwithstanding the apparent subsidence of paralysis of late in this country, it is. a question whether the trouble has not only been smothered, and that it may- appear again later. Only a year or so ago some of your contribufxirs were blaming the natural stores as the source of the malady ; others suggesting that the disease was in the pollen collected. Although it is possible plants may be infested with certain bacteria, I think we may dismiss all these theories as having no direct bearing upon the peculiar trouble under consider- ation. At the same time it goes without ques- tion that pollen, or honey — especially in- ferior honey — with floating pollen, may be seriously aggravating causes where the symptoms of paralysis are present. Thus, we may get dysentery, although infectious- paralysis is not usually accompanied by that complaint, except as a result of con- finement. Contrary to general opinion,, the trouble appears to be constipation, with paralysis, both probably resulting from fever. Because of the very fine weather there are now thousands of colonies which will stand in poor plight for wintering, simply because the combs are choked with those natural stores some of our friends con- sider to be desirable ; and where there is any sign of the so-called new malady the excessive store of pollen will seriously dis- count the chances of successful wintering, there is, of course, yet time to make such preparation as should avoid disaster, but few will do other than let, what they con- sider, well alone. Of course during the busy season workers and virgin queens, to say nothing of drones, will have access to nothing but natural food, especially pollen ; but in wintering there are certain advantages in supplying a pure sugar syrup, free from pollen and known to contain no disease germs ; a condition one is not always sure of with honey. Professor A. J. Cook says : " Good sugar syrup is much the safest in winter." At one time Mr. James Heddon proved that his bees wintered, safely on sugar stores where formerly he had great losses on natural stores. Mr. A. I. Root, when him- self editing Gleanings, showed how he had fed barrels of sugar, and had no spring dwindling, while his neighbours who win- tered their bees with natural stores lost heavily by that trouble. Evidently, as is well known to all bee- keepers, the workers will not take syrup at the period they are doing their heaviest work ; hence while sugar may be productive Aug. 24, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 337 of equal heat, and is known to pro- duce more wax than pure honey, we need have no fear that sugar feeding at in- tervals will cause any deterioration of their natural vitality. On the other hand it has been proved by those who have fed sugar by the ton that their bees do better on it as a winter food. — Samuel Simmins, Heathfield. CAPPINGS OF COMB. BYL. S. CEAAVSHAW, NORTOK, MALTON, YOEKS. Sicarm Control (page 27.5). — Mr. Staple- ton's reply to Mr. Pinkney does not seem quite conclusive, nor so novel as his first letter (page 244). Evei-yone knows that newly-hatched virgin queens are accepted without difficulty, and that colonies will accept older virgins after a dequeened period. The point of interest ami possible dispute, which appeared to be raised, was that virgin queens received by post could be safely introduced (a la Simmins) without dequeening. Now is this so, or not so? If it were invariably successful, I think that we should have had a claim to that effect from Mr. Simmins himself. It is also reasofiable to suppose that any colony building queen- cells will accept a virgin. But to confine the process to such time as a swarm is expected is to narrow its use exceedingly. Even so, it may be of distinct value, and cheaper than a lot of swarm-catchers. The point I would like to see cleared up, and which Mr. Stapleton appeared to emphasise (page 244), is whether a postal virgin can be safely run into a hive with- out opening or dequeening. For a virgin is not fit to travel until several days old, and so must necessarily be an '" old " virgin rather than a just-hatched bee. .1 Drone Breeder (page 232). — It is hardly surprising that these bees made no attempt to rear a queen, as apparently there were no young bees in the hive. Old bees are very reluctant to start queen- cells under such circumstances, and were they to try to rear a queen, she would certainly be of an inferior order. Even young bees, which have not been feeding larvse, require some notice in order to prepare fuod. Bee Stings (page 283). — Mr. Byles appears to challenge competition by his assertion of equality of experience. Perhaps I m.ay be permitted to offer mj' testimony for what it is worth. In the year — — I proceeded to take off a section rack, and had carried it some distance before I noticed that the hive was still attached to the under side of it. Hardly had I made the discovery when the hive fell away, which for some reason or other seemed to excite the bees. These attacked me furiously, and stung me re- peatedly through my shirt. When the bees had one and all expressed their opinion, [ Mas able to carry the now bee- less combs back to the apiary in com- fort, and proceed to my own injuries. Jt was found impossible to remove the shirt in the ordinary way, as it was firmly nailed down, like a carpet, by thousands of stings, and it had to be cut from my back. The ends of the stings, which remained bristling in my skin, caused me some slight discomfort, and as they were too numerous and too close for separate extraction, relief was obtained by sand- papering them level with the epidermis. After a night's rest in a sheet soaked with Mother Siegel's X aphthol - Beta Solution I felt no ill-effects, and was able to go and fetch the super which hail caused all the trouble. Dealinfj a-ith Sivarmed Stocks (page 286). — One way of dealing with a similar case to that stated by W. H. C. would be to unite the No. 4 swarm and No. 5 cast and divide the four frames, giving one to No. 3 and three to No. 4. If, however, No. 1 or No. 2 were queenless I should insert the cast, combs and all, dividing the removed frames between No. 3 and No. 4. If Nos. 1 or 2 were merely weak, unite with the cast, and requeea one of the swarms with the queen of the cast. Tiie whole of these operations, and perhaps some even better plan, are covered in the advice given, which shows how difficult it must be to deal succinctly with queries without actually seeing the conditions. The reply might very well be read in connection with the practical notes on page 293. The Treasury Grant (page 291). — It is with something like amazement that one reads of this grant. Bee-keeping is ap- parently coming into its own, and being recognised as the important rural in- dustrj' that it is. It is possible that we may have to thank the "Isle of Wight" disease in some measure for this. The recognition of the British Bee-keepers' Association as the channel through which the development is to take place is most gratifying, and a proof of the practical intentions of the Commissioners. This recognition sliould disarm the criticism of some of those who imagine that all sorts and conditions of inspectors will be ap- joointed ignorantly to harass the bee- keeping community. HONEY IMPORTS. The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom during the month of .luly. 1911, was £2,229. — From a return furnished to the British Bhe .Journal by the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs. 338 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. 2?, 1911. Queries and Replies. [8191] Shallow frame for show. — (1) In classes for shallow frames does it matter what width the comb is? Some of my best shallow frames were only spaced Ijin. (2) How ought shalloAv frames to be glazed? (3) What is the best material for straining honey? (4) Can you recommend any book dealing with honey for the show bench? — X. Y. Z., Kent. Reply. — ^(1) Shallow frames should be so built that the cappings protrude suffi- ciently beyond the wood-work to allow them to be cut oft comfortably with the uncapping knife without having to dig into tho comb. It is best to work eight frames to the super, but that is immaterial, so long as the above con- ditions are obtained. It is also best to have the comb composed of drone cells with each cell clearly defined. (2) Cases are sold for the purpose of showing shallow frames by all manufacturers of ap- pliances. (3) Old flannel. (4) There is no good work dealing with the prepara- tion of honey for the show bench. When the slack season comes along we hope to publish one, fully illustrated, by the Assistant Editor of this journal. It will deal with the subject in an exhaustive manner. Bee Shows to Come. August 23 and 24, at Shrewsbury. Annual Show of the Shropshire Bee-keepers' Association, in connection with the Shropshire Horticultural Society's Great Floral F6te. Eight Open Classea for Honey. Free entry for single bottle and single section. Schedules from S. Cartwright, Hon. Sec., Shawbury, Shrewsbury. Entries closed. August 24, at Wooler, Northumtoerland. Annual Show of the Cheviot and Tweed Borders B.K.A., in connection with the Glendale Horticul- tural Show. Two open classes. Schedules from Robert Robson, Cheviot Street, Wooler. Entries closed. August 26, at Kettering.— In connection with the Kettering Working-Men's Horticultural Society's Show. Open Class for Honey, single lib. jar. First prize value 16s. Entries free. Schedules from Hon. Sec, W. Heritage, 114, King Street, Kettering. August 29, at Cartmel, Iiancs. Bee and Honey Show in connection with the Cartmel Agri- cultural Society's 29th Annual Show. Liberal prizes. Open classes. Schedules from J. N. Parker,, Cartmel, near Carnforth. August 30, at Cliester.— Annual Show of the Cheshire B.K.A. in connection with the County Agricultural Show. Several Open Classes. Good prizes. Schedules, Ac, from Hon. Sec, E. W. Franklin, Mouldsworth, near Chester. August 30 and 31, at Carlisle.— Annual Honey Show of the Cumberland and Westmorland B K.A in connection with the Carlisle Horticul- tural Society's Exhibition to be held in the Covered Market, Carlisle. Schedules from G. W. Avery, Hon. Sec, Heads Nook, Carlisle. August 30 and 31, at Coventry.— Annual Show of the Warwickshire B.K.A., in connection with the Warwickshire Agricultural Society. Separate tent for Honey, Wax, and Appliances. Open Classes. Schedules, &c., from J. N. Bower, Knowle, Warwickshire. September 6, at Deddington, Oxon.— Show of the Dediiiugton Horticultural Society. Open Class for Honey. Prizes, 10s., 5s., 3s., 2s. No entry fee Schedules from Messrs. H. J. Harms- worth or A. A. Busby, Deddington. Entries close September 1. September 7, at Peterborough.— In con- nection with Horticultural Society. County Asso- ciation Class and four Open Classes. Schedules from G. T. Dunham, Albion Terrace, 32, Oundle Road, Peterborough. Entries close Septem- ber 1. September 12, at Woodstock. Oxfordshire Bee-keepers' Association Annual Show. Open Classes. No entry fee for the best Section, for the best jar of Run Honey. Prizes 7/6, 5/-, 2/6. Entries to H. M. Turner, 4, Turl Street, Oxford. Entries close September 9. September 13, at Conway, IT. Wales.— Great Annual Honey Show in connection with the Conway Honey Fair. Open and local Classes. Schedules from J. Hughes, Town Hall, Conway. Entries close September 6. September 13 and 14, at Cambridge.— Honey Show in connection with the Cambridge and District Red Cross Horticultural Society. Four Classes, open to all. To be held in the Corn Exchange, Cambridge. Schedules and particulars of Hon. Sec, E. F. Dant, Member of B.B.K.A., 52, Bridge Street, Cambridge. Entries close Satur- day, September 9. September 14, at Castle-Douglas.— Annual Show of South of Scotland Bee-keepers Associa- tion. Five open classes; Three 1-lb. jars extracted, 20s., 10s., and 5s.; three sections, ditto (Entry 2s.). lib. jar, also one section, 5s., 3s., and 2s. (Entry free, and exhibits retained unless otherwise agreed upon). Beeswax, 5s., 3s., and 2s. (Entry 6d.). Fourteen classes for members. Schedules from Q. Aird, Schoolhouse, Howwood, Renfrews. Entries close September 2. September 16 to 23, at the Agricultural Hall, Iiondon.— Honey Show in connection with the 19th Annual Exhibition and Market of the Grocery and Kindred Trades. Liberal prizes. Open to all British Bee-Keepers. Schedules from H. S. Rogers, Secretary, Exhibition Offices, Palmerston House, Old Broad Street, London, E.G. September 26, at Horniman Hall, North End, Croydon.— Exclusive Show of Honey, Wax, Hives, Bees, &c. Increased prizes. Six Open Classes. Judge, Mr. W. Herrod, F.E.S. Schedules from A. Wakerell, 21, Mansfield Road, Croydon. Entries close September 16. September 27, at Altrincham.— Honey Show, in connection with the Altrincham Agricultural Show, the largest one-day show in the Kingdom. Classes open to United Kingdom. Classes for Trophy of Honey, for Best Hive, Observatory Hive with Bees and Queen, twelve Jars of Extracted Honey. Classes open to County of Chester, for Run and Section Honey, Wax, &c. Special Classes for Cottagers, and Special Classes for Society's District. Several Special Jubilee prizes. Schedules from Mr. J. Herbert Hall, 2, Dunham Road, Altrincham. Entries close September 9, and at extra fees September 13. Notices to Correspondents. H. W. (Gravesend). — Harm of Plants. — This is Brassica campestris. One of the numerous members of the mustard family. Aug. 24, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 339 D. Symon. — Comh with Pollen. — The comb contains pollen from clover. It happens occasionally that bees carry pollen through the excluder, but it is curious that they should store it only in this small piece of comb. C Y. (Wembly). — Finding Qxiecn. — We do not think your plan will succeed. You should have covered the entrance with excluder zinc, placed a board as for hiving from alighting board to ground, then taken the combs one by one, brush- ing the bees off on to the board, and allowing them to run back. The old queen wovild then have been left at the entrance as she could not get through the excluder. Enquirer. — Judging Sections. — The chief points in judging sections are filling, sealing, flavour, colour of honey, and general get up. We should judge from what you say that the judge was biased on white capping, but it is difficult to say without actually seeing the exhibits. It is most difficult t-o realise that one's own exhibit is not better than a com- petitors. Suspected Disease. W. J. H. (Chatham). — It is a case of black brood. Treat as for foul brood, as per instructions given in the " Guide Book," which you have. Anxious Reader. — The bees are suffering from malignant dysentery. R. U. (Farnham). — Parasites on Queen. — The queen is infested with Braula coeca. Suffolk (Leicester). — Sorry to say both samples are affected with foul brood. Honey Samples A. S. (Woodley).— No. 1, good in all points except density and colour, which is rather dull. No. 2 is a good, light honey, good in all points except density, but no doubt this will improve with keep. Show No. 2. Hazel Grove. — No. 1 is by far and away the best sample. They are both from clover, and there is not the slightest trace of honey-dew in either. Show No. 1 ; the other is very, very thin, and woiild not stand the slightest chance of winning. It should be shown in the light class. Ideja (Herefordshire). — No. 1 is a light san^ple, rather thin, flavour medium. No. 2 is a medium honey, better than the other in all points. The tiny parti- cles are not wax, but the commencement to granulation. W. C (Biggleswade). — Both samples are from clover. No. 1 is the lightest, and is also more dense than the other. They are both very bright, and excellent in flavour. If vou exhibit at all let it be No. 1. Novice (Manchester). — The samples are all good from clover. No. 3 being the thickest, and equal to the others in every other respect, would stand the best chance if shown, and is certainly worth while trying. H. J. (Hexham). — The sample this time j is good in all respects except density, i which by proper treatment you can im- ' prove. We hope your expectations at the Moors will be realised. X. Y. Z. (Kent). — There is not much chance to criticise the sample sent ; it ; is good in every respect, is from clover, ; and is certainly Avorth showing. It is i well strained. H. W. L. (Pinner). — No. 2, good in colour, flavour, aroma, and density is a light honey. No. 4 is of medium colour, ; tastes as though it had been warmed, ' flavour poor, density fair. No. 5 is a ' light honey, density and flavour fair, colour good. The three samples consist mainly of clover honey. ' A. W. G. (Huyton). — The honey is a ■ delicious heather, blend good in all ' points, and we are very pleased indeed to hear you have obtained so much. ■ Write to Mr. H. S. Rogers, Palmerston House, Old Broad Street, London, E.G. for schedule of Grocers' Exhibition. J. P. (Salisbury). — The honey is a very : nice sample, but lacks a little in density ; ; it is from clover with a little charlock, I and was nearly granulated solid when it ; reached us. Drumclog. — All three samples are good in • flavour, aroma, and colour ; in density ' they are somewhat lacking. For the pur- pose of showing we should select No. 1 ^ The honev is from clover. ' ^NOTICE TO READERS. From time to time we receive com- plaints from subscribers who answer adver- tisements appearing in our columns that they cannot get a reply, even though a stamped addressed envelope has been en- closed for the purpose. If even the goods written after are sold, common courtesy demands that at least a post-card should be sent saying so. At the same time, it is obviously unfair to write asking a number of questions about the goods without enclosing a stamp for reply. As a favour we ask that in future our customers pay attention to these matters. We are aware that at times, owing to our large circulation, enquiries are so numerous that a reply to each would absorb all the money taken for the goods sold. In such cases, therefore, we shall be pleased to insert a note to that effect gratis in the columns of Bee Journal. ^40 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. 24, 1911. Special Prepaid Advertisements Two Words One Penny, mlniniuni Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive msertiom entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. FRIVATi: ADVEBTZSEMEKTS. BEST SCOTCH SECTIONS, 10s. 6d. per dozen- C. GAKi'lTT, Baruside, Coupar Angus, I'erthshire. k 76 EXCHANGE gold cased hunter for extracted honey. — Mr. C, 284, INevv xV venue, Acocks Green. 1 % H EALTHY DKIVEN BEES for sale, 3s. bd. per lot.— VVOODiNG, Sutton, Sandy, Beds, i W HONEY, good colour, flavour and well ripened, 58s. per cwt. on rail; tins free; Jib. sample SIX stamps.— J. IltELAND. Vernham, Hungerford, Berks. 1 98 YOUNG MAN seeks situation on bee farm. Carpenter by trade. Can make hives, frames, &c. Well up in bee driving and manipulations.— C. WACKFOKD, Goodwood, Chichester. m5 I.TEATHER SECTIONS for sale. What offers v 1 — HELME, Norton Canon, W eobly, Hereford- shire, m 4 FOR SALE, 3-h.p. Lloyd Motor Cycle, in good condition. Palmer's tyres; price £6 10s.; also 32-h.p. Lincoln Elk, just been overhauled, very fast and reliable; new tyres; a bargain, £11 10s.— H. DRAYTON, New Boiingbroke, near Boston. m 6 SABLE Pomeranian, female; good pedigree; include champion; will exchange for Bees or Honey.— Apply, T. MAYNARD, 175, High-street, Guildford. 1 100 HONEY PRESS.— A grand strong heather press, specially made to order and greatly superior to anything sold by dealers. Good as new. Price £1, or exchange for bees.— E. FRANKLIN, Mouldsworth, Chester. 1 93 ANTED, Honey Press in good order, to take sections.— Apply, VICAR, Milton, Pewsev. 1 85 w F H OR SALE.— Fine Clover Honey, sample, 2d.— MARSHALL, 68, Chelmsford-street, Lincoln. 189 EALTHY FERTILE QUEENS, 2s. 9d. each.- HALL, 15, Borough, Hinckley. 1 91 OBSERVATORY HIVE, mahogany, ornamental, complete with turntable, tunnel, feeder, sec- tion frames.— Particulars, offers, ROBERTSON, St. Mary's Crescent. Portsmouth. 1 go ANTED, 12 Lots of Healthy Driven Bees. Will give 30s. cash, and two new W. B. C. Hives, value 30s., complete with Standard Bar frames. Photo, of hives free.— BEN CASTELOW, No. 72, Nicholson-street, Portrack Lane, Stockton- on Tof's, Durham. I 95 FOR SALE, grand stock of Bees, in bar frame hive, 1911 Queen. 25s.— BENN MOFFAT, " I'iniierdalc," Cleator, Cumberland. 188 1)]{EPARE for Driven Bees. 18 empty hives to take standard frames; good condition; healthy.— BECKENSALL, Ringwood. Hants. 1 87 WANTED, 5cwt. Clover Honey and 1 gross sections.— State lowest price, carriage paid, EDWARDS, chemist, Fallowfieid, Manchester. 1 86 EXTRACTED HONEY, fine sample, 28s. per 561b. tin— tin included; lib. screw cap jars, 7«. 6d. dozen, 37s. per gross.— AVERY, Deverill, Warminster. m 9 ' EE JOURNALS," September, 1893. to date, complete and clean, cheap.— BUGDEN. vVye, Kent. m 1 CHOICE PROLIFIC HYBRID QUEENS, Car- niolan and Italian, tested; safe arrival in cage guaranteed; 4s.— H. CEILEY, Highcroft, Musweil Hill-road, Highgate, N. 1 94 A LARGE quantity of new and second-hand appliances; also stock; must sell, leaving; send for list.— HIGGINSON, Egerton, Kent, m 5 8 CWT. Choice Hampshire Honey, in 281b. tins, 65s. cwt., sample 3d.— ARCHER, Eastfield- road, Andover. 1 92 k) r STOCKS FOR SALE, in good W.B.C. Hives. r^tJ headed young Queens, guaranteed healthy; overstocked only reason for sale; exceptional oppor- tunity to acquire reliable stock; also various appli- ances, and shed lift, by 7ft.— W. H. SIMS, Hall Green, Birmingham. 1 80 ECTIONS, 8s. 6d. per doz.; also lib. screw top bottles, same price.- A. WEELEY, Weeley, Essex. 1_77 FOR SALE, 11 acres FREEHOLD LAND, situate at Lambourn, Berks, £2'10; two-thirds can remain; good site for bee farm. — WADHAM, 5. Gold-street, Routh, Cardiff. 1_59 FINEST FLOWER HONEY, in sections, 10/6 per doz.; extracted Honey, in tins, £3 per cwt., sample 2d.— WILLIAM WILSON, 25, Forfar- road, Kirriemuir. 1 60 ECTIONS WANTED, for cash; send lowest price, any quantity, and extracted.— F. W. WEITZEL, 45, Kempe-road, Kensal Rise, N.W. 164 BUSINESS ADVEBTISEMBNTS. ]\JEW SIGHT HONEY, in bulk. 56s. cwt., or in r% lib. jars, 8s. 6d. doz.— CHARTER, Tatting- stone, Ipswich. m 8 EDUCING STOCK, few lots Driven Bees ' with Queen, 5s., boxes free. Spare Queens, 2s. 2d. (Querj-'s stamp).— ROLLINS, Stour- bridge, m 7 HE BEE-KEEPERS' COMPANION," by S. Shapland Abbott. Just published, price Is. 6d. uett, post free Is. 8d.— ABBOTT BROS., Southall, near London. EALTHY DRIVEN BEES (ready), with 1911 Queen, 5s.— HIGLEY, Expert, 49, Franchise- street, Kidderminster. I 99 HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, with Queens, 6s.; Queens, 2s. 9d. each.— BRADFORD, Expert, Worcester 1 33 INEST CLOVER SECTIONS, 8s. 6d. doz.; ditto, extracted, 30s per cwt.— STEED, " Fennes," Braintree. m 2 DRIVEN BEES.— For dispatch August 23rd, 12 lots, in free boxes. 5s. per lot, guaranteed healthy.— AVERY. Deverill, Warminster. 1 85 HIVES in the flat carefully prepared; 3, with frames, 21s.; tins, feeders, &c.; catalogue free.— BURTT. Manufacturer, Gloucester. 1 81 HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, young Queens, 5s. lot, boxes free.— KEMP, Clink, Frome, Somer- set. 1_71 MESSRS. STONE and SONS, Chemists, Exeter, are buyers of English Beeswax, in large or small quantities.— Write, stating quantity and price required. ^ ECTIONS WANTED for cash: send lowest price, any quantity.— F. W. WEITZEL, 45. Kempe-road. Kensal Rise. N.W. 1 ^3 PROLIFIC HYBRID QUEENS. 15 yenrs' pvperi cnce, fertiles, 4s.; virgins, 2s.— MOORE, 10 The Avenue, Bedford. |_^ RIVEN BEES WANTED, Is. 6d. lb. cash, boxes returned carriage paid. — A. W. GAMAGE, Ltd., The Holborn Apiary, Church End, Finchley. N. ^ -» f\-t ^ CARNIOLAN QUEENS, mated hi X»'XX Carniola. Austria. 4s.! Swiss. 5s.: Italians. 3s.; delivery in one week.- F. VOGT, 32, Selwyn Avenue, Higham's Park, Essex. F S ECTIONS new. wante-^. by the HONIELADE Co., 23, Moorfields, E.C. 1 24 Aug. 31, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 341 Editorial, Notices, &c. KENT HONEY SHOW. The tenth annual Kent Honey Show was held at Wye on August 9th last, and proved a great success. The exhibits numbered over 300, the ex- hibition lieiug the largest and finest ever held at Wye. This year many prizes were won by exhibitors from theThanet district, the hot, dry weather having specially favoured bee- pasturage in that part of Kent. It was very encouraging to note such a number of new exhibitors and prize- winners (many of them beginners). Mr. J. Garratt kindly acted as judge and made the following awards : KENT COtJNTY CLASSES. Six 1-lb. Sections and Six 1-lb. Jars of Extracted Honey. — 1st (Past President Sir Robert Filmer's Silver Challenge Cup), W. J. Moody Smith; 2nd, E. R. Nash; 3rd, S. Burden; li.c. Miss Smiles. Six 1-U). Sections. — 1st (President, Sir Marcus Samuel's Silver Challenge Cup), Mrs. Davis; 2nd, A. J. E. Baker; 3rd, F. E. Green; 4th, W. J. Moody Smith. Tivo Shalloiv Frames. — 1st, E. R. Nash; 2nd, Miss Ambler; 3rd, T. Head; 4th, Miss Smiles. Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey {dark). — 1st (Past President the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Guildford's Silver Challenge Cup), R. P. Potter; 2nd, A. J. E. Baker; 3rd, F. E. Green; 4th, J. T. Head; v.h.c, G. M. Norton; h.c, E. R. Nash, T. Head, R. Gray, A. Humphrey, H. C. Chapelow, R. Rossiter. Six 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey ■(medium,). — 1st, 6. W. Judge ; 2nd, W. Monger; 3rd, Miss E. Richf ord ; 4th, W. K. Boys. Six 1-lb Jars Extracted Honey (dark). — 1st Miss Smiles; 2nd, R. Gray; 3rd, H. O. Chapelow; 4th, E. R. Gray. Three 1-lb. Sections and Three 1-lb. Jars of Extracted Honey. — 1st, F. E. Green; •2nd, S. Burden; 3rd, T. Head. Beesivax. — 1st, Miss Smiles; 2nd, W. J. Moody' Smith ; 3rd, H. C. Chapelow. Mead.— 1st, A. E. Allchin ; 2nd, Mrs. Hall. Bee-Candy. — 1st, Miss Smiles; 2nd, A. :E. Allchin. Single 1-lb. Jar Granulated Honey. — 1st. J. G. Hall; 2nd, R. Dockeray. Honey Cake — 1st, Mrs. Wilson ; 2nd, Mrs. A. Lepper ; 3rd, Miss Gettings. Three 1-lh. Sections (Novices). — -Ist, C. Hutchinson; 2nd, S. Jordan; 3rd, A. E. Barnes. Three 1-lb. Sections (Cottagers'). — 1st, J. Pack; 2nd, S. Jordan; 3rd, J. Goodsell. Two 1-lb. Jars of Extracted Honey (Cot- tager.^').— 1st, J. Chittenden; 2nd, E. H. Thilpott ; 3rd, S. Jordan. KENT, SXTRREY, AND SUSSEX CLASS. Trophy of Bee Products. — 1st, Mrs. Hall (champion silver cup). OPEN CLASSES. Single 1-lb Jar Extracted Honey (light). —1st, R. P. Potter, Minster, Thanet ; 2nd, H. W. Saunders, Thetford, Notts; 3rd, J. G. Hall, Wye. Singh 1-lb Jar Extracted Honey (medium or dark). — 1st, Miss M. Richford Headcorn ; 2nd, E. R. Nash, Smarden ; 3rd, R. Dockeray, Westwell. Single 1-lb. Section.— 1st, T. G. Hillier Andover; 2nd, R. W. Lloyd, Thetford ; 3rd, L. Watson, Crawley Down. Becjinn^r's Outfit.— 1st, T. Head, Can- terbury. Three 1-lb. Sections, and Three 1-lb: Jars of Extracted Honey (Members of Ash- ford and District Association). — 1st, S. Darlington, Charing; 2nd, W. J. Moody Smith, Pluckley; h.c, J. Mepham, Orle- stone. H. C. Chapelow, Hon. Sec. HITCHIN AND DISTRICT B.K.A. The first show in connection with this newly-formed association was held at Letchworth on August 7th. The honey shown was of exceptionally high quality, and the show was considered the best held in the district. The exhibits were judged by Mr. G. W. Bullamore (Albury) and Mr. R. Watson (Hitchin). The secretary exhibited a display of honey not for com- petition, and also an observatory hive of bees. The judges' awards were as follows : 1-lb. Section of Honey. — 1st, J. Day, King's Walden; 2nd, P. Peters, Hitchin; 3rd, F. Hale, Letchworth; v.h.c, E. L. Price, Letchworth; h.c, A. Prince, Letchworth. 1-lb. Jar of Light Honei/.— 1st, A. Prince; 2nd, J. Day; 3rd, P. Peters; v.h.c, S. Carrington, Hitchin; h.c, P. G.' Russell, Hitchin. 1-lb. Jar Dark Honey.— 1st, F. Arm- strong, Three Counties ; 2nd, Jas. Allbon, Hitchin. The new local Bee-keepers' Association have reason to be pleased with the follow- ing report made by the judge of the honey classes in connection with the show"^ at Letchworth:— " The Hitchin and District Bee-keepers' Association are to be congratulated on the number and quality of the honey exhibits shown at Letchworth. In the light honey class the white clover flavour was pronounced in most of the exhibits, and although the urban character of the district was responsible for flavours from other sources, the value of the product from a commercial and gastronomical standpoint should prove very satisfactory. In the section class the exhibits were of a varying merit, and the prizes went to experienced bee-keepers, but as this is the 342 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. 31, 1911. first exhibition of a society that has been recently formed for the purpose of im- proving the technique of bee-keeping in the district it is probable that at future shows a great improvement will be notice- able in this department. On the present occasion the bees, in many cases, had done well, and a little more knowledge on the part of their owner would have rendered competition much keener. As an initial effort the show must be ooa- sidered an unqualified success." THE BEE-KEEPING GRANT. It is an astonishing thing that, while after many applications and years of struggling the efforts of the British Bee- keepers' Association have been crowned with success in obtaining assistance from the Government, we find a voice raised in protest. Yet such is the case, as Avill be seen by the following letter taken from The Times. It is more re- markable still when we consider the fact that the money is now in the hands of the Government to spend, and if the Associa- tion did not get a portion it would he spent in some other way. Had a special rate to be levied to obtain it we could have understood the protest somewhat; even then we claim that the industry is such an important one that it should have I'cceived assistance from this source long ago. Mr. Lamb's able reply in The Times is also apjoended. To the Editor of The Times. Sir, — Will you give space in your columns to a bee-keeper to say that he is not in the least grateful for the grant of money from the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries to which you refer in your issue of to-day ? So far from feeling gratitude I wish to enter an emphatic protest against this vspoon-feeding policy. Bee- keepers can get along quite well without State aid, which apparently is merely a means of putting into the pockets of one or two lecturers, money taken from the general body of taxpayers, who, Heaven knows, are drained sufficiently already. The money is not wanted, and bee-keepers should be asihamed to take it from their fellow-citizens who do not enjoy this par- ticular hobby. Yours obediently, Ernest E. Williams. Ecclefechan, Lake-road, Wimbledon. July 31. To the Editor of The Times. Sir, — It is difficult to realise the frame of mind in which a bee-keeper must be when he pens such a letter of protest as that appearine: over the name of Mr. Ernest E. Williams in your issue of August 3. One can only account for it as the result of that natural irritation which affects many persons in consequence of the widespread taxation under the present Government. But even if this is the explanation I think that your corre- spondent ought to experience some gratifi- cation at the knowledge that a fraction of what has been taken out of the pockets of his fellow-citizens, though infinitesimal in degree, will go towards promoting an industry in which he takes some, if not a very broad and enthusiastic, interest. He seems to have quite misunderstood the purposes for which, the Government grant of £500 has been made to the British Bee-keepers' Association. It is not to help expert bee-keepers, but to make known in country districts the advantages of modern methods of bee-keeping over the old-fashioned system of keeping bees in straw skeps, and to interest rural audiences in the business of bee-keeping by means of lectures of an elementary and introductory type. The special grant of £350 to provide an experimental apiary will enable a long-felt want to be supplied, since the best and latest appliances used in the industry will be provided for demonstration purposes, and those intend- ing to become lecturers on apiculture will be properly trained for this important work. It is well known that the success of the fruit-growing industry, from the point of view of the fertilization of fruit blossoms, is almost entirely dependent upon the agency of the honey-bee ; in fact, if all colonies of bees were to be swept out of the country by disease there is no doubt that fruit-growers would be ruined. Even the prevalence of what is called the " Isle of Wight " disease has caused consterna- tion in several fruit-growing counties, so much so that on March 27 a meeting of tlie Council of the National Fruit-Growers' Association was held to discuss what steps should be taken to deal with this new malady affecting bees. Professor E. S. Salmon said it was likely to cause a great loss to fruit-growers, as it was necessary for bees to visit flowers if good crops were to be secured. I will not trespass upon your space to submit evidence as to the value of bees as fertilizing agents ; but if your corre- spondent has access to The Times of December 28, 1909, he will find there some intei'esting facts on this important matter. A definite instance was given of peach trees covering forty acres being very poor fruit-bearers, but as a result of the intro- duction of stocks of bees into the orchard they in due course became heavily laden with fruit. Your correspondent refers to bee-keep- ing as a hobby ; but he must not forget Aug. 31, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 343 that there is also a practical biisinessi side, which is of much greater importance. In fact, this industry lias so many distant ramifications that almost every tax-payer, whether rich or poor, is indirectly interested in its success." Yours faithfully, J. Bernard Lamb. 3, Maitland Park Bxjad, Haverstock Hill, N.W. AMONG THE BEES. CONTRACTION. By D. M. Macdonahl, Banff. The art of contraction is little under- stood, and in the generality of cases is never practised. Whether a swarm is large or small, whether it comes off early or late in the season, whether the bees have little, much, or all the comb to build, they are run into the hive on the orthodox nine or ten frames, and left there to work their own sweet will, just as was done in the day when the skep was the only home of the bees. Nay, then bee-keepers did understand and carry out a system at least akin to contraction, for they had hives of so many pecks in capacity up to the large bushel size. A large swarm was given a large hive, and a small cast one of the smallest capacity. It is just as easy for modern bee-keepers to start fair with the bees, with the added advantage that they can contract or ex- pand at any future period at their own convenience. A large swarm, when hived, should be given the whole ten frames, especially if the weather is close and warm. In the evening of the following day draAv the quilting aside to expose the outside frames on each side, and if they are not occupied withdraw them and contract the body-box by inserting dummies or draw- ing in the division board. This con- centrates the whole force of bees on an area they can cover and effectively work, and it helps to conserve the heat, which is so necessary to the successful manipu- lation of wax at a time when it is being converted into hexagonal cells. Smaller swarms or casts may be found to work best on six or seven frames, and a further gain would be derived if the internal space were still further contracted by sliding out every second metal end, thus spacing at l|in. — a plan which generallj- secures more perfectly built combs of the " flat-as-a-board " style, and with little or no drone cells. This should always be done in the case of swarms hived on starters. Give few frames and compel the bees to build these out before you in- sert others fitted with full sheets of foundation to complete the full comple- ment. In early spring, contraction tells in favour of comfort to the bees, and helps to increase early breeding. At the spring cleaning defective or imperfectly - built frames should be withdrawn, and the space contracted by tight-fitting division boards. Later, expand by using full sheet frames. Internal heat should be conserved in every way in spring time, and this lessening of the space requiring to be heated aids the bees in keeping up the temperature with a smaller expendi- ture of caloric and tissue. In late autumn, it is generally advised that frames not covered with bees should be withdra.wn, as the winter nest thus becomes moi-e manageable by the bees. They can preserve the cluster intact, and generate and maintain the heat necessary to keep them in comfort during the almost, zero temperature outside, with a smaller consumption of stores. Small lots should be contracted in jiroportion to their size, but there is an element of risk in over- contracting. These smaller lots would be more successfully wintered two or three in one hive, contracted, say, to five frames each, with a "Wells" dummy between each. Driven bees are too frequently run in on all the frames allowed by the capacity of the hive. I think an average lot should be contracted to seven frames. Six should be sufficient for a smaller lot, and a strong one would do best on nine at the most. It is far better to have a small number of frames well and truly built, and all of them well stored, than to have a full set only partially built and im- perfectly filled and sealed. We should not "guess" at the state of matters in any of these cases, we ought to know them definitely. Half the failures result from indefinite knowledge. Contraction of the brood area in order that the bees may be forced into the supers may be an excellent thing, but it works in two ways. It may prejudicially affect the queen and the brood nest, while, if it is overdone, it seems to upset the workers' arrangements, and makes them discontented and unhappy. If insisted on too long, it works adversely as regards the futui'e success of the colony, because too few bees are reared late in the season to ensure that a proper proportion of young bees shall go into winter quarters. Con- traction for a set purpose may prove highly successful, but normal conditions should be restored as soon as possible to jirevent future contingencies tending to evil and not good. Novices should not be tempted to experiment. Many practise the system of using a second set of frames, set over or placed under the original brood body, and where there is a really prolific queen the plan secures a splendid army of bees for such 344 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. 31, 1911. a late crop as the heather. Over-earlj contraction by the withdrawal of one of the brood-bodies works evil, as it almost inevitably sets up the swarming fever, until the last state of that stock is worse than the first. Successfully done, the woi'k accomplished by the contracted hive is magnificent. It is worth risking much to stand and admire the marvellous industry of the contracted colony on some fine day in early August with a fine reach of heather near at hand — how super after super is taken to, and with what zeal do the heavy battalions of little labourers ply their task. In order that the full force may be concentrated on storing in the supers the body-box is generally contracted to eight or nine frames. In early August racks are given well in advance of real re- quirements, but later in the pionth co?i- traction is carefully practised. As soon .as a rack is judged to be about complete, it is withdrawn, until, on the advent of September, only one is Tef t, and this is most carefully wrapped up, because then, even after very fine days, the nights begin to chill. All unfinished sections are collected and given to the very strongest colonies. When the full flow ceases the bees are allowed to store the waning supply in their store cupboard, and, if this is sealed, I know of no healthier food on which to winter bees. Correspondence. 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 thzir real names and addresses, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. ROSS-SHIRE NOTES. [8234] Although bees are still working on the heather, the season, as regards sur- plus honey, is practically at an end, and supers may come off at any time. Heather came into bloom earlier than usual, and is fading rather soon, but results are good on the whole, and the best stocks will likely average a rack of finished sections apiece. In most ca&es bees occupied two racks, while the strongest stored and sealed honey in three supers during the heather flow. The latter colonies were those ex- perimentally swarmed on stored shallou" frames for the moors, and had their re- moved brood returned as hatched out (see page 305). These extra-strong colonies are still up in the third supers. .See Faraiysis.- — Mr. Simmins' article (page 335) reminds us that this nightmare niay yet have to be reckoned with. I lost one colony only — a native. An Italian stock showed distinct traces of having acquired the disease — through carelessness in manipulating. The trouble was checked by adopting preventive methods, and the colony, divided into three, has already given me a hundred clover sections, with six racks of heather-blend and pure heather still to be taken o£E. Honey prices are fairly good, best clover sections bring- ing lOd. each and heather-blend Is. As for the pure heather, none has been taken off yet. Last year I sold at Is. 6d. per pound, but am prepared to accept less on this occasion. — J. M. Ellis, Ussie Valley. SWARM CONTROL. [8235] In reply to Mr. Crawshaw, ,on page 307, the queen-cell destroyed was; a good one, though small. I did not mean that Mr. Stapleton's plan was a failure, bvit that I had spoiled the experiment by destroying the queen-cell. What the bees would have done had I left the cell is not certain, but what they did do after destroying it was to raise a batch of cells, and swarm. Mr. Macdonald (page 322) claims for Aberdeenshire the honour of be- ing the first B.K.A. to hold expert examin- ations. That honovir belongs to the South of Scotland Bee-keepers' Association. I have held three examinations, one in Midlothian, one in Kirkcudbrightshire, and one in Peebleshire, four candidates passing their third examination. One of tliese passed the second - class test in the same year. I think I can claim to be the first bee-keeper across the Border to hold the B. B.K.A. certi- ficate; at least, the late Mr. W. B. Carr told me I was the first when I went up tc be examined by him at Carlisle seven or eight years ago. I got my second certificate the following year. I hope the associations mentioned in Mr. Macdonald's letter may be induced to affiliate with the B. B.K.A. — Henry Mares, Hon. Expert, S.S. B.K.A. WASP PLAGUE. [8236] The great plague of wasps seems to be very general and very dangerous for the bees. I have some colonies near Tollbridge which, though strong, have been greatly annoyed tjy these pests, which have made it imjiossible for me to ventilate the hives properly as they get in at any little hole, and also keep the bees busy at the entrance repelling their attacks. They have destroyed an observatory hive stock, though the entrance was reduced as much as possible. They cleared honey and bl'ood Aug. 31, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 345 out and must have carried away the bees as well, as none could be found when the wasps were seen coming from the hive. The farmers have been destroying nests daily with poison, &c., but it makes very little difference to the number of wasps. — R. E. Weight, Newgate Street, E.G. RAILWAY RATES FOR LIVE BEES. [8237] I wonder how many bee- keepers are aware that the ordinary rate for conveying live bees by passenger train was increased 50 per cent, on the 1st of September, 1910, this applying to all rail- ways. Formerly bees were charged on the ordinary full parcel scale, but now, unless they are specially consigned at "owners' risk rate," for which the cliarge is full parcel scale, they are charged that rate plus 50 per cent. I do not know how such matters are arranged, but bee-keepers being a small body, and the industry in such a flourish- ing ( ?) condition, I suppose the railway companies thought they would accept the altered conditions without any un- pleasant fuss, and that there would be no one to champion their cause. No doubt thev were correct. — R. B. Dart, Horsham. DRONE V. WORKER FOUNDATION IN SHALLOW FRAMES. [8238] For show purposes, whether working for comb or extracted honey, no doubt it is preferable to use drone comb, one advantage being that the bees do not store pollen in drone cells, but for real practical utility worker combs are far and away the best. They may be used to hive swarms on, and later put on top of brood-frames as supers ; driven bees may be hived on them; and again, they can be utilised in supers the following season. Of course, I am referring to frames with th:? same sized top-bar as brood- frames. Such combs may also be cut out and refixed in full-sized brood frames if desired. There is no need for wiring, as they are as easily fixed as foundation, or rather more easily. The best way to fix them is to bind four or five duck wing feathers together with wire, about 2in. of the tips of the feathers being left. These feathers are very stiff at the tips, and make a first-class "soldering tool" (far better than a spoon), as one can make the molten wax more firmly attach itself to the wood and foundation, and far less wax is needed. Judging Sections at BinaJ Shoios. — I often wonder what rules are followed at these sm.ail shcfivs. Some judges award fii'st prize to sections barely half filled, but having white cappings, passing by others quite full and with only one or two of the angles not fully sealed ; when held up to the light apparently the honey is quite as light coloured, but it is close to the capping, wiiich causes the latter to have a sort of soddened appearance. Prac- tically, these sections are worth nearly twice as much as the others, but get no notice from the judges. Colour of Honey. — When uncapping combs, I have noticed honey of various colours in one comb, a few cells decidedly green, others with a pinkish, tinge, others again pale yellow, and some almost colour- less. I am curious to know what pai'- ticular bloom causes these various shades of colour; sometimes I notice a kind of peamint flavour in the honey. Fortunately, we have no honey-dew in this district this season, though I saw some honey at Bletchley Flower Show almost black. — A. Haeeis. Wavendon, Woburn Sands. Queries and Replies. [8192] Cause of Death of Bees — Brace Comh-i. — {\) I am very much obliged to you for the report on a Kashmir queen, which I sent to you. I have to-day sent off two dead bees for report. About a week ago we had a very sharp thunderstorm, and the temperature dropped from over SOdeg. to about 70deg., and heavy rain fell in the lato afternoon. Next day there were about 300 dead and dying bees out- side one hive and thirty or forty outside another. Three other hives in another garden half-a-mile away were unaffected. Since then every morning dead or dying bees are brought out in the morn- ing, thirty or forty in number. They seem unable to use their wings, and there appears to be some paralysis of one or both sides. Some move their legs less freely on one side and con- stantly roll over on to their backs. The abdomen seems somewhat swollen and elongated, and the colour darker. No evidence of foul brood can be seen and the hive smells quite sweet. Other bees are working well. Yesterday I countod forty-nine going in in half a minute. Is it bee paralysis, or what? (2) I am troubled by my bees making cross braces from comb to comb. What is the cause and remedy? I congratulate you on your most interest- ing and valuable journal, which I always read with interest. — E. F. N., Kashmir. Reply. — (1) The chyle stomach, which was quite decomposed, contained number- less germs, but it is impossible to say with certainty the cause of death. From the description of the symptoms and the fact that a considerable quantity of pollen was found, it is probably a case of malignant 346 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. .31, 1911. dysentery, or one of the undetermined diseases closely allied to it. (2) Brace combs are frequently built when the bee- space exceeds a quarter-of-an-inch. Some bees build combs much more irregularly than others, especially if the frames are not placed at the right distance from each other. It is quite possible the bees of Kashmir make a narrower comb, as those you send appear to be shorter than our common bees and this might account for the brace combs. We are pleased that you are interested in the journal. [81P3] Solar Wax Extraction. — I should be glad if you could give me a few hints as to the management of a solar ex- tractor in next week's journal. I have just bought one and wish to keep it in good order, and to get nice wax from it. The first wax I put in consisted of cappings from which I had washed the remaining honey. As it was not quite dry a good deal of moisture ran off first. What is in the pan has a few dirty bits amongst it, and is in untidy lumps. Should I mould it in neat blocks to be suitable for show, and would it be best to remelt it in a jar placed in a saucepan of water over the fire? Should anything be rubbed on the tray of the solar extractor, such as glycerine, to prevent the wax sticking when cold ? How often should the dirt be cleaned off, and must this be done with boiling water? If I am putting an old frame in the ex- tractor containing some honey, will this be mixed in the wax and harm it, or if it sinks to the bottom of the tray will it be fit to eat or to feed bees with? Reply." — It will certainly be best to re- melt and mould the wax as you suggest, straining through old flannel into the mould to rerrove small pieces of impurities. The wax will not stick to the tray, but when cold will contract, so that it can easily be removed. There is no need to use any lubricant in the tray. The dirt can easily be removed by means of a spatula, while the extractor is still warm from the sun in the evening. The water or honey will sink to the bottom, and not interfere with the wax at all ; the latter can be used as food — human or for bees. Before remelt- ing, it will be well to wash the wax in several changes of warm rain water to remove all signs of honey, then well drain free from water. [8194] Late Surplus Stoiinfj. — My observation of bees has led me to the con- clusion that they do not always act alike. On August 18th I removed the Sin. frames and sections from five hives, in one case leaving the sections half-full on top of the excluder. The next day T returned all the frames for the bees to clean up, and put the half-full sections on the top. To my surprise I find that in three cases they have cleaned the combs, ani prices of bees-v/ax, which takes place at this time pi year l^as not occurred. English Y'^ellpw Bees-wax 2s. 2d. lb. ; French 2s. lb. . ■ . NOVELTIES FOR 1911. •;•:'.:,;• ■.:";■ ., '■■■. Frame ' lifter. ,•■' ^.' A very useful novelty was shoi^n at the " Royal " Show, Norwich, by ; the iti- the top of the other, and on the top of the frames of each third super put a piece of brown paper about Sin. square, and upon this place naptha- line or " Aj^icure." The top should be covered with some thick but porous material. I'o make quite safe, you could paste brown i>aper over the joints between each super. Heather.— C7,i2:>i)'«.7 Queen's Wing.— It is not advisable to do this; if done once it lasts for life, as the queen cannot grow another wing. Remove about half the wings on one side by means of a sharp pair of scissors. G. E. Galletlev. — Be-queening Driven Bees. We cannot quite understand your question, but presume you mean, " Is the best time to re-queen in the autumn.^"' Is so, the answer is yes. Aug. 31, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. 349 E. J. Gabrett (Belfast). — I'arieties (f Heather. — (a) is bell heather, and (bj is the common ling. Both are useful for honey, but the latter is the one from which the harvest is usually obtained. J. Fleck (Scarva). — Disinfecting Combs. — (1) You can buy a sprayer from any appliance manufacturer, or if you have only a few hives, purchase a small scent- spray from the chemist. (2) It is not necessary to use a sprayer at all. Follow closely the directions given on the bottle. E. J. D. (Blackheath).— I>ea(/ Bee— The bee has died from the effect of losing its sting. W. I. (Drogheda).— Bees Fighting.— The bees should have been packed in a tin box ; they were crushed beyond recogni- tion in the post, so we cannot give you an opinion. R. B. M. (Towcester). — Books on Fruit- Growing. — Wright's " Practical Fruit- Grower " or "'Pictorial Fruit Culture," published by Cassell's, will no doubt serve your purpose. G. C. (Oughtybridge). — Queen Introduc- tion.— Like so many theories, it sounds very nice on paper, but in actual prac- tice we have grave doubts as to its suc- cess. One drawback is that very young virgins must be used, so it would be no use purchasing queens for the purpose, but they would have to be reared by the bee-keeper. Like the "Wells" system, which could only be worked successfully by its originator, this method is success- ful in the hands of the one person ; with others it would be a failure. E. E. Birch (Southport). — County for Bee-keeping. — We should choose Cum- berland as there you will have the advantage of the heather of which there is none in Bedfordshire. R. R. (Glorat). — Bees Flying AhnormaUy. — The very fact of your making an arti- ficial swarm and feeding the bees will account for their activity. Have no fear, they are doing all right, and no doubt with the attention you are giving them will come out strong in the spring. Honey Samples. XovicE. — - Yes, it is certainly good enough to show in the light class at the exhibition you mention. L. M. D. (Yorks). — The honey is mainly from clover ; there is very little lime in it. It is good in every respect, except density, which is only fair. Yes, the price you name would be a fair one. Elms.\ll (Wakefield). — Both are excellent samples of clover honey ; either will do for show, but our choice would be B; it is a little the thickest and slightly better in flavour. We shall be delighted to have the notes you suggest. W. J. H. (Luton).— The samples are both very good ones from sainfoin. Our choice would fall upon No. 2, which is thicker than Xo. 1, and equal to it in every other respect. It should be shown in the light class. We congratulate you upon your success the first time of show- ing. It proves what we have stated in these columns, that the novice stands an equal chance with the experienced bee-keeper on the show bench. Alpha. — From clover; density fair; can be improved by warming ; about lOd. It is worth a trial on the show bench at a local show. Yes, return the combs and no doubt you will obtain surplus from the heather. We are grateful for your kind remarks. Z. X. (Gloucestershire). — The honey is spoilt by honey-dew. Kentish Novice. — It is a good medium honey from fruit and clover ; it is very dense, and is worth showing in medium class. B. B. (Lewes). — Both samples are very good in every respect. No. 1 is of slightly better ilavour than the other. Elas (Sale). — No 1 is from sycamore, and as such is a good sample. No. 2 is from clover and lime. Tlie latter would be the best honey to show in a light class. F. Bird (Mitcham). — Sample No. 1 is a nice-flavoured light honey of good colour, but is a little lacking in density. It is from clover principally. iNo. 2 is also good in all respects except density, and has been gathered from clover and lime. No. 3 is the best sample and is mainly from clover. It is the one we should choose to exhibit. G. H. (Normanton). — A honey good in colour, but poor in flavour and density. It is worth about 50s. per cwt. G. M. D. (Wenden). — The sample is ex- ceedingly light in colour and rather thin. We cannot give its source on account of it being tainted by the previous con- tents of the bottle in which it was sent. E. J. S. (Ilford).— The appearance of the honey is all that can be desired. There is, however, a slight bitterness in the flavour which we do not like, though it might not be objectionable to the majority of people. R. D. (Terling). — A fairly good honey; the peculiar flavour is from ragwort. A. B. Silex — Sample has been gathered from limes, and would be a very nice table honey but for the fact that it is very thin. Welshman (Llanelly). — Yours is a beauti- ful sam^Dle, and is "worth exhibiting at one of the big shows. You must re- member, however, that competition at these shows is very keen. We are de- lighted to hear of your success with knowledge obtained exclusively from the "British Bee-Keeper's Guide"' andoiir journal. May you prosper still more. Suspected Disease. E. H. (Horsham). — You do not say any- thing about symi^toms, or if the bees are 350 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Aug. 31, 1911- acting in a peculiar manner, and with- out some such data, it is difficult to diag- nose the trouble. The bees arrived dead, and they appear to be suffering from constipation. If there is anything to cause you to suspect " Isle of ^\ight■' disease you should send some live bees with food to Dr. Maiden, Pathological Laboratorieis, Medical Schools, Cam- bridge. Special Prepaid Advertisements. Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees. Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per 4 in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. EXTRACTED ENGLISH HONEY, 12s. 6d. per 28ib. tin, sample 2d.— BUTTON, Terhng, iiissex^ ^ ''^ W'- ANTED, LIGHT ENGLISH HONEY, any quantity; state lowest cash price.— Address, SCARBOKO', c/o •' B.B.J." Office, 23, Bedford- street, Strand, W.C. C"1 LOVER SECTIONS, splendid quality, fuH J weight, 8s. 6d. doz.— NORTH, Cressing, Braintree, Essex. i" ^^ FOR SALE, lOi ACRES OP LAND, well buiit bungalow, good outbuildings, fruit trees, &c. —JOHNSON, Sheepdrove, Lambourne, Berks, m 17 ARGE CLOVER SECTIONS FOR SALE, 7s. doz, packed free.— FARMER, The Nook, Fair- ford m 16 ANTED, SMALL HOUSE with land and buildings for Bee and Poultry Farm, near main line Selby to London.— H. D., " B.B.J." Office, 23, Bedford-street, Strand, W.C. m 15 CWT. OF HONEY in 28lb. tins, 7d. lb., tins free, cash with order.- A. COLEMAN, Gret- ton. Kettering, Northants. ni 13 XTRACTED HONEY WANTED (lOcwt).— State quantity and price, and send sample to THE FRANCIS WILLIAMS OIL Co., 2dl. Broad-street, Birmingham. m ,2 URE EXTRACTED CLOVER HONEY, season 1911. in 28lb. cans, 6id. per lb., care- fully packed, free on rail, Northants County guarantee label; all enquiries answered.— MORRIS, Welland Valley Apiary, Barrowden, Stamford, m 19 ORIGINAL pattern Yorkshire Heather Honey Press, new. fully tinned; price and particu- lars.— HOOD, Whitby. m 11 ADVERTISER starting bee-keeping desires to hear from bee-keepers and firms selling appliances.— ROSS, Savanetta, Purley. m 10 HONEY, finest Hampshire, 58s. per cwt.. 281b. tin 15s.. tins returnable or charged; sample 3d OWEN BROWNING, Ashley, Kingsomborne^ Hants m 36 WELLS' HIVE with 20 Standard frames, bees in one side only; three other Hives, with 10 Standard frames, all strong, healthy, and plenty stores, highest offer gets them put on rail.— ALEX. MURRAl, Binlay Cottages, Willenhall, Coven- try; '" ^ BEE JOURNALS, bound, 1890 to 1903; unbound and clean, 1904 to 1909; Records, bound, 1890 to 1901; unbound, 1902 to 1908; what offers? Also Bee books, list sent; model of an apiary, quantity of exhibition beeswax, stocks of Dees in trame hives, 25s. each.— SEYMOUR, bee farmer, Henley^ ou-Thames. *" '^" WANTED, six 31b. lots of Driven Bees, Natives, with Queens in each lot.— H. CLEAVER, 8. Northcote-street, Leamington, m 31 TO LARGE BUYERS.— 9cwt. good light-coloured Honey, and 16 doz. Sections from own Bees, for fale — DAVID HANCOX, Deddington, Oxon. !lLi£ SECTIONS, 1st grade, clean, white clover, 9s. per doz., packed on rail, cash with order.— BARNES, Clogger, Wigton, Cumberland. m 27 BEE AND POULTRY FARM, including day old chick business and appliance agency, 6- roomed house, coach-house, stable, incubator house workshop, Ac, 2 acres wired pens, low rent, ideal healthy locality, miles of heather, bees in- cubators, poultry, appliances, pony, trap, &c., to be taken over; stamp for particulars.^-DICKlJNSUW, St. Ives, Ringwood. ^ ■^ ORIGINAL AND BEST RYMER HEATHER HONEY PRESS for sale.-THOS. HOOD Whitby. ^ EJ? WANTED, 5cwt. light Honey; sample; also Sections.-R. CARTER, Chartridge, Ches^ ham, Bucks. . 2L£: PAIR BUFF PEKIN, also pair black red modern game Bantams (winners), exchange for Driven Bees; extra fine quality Scotch clover Honey MS. cwt;' sample, 3d.-IRVING, Galabank Apiary, Annan. HONEY, good colour, flavour and well ripened, 58s. per cwt. on rail; tins free; 41b. sample Six stamps -J. TRELAND. Vernham. Hungerford Berks. _^ }J1 OBSERVATORY HIVE, mahogany, ornamental, complete with turntable, tunnel feeder sec- tion frames.-Particulars, offers, ROBERTSON, St Mary's Crescent. Portsmouth. Lzli C% r' STOCKS FOR SALE, in good W.B.C Hives. /CO headed young Queens, guaranteed healthy; overstocked only reason for sale; exceptional oppor- tunity to acquire reliable stock; also various appli- ances, and shed lift, by 7ft.-W. H. SIMS, Hall Green, Birmingham Lzi FOR SALE, 11 acres FREEHOLD LAND, situate at Lambourn, Berks, £240; two-thirds can remain; good site for bee farm.— WADHAM 5. Gold-street, Routh, Cardiff. \J2. FINEST FLOWER HONEY, in sections, 10/6 per doz.; extracted Honey, in tins, £3 per cwt., sample 2d.-WILLIAM WILSON, 25, Forfar- road, Kirriemuir. 1 °^ SECTIONS WANTED, for cash; send lowest orice, any quantity, and extracted.— F W WEITZEL. 45. Kempe-road. Kensal Rise, N.W. 164 FINEST CLOVER SECTIONS, 8s. 6d ijoz.; ditto, extracted, 30s per Jcwt.- STEED, Fennes. Braintree. . FOR SALE owing to removal. 5 Stocks of Bees in Lees Ilolborn Hives in good condition, all ]9ll Oueens, nrice 15s. each, or £3 the lot.— .1. CRAWTER. Cheshunt. Herts. m 38 HAT OFFERS for 2cwt. fine Clover Honey: sample 2d.-MAS0N, expert, Orielton School. Pembroke. ^ ^^ HONEY, first quality sections, Rs. 6d doz.: 3 doz 25s.. cash with order.— R. COUSINS, The Rosary, Misterton, Gainsborough. m 33 W BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. DRIVEN BEES, guaranteed healthy, with queen, 4s.; do., with 1911 queen, 5s.: spare voung Queen in self-introducing cage, 2s. 6d.— VV. ■pATENALL SOLE, 56, Warren-road, Colliers Wood. Merton. S.W. "^ ^^ Orwrw LOTS driven bees, 5s. per lot.— r^\J\} DENNETT. Whitchurch, Hants. m 32 HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES with 1911 Oueens, 5s. 6d.: old Oueen, 5S.-WELBOURN, Hutton^ Cranswick, Beverley. ^ "^ ^9 eXlTHY DRIVEN BEES, a few lots at 5s. per lot: soare Oueens. 2s. 6d. each; boxes returnable.-MORETON. Hallow. Worcester, m 23 GUARANTEED HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, is 3d per lb. cash.-WATSON, Pine \ lew Mildenhall. "^ ^* Sept. 7, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 351 Editorial, Notices, &c. IHSEASES OF BEES LEGISLATION COMMITTEE. The next meeting of the above com- mittee will be held at 2 p.m. on Sept. 21st, 1911, at 23, Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. Members of the committee who are unable to attend, and who desire to submit any amendments to the draft Bill, should forward them by post to the Hon. Sec— L. S. Crawshaw, Hon. Sec. I\"orton, Malton, Yorks. COMING HONEY SHOWS. The special attention of exhibitors is called to the Honey Exhibition at Altrincham, Cheshire, entries for which close on September 9th. It is a " Jubilee " show, and the committee are making special efforts to create a record. The honey department is well represented, and liberal prizes are offered in special classes. The time for closing entries at the most important honey show of the year is also drawing near. We refer to the Grocers' and Allied Trades Exhibition, to be held at the Agricultural Hall, London, from the 16th to the 23rd inst. All who have taken off good honey should make an entry. The valu-j to the bee-keeping in- dustry of this extensive exhibition of bee- produce cannot be over-estimated ; it is an object lesson to the public on the attractive qualities of British honey. The "selling"' classes especially ought to be well supported, .as the honey-crojs this season has generally been so abundant, and we hope that the fine display of last year will be eclipsed. In order to en- courage bee-keepers of all classes to compete, the entiy fees are only Is. in each class, and the prizes remain on th.* usual liberal scale. Every care is taken to stage the exhibits in the most attractive manner, and to return those unsold safely to their respective owners. NOKTHANTS B.K.A. ANNUAL SHOW. The annual show of the above associa- tion was held on August 17th in Abington Park, Northampton, by kind permission of the Municipal Council, who erected a tent for the recaption of the exhibits. The entries numbered 233, which constituted a record, quite half-a-ton of honey being staged, the qualitj- of which was excellent throughout. Thanks are due to all who contributed in any way to the success of the show, special mention being accorded the President, Mrs. Irene Osgood, who gave special prizes to ladv exhibitors ; the Hon. Sec, Mr. R. Hefford, and the Stewards, Mr. W. T. Munn and Mr. R. Brawn. Mr. Thos. Norman also gave valuable assistance. Mr. W. Herrod, F.E.S., again judged the honey, and gave a demonstration and lecture in the bee tent during the after- noon. Mrs. Foot adjudicated upon the honey cakes. At 5 p.m. members sat down to tea, after which Mr. Herrod gave an address on " Preparing Honey and Wax for the Show Bench." The awards were as follows : — - TiccJvc l-lh Sertiorts. — 1st, A. Hiscock, Loddington; 2nd, C. J. Burnett, North- ampt(>n; 3rd, E. Pahner, Kettering; 4tli, R. Allen, Tusmore; h.c, G. Mason, Yardley Gobion, and H. England, Moulton. Ta-elve l-lh. Jars Light Honey.— 1st, A. Hiscock; 2nd, C. Wells, Oxendon ; 3rd, J. Adams, West Haddon ; 4th, E. Thompson, Moulton; 5th, Mrs. Roberts, West Haddon. Twelve l-lh. Jars Dark J{or}^y.— 1st, E. Thompson; 2nd, W. Snow, Yardley Hast- ings; 3id, C. J. Burnett. Twelve l-lh. Jar.s Granulated Honey.- - 1st, A. Hiscock; 2nd, W. Snow; 3rd, Goodburn Bros., Peterborough; 4th, J. Adams; c, R. Allen. Shallow Frames of Honey. — 1st, A. Hiscock; 2nd, J. Adams: 3rd. W. Snow: 4th, A. Bailey, Northampton. Super of Honey.— 1st, R. B. Manley, Potcote House; 2nd, H. England; 3rd, H. Williams, Overstone ; h.c, G. Page, Holcot. Beeswax. — 1st, A. Hiscock; 2nd, C. Wells; 3rd, B. Manley; 4th, J. Adams; h.c, W. Reynolds and J. S. Partridge, Wollaston; c, H. Williams. Six l-lh. Sections.— 1st, F. Holley, Wellingborough; 2nd, — Jones, Lodding- ton; 3rd, E. Marshman, Little Linford, h.c. Miss L. Roberts, Weedon, and W. Smart, Tower Water Works; c, — Bur- nett, Langham Place, Northampton. Six l-lh. Jars Light Honey.— 1st, F. Holley ; 2nd, W. Smart ; 3rd, — Keightley, Moulton; h.c, R. Brawn, Northampton, and H. Bailey; c, H. Burditt. Six l-lb. Jars Dark Honey.— 1st, R. Brawn: 2nd. A. Talbutt; 3rd, E. Marsh- man. Super of Honey.— 1st, H. England- 2nd, W. Snow; 3rd, R.- Brawn. SPECIAL PRIZES. Single Jar of Honey {open).— 1st. A. Hiscock; 2nd, J. W. Boscock, Stony Strat- ford: 3rd, A. C. Jackson, Elvedon : 4th. H. Saunders, Thetford ; 5th, G. Page. Holcot; v.h.c, W. Canham, Soham ; h.c, C. W. James, Hardwick, and R. H. Baines, Cambridge: c, E. Marshman. Single Jar of Honey. --1st, H. W. Saunders; 2nd, E. Palmer: 3rd, A. Hiscock; 4th. AV. Canham: v.h.c. G. Paforth End, Croydon.— Exclusive Show of Honey, Wax, Hives, Bees, &c. Increased prizes. Six Open Classes. Judge, Mr. W. Herrod, F.E.S. Schedules from A. Wakerell, 21, Mansfield Road, Croydon. Entries close September 16. September 27, at Altrincham.— Honey Show, in connection with the Altrincham Agricultural Show, the largest one-day show in the Kingdom. Classes open to United Kingdom. Classes for Trophy of Honey, for Best Hive, Observatory Hive with Bees and Queen, twelve Jars of Extracted Honey. Classes open to County of Chester, for Run and Section Honey, Wax, &c. Special Classes for Cottagers, and Special Classes for Society's District. Several Special Jubilee prizes. Schedules from Mr. J. Herbert Hall, 2, Dunham Road, Altrincham. Entries close September 9. and at extra fees September 13. WEATHER REPORT Westbourne, Sussex. Rainfall, -79113. Below aver., I'Soin. Heaviest fall, 'ISin., on 28th. Rain fell on 9 days. Sunshine, 275'4 hi's. Above average, 58'5 hours. Brierhtest days, 9th 13'7 hours. Sunless days, 0. Maximum tempera- ture. 92<^ on 13th. Minimum tempera- ture, 43° on 3 1st. August, 1911. Minimum on grass, 420 on 31st. Frosty nights, 0, Mean Maximiim 76 Mean Minimum 56 "1. Mean tempei-ature, 66. Above average, 5'3. Maximum barometer, 30-263 on 31st. Minimum barometer, 29-538 on 21st. L. B. BiRKETT. Notices to Correspondents. J. W. S. (Wembley).— D('(f (7 Bees.— The bees appear to be robbers. A fe\v par- ticulars would assist us in giving an opinion. There is no disease so far as we can judge. D. C. H. (Coldstream). — Insect Xomcnchi- fvre. — The insect is Sire.e Juvenens, a kind of wood wasp. It is not rare in some districts. — F. W^. L. S. I. A. X. (Higham) — DeallsKj with Sections, — Sections should be disposed of a.s. quickly as possible, as they become un- saleable if granulated. When in this, condition they can only be reliquefied by cutting tliem up and melting the honey and wax, afterwards allowing it to cool. The wax can then be taken off and the liquid honey remains. The length, of time sectionsN remain ungranulated after removal from the hive depends upon the source from which the honey was gathered, and the place and manner in which they are stored. Suspected Disease. A. D. L. (Arbroath). — The bees are badly constipated. It will be well to send a few (alive if possible) to Dr. Maiden, Pathological Laboratories, Cambridge, for a bacteriological examination. Hone]! Samples. H. .1. B. (Walthamstow).— Xo. 1, fairly good in consistency and of nice flavour, but not so good in colour as X'^o. 2; the latter is a denser honey from clover, but the flavour is somewhat spoilt by an adn.ixture of ragwort. Either would do to enter at a local show. W. G. Wells (Blandford). — An excellent .sample of light honey, very den.se, of good colour, and bright in appearance. The flavour m also very delicate and it is well worth showing. J. B. X.-— Both samples are practically pure wliite clover, and very good in every respect except densi'tv, which might be better. Xo. 1 is undoubtedly the best and is worth staging in open competition. We regret the unavoid- able delay in publi.>~hing the book, yours being only one of hundreds of inquiries as to when it will be ready. It will not be kept back a moment longer than we can help. The excessive amount of work we have had to do is the chief cause of delay. A. D. R. (Ledbtjrt).— Xo. 1 is a medium honey from mixed sources. Xo. 2 is from fruit and lime. Both are good enough to show in their respective classes. The source from which it is obtained is responsible for the colour. L. Berry (Xelson).— Xo. 1 is a light clover honey, colour, brightness, and flavour good, density fair. " Xo. 2 is also a light honey from clover, good in all respects. Xo. 3 contains an admixture of heather, but, unfortunately, it is spoilt with honey dew. Xo. 4 is a heather blend, its only fault being that it is rather thin. r.xo- (Yorks).— Xo. 1 has a rather strong flavour of ragwort, and this also accounts for the odoui-. Xo. 2 is good in colour and flavour, but in density is only fair. J. J. W. (Whalley).— Xo. 1 is from clover, density fair, colour and flavour good. It should be shown in light Iioney class ; 360 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Sept. 7, 1911. but it is doubtful if good enough to secure an award. No. 2 is a very nice heather blend and should be shown in that class. It ought to stand a good chance in any competition. J. A. D. (Wanstead). — The sample is a very good lime honey, and a capital sample for table use. Though a little ^lark in colour the flavour compensate.s for tliis. W. M. C. (Burgess Hill).— Honey is from clover and sainfoin. It is good enO'Ugh to show in local classes. A. G. W. (Wembley). — Both samples are suitable for the show bench. No. 1 should be entered in the light class. No. 2 in the medium class. Tliey do not require mare straining. T'he colour of honey depends upon the source from which it is obtained. Full particulars, which vary with each show, are given in the conditions printed on sdhedule. Special Prepatd Advercisements. Two Words One Penny, mlniniuni Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees. Honey, Queens, and Bee poods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. STRONG LOT OF BEES, covering ten frames, healthy condition, good hive, 21s.; two second- hand Hives and accessories, 7s. each.— 75, Moffatt- road, Thornton Heath. m 62 H ONEY IN BULK FOR SALE, about 3cwt.~ BRIGHTON, New York, Lincoln. m 61 BEST PURE EXTRACTED HONEY, 281b. tins, 14s., lever tins free.— BARFIELD, Broom. Biggleswade. PIARY FOR SALE, (in lots if desired), in- cluding 12 Stocks English Black Bees in Standard Hives, guaranteed free from disease, young Queens, clean Brood Combs, Shallow Frames, drawn out Combs, Supers, Excluders, Feeders, Smokers. Brice Swarm Catchers, Extractor, Ripener, Comb Foundation; also 1501b. medium coloured Honey in screw cap glass jars; 4 doz. medium glazed Sections; owner going abroad.— BANK- WOOD, Charing, Kent. m 45 A FEW CHOICE HYBRID ITALIAN QUEENS, very prolific, in cage. 3s.— H. CEILEY, High- croft, Muswell Hill-road, N. m 46 FOR SALE, FINE CLOVER HONEY, sample, 2d.— MARSHALL, 68, Chelmsford-street, Lin- coln m 47 POLISHED MAHOGANY OBSERVATORY HIVE, by Abbott's, takes Standard, shallow and sections, 30s.; also 3-frame strong Nuclei, 1911 Queen, lis. 6d.— BARLOW, bee-keeper, Newcastle, Staffs. m 48 WANTED, Cowan's Reversible Extractor, second-hand, good con'Mtion 2 or 4 frame; also Stocks in Skeps.— PICKERING, Willow Dale. BIythe Bridge, Staffs. m 49 WANTED, American Standard, Hoffman Bar Pr.'imes.— CUNNINGHAM, 51, George-street, Bonhill. Dumbartonshire. m 50 OR SALE, several 8. 9. 10 Comb Colonios British Bees, no Hives, 30s. each. C. .1. ASHWORTH, bee expert, Heytesbury. m 53 1 A <^'OLONIES, Bar Frames and Skeps, enough _L^ winter stores, all Frames worked from full sheets foundation, healthy and strong, all young Queens, boxes and skeps good; also Section Crates, Dividers, Excluders, Feeders, Escapes and Boards; state requirements; no reasonable offer refused; owner getting transferred to other district, must sell. Stamp for reply.— S. HARRIS, Postman, Aberfeldy. m 52 WANTED, Extractor, perfect order and cheap. —Particulars to HaNSFORD, 68, Brantfeil- road, Blackburn. m 55 ELEVENTH SEASON.— Finest Clover Honey, pound screw caps, 8s. 6d, tie-overs, 8s. doz, Du:k, 6id. lb.— WYATT, bee-keeper. Chard, Somer- f^*^- ' m 56 HONEY, choice clover, well ripened, 60s. cwt.. good medium blend, 56s.; sample, 3d.— THOb. E. ATKINS, Leire, Lutterworth. m 57 CHOICE fertile English Queens, in introducing cages, 2s. 6d. each, guaranteed healthy. — WITHi COMBE, Docks, i^ndguater. m 58 ANTED, 4 lots of Driven Bees, gnaranteeo healthy.— St. Elmo, Carshalton Hill, Couls- don. m 44 EXTRACTOR, worked out Combs, sundry appliances, clearing.— 65, Raleigh-road, Rich- mond, Surrey. m 43 \ VOLUMES " B.B.J.", 1 to 13, bound, some very rare, £3; also large quantity of other Bee Books; list on application.— ABBOTT, Merchants Quay, Dublin. ■"ANTED, Combs damaged by wax moths perfect wax moths, and cocoons. — HERROD, Apiary, Luton. OR SALE, EXTRACTED HONEY, in 141b. tins; sample, 2d.; 5s. 6d. cwt.— ARTHUR ADCOCK, Ashcroft, Meldreth, Cambs. m 42 1 f\f\ SECTIONS of HONEY, well filled, 9d. a XUU section.— Mrs. BUTLER, Gageley Vicar- age, INewmarket. m 41 PLENDID FERTILE QUEENS, 1911, in intro ducing cage. Is. 6d.; few dozen light Sections, 8s.; light Cambridgeshire Honey, 60s.— f.o.r. W. JOCKMAN, Sidney Farm, Cambridge, E. m 60 FOR SALE, 3-h.p. Lloyd Motor Cycle, in good condition. Palmer's tyres; price £6 10s.; also 3|-h.p. Lincoln Elk, just been overhauled, very fast and reliable; new tyres; a bargain, £11 10s. — H. DRAYTON, New Bolingbroke, near Boston. m 6 HONEY, good colour, flavour and well ripened, 58s. per cwt. on rail; tins free; Jib. sample six stamps.— J. IRELAND, Vernham, Hungerford, Berks. 1_98 FOR SALE, lOi ACRES OF LAND, well built bungalow, good outbuildings, fruit trees, &c. —JOHNSON, Sheepdrove, Lambourn. Berks, m 17 ORIGINAL pattern Yorkshire Heather Honey Press, new. fully tinned; price and particu- lars.— HOOD, Whitby. m 11 TO LARGE BUYERS.— 9cwt. good light-coloured Honey, and 16 doz. Sections from own Bees, for fale. — DAVID HANCOX, Deddington, Oxon. m 28 BSERVATORY HIVE, mahogany, ornamental, complete with turntable, tunnel feeder, sec- tion frames.— Particulars, offers, ROBERTSON, St. Mary's Crescent. Portsmouth. I 90 FINEST FLOWER HONEY, in sections, 10/6 per doz.; extracted Honey, in tins. £3 per cwt.. sample 2d.— WILLIAM WILSON, 25, Forfar- road, Kirriemuir. 1 60 FOR SALE, owing to removal. 5 Stocks of Bees in Lees Holborn Hives, in good condition, all 1911 Oueens, nrice 15s. each, or £3 the lot.— .1. CRAWTER. Cheshunt. Herts. m 38 SECTIONS, 1st grade, clean, white clover, 9s. ner doz., packer) on rail cash with order.— BARNES. Clogger. Wigton, Cumberland. m 27 ORIGINAL AND BEST RYMER HEATHFR HONEY PRESS for sale.-THOS. HOOD Whitby. m 25 Sept. 14, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 361 Editorial, Notices, &c. SHROPSHIRE B.K.A. ANNUAL SHOW. The annual exhibition, promoted by the -above association, was held in the Quarry, Shrewsbury, in connection with the great horticultural iete, on Wednesday and Thursday, August 2oth and 26th, when a record entry vras made, no less than 28151b. of honey being staged. The bulk of the exhibits was of the highest quality, and with the large number of entries m many of the classes, the judges had a difficult task in satisfactorily awarding the prizes. The judges were Mr. A. "Watkins, Hereford, and Mr. J. Tinsley, expert to the Staffordshire B.K.A. These gentle- !ren reported that they never had a finer displav placed before them, and that some of the classes were so good throughout as to destrve a commendation to each exhibit. The awards were as follows: — OPEN CLASSES. Twenty-four 1-lh. Sections. — 1st, J. Car- ver, AVellmgton; 2nd, S. Cartwright, Shawbury; 3rd, F. C. Holmes, Welshpool. Twelve 1-/5. Sections. — 1st, J. Spiller, Taunton: 2nd, James Clay, Wellington; 3rd, R. H. Baines, Cambridge. Twenty-four 1-lh. Jars of Extracted Honey.— 1st, H. R. Millington, Wistans- wick; 2nd, F. C. Holmes; 3rd, E. Church, Cardiff. Twelve 1-lh. Jars of Extracted Honey.— 1st, H. R Millington; 2nd, F. C. Holmes; 3rd, A. O. Jackson, Thetford, Norfolk. Twelve 1-lh. Jars of Medium-coloured Honey. — Lst, P. Scott, Broseley; 2nd, F. C. Holmes; 3rd, J. Berry, Llanwrst. Twelve 1-lh. Jars of Dark Honey. — 1st, J. Berry; 2nd, H. Greening. Single Jar of Extracted Honey. — 1st, F. C. Holmes; 2nd, J. Chetwood ; 3rd, H. R. Millington. Single 1-lh. Section. — 1st, J. Carver; 2nd, H. AV. Saunders; r., P. Scott. members' classes. Twenty-four 1-lh. Sections. — 1st, J. Carver; 2nd, S. Cartwright; 3rd, T. Brom- field ; r., P. Jones, Church Stretton. Twelve 1-lh. Sections. — 1st, J. "Clay, Wellineton ; 2nd, P. Jones; 3rd, J. BrightT Twenty-four 1-lh. Jars of Extracted Honey. — 1st, H. R. Millington; 2nd, S. Cartwright; 3rd, J. Mills. Twelve l^lh. Jars of Extracted Hone)/.-- 1st, H. R. Millington; 2nd, T. Tudor; 3rd, J. Leech; r., J. Chetwood. Twelve 1-lh. Jars of Medium-coloured Honey.—lai, S. Cartwright ; 2nd, F. AV. Norris, Church Stretton; 3rd, P. Glover, Bicton. T(celve 1-/6. Jars of Dark Honey.— 1st, P. Scott'; 2nd, R. H. Elson, AA' ellington ; 3rd, J. S. Lawton, Bridgnorth. Twelve 1-lh. Jars of Granulated Honey. — 1st, H. R. Millington. cottageks' classes. Twelve 1-lh. Sections. — 1st, J. Rogers; 2hd, J. Mills; 3rd, H. Goodall, Ludlow. Twelve 1-lh. Jars of Extracted Honey. — 1st, H. R. Millington; 2nd, G. E. Miles, Baschurch; 3rd, J. Mills, Baschurch. Six 1-lh. Jars of Extracted Honey.- 1st, H. R. Millington: 2nd, G. E. Mills;- 3rd, T. Tudor; r., J. Rogers, Shawbury. Six 14b. Sections. — 1st, G. Croxton,_ Grinshill, 2nd, E. Micklewright, Harmer Hill ; 3rd, J . AA'ynn, Rowton. Twelve 1-lh. Jars of Extracted Honey.— 1st, G. Croxton; 2nd, J. AA>nn ; 3rd, J. Chetwood. Six 1-lh. Jars of Extracted Honey.— Isx, G. Croxton; 2nd, J. AVynn ; 3rd. G. Butler. MISrELLANEOrS. Tropin/ of Honey.— 1st. J. Carver: 2nd, P. Scott; 3rd, F.'C. Holmes. Complete Hive. — 1st, Messrs. Little and Cooper, Shrewsbury. Collection of Appliances. — 1st, Messrs. Little and Cooper; 2nd, G. Rose, Liver- pool. Beesw'jx. — 1st, J. Berry, Llanrwst ; 2nd, J. AA^ Dovaston; r., H."R. Millington.— S. Cartwright. Hon. Sec. AMONG THE BEES. HOW .\RE STOKES? By D. M. B. Macdoncdd, Banff. The more experience teaches me the more am I led to emphasise the importance of this question as September draws to a close. Here, in the midst of the heather, we have a late flow, a great part of which the bees consign to the brood frames, some- times to such an extent as to clog the cells in the lower storey, and consequently we give little care to the store cupboard, knowing it is likely to contain 301b. or over of the most delicious nectar for the bees to feast on during the next seven months. In earlier districts, and especially where extracting takes place, it is wise to assure oneself by ocular demonstration that the bees have from 251b. to 351b. of healthy stores before pack- ing them for the winter. Indeed, a great part of the success of next season depends on the present condition of the colony in regard to food, so nothing should be left to chance ; mere guessing is fallacious, and may lead to disaster. See what is inside, and if your calculation is less than your ideal total stores make it up with good, thick, well-prepared syrup. Err rather on the side of over much. A well- known writer says he likes "millions of stores" in the biood frames in April and 3G2 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Sept. U, 1911, May, or before fruit bloom, and other early sources yield a stimulating supply to encourage rajDid breeding in late spring and early summer. That should be our ideal. Coronation Edition of the '"B.B.K. Guide Book." — New edition follows new edition so steadily and statedly that we are apt to look on it as a matter of fact. This, the twentieth in number, is better than any of its predecessors, and more up to date. It seems appropriate, too, that j it should happen to come in Coronation year. What changes have taken place in apiculture since the first issue of the '' Guide Book " appeared in 1881 — just thirty years ago ! A guide book in fact, as well as in name, being founded on practical knowledge thoroughly tested, it rapidly established itself, and has led and continued an easy first from then up to the present. Not only is it the standard work in the British Isles, but it is recognised as being in the first rank wherever .the English language is spoken. Further editions have also been pub- lished, translated into French, German, Danish, Swedish, Spanish, Dutch and Russian, as the preface informs us. Few features are at pi-esent bulking so largely in the apicultural world as bee diseases, and this newest edition deals with the most recent investigations, and records the latest facts in all the many troubles that afflict the bee-keeper and the bees. That the "Guide Book" will soon " come of age" by a demand for a twenty-first edition would be a crowning reward to the veteran author, and the rapid sale augurs well for such a consummation at an early date. Features of the Season. — Several of these are well worth recording. It has been a season of abnormal swarming, of which many instances might be given. One skeppist started the season with only three " ruskies." He ended with thirteen ! One swarmed four times, all ionr giving a good account of themselves. One swarm swarmed twice. .\t least five of the collec- tion will average oOlb. net weight. Runaway swarms have been a leading feature ; almost everybody has had one or more of these, and the worst of it is most of the runaways went to regions un- known. Many instances have come under my notice of swarms giving a surplus of from forty to fifty sections, and several cases are known to me of swarmed stocks yielding a like return. AVhore bees were in good heart in those glorious days of the first fortnight in July, supers were filled as if by magic. After- wards the season proved too hot and too dry, so that even in fine weather the amount of storing bore no piojoortion to the apparent amount of foraging by the bees. They toiled willingly, but nectar secretion yielded only tiny driblets. Worse still, in :nost northern regions the heather bloomed poorly, and rather aggravatingly dried off very quickly, so that the yield was short. I never observed the bloom v/ither up so quickly or at so early a date. All who have obtained heather surplus should stand out for a good price. My own returns varied from 1001b. down to a blank — and there were too many cf these latter, thanks to disease! The Honeymaker. — "The bee is itself one of the most wonderful proofs of the goodness and power of God. That within so small a body should be contained apjjaratus for converting the " virtuous s\\'eets " which it collects into one kind of nourishment for itself, another for the common brood, a third for the royal jorincesses, glue for its carpentry, wax for its cells, poison for its enemies, honey for its master, with a proboscis almost as long as the body itself, microscopic in its several parts, telescopic in its mode of action, with a sting so infinitely sharp that, were it magnified by the same glass which makes a needle's point seem a quarter of an inch, it would yet be in- visible, and this, too, a hollow tube; that all these varied operations and con- trivances should be enclosed within half an inch of length and two 'grains of matter, while in the same " small room " the "large heart" of at least thirty distinct instincts is contained, is surely enough to crush all thoughts of atheism and materialism, without calling in the aid of twelve heavy volumes of " Bridge- water Treatises." I was so taken with the above long-involved sentence when 1 read it that I determined to quote it for the benefit of B.J. readers. It is a fact that this small creature is a multuin in jxirvo, a small body with a large intelli- gence, and many of the organs are a marvel of perfection in design, construc- tion, and the perfection in which they cany out their various functions ; and although the bee is " little among the fowls, yet doth her fruit pass in sweet- ness." Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. ROSS-SHIRE NOTES. [8244] In reply to Mr. Woodley (page 355), the colony cured of paralysis was caught in time, so no extreme- Sept. 14, igil.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 365 measures were required. The cure in this case was an antiseptic dummy board sup- plied by Mr. Simmins, and the result complete recovery with a surplus of 1901b. section honey and increase as well. I hope Mr. Simmins will favour us with the results of his investigations into the cause and cure, of this mysterious bee- malady. Later on, J may describe my own experiences. Meantime, honey-sell- ing claims all our attention. Luckily, the bees need none in the way of feeding, so dear sugar concerns us not apiculturally. The excellent heather harvest filled up supers and store combs alike, so amp'e packing for the predicted severe winter is all we n(:K?d attend to in the apiary. This has been a " slump " summer for stocks and shares of all kinds, but investors in ajjicul- turai " stocks " have no reason to com- plain. Personally, I have sold more honey than ever before with little trouble, and at a fairly good price. Like Mr. Crawshaw, I should be glad to hear how " Medicus " has fared at the heather this season. My own results from shallow brood-chambers were good, and in one instance excellent. — J. M. Ellis, Ussie Vallev. HOW TO FIND A MARKET FOR HONEY. rS245] The year 1911 will be a memor- able one in many respects to bee-keepers, chiefly for the way the Press has ex- loosed their troubles by giving pro- minence in the columns of papers and magazines to the disease amongst bees, the recognition of the bee industry in the form of a Government grant to extend the sphere of usefulness of the British Bee-keepers' Association, and last, but not least, the good honey harvest. Amidst the rejoicing over the latter, we hear occasionally a discordant note coming from the younger class of bee-keepers : ■■ What shall I do with the honey now I have got it? " These have probablj^ started bee-keeping during the last two or three years, and in consequence of small returns, little surplus has had to be disposed of. This year the novice is called upon to show his capacity from the business standpoint, and unless he l>elongs to an association which assists its members to find a market for their honey he will have to enter into the commercial chase and find a market himself. The usual method of going about this is to take the honey to a market town and offer it to tlie tradesmen, such as the grocer, con- fectioner, dairyman, greengrocer, &c., but by the end of the second or third week of a bountiful season, such as we have had this year, the tradesman has as much as he requires, therefore our novice. after searching the town over, finds theie is a glut in the market. He then has to de- cide on a course — whether to take it home, hand it in to the auction mart, or become the victim of the smart trader, who may offer him a ]-idiculous price for his goods. Whichever course he adopts the question will arise in his mind, " Does bee-keeping pay? " No doubt here comes the beuefit of combination amongst bee-keepers to decide on the price at which honey should be sold at their particular centre; it also makes possible the establishment of a central depot where honey could be taken, and the bee-keeper rest assured that he will get fair treatment as regards grading the honey and disposing of it at the market value. Where no association of this kind exists the bee-keeper must eith^^r dispose of his produce to the local trader, or become his own trader and cultivate the business instinct. To be successful in this, he must first decide upon the class of market he will cater for, first, that for household purposes in the form of sections or exti acted honey suitable for the table, secondly, that used by manufacturers, such as wholesale chemists, sugar-boilers, confectioners, biscuit makers, and pro- prietary medicine manufacturers. The honey in this case is sent away in bulk, in half to 5cwt. lots. If deciding to supply in the latter form, unless he has a large quantity, it Avould be wise to find through his county secretary, some bee-keeper who works with a similar object, and get him to give a price for his whole stock ; it will save the trouble of finding a manufacturer and also be a saving in carriage. In deciding to search for good customers for the domestic grade of honey, the bee- keeper should remember that honey is chiefly gathered in the country, therefore, the best market is the non-producing centres such as the large industrial towns and seaside resorts. A few in- sertions of an advertisement in the trade papers which deal in honey, say, the grocery and confectioners' trades, the bee journals. Exchange and Mart, &c., will be helpful. And if it is desired to fix on a certain town and concentrate one's endeavours to create a, market on it, get to know the best local paper and put ia a few insertions of a smartly-worded advertisement. There are advertising agents who would help one, and it could all be worked through them. A personal canvass, however, will prove a most effectual way of establishing a business connection. Say a day-trip is taken to a seaside town; a case with a few samples of sections and honey in jars got up in different ways ready for the counter trade, with a good label and address on same, should be taken. If not 364 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Sept. 14, 1911. acquainted with the names of the traders in the town the Public Library will pro- vide a directory from which to get the names and addresses. Select the best and most up-to-date shops. Ask to see the buyer — a snub may be received, but never mind that. Don't say you have some- thing new to dispose of, but some of the finest Wiltshire honey to show him. If he pauses, flash the siimples before him. You may effect a sale or. not, but leave your card. "Card?" Yes. Not an old envelope that has done service through | the post with your name on, but a smart business card, say with a photo of your apiary on one side and printed matter on the other. These cards can be had for a few shillings per 100, and as for the block, write to the Editor of the "B.B.J.," he will help you. You may find it a full day, but one which you will look back upon v\ith much pleasure and profit, for, once get a customer and ser\ e him well, you are fairly sure of your market for the future. Another method is to enter honey at ,the '"Grocery" and "Dairy" shows. Buyers and sellers meet here in the busi- ness atmosphere of England's honey market. You will also see how honey and bee produce is jirepared for the market to perfection. When sending honey by rail, have a label un each package witii HONEY boldly printed, and name and address. Smart men are always on the look out for fresh fields for business, and even this detail may bring customers. You may say, " I don't want all this fuss and bother." Well, try a few methods nearer home. Have you tapped your own neighbourhood? You may live in a village Viith fifty to a hundred residents. Do they know you have honey fof sale ? — even thongli they are aware that you keep bees. Procure a printed card, which may be placed in the window or in a glazed frame hung in a prominent position : '• Finest Honey for Sale." Have your card sent to the doctor, the clergyman, the manor house, or spend a few hours calling on likely private buyers, both in your own .and the adjoining villages. You will be surprised at the results. Here is an in- cident which shows how a local flower show may add to the bee-keeper's outlet for honey, also how uninformed some of the inhabitants may be of the piroducing powers of their village. I was present at one of these shows; the honey staged was very good, and during the afternoon a lady inquired if there was any for sale. Knowing that one of the bee-keepers had squeezed in a dozen sections with a view to selling them, I said "Yes," and ventured to ask a good price. The order was for six to b^ sent to the Manor House, and the buyer incfuii'ed wliere she could send for more. I a;ave her the name and address of the bee-keeper, and she was surprised to know she could get it in the village. During the day several bee- keepers told me they did not know what to do with their honey. After the above- noted incident, I said sell it, and got a wink from the friend who had secured the Manor House customer. . Here is another incident. On Aug. 19th a cutting was sent on to me, taken from the Bail (J Mail of that date, bewailing the troubles of the Devon bee-keepers; their honey being a drug on the market. Being at a Devon watering-place at the time 1 took a look round. There were several shops in the place, and about 100 visiting families, with a areat number of children. I called at the principal shops and restaurants, but could find no honey, until I discovered at a lock-up greengrocer's shop, in a side street, two sections at the back of the window between a marrow and three cvicundjcis. The condition they were in was not at all inviting, not being clean or glazed, but left just in a condition to be attacked by wasps and flies. I asked the price, and was told Is. ; I then ven- tured a further question : " Much honey about this year, and getting good sales? " The reply was " No." I believed it, for the seventeen davs after that I kept my eye on tl.e viindow the total sales were not more than six. Now, if the young bee- keeper is to get rid of his honey, and at the best price, he must push through the glut of his own district and find his market outside, and, having once secured his customers, when a shorter crop comes another year he will be able to help his brother bee-keeper by buying up his surplus lioney. — J. E. Pindee, Salisbury. CONTROLLED FERTILIZATION OF : QUEENS. [82-16] While ' ecently perusing a Con- sular Report a statement caught my eye in reference to bee-keeping in Egypt. One passage says that " He (Professor Blandenier), by cutting the wing of the queen bee, has been able to bring about fertilization while in captivity, aiicl so pre- vent swarming." Now what does this mean'^ Can it be that our Vice-Consul at Alexandria has got things slightly mixed. One can understand that the oiJeration will prevent the loss of swarms, but will the cutting of the queen's wing ever prevent a colony from swarming J" Even assuming that fertilization of the queen by this means has been controlled to any degree successfully, the question arises. What influence to prevent the natural tendency to swarm can this exert over the normal conditions of affairs when copulation takes place on the wing? Sept. 14, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 365 Evidently Professor Blandenier has been to some extent successful in his experi- ments, for an article has been published by him entitled, '" FecomJation des mirrs abcillf's en captlvitf . Puhlirntions df hi Societe (/' Histoiic NaturpUf d^llej-andric No. 3, 1910." I do not remember seeing a review of this work. Can we persuade '■ Nemo " to come to the rescue with a brief account of the actual experiments? It is indeed welcome to see that the value of bees for the fertilization of fruit is recognised in Egypt, and as stated " canriot be over-estimated." Bee-keeping is recommended to be taken up on the many fruit farms now being established. It is said the native honey, though very sweet, has little flavour, but in spite of this there is a considerable local demand at good prices. — Georgei W. Judge, Dartford. ANOTHER STRIKE. [8247] Some human beings are said to have a '"bee in their bonnet," — though, by the way, one might ask : " Can anyone have a bonnet without a 'b ' in it?" — if they are somewhat erratic in their ways of thinking and acting ; and no wonder, as the following story of a swarm of bees will show. The writer, to begin with, this year had three beehives loyally painted Red, White, and Blue, sitting in his garden in that order, and with a promising stock of bees in each hive. Six of the twelve frames in each were well covered with bees in the early spring. All that need be said about the White hive is that it sent off a j^rime swarm ou July 4th, which was treated in the ordi- nary way by starting a new colony. And anything that maj^ be said about the Blue hive is in the way of striking contrast to the Red hive, which turned out to be the truly erratic one of the season. Alike on Red and Blue, "supers" were placed on June 6th. On the 16th of the same month, both hives were examined, and queen-cells were seen to have been formed in both, but more decidedly in the Red hive. All queen cells were cut out, as no further increase of colonies was desired. The Bine hive never swarmed all the season, and has yielded over 601b. of honey. But the Red hive, on July 7th, sent off its '■ 1023 swarm." which I put back after having again cut out all the queen cells. The queen, a second-year one, was duly o))servefl as the bees were marching back in the evening to the hive. The very next day, howevei, the swarm again came off, lighting conveniently on both occa- sions, on a pooseberrv 1)ush near the hive The same returning process was gone through, and again the queen was seen. July -Jth passed v/ithout further outside movement, but July 10th was a specially warm day. and off came the swarm for the third time m the very joresence of their displeased and frowning owner. As there was now a special fear of the bees taking a longer fliglit this time, use was made of the spray, and also of a tea-tray and drumstick. The bees again settled on the same gooseberry bush, only this time in two clusters. Nevertheless, they were dealt with as one swarm, and again re- turned in the evening to the old hive, after I had not only cut out all the queen cells, but removed all brood-combs, anti fillecl their places with drawn-out combs from another hive. On July 11th signs of war having commenced amongst them- selves were seen in the shape of a goodly number of dead bees lying around the entrance to the hive. At once the hive was opened ; no queen was to be seen, but the bees were carefully sprinkled with essence of peppermint. But, perhaps in harmony with July 12th, many more .signs of deadly strife were to be seen. All was so quiet by July 19th that the hive was again examined. No queen could be found, but about half-a-dozen new qtieen cells had again been formed, though no newly-laid eggs wei'e to be seen in the cells. These C(ueen cells were all cut out, except one, which was carefully watched till two daj's past the longest time for hatching-out. The cell was then forcibly opened, and only a half-developed dead queen Avas found inside. On July 27th a young queen, secured from a White hive cell when it swarmed on July 4th, was safely introduced to the Red hive, and by August 7th some eggs, and sealed-brood even, showed that the young queen had very promisingly commenced her reign. The sti-ike had ended, and Mork had decidedly begun. Now this strike, like all others, was doubtless the result of the strike-fever having seized the bees in this Red hive : but one naturally wishes to know why such dissatisfaction, disorder and destruc- tion took place a« stated in the foregoing story. And. therefore. Mr. Editor, you may find space to raise such questions as the follo\\ing : — (1) Was the Red hive rather late in being supered and the Blue taken in time ? (2) Should all the combs of brood and queen cells have been removed before the first returning of the swarm, and not merely at the third returning? (3) Had the insertion of the drawn-out combs from another hive anj-thing to do in originating the unhappy war between bees of the same hive? 36G THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Sept. 14, 1911. (4) And is there any significance to be attacliec! to tlie &wai-m settling into two clusters or the third occasion when they came off? (5) Was that doubling due to the deafening noise of the tea-tray drumming? (6) Would it not be better in the future never to begin putting back a top swarm? Your readers may be interested and in- structed m thinking out for themselves the answers to such questions, and should any one of them be able to throw light on the whole stoiy , it will be gladly welcomed by — A. Perplexed Apiarian, Wolfelee, N.B. INFECTIOUS PARALYSIS. SUPPLEMENTARY TREATMENT, &C. [8248] As I am quite unable to reply fully to the many correspondents who are applying to me since you were good enough to insert the paragraph in the British Bee Journal of Sept. 7 regard- ing the above complaint, may I crave your indulgence in granting me further space that I may explain how diseased stocks can be greatly assisted, and infection to a considerable extent restricted ? I had a serious experience with bee- paralysis in 1879, while residing at Crawley, and at intervals have been appealed to for advice as to the cure of paralysis from local poisoning and other mild forms of that trouble, but I had heard of nothing in this country so serious until the late havoc was caused among Isle of Wight and English apiaries. I had no difficulty in disposing of the complaint over thirty years ago, and my clients were always able to cure the more simple cases referred to by following my suggestions. With regard to the present insidious disease, the query crops up in different quarters, " Why did you not bring forward your present remedy sooner?" lliat is a very natural question ; but while assured in my own mind that the plague was curable (without destroying anything), it would have been unwise to have made the proposed cure publicly known until after I had first placed it in the hands of a niiml)er of practical bee-keepers, who would give it a fair trial and carefully report the results. This has been done, and I have to thank those who have thus helped on* the good cause by their careful attention to details, both in the application of the remedy and in their final reports. Notwithstanding that the first apjilica- tion of the I'emedy has been known to prove immediately efficacious, my advice is that periodical applications should be made, even after an apparent cure, so that the malady may be eventually worn out. Considering the insidious nature of the disease, although apparently a very simple mattei- under the treatment I offer, I am compelled to advise all bee-owners to treat every stock, Avell or ill, with periodical applications of the remedy, as being the only means of the plague reach- ing a finality. I should like to point out the absolute necessity of collecting and destroying daily all the sick and crawling bees, as they are the most serious source of in- fection to other colonies, and of continued infection to remaining members of their own. I have most convincing evidence from various apiaries that the disease has quickly subsided where this very important matter has been carefully attended to ; and I have reason to state that had this. been done when the malady first ajipeared in apiaries already destroyed, a large number of stocks Avould have been saved. As much ventilation as possible should be given according to the season. Here I must quite agi'ee with Mr. Stajiletor: . He considers the trouble a foul-air disease ; but most diseases are of this nature, and are largely jDrevented or expelled where a free suj^jaly of fresh air can be allowed. There are now many colonies with stock combs dangerously crowded with pollen and other stores, but Avith a meagre population, which cannot in any sense be^ considered fit to go through the winter even without disease being in evidence.^ In such cases a young queen should nave- been given last month, and a cake of candy placed over the frames, as the only means of turning the excess of food into a profitable surplus of bees, and at the same time clearing the central spaces of pollen. Syrup-feeding will not bring about the desii-ed result at this season where the combs are already clogged. While advocating the use of candy as a stimulant when breeding is desirable, I am compelled to condemn it utterly as a winter food. Wliere syrup-feeding is desirable, as in but few instances this year, it is very- necessary that no thin syrup should remain unsealed, as this will attract further moisture during winter, and will be an- aggravating cause of dwindling in the- spring, should disease be in evidence. If we look at the opposite extreme, much of the store in hives already abundantly supplied with honey will be- very thick, if not granulated, by the early spring; and this will also result in a form of dwindling through the bees searching for water, or, failing to secure it, they will suffer from semi-starvation. In this case an early supply of warm, thin syrup, even as early as February, if the bees are seen to be restless, will bo the best method of supplying water. Contrary to the fears expressed by many of my cor revspon dents, it is the- absence and not the jiresence of fresh thiit Sept. 14, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 36T syrup that may result in ordinary dysentery and dwindling in spring ; and now that we may have a secret enemy to deal with, we must carefully re-consider all those items that are most essential for bringing bees through the winter success- fully. Bee-owners should watch for the first symptoms of danger. One palsied bee clinging to the frames or sides of the hive, one crawling helpless bee in front of the hive, should be a warning, but not in any sense a cause of panic. "A stitch in time saves nine " is an old adage that applies with full force in this connection, as in all bee-manipulations. — S. Simmins, Heathfield. A BEE STOKY. [S219] I always read the reports in the " B.B.J.'' with interest and profit, but the comments in "'Capping-s of Comb" (see page 337) on Mr. Byles' contribution in your is>sue of July 20 causes amuse- ment also. A gentleman who carries away a hive full of bees and presumably the stand, thinking it to be the super, cannot expect to go through life without s_ome unique experiences. From the year (probably the same as Mr. Byles re- calls) comes an account of a musical pro- fessor who was carried several hundred yards by the rising of a swarm of bees which had entangled themselves in his flowing hair. Bees capable of doing this can easily be credited with Mr. Byles' story. Our friend must be a very tall man since it would be absurd to expect bees to be alarmed by a fall of less than three feet. The ends of the stings left in correspondent's back may in time begin to grow. We would suggest the use of a safety razor rather than the continnal application of sandpaper. — Credulous, Lancaster. Queries and Replies. [8-207] Dfaling w'tfh Driven Bees.— On Aug. 4 I brought home the greater of two stocks of bees driven from skeps, with one queen, and I hived them in a new W.B.C". hive with ten full sheets of foundation. I did not feed them until a week ago, Avhen I gave them some candy, which they devoured with avidity. They have a lot of brood, some young l>ees just out, also a considerable amount of honey, and are working well upon six frames. Ten days ago they had no stores vealed, but on August 26 they had just begun to seal a few cells. I have been advised to continue with candy, as being less messy than syrup. On Saturday I reduced the number of frames to eight, and should like to know : (1) Is this, the proper number upon which to winter the stock? (2) If I continue with candy will the bees store and seal this for winter food? (3) About how much candy would they require, and how much should be given at a time? (4) Upon examining my other stock a week ago I found two queen cells, which I promptly removed. If I had left them would the young queen have been allowed to remain as a virgin until spring? I have not seen a drone for some two weeks now. (5) In the ordinary course of events, which queen comes out with the swarm, the old or the young one? — T.P., Ipswich. Reply. — (1) If Avell-filled with sealed stores eight combs will suffice to winter the bees on. (2) You should not feed with candy now. Good thick syrup as per recipe in '" Guide Book " should be given. Candy is an emergency food, and should be given when packing down, as a safe- guard against a possible shortage in winter or very early spring, before it is possible to ojien the hives for examina- tion. (3) The cakes should be given in the lib. size. It is diflicult to say how muc'i the bees would consume, as much depends upon the weather ; but no doubt they would take a large quantity, and it is much more expensive than syrup. (4) It is just possible, but improbable. (5) The old queen leaves with a swarm, young queens with a cast. The right way to have dealt with the driven bees was to have fed them by means of a bottle-feeder right from the time they were hived. Had you done so they would have now plenty of sealed stores and brood, also in all probability they would have built out all the combs. [8203] Uslmj the Bee-escape.— (1) Will you be good enough to tell me, when putting on the bee-escape under tivo section racks, which is the most convenient way to move them, with least disturbance to the bees? (2) The nights being very chilly, I have put extra covering on the hives, but the days are so hot that possibly it is bad for the bees when the sun is pouring down on them all day. How do you advise in this case? (3) I have a quantity of beautiful sections, all clean, and part of them glazed. Already I have sold a dozen at 12s., and yet the "Daily Mail" is booming section honey at 7d. a section. Surely our pure English honey, well put up, is worth more than this? I should like to know what you consider a fair price retail, free delivery? I have taken a* prize this year for section honey, and do not feel inclined to sell it at the price at which foreign honey can be obtained. — M. W. B., Andover. Reply — (1) The best plan is to ease the two section-racks together, and not 368 THE BlUTlSfl BEE JOURNAL. [Sept. 14, 1911. separate them. You can then lift them both clear from the hive, putting them cross-coruer-wise on the lifts, and not on the ground, to prevent dirt and stones sticking to the bottom. Put the escape in jDosition, and the racks back on top. At this time of the year it is better to carry out the operation in the evening, to avoid robbing. (2) There is no need to alter the wrappings at this time of the year; just let them alone. (3) We quite agree with you that if prepared properly, English honey of good quality will always realize a better price than foreign. The "Daily Mail" has made a mistake in quoting as a retail price that which is paid for hone^ in bulk by the cwt. Also it evidently does not know the difference between comb and extracted, or clover and heather honey. It is a case of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. Sections will fetch Is. each retail, and wholesale from 10s. to lis. per dozen. No doubt many people would be glad to purchase sections at 7d. each. [8209] Late Sa-arm. — A swarm issued from one of my stocks on Sept. oth, and thinking it very ususual, I should like to know if anyone else has experienced a similar occurrence. The old queen remained apparently as long as she could, and on opening the hive a few minutes after the swarming came off, I found a great number of queen cells (about twenty) ; most of them had hatched, the rest were quite ready to do so. I took three virgins direct off the combs, and believe I have killed every virgin. There were drones present. The combs contained only sealed brood, and no eggs. The swarm, which weighed 41b. 14oz., I put back in the evening. The stock is headed by an Italian queen, and had swarmed before this season ; before doing so it gathered about 681b. of honey, and has now about enough stores left to winter on. Can you explain this unusual occurrence ? (2) On opening a hive containing a 1911 queen, I found the bees not very strong in numbers, but there was a little brood sealed over in worker cells. Do you think that this young queen is not a good one? She is a good length, but rather small, being a hybrid Italian. Would you suggest destroying her and uniting the bees with another lot, or wall it be safe to leave her for the winter ? Reply. — (1) Want of ventilation during hot weather no doubt caused the bees to Kwarm at an unusual time. (2) From what you say the queen is not as good as she might be^ and we should unite as you suggest. [8210] Working for E^L'trjctcd Honeji. — in this district we are fortunate in having a crop from both clover and heather. and I shall be glad to know whether you consider the lol- lowing system to be the most economical I could adojit in working for ex- tracted honey : In spring the bees are given shallow frame supers containing full sheets of foundation. The clover honey is extracted and empty combs re- turned for the heather. The combs arf^ then cut out of the frames and pr!*ssed. the wax being sent to be re-made iiiiu foundation. Old frames are cleaned up, new foundation inserted, and the process repeated each year. — A. B., Leeds. Reply. — We do not see that you could follow a better plan. [8211] Transferring Bees from Skep. — In carrying out the above operation when tlie queen had taken possession ot^ the fi-ame hive, I removed the skep, fully expecting the bees to retain drones until a virgin queen wiis fertilised, but they destroyed the drones the day after the separation. On examining the hive three days later, I found two c^ueen-cells built, and knowing that the queen could not be fertilised, I sent for a lot of driven bees with a young queen, preparing the hive in the meantime for uniting by fixing a dummy in the centre of the body box, partly made of perforated zinc, also mak- ing the entrances at opposite corners. The bees arrived late owing to the strike, and after three days in separate com- partments they united peaceably on dust- ing Avith a little flour. Forgetting to look for the hatched queen. I left them till day- light, it being too dark when I got them safely united. I should therefore like to know : Will the bees destroy the virgin, or leave her till the rival queens decide matters for themselves ? The bees seem to have settled clown, and are working all right : it is now three days since they were united. — J. T. Heslop. Reply. — You do not make the matter quite clear. We judge from what you say that the skep was taken off and the queen put in it to make a separate stock, other- wise why was it necessary to have a queen reared in frame hive? You should have let the old queen remain ; also had skep driven clear of bees, which should have been run in at the entrance to join tiiose already in frame-hive to make a good stock. We do not think the bees will destroy the virgin, but the other, and no doubt you will find in the spring a drone-breeding queen. Better make sure now and see if worker brood is hatching; if not, find and destroy the queen and introduce a fertile one without delay. [8212] Transferring to New Hive in Autumn. — I have bought a stock of bees on frames which have not been fitted witli foundation, and there are also no metal ends on them. Consequently the bees have Sept. 14, 19n.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 3G9 built combs in all shapes and braced them together. I want to transfer them to some new frames, and have taken anothei- hive off the floor-board and placed it on the top of the old one. It contains frames with full sheets of foundation and two frames of honey. Would it be possible to drive them up in the ordinary way later on, M'hen the brood is hatched out? — J. Benington, Peakirk. Rei'LV. — It is too late to deal with the bees this season. Let them stay where they are until next spring, then work them down as instructed (in the case of skeps) in " Guide Book." [8213J Frcidinr Xoisr in Hiv<'.— I shaW be i^leased if you will explain through the British Bee Journal the cause of a peculiar muttering sound which has been going on in one of my hives for some days. I can hear it distinctly in the house, ten yards away. I am only a beginner with this delightful hobby, and also a new reader of your valuable journal. — E. Harper, Sedbergh. Reply. — It may be that in manipulating you have imprisoned some of the bees under the quilt, or more probably it is caused by want of ventilation. When this is the case, bees Avill often make an intermittent noise such as you describe. WEATHER REPORT. Barnwood, Rainfall, 149 in. Below average, ■84 in. Heaviest fall, Al in. on 27th. Total to date, 9-82 in., as compared with 20- 79 in. for the cor- responding period of last year. Mean maximum tem- perature, 7 7 2; 7'2 degrees ab -ve average. Mean minimum tem- perature, 56'3 ; 23 nbove average Warmest day, 9tb, 93-2, Coldest night, 30th, 41. Gloucester. August, 1911. Mean temperature for month, G6"7; 4'7 above average. Relative humidity, or percentage of moisture in the air at 9 a.m.. 65. Number of days with sky completely overcast at 9 a.m., 5; ditto cloudless, 7. Percentage of cloud, 36. Percentage of wind force, 20. Prevailing directions, E. & S.W. P. H. Fowler (F. R. Met. Soc). Bee Shows to Come. September 14. at Castle-Douglas. — Annual Show of South of Scotland Beekeepers Associa- tion. Five open classes; Three 1-lb. jars extracted, aOs., 10s., and 5s.; three sections, ditto (Entry 2s.). lib. jar, also one section, 5s., 3s., and 2s. (Entry free, and exhibits retained unless otherwise agreed upon). Beeswax, 5s., 3s., and 2s. (Entry 6d.). Fourteen classes for members. Entries closed. September 16 to 23, at the Agricultural Hall, London. — Honey Show in connection with the 19th Annual Exhibition and Market of the Grocery and Kindred Trades. Liberal prizes. Open to all British Bee-Keepers. Schedules from H. S. Rogrers, Secretary, Exhibition Offices, Palmerston House, Old Broad Street, London, E.G. September 26, at Horniman Hall, North End, Croydon.— Exclusive Show of Honey, Wax, Hives, Bees, &c. Increased prizes. Six Open Classes. Judge, Mr. W. Herrod, F.E.S. Schedules from A. Wakerell, 21, Mansfield Road, Croydon. Entries close September 16. September 27, at Altrincham.— Honey Show, in connection with the Altrincham Agricultural Show, the largest one-day show in the Kingdom. Classes open to United Kingdom. Classes for Trophy of Honey, for Best Hive, Observatory Hive with Bees and Queen, twelve Jars of Extracted Honey. Classes open to County of Chester, for Run and Section Honey, Wax, Ac. Special Classes for Cottagers, and Special Classes for Society's District. Several Special Jubilee prizes. Entries closed. October 3 to 6, at the Agricultural Hall,^ liondcn.— Show of Honey and Bee Produce in con- nection with the British Dairy Farmers' Associa- tion. Numerous and liberal prizes for Honey, &c. Entries closed. Notices to Correspondents. Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu^ facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space devoted to letters, queries, and replies is meant for the general good of bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately folloiving the receipt of their communica- tiojis. Droke (London). — Period of Honey YichL — If the season is a favourable one, you would most probably get a return in May from the cherry orcliards .it Faversham. In all three places you mention the honey flow commences, about June in a normal season. Scot. — Dealinrj with Diseased Stock. — You must confine them for forty-eight hours without food. When returned tO' a clean hive, feed them with medicated syrup. W. M. C. (Burgess B.i\l). ^Winter in g.— 1. You should rear a piece of glass in front of the entrance. 2. It is not advisable to try fewer than five frames. H. R. H. (Stoke Fevvy).—Bee Smoker.— Any of vhe firms advertising in the JouRNAi/ will supioly you with a " Bing- liam " smoker. Amateur (Worsley). — Uncappi7Hi Partly- biidt Coinhs. — Use a small knife, by means of which you can easily uncap the cells. It would not be advisable to allow the honev to remain until next 370 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Sept. 14, 1911, season, as it will granulate. After ex- tracting, give the combs back to the bees to clean up. W. Gr. (Briton Ferry). — Uniting Bees. — The best plan to adopt will be to move 4, 5, 6, and 7 one yard per day, when the bees are flying, to the sides of Nos. 1, 2, and 3. When they have been stand- ing close together for a couple of days, you can unite, as the bees will remain. Honey Samples. J. C. (Newton). — All the samples are of good quality. No. 1 being a light- coloured honey of good flavour and aroma, but not dense enough to con- stitute a perfect sample ; Nos. 2 and 4 slightly darker in colour, but of excellent flavour, and better in consistency than No. 1. ; No. 3, a light-coloured clover honey with similar characteristics as No. 1. ; No. 5, a medium-coloured honey from mixed sources. It is granulated, but the flavour is very good. X. Y. Z. (Birmingham). — An intensely sweet sample with a slight trace of lime flavour about it, but the general char- acteristics more resemble fruit-syrup than honey. It is cloudy in appearance, of a pinkish colour, and very dense. PosTCAKD (Hereford). — A rather thin, dark honey of fairly good flavour. Having been stored in old combs, you could not expect it to be of first-class flavour and aroma. It has been gathered from mixed sources, chiefly from fruit- blossoms. More careful straining would improve it. The honey this season is of • excellent quality as a rule, and very little honey-dew can be heard of. Your sample does not contain any. Market (Shrewsbury). — A very good honey, gathered partly from limes. W. D. (Plumstead).^Both samples are of good colour, No. 1 being best in flavour, it having been chiefly obtained from limes. No. 2 is of inferior quality, lacking flavour .and density. X. Y. Z. (Wilts). — Honey has been gathered from mixed sources, including clover. It is, however, of poor flavour, lacking in density, and shows signs of granulation. ¥7e should not call it a good table honey. W. H. C. (Worcester).— Dark honey con- taining an admixture from ragwort, which has spoiled the flavour. We would not consider it good enough for ex- hibition purposes. Though the density is good, the flavour leaves much to be desired. T. T. W. (Gloucester). — A dark coloured honey of good flavour and density. From mixed sources with slight trace of lime flavour. It is good enough to exhibit in dark honey class, but oi course its chance of securing a prize depends upon what is brought into com- petition with it. Specia.1 Prepaid Advertisements. Two Words One Penny, mlnlmuni Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertioni entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees. Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 38. per i in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. BEST PURE EXTRACTED HONEY, 281b. tins, 14s., lever tins free.— BARFIELD, Broom. Biggleswade. FOR SALE, EXTRACTOR (Lee's guinea), good condition; also combined Ripener and Strainer, 15s. the lot.— WAKERELL, 21, Mansfield-road, Croydon. MR. EASTON, of Bankwood, begs to inform the numerous Bee-keepers who replied to his advertisement last week that most of the Appli- ances have been sold. The remainder and the 12 Stocks of Bees will be included in an auction sale to be held at Bankwood, Charing, Kent, on Wed- nesday, 20th September. Catalogues from Denyer and Collins, Tonbridge^ m 45 FOR SALE, several 8, 9, 10 Comb Colonies British Bees, no Hives, 30s. each. C. J. ASHWORTH. bee expert, Heytesbury. m 53 WANTED, Extractor, perfect order and cheap. —Particulars to HANSFORD, 68, Brantfell- road, Blackburn. m 55 HONEY, choice clover, well ripened, 60s. cwt., good medium blend, 56s.; sample, 3d.— THOS. E. ATKINS, Leire, Lutterworth. m 57 VOLUMES " B.B.J.", 1 to 13, bound, some very rare, £3; also large quantity of other Bee Books; list on application.— ABBOTT, Merchants' Quay, Dublin. FOR SALE. 3-h.p. Lloyd Motor Cycle, in good condition. Palmer's tyres; price £6 10s.; also 3^-h.p. Lincoln Elk, just been overhauled, very fast and reliable; new tyres; a bargain, £11 10s.— H. DRAYTON, New Boiingbroke, near Boston. m 6 HONEY, good colour, flavour and well ripened, 58s. per cwt. on rail; tins free; Jib. sample six stamps.— J. IRELAND, Vernham, Hungerford, Berks. [_2i IT^OR SALE, 10^ ACRES OF LAND, well built bungalow, good outbuildings, fruit trees, &c. —JOHNSON. Sheepdrove, Lambourn, Berks, m 17 ORIGINAL pattern Yorkshire Heather Honey Press, new. fully tinned; price and particu- lars.-HOOD, Whitby. ^ mJi TO LARGE BUYERS.— 9cwt. good light-coloured Honey, and 16 doz. Sections from own Bees, for eale — DAVID HANCOX, Deddington, Oxon. ^ ^L^ ORIGINAL AND BEST RYMER HEATHER HONEY PRESS for sale.-THOS. HOOD, Whitby. "^ '^^ HONEY, finest Essex, 14s. per 28lb. tin, care- fully packed, free on rail; sample, 2d.— J. PEARCE, 14 Kent-road, Grays, Essex. m 82 WANTED, Series of Micro Slides illustrative of the Anatomy of the Honey Bee.— BAR_- BOUR, Ramsey, Man^ *" °[ r n lib. SECTIONS HONEY, 35s cash with e>U order.— H. TURK, 101, Rivers Corner, Stur^ minster Newton, Dorset. '" ^^ FOR SALE, PURE ENGLISH HONEY in 561b. tins; sample 2d..-LAW, Cuckoo, Ashwell, Baldock, Herts. "^ '^' BRAND new W.B.C. Abbott Bros." Hive, com plete with Sections in patent Irames. cost ?7s 6d • al.so*4 Lfie's W.B.C. Hives good condition. Offers wanted.-FRY, Lucerne, Horley, Surrey, m 74 Sept. 21, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. Editorial, Notices, &c. ^^OSEMA DISEASE AND DYSENTERY. At the conference of the German, Austrian, and Hungarian Bee-keepers, held at Constance, on August 8th, Di-. Walter Hein, of the Biological Experi- mental Station, Munich, read a paper re- garding this disease, which has of late occujDied a great deal of attention on the Continent of Europe as well as in this country, owing to its close resemblance to what has been called " Isle of Wight " disease. Although Dr. Hein does not entirely agree with Dr. Zander, he corroborates his findings, and says that we are indebted to him for his investiga- tions, and for giving the name of Noseina apis to the parasite, but points out that the discovery is not quite new, for so far l)ack as the middle of the last century Donhoff and Leuckart had both noticed it, but had supposed it to be of fungoid origin. The parasites, as such, live a certain time in the bees in which they are found, and at a later period turn to spores. In order that these may develop into living parasites, they must be excreted or escape from a dead hee, and then conveyed to a living one. The nosema parasites live in the cellular lining of the intestines, and then turn into spores, which are evacuated together with the detached cells, and are then in a fit condition to infect other bees. When it is considered that, intro- duced into the stomach of a bee, a single spore can in a very short time multiply a uundred- or even a thousand-fold, it is not surprising that when the intestine, or more especially the chyle-stonuich is ex- amined under a microscope, thousands of these spores are found to be present. Dr. Hein refers to Dr. Donhoff, who in 1857 experimented with bees which he, as well as Dr. Leuckart, thought to be affected with a fungoid disease. That they did not recognise the animal nature of the parasite is not surprising, for at that time unicellular animals, such as these protozoa, were quite unknown, and it is only the researches of the last decade that have enabled scientists to class these parasites amongst animals, where we now find them. Donhoff found that the chyle- stomach was the chief point of attack by the parasite, and demonstrated its in- fective nature by feeding bees. He also showed the extent to which the disease existed. Of 36 colonies in Hanover, four were diseased ; of 260 in Wiirtemberg, four were diseased: of 25 in Westphalia, 14 Avere found to be affected, and Dr. Dzierzon had at that time 60 colonies affected by the parasite. He attributed the spreading of the disease to the use of moveable comb hives, by the introduction of combs from diseased to healthy colonies. Leuckart also found the " small oval bodies" which "showed no cellulose reaction," in the chyle-stomach, as did also Leydig in 1863. There is, therefore, little doubt but that these "small oval bodies '' were none other than what, according to Dr. Zander, we now recognise as nosema spores, in consequence of a better understanding resulting from the use of more perfected instruments and better methods of research. As an instance in point we can mention that Dr. Maassen has been able to produce over 100 photo-micrographs which show the whole life history of nosema av'is, so that now we know all about this protozoon. Dr. Hein says that bee-keepers are interested in all practical questions that concern their industry ; they desire to have strong colonies which will develop at the right time, and yield a good return. It is therefore important for them to know : (1) if this parasite is the direct cause of dysentery, as Dr. Zander thinks ; (2) how to recognise this nosema disease; and (3), what should be done to prevent the spread- ing of the infection. With regard to the first. Dr. Hein admits with Zander, Maassen, and others that bees containing nose7na are diseased, and that they may suffer from dysentery, but points out that a large number of. colonies, the bees of which were found to< contain the protozoon, passed the winter very well and showed no signs of dysentery or May-pest, although he found 90 to 95 per cent, of the bees the intestines of which were completely filled with spores. Dr. Maassen noticed the same thing in Brandenburg, where in certain hives every bee contained the parasite, although these colonies showed no signs of disease. He therefore thinks that nosema is not as dangerous as Dr. Zander supposes it to be, and very much doubts if it really has anything to do with causing dysentery. Experiments have shown, and the observa- tions have been confirmed, that affected colonies can develop in a normal manner, and that the parasite may be present in bees for a long time without causing trouble, so long as they are healthy m other respects. If, however, the conditions are such as to lower the vitality of the bees— for instance, bad wintering, long confinement to the hive, queenlessness or other deteriorating cause, such colonies are very susceptible, and even where nosema is not present, may easily develop dysentery. For this reason. Dr. Hein thinks that nosema is not the primary cause of dysentery, and points out that recent investigations of Dr. Maassen lead him to think that probably the malady is caused by certain bacteria in relation with the pollen consumed by the bees. ■372 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Sept. 21, 1911, With regard to the second question, Dr. Hein does not agree with Dr. Zander that it is always possible for the bee- keeper to detect badly infected bees, even Avithout a microscope, by the white ap- pearance of the chyle-stomach. Although he has found it white in thousands of cases, this colour may be also due to other causes, and the only sure method is to use the microscope, by means of which it can only be determined with certainty whether the bees contain protozoa or the spores. To arrive at a more certain decision, bees intended for examination should be shut up in a box for 8, 10 or 14 days, which would give the parasites time to turn into spores, and any bees at first free from them would by that time have become infected. Dr. Hein says he has very seldom found colonies entirely free from nosema, which is much more prevalent than is supposed. Of 124 colonies ex- amined, in 97 nosema spores were detected in May and June. Several of these colonies examined in July were found to be quite free of the parasites. This showed that young bees resisted the protozoon, and therefore were free from it, and that it is the old bees that carry nosema with them, and are the means of spreading it. In summer, if there are a large number of young bees, the disease seems to decrease, but in spring and autumn, when old bees predominate, the disease re-appears. Lastly, with regard to the prevention of the disease from spreading, Dr. Hein deprecates the idea of destroying every affected colony, and does not think trans- ferring the bees to another hive much use, as thousands of affected bees would go with them, to continue the propagation of the disease. Of course, he advises that all dead bees should be removed, and no reasonable bee-keeper would tolerate such at the entrance, but would, from hygienic considerations, remove them. His con- clusion is that the bees will be able to resist the disease if they are w-ell wintered on good honey, or syrup containing a little pollen, and kept quiet, as well as housed in well-made sanitary hives. Under such conditions, they would remain healthy, even with the parasite in them. Owing to the importance of the subject, we have given a digest of the above paper, for an advance proof of which we are indebted to Dr. Hein. We will only add that although in some cases, and under certain conditions, the parasite may be harmless, it has recently been found as the infective agent in connection with "Isle of Wight" disease, and, knowing the havoc this has caused in this country — where it has assumed an epidemic character — we therefore advise taking dra.stic measures to prevent it from spreading. THE GROCERY AND ALLIED TRADES' EXHIBITION. The Nineteenth International Exhibition of the Grocery and Allied Trades was opened on Saturday last, and will continue until Saturday, the 23rd inst. The good honey season has enabled bee- keepers and traders to make a splendid show of honey, and there is no doubt that ■• The Grocers' " has now become the honey show par excellence of the country, the dis- play this year being a record one, both as regards quantity and quality. The honey department is just ^:s well-arranged and compact as was the case last year, and the exhibits make an imposing display. All the classes are good, and little com- ment is needed, except in the case of the light extracted class, which contains seventy-five exhibits, and forms without doubt, the largest class of honey that has ever been staged in this country. The length of staging it occupies makes a sliow in itself. The medium class is well filled with forty-seven exhibits, and here again a record of its kind has been created. For the rest we can only advise all interested to, if possible, make a point of seeing the show for themselves. Messrs. Jas. Lee and Son and E. H. Tajdor have each staged an excellent collection of bee apjjliances in baj^s in the gallery. Mr. E. Walker judged the exhibits, and made the following awards: — Outfit for a Beginner in Bee-keepincj (four entries). — 1st, Jas. Lee and Son^ Highbury, N. ; 2nd, E. H. Taylor, Welwyn. Displai/ of Honey and Jioneij Products shon-n in Suitably Attractive Form for a Tradesman'.'i Windou: (six entries). — 1st, and B.B.K.A. silver medal, A. S. Dell, Leigh, Lanes. ; 2nd, R. H. Baynes, Cam- bridge; 3rd, J. Pearman, Derby; 4th, C. W. Dyer, Compton, Newbury; v.h.c, Jas. Lee and Son; c, A. G. Wiggins,. Wembley. Twelve 1-lb. Sections {twenty-nine entries) 1st, and B.B.K.A. bronze medal, J. M. Balmbra, Alnwick; 2nd, T. J. Hillier, Andover; 3rd, J. G. Nicholson, Langwathby, Cumberland ; 4th, Jas. Lee and Son ; 5th, A. Hiscock, Lod- dington, Kettering; v.h.c, A. J. Marriott, Market Harborough ; J. Spiller, Taunton ; R. H. Baynes; J. M. Best, St. Austell, Cornwall ; R. Allen, Tusmore, Bicester ; C. W. Dyer; h.c, T. Rees, Llynon, Cwaune, Lampeter; c, A. G. Wiggins; J. Fairall, Hellingly, Sussex. Twelve 1-lh. Heather Sections (ten entries). — 1st, J. M. Balmbra ; 2nd, W. AVaddington, Borobridge, Yorks ; 3rd, T. Marshall, Sutton-on-Trent, Newark; v.h.c., J. Pearman ; T. Walker, Hawks- head, Lanes. Three Shallorr Frame.'^ (eight entries).— 1st, Jas. Lee and Son; 2nd, J. Herrod, Sept. 21, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOrENAL. 373 Sutton-on-Trent, Newark; 3rd, G. Hunt, Newark; v.li.c, A. Willmott, Stausteacl Abbotts, Herts; c, J. Chandler, Godmau- chester. Twelve 1-lb. Jars Light-coloured Ex- tracted Honeij (seventy-five entries). — 1st, and B.B.K.A". Certificate, R. Allen ; 2nd, S. G. S Leigh, Boughton, Hants; 3rd, E. C. R. White, Newton Toney, Salisbury; 4th, A. Young, Chatham ; oth, W. Norris, Bradford-on-Avou ; v.h.c, T. .J. Hillier ; C. E. Austin, Slinfold, Horsham; B. Bhickbourne, Minster, Ramsgate, C. E. Billson, Crawford, Kettering; C. H. Rivers, Southfleet; W. Patchett, Cabourne, Caistor, Lines.; T. Rees; M. J. Lamboll, Chiddingfold, Surrey; J. Prior, Hildon, near Stockbridge ; -J. Price, Old Hill, Staffs; R. Morgan, Cowbridge, Glam. ; J. Ward, Hesketh Bank, near Preston; h.c, C. Robinson, Grateley, Andover ; F. Allen, Gt. Bowden, Market Harborough ; E. Humphrey, Glamorgan ; c, A. C Jackson, Elvedon, Thetford ; G. S. .Jessou, Hose, Melton Mowbray ; E. Brunette, Langdcn Mill, Essex; H. Dilworth, Kibworth, Leicester ; W. G. Wells, St. Mary, Blandford ; H. W. Saunders, Thetford ; A Canning, Wickham Heath, Newbury; W. G. Halford. West AVratting Lodge, Cambs. ; S. Sanderson, West Wratting, Cambs. ; Dr. T. S. Elliot, Southwell, Notts; J. Berry, LlanrAvst, N. Wales; H. Ward, Bath Street, Leaming- ton : P. M. Ralph. Settle. Tirelve 1-lb. Jars Medium E.rtiarted Honey {fortj/seven entries). — 1st, Mrs. F. Harris, Hiyh Ferrv, Sibsev. Boston; 2nd. T. Manfield, Newark;' 3rd, A. Young; 4th, A. S. Dell; v.h.c, P. Wells, rffingt(ni, Stamford; J. W. Bocock, Stony Stratford; E. G. R. White; Dr. T. S. Elliot; R. H. Baynes ; T. Rees; J. Chandler; h.c, G. W. Judge, Hawley, Dartford ; H. Dilworth; T. Aluu Jones, Halkyn, Flints; W. Woolley, Eveisham ; J. M. Best; c, J. Berry; G. Marshall, Norwell, Newark; H. Holland, Sutton Bridge, Lines. Tirelve l-lh. Jars Dark Extracted Hone)/ (thirteen entries). — 1st, G. W. Judge; 2nd, J. Herrod ; 3rd, G. Marshall; v.h.c, E. C. R. White. Tirelve l-lh. Jars Heather Honeij (tirelve entries). — 1st, J. Pearman ; 2nd, A. Young; 3rd, T. Marshall; v.h.c, W. Bowler, Chesterfield; E. W. Spink, Easingwold ; T. Hood, Pickering; h.c, H. Waddington ; c, T. Walker, Hawkshead, North Lanes. Twelve l-lh. Jars Heather-hlend Honey (seventeen entries). — 1st, T. Marshall; 2nd, J. Pearman; 3rd, A. G. Pugh, Beeston, Notts; 4th, J. H. W. Fisliwick, Chaltburn, near Clilheroe: v.h.c, T. Walker; Dr. T. S. Elliot; W. Sproston, Shugborough, Staffs; h.c, H. Wadding- ton; J. Berry; A. G. Pugh; c, A. J. Brightwell. Twelve 1-lb. Jars Granulated Honey (twelve entries). — 1st, R. Allen ; 2nd, G. Hunt; 3rd, H. Holland; 4th, E. W. Spink; v.h.c, J. Garratt, Willoughby Waterleys, near Leicester; h.c, J. Woods, Beeswax in Cakes (quality of wax, form of cakes, and package suitable for retail counter trade) (eight entries). — 1st, J. Pearman ; 2nd, J. Berry ; 3rd, Mrs. Harris ; 4th, H. W. Saunders; v.h.c, R. H. Baynes. Beeswax (judged for qucdity of irax onlij) (sixteen entries). — 1st, Mrs. Harris; 2nd, A. Hiscock, Kettering; 3rd, W. Patchett; 4th, T. Marshall; v.h.c, J. Pearman; h.c, C. W. Dyer; c, Jas. Lee and Son. HONEY SELLING CLASSES. Extracted Honetj in Bulk. — Certificates, D. Jones, Llanarth, Cardigan; L. W. Matthews, Chipping Norton, Oxon ; A. Harris, Woburn Sands, Beds. Extracted Honey in 1-lb. Jars. — Certi- ficates, A. G. Pugh; D. Jones; W. S. Halford; Mrs. Williams, Pwllheli; H. Briddon, Ashbourne, Derbyshire; E. Brunette; A. Harris; J. Rowlands, Pwllheli. l-lh. Section of Comb Honey. — Certi- ficate, A. Harris. HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By W. Herrod. Preparing for Winter. — So far as the humup. element is concerned, much de- pends upon the attention given now to the bees for the reaping of next year's harvest. l^ike gardeners, bee-keepers must look a long way ahead if they are to succeed. A great many so-called bee- keepers are very keen in the early spring and summer, when honey is coming in, but with the removal of the honey they lose further interest for that season. The first preparation for winter should com- mence as soon as the supers are removed. This work should be cai-ried out methodi- cally ; all should be taken off, and the bees -.illowea to stand without manipula- tion of any kind for about a week : this will give them time to settle down, so avoiding e-'icitement ard robbing. After they have settled down a thorougii examination of each lot should be carried out, and notes made as to condition if stores and number of bees, also the manner in which the queen is carrying out her work. During the manipulation careful atten- tion should be paid to the combs, and any containing an excessive amount <-f drone-cells, those which are getting old and the size of the cells diminishing, or 374 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Sept. 21, 1911. pollen-clogged combs should be placed in the outside position in the brood-chamber ; ihey will be emptied of food by the bees, so that in the spring they can be taken out and replaced by foundation without wasting food. Our consideration should be given first of all to the queen, and if she IS old or deficient in any way she should be replaced. Re-queening is generally left until the spring; this is a mistake for three reasons : first, if it is necessary to puichase a queen they are more ex- pensive then than in the autumn ; secondly, it gives an opportunity to judge as to the quality of the new queen ; and thirdly, to obtain the best results a young queen should be in tlie hive in January when breeding first commences. If re- queenmg is not done in the autumn, it will be about April before the new mother can be introduced, and three months of valuable time will have been wasted. In introducing queens the old one should be removed at least twelve hours before her successor is jjlaced in the hive. A cage should always be used. Personally, I fail to see where the advantage of direct introduction comes in. There may be a slight saving in time, but this is out- balanced by the risk of the queen being balled. My experience is that direct in- troduction works all right with queens of no particular value so that it is im- material if they are killed or not, but with valuable ones they are invariably thrown out dead next morning. Cages are not expensive to buy, and if the "Howard-Benton" is used the intro- duction is automatic, and it is not neces- sary to handle a purchased queen at all. I shall have more to say about the introduction of queens later on, so will defer any other remarks for a time. Our attention should be devoted next to the production of plenty of young bees to populate the hive for the winter. The old maxim that " the best material for winter packing is bees," is an excellent one ; but those bees must be young ones, so that they will live well into the spring. The more bees we have the less food is consumed. This seems paradoxical, but it is quite true, as a quantity of bees can maintain the temperature on a very small amount of food on account of their number. There is greater body heat, and when once raised it does not escape so quickly from a large cluster as from a small one. AVith small numbers more fuel (food) is burnt, as heat is generated by combustion of food in the body of the bee combined with oxygen, and also by mechanical movements of various pat-ts of the body, as for instance respiration. If there is a super-abundance of food in the hive a couple of combs should be taken out and extracted to provide room for the queen to lay. Then gentle stimu- lation (say through one hole of the ordinary bottle-feeder) should be given. The syrup should be of thick consistency as per " Guide Book" recipe, so that any stored will be sealed over. If there is an absence of stores then up to three holes may be ojjened in the feeder. The food should be given warm, and in the evening, care being taken that none is spilt to cause robbing, and for the same reason the entrances to all the hives should be closed to half-an-incli. The feeding-bottle should be well wrapped up to keep it warm. If there is disease in the neighbourhood the syrup should also be medicated. Autumn stimulation is deprecated by some bee-keepers on the ground that the energy of the bees is taxed in brood-rearing, therefore they do not live so long. Be that as it may, I have always found those stocks in which autumn stimulation has been carried out come out best in the spring, and do the most work. (To be continued.) HONEY IMPORTS. The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom during the month of August, 1911, was £7371. — From a re- turn furnished to the British Bee Journal by the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs. Correspondence. 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 «s a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. NOTES BY THE WAY. [8250] Preparing the stocks for winter should now engage all our attention in the apiary. No humane bee-keeper will neglect the well-being of the erstwhile busy labourers who from early morn to dewy eve the whole week through have toiled for his benefit. The condition of the supers, every section filled and sealed to the outside, points to the fact that every inmate of the hive has been animated by the same strenuous desii'e to outvie the next colony in the amount of stores it could provide for the coming winter. Now, having secured ou'- share — aye, and a big share too — don't let us neglect attending at once to their re- Sept. 21, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE J( )rRXAL. :iTo quirements but see to it that every stock goes into winter quarters in the best pos- sible condition, housed in a dry hive, and fixed up to withstand the gales of wind and the wet. Finding a market for honey seems to be a difficulty with many bee-keepers. 1 should advise every country bee-keeper, with only two or three hives, to endeavour to create a local market for his honey, but no one should sell retail at the same rate that they would sell to the grocer or dairy man. A man cannot keep a supply of ■ honey on his counter or in his window and sell it at a Id. per lb. profit ; if you supply the shopkeeper you should seU retail at the same price that he charges. All honey producers should grade their sections. Sainfoin and white clover honey is worth 2s. per dozen moie than that from the limes, and all sections intended for shops should be glazed or put into boxes to protect the contents from dust, wasps, and flies. F'inest sections are being- sold in London at Is. 2d. and Is. 3d. glazed, and in provincial towns at . Is. each, but these prices are for extra selected quality. Those v.ho have large apiaries are, generally speaking, quite able to take care of themselves and know where to dispose of the bulk of their produce. There are, also, the pages of our bee papers, with enquiries for honey appearing every week: here is an outlet for a considerable quan- tity. The small bee-keeper when he gets an order from a big firm should send the honey of as uniform quality as possible, and repeat orders will come in anothe;' season. The charge for advertising in tht' British Bee Jouknal is very low, and the journal has a wide circulation, being well known to most of the commercial houses who handle honey, as well as to the bee- keeping fraternity. If your honey ;s extracted, get a few small bottles ; sample tubes answer very nicely. These can be sent by post for a penny stamp, or if pre- ferred you can charge these samples at twopence each without loss. Sample sections should be sent by rail, carriage forward ; they are too fragile for parcel post and the chances are that they will get smashed in transit if sent in this way. If the sample secures you an order, you must use your discretion whether to charge for it or not. I do not think many buyers would object to a small charge if a sample section is sent on request, carriage paid. It should be charged at the same price as others ordered if one small parcel of one or two dozen are taken, but if it is the means of selling a gross or more no charge would be expected. — W. "NVoodlev, Beedon, New- burv. SUGAR FEEDING AND DISEASE. [8251] An article appeared in the "B.B.J.," August 3, page 305. signed "A Roman Bee-keeper," on sugar feeding and disease, on which subject I have a few remarks to make, and should be much obliged if you would kindly find room in the " B.B.J." for them. He maintains that it is possible that the pre- valence of disease may be attributed to this method of feeding bees. May I say that I entirely disagree with him. He also advises feeding with honey, which I think is one of the most dangerous thingvs a bee-keeper can do. Let us suppose a quantity of honey is taken from a per- fectly healthy colony. Is it not quite possible that, despite the healthiness of that colony, it may have, and in all prob- ability has disease spores in it ? We are told by medical men that persons who are quite healthy have often in their systems germs of diphtheria and other infectious micro- organic diseases, but these are unable to harm the person in whose body they are, unless through some other cause his vitality becomes lowered and the condii- tious become favourable for- the develop- ment and reproduction of the disease germs. Now, it seems to me quite po.s- sible that honey such as I have described above may, although harmless to the stock it comes from (and therefore considered free of germs by the bee-keeper), when fed to a weak .stock, be quite deadly. It is, as a rule, the weak stocks that require to be fed most, and the strong ones that nearly always provide the food. There- fore, I say it would be wise for all bee- keepers to be careful. I had a very bad outbreak of foul brood in my apiary in 1908, and I am almost certain that it was caused in this way. I bought a fine strong stock of" bees in the spring, apparently quite healthy; there was not a diseased cell, yet on giving a comb from it to a weak stock which was in a bad way, but which had quite bealthy brood, this weak stock at once developed the disea.se, and it went OA'er the apiary like wildfire until I had fourteen stocks affected. Another time, if you think it would interest your readers to hear of my experience, I will give a full account of how I cured them. I have twenty-three hives now. and not a trace of disease among them all. I have kept the sharpest watch, and should not easily pass over a disea.sed cell after my experience. As to feeding with sugar, I really cannot see why it should not be quite as good a food as honey, if the syrup is made from really good sugar. In fact, I should say it would be better than the thin honey from unsealed combs, etc., which would very likely be fermenting when fed. especially in the hands of a beginner. I understand that honey, when freshly 376 THE BRITISH BEE JOURXAL. [Sept. 21, 1911. gathered, is merely a form of sugar, which is afterwards modified by the bees. Also, I think the bees modify the sugar in much the same way, for sugar syrup sealed in the comb is a very different thing from the syrup when fed to the bees. One other advantage is that sugar .■-yrup is so much cheaper than honey that I maintain it is a great waste of money to feed good honey to bees. Of course, everything fed to bees should be medi- cated, which ensures its being safe if sugar, and tends greatly to that end with honey. Now I should like to ask the Editor, since he seems to think it likely that diseases such as dysentery may be caused by feeding syrup to bees, which, in his opinion, is most likely to cause dysentery : plenty of good sugar syrup sealed in the combs, or a small quantity of honey only partially sealed? this latter being often the case with stocks requiring feeding. T,i conclusion I wish to say that anything written that might in any way tend to discourage bee-keepers from feeamg their bees is detrimental to bee- keeping in the country. I say all encouragement should be given by the bee journals to bee-keepers to see that their bees have either an ample supply of good, well-sealed honey or else plenty of good sugar-syrup, medicated and well sealed down. A stock of bees packed down with a store of well-sealed syrup, provided they are not diseased and have a young queen, will almost always come out well. At least, that is my experience. I should be glad, in case you think this worth printing, if you would pass a. iew remarks on it. Wishing your paper every prosperity. — R. B. Makly, Potcote, Towcester. [It is quite understandable that "A Roman Bee-keeper " should prefer feeding with honey, seeing that sugar in Italy is very much more expensive. Feeding indiscriminately with honey would cer- tainly be injurious, and many outbreaks of foul brood have been attributed to such a proceeding, but there is no doubt that the honey stored by the bees in their combs and properly ripened is a more com- plete food than sugar syrup. It has been proved that cane sugar syrup when stored by bees is only partially converted by them, and that a large proportion of it remains as cane sugar. The cane sugar in nectar is taken in minute quantities, and is therefore more readily converted into the grape sugar of honey. It thus becomes a more complete food. We have no doubt that pure cane sugar syrup is the best substitute for honey where bees have not stored enough of the latter, and, in any case, it is safer and better than fermenting thin honey from unsealed combs. With regard to dysentery, good sugar syrup sealed in combs would certainly be preferable to unripe honey, and any such in unsealed cells is generally recommended to be removed. We have no hesitation in saying that any colonies deficient in sealed stores should be liberally fed. with medicated cane sugar syrup Ed.] WHERE IS THE ENGLISH BEE? [82o2] I know a bee-keeper who com- menced the season with five Carniolan and five native stocks. The Carniolans swarmed in May and the English in June. All went well until the progeny of the first cross showed an excessive inclination to sting. When preparing to cart the hives to the moors, they stung the two horses and chased them over several fields ; they attacked the driver and the boy who accompanied him, and followed the bee- keeper inside the cottage Avhere he had taken refuge. Is it not time Ave seriously made a survey in regard to the intro- duction of foreign races? It is a matter that affects all bee-keepers. The five Car- niolan stocks be it noted, swarmed in May, and it seems clear that the district for miles around would be to no little extent dominated by Carniolan drones. A few days ago I made a scrutiny of the bees at the entrances of a row of forty hives on the moors from various apiaries, and, though showing some Italian blood, it ap- peared to me that the Carniolan strain v> as more in evidence than the English, 'x'he temper of some of these bees was what an old bee man described as "hot;" and a few days jareviously they had attacked a flock of geese, killed the gander, and then l^roceeded to attack a cow and a calf, also a tethered goat. I have no doubt that the Italian strain is bred out quickly by the English bee, but owing to the excessive and early swarming of the Carniolan bees- they may eventually dominate and super- sede the native strain. There is a wide- spread impression that the English native bee is the best for English bee-keeping, and it is possible that the strain has degenerated by the absorption of the alien blood which has been introduced on a big- scale. The competition between the races is not conducted on fair lines. The queen breeders offer the best Italian and Car- niolan queens that can be procured, and comparisons are made Avith the common strains of the native bees. Why do we not have some choice strains of English bees put on the market with as much advertisement as the foreigners? If there is not sufficient demand for improved native bees, an effort should, I think, be made to create a demand, and I hope county associations will give this impor- tant matter immediate attention. The Northumberland and Durham Association Sept. 21. 1911.] THE BiaXISH BEE JOURNAL. have already taken up the question, and will at their next meeting vote upon a resolution to form a ''Queen" club to investigate the relative merits of the English, Italian and Carniolan bees. I would suggest that all other County Asso- ciations take similar action and proceed by collective effort to get the best strains of native queens jolaced within reach of bee-keepers; and having done this, we might with equanimity leave the three races to a free and fair competition. — J. W. KiDD, Well Close, Stocksfield-on- Tyne. [The above expresses very clearly the opinion we have held and taught for several years past. There is a great deal in it, and we commend it to the serious consideration of Associations. — Ed.] BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATIONS. [82o3j A bee-keepers' association is, in some counties, a great lielp to the bee-keepers in that county, but unfortunately they do not all work in the same manner, and in this short article I would like to suggest improvements which might easily be made, and help all those residing within their county's bounds. As the majority of bee- keepers are aware, an association usually exists by the suliscriptions from not only bee-keepers, but from many people who, although unable to have bees, have the interests of bee-culture at heart. An ex- pert is employed to visit the apiaries of subscribers, and to help the members by giving good advice ; also, many classes at a county show are reserved "• For members only." These are the chief benefits that an association usually extends. Now I would suggest that the present expert of a county be raised to the rank of superin- tendent, and that as many additional ex- perts as possible be appointed to manage certain allotted districts ; each shoiild have a list of all bee-keejDers m his particular district. Elvery bee-keej^er should be visited twice a year, one of the visits being made after the honey harvest, so that in case of any disease it would be easily noticed. A report should be made by the experts each month, and forwarded to the superintendent, so that in cases of disease he might himself visit that apiary. At the present time (take the case of a labourer) a cottager who sub- scribes 2s. 6d. per year may perhaps have a visit from the expert. The question is : Is the visit to that particular bee-keeper of any help at all? Now, reader, you must agree with me and say : It may be. Why MAY be? Why, because that person is perhaps living in a place difficult to get at, or he may be the only member for some miles, it is a ' hundred to one chance that the time when the expert finds it most convenient to himself is not at all convenient to the member. From this you will see that if my suggestion was carried out it would be a great benefit to all bee-keepers. Let all in the county have visits, whether members or not, for if the visit of the expert be made in a friendly manner, naturally a subscri]jtion to the association would follow. Visits should be made in spring and autumn, not when the bees are working well in the honey season. The experts should be paid a small honorarium per apiary visited. In winter, meetings could be arranged in the various districts, so that all could meet together and discuss the many questions that arise with re- gard to their hobby. This would naturally help to increase the number of apiarians, and lead to a more friendly spirit one towards another. In con- clusion I would urge that all classes for bees and honey at shows that are at pre- sent "For members only" be done away with. Throw all the classes open to all residents in the county, so that all may have the same chance to compete. - AV. H. T., Expert, B.B.K.A. ADVERTISING IN THE ■ B.B.J." [S253] My advertisement in "B.B.J." caused me to be inundated with orders. This so upset my landlady that during my absence she has refused to take in my letters, which caused several to be re- turned through her stupidity. All orders^ in hand \vill be dispatched in rotation. Will you kindly inform your readers. I have already returned 280 letters contain- ing P.O. to senders. — W. H. Brownlow. Queries and Replies. [8214] Surplus Follen in Combs. — 1 have been using a shallow-frame super fitted with worker foundation on top of each of the body boxes of my hives, in Older to have good strong stocks. After breeding in the shallow-frames I allowed the bees to store honey in them. They have left a lot of pollen in the cells. Will it be all right if 1 leave the pollen in the combs and stoi-e them away for the winter ? If not, how can I remove it? — H. B. RiDGWAV. Reply. — The pollen will do no harm if left, but it will probably become a little hard, and though the bees will clean it out next spring, it will give them a lot of work. 'J"o remove it, soak the combs well in water, then use a syringe or hose on them 378 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Sept. 21, 1911. with plenty of force, and all the pollen will be washed out. [8215] Bitter Hone tj— Bee Parasite.- At the end of the honey-flow several of my sections were unfinished, and I left them in the hives. The bees have now filled the empty cells with a yellow honey which has a bitter taste just like mar- malade. Would you kindly let me know- in the Beitish Bee Joijenal whether it would be safe to eat the sections? I enclose a small sample of the honey. To the best of my knowledge there is no marmalade or jam factory within three miles. (2) Could you also kindly say what is the best way of getting rid of the little red insects that cling to the backs' of the bees? If touched with a camel-hair brush they simply jump on to the back of another bee. — E. F. Ledgee, Lee. Reply. — (1) There is no doubt the bees have had access to some jam factory. The flavour is anything but palatable, and we should not care to eat it. (2) To remove the parasites blow a little tobacco smoke in at the entrance of the hive ; this will cause them to drop from the bees, and the brood chamber can then be lifted and the floor board swept clean. [8216] Moving Bees. — Will you kindly advise me in the next issue of the Beitish Bee JouEiNAL as to the best time to move my bees? I have five stocks and two driven lots, Avhich 1 am feeding up for the winter. Having no garden until recently, I have kept them on the flat roof of my house which is very high and exposed to the east wind, but now having a garden about a quarter of a mile away (which is on a slope facing due south), I wish to move the hives there. If bees ai-e seen carrying pollen at this time of the year, is it a sure sign that there is a laying queen present in the hive? Thanking you in anticipation. — J. L. H., Salcombe. Reply. — The best time to move them will be when climatic conditions keep the bees indoors for a fortnight or so. Close the entrance with perforated zinc; cord well, and carry the hive on a hand barrow if possible. If not, then use a lorry with good light springs, and place the hives so that the combs travel end on to prevent them swinging. [8217] Bottling Hour!/.— I shall ))e gbul of a reply to the following queries: — (1) What causes such a number of dead bees outside the hive, after the honey has been taken fix)m them? I estimated that there was about half a pint outside one hive. Is this unavoidable? (2) Should sections be removed from the hive as soon as they are sealed over ? (3) Do you advise strain- ing extracted honey more than once? What is the best material to use? (4) How do you get rid of the air bubbles which lie on the top after straining? — Novice, Leicester. Reply. — (1) Generally the dead bees are the result of fighting through robbing. The bees become very excited unless the work is carried out in the evening so that they have time to settle down. (2) Yes, otherwise the cappings become travel- stained and too thick. (3) Not if it is strained tlirough fine muslin. (4) Allow the vessel to stand until the buboles have all risen and form a scum upon the sur^ face; the honey can then be drawn from the tap at the bottom of the ripener, and will be found clear. CAPPINGS OF COMB. BY L. S. CEAWSHAW% NOETON, MALTON, YOEKS. Feeding and Diaease (p. 305).- I fear that many of us will have to continue to suffer from the risk of bee diseases on account of our inability to obtain that delightful and most potent specific, honey from the Roman Campagna. The Load of a Bee (p. 308). — I have not fully understood the editorial answer as to the number of loads of nectar required to fill a cell. It is not clear to me why this should " depend upon density or other- wise." Presumably the reduction of nectar into iioney is considered. Suppose, however, that a bee carries a fair load, and that this is represented by a sphere one-eighth of an inch in diameter, then it will take about twenty-four loads to fill a worker cell, the dimensions of which we will suppose to be those of a cylinder one quarter of an inch in diameter, and half- an-inch long. For the purposes of calcula- tion I have taken the contents of the stomach as .00102 cubic inches, from which the number of loads required for any other size of cell may, if desired, be easily determined by T.R. (page 308). The specific gravity of honey is about 1.44, which, supposing the nectar to be of the extreme consistency of water, would mean its reduction by about one-third of its bulk, and require fewer than thirty-fi'/e loads for this size of cell ; and by the same token, it would take some 38,000 loads to produce a pound of honey, which means that a cohuiy able to spare 31b. of bees to go a gathering would gain that weight of honey with an effort of about foui' jour"neys per bee — always supposing that 1 have made no mistake in a some- what hasty calculation. Ants, Bees, and Wasps (p. 312). — One cannot read this account of the intelligent work of these ants, togethei- with that of the astonishing thoughtfulness of allied species, such as the agricultural ant, without, perhaps, pausing to consider whether the renowned intelligence of the hive-bee is comparable. I believe that Sept. 21, 1911.] THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL. 379 Lord Avebiiry was attacked for ranking the ]iive-bee lower in the intellectual scale. For my own part, I am prepared to believe, from observation of wasps, that whilst their economy does not lend itself to our purposes, unless we go fishing, yet that, prejudice aside, they think more quickly and intelligently than our own honey-bee. Bees Transporfing Eggs (p. 313). — Five weeks certainly seems a long time for eggs to remain undeveloped ; or, rather, five weeks less the j^rogress of the queen-cells. But, in spite of this, I do not think that M. Mattutis proves his case. It is, I am aware, an unimportant objection, bat there can Imve been little object in trans- porting fifty eggs up several flights of stairs, just to make them into worker bees. Of course, it may have been excess of zeal, or the necessity for com- pany, but is it essential to intelligible explanation that the eggs should have been transplanted at all under the de- tailed circumstances? Why may not the eggs have been laid in situ and only developed late ? Recently, 1 carried out a somewhat similar opera- tion. I placed the old brood-nest over an excluder, Avith a recently caged and now released queen upon a set of partly stored but broodiess brood-combs below. This for cjueen-rearing experimental purposes. I gave those bees set after set of grafted cell-cups, but they obstinately refused to attend them. I made several examina- tions to discover cells of their own devis- ing, but found none. Finally, after nearly three weeks, when tiring of the ex- periment, I made a move to divide the stock into nuclei, and found a number of cells in progress on several combs. I re- moved these, and gave a further set of cells, which were at once accepted. I believe tliat these eggs were simply re- tarded, as a few cells of worker brood were also in evidence, and no queen was present above the excluder. However, 1 hope to try the experiment again next summer, this time with a foreign queen, to see if the foregoing result can be easily duplicated. Shaling Bcrf; from Combs (ji. 32(3). — Advice to this effect is continually given in text-l)ooks and journals, but disaster ."^o often follows that I feel sure bee-keepers would find it useful to make a habit of br;ishing the bees from the combs. Shak- ing is often responsible for a broken comb, a most annoying happening, and even when combs are sufficiently strong, thin honey is often thrown out and showered upon the fallen bees, and perhaps upon tile iilightmg-ljoard and hive sun-oundings. Then, too, shaking may not dislodge the whole of the bees, some of which may be snugly ensconced at the first throw, and afterwards use extra endeavour to hang on. Good bee brushes are indispensable adjuncts to a busy bee-keeper. Mineral Constituents of Iloneij (p. 333). — It may be perfectly true that dark honey contains desirable minerals, but I fear that the consideiation is little likely to weigh with a discriminating or un- discriminating public. It is evident, how- ever, that these constituents are not entirely confined to honeys which seem as though the bees had been looking upon I the honey-dew when it was black, but that some light honeys also contain them. It must be clear, therefore, that purchasers who must take their iron with their sweet should stipulate for such light honeys as are classed in group four. The fortunate producers will then be able to obtain an enhanced price for their tonic honeys (covered by a suitable guarantee of analysis), which patients may obtain without the labour attached Xo' visiting a continental resort. It would be interesti-ng to know from what sources, or districts, such "mineral" honeys proceed, and whether the analyses of honeys from definite sources have been fairlv uniform. Notices to Correspondents. Radnorian. — Qualit}/ and Price of Honeji. — Xo. 1 is a very nice clover honey, it has granulated well and is Avorth "lOd. per lb. Xo. 2, is from mixed sources, not so good as Xo. 1, worth about 8d. per lb. No. 3, contains a good deal of ragwort. It is worth about the same as X'o. 2. X'o doubt the wax was tough through being on too long, or the founda- tion may have been too thick. You can reli'quify the honey in the ripener by placing it in a copper of water and heating; first di'ive a cork into the tap to prevent water getting in. Use muslin tied under the strainer ; this will pre- vent bits of wax, &c.^ g<^ing through. You should draw a fine wire between super and brood-chamber before remov- ing in case of its being propolised. The super is evidently a little too shallow. The hives will not need painting for a couple of years, then give them two coats. No. 1 is good enough to stage at a local show. A. C. (Milton of Campsie). — Vnsealed Syrnp tn Combs. — You can keep the stoi-ed combs in the hive behind the dummy, where they may be left until spring, when they can be given to the bees as food. Or, if preferred, the cpmbs of food can be taken out, and stored in a box in a warm room indoors until re- quired. 380 THE BRITISH BEE JOUllXAL. [Sept. 21, 1911. H. S. (Cheshire). —Sugar for Bee-food.- • The sample is evidently beet-sugar and should not be used for syrup. H. O. [Downton).— Useful Tool.— The, ap- pliance is very neatly made, and no doubt useful for all the purposes yOu name. But, as a pocket-knife or a quill will serve the same purpose, we do not think it would be a success financially to place it on the market as the limited ^ale would not recoup you for your trouble. GouK (Gordon, N.B.).— Dead Queen. - The queen you send is a virgin. Honey Samples. J. F. (Halifax).— The sample is a very good heather mixture, and will cer- tainly do to show as such. G. F. S. — Both samples are good in all respects, but No. 2 is the best flavoured honey. T.. CoLLiNGE.— Good in colour, density and flavour poor ; from clover and char- lock. Yes, even we old hands can always learn something. Novice (Leicester).- Good in consistency, medium colour. Mainly from chestnut, and this accounts for its colour. Honey will often vary in each super according to the flowers the bees are working. P:. Taylor.— The honey is from sainfoin, rather poor in flavour and densitv. though a splendid colour. AVe should not care to show it. E. Thokpe (Pateley Bridge).— The sample you send is a delicious heather honey of first-class quality. Vvliether it would win or not at a show you will quite understand depends upon the competi- tion M'ith it. Susjyected Disease. A. ^y. H. (Salisbury.)— We can find no disease in the bees'. It is no doubt a case of robbing. A. B. C. (Sussex.)— The bees were too dry for us to do anything with them. F. N. (Littlehampton.) — The bees were droAvned in the food, so it was impossible to examine them. If you are doubtful, why not try the remedy advertised in our advertisement pages. H. R. (Lincoln).— (1) We cannot find any- thing wrong with the bees except slight constipation. (2) Combs and honey from affected stocks should not be given to healthy bees. H. P. (Eastbourne.)— A case of malignant dysentery, and it will be best to destroy the colony. J. G, -(Stonehaven.)— The cnml) contains foul brood of old standing. You did quite right in dealing with the stock as described. Special Prepaid Advertisements. Two Words Uiie Penny, mlnlmun^ Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertiona entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per i in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. WANTED, few cwt. of Heather or Heather Blend. — Will send tins. Sample to DELL, Leigh, JLancs. BARGAIN.— Owner going abroad. Cottage and 3 acres land, truit trees. Apiary, 40 Stocks Hees, and good trade connection. — G., c/O " B.iS.J." umce, 25, jiealord-streei. Strand, W.C. m 76 GOOD POULTRY FARM and SMALL APIARY to let, cheap, with cotta furnished. Berks. -Apply, IHE furnished or un- Oli^lCE, Pangbourne, n 2 CHAPMAN HONEY PLANT, seeds 4d. packet; two Sd.. free.— REV. ANDERSON, Northam, North Devon. n 3 PI UNEST LINCOLNSHIRE WOLD LIGHT CLOVER HONEY, 60s. cwt., f.o.r.— SMITH, Rose Cottage, Nettleton, Caistor. n 1 EXCEPTIONALLY white and heavy Sections, 72 for 50s.; good ditto, 72 for tOs.; finest Extracted, in 281b. tins, 15s., free on rail.— ALBERT SANDYS, Drayton, Abingdon. m 100 STOCK BEES, healthy, 8 Frames, Stores, in travelling oox, 10s.; approval if returned free. Hives and Appliances quarter cost; giving up. —VICE, Thrussington, Leicester. m % GOOD SECTIONS, 7s. doz., unglazed, cash with order.— W. CANHAM, Jun., Soham, Cambs. m95 HONEY, good colour, 58s. per cwt., tins free; ilb. sample, six stamps.— A. PRAETOR, Calne Park, Earls Calne, Essex. m 92 HONEY FOR SALE.— Apply, VASSELIN, 102, Alan-road. Ipswich. m. 91 WANTED, three good empty Hives, drawn out brood and shallow Combs, guaranteed free disease.— KNOWLMAN, Somerset. Woodgate, Wellington, m 90 FINEST CLOVER HONEY, 58s. cwt; sample 3d. —BUTTON, Manse Cottage, Haverhill, Suf^ folk. SALE, several excellent es, che stamp.— COAKES, Clent X BeesTcheap" guaranteed healthy; particulars Stocks British ticii m 88 VHITE WYANDOTTE COCKERELS. Hunter's strain. 5s., or exchange Bees or Honey, &c. LEECH, Newland Park, Hull. m 87 F coin OR SALE, fine clover Honey, sample 2d.— MARSHALL, 68, Chelmsford-street, Lin- G coin. RAND EXTRACTED HONEY, 56s. per cwt.; sample 3d — F. W. GELDER, Sturton, Lin- m 85 10VELY SECTIONS LIGHT HONEY, glazed, J in perfect condition, 12s. doz., carnage paid; prettv contribution to bazaars, sure to sell.— M. W BYLES, Redenham, Andover. m 84 Sept. 28, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 381 Editorial, Notices, &c. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION The inontlily meeting of the Council was held on Thursday, September 21st, 1911, at 23, Bedford Street, Strand, Lon- don, W.C, when Mr. C. L. M. Eales pre- sided. There were also present Messrs. T. Bevan, O. R. Frankenstein, A. Richards. A. G. Pugh, J. B. Lamb, E. Walker, R. T. Andrews, J. Smallwood, E. AVatson, E. Gar eke, and Dr. T. S. Elliot (Affiliated Association delegates), G. W. Judge (Cray- ford), J. Cunningham (Cambridge and District), G. Hayes (Notts.), L. McNeill Stewart and T. D. Sinfield (South Beds.), G. R. Alder (Essex). A. "Willmott (Hert- ford and Ware). Letters expressing regret at inability to attend were read from Miss Gayton, Mrs. Cliapman; Miss K. M. Hall, Messrs. T. W. Cowan and W. F. Reid. Col. H. J. O. Walker, Rev. A. D. Downes Shaw, and Captain Sitwell. The minutes of Council meeting, held July 20th, were read and confirmed. The folIoM^ng new members were elected: — Mrs. L. Deane Streatfieid, Cotage-on-the-Hill, Westerham, Kent; Mr. G. R. Alder, 17(5, Hainault Road, Leyt03istone ; Mr R. Hey wood. Pentney House, Narboro', Norfolk; Mr. S. Haigh, Quarmby, Huddersfiekl ; Mr. J. M. Bar- bour, 4, Auckland Terrace, Ramsey, Isls of Man; Dr. D. W^ardleworth, Sheringham, Norfolk: Mr. H. C. Chapelow, Wye, Kent; Mr. J. H. vSeakins. Eastgate Lodge, Peckham Rye Common : Mr. G. Egerton Pollitt, Stanley House, Fairfield, Manchester: and Rev. D. E. Rowlands, WoUaston Vicarage. Welshpool. The report of the Finance Committee was presented by Mr J. Smallwood. The balance m hand at the end of August wa:s £210 9s. 5d., and it was resolved that pay- jnents amounting to £75 Os. 6d. be made. Repoi-ts on third-class examinations held at Stafford, Henwick, Aberlow, and Gran- Town, Lancaster, Northampton. Coventry, Chester, Bradford -on - Avon, Swanley, Boston, Bridgend, Worcester, Taunton, Bridgwater, Luton, Gloucester, and Car- diff, wore submitted, and it was resolved to grant certificates to the following : Misses J. D. Bagnall, P. Brightman, M. Brown, E. Doweling, R. Elliot, D. Free- man, D. Gibbins, M. Gordon-Roberts, R. GribbJe. K. Hancock, C. Heath, L. Joshua, P. Jones, A. Mavo. A. Middleton, B. Mitchell, M. Partridge, E. Price, M. Rivett D. Roberts, M. Rudolf. J. Smitli. J. O. Story, W. Solomon. H. Thrupp, J. Tiirnei, W. Warburg, A. Woodward, B. Tanner. L. Brooks, E. Greet, D. Hawley. R. Denison. R. Williams. A. Dexter, J. Reed- Mrs. ]\L Hellett : Mes.srs. T. Richards, W. Dyche, W. F. Pick, J. Hill- man, A. H. Bowen J. H. Wilson, G. Havs, F. K. Harris, G. E. Stoakes, P. C. Doswell, J. H. Pugh, L. Hinton, A. E. Leatham. B. Collett, A. T. Freeman, W. S. Laycock, W. Easfcham, J. Rateliffe, G. Richardson, J. W. Farnsworth, J. Hulbert, R. N. Chapman, R. C. Massam, J. Bevan, 11. Beynon, D. Davis, H. Cart- wright, J. Bray,' E. Ballard. G. W. Ash, A. R. Penny, P. Reynolds, R. Pritchett, B. Raves, G. Steventon, F. Kenward, W. J. ■Cornall, P. G. Russell, V. Picker- ing, C. R. Forse, W. Jackson, R. Tildesly, R. G. Morrison, C. Raffan, G. Greigson, J. S. Dunbar, P. Cruickshank, W. Macdonald, J. Taylor, J. Greig. J. Sewart, W. C. Johnson, R. B. Manlev, J. Blackwood, T. A. Denison, G. H. Garratt. T. Brook, H. H. Brook, T. Alun-Jones, E. W. Franklin. Col. H. Dobbie,. and Dr. T. S. Sellar. Arrangements were made for the con- versazione to be held on the Thursday in "Dairy Show" week, October 5th, at the Gardenia Restaurant, 6, Catherine Street, Co vent Garden, London, W.C. (next door to Drury Lane Theatre). Mr. J. C. Bee Mason kindly offered to give a cinemato- graph entertainment, the new films being entitled "The Life of the Honey Bee," and "The Production of Honey": papers will be read by Mr. O. R. Frankenstein on "The Marketing of Honey " and Mr. L. E. Snelgrove on "Re-queening." All bee-keepers are invited. The examination fo)- seeond-cla.ss certi- ficates was arranged for November 24th and 25th. Messrs. D. M. Macdonald, T. W. Swabey and J. W. Mason presented themselves to undergo the lecture test for the first-class certificate. All were successful. The report of the Treasury Grant Com- mittee was presented, and after a long dis- cussion it was proposed by Mr. A. Richards, seconded by Mr. O, R. Franken- stein, and carried, that the report of the Treasury Grant Committee be referred back to that committee for further specific recommendations, which committee shall have the assistance of Messrs. S. Jordan. A. G. Pugh. A. Richards, E. Walker and E. Watson, the remaining members of the special committee of delegates appointed on Mav 18th. 1910. Next meeting of Council will take place on October 5th. CHESHIRE B.K.A. ANNUAL SHOW. The annual show of the Cheshire Bee- keepers' Association was held in connec- tion with the County Agricultural Show at Chester on August 30th last. An excellent display of honey was staged, and m2 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Sept. 28, 1911. the keenness of hotli the iieM- Secretary and the members augurs well for the future of the association, which only a year ago was in an almost moribund con- dition. Arrangements were being made for winding tip its affairs, which would have been disastrous in such a splendid bee-keeping county as Cheshire un- doubtedly is, but foi'tunately the bee- keepers made a splendid rally, and succeeded in putting the association on a sound basis once more. The Rev. T. J. Evans and Mr. W. Herrod judged the exhibits, and also held an examination of candi- dates for the B.B.K.A.'s third-class certi- ficates. The following is a list of prize- winners : — OPEN CLASSES. Complete Frame Hive. — 1st and c, Geo. Rose, LiverjDOol. Twelve l-lb. Seetions.— 1st, A. S. Dell, Leigh, Lanes. ; 2nd, C. W. Dyer, Compton, Newbury; 3rd, Wm. Reece, Tarporley; v.h.c, Geo. Pennington, Mobberley ; r., R. H. Baynes, Cambridge; h.c, John Berry, Llanrwst, and Geo. H. Garratt, Pulford. Twelve 1-/6 Jars of Extracted Honei/.— 1st, A. S. Dell; 2nd, A. C. Jackson, Thet- ford, Norfolk.; 3rd, H. W. Saunders, Thetford, Norfolk; r., E. Church, Cardiff; v.h.c, Hugh Berry, Llanrwst, and R. W. Lloyd, Thetford; h.c, John Berry, J. S. Stopford-Taylor, West Kirby, and D. H. Burgess, Elworth. Observatory Hive.^-lst, Fred C. Kelly, Hawarden. COUNTV CLASSES. Six l-lb. Sections.— 1st, Wm. Reece ; 2nd, Geo. Garratt; 3rd, W. Hulley, Northop. Twelve l-lb. Jars of Extracted Koney.-- 1st, H. Stubbs, Crewe; 2nd, D. H. Burgess; 3rd, Job. Astbury, Kelsall; r., J. S. Stopford-Taylor; v.h.c, A. E. Wright, Elworth, and G. E. Wilson, Puddington; h.c, Geo. H. Garratt, John Weaver, CJhristleton, and John Tomlinson, ' Buckley. Twelve l-lb Jars of Extracted Ilonei/.— 1st, T. A. Jones, HaJkyn ; 2nd, T. New- port, Tattenhall; 3rd, John Tomlinson; r., Wm. Vickei-s, Silston, Malpas ; v.h.c, S. Gerrard, Heswall. Tiro Shallow Frames. — 1st D. H. Burgess; 2nd, A. E. Wright; 3rd, Geo. H. Garnitt; r., F. C. Kelly; v.h.c, Samuel Jennings, Over Tabley. Bee.^-wax.— 1st, Job Astburv; 2nd, Moody and Wilding, Crewe; "3rd, H. Stubbs; v.h.c, W. Hulley; h.c, J. Boden, Barnton. Twelve l-lb. Jars of Extracted Honey.- 1st, H. Stnbbs; 2nd, Moody and Wilding: 3rd, F. Newport; r., N. Grant Bailey, ■Chester; v.h.c, J. S. Stopford Taylor and ■Job Astburv: h.c, Jos. AVard', Lower Walton. Six l-lb. Jars of Extracted Honeij (Novices).— 1st, F. N'ewport; 2nd, G. E. Wilson; 3rd, John Boden; r.. Moody and Wilding; v.h.c, L. S. Taylor. — Communi- cated. CRAYFORD AND DISTRICT B.K.A. The lifth annual show of the above association was held at Orchard House, Crayford (by kind j^ermission of the Pre- sident, E. R. Stoneham, Esq.), on Satur- day, September 2nd, and was considered by those competent to judge to be a record one in every way. Although the society is only a small one, the entries amounted to one hundred and seven, members only being allowed to compete. The honey and wax staged was of excel- lent quality, and the home-made bee appliances called for particular attention. A competition in j^ractical frame building, foundation fixing and wiring, and section fitting was held, and proved to be a very interesting event, points being awarded for time and neatness. The President presented a W.B.C. hive to be drawn for in aid of the funds, and Mr. W. Herrod, who acted as judge, presented a medal to the member securing the highest number of points. This was won by Mr. G. Judge, of Hawley, Dartford, with twenty-eight points. Third-class certificates were pre- sented to Messrs. Barnes, Bryden, and Rivers, who had been successful in passing the B. B.K.A. examination during the summer. The awards Avere as follows : — Three l-lb. Sections.— 1st, Miss Hall: 2nd, G. Bryden; 3rd, G. Judge; h.c, G. H. Barnes. Six l-lb. Sections. — list, G. Bryden; 2nd, G. Judge; 3rd, The Association: h.c. Miss Smiles. Three Jars of Light Honey.— 1st, C. H. Rivers; 2nd, — Hankin ; 3rd, — Wiggins; h.c, G. Bryden. Three Jars Medium Honeif. — 1st, 0. Judge; 2nd, C. H. Rivers; 3rd, G. H. Barnes; h.c., Miss Smiles and Miss Hall. Three Jars of Hark Extracted Honeij. — 1st, G. ^Judge ; 2nd, Miss Smiles; 3rd, — Hankin; h.c, J. Roper. 'Two Shallotr Frames. — 1st, Miss Smiles ; 2nd, G. Judge; 3rd, E. R. Stoneham; h.c, G. Bryden. Home-made Bee - Appliances. — Ist. G. Judge; 2nd, — Hazelden ; 3rd, J. E. Smiles; h.c, G. H. Barnes. Bccs-wax. — 1st, Miss Smiles; 2nd, E. R. Stoneham; 3rd, C H. Rivers: h.c, G. Judge. Bee Froduce. — 1st. G. H. Barnes: 2nd, Miss Smiles; 3rd, G. Bryden. Sincjle l-lb. Jar (open class). — 1st, C. H. Rivei-s; 2nd, G. Judge; 3rd, — Upton. Single l-lb. Section (open class). — 1st,, G. Judge; 2nd. G. Biyden ; 3rd. G. H. Barnes; h.c. Miss Smiles. Sept. 28, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. 383 Frame Building Competition. — 1st, Miss Smiles; 2iid, A. Dewey; 3rd, G. Bryden. The thanks of the association are due to the President and Secretaiy for the excellence of the arrangements; to these gentlemen the success of the Exhibition is in no small measure dne, the grounds of Orchard House being an ideal place for a show of this nature. — Communicated. SOUTH OF SCOTLAND B.K.A. ANNUAL SHOW. Tlie annual show of the South of Scot- land B.K.A. was held at Castle-Douglas on September 14th last, and proved to be a decided success. The judges, Messrs. W. Hogg and H. Marrs, were highly pleased with the excellent quality of both extracted and section honey, and con- gratulated the association on the fine display of bee products they had broughl together. The awards were as follows :-- OPFN CLASSLS. Three 1-lb. .Jars E.rt) acted Hone,/.— 1st, J. Henderson, St. Serf's, Old Cumnock; 2nd, A. White, Lyndhurst, Old Cumnock ; 3rd, A. F. Borland, The Knowe, Cum- nock; v.h.c, J. M. Stewart, MoUance, Castle-Douglas; h.c, J. M. Stewart; c, D. Johnstone, Greenlaw, Castle-Douglas. Three 1-lh. Sections. — 1st, John M'Donaki, Lochfoot, Dumfries; 2nd, D. Jolmstone , 3rd, John Ross, Bai-kerland, Dumf]ies; v.h.c. John Ross. Sinqle 1-lh. Jar. — 1st, A. F. Borland; 2nd, J. M. Stewart; 3rd, R. Slater, Hard- gate, Dalbeattie; v.h.c, D. Johnstone: li.c, W. Du.nlop. Sinc/le 1-lh. Section. — 1st, D. Johnstone; 2nd, J. MDonald; 3rd, R. Slater; v.h.c, J. Ross. Beesua.r.-lfit, J. M. Stewart; 2nd, J. Ross; 3rd, D. Johnstone. members' classes. Super of Honeij. — 1st, W. D. Taic, Spottes, Du'beattie. Six 1-lh. Sections.—liit, J. MDonald; 2nd, J. Ross; 3rd, R. Slater. Three \-lh. Seetions. —Ist and 2nd, J. M-Donald. Six l-lh. -Jars Extracted Light- Colovred Tlonei/. — 1st, A. F. Borland; 2nd. J. ;M. Stewart; 3rd, D. Johnstone; v.h.c, R. Slater. Six 1-lb. -Jars Extracted MeiCnnn- Coloured Ilonci/. — 1st, R. Slater; 2nd, J. Ross. Two 1-lb. Jars Extracted- IIouc,/. — 1st, A. "White: 2nd, A. F. Borland; 3rd, J. Henderson; v.h.c, A. Wliite ; h.c, and c, J. ]V[. Stewart. Tu-o 1-lh. Sections.— Ifit, J. ^FDonald : 2nd, D. Johnstone; 3rd, J. Ross: v.h.c, J. M. Stewc fed in the spring. Honey will not granulate hard enough to give to the bees in place of candy, but if you wish to use it up, a certain proportion can be mixed in the candy when making. [8220] Bees in Ohservator}/ Hive in Winter.— 1 have made an observatory hive with ample ventilation, and have stocked it with a lot of driven bees. If i bring tliis hive into the kitchen where it is warm for the winter, do you think it will keep the queen laying, and so improve the stock for the following spring? Of course, I shall constantly feed it, or fill in with some 9in. combs of honey as soon as I see others emjjty. I could take them outside once :i foi'tuiaiht on a tine dav for cleansing Sept. 28, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 389 flight. Do you think this idea prac- ticable, avid if you do not, would you kindly explain its faults? — C. R., Wembley. Reply. — Yoxir plan is not practical, as you would place the bees under unnatural conditions. They should have a rest from woik during the winter. [8221] Varioua Queries. — (1) Can you tell me where to obtain work- ing drawings with full measurements of standard hives and other apparatus P Might not the ''Guide Book" be made even more useful than it is (at least to amateur carpenters) if all the illustrations included the principal dimensions'? (2) I want to start an "' Observatory" hive, but can only have it in a room on the first floor, the sill of the window being some 12ft. from the ground. Is this too high? Of course I want the bees to fly and work properly. (3) When is the best, time of year to start a small colony like this? (4) How should one treat shalloAV-combs of honey, small portions of which are not sealed? Ought the unsealed to be ex- tracted first? I have some combs where the unsealed honey is already fermented. What can I do with them?— J. W. P., Moselej'. Reply. — (1) You can obtain from this office "The Bee-keeper's Xote Book," in which full working drawings are given. Even the pages of a text book have their Iniiits, especially as the book is sucli an inexi^ensive one. (2) Bees are sometimes kept about the third storey or on roofs, so yours will be all right. (3) Start in the spring. (4) Extract the unsealed honey fir.st, and ripen it before bottling. The fermented honey should be extracted and boiled for bee food. [8222] Pteparinci Minoscopir Ohjecfs. — I should be greatly obliged if you would give me the best preserving medium for the following parts of the bee's anatomy in microscopic cell slides. (1) Alimentary canal or jjarts of it." (2) Nervous system. (3) Circulatory system. (4) Tracheal system. (5) Eye. (6) Limbs, legs, &c. (if necessary). — Geo. Steventon, Bisley. Reply.— (1) (2) (3) (4) Glycerine; (5) and (6) Canada balsam. [8223] Brgintiey^s Queries. — A swarm of bees came off one of my hives at the beginning of July while I was away from lionie, and they were hived in a skep, where they still remain. Would you advise me to transfer thom to a frame- hive now, or to wait until the spring? If 1 leave them in the skep will they need feeding, and how shall I protect them from cold during the winter? — \ Beginner, Kent. Reply. — You must leave them in the skep until the spring. You are in a better position to judge of their need of food than Ave are, but there is little doubt but that they will have plenty of stores. The skep should weigh about 301b. ; if it does not, then feed. Notices to Correspondents. J. H. (^Slaithwaite). i^icssing Heath ei Honey. — If not worth your while to in- vest money in a press, get one of the small potato-mashers, sold by all iron- mongers, which forms an excellent sui> stitute. These small hand presses ai-e usually illustrated in bee appliance makers' catalogues. G. L, G. (Hereford).- l^rr i'a/as/Yc— The insect-: ate Braula ('vca, or the bliiiil louse, a parasite which sometimes infests queen and workers. They have been especiall}' troublesome this season on account of the warm weather. Blow tobacco smoke into the hive, and then lift it off the floor-board; the lice will be found to drop from the bees on to this, and can then be brushed off and desti'oyed. The floor-board should be washed with disinfectant. These in- sects usually die out in winter, but as, they irritate the bees very much, it is best to try to destroj^ them. Cloisteks (Abergavenny). — Dead Bees in Hive. — There is evidently some small space through Avhicli the bees crawl, and cannot find their way back again. Those sent have died of starvation. J. H. H. (Fulham). — Dead Queens Cast- Out. — The old queen is injured, and is of the ordinary black variety. Of the others, one is a hybrid, and has her wings injured as if she had been ballea. One other is a scrub-hybrid, and the re- maiiiDig one has all broken to pieces, -30 we can say notliing about her. Examine tiie hive; in all probability there is a laying worker present. G. J. C. (Oxford.) — Immature Bees Ca^t Out. — You should join the County Bee- keepers' Association. The Secretary, Mr K. Turner, Turl Street, Oxford, will send particulars if you write him. From your description of the condition of the stock, Ave should say that tho bees are short of food, so it Avill be best to feed them. It may lie that the brood has become chilled during the cold nights. E. A. B. (Ruthin.) — .1 Ber/inner's Qiirrir-^ — Your difficulty is i.ot very clear. You have prevented sAvarming by giving plenty of room for the bees to AA'ork ; that ir; the right method Avith modern hiA'es. It is noAv too late for the bees to give more surplus. You should re- Queen noA\- Avith a native queen. Tlio skep-question is rather mixed. Kindly Avrite again, telling us exactly Avhat you Avant to knoAv. You do not say whether you liaA'e a skep already, or if you are 390 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Sept. 28, 1911. going to buy one. Do you wish to know if th& best way of hiving driven bees is by putting tlie skep on the top of tlie f:-amesr Honey SaiiipJes. G. S. (Wattisfield).— Sample is good in colour, density fair, the flavour rather acid. It is worth about 50s. per cwt. J. H. H. (Twickenham).— A light honey from clover and lime ; flavour good and densitv excellent. E. J. Lewis (Dolafon).— A very nice sample of almost pure heather honey. It is a pity you did not try to sell it, as you might have disposed of it with advantage. The flavour of heather honey is always strong, but it is con- sidered a great delicacy, and it brings a better price than any other kind of honey. We should not call the taste " bitter," it is merely the characteristic lieatlier flavour. Thank you for your kind aijpreciation of the "B.B.J." J. H. T.^ (Hull).— Very probably you ave right as to the source of sample A, as there is a distinct flavour of haw- thorn, but it is a mixed honey. It is good in all respects, except density, which is only fair. B is also too thin— - worse than A in this respect, and in flavour it is not so good. Both are good in colour. The only precaution against granulation you can take is to keop the honey in a warm, dark place — the corner of the kitchen should not be too warm. It is impossible to prevent some honeys from granulating. Too great heat will cause fermentation. E. (Cheshire).— A very good honey in colour, flavour, and consistency. It would be improved by more careful straining. It alieady shoMs slight signs of granulation. M. M. (Chorlton). — Sample No. 1 is from clover Good in all points except density. It is suitable to show locally. No. 2 is from clover and lime ; very good on all points, but it requires clearing before being fit for show. No. 3 is partly from ragAvort, and not of nice flavour, though good in all other respects. No. 4 is similar to No. 1, and No. 5 has the same characteristics as No. 2. Shallov.- frames can be used indefinitely, as they are not used for brood-rearing. We have seen them in use for over twenty years. Svsppcted Disease. Anxious (Belford). — It is a case of foul brood. Use "Apicure" in the hive, and no doubt in spring you will find all IS well. T. D. (Merthyr Tydvil).— We cannot se*- any trace of disease. The bees are of the English variety. H. E. (Handsworth"). We cannot find anything wrong with the bees. The caiise of the trouble is fighting. You should have removed the old queen at least twelve hours before the new one was put in. Special Prepaid Advertisements. Two Words One Fenny, mlnlmuni. Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. HONEY, finest Hampshire, 58s. per cwt., 281b. tin, 15s., tins returnable or charged; sample 3cl.~0WEN BROWNING, Ashley, Kingsomborne, Hants. m 36 EXTRACTED ENGLISH HONEY, 12s. 6d. per 281b, tin, sample 2d.— BUTTON, Terling. Essex. I 79 FOR SALE, 3icwt. finest Wiltshire Honey, 56s. cwt.; tins and crates free; sample 2d. — WHITE, Gas Works, Wilton, Wiltshire. n 30 SURPLUS BEE APPLIANCES, all new. Bee House 16 by 6, in sections, red tongued board, felt-covered roof, holds 36 Stocks, complete with shelves, porches and ventilator, £10 on rail; similar house, holds 13, £7; body boxes, with ten Standard frames and starters, complete, 3/-; with glass panel, 3/6; supers, with ten standard wired frames, drawn out combs, 4/6; ditto, with starters, 2/6; Standard Excluder zincs. 6d. each, four for Is. 9d.— LEA, More- ton, Dorchester. FINEST HAMPSHIRE HONEY, about 5cwt., light extracted, for sale, price, in 281b. or 561b. tins, 7d. per lb. cash, tins free.— STEPHEN TEMBLETT, Andover. EXTRACTOR WANTED, secondhand; descrip- tion and lowest price.— TAYLOR, 137 Kelgate, Beverley. n 27 FOR SALE, 3|cwt. pale Extracted Honey, 60s. cwt.; 10 dozen Sections, glazed, 8s. 6d. dozen. —COOK, Barton Mills, Mildenhall. n 26 1 rw/^rvLB. Splendid Light Clover Honey, 11) UU sample 3d., 58s. cwt.-ALBERT COE, Apiary, Ridgewell, Halstead, Essex. " 25 B EST quality Clover Sections, 9s. dozen; seconds, , packed and on rail.-BARNES, Clogger Wigton. n 24 10 YOUNG CANARIES for sale, six cocks, six rw hens, £2 lot, or sell separate, cash witli order.-A. JACKSON, Elveden, Thetford. n 24 HONEY well ripened, good flavour, 58s. per cwt.,' on rail, tins free; ilb. sample six Ftamps.-J. IRELAND, Yernham, Hungerford Berks^ ILf, OTICE, to save postages.— Bees and Appliances sold out.— VICE, Thrussington. " ^1 N S also EVERAL cwts. good Extracted Honey, mainlj clover for sale, whole or part; sample 3d.- Sections.-H. SPARKES, Chute, Andover. GOOD EXTRACTED HONEY wanted; give par- ticulars and price.-HEAP, P.owley-road Reading. ^_ D"~ RIVEN BEES.-Wanted a /ew lots wMth young Oueens.-Price, &c., to WOOD, Old Aylestone, Leicester. ^^ [^ 1710R SALE, IBst. Honev. in 2st. tins, 7d. per lb ■< _W. H. MARTIN, Newyork, Lincoln. n 16 Oct. 5, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 391 Editorial, Notices, &c. CAMBRIDGE MAMMOTH SHOW. The bee and honey section of the above show, hekl on August 7th, at Cambridge, proved to be one of the finest honey dis- plays ever seen in the county. The entries numbered 153, and amongst them were no fewer than eighteen names of prize- winners at the Royal Agricultural Show at Norwich in June last. All the classes were open to Great Britain, and the ex- hibits, which came from all parts of the country, were generally of such excellent quality that the judges, Messrs. R. Brown and Allen Sharp, had a difficult task in deciding on the best, and indeed in two of the classes they admitted that every exhibit was worthy of a prize. The promoters are to be congratulated on the excellent arrangements, which greatly con- tributed to the succe-ss of the show. The awards were as follows : — Display of Honey. — 1st, R. H. Baynes, Bridge Street, Cambridge ; 2nd, W. Barnes, Exning, Newmarket: 3rd, F. Humphrey, Comberton, Cambs. ; v.h.c, J. Short, Garden Walk, Cambridge. Twelve 1-lb. Sections. — 1st, W. Jarman, Royston, Herts ; 2nd, Edgar Brown, Ful- bourn, Cambs.; 3rd, S. P. Soal, Rochford, Essex; v.h.c, Jas. Lee, Fulbourn, Cambs.; h.c, R. H. Baynes. Twelve Jars, Light Colour Extracted Honey. — 1st, Rayner and Moissey, New- market; 2nd, A. C. Jackson, Elvedon, Norfolk; 3rd, W. S. Holford, West Wrat- ting, Cambs. ; v.h.c, F. Long, Burv St. Edmunds; h.c, R. W. Llovd, Thetford, Norfolk. Three Shallow Frames for Extracti>ni. — 1st, S. Sanderson, West Wratting, Cambs. ; 2nd, Jas. Lee ; 3rd, Edgar Brown ; v.h.c, A. Barber, Comberton, Cambs.; h.c, R. H. Baynes. Six 1-lh. Sections. — 1st, W. Barnes; 2nd, Edgar Brown; 3rd, R. H. Baynes; A^h.c, C. W. Dyer, Compton, Newbury; h.c, A. Alderman, Babraham, Cambs. Six Jars, Light Coloured Extracted Honey. — 1st, S. Sanderson; 2nd, W. S. Holford; 3rd, R. H. Baynes; v.h.c, F. Humphrey; h.c, W. Hall, Fulbourn, Cambs. Single 1-lh. Section. — 1st, A. Alderman; 2nd, H. W. Saunders, Thetford, Norfolk; 3rd, A. Barber; v.h.c, S. Sanderson. Single 1-lh. Jar of Honey. — 1st, A. C. Jackson: 2nd, W. Barnes; 3rd, S. Sandei'- son; v.h.c, W. S. Holford: h.c, C. Daniels, Balsham, Cambs. Bell-Glass. —1st, R. H. Baynes; v.h.c, W. Barnes. SPECIAL PRIZES. Observatory Hive. — 1st and Certificate of Merit, Jas. Lee (Hybrid Bees); 2nd and Certificate of Merit, R. H. Baynes and Co. (pure Italians). The " Small Holder Clock " was awarded to R. H. Baynes for the largest number of points. — Communicated. AMONG THE BEES. SYSTEM. By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. Go to the ant, thou sluggard, and learn from that tiny insect how to labour. Go to the bee-hive, thou bee-keeper, and learn from the system of labour and government there displayed how thou mayest carry on thy occupation with a minimum waste of time and expenditure of tissue. System is the secret of success. No bee has to waste time discussing who is to carry out certain operations, for each tiny toiler sees where work is required, and straightaway goes and does it with all its might. Some ".Aould fain try to convince us that tho operation of fanning is carried on in a haphazard way, and that there is no regular relieving of the guards or fanners. That is the result of man's shortsighted and unscientific observations. Relief comes, or the fanner, when worn out by it.s toilsome labours, clears out, but only to be replaced by several successors each eager to step into its comrade's place ; when the necessity arises fanners are always there. In like mannei-, however long the guards may be on duty, a sufficient number will always be found in position, and in the right position to spy strangers, and evict tliem if necessary. Nay, if summary execution is to be meted out to i^itruders the two, three, or half-a-dozen evicting the would-be intruder have their places at once filled by relief guards. The same prin- ciple holds good in all the internal work- ing of the hive. Every operation is car- ried out expeditiously and well. System in apicultural operations leads to economy of both time and money. The labour is lightened, more of it is over- taken in a given time, and the necessary operations are carried out at the right tinie — not half-a-day, half-an-hour, or even half-a-minute too late. In bee-keeping this feature cannot be over-estimated. Do things, but do them at the right time. Solomon Slow had the knack of doing everything five minutes too late. Thi.s in apiculture would mean for most operations that the time had passed for the necessity of carrying out the work. Spending time over tlie operation would bear comparison with the proverbial process of trying to gather up spilt milk. With this preamble let me consider several featured of bee-keeping wherein system mav mean success or the want of it failure." In a model apiary lately noticed I was much struck with the 392 THE BHITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 5, 1911. arrangements made wliereby every tool and implement was always at hand when required. It was all a question of system as against a lack of it. There was a place for everything and everything was at once returned to its proper place when it had perfoi'nied its duty for the time being. Think what a time-saver this must pro\e when several individuals at different times handle these tools. No hunting about is necessary; no querying of where a certain article may be found is required ; there is no delay in carrying out the required operation, because the means are there at hand. How few bee-keepers know the contents of each hive from year to year? Yet if success is to be made certain everything connected with every colony should be systematically recorded consecutively from start to finish. This introduces the ques- tion of some kind of record being kept, ^vith the life history of the community contained in each domicile written down in brief. I need not pause to consider the best system, whether card, slate, book or complicated index cards, each bee-keeper can decide which suits him best, but let him have some definite record of the doings of each colony in his apiary. Begin in early spring systematical!}^ to plan and carry out a definite line of action as to your apicultural proceedings during the season, and endeavour as much as possible to adhere to its details. Don't cany on the pastime or pursuit spasmodically. Conducted by fits and. starts it is not^ likely to prove a profit- able undeitaking. It requires a little more than • periijdic enthusiasm, and this constant ardour a love for the bees and the hobby v.ill undoubtedh' beget and sustain. "I like my job," a President of the U.S.A. said of the strenuous work his duties entailed, and this in a small way ex- plains how some people can make a success of bee-keeping, while others make a muddlo of it aird give up because bee-keeping does not pay. It does and it doesn't, but in either case the reason is in our- selves and not in our "stars." System must pervade our every act during the Avhole season. The spring cleaning, the lenewal of defective bi-ood-combs, the timely preparation of section cases, the seasonable placing of these on the hives and their gradual increase during the season, tlie Avithdrawal of full cases, the preparation of the finished article for the market, and its sale at a reasonable price all require system. None of them will be efficiently carried out if gone about spasmodically, or if done in a haphazanl way. No oth&r subject in liee-keeping. hov/ever, roquiies t(j l)e gone al)out so systematically as the preparation for safe Avintering. Each step must be" attended to most carefull3^ The queen, the liees. the stores, the hive, the packing, must all be tested and proved. No true bee-keeper should grudge the thorough and precise investigation on each of these heads before putting the bees up for the winter. Re- member that on its thoroughness depends mainly the condition in which each stock inay Ue found after nearly six months' semi-hibernation while they are confined to the hives, with occasional flights, during the period from 1st October up to the end of March. Studv your "Guide Book," your Journal " and "Record," on a definite system. From the bee-papeis you may. read extract all the "nectar" you can on each feature of bee-keeping. Take, for instance, " s^\arming." Group all yo\v facts undei' tliat head in such a way that they M'ill l)e available at the desired moment. NECTAR PRODUCING PLANTS AND THEIR POLLEN. Bi/ G>:0. Hauf's, Beeston, Xotts. {Continued from p. 301). Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara). Nat. Order. Compositce. The presence of this flower betokens stiff or poor soil, and on cultivated ground it is looked upon as a noxious weed, very difficult to eradicate, resisting the most desperate attempts to dispossess it. For all this, I hesitate to assert that its in- fluence is wholly bad, for where — as for instance in a hedgerow, ' on a railway embankment, &c. — the ground is not under cultivation its presence is a decided gain, as it spots with its golden stars and afterwards clothes with its verdure many a piece of ground that would otherwise look poor and bare. To ibis must also be added its nectar and pollen-producing qualities — for it yields well of both — and its medicinal service, which is by no means insignificant. The flower stems, bearing numerous scales, and covered with a loose, soft down, rise erect and directly from the ground to a height, of Gin. or Sin., the' summit of which is crowned with a solitary single flower-head of a pale golden hue, which opens only when the sun is shining. When all the florets have bloomed' it closes up tightl}^-, and the stem bends downwards, the decaying bloom assuming a pendant position for the purpose, of warding off the rain, but as the seeds ripen the stems stiffen again into the Oct 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 39.- InAVater. erect jiosition, now bearing on its summit a globular bead of winged seeds, similar to the dandelion, bawkbit, groundsell, and otber members of this order, which are clisjiersed b}' the wind. Its flowers may be found through ^farch and AjJril, and increase is obtained by division of its thick, fleshy roots, any small porti')n of which will usually grow and produce a jDlant, especially if it is where it is not required. It is also propagated by its seeds, in which it is very prolific ; one plant under observation being estimated to yv produce 22,500 liry. seeds. The struggle for existence is, h o w ever, very severe, or we might find all Britain quickly carpeted with Coltsfoot. The plant is very dissimilar at different periods. In the spring it is a leafless flower, and throughout the s u m m era flowei'less mass of foliage. The leaves are large a ad of curious a'lgular and toothed form, somev.bat heart- shaped in general appearance, but possessing many curves ;ind points. On the underside — and on the upper side, whilst young — they are coated ^ith a loos e, w bite cotton-wool, which imparts a gre\- appearance to the foliage. It is some- times called Tiissi- kujo folia (Colts- foot leaf), 1)ecause the leaf is some- thing like the im- print of a colt's foot; sometimes Tiis.sii(i(jo fiuicns (Colts- foot flower) ; in this locality it is calleossible obstruction, and in C the virgiji joined the crowd unmolested. Each had been removed from tlie travelling cage, kept alone and A^ithout food for at least haU-an-houi', and the introduction was in the middle of the day when the bees were flying free!;,-. T spread newspapers in front of all three hives. Now for the sequel. Next morning I found the virgin introduced into B dead in front of the hive. I felt that tliat loss Mas quite deserved. Mr. Stapleton's advice to remove the ((ueen and Avait four days had not been followed. But A had been treated exactly as he had recom- mended, and C as advised on page 141 of the " Guide Book," and I saw nothing to lead me to think tliat these queens had been similarly treated. Three Aveeks later I examined A and C The former was queenless and dwindling rapidly, and C had a native, or hybrid, young queen just beginning to lay. So my attempts had proved a complete failure. It is, of course, possible that botli queens Avere lost on their mating Hight. I Avish 1 could believe it. In the Oct. 5, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOFRNAL. 595 case of C the virgin must have been got rid of almost at once, and a new queen ]'aised from an egg laid by the old queen before removal. The system, if joracticable in other hands than those of Mr. Stapleton, offers so many advantages that 1 would willingly trj- again if he or some successful follower of his method could exj^lain it more fully, and, as far as I am concerned, tell ms where I v.ent wrong. — .J. G. Dalzell. BEES' WING-POWER v. XOSEMA APIS. [8266] "Wliile it does not appear that the mischievous disease germ has yet been defined, it jnay be well to consider another matter Avhich has a practic^il bearing upon the effects of the so-called "• Isle of Wight" disease; and that is the wing- 230wer of the bees, as I'egulated by those extremely important organs, the air sacs and tracheae. AVith bees in cential Europe we are assured that the presence of Nosema AjJis does not result in apparent disease : hence there is no particular reason why it should do so in this country. It is quite possible, with paralysis creeinng on as a result of some obscure microbe, that Xoscjua Apis, a very common parasite, should be more in evidence as a consequence. But the one point that no previous investigator appears to have considered is the fact that bees affected with paralysis may be induced to fly with only a few seconds' manipulation in relieving the air sacs and tracheae which are congested, so that they are quite useless. If a bee cannot fly it is, of course, doomed ; consequently the method of cuve I have offered goes to the root of the trouble, and immediately assists in open- ing the breathing pores or spiracles of the workers. I am, at this cooler season, recommending all users of my remedy to appl}^ it at a temperature of lOOdeg., a further aid towards effecting a cure. The line to be drawn between the sick bees' abilit}- or non-ability to fly is so very fine that the least trouble, such as poisoning, common dysentery, or con- stipation, as in the present difficulty, affects the wing-poMer. But in all, even the worst plague undei- consideration, it rests solely Avith the bee-owner whether he will restore the jiower of flight or allow the bees to go to destruction. With paralysis, whether from local poisoning or the so-called " Isle of AVight " disease, tlie breathing pores of the bee arc choked. The air sacs and tracheae become inoperative, and consequently the inusci"s of the wings cannot be used ; while the absence of the life-giving oxygen, as well as the necessary pressure that should I'e available wlien the air sacs are filled, is the cause of the constipation and bloated appearance of the sick bee. When I repeat that these apparently doomed bees (as they first crawl away from the hive) may be incUiced to fly as well as ever they did — and mark this, before the bowel has been relieved — by a few seconds' manipulation, it will be realised lio«' very slight is the margin between life and death where any sick- ness affects the air sacs of the workers. Possibly the bees already leaving the hive should not be saved, but that these may still fly only shows there is really no reason why those remaining should like- wise be allowed to follow the same road to destruction ; the actual disease affect- ing the bees cannot therefore be so deeply seated as is generally supposed. The loss of wing-poAver, even with those workers that do not appear to be bloated, is now fully explained. Only relieve the sick bees so that they can again use their breathing powers to the full and there is no further constipation, and there are n<> more bloated bees, because their wings liave regained muscular activity : while at the same time the normal pressure of air is assured for the very necessary purpose of expelling the accumulations of the bowel Avliile on the wing. It is just a question of re-opening the congested sjiiracles and air sacs, when the disease germs, aa hatever they may be, are defied. The close relation of the wings to the condition of the air sacs may to some extent account for the dislocation some- times referred to : but I consider they are frequently injured by the more healthy workers in their well-known attempts to throw the sick members out. But the few seconds' manipulation ! What is that? naturally asks the reader. The most simple experiment possible ; yet it results in a great truth. Any unfortu- nate owner who has bees crawling away from the hive in the helpless way now so well known may pick up one that has recently left the hive. He should then hold it in his closed, hot, moist hand for a fe«- seconds, and upon opening it he will observe a very strange occurrence. The bee hitherto struggling helplessly to rise (although in the meantime it has not relieved the bowel) Avill now fly just as well as ever it did. The insect may have been attempting to rise while m the full glare of the sun at lOOdeg. ; but dry heat never helped a feverish jKitient. It requires moist warmth to relieve the parched skin, or in the case of the 1)ee to relieve tlie dried-up air passages. Consecjuently if one renovates the wonderful air sacs of the failing bees he 396 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 5, 1911. also restores the muscular activity of tlieir wings; and while not forgetting the neces- sity of destroying the disease germs, the natural vitality of his little friends is quickly restored. — Saml. Simmins, Heath- field, Sussex. FINDING QFEENS. [8267] Referring to D.M.M.'s remarks on finding queens (page 386), novices like myself look with dread on the task, wiiich has from time to time to be attempted, of finding the queen in an ordinary well-stocked hive. It is not the labour that daunts one, but the pro- bable futility of the search. Surely in these scientific days thei'e must be some harmless chemical preparation Avliich can be applied to the back of a young queen before she is introduced to a stock and which will leave such a plain and in- delible mark upon her that she can be afterwards readily found. There are several preparations which will mark, without harm, animals, not excluding human beings, and I should certainly think there is something that can be as well applied to bees — only it has to be found. Perhaps some of our chemist I)ee-keepers will be so kind as to bring their knowledge to bear upon this problem, the solution of which will be a l>oon to their fellow honey-growers. "-^A. E. B., Northfield. BEES COLLECTING OLD PROPOLIS. ^ [8268] Although bee-keepers are gene- rally interested in the collection of nectar and pollen by bees, I do not think that the c<,llection of propolis attracts their atteniion so much. I have occasionally observed bees collecting propolis fom the buds of plants, A^c, and veiy often have cause to re- member hoM' they seem to overdose the ends of frames in their endeavours to stop lip every crevice. Quite recently, while on a visit to an ajiiary, I had an interesting example of how bees gather old propolis. Some queen-excluders, having been laid aside 'for cleaning purposes, had attracted the attention of seveial liees, and on watchiu::^ 'their movements I found they were re- moving the old propolis and carrying it .away. It was an interesting study to see tile i)ees tearing away jiiece after piece with their mandibles. The energy of tbeir whole Ijody seemed tested to its uttermost in pursuing the task. Their ,])()sition (resembling a dog witli a bou") was amusing, but the rapidity with which ,tbey transferred the • ;|)ropolis from the , mandibles to the pollen-pocket was startling, and it was some time before I could detect how it was done. A.^ soon as the mandibles wrenched off a piece of propolis the front leg took hold of it and carried it on to the hind leg. This done, the middle leg tapped it into position, whilst the mandibles Ment to work again. The size of the j)ieces varied ; sometimes the bees v.ould load up with two 2^iPfes, but at other times it took several pieces to make a load. I believe that for bees to use up old pro- jJolis in this way is very unusual, and probably it is only done when natural supplies are scarce. Perhaps the drought had something t(/ do with tliis. It would be interesting to know if any other reader has observed a similar occurrence. I dare say it will be useful to some to kno^\ that wa'^hing the fingers in methylated spirit will remove propolis stains. — J. PiucE, Staffs. .SENDING HONEY BY POST OR RAIL. [8269] The following may interest bee- keepers. The other day I went to the Post Office to send off one ^Ib. screw-top jar of honey to a friend. I said to the attendant. "Will this go all right?" Her reply was. "Oh, yes, if I place the Post Office label marked " Fragile ' on it." " But," I said, ■■ what if you bring down the stamp with- a bang on it P " Again she replied, "I will stamp the ticket before I paste it on." The consequence was it arrived all riglit at its destination. A few days afterwards I went to the railway station to send off four jars, and told the porter I had written "Fragile" on it. He said, "You had better pay 4d. more and let it go at tbe Company's risk." I paid 8d. at my risk, and said, ■" Surely if I put ' Fragile ' on a parcel well packed in straw you don't throw it about like you would a stone ; moreover, it is only going forty miles, I will risk it." Noav. I ask how is it the Railway Company, like the Post Office, have no official labels to paste on to make their porters more careful? Why should bee-keepers have to use tins for extracted honey, or place their sections in biscuit tins to satisfy the carelessness of railway porters ? A train draws up, a parcel is thrown into the van like a brick, and if it contains honey jars, even well packed in card- lioard boxes and straw, the question is. Win it stand the rough treatment porters mete out to luggage of any description r Tliey are careful enough when a parcel goes at their Company's risk. Station- masters and guards should call the ]:)orters to account when they see them careless. — C. W., Barnstaple. [In sending parcels of honey or any other fragile article through the post it Oct. 5, 1911. THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 39' is advisalile to put a tie-ou label with the address and also .stamps; in this May all risk of breakage by stamping is avoided, as the label must be laid on the table to stamp and tlie parcel is not touched. Railway companies do supply a red label marked " Glass with care," which can be put on fi-agile parcels. The postal authorities do not always deliver parcels intact although they have a fragile label on them, as the many l)roken packages of honev which reach us amply testify.— Ed.] CAPPJNGS OK COMB. KV L.S. CliAWSHAW, NOKTON, M.^LTON, YORKS. Huqar-fei^dinKj and Disease (p. 335.) — i am not quite able to reconcile Mr. Simmins' assault upon " A Roman Bee- keeper" with his knoAvn views upon the origin of disease. If I have rightl}^ understood ^Jr. Simmins, he believes that, Avhilst microbes may transmit disease, they do not cause it, but that the origin (if disease is to be found in a lowered vitality. (] kle Micro-organisms not the Origin of Ijisease, pji. 109-129. Modern Bee Farm, 1904 edition.) Something jikin to this v.ould appear to be the argu- ment of the writer on page 305, i.e., that sugar, being an imperfect food, causes a lowered vitality which results in disease. Unlike Mr. Simmins, I do not understand him as asserting that sugar directly pro- duces disease. It Avould be Avell if, in sucii discussion, direct and indirect cause were clearly defined. Now, a perusal of Mr. Simmins's writings warrants the assumption that he disbelieves in the direct micro-organic causation of disease. Here he appears to occupy a fresh posi- tion {vide paragrapli 2), where he post;'.- lates that an infectious disease must be derived from a diseased source. Is it possible that he has advanced his views r" And is it not apparent that reconciliation of these various views is to be found in the modern belief that micro-organisiT.^ are ubiquitous, but only multiply, as in disease, Avhen a siiitaWe situation occurs.'" I am not to be undei'stood as assei'ting that sugar does lowei' the vitality of bees, although I am inclined to the opinion that it does do so where they luu'e work to ] erforni. However satisfactory it may be as a winter ration, it is inferior to honey as the basis of brood food, as wit- ness the inferior queens reared upon a sugar diet. Nor am 1 prepared to admi1 that beet sugar is always an unsuitable food. I have not found it to be so. But there may be winters \vhen the difference Itetween cane and beet sugar is strikingly nppareut, as there may be summers M'hen the difference in value l)etween honey and sugar syrup calls serious attention to itself. Tlic Bee-heepiruj Grant (p. 342.)— I have :.iot the pleasure of knowing Mr. Erne.st E. Williams, and it is jjerhaps as well, since lie ajipears to be a gentleman with a grievance, and this class is distinctly dangerous. But as up to the time of going to pre.ss Mr. J. B. Lamb appears to Imve escaped slaughter, I venture also, tremblingly enough, to utter a word of criticism. Mr. Williams's argument would be pathetic if it were not so ludicrous. For, as Mr. Lamb clearly shovis, the grant will not, or at least not solely, go into bee-keepers' pockets. Even did it do so, it is nonsense to talk of taking £500 from the general body of tax- ]iayers, the bee-keepers themselves, pre- sutnably, failing to contribute. It is perhaps a little late in the day to talk of bi'igandage in connection with taxation ' Be that as it may, it is at least certain that bee-keepers contribute £500 lo general taxation, whifet on thf? other hand it is likely that at least £500 is devoted to purposes of which the con- tributors disapprove. It may even be that some of them strenuously disapprove, and were it not that they are — being bee- keepers, and as ptich continually learning lessons front the economy of the hive — an extremely docile class they might voice their protest against grants which benefit other sections of the community, did they not '-leaily realise that such monej's are in circulation to-day and invested for to- morrow. But, dire as he may consider our tribe, it is to be hoped that Mr. Williams vvill appreciate the force of our diatribe, and not see fit to join the noble army of passive resisters and refuse to subscribe towards such a shameful misuse of his hardly-earned moneys, lest he die a tribal death at the weapons of in- furiated bee-keepers and their bees ! Dear me ! one might imagine from the foregoing tirade that I was a lover of that arch tax-gatherer who hails fro:a Taffvdom and reigns in Merrie England I At the Moor (p. 344).— It is evident that Othello lives in the midst of lieathei- land, for he speaks of manipulation of tlie supers during the flow. Such work is beyond the power of those of us who travel nearly twenty miles to the ling, and whose '^ees never satisfactorily occupy more than one super when there. This year of blessed memory the heather flow was all too short to satisfy even those modest beemen who are more than content with one full super per hive. Drone v. lT'o/7,-^/' Foundntion (p. 345.) — The argumsnts used by Mr. Harris in hi-< advocacj^ of worker combs for extracting are not very convincing. Anyone who has extracted from both varieties knows the difference in favour of drone comb. It is not clear either why worker combs, pre- sumably produced from full sheets of 398 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 1911. ■foundation, slioukl be transferred from slialloAV-frames to standard frames. If .swarms be hived upon them, surelj- they may continue to live upon them. But why hive upon tliem at all? I am con- A'inced that hivijig swarms ujion combs results in a loss. Here are bees ready and willing to build comb, and the bee- keeper should take advantage of their instinct. As to show purposes, it is by no means certain that judges prefer drone comb m sections, as suggested. The only j instarce in whicii it might be favoured | Mould be in the case of a shallow-frame exhibit. Personally, I do not care to extract honey f-om brood-combs, and if s>uch shallow brood-combs be mixed witli section frames, dark sections are sure to result from the bori'owed wax. Queries and Replies. [8224] L'lahUltii for Damage Done hy Bees in Trnnsit. — (1) Can you tell me the present value of the original 1808 edition of Hubers' work on bees (English trans- lation) ? (2) I presume I am resiionsible for injui'ies caused by my bees to persons or animals during their transit to and from the heather, and also ^hile they are located at the moors. Is this risk covered by the B.B.K.A. Insurance Scheme, and, if not, could it be included by payment of an extra jjremium? (3) AVill you kindly give your opinion on the source and quality of enclosed t^o samples of honey, and say whether you consider "them fit for show? — A. B., Bishop Monkton . Reply. — (1) Its value is about 2s. 6d. (2) There is no doubt you are responsible for damage caused by your bees in transit. We are under the impression that the insurance of the B.B.K.A. does not cover this risk : it cannot be covered by extra payment. The new location at the moors must be insured as well as the one at home. (3) A, is a good clover honey, though lacking a little in density. B is a good heather lilend. Both honeys will do to show locally. [8225] Best Hirr^Bntish Golden Bee^. — (1) Which is the best hive for securing large quantities of honey? (2) What is the general opinion of the " British goldens " from those who have had ex- perience of them? (3) I have a Britisli golden queen (hardy and prolific), and I am going to bi'eed from lier next year. Should I mate tlie young queens witli her own (golden) drones or with black ? (4) Also mating black queens with golden drones. AVould the cross be good in either o. I hoA^ever exti-act from standard combs, as well as shallow frames, and even skep combs and partially filled sections ; what would Mr. Crawshaw do with combs 71b. to just under 91b. gross Meight, many of them perfectly opaque and flat as a board, completely sealed too, with only the lower angles imperfect? I have proved, too, that there is a great gain on hiving swarms or driven bees on clean, emptj' combs. Once again I repeat, "That for real practical utilitv worker combs are far the best," and I should like Mr. Craw- shaw to tell ns of a real practical objec- tion to worker combs in shallow frames. He seems to have misunderstood me about drone combs in sections. I had in mind honey from shallow frames. Drone comb in any shape or form is, to me, simply an abomination, I even fix worker- comb out of skeps (after extracting the honey and getting the bees to clean them) into standard frames. I find it quite easy to clean out pollen, and the bees clean out the old cocoons, too ; thus I have no occa- sion to melt clown old combs. Extractors. — Is not the tin extractor liable to corrode, and when by oversight honey is left on the outside, does not that change to an inky colour? I have an home-made extractor, made of selected yellow deal (memel I think), which has been in use for fifteen years, and is as IJerfeci:. now as when made and practically air-tioht. In my opinion this is far prefer- able to tin, for it nevei- discolours in any shape or form. A. H.4,eris, Wavendon, Bucks. DEALING WITH "ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. [8276] For the benefit of brother bee- keepens I send you a few lines of my ex- perience in connection Avith the "I.O.W." disease. The first stock shoAved signs of the disease dtiring honey-gathering time; we isolated it in the country where there were no other bees. The stock did not seem to get much weaker, but was not strong enough to work in the supers. We were of opinion that if we took the bees away and gaA^e the stock healthy bees, it might effect a cure. I am glad to say it has been a complete f;ucce>ss. We watched the stock weekly for a time, and noticed how well it was doing ; we did not even disinfect the hive, but put in the same combs, which were well filled with brood. On the faith of this stock doing so well we have set up for winter ninety- seven stocks with -driven bees on brood- combs. We brought the affected stock home a few days ago, and examined it on the following day. It would cheer the heart of any bee-keeper to look at it — eleven standard frames filled with bees. We have rarely seen so goO'd a stock of bees at this season. We have treated every stock in the apiary. We lost eighty-six out of eighty-eight stocks during our dearly-bought lesson on "I.O.W." disease. We scorched every hive, and have disinfected thi-ee or four times, hives, ground, and all. So long as the type of bee-keeper exists who offers stocks of driven bees at 3s. 6d. a lot — not guaranteed, of cour.se — the disease will not he stamped out of the country. v neighbour of mine bought two lots, ten days or so ago, and we had to burn them four days after they came. — A MuiE and Sox, Kirkowan. DEALING WITH FOUL BROOD. [8277] I send you a report of niy bees, which may be of interest. In May I iiad three lots of bees in W.B.C. hives, two being slightly affected with foul bi'ood. I got the expert's help on May 16th, and we destroyed the combs, &c., and united the bees, putting them on new combs in a hive washed with carbolic. They swarmed out of this, but were caught and put into a clean skep without carbolic. Three days later the skep was found empty, except for a small piece of newly-built comb containing eggs. My third and only remaining hive seemed strong and doing so well that I had already supered it on May 8tli. witii twenty-one sections. These I took off finished on June 3rd. A second rack yiuz below this on May 26th, was finished stiil more quickly by June 8th, and by July 20th, 1 had taken eighty-three well-fille<[ sections, and from a box of shallow frames put below the last rack of sections on June 24th, I have taken 371b. of run honey, making 1201b. in all. I cannot understand why the diseased bees daserted the skep after comb-build- ing and egg-laying had begun. I am also astonished at the extraordinary rapidity with which the third hive worked, and woncfer if the diseased ones could have joined forces with this one. and so account for it, but I do not think a strong lot of bees, as this third lot was in May, would ai.lmit strangers. I should be glad of your opinion on these two points. — (^liss) G. WiLLAx. Hanley Castle. [There is no doubt the bees joined to- gether.— Ed.1 408 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 12, 1911. Queries and Replies. [8231] W'lnteiinrf a Nucleus Hive. — What amount of stores, in your opinion is required for the safe wintering of a four frame nucleus Avell packed Avith bees? Thanking you in anticipation. — Nemo, Essex. Reply. — Ail the combs should be full of stores ; for the rest it will be necessary to keep a cake of candy on the top in a glass tojDped box, so that an inspection can be made of this food supply periodically. When exhausted replace candy with another cake. [8232] Supposed Late Su-arm.- — I hived a cast at the beginning of July, and put the bees on eight frames. They formed a fairly strong colony, and the queen was soon fertilized. All went well, and I stimu- lated the queen after the honey-flow. They certainly were not overcrowded, but about September 1st, I noticed a commotion outside the hive, and attributed it to robbing. When I looked at the combs, I found three quite empty, two contained syrup, and three brood. What surprised me was the pre- sence of two emjity queen-cells. They had evidently been used, as one was ragged at the opening. There Avas also present, a queen which had laid eggs in brood-combs. There seemed to be very few bees in the hive, and no drones, although there Avere a few about a week ago. If these circum- stances point to a SAvarm, is it not un- usual so late, and especially the late ferti- lization of the queen ? Gould you giA-e any other explanation? — K. C. P., Erdington. Reply,— Although unusual, it is quite possible that the hive had swarmed. We should rather attribute the cause to an accident having happened to the original queen. [8233] DifjfiruWcs in Transferring Bees. — I shall be obliged if you Avill kindly ansAAer the following queries: — I l)oiight a swarm of bees last June, Avliicli Avere sent m a skep. I ha-d a hive ready for them fitted with frames of foundation, and being unable to get help, I tried to run the bees in at the entrance, but after throAving about a pint of bees out on the sheet, who all appeared to lun^e a common grievance against me, I left them to settle doAvn a little, as I did not care to risk any more stings, and sent for a man Avho had some knowledge of bees. He advised me to jiut the skep on top of the brood-chamber. I contrived to do this, and he told me they would work doAvn, taking pos,S6ssion of the hive, but although they have drawn some combs out they haA^e never done ajiything further in the bi'ood-chamber. I took the skep off in a day or two, and put a quilt over the fnimes Avith a hole in the centre, placing the skep aboA-e this again ; the top of the hive fits on the brood-chamber over the skep. About three weeks ago the skep Aveighed 321b., which, I take it, is suflicient for Avintering, but I should like to knoAV : (1) Will the bees be Avarm enough for the Avinter, or Avill they re- quire more Avrappings? (2) Will they possibly AA'ork doAvn into the frame-hive next spring, and, if not, hoAV can I get them on to the frames, as I do not wisli to have bees in skeps? (3) Should T contract the entrance for the Avinter? J am only a novice, so any advice Avill be greatiy esteemed. — P. M., Donington. Reply — (1.) The bees Avill be quite all right as they are for the Avinter. (2) If the season is favourable they will work donn next spring. (3) LeaA-e the entrance open about 4in. [8234] Suspected Queenlessness. — (1) Are British bees inclined to be bad- teaipered? I examined the swarm from which a swarm issued, and find not a trace of brood — nothing but sealed honey at the top of the frames and empty cells in the centre. There are many drones and the beos are not killing or ejecting any of them. That in itself made me susjject there was no queen, and noAv the bees do not seem to carry in any pollen. (2) Does the absence of a queen make the bees more unsettled and more bad- tempered? (3) If I requeen just now Avhat breed should I try? The apiary from Avhich I got the bees has had no new blood introduced for many years. Should I keep to black queens, or go in for an Italian? (4) There Avere several queen- cells in the hive. What could haA^e hap- pened to the queens? (o) In the fight for soA^ereignty AA-ould the queens be apt to injure each other so much that both AAould die ? (6) Hoav far on into October or Xo -/ember Avill brood continue to be raised''' — U. D. A., Ross-shire. Reply. — (1) British bees are no more in- clined to be vicious tlian other races. Selection for disposition should be carried out to ensure a gentle strain of any race. (2) Yes. (3) We should advise you to stick to British bees. (4) We cannot say Avliat has happened to the queens. (5) It is quite possible. (6) A great deal de- pends ujjon the AAeather ; this year breed- ing has ceased altogether noAv, as it 's cold. [8235] Age of Worker Bees. — Having read several standard works upon bees, including the " Guide Book," " Lore of the Honey Bee," &c., and the " B.B.J.'" for thi-ee years, T haA'e been until lately under the impression that worker bees liA'e only about six or eight weeks during the busy pait of the season. Now, on Oct. 12, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 409 June 26tli, I foiiiid one of my hivos (jiieenless — a nucltus I had strengthened to six frames. Although there were no eggs, there was plenty of sealed brood. I gavo the bees a ripe queen-cell, but upon ex- amination a week later, no trace of a queen conld I find. In the meantime a friend of mine sent for an American golder. queen, which duly arrived on July 22nd. Arriving late, she was intro- duced next morning. She was readily ac- cepted, and quickly showed evidence of her presence, the young bees being bright golden and the old ones black. I could easily distinguish one from the other. Now, after jiractically four months in such a busy season, there is quite a good number of blacks entering with the goldens. After this experience I shall have an independent opinion of my own as to the longevity of the worker bee. — W. P. L., Baldock. Reply. — You have missed the point ; worker bees die off i-apidly in strong stocks in the summer time on account of the large amount of work they do. In your case the labour of the bees was practically nil for some time, so naturally they would live longer. You might try to apply your argument to bees which live throughout the winter ; yet. for the i'eason given above, those bees which emerge in the autumn often live six months. It is necessary to read bee liooks intelligently, as a statement ap- jilicable to one condition or portion of the year should be read in conjunction with that time only, and not applied in- discriminately to all seasons and condi- tions. [8206] Kecpinf/ Bace of Bees Pure. — 1 will be grateful if you will let me know through the pages of your valuable jiaper a iittJe about queen-rearing. Suppose I got two golden queens and introduced them into my hives, how can I be sure their queens will mate with golden drones \vhen there are so many blacks in the neighbourhood? Surely they would bring forth hybrids, and finally, would de- generate into blacks again ! How do queen-rearers manage thisP Nothing is said about it m any books I have read on the subject. — L. A. S., Broadway, Lines. Reply. — It is impossible to keep any but the native race pure, and very often even these get hybridised through the keeping of foreign bees in the neighbour- hood, but if no further importation takes place this soon dies out. f8237] Makinfj an Ohservaiory Hive. — Could you kindly inform me on the fol- lowing points, as I am desirous of making an observatory hive: — (1) If the walls are made of thick plate glass, should there also be wooden shutters to keep the hive in darkness when not being ust»d for obsei"vation purposes? (2) Owing to the small interior space will not the bees be continually swarming in the spring? (8) Is there any material advantage in a le- volving base, and should one side of the hive be made to open? (4) Can a " Brice " feeder be obtained by itself ?— Robert W. Wight, Suffolk. Reply. — (1) Yes, shutters must be pro- Auded. (2) You should arrange for a super of three sections to avoid this. (3) It is best to use a proj^er brass base which can be obtained from any appliance manufacturer. One side must be remov- able so that the frames can be got in and out. (4) We believe Messrs. Lee and Son supply these feeders separately. WEATHER REPORT. Babnwood, Rainfall, 134 in. in 10 days. Below average, '91 in. Heaviest fall, 42 in. on 27th. Total to date, 1116 in., as compared with 21-42 in. for corresponding per- iod of last year. Mean maximum tem- perature, 6 9 ■ 2 ; 42 degrees above average. Mean minimum tem- perature, 462 ; 48 below average. Warmest day, 8th, 92-0. Coldest night, 15th, 31-4 Gloucester. September, 1911. Mean temperature for month. .577; "3 of a degree below average. Relative humidity or percentage of moisture in the air at 9 a.m.. 69. Number of days with sky completely overcast at 9 a.m., 4; ditto cloudless, 7. Percentage of cloud, 36. Percentage of wind force, 21. Prevailing direction* S.W. & N.W. F. H. Fowler (F. R. Met. Soc). WEATHER REPORT We Rainfall, l'55in. Below aver., •57in. Heaviest fall, •63in., on 19th. Rain fell on 10 days. Sunshine, 2406 hrs. Above average, 65'4 hours. Brightest day, 1st, II 8 hours. Sunless days, 0. Maximum tempera- ture, 85° on 8th. Minimum tempera- ture, 37° on 19th. STBOURNE, Sussex. September, 1911. Minimum on grass, 340 on 19th & 22nd Frosty nights. 0. Mean Maximum 68 6. Mean Minimum 49*8. Mean temperature 59-2. Above average, 34. Maximum barometer, 30-367 on 18th. Minimum barometer, 29-424 on 21st. L. B. BiRKETT. 410 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 12, 1911 Bee Shows to Come. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, at Brighton. Sussex B K A. Show in connection with the Brighton and Sussex Horticultural Society's Chrysanthemum Show. Free Open Classes. Schedules and Jintry Forms from C. A. Overton, Beecroft, Crawley, Sussex. Entries close Oct. 24. AN APPRECIATION. We reprint the following gratifying testimonial as to the value of the ''B.B.J.," from .1 contemporary : — To Learn the Latest about Bee- keeping at home and ii])road, subseribe through us for the British Bee Journal, Gleanings (American), Aniciican Bee Joiirnid, Canadian Bee Journal.'" Notices to Correspondents. W. p. L. (Baldock).— P/onf(nS'/a!; \-lh. Sections. — 1st, R. H. Baynes, Bridge Street, Cambridge ; 2nd; Edgar Law, Croydon, Royston ; 3rd, W. Barnes, Exning, Newmarket; v.h.c, A. Barber, Combeiton; h.c, H. W. Saunders, Thet- ford. Six 1-lb. Jars of Light Coloured Honey. — 1st, H. AV. Saunders; 2nd, R. H. Baynes ; 3rd, F. Humphrey, Comberton ; v.h.c, F. Hurry, Sawston ; h.c, A. C. Jackson, Elveden, Norfolk. GIFT CLASSES. Single 1-lb. Section. — 1st, R. H. Baynes; 2nd, J. Short, Garden Walk, Cambridge; 3rd, T. G. Hillier, Andover, Hants; v.h.c, H. W. Saunders; h.c, W. Barnes. Single 1-/5. Jar of Honey. — 1st, B. Stokes, Royston; 2nd, R. H. Baynes; 3rd, H. W. Saunders; v.h.c, W. S. Halford, West Wratting; h.c, F. Hurry. — Com- municated. HONEY IMPORTS. The value of hone}' imported into the United Kingdom during the month of September, 1911, was £4,189.— From a return furnished to the Beitish Bee Journal by the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs. AMONG THE BEES. the grocers' shoav. By D. M. MacDonald, Banff. If for no other reason, my recent trip to London would be a red-letter day on account of the time spent in the Agri- cultural Hall at the above exhibition of honey and other bee products. In itself it was a liberal education. Imagine about 900 bottles of honey in one single class — almost every entry capable of taking a prize in an ordinary show ! All the other classes were splendidly filled, and, I think, all over, it was a record show — one of the very best ever seen in London. The judge, Mr. E. Walker, had an onerous and Oct. 19, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 415 herculean task to perform; a heavier one indeed than should be placed on the shoulders of any one man. I could not, and Avould not if 1 could, try to re-judge or even criticise the awards, but I am confident they were conscientiously given, and I knoAV they met with general ap- proval from those who ought to know. One or two features of the show may call for future reference; but the point whicii struck m© most was the very limited in- terest shown in the honey exhibition, not by the general public attending the " Grocers," but by the large body of bee- keepers one would naturally expect to see deeply interested in sucli a magnificent display of bee products. Perhaps the hours I spent on Monday and Wednesday were unfavourably chosen? I hope so, most sincerely, because the attendance thoroughly disappointed me. The Olive Branch. — Two or three points in the drafted Bee Diseases Bill deserve careful consideration from opponents of that projected measure. First, it has alwaj's been contended by Mr. Woodley and several other extensive bee-keepers that there was a danger of the inspector •carrying germs from one apiary to another hitherto immune. I grant that with the ordinary run of third-class experts that danger might be very real, hut I have always presumed that under the new regulations men of superior in- telligence and more experience in bee- keeping would be selected for the post ; certainly that no grade under the second- class should be permissible, and that, if at all possible, only first-class experts should be chosen for inspectors. This would be a guarantee that men of some standing sociall;^ and bee-keepers of wide ex- jjerience m the craft should alone be eligible for this onerous and very im- portant position. A further suggestion thrown out at the last meeting of the committee for draft- ing the proposed Bill is also of great int- portar.ce, and practically eliminates the sujDposed danger of infection through the instramentality of the inspector during the examination of an apiary under suspicion. Mr. Woodley will pardon me for again introducing his name in my supposed illustration. Should he be the inspected and I the inspector (an impos- sible hypothetical supposition), he, not I, would have the privilege of doing all the necessary manipulations while the in- spection Avas going on. He would do all handling of frames, use his own smoker, &c., and thus surmount a difficulty which correspondents say might arise. I can see no possible cause of friction, provided tlie inspector is a man of tact and urbanity, gifted with an ordinary degree of common-sense, and thoroughly con- versant with all the necessary require- ments arising from the duties of such an office as he would be called on to fill. On yet another point, after mature deliberation, the committee held out the olive branch to placate opponents. Honey is undoubtedly one of the most common mediums for the propagation and spread of foul brood. Lai"v8e fed with infected honey are bound to die before reaching the imago stage, therefore many hold that iioney from an infected apiary should not form an article of commerce. But how infinitesimal a quantity is ever used in a way to can-y infection, and only a fool would use such honey to feed bees ! On the contrary, honey consumed by man- kind is in no way prejudicial, even if the germs of bacillus Larvse, or B. alvei, are present. Consequently, it would be folly to destroy healthy human food. This view of the case is met by the deletion of the words implying the destruction of honey in a saleable form. I have always been an opponent of compensation in any form being intro- duced into any Act of Parliament for the suppression of foul brood or " Isle of Wight" disease. Of what value, may I ask, is a putrid mass of vile smelling m.atter? The most rabid must admit it is represented by a cipher ! So, also, must a collection of diseased. combs fast hasten- ing to this unenviable condition. Why, the partv who eradicates disease, or the cause thereof, is the one who should be com- 2>ensated ; therefore, another of the diffi- culties in securing an Act is got rid of. Records. — In spite of what my friend, Mr. Marrs, states on page 344, my asser- tions on page 322 hold good — that the ''Aberdeenshire" was the first Scotch association to affiliate with the B.B.K.A., and that " the examination held the last week of June was the first of its kind in Scotland " — that is, the first under the auspices of an association in Scotland in affiliation with the "British." I am pleased to learn that the roll of experts bore the names of several Scotchmen examined in Scotland before this year, and I know a few more crossed the Border to obtain the coveted degree. A Point of Order — "Apparently there Avere no young bees in the hive," says our "Capper," page 337. Who said so? I introduced a frame of brood, so there should be young bees somewhere. Bat apart from that, I do not fully agree with Mr. Crawshaw or the " books " in regard to the age when bees can perform certain duties in the hive. Bees age from the efl^ects of hard work more than from actual length of days, weeks, or months. This admitted, there were young bees in that colony, apart from those produced from the brood in the frame inserted. I hold j a very large proportion of these old-young bees, owing to the glands not being 416 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 19, 1911. atropiiied by hard work, still possessed the powsr of manufacturing " pap," and so acting as nurse bees, or even preparing "royal jeily " for the creation and sustenance of a queen. Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications- BEES IN THE COTSWOLDS. [8278] The glorious summer of 1911, with its long periods of delightful sun- shine, has gone at last, and left behind pleasant memories of a honey yield of such excellent quality and quantity rarely experienced of late years in this island ■ of weather samples." Bee-keepers in this district have every reason to be satisfied with the result, and also^ for the entire absence of the dreaded " Isle of Wight " disease. We cannot, however, boast of such heavy yields as some of the corre- spondents of a certain popular "daily" seem to have experienced. My bees came through the winter in good condition, and built up rapidly in the spring, winter losses being exceedingly small considering the exposed position in which my apiary stands. Tlie colonies located in the vale stored a considerable amount of honey from fruit blossoms, and when these were over I moved the bees a distance of seven miles out on to the Cotswold Hills, for the sainfoin and clover harvests. We started shortly before mid- night, timing the journey so as to arrive at break of day, and although the weather wasi very hot and the track to the planta- tion rough, the bees travelled quite safely. Of forty colonies, thirty-five were supered with frames and sections of foundation, and from these I have taken 1,2001b. of comb and extracted lioney, and have on hand 200 drawn out shallow combs, which should secure me a crop next year, even if the season is a poor one. From the strongest colony I took 1001b. of extracted honey, from the next 851b., and from the remainder quantities varying down to ten sections ; most of these having sufficient stores left for the winter. By the way, your judgment of the sample of honey sent early in the season has been proved to be sound by my success on the show bench, both in local and open classes, at various shows. During the past two months I have rescued thirty-five lots of bees from the sulphur pit, and have used them for strengthening and re-queening weak stocks and establishing new ones. But for the poor swarming season I should haA^e probably driven more, as many cottagers with six to tweh^e skeps had only one swarm, and several none at all. By this means I have increased to sixty-five colonies, most of these, having taken 201b. of medicated syrup, are settled for the winter. Driven bees, if headed by a young queen, usually turn out well, for the majority of stocks once inhabited the quaint, old-fashioned dome of twisted straw. On the whole, I do not experience much inconvenience in having bees six or seven miles from home, and although the railway ruiis close to both apiaries . I rarely take advantage of it, as cycling to and fro is such healthy exercise. The chief disadvantage is that the owner cannot be always with his bees during swarming time, but if they are worked on a non- swarming system — as mine are — no loss is risked. In concluding, I may say that any success which I have attained is largely due to the thorough grounding I received in bee-keeping while a pupil of one of the largest and most experienced apiarists in this county, and who was once a frequent contributor to your valuable journal. — A. H. BowEN. Cheltenham. TTILISING DRIVEN STOCKS. [8279] One often unites two driven lots of bees in order tO' make one colony of reasonable wintering strength. This means generally the sacrifice of one of the queens — possibly the best one. To; avoid this sacrifice, divide an ordinary hive into two compartments by means of a "Wells" perforated division- board. Place a driven stock of bees in each compartment. To keep the stocks well separated when entering the centi'al portion of the entrance should be closed with a slide, and then each colony enters at its own extreme end of the alighting- board. If the hive has frames parallel to the entrance, then an entrance for the second stock must be made at the back of the hive. This dual stock will cluster as. one on both sides of the division-board, and in spring, having the advantage of two laying queens, they will multiply so rapidly that soon they will need trans- ferring to two separate hives. If, by chance, one side proves queenless in the spring, the removal of the division-board is all the manipulation necessary safely to unite the two stocks. This plan has given me excellent results for years. Sometimes, instead of trans- ferring the two stocks to separate hiveS;^ Oct. 19, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 417 another liive is added above; but if this is done great care is necessary that the '"Wells" division-board above fits ac- curately on to the one below. When the honey-flow comes, place an excluder on the doubled hive, and add a super to which, both stocks have common access. It is surprising Jiow rapidly such supers are filled, even in comparatively low average seasons. The tedious process of making several "Wells" division-boards can be simplified by making one out of boa;rd an inch thick. This can be slit into four thin boards at any shop where steam band saws are in use. — E. A. Millavaed, Kidderminster. DEALING WITH '• I.O.W." DISEASE. [8280] I think it would be well, seeing that Messrs. Muir and Son so kindly write " for the benefit of brother bee-keepers " (page 407), for them to inform readers how they came by this " I.O.W." disease, and when it first a])peared. Also they might give a short account of how they treated this isolated stock that has proved such a com- plete success. Have they set up tlieir 97 new stocks this autumn on their old stock combs ? And what has been their total yield of honey this season? How did they disinfect their hives, etc. ? It would be interesting to know where did this neighbour of theirs purchase the bees that had to be burned four days after they came? A plain account from their own experience will, no doubt, clear up much of the mystery that still surrounds this dreaded foe, and will also confer a boon on many bee-keepers. — A Constant Readee. Queries and Replies. [8i';iS] A Novice's Quertes.—{1) I am sending you a queen, and would be glad if you would examine her and tell me, through the " B.B.J. ," what is wrong witli her. Siie has headed a stock which this year has given me nearly 1001b. of surplus, but gave up laying about the middle of September, and there is now no brood of any description. I don't know her age, as I only bouglit the stock in March. (2) I have a young English queen, raised this year, and half of her progeny show two lands of yellow, the other half bein^^ ordinary blacks. A sister queen pro- duces true blacks right through. There were no Italian bees within half-a-mile of my hives when these queens were fertilised. Is this a case of breeding back? (5) Is it necessary to have contamination to get foul brood? — J. M., Warrington. Reply. — (1) The queen (now dead) should not have been removed, as she was a good one. Queens ceased laying very early this year. (2) The queen has been mated to an Italian drone. This is not unusual, if there are Italian bees within two miles. (3) We suppose you mean can foul brood develop spontaneously without infection from other sources ; if so the answer is " No." [8289] Time for Tmnsfening Bees.— Might I ask your advice in a difficulty? (1) I have purchased a hive and bees, and find the hive is an old one. When and how can I transfer the bees into a new hive, as I find the frames are full of stores, but cross-braced to one anothei" and to the sides? (2) In the new hive can I feed the stock without giving them their own stores, starting the season witli new frames and new foundation? — W. P., Wanstead. Reply. — (1) You must wait until the spring, then cut away as many of the braced-combs as possible, replacing them with new f i-ames fitted with full sheets of wired foundation. These will be built out, and as the brood hatches from the remaining braced-combs, which should be pushed up to the outside of brood-nest, cut away again, and replace until all new frames have been inserted. (2) If you feed the bees it will facilitate the work, but they will use up the food in the old combs. RANDOM JOTTINGS. Bij G. H. Heap, Beading. The wasp plague is at an end, for which bee-keepers in general are truly thankful. Under the favourable influence of the v.-onderful summer just past, the gay marauders began their depredations in the apiary very early. In the middle of July a beginner in bee-keeping asked me to have a look at bis hive as the wasps were going in and out in large numbers. I went. The wasps Avere hovering around in hundreds, and I saw at a glance that they were in complete pos- session. AVithout the formality of an ultimatum, we commenced hostilities. Approaching the first hive, we narrowed tlie entrance, and then shot through it a withering blast of sulphurous vapour. The brigands were taken by surprise. What a commotion there was! Just enough yellow jackets escaped to tell the tale; but we might have saved ourselves so much trouble. The colony, which had ■=;warn ed, vas headed by a young queen, but when at length the hive was opened not a bee was to be found, dead or alive and the honey, with which the hive was well stockeends largely on the bee- keeper, his ability and energy. Those who are doubtful whether they possess these qualities would do well to read again the excellent article by J. E. Pinder on page 363. 1 believe that it would pay' bee-keepers to buy up the honey of those neighbours who habitually liick energy to obtain a proper price for their product. The difference between their price and the retail simply goes, without bene- fiting the public, into the pocket of the middleman, who knows his marked", whilst at the same time assisting to depress the price paid to bee-keepers generally. A Honey Depot (p. 363). — It is interest- ing to note the constant recurrence of a demand for a central depot. It would, however, be much to the point if those who call for this channel were to formu- late the conditions upon which it should be run. Incidentally they should enquire into the causes of failure of similar efforts in the past. It is a difficult sub- ject. The demand for honey fluctuates more than that for, say, butter or eggs, and a depot selling honey alone might have some very slack quarters of an hour. _ A Scotch Joke (p. 365). — A perplexed apiarian projDOses a conundrum as to whether one can have a bonnet without a ■' b.'' Feeling incompetent to solve this, I referred it to an expert in headgear of the beehive description, who said, " Cei-- tainly, a toque! " But even so, we were not free of natural history tenants, for she described one befeathered nest as a duck of a hat. " jVow, here," she went on, "is a lovely model, and so cheap, only 30 guineas I" As I fled, I meditated upon the significance of other letters of the alphabet, as L, and S, and D. Bee Shows to Come. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, at Brighton. Sussex B.K.A. Show in connection with the Brighton and Sussex Horticultural Society's Chrysanthemum Show. Free Open Classes. Schedules and Entry Forms from C. A. Overton, Beecroft, Crawley, Sussex. Entries close Oct. 24. Notices to Correspondents. "W. A. C. (Somerset.) — Bees Dead Behind Division-hoard. — October is very late for syrup feeding. The bees should have been confined by means of the dummy to just the number of combs they could cover. Your advice with regard to candy was quite correct. The Hon. Secretary of the Lancashire B.K.A. is Mr. W. H. Martin, Thurston Lea, Cambridge Road, Southport. L. B. (Lanes.) — Variety of Bee. — It is a fertile Italian-hybrid queen. W. T. (Middlewick). — Z-'a rf?(/ Stored- combs. — Keep the combs in a dark, dry, warm place, and they can be used as baits next season to attract the bees up into the supers. T. D. (Merthyr Tydvil). — Honey Samples. — Drone Brood in October. — (1) The samples duly reached this office, but it is impossible to report upon honey sent in such receptacles. Let us have it in small glass bottles, and we will endeavour to help you. (2) It is un- usual to find drone brood at this time of the year, and it almost appears as if the queen were old and the bees pre- paring to supersede her. There is no occasion to remove the brood, but if the queen is too old she should be re- placed by a new one. A. E. T. (Maiden).^- BaHf'd" Queen.— The queen is a fertile one, and the bees have evidently " balled " her tlirough your carrying out manipulations so late in the year. It does occur some^ times if the hive is disturbed in this way very early or very late in the season. H. T. (Eccles.) — Drones in October. — It is almost a certain indication that the bees are either queenless, or they have a virgin queen. H. S. (Oxford.) — Insect Nomenclature. — (1) The insect is not a bee at all, but a drone fly. (2) A little honey is still being stored on fine days from the ivv. (3) Yes. A. J. W. (Earnley.) — Varieties of Bee. — No. 1 are ordinary English bees. No. 2, hybrids, from English queen mated to an Italian drone. No. 3 are similar 1o to No. 2. No. 4 is not a bee, but a young queen wasp. A. D. (Cheshire.; — Supers in Winter. — (1) Yes, see that they are well covered up, naphthaline being used to keep out wax- moth. (2) The feeders should be re- moved and everything packed snug and warjn. Jt would not do to leave the feeder on all the winter. Candy is the best auxiliary winter food. A. V. W. (Gloucester.) — Age of Queen. — The queen is an old one, and 1909 should be about right, judging by her appearance. F. C. I. L. (Chesham.) — Keeping Honey in Tins. — If placed in a proper lever- lid airtight tin, the honey will take no harm. See that the lid is properly fitte<; on each time after opening. 420 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 19, ]911. Honey Samples. M. O. ;Groeslon.) — Sample is a medium honey from mixed sources. Colour is rather dull, but would be improved by warming. X. Y. L. (Todmorden.) — Honey is of very poor quality, and is worth about 6d. per lb. Novice (Newcastle.) — Both samples are of very good quality, gathered from whito c]o\'er. No. 1 has granulated beauti- fully, and as such should certainly be exhibited. The other also would stand a good chance on the show bench. T. H. (Llanidloes.) — No. 1 is a good heather blend; the presence of the heather honey was the cause of your having to squeeze it out of the combs. It is worth lid. to ]s. per lb. wholesale, and Is. 3d. retail. No. 2 is from clover with a very slight trace of heather ; this is worth Is. retail, and in bulk 7d. or 8d. per lb. Newcastle Beader. — Sample No. 1 is a light iioney of fair flavour, gathered mainly from clover. It is poor in density. No. 2 is also a light honey from the same source; density fairly good and flavour good^ No. 3 is the best sample of the lol. It is from white clover, and good in all respects. H. C. (Droitwich). — A honey of delicious flavour from fruit blossom. Thougli darkish in colour, its flavour should make it sell well. A. B. C. (Herts.) — Samples of honey were not properiy packed. The tin in which the bottles were enclosed should have been cleaned of the sugar dust, &c., which it contained, before being used, and some of the bottles were made of green glass, which prevents our judging of the colour. No. 1 is from mixed sources, worth about 50s. per cwt. No. 2 has been gathered from sainfoin, and shoid.d sell at 56s. No. 3 is the same as No. 2, but, being nicely granulated, can be shown in this class. No. 4 is mainly from fruit blossom, worth about 50s. per cwt. No. 5 resembles No. 1. No. 2 is the best honey. No. 3 being next in Cjuality. T. J. (Abington.) — The honey is a very good heather blend, nicely granulated, worth about Is. per lb. retail, whole- rale 8d. W. G. (Lytham). — The dark sample is from sycamoi-e, and the light one from clover. The latter is good in every respect except density, but might be exhibited. The former is not suitable for the show bench, though it is a good table honey. Suspected Disease. N. G. (Beckenham.) — The bees are ap- parently suffering from " Isle of Wight " disease, and you had better destroy them. The sample of comb contains pollen only ; the honey from such combs can be used for home consumption. T. H. (Llanidloes.) — You followed the right course in destroying the combs, .is they showed that virulent foul brood was present. Novice (Denbigh.) — The bees are badly constipated, and there- are sligi*. out- ward signs of " Isle of Wight " disease. Enquirer. — The comb is badly affected with foul brood. The bees should l)e killed and the combs, internal fittings of hive, and all debris should be burnt. Then scorch the hive itself inside with a painter's spirit lamp. L. r. (Eastleigh.) — The bees were very dry, but the signs are suspiciously like "Isle of Wight" disease. Special Prepaid Advertisements. Two Words Ous Fanny, mlnlmuni. Blxpenc*. Orders for three or more consecutive insertion* entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The fie*- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queene. and Bee goodg are not admissible at above ratt, but will be inserted at \d. p«r teord as " Busl- nesB " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per i in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. 6 CWT. good WORCESTERSHIRE HONEY, 42s. cwt, rather dark; sample free.— BONELL, Witley Court Gardens, Worcester. n 78 SEVERAL 4-frame Nucleis, with young Queens, 12s. each; with good W.B.C. Hives, 20/- each. WILLETT, JUN., New Maiden, Surrey. 1 1 SPLENDID LIGHT CLOVER HONEY, 58s. cwt.; sample, 3d.— ALBERT 00 E, Apiary, Ridgewell, Halstead, Essex. n 100 4 HIVES of BEES FOR SALE, healthy, fed up for winter, 22s. 6d. each.— 6ILBEY, Bretton West, Wakefield. 1 3 H ARES FOR SALE, 61b. and 81b. each.— PHILIP JONES, Blakeney, Glos. n 94 F OR SALE, Sections of Honey at 8d.^Mr. BLUETT. Moreton, Bideford. n 95 DRIVEN BEES, Queen with each lot, wanted. —Particulars to KEEBLE, Mawneys, Rom- ford, n 96 8D0Z. well-filled Light Coloured Sections, glazed, 9s. per doz.— W. ADAMS, Claremont Villa, Welwyn. Herts. n 97 SIMMINS' Double Conqueror Hive wanted, must be cheap.— TAYLOR, 137, Keldgate, Beverley- . n 98 WANTED, 3cwt. Light Honey; sample. — R. • CARTER, Chartridge, near Chesham, Bucks. nJ9 WHAT OFFERS for 7 dozen lib. screw top jars of Good Light Honey? — L. W. MATTHEWS. Great RoUright, Oxon. 1 2 T IMNANTHES DOUGLASII; strong plants, 4d. per score, post free.— R. LITMAN, Castle Cary. 1 4 Oct. 2(i, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 42] Editorial, Notices, &c. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION th:e conversazione. [Continued from page 414). Mr. Stapley said he did not agree with Mr. Herrod as to selling second-grade honey. This should be kept for a separate market, and the lower-grade shops should have this honey. He kejDt over 100 hives, and having found himself with a surplus whicli Ms ordinary customers were not prepared to take, he came to London to sell it. He went to a shop near London Bridge and put his sections before the buyer. This man said he was buying glazed sections at 7s. 9d. a dozen delivered, and was selling them at Is. each. Another establishment he visited near Moergate Street was retailing lib. jars at lOr.d. each. He advertised his sections in the British Bee JouRNAii, and the whole of the 1000 sold at once, and 2000 more could have been disposed of if he had had them. With regard to knowing the value and market price of honey, they could do as he had done: send a small sample to Mr. Herrod, and back per return of post would come a report with the figure at which it should be sold. What Mr. Herrod had done for him he was quite sure he was ready and willing to do for anj'one. Mr. Steventon suggested educating the ])ublic by means of introducing bee- keeping into the schools, considerable latitude being given in the educational code. In his own school great enthusiasm was shown by the boys, several of whom were absolutely bee "lunatics." One boy is saving every penny in order that when he leaves school he can have his own hive, and a brother is saving up so that he can also help him. In this way people get to know the value of honey and purchase it. Col. Walker said, with reference to pack- ing, that the great difficulty arose from tlie weiglit of the package. This year, like many others, he was surprised by the un- expected produce, and did not know what to do for bottles, as they could not be ob- tained anywhere. He had a gross of paper jars stored r.wny. and filled about a hundred of these. The honey went into them satis- factorily, and the people who have had them said they Avere very neat. The weight was about 2oz., as against the 8oz. of the jars. Mr. Ceiley said he had sold about 2001b. of surplus. He could get Is. per lb., and should not think of selling at less. He was employed in a bank and sold it amongst the clerks. If he had had more than they could take he should have gone into othei-. banks, and so found customers at a very remunerative price. Mr. Reid, in speaking of the attractive- ness of honey properly put up, said the Japanese excel us in this respect, and referred to a jar which was shown at a previous conversazione. The Americans go to other extremes and sell "chunk" honey, and if they get any im- perfect se:;tions they cut them up and put them into bottles, with the pieces of comb floating about. A good plan was to give away samples as an advertise- ment. Small sections are produced in America, one quarter the size of the ordinary one for this purjJose. Mr. Cowan, in closing the discussion, mentioned the British Honey Company started some years ago, but which failed chiefly on account of the difficulty of get- ting a regular supply. They had to give up because there was not a sufficient supply of British honey. Since that time the pro- duction of honey has increased enormously , now most bee-keepers have no difficulty in selling their produce if they go about it in a business-like manner. One reason why honey fetches so low a price is because people rush it into the market at the end of the season, but if they were to keep it for some time they would obtain a much better price. Mr. Frankenstein, in reply, said that it was impossible to fix a standard price. Sell- ing was a question of business capability, and depended upon the ingenuity of the bee- keeper. Grading was very desirable in the case of sections, and also with bottled honey. Inferior honey should be sold for manufacturing purposes. Mr. Cowan proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Frankenstein for the excellent paper he had read, which had opened a very useful discussion. This was duly accorded, and Mr. L. Snelgrove then read a paper on "Re-queening" as follows: — ■ " The practice of preventing natural SAvarniing, which is such an important factor in the production of large crops of honey, has caused artificial re-queening to become one of the most important, if not the most important, feature of modern bee-management . No work in the apiary admits of so much skill on the part of the bee-keeper as queen-rearing and re-queening, and as all of us who have been visiting experts, know, such work, if not entirely neglecten- by small bee-keepers, is commonly per- formed in unscientific and unprofitable ways. If I were asked my opinion wita- reoard to the lines on which the art ot bee-keeping mav be expected to improve, the two most 'important points in my replv would be :• The improvement of stock by more general, systematic and scientific selection and rearing of queens ; the re- duction of the prevalence of disease. The latter however, would undoubtedly be a result of the former, so that we can 422 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 2(3, 1911. say that the one broad avenue of develop- ment open to the bee-keeping industry is that of the imjDroveraent of stock. Th*? fact should not be lost sight of that since queen-fertilisation is practically uncon- trolled, the production of every ' good C|ueen may in some degree, through the agency of her drones, beneficial]}^ affect the stock of the whole country, while on the other hand, every inferior queen reared tends to perpetuate and accentuate undesirable qualities. 1 do not propose this evening to deal with the admirable and efficient methods of queen-rearing as practised by the professional queen- rearers, but to criticise and to make sug- gestions with regard to the methods of renewing queens which are commonly practised by amateurs. Jt IS generally recognised that the prosperity of a colony of bees depends upon the fertility of its queen, and that this fertility is at a maximum when the queen is some twelve months old. Writers on bee-keeping often express this fact by saying that a c]ueen is most prolific in her second year, and not infrequently we find that this is interpreted as meaning at the age of two years. The prolificness of u qtieen, of course, depends, amongst other things, upon the work she has done, and it may sometimes happen that where her laying powers have been restricted by cir- ciunstances, such as being kept in a nucleus or a succession of weak colonies during her second summer, she may be wisely kept another year. Similarly, a queen that has displayed exceptionally great fertility should be preserved to the third season, not only because she will do better than many a. young one, but she shculd be utilised for breeding. Apart from these exceptions, however (and they are only exceptions which prove the rule), it should be a general principle for every bee-keeper that his hives be re-queened annually. Before criticising the methods commonly adopted for renewing queens, it may be as Avell to call attention to the conditions essential to the rearing of a prolific queen. Tt is important that slie should be bred from a mother who has displayed great fertility, and who is consequently at least a year old. She should be reared in a strongly-populated hive capable of maintaining the requisite temperature, and in the presence of largo numbers of young bees, who themselves have access to plentiful supplies of honey and pollen. Further, she should be fed as a queen from the first day of the larvae stage, and should be ready to fly at a time when young drones are plentiful and vigorous. Careful, but somewhat limited obser\-ations have led me to believe that the neglect of this last condition accounts for the great majority of in- different queens I'eared in the late summer. The drones are then compara- tively few, and the result often is that the young queens fail t-i become mated until the third week. In 1910, owing to the wet \^eathei-, I had several young queens fertilised in their third week, and in every case they have turned out less valuabie than older queens, whereas their sisters, reared in the same hives, at the same tiii'.e, and ander the same conditions, but mated in their first week, have headed splendid and profitable colonies. Jt AAould not be safe, of course, to generalise from the results of such limited observa- tion, but there appears to be some prima- facie evidence that the earlier queens are mated the better. I hope to subject this question to the test of experiment during the coming year. The lack of vigour in aged drones unnaturally preserved in queenless colonies must render them more or less incapable of efficient fecundation, for what holds good of the youth of farmers' breeding stock may reasonably be assumed to hold good in the case of the drone. It is obviously desirabk;, therefore, that until all queens are safeiy mated the bee-keeper should provide for a succession of voung and vigorous drones, and also should see that they are caused to fly in great numbers. Queenless colonies preserve their drones, but strong stocks will ixOt only preserve, but contiiue to produce drones out of season if they are liberally fed. 1 have found that a bottle of thin syrup given to a colony containing drones about noon will cause them to fly vigorously and in increased numbers. I have practised this during the present year, when young ci[ueens have been flying and have had all of them successfully mated, some as late as the middle oi September Whei'c the only re-queening effected is that resulting from natural swarming, the ccnditious respecting population, food, temperature, nursing, and drones are ideal, and strong, vigorous queens result. Those who depeiid on this system, how- ever, <>ften vitiate it by serious errors, for they fail to take advantage of selection, which is easily accomplished by utilisation of rip<' cells from the best stocks, and thev preser\'e the old queens which head their swarP'S. This latter error is often due to the common misconception that the svvarm being a new colony is headed by a young queen. We are all familiar with the cottager who so unduly prizes what he calls a "young'' stock, and who at the same time is quite willing to allow his ■"old" stock containing his young queen to be driven and taken away. It is a common fallacy that old queens maybe retained, be- cause the bees know best when to re-queeM themselves. I^r fortunately, they usually i-efi-ain from doisig this till the old queen Oct. 26, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. i2l has been for some time iinprontable, owing to her failing powers. Besides, such natural re-queening often takes place at A-ery inconvenient times — e.g., in the middle of a iioney-flow, or in the autumn. Three years ago T watched the bees in my observatory Jiive re-queen themselves m September. The young queen was never mated, as there were no drone,i, and this, of course, would have entailed the death of an ordinary colony during the \\inter. Indeed, my experience of natural re-queejiing leads me to believe that it is always attended by a period of unprolitableness, if not followed by the loss of the colony, and that the loss of many a fine colony, attributed by the bee- keeper to an ictus del, is due to the re- tention of an old queen followed by an abortive attempt at natural re- queening. I know some bee-keepers who endeavour to ensure the re- newal of queens by returning swarms to their parent hives and killing the old queens as they jun in. Extra super room IS gi^'en at the same time. The advantages of this method are that young queens of the best quality succeed the old or.es, and the stocks seldom require autumn feeding. The advantages, how- ever, are greatly out-weighed by the dis- advantages, for not only will swarming often be persisted in, biit the absence of a laying queen from the hive for three weeks or more causes the honey coming in to be stored in the brood-nest instead of the supers. I have heard of cases this year where tho brood- nests were completely filled with honey, and had they not been relieved by the abstraction of honey and tile substitution of foundation, the young queens would have had no room to lay, and their stocks would certainly have dwindled very seriously. A furtl;et con- sequence of the absence of a fertile queen during the weeks succeeding swarming time is that the reinforcement of the foragers ceases in July. This method makes no provision for re- queening those stocks which may reallv need it most, namely, those which do not reach the swarming pitch. It iias the further dis.advantage of tending towards the extinction of the non-swarmers and the direct encouragement of the swarm- ing instinct. The easiest, perhaps the most common, and certainly the most slovenly node of renewing queens is that of merely killing tlie old queen at the end of the sLimnier and leaving eA'erything to chance. In tiiis n ethod iev. , if any, of the above- mentioned conditions essential to the rear- ing of first-rate queens are present. The hive is without a fertile qiieen for a inontlt. and dcring this period the popu- lation is Jwindling at a greater rate than at any other time of the vear. In theif haste, the bees rear a number of queens, some, perhaps, from larvae of the second or third day, and if the weather is bad, st(-res short, and the feeding-bottle absent, these larvse are frequently underfed. The resulting queens are usually smaller and less robust than those hatched under better circumstances, and although the differences mnj be sw tliat the method some- times appears satisfactory, but a few pre- cautions on the part of the bee-keeper will make it less objectionable. In the first place, a frame of new comb, contain- ing eggs laid by the best queen in the apiary, should be placed in the centre of the brood-nest the day before de-queening. The colony should then be made extra warm, if necessary, and supplied liberally with syrup, preferably that containing honey. I regard this latter point as of such great importance that I would feed a queen-rearing colony, even if I had to abstract sealed stores to do .so. The feeding not only produces heat, but stimulates the natural secretory functions of the nurse bees, and ensures that clie queen lai-vte are abundantly supplied with royal jelly. Besides, continuously-fed quVenless stocks do not seem to dwindle nearly so fast as hungry ones, and the conditions in such stocks both with regard to queens and drones are more favourable to the accomplishment of fertilisation. It is wise to examine the hive on the fourth day after removing the old queen. Should there then be any sealed queen- cells they should be broken down (pro- vided, of course, that there are good un- sealed cells as well), for they will have been reared from larvse of the second or third days, and as these will hatch out first if allowed to remain, the younger and superior queens will perish. In practice it is seldom found necessary to do this, but short, early-completed cells are occa- sionally found, and they should certainly be desti-oyed. The various ways of utilising nuclei for re-queening are in themselves excellent, though they involve much extra work. For instance, it is a capital plan to divide a stock which has just swarmed into several nuclei, each with a queen cell. The novice, however, is inclined to form too many of these nuclei, with the result that the requisite temperature is not maintained. . Furtheir, such nuclei should not be formed until the queens are almost ready tx> liatch ; for then they will be unlikely to suffer from daily variations in the temperature of a nucleus hive. In this connection I am reminded of certain bee- 424 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 2(J, 1911. keepers who actually rear their queens through all the stages in nucleus hives, it seems almost unnecessary to comment on the undesirability of such a system. Extremes of heat by day and cold by night, and often the lack of sufficient young bees to feed adequately a single royaJ larvae, are just the conditions which will produce worthies?- stock. The purchase of virgin queens is extensively practised, and when due care is taken this is a capital means of re-queening. It is to be feared, however, that virgin queens are often kepi- prisoners so long either by tlie seller who waits for his customer, or by the customer who lias not prepared his hive, that the earliest and best days for the marital flight are lost, and the con- tinued existence on unnatural food has a deleterious ©ifect on organic development during a critical jjeriod. Where these dangers are avoided the. method is sound, and has the gi'eat advantage that a desirable crossing of unrelated stock is attained. Taking into consideration, however, the difficulties of introducing virgins, and the uncertainty of their ulti- mate value, it would seem to be more satisfactory to the small bee-keeper to pay a little extra for fertile queens. For the inexperienced, for the busy amateur, and for the small bee-keeper, the purchase of fertile queens from i-eliable queen-rearers is undoubtedly the best method of renewal. Few amateurs can hope to rear queens under such good conditions as those en- joyed by our largest professional breedervS. Avho not only breed from excellent mothers, biit are able to a great extent to control fertil'satioii by swamping a neighbourhoo.'^ with selected drones. 1 have recently elaborated a method of re-queening which is easy, efficient, and suitable for all The following are the main points : — On removing the supers in July, the brood-box is divided into twO' parts by n closely-fitting division-board. Behiii't this are placed loi^r frames of bees witii the queen, one frame containing brood, the others either empty or containing little stores. A fin. hole bored in the floor of the hive about 2in. from the back serves for egress for the bees, and a suit- able sHiall alighting-board is affixed. The hole IS closed by a cork when not in use. An extra frame of bees is shaken into this compartment to compensate for those bees Avhich return to the front. The greater i^art of this stock with the young brood will occupy the front of the hive, and this compaitment is then suit- ab'.v arranged for queen-rearing. Both compartments are then fed. The crowded state of the front compartment is specially favourable for queen-rearing, and the old queen makes a good brood- nest at the back. The mutual warmth is conducive to the general prosperity. Both queens, and particularly the old one, are encouraged to lay until the autumn, when the division-board is removed and the two stocks are united, with the young queen at their head. The limited time at my disposal does not permit me to deal with soire important details of manage- ment. 1 claim the following advantages for the method : — - (1) There is no period of queenlessness. (2) The young queen may be reared under very favouratjle conditions, heat being in particular economised. (3) The stock goes into winter strong in bees and thoroughly sup])lied ^^ith brood and food. (4) Should the young queen fail to be fertilised the old one may still be permitted to head the colony. (5) If purchase is decided upon the young, fertile queen can be inserted in the queenless compartment by one of the ordinary methods in the first instance, and time is gained. The old queen may be stimulated right up to the winter, while the younger one may be permitted to rest early. I have on two or tlii'ee occasions wintered both queens and removed the old one in the spring. 1 am. inclined to think there is little or no advantage in this, however, and now lemove and destroy the old queen in the autumn." {To he coniinvecl.) HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By ir. Herrocl. PREPAKIKG FOB WlXTER. (Continued from page 403.) Avoid covering the roof with zinc, for although well painted it will attract the heat in the summer, and in the winter it is very cold ; fui'thei", no matter how snugly it is fitted there is bound to be a certain amount of condensation of moisture on the underside, and this does harm by slowly rotting the wood. I have seen old sack- ing thrown over the roofs of hives with the idea of keeping them watertight, on the top of which bricks are laid to keep it from blowing off. A better or more com- plete way of totally ruining even the best re of could not be found, as the damp is kept continually present under the bricks, and consequently the woodwork rapidly decays. If a roof cannot be made water- tight without this addition the sooner it is chopped up for firewood the better. Another plan followed is to bend a piece of corrugated iron to the shape of the roof, and lay this over the top loosely, again using bricks to keep it in place. This has all the disadvantages of the close i fitting zinc and is further detrimental Oct. 2(J, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 425 iiuismucl; as in rough \veatlier the wind moves the iron, and there is jarring and noise which excites the bees and causes them to take more food than is good for them, probably resulting in dysentery, the action being exactly that of smoke or car- bolic fumes, it frightens the bees- Even rain beating on corrugated iron will dis- turb the bees ; it is a very bad covering for this reason. A remark I heard one day explained this very tersely ; it was that if it looks likes rain it rattles. We next attend to the floorboard, and in all cases this should be well painted on the underside to protect it from the ■damp which rises. See there are no chinks right through, or there will be a draught through the brood-nest in the early and most important part of the year ; the spirit level should be used, the floorboard should be quite level from side to side, and slope about halt-an-inch to the front. If the hive tilts ever so slightly to the back, it is impossible to keep the interior dry. Moisture, which condenses during the winter, will saturate the debris caused by chewed cappings which collect on the floor- board, so providing a damp mouldy mess, bad for the bees in every way, and making them more susceptible to disease, and often I have seen this a seething mass of maggots, the offspring of other creatures. Again, when it rains the wet will draw in, and the same thing will happen from melt- ing snoAV ; therefore the slight tilt does •-■".wav with all these drawbacks. The next thing is to j^ack down inside, first placing naphthaline in the brood- chamber, and then winter passages over the tops of the frames, see " Guide Book," page 191. Curiously enough bees will not pass down and under the combs during very cold Aveather, but will go over the top. It is no unusual thing to see seams of bees dead on empty combs through starvation while in the combs adjacent on both sides there is an ample supply on ac- count of winter passages being omitted. See the calico quilt sits down tightly all round, then put three or four good thick quilts on top, also seeing that they fit properly. They should be neat and clean ; there is a general idea that anything will do to cover bees, and often one sees most disgusting material such as guano bags used for this purpose if no better material is to hand. Then get a number of newspapers, fold them neatly, and cover with these; they form a very warm covering and are quite clean. To keep down moths break up into fine powder a couple of balls of naphthaline and sprinkle this amongst the quilts. If the slightest doubt exists as to the food supply, a cake of candy weighing one pound should be placed over the cluster •of bees when finally packing down. 'Caudy-making to some people is a gigantic and difficult task, but if pure cane sugar is used, and the recipe given in " Guide Book," Coronation Edition, page 195, is carefully followed, the task is an easy one. I have seen a boy fifteen years of age make splendid candy from this recipe. I prefer to put the candy into glass topped boxes, which can easily be made by glazing one side of a section, the glass enabling the bee-keeper to see if the candy is exhausted in the winter with very little disturbance to the bees ; it also forms in the spring- time a very good barometer as to the con- dition of the colony. The extended alighting board where used should be removed, the entrance opened to four inches, and the roof secured by means of a stake on one side to which is tied a cord passing over the roof, with a brick tied at the other end. This enables the cord to be lifted off quite easily, in- stead of the trouble of untying knots — a very difficult problem after rain — if two stakes are used, and the cord tied on to each. Once or twice during the winter the entrance should be raked out with a hooked wire, and if snow falls it should be swept from the roof and alighting board. If the sun shines while snow is on the ground a board should be reared in front to prevent the reflection of light into the hive, attracting bees out to their death. If all the details given are attended to, the novice bee-keeper may rest assured that so far as he is concerned the bees will winter well. Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications- NOTES BY THE WAY. [^^281] We have had continued fine weather till 21st October, but the baro- meter is falling steadily, so that we are hoping for a plentiful rain to fill the tanks and ponds , as our water supply is running very short. Most of my stocks have now been attended to. I am glad not to have had to feed a single colony ; how different from last autumn when everv stock wanted feeding liberally. All have been put into winter quarters 426 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 26. 1011. f'xcept a few nucleus hives where I have lield queens for customers' convenience, these I double — i.e., unite two lots to- gether for winter stocks. Those bee- keepers who have neglected to att-end to their bees should give large cakes of soft candy over the brood-nest when packing down if they are in doubt as to the suffi- ciency of the stores, having after a heavy rain examined each hive to see if the quilts and wraps are v/et. (Oct. 23. The rain has come and our tanks are filled). Regarding Miss Willan's communica- tion (8277), page 407. What other result would a bee-keeper expect — especially an expert — who put a swarm into a hive reek- ing with the fumes of carbolic acid? and I should opine the bees left the straw skep in search of food — i.e , they were a starva- tion swarm, and in such a condition would not, as a rule, be very joyfully received by an established stock ; but bees do nothing invariably. I have just finished scraping and grad- ing the last of my crop of section honey, and I do not remember in any of the many past years having the sections so well filled, taking them as a whole, or so few unsealed ones. These latter ^ have extracted, and put on the hives for the bees to clear out, which is promptly done, and they will be carefully stored for use as bait-combs another season (D.V.). Those who have these clean combs and only a back room or loft to store them in v.'otdd be wise to store them in racks Avith each wedged up tight and Avrapped in paper. If mice are about place a super clearer or a board on the top of the stack, even a queen-excluder will pre- vent mice getting in and playing havoc with the combs. Another point regarding mice and bees : don't forget to place ex- cluders of mice at the entraiice of your hives; a strip of perforated zinc with bee space, tacked on to those hives with big entrances may save a stock from destruc- tion during the winter. — W. Woodlev, Beedon, Newbury. NATURE STUDY AT SCHOOLS. [8282] The accompanying photograph re- presents one of our classes at the Shaftes- bury School, Bisley. I also send another of the woodwork class with two "Cowan" hives which they made co-operatively din-ing the last few days. The average age of the boys is just over thirteen, and they have been at wood- work just over eighteen months. I have nevec seen them so delighted as when they were making the hives. I found it an excellent exercise for various reasons. The best " workman " of the class had the hardest work to do — for instance the stand with the floor-board — with its tongue-and- groove joints, while those not so clever with tools had simpler parts — the lift, &c. Then again it required absolute accuracy. Further it was a real thing, a thing to be used, and which will be vised in their apiary for their education, and we hope for their ultimate benefit. The apiary is seen in the school illustra- tion. It is not large yet, but will most probably grow. We have taught apicul- ture for over a year now, but have had bad luck, having to destroy our .st^x-ks on account of "Isle of Wight" disease. We hope to stock it again in spring and make a flourishing concern of it within its limits. It is well situated, being pro- tected on three sides by a shrubbery, a thick hedge, and another shrubbery, while in front is an orchard of about 200 good fruit trees in addition to about 300 xruit bushes, currants, &c. The heather and ling pastures are within a stone's throw and there is an abundance of white clover close at hand. In close proximity to the hives we are making as complete a collec- tion of bee flowers as possible with a view to making it a corner of beauty as well as a corner of instriiction, a principle capable of extension in most small apiaries. Half the glory of bee-keeping to my mind is missed if we do not study the exquisite adaptations of the bee-folk to plant life, and learn to love them, because they have such a great part to play in nature. It gives an excellent opportunity for the correlation of horticulture and apiculture. It is the nature study syllabus for the fifth form, and has proved most interest- ing. The boys look upon a sting much as a Crimean veteran would look upon his scars — a judicious way of taking things. It takes the boys out of doors in summer, and in winter they are engaged on the more theoretical branches of the subject — the principles of making hives, the ex- ternal anatomy of the bee from micro- slides and specimens in the museum, comb foundation, candy making, winter work in the bee-garden, disinfectants, &c. As a proof of the interest taken in it I will quote one example. When we destroyed a stock affected with "Isle of Wight" disease, we decided to preserve the queen and name her. " Cleopatra," was suggested. This sounded well — "classical" in fact-- but after a heated debate" Boadicea " was decided upon. Both were ill-fated, as was the queen bee, the fact of Boadicea being British decided it. Oct. 26, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 427 Curious ideas are expressed in examina- tions on the siibject. One answer ran, "The queen lavs between 2000 and 3000 eggs a day, and hatches them." What a task ! Another ran, " To see if a bee has the "Isle of Wight" disease squeeze it, and if a. thick yellow fluid comes out of its heart you know it has it." The young .student said nothing about a microscope. The Headmaster" (Mr. W. S. Patey, F.R.H.S.), is seen to the left of the pic- ture. He is a master of the progressive type, seizing upon any reasonable oppor- tunity for giving his boys a thoroughly practical education. — Geo. Steventon, AC. P., Bislev. in class six, with six entries, the first prize was withheld, while in class eight, with two entries only, a first prize was awarded to the Chairman of the As- sociation, and a second to the Secretary. On the same ground, a fortnight later, the Mammoth Show, as reported in your paper, which is an ojien show not con- nected with the association, took place, with entrance fees two shillings, when over loO entries were received. In the same county, a month later, at another open show, also reported in your pages, not under the association, seventy entries were made. These facts speak for them- selves, and show that many bee-keepers THE BEE-KEEPING CLASS AT SHAFTESBURY SCHOOL. BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATIONS. [8283] Your correspondent W. H. T. (p. 377) has opened up a wide question on the value of associations for bee-keepers. Much depends upon the secretary and executive of the association, much depends upon the expert, as experts, like associa- tions, do not all work on the best lines to help and improve the craft. As an instance take a district associa- tion in the county of Cambridgeshire, where, at a show held under its control, with members' classes entry free, about sixty entries were made, and out of ten classes six first prizes were Avithheld, the reason for this being given in the local press "entries not up to expectations,"' yer have lost faith in the usefulness of the local association as at present managed. Then, with regard to the experts. It would appear that any one who could handle bees might bo sent round a county •M (so-call) inspect apiaries, doing it often at most inconvenient times, presuming to know, but often showing less real practi- cal knowledge than the humble bee-keeper himself, sometimes fancying he detects foul-brood, but offering no remedy, much to the annoyance and often serious loss of the apiarist. It should be made an illegal act for any man to go to another's hives and open them without the permission of the owner. Who would allow another man, possibly quite a stranger, to walk into any 428 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 2(.i, lUil. other pait of his private garden or farm aud examine things at his leisure? Experience certainly proves that open shows properly organised and managed are the only successful means of con- ducting a Honey Exhibition. Perhaps some of the prosperous county associations can tell us how thej are con- stituted and managed. Are their experts duly qualified!'' — A Working Wellwishee. DEALING WITH "ISLE OF WIGHT DISEASE." [8284] As a "Constant Reader" of " B.B.J." has asked for further particu- lars as to my experience with the above disease, I may say that it started first in June, 1910, in a swarm I received from Basingstoke, Hampshire. For years we have re-queened our bees in August and September with English queens, and we may have imjDorted it through that source, also from Hampshire, last autumn. Knowing nothing of the symjDtoms of the disease, we thought the dead bees were old ones dying off. We isolated the diseased stock and drove every bee out of the hive, and had healthy bees ready to introduce on to the brood-frames. We had no means of disinfecting the hive. This is now one of tlie best stocks any bee-keeper could wish for. To-day we had a warm afternoon, and I watched the bees taking flight, and not an unhealthy bee could be seen. We are still of opinion they are completely cured. We scorched every hive in the apiary with a painter's spirit lamp. My neighbour purchased the diseased bees that were mentioned in "B.B.J. " from Whitchurch, Hampshire. Regarding tlae honey season we might write it down a failure this year. We hope to report in tlie spring anent this disease; foul brood was nothing to this. We cured foul brood by vice-versa treat- ment— l:epping the bees and burning the combs. — Andrew Mutr and Sons. "A NOVICE AND A HAY-FORK." [8285] I have read books on bee cul- ture, but I have never seen the hay-fork recommended as a useful implement in taking swarms. Last year I found one an excellent article for this purpose. The swarm Avas in a seemingly inaccessible place. A neighbour, one night about 8 o'clock, pointed out a swarm to me settled on a tree in his garden, which he gave up as being impossible to taKC. It was hanging at the end of a long, slender branch, about fifteen feet from the ground, and he told me I was welcome to it if I could make the capture. After puzzling over the problem I thought of a hay-fork. At 7 o'clock the next morning off I went provided with a sheet, two skeps (I often use two, because if I don't get the queen in the first shake I make sure of getting her in the second), a ladder, a piece of cord and a hay-fork. I placed the ladder against an adjoining stouter branch, and by that means could just reach the swarm with the hay-fork; next I threw a cord round the branch, as I could not reach it, in order to give it a shake. The plan being likely to succeed, I stuck the fork in the skep, placed it underneath the swarm, pulled the cord, and secured about half the bees. Then I ran down the ladder, inverted the skep on the sheet, stuck the fork in the second skep, mounted the ladder, got the remainder of the bees, shook them before the first skep, and thus secured the swarm. The hay-fork does not injure a straw skep, and forms an excellent shank. A nervous man, if he was afraid in taking a swarm of the bees getting on his hands, or if he wanted to dump a skep on a body- box, might use a hay-fork. — Charles Williams, Ashford Rectory, near Barn- staple . AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS. EXTRACTS AND COMMENTS By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. Bisivising of the Soney Crop. — Messrs. Dadant and Townsend deal with this in- teresting subject in the American Bee Journal. Both plead for a more energetic working up of the home market, and a more direct communion between the bee- keeper and the ultimate consumer. At present the middleman bulks large in most transactions. The bee-keeper sells to Jones. He sells to the general public at a profit. Mr. Townsend advises " Just sell to Jones' customers! " Mr. Dadant preaches and practices the same sound doctrine. His reasoning is somewhat like this. The bee-keeper sells at eight to ten cents to the large wholesaler. He resells about twelve to twenty cents per pound, because each man must have a profit. This high price depresses the market and con- sequently less honey is sold. On the con- trary home sales at the middle prices given are more remunerative, while they will positively tend to raise prices and increase the demand. The editor of Gleanings warns bee-keepers against stiffening the price over much, as that will tend to lessen sales, thereby doing permanent harm . The Canadian and also the Michigan Association have an advisory board Avhicli estimates the values of the crop, and then decides on a minimum price under which bee-keepers are advised not to sell. I wish our " B.B.K.A." would follow suit. The idea is an excellent one. Oct. 26, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 429 "Scotching the Snake!"— T>y. Miller reports : " In the season of 1911, foul- brood showed itself in forty-one colonies out of my 116." I told you so, doctor! Youthful as ever, in spite of his " Fifty years among the bees," he takes an opti- mistic view of matters and congratulates himself "that in most of the hive« there were only a few cells." A hive with disease in one cell is diseased! Calif ornian Honey Crop. — In 1909 the crop in this State was as high as 11,532,0001b. That would be about 330 car loads, averag- ing 35,0001b. to the car. This year from all accounts the crop will be a small one. ''Keep Better Bees."— The late Mr. Hutchinson preached "Keep more bees." That may appeal to a very few. Not every bee-keeper can carry out the pre- cept, but everyone who prosecutes the call- ing can, and should, follow this new and better advice. Everyone will profit by securing better stock. Three of the most prominent contributors to Gleanings em- phasise this m the September 15 issue. Mr. Doolittle summarises : " It is not so much from numbers as it is in making each number turn out the highest possible per- centage of profit. The item of improving the stock is one well worth paying atten- tion to." He carries out the principle to the full in his own person. He is not an extensive bee-keeper, but an intensive one. " Tips." — (1) Mr. House describes a blazing torch he uses at night for attract- ing and killing moths, which, if left to breed and increase, would work havoc on his combs. The idea was known in the south of England nearly 200 years ago. (2) Feeding swee.tened water outdoors to take up the attention of bees when a rob- bing boom is probable is given as a remedy, and " it is wonderful how little of it will stop all the robbing nuisance." Five pounds of sugar and nine pounds of water will keep a whole apiary in good humour a whole day. (3) For moving bees a short distance, the following plan may be tried. Move a hive facing south, say on Monday morning, to fac-e nearly east. On Tues- day give it another quarter turn. Now it faces directly opposite its first position. On Thursday shift again. Bees get so accustomed to hunting for, and finding, their entrance, they easily fix the new loca- tion ! (4) To secure the be.st and purest queens have " Mating Stations." Forward the virgin in a fertilising-box, and have it returned after mating. With parcels post cheap transif. can be secured as well as quick retrirn. More of this anon ! The idea is not a new one in this country. (5) When a hive is being robbed, remove it •"down cellar," and set in its place a hive containing an old comb with a little honey in it. The bees on cleaning this out will desist, and next day the colony may be returned to its place. (6) Here's my latest feeder for a small quantity at dusk in hot weather. A tumbler of syrup at the entrance, with cork chips for a float. If the evening be cool, kick the hive and then run. This is a device of Dr. Miller's — that young man of eighty. By the way, a new edition of his book, " Fifty years among the Bees," is just published. Australian Disease. — A disease that has been very prevalent and deadly in its ravages lias been studied by a Government pathologist, and here is his description of the parts most affected : " On taking out the digestive tract of a diseased l;ee, the colour is usually found to be distended with, dirty brown material. Occasionally it is of yellow colour. The contents are loose and watery, and have a peculiar smell. In the excrement exist pollen grains, particles of wax, waste matter, yeast, moulds and bacteria. In some cases enormous numbers of particular bacteria are present, and they are the specific cause of the disease." It is con- tended that Kos^ma Apis has nothing to do i\ith the trouble: indeed Dr. Brown asserts that his protozoon " seems to be a messmate of the bee." At present I wouldl simply point out that several features bear a kindred resemblance to our present deadly disease. Queries and Replies. [8240] tendering Wax. — I enclose a sample of wax. Conld you give me your opinion of same? I may say it was melted from old combs, partly by a solar wax extractor with an oil lamp under- neath, and partly over the fire. Do yon think it would do to make up into brood foundation, or wliat use could I make of it? A reply through B.B.J, would oblige. — D.H., Cleator Moor. Reply. — You have spoilt the wax by bringing it into direct contact with heat. As pointed out many times in our pages, this is always a fatal mistake to make. AVe find that there are a few over-edu- cated people who cannot understand the simple expression "direct contact with heat." Ordinary folk can undei-stand this, but for the benefit of the former we explain that direct contact means putting the vessel containing the wax directly on to a hot plate, such as an oven, or, as you have done, in a saucepan over the fire', or over a paraffin stove. Wax should neither be melted by the direct rays of the sun in a solar extractor, the action being entirely different to that from coal, paraffin, or 430 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 20, 1911 gas, or by placing it in a water jacket, or in such a position that it is melted by steam. The sample sent can be used for making furniture polish. Bee Shows to Come. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, at Brighton. Sussex B.K.A. Show in connection with the Brighton and Sussex Horticultural Society's Chrysanthemum Show. Free Open Classes. Schedules and Entry Forms from C. A. Overton, Beecroft, Crawley, Sussex. Entries closed. Notices to Correspondents Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers OT correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, 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. H'e wish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately foUou-ing the receipt of their communica- tions. J. E. S. *^Fiull) — Keeping Bees in Garden , TiUage. — (1) Yes. (2) We know of uo reason why you should do so. (3) Yes, but the B.JB.K.A. Insurance Scheme covers risk of damage to third i>arties up to £30. The premium is Id. per hive with a minimum of 9d. Non-mem- bers of the Association or its affiliated bodie.s are cliarged an additional regis- tration fee of Is. (4) There is no need to use a non-swarming hive. The Brics appliance is efficient in 'capturing swarms that try to issue. A.W.C. (Watford). — The Wasp Xuisance. — Close the entrance so that only one bee at a. time can pass in or out. You will not be troubled much longer, as the cold weather is rapidly killing off the wasps. W. T. (Barrow-in-Furness). — Microscope for Nature S^udy. — A suitable micro- scope can be obtained from C. Baker, 244, High Holborn, London, E.G. Honey Samples. J. A. S. (Penzance). — The honey is a good heather mixture, and if boiled with about a qiiarter of its bulk of water added, can be used as food for bees, though it seems a pity to use it for such a purpose. T. P. (Lancaster). — A fine sample of clover and heather blend. The latter pre- dominating is the cause of your having to press it from the combs. It is quite good enough to show in the heathei- blend class. Bee-keeper (Montgomerys). — No. 1 is a vcrv good light clover honey, should sell at 7d. to 8d. wholesale, lid. or Is. retail. No. 2, though a dark honey is of good flavour and densitv. It has been gathered from mixed sources, mainiv fruit blossoms. Worth about 6d. lb. wholesale, lOd. retail. T, H. (Yorks). — Sample No. 1 is from white clover, colour light, density, aroma and flavour good. No. 2 is a nice heather blend gathered from clover and heather. E. J. G. (Bow, E.). — None of the honeys are of good quality. No. 1 a medium honey of fair density, but the flavour is so insipid that we are unable to name its source. No. 2 and 3 are light honeys of fair density, but the only impression we get of the flavour; of either is a burn- ing sensation in the throat after swallowing the honey. C. B. (Glasgow). — The honey is a very good heather blend with clover, the quantity of the former predominating. Evidently you do not appreciate heathei' honey as your sample is fine in flavour and not nearly as strong as the puri? heather would be. Owing to its gelatin- ous nature, the air-bubbles always remain in pressed heather honey. Suspected Disease. No"\'i'''E (St. Leonards). — We fear that the bees are suffering from " Isle of Wight " disease. Send a few (alive, if possible) to Dr. Maiden, Medical Schools, Cam- bridge. J. B. H. (Bucks). — The bees are badly con- stipated, and there are indications of Isle of Wight disease. Send a few to Dr. Maiden (address as above). A. B. C. (Devonshire).— (1) Comb is affected with foul brood. (2) Use Apicure or formaldehyde. (3) There is no need to destroy the hive, but if you wish to disinfect in the spring, scorch it well inside with a painter's spirit lamp. You might deal with the bees on the starvation plan, as described in " Guide Book." (4) Keep your colonies strong, use naphthaline in the hives, and pre- vent robbing. Special Prepaid Advertise menis. Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per i in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. CHAPMAN'S HONEY PLANT, seeds. 4d. per packet; two 6d.; also Limnanthes Douglasii plants, 25 6d.. 50 lOd., 100 Is. 3d., free.— REV, ANDERSON, Norsham, N. Devon. p 14 DELICIOUS WELSH HONEY, in 561b. tins, 58s. per cwt.; 28Ib. tins, 30s.; sample 3d.; new geared Extractor, £1.— G. THOMAS, Coed- melyn, Stackpool, Pembroke. p 27 Is^ov. 2, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURT^AL. 431 Editorial, Notices, &c. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION THE CONVERSAZIONE. (Continued from page 424). The sub_]ect of re-queening comprehends thiit of queen introduction. The various methods described in the "Guide Book'' ai-e tjdth efficient ;ind .adequate for genei-al purposes. Personally, I have never failed to introduce a new queen success- fully by any caging method, and I am persuaded thai; the novice does well to confine himself to such of these methods as involve the least amount of handling of the queens. Mr. Simons' s direcc method of introduction has worked well with me, for out of some one hundred introductions I liave only experienced three failures, and in each of tliese I was able to satisfy myself, on reflection, that I had not adhered strictly to the requisite conditions. Most, if not all, of these methods, iKiwevei-, involve two visits to a hive in order to re-queen it, and where an out apiary is, like my own, at a distance, this is a serious inconvenience. I have consequently looked about for a method of introduction even more direct than the "direct" method, and in doing so have xejected as unsatisfactoiy those involving chloroform, rolling the queen m honey, and running her in with the bees at the hive entrance. The method I have found most expeditious is that of previous immersile breeders, particularly from those who make a speciality of selection. (5) He should persuade his neighbours to do likewise. By observing these principles, not only will he ensure greater 432 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 2, ]911 profits both for himself and his neigh- bours, but his interest and pleasure in bee-keeping will he greatly increased, and he will have the satisfaction of reflecting that he, at all events, contributes regularly and effectively to the impiix)ve- ment of apiculture. (Applause). An interesting discussion followed the reading of Mr. Snelgrove's paper, in the course of which several of the members asked for further information. Mr. Lamb said he would like to know if anyone could tell him providing three eggs were taken of equal age, and one was sealed over first, if that one would hatch out before the others, and be as good a, queen, and would she kill the two re- maining in the cells. Mr. Snelgrove said his experience was that this would be the case. Mr. Smallwood asked Mr. Snelgrove if he destroyed the old queen at the same time as the new one was put in, and if the queen was put in the centre of the cluster, or at one side. Mr. Snelgrove: The old queen is re- moved and the new one put in at the one operation, and she is placed in the centre of the cluster. Mr. Newman next inquired about what temperature was the water in which the queen was washed. Mr. Snelgrove : 90 degrees Fahr. ; or about blood heat. Mr. Salmon said he could support what Mr. Snelgrove said about water ; he had successfully united bees by sprinkling them with cold water. It was quite by accident he found it out. Mr. Bevan asked if there was any diffi- culty in introducing a queen of a different colour, or uniting bees of two colours sucli as English and Italian. Mr. Snelgrove : No difficulty whatever. Mr. Cowan, in closing the discussion, said that personally he should hesitate to intro- duce a valuable queen by this method. Mr. Snelgrove had mentioned two failures out of fifty trials, and no doubt in practice those two queens would be the most valu- able ones. The use of the ordinary cage was the safest plan for introducing queens under ordinary conditions. A very hearty vote of thanks was passed unanimously to Mr. Snelgrove for his most interesting and instructive paper. A number of objects of interest which had been sent by members and friends were on exhibition, amongst them being cases showing the ravages of the wax-moth sent by Mr. Steventon and Mr. Barnes; a quilt with winter passages by Mr. Joyce ; aluminium rapid and slow feeders, and candy mould by Mr. Wilkes ; a candy and bottle feeder by Mr. White ; spring clean- ing trays by Mr. Fischer Webb ; and the original plaster cast for making founda- tion used at South Kensington Exhibition, also light metal plates used before the in- troduction of roller mills, sent by Mr. Andrews ; a winter protective entrance by Mr. Tew ; and a Reich foundation press by Mr. Vogt. Mr. Kichards, in proposing a vote of thanks to the chairman, said he was quite sure he was expressing the feelings of all when he said how delighted they were to have Mr. Cowan amongst them, and they hoped he would be able to preside at their meetings for many years to come. — Mr. Newman seconded, and it was carried with loud applause. Mr. Cowan expressed his thanks, and said that it was always a great pleasure to hini to be present amongst them. The meeting then closed. Errata.— In "B.B.J." of Oct. 26th, in Mr. Snelgrove's paper on re-queening, page 422, line 62, for ''larvse" read ''larval"; page 424, line 8, for "larvse" read "larva." AMONG THE BEES. THE EARLY LIFE OF THE BEE. By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. The Egg. — As developed in the ovary of the queen, and even as they pass down part of the oviduct, all eggs are alike. Every one would hatch out as a drone if no other event happened subsequently to differentiate them. The many, however, in passing down by the spermatheca re- ceived an impregnation from the connect- ing duct, and all these eggs are capable, under normal conditions, of resulting in worker bees. All do not, as will be seen hereafter. Those not impregnated, how- ever, will be deposited by the queen in drone cells, but whether consigned there or not matters little, for nothing but a drone can issue from them, even when Laid in worker cells. They have received no fruition, and are just as if they had been oviposited by a fertile worker or an unfertilised queen. Here we have two distinct results of the queens' egg-laying. The simple egg develops into a drone ; the impregnated egg produces a worker bee. But at times the worker bees step in and deal with this last species of egg, either when in that state or during the first three days after it hatches, and they have the mysterious power of changing the whole current of its life. Some of its organs are suppressed, some are all but eliminated, while others are phenomenally developed. Its sting is altered; its pollen baskets are banished ; its tongue is greatly modified ; its glands remain undeveloped ; its honey-sac all but disappears, and its desire for toil in or out of the hive is rendered non-existent. Its very brain is; Nov. 2, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 433 atrophied, and many other organs are kept under subjection, apparently to develop its special organs to the very highest extent. Nature, as it were, sup- presses all unimportant or unnecessary organs to enable the essential ones to attain perfection. This egg, when ovi- posited, contains the living germ, and has been granted the essential fertilising substance for developing into a worker bee. It is an ovoid cylinder, rounded at each end, but at the top it is broader. At the time it consists of the chorion or shell, and the vitillus or yolk. From the very start it receives attention. The queen places it resting on the base, and its length lies parallel to the sides of the cell, attaching it by a glutinous secretion. On the second day it will be seen at an angle of 4odeg. ; it is later shifted to a horizontal position lying at the base of the cell. From the beginning it is endowed with life, containing, as it does, the blastoderm or germinal mem- brane, originated cell by cell. The amnion appears, the ventral plate originates, and a superficial layer, the ectoderm, as well as a deeper one, the mesoderm, is formed. The nervous system originates, the spiracles form as well as the cerebral ganglia and ventral chain. The antennse appear, and the gan- glionic chain of thirteen ganglia shows in rudiment. The trachse and other breathing organs originate, and even the alimentary tract and rectum at least show. All this time the yolk is gradually disappearing. Blood corpuscles are seen just before hatehing, some glands appear, and the genital organs in a rudimentary form are evident. The antennre and mouth parts are developing. Three pairs of legs show distinctly, to disappear before the egg hatches, which it does at the end of the third day or subsequently, the exact period depending somewhat on temperature. The Larva. — The now appreciably living larva lies at the bottom of the cell slightly curved. Later it grows and occupies the base of the cell, forming a ring somewhat like the letter- C. Gradually it raises its head into a vertical position. For the first three days the larvae of the worker drone and queen are fed alike, on simple chyle food, administered by the nurse bees so profusely that they float in the liquid food, absorbing it at every pore. Consequently, growth develops very rapidly. A larva selected for a queen is fed on royal jelly right through, and this feeding and the enlargement of the cell is all we can see as a cause of the marvellous change, little less than miraculous, which it undergoes. Workers are fed sparingly on chyle food and digested pollen ; drones on the same, but more sparingly, and later to this is added honey and undigested pollen. The larva in perfect health should be pearly white, but with a slight colouring in the head. It undergoes several moults. The progress in growth is very rapid until, on the ninth day, it completely fills the cell in which it lies with the head forward. Another day in the case of the queen, two in the worker, and three for the drone are occupied in the spinning of the cocoon, in which it wraps itself all round as in a blanket, although the queen is not so completely enveloped. The different classes take two, three, and four days of complete rest after this arduous task has been performed, and then another day is taken up in transforming the larva into a nymph. The Nymph. — The embryo formations already noted have considerably de- veloped, and now we have the real actual bee in more than rudimentary outline, for during the period since it was , sealed from the prying eyes of man the transformations have been marvellous. As a nymph, the queen lies in her natal cradle only three days, whereas the worker and drone occupy their concealed beds for seven days. Normally, the queen issues in fifteen days from the laying of the egg, the worker in twenty-one days, and the drone in twenty-four days. In cool weather each may take a day or two longer, and under certain circumstances bees can imprison the queen two or three days after she is fully matured — a wise provision on which much may depend. The Imago. — The perfect bee, as it eats its way out of its wax cradle, is at first a weak, grey creature, with little energy in its movements for a few hours, but this stage is worth a little further study. NECTAR PRODLXING PLANTS AND THEIR POLLEN. By Gen. Hayes, Beeston, Notts. (Continued from page 394.) No 12. THE WILLOW, SALLOW, OSIER OP. PALM (Salix caprea). Nat. Order, Amentaceoe. Of the willows called "Salix," a name derived from a Latin word meaning "^o spring up," and' given on account of its great rapidity of growth, there are many, species, no feM-er than 140 having been enumerated. To these species generally the specific name of "caprea" has been given, because goats are very fond of the catkins, "caprea" being a Latin word signifying a goat. There are two species used in basket- making and commonly called osiers. These are Salix viminalis, the Green Willow, or Common Osier, and S. viteUina, the Yellow Willow or Golden Osier, which is a variety of the common Willow (Salicff alba), also calletl White Arborescent 434 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 2, 19.11. J2I3L Willow. This species grows into a fairly large tree, and may be found on the sides of rivers and streams. When the wind agitates its twigs and turns up the silvery sides of its leaves it has a very pleasing appearance, more especially if it is set in a dark background of trees or other darker objects. This is one of the first to bloom, and gives the very neces- sary early pollen so much needed by our bees. It is more on this account than from the quantity of nectar they yield that the willows find a place in this list. After the first few primroses have cast their blooms and the golden disks of the coltsfoot have lighted up the waste ground one of the most wel- come signs to the bee-keeper is the blooming of yel- low and green willows, these be- ing more numer- ous than the white variety. The willows are dioecious, that i s to say, the blos- soms, instead of being like those of the apple, pear, plum, or straw- berry^ which have b o t n pistillate and staminate parts in one flower, have the staminate or pollen- bearing parts on one tree, and the pistillate or female sex on another. The golden yellow clusters of the Salix are the stamen - bearing catkins ; the pistil- late ones being green in colour and some- what longer and narrower. The male catkins, before flowering, are of a soft grey colour; very smooth and silky, to the touch; but as the stamens develop the silver-grey is changed to a golden yellow. To the entomologist the Sallow is especially dear, as its fragrant catkins offer a, great temptation to many kinds of butter- flies, moths, wild bees, &c., thus providing him with a happy hunting ground. 1 liave myself spent many an hour at different times, watching the myriads of Prom Honey POLLEN or WILLOW. insects visiting them during sunshine, and to one unaccustomed to such a sight it is simply astonishing. The Sallow or AVillow is generally used in churches on the Sunday before Easter, usually called Palm Sunday, and no doubt from its use for this purpose it has acquired the appellation of "Palm," and it is only known as such to many people. It blooms for a considerable period, the time depending, of course, on climatic conditions, and owing to its long blooming it provides a good supply of pollen. The pollen from the different species varies in colour, some being golden - yellow, othei's a greenish- yellow, all of which may vary in intensity. The grains are ovoid in form with three grooves or depressions along the sides, and the whole surface is covered with short spines. When dry, they are as seen at Nos. 1 and 2, No. 3 being a section through the middle. They measure -li,-p by y^^oo of ail inch. In honey, the pollen for a time maintains the same form, but is more transparent, as seen at Nos. 4, 5, and 6. After a period it assumes a spheri- cal form, the grooves disappear, and an irregular number of pro- cesses and pseudo- processes appear on its surface, at the same time the spines almost wholly disappear, as seen at No. 7. The pollen grains then measure fT-nm — i _ f n ii of an inch. HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE. An ARIES OF OUR READERS. We have pleasure in presenting the illustration of Mr. F. C. Kelly's attractive little apiary, and we are sure that beginners will feel encouraged on reading the interesting notes which he has sent to accompany the picture. We hope his Nov. 2, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 435 interest and enjoyment in the bees will continue to grow as time goes on, and the number of bis stocks increases. Mr. Kelly writes as follows : — In writing you a short account of my apiary, I may say that I commenced bee- keeping in the September of 1905, aft«r hearing a lecture on the subject given by an expei-t of the Cheshire B.K.A., at Chester Show. I came home from that show with the full intention of trying my hand at it, and in the following week I purchased three W.B.C. hives in the flat, a "Guide Book," and a goodly number of other necessary requirements. I then felt very well pleased with myself. Well, so far, so good ! The next and most important item — -" The bees " ; where were they to come from at that time of patience for the coming of the bees. In the meantime I settled down to study the " Guide Book," and find out how I was to feed them. About three days later, amid great excitement, the bees arrived in a small box, and I prepared to hive them as a swarm in front of the hive on a sheet, as instructed in the " Guide Book." The result was success, and within a week the stock was packed down, provided with a cake of candy and 301b. of syrup for winter food. During the winter months I studied the " Guide Book," and prepared my frames and sections for supering, and in the meantime I joined the Cheshire B.K.A., who, in the spring of the following season, sent their expert to visit me. After he had given me a good bit of advice I commenced my first season, and MR. F. c. Kelly's apiary, the moor, hawarden, Chester. "the year? So on my way home, on look- ing over the railway bookstall I saw a paper called the British Bee Journal, and took one home with me (and, by the way, I have not been without one since). The result was I sent off for some driven bees, which were supplied me by the secretary of the Worcester B.K.A., and while waiting for them to be sent I commenced to put my hive together, which I managed to do by taking all my par- ticulars from a picture of a W.B.C. hive in the "Guide Book." With the assistance of my father, who had kept bees thirty years ago, but had had none for many a long time, we pulled through all right, and I got my first hive together, and waited with im- finished up with 1171b. of honey, which included twenty-one sections off my first hive (an account of this honey take from driven bees appeared in the "B.B.J.," I believe, in the back end of 1906). I then prepared to get my honey in order for the Chester Show, and am pleased to say with good result, securing first prize for shallow-frames, third prize for sections, and third for extracted honey. I was advised to try at Altrincham a month later, which I did!i with still better result : first prize and special bronze medal for sections, second for shallow-frames, second for extracted honey. So I was very pleased with my first season. Since then I have never been out of the prize list at these shows, and I am also pleased to say that 436 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 2, ..Jli. I obtained my B.B.K.A. expert certi- ficate last year. I have tried my best to encourage bee-keeping in this part of the country, and am always pleased to help brother bee-keepers when able. We have now eighteen members of the Cheshire B.K.A. in this district, of which I think I was one of the first (my father was the other), and I hope to increase the number by next season. You will observe that all my hives are the W.B.C. type, with the exception of the small nine-franie makeshift at the far end. I buy all my hives in the flat, and knock them up myself. Correspondence. The Editors do not hold themselves responsible j or 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications- ROSS-SHIRE NOTES. [8286] Only the other day the bees were revelling in bright sunshine, while pollen was being carried into hives where young queens reign. Now jiremature winter holds the apiary in its icy grasp. But although frost and snow are outside the hives, all is snug and warm within, where the little workers are at rest. I am wintering fifteen stocks and nuclei, but will be quite satisfied if a dozen working colonies are at my call when the days come for honey-gatliering. Theoretically, a properly cared for apiary should go through winter and spring without loss. In practice, this is rarely the' case, and in most apiaries there will usually be one or more empty hives after winter. Sometimes the queen mysteriously disaj^pears, and her bees join on to an a-djacent colony, while the stores are looted by robbers. In all cases of queenlessness, prompt uniting with a nucleus puts matters right at once. Hence the idea of carrying surplus queens over winter in "Com- bination " hives adapted to the dual- queen principle. Bee-paralysis.— I regret to hear that this pest has deprived the Messrs. Muir of their usual large honey-crop. I was particularly interested in their method of cure (page 428), as it coincides with my own ideas on the subject.. Last spring, when the disease was raging everywhere, no one could suggest any- thing better than the "total destruc- tion" treatment. So when one of my own stocks became affected I destroyed it. But after thinking matters over I came to the conclusion that destruction, if really necessary, should be confined to the diseased portion alone. That meant sulphuring the entire population of a diseased colony, and restockino> the hive by running a healthy swarm "on to the beeless brood. However, as the scheme was fully described in these columns at the time, I need not recapitulate. I heard afterwards that the theory was put into practice by others, and with complete success!— J!^ M. Ellis, Ussie Vallev. CREATING A MARKET FOR HONEY. [8287] As one who has taken your valued journal for many years, I notice that the old question is still brought up by bee-keepers at the close of each season, " What shall we do with our honey? " and in this year of plenty the cry is greater than ever. Now, why is this.^ Is it not entirely the fault both of bee-keepers themselves and the Associations? Honey, like every other commodity, will not sell ixnless it is pushed and well advertised (I am dealing now, of course, with the bee- keeper who is trying to work iip a retail trade.) The best advertisement that I know of, and which is at the same time in- expensive, is to purchase a few dozen 2oz. tie-over jars, and having filled them, start on a round of likely buyers, and give thfem a sample — get them interested in bees generally. Having thus secured their atten- tion drive home the points with regard to the medicinal and food values of honey, &c. He will, indeed, be a bad business man who does not secure customers, and once having got them it is an easy matter to keep them. I have tried this way of dis- posing of honey, and know that it suc- ceeds. Unfortunately I had to give it up, for business reasons, but my round was passed on to another bee-keeper who travels it to this day. I am, therefore, forced to the conclusion that the inability to dispose of honey is the fault of the bee-keeper. Now just a word to the committees of Bee-keepers' Associations : Don't leave all the work of disposing of their honey to the members. Instead of giving so much attention and time to demonstrations with bees at shows, just try to educate the public to appreciate the value of honey as a food and medicine, also for making excellent drinks ; distri- bute literature, give lectures, and get out a list of "Honey cooking recipes;" in fact do anything which will create a demand for honey. If any proof were needed of the ignorance of the public in regard to the value of honey, just stand for a few minutes by the show bench where honey cakes. &c., are exhibited, and listen to the remarks which are passed. Demonstrating; Xov 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 437 with bees in a tent may be all very well, but why continue to make bee- keepers if at the same time yon do not create a demand for their producer* The whole thing is on a par with any business firm who sends its travellers round and makes its wares known while it goes on with the manufacturing at home. This then is clearly the work of Bee-keepers' Associations working in harmony with their members, and until some such system is devised this '' hardy annual " will always be i,vith us. — A. Wakekell, 21j Mansfield Road, Croydon. AN EXCELLENT RETURN. I am sending this short account of the profit realised on one hive this season, as it may interest those of your readers who are bee-keepers in a small way. The stock went into winter quarters fairly strong, and with ample stores, and came out in good condition in spring. It swarmed in May, and twice more in June, and the swarm was returned each time. Finally I made a nucleus on four frames which I sold for 10s., and put two extra racks of sections on the original hive with- out an excluder, and with only triangular starters in the sections. The bees worked steadily all the summer, and I took off over eighty sections, besides taking out four more frames of honey from the brood- nest, as it was getting choked with stores. These I replaced with frames of founda- tion. The sections, well-filled with excel- lent light honey, I sold for Is. and Is. Id. ea-ch, unglazed, and carriage not paid. My only expenditure was on foundation for the sections, and I cleared £4 10s. profit alto- gether. I should like to add that the bees are English Blacks. — M. R. Hammond, Hants. CAPPTNGS OF COMB. BY L. S. CRAWSHAW, NORTON, MALTON, YORKS. The Simmins Treatment (p. 366.))— Recently I had the pleasure and privi- lege of some conversation with Mr. Sim- mins at his hospitable home, and dis- cussing his new remedy for " Isle of Wight" disease, I suggested that the year 1911 itself may have accounted in some measure for success. He quite reasonably admitted this, and it is to be hoped that the remedy will be further tried by all concerned should the plague be with us next year — the which may a merciful Heaven forfend ! AVith regard to the quilt, I do not remember whether he advises that it should not be used whilst supers are on the hive. I am prepared to believe that at all other times it will do good. A Bee Story (p. 367.)— " Credulous " seems to doubt, for some reason difficult to discover, my story of a stinging affray. For his benefit I must explain that the hive was sectional, the super being the full width of the hive, whilst the brood- section was double-walled, "W.B.C." fashion. Now, surely that explains matters and makes the story more pro- bable. At least it is the best I can do for Thomas. But his suggestion of a safety-iazor is a distinct improvement, and Avould have been the " shalvation " of the narrative. As for his story of the pro- fessor, I don't believe a word of it! At any rate, without being irascible, I shall not allow him to raise my hair ! Benewal of Old Combs (p. 373.)— Mr. Herrod's very practical advice is generally so sound that I almost hesitate to detail some of my practice in this matter, lest it should seem to question his dictum. But I am by no means alone in the opinion that the bees form their winter nest normally in a manner far superior to an^^ that the bee-master can devise. Sup- posing this to be true, I allow the combs to remain in situ in autumn, whether pollen-clogged, or old, or badly-built. I have not many of the last variety. If at any time during summer manipulation I discover a comb which needs replace- ment, I mark it. For this purpose I use small tin clips. These I make from pieces liin. long by about fin. wide. When the ends are bent up the result is a channel-shaped clip | |, which exactly fits the top bar. If a trifle slack, the ends may be closed a little. These marked combs are selected by preference for nuclei, or driven bees, or similar pur- poses. They thus automatically collect themselves, and may be disposed of in due course. If a stock be wintered upon them, a number will be free the following spring. The method is not very different or original, but may have some advantages. Sugar Feeding and Disease (p. 375.)' — An exceedingly interesting theory is here propounded by R. B. Manly. It is to the effect that one colony of bees may be able to resist the onslaught of genns contained in its own honey ; whilst if the said honey be fed to another colony it may cause an outbreak of disease. It is widely believed that disease may exist in an endemic form in certain districts, which rather bears out the theory, but one would hardly expect it to be true of related stocks in the same apiary. The matter might be tested by placing in the healthy stock a comb from the affected colony. I admit that it is hardly a com- plete test, but if immunity were obtained it would substantiate the theory. We are apt to consider the health of bees entirely from the communal standpoint, but there is no apparent reason why individuals in a strong colony should not possess a 438 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. TNov. 2. 1911, lowered vitality, which would predispose them to disease. Where is the English Bee? (p. 376.)— The "B.B.J." seeros to be fuller than ever of these difficult conundrums. " In the hive," is too obvious a reply ^ yet it seems the best this weather. " In the North" is challenged by Mr. Kidd's own location. So, after a careful perusal of his article, I am driven to conclude that the English bee is sulking at home, cross in mind and body, at the advent of the undesiiable alien. However that may be — and I speak as a believer in our own bees — is it not possible that desirable traits may be obtained from these crosses ? In our young bee-keeping days we learned that the Carniolan bee was typically gentle, and that its happy nature might be transmitted through its drones. Undoubtedly the Carniolan has excellent qualities. Is it true that the Carniolan-English hybrid is invariably bad-tempered ? Or is it only occasionally so? Can anyone tell us? Queries and Replies. [8241] Dealing With Extracted Comhs. ■ — I shall be very grateful if you will give me an answer to the following questions in the " B.B.J." (1) Is it too late to give the bees combs to clean up? (2) How can I clean combs that have had very thick honey in them, if the bees may not do it? (3) What is the best way to " thaw " honey that has got too thick to extract? I am afraid to put it very near the fire for fear of melting the wax too much. (4) Will you please tell me of a good recipe for making bee candy with honey in it? — H. E. Smith, Northants. Reply.^ — (1 and 2) Yes. Save them as bait-combs for next season. (3) The only way is to keep the combs in a very warm room or near the fire, but not too near to melt the wax. (4) A recipe is given in the "Guide Book" Coronation Edition, page 196, No. 3. [8240] Treating Diseased Stock in Autumn.- — I have sent you a piece of comb taken from one of my hives, from which I took forty sections this year. I am in doubt what is wrong with it, as I thought they 3iad done so well and that it cannot be disease. I would be much obliged to you if you would kindly say in the columns of your much-valued journal if it is foul brood, as I have never seen it. I started bee-keeping four years ago with only one bar frame hive. I have now sixteen, and have been entirely guided by your "Guide Book" in the manage- ment of them. I cannot praise it enough, for they have always done well. I took ■<350 sections this vear from them, 250 being heather. I have read so much about foul brood, hofl- difficult to cure and how terribly infectious, that I am anxious to know if this is it. I have gone through all my hives and there are four with combs like this one, but not so many cells together not hatched out. That is by far the worst comb. If it is foul brood I will try bravely to fight it in the spring as per " Guide Book," but what would you advise in the meantime? Thanking yon in anticipation. — J. R., Morayshire. Reply. — The comb is ajfected with foul- brood. Use Apicure and naphthaline in the hives and see how they come out in the spring. [8243] Wintering Driven Bees. — I set up a hive in September with two lots of driven bees, put on to eight frames of comb foundation. As I did not see a queen in either, 1 feared that I had not secured one, but during the last ten days or fortnight they have been very in- dustrious, fetching in pollen, and so 1 liope that tliis indicates that there is a queen. I fed with syrup from the first, and they took down about 81b. of sugar in syrup form. I conclude that they store some of it in the cells for winter use. Neither lot was very large, and as far as I can see they do not seem to be filling more than four or five frames, so shall I he ^ right if I take away, a little later, the unoccupied frames and replace with a dummy? I noticed in the "B.B.J." that another correspondent (page ) was similarly placed as myself, and the reply you gave him has made several things clearer to me. I was surprised, though, to see that he put his bees on to empty frames, and did not feed them at all. It will be evident that I am a new recruit in the fields of bee-culture. I always thought bees- interesting little creatures, but now I have learnt more about them I find they are extremely fascinating, and I hope in time to find them remunerative also. — (Miss) I. S., Essex. Reply. — Before finally packing down for winter close the bees on to the number of combs they cover by means of the dummy. For the winter give a two-pound cake of candy, and do not forget to look at this from time to time, to see that it is not exhausted. The correspondent referred to secured his bees earlier than yourself, when honey was probably coming in freely, bur he gave his bees a considerable amount of M'ork to do at the wrong time of the year. Had it been an unfavourable season they would probably have died. Erkata. — In the reply to query No. 8240 in our last issue on Rendering Wax a printer's error appeared. Line 14 should read, "Wax should either be melted by the direct rays of the sun, &c." Nov. 2, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 439 HOW TO SELL HONEY. The marketing of honey has occupied considerable attention of late. What can be done in this direction is shown by an enterprising north country firm of grocers. The leaflet, as given below, is distributed amongst customers, the result being greatly increased sales : — . Honeif as a Food. — Honey as a food is most valuable, and it is again becoming very popular as an article of food in daily use. Before the introduction of sugar, honey was almost entirely used as a sweetening agent for all purposes for which sugar is now used. Honey, how- ever, has valuable properties as a food which sugar does not possess. When honey is eaten practically the whole of it is assimilated by the system, there being little residue, and therefore little diges- tion required. This is due to the fact that the sugar of commerce requires " in- verting'' before it can be absorbed by the system ; whereas honey, being partly digested by the bees already, calls for no tax on the digestive organs. It is thus especially valuable for children and for such persons who from various reasons are unable to take ordinary sugar. Honey is very valuable in the kitchen, where it can take the place of sugar in the making of many dishes in daily use. As a Medicine. — As a medicine, honey is much, recommended for coughs, colds, asth'ma, and all throat and chest affec- tions, and also for constipation and similar troubles. Our honey is produced by our own bees, extracted under the best possible con- ditions under our own personal super- vision, and is guaranteed pure. In 16oz. screw stoppered jars, Is. each; or in customers' own jars at lOd. per lb. Messrs. — Grocers and Provision Mer- chants. PROSPECTS OF SEVERE AVINTER. A correspondent sends the following curious press cutting from a daily paper, as an interesting item for bee-keepers. "A certain and sure production for a severe winter is forthcoming in tbe re- ports received from bee-keepers that they are everywhere noticing the bees doubling the walls of the hives with an extra lining of wax. The instinct of these in- telligent builders is never at fault, and when they take this extra precaution it is in provision of an exceptionally cold winter. The ancients of the villages can only remember a similar proceeding on the part of the bees in the year 1869, before the cold year that preceded the Franco-German war." A correspondent writes: — "With re- ference to an interesting recent note from a correspondent, who infers from the fact that this year the bees are doubling the walls of their hives with an extra lining of wax that these ■' intelligent builders" have an intuitive perception that a cold winter is in prospect, I suggest that there may be another explanation of the double walls. Is it not possible that the extreme heat of this summer made the bees' wax unwontedly soft, and that it was neces- sary to build thicker walls than usual in consequence of this? YoiU" correspondent quotes the year 1869 ; the preceding summer, 1868, was, I think, the hottest and dryest summer within the last quarter of a century, which seems to sup- port the suggestion I venture to make." Notices to Correspondents. Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space devoted to letters., queries, and replies is meant for the general good of bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately following the receipt of their communica- tions. J. H. M. — Covering Hive Boofs. — We cannot agree with you ; as a practical carpenter we know that damp is sure to collect between the linoleum and the roof. Having tried all methods, we find the only successful one is to use calico treated in the manner described ; by so doing it is made part and parcel of the wood. R. E. (Amlech). — Buying Honey. — ^You were right in returning the honey under the circumstances. It is certainly " vile stuff." There is a slight smell of heather about it, but it is full of im- purities, and has portions of dead bees floating about in it, being altogether so unsavoury that we prefer not to taste it. It is also fermenting, which is not surprising considering the amount of foreign matter it contains. D. M. (Wishaw). — Drone-breeding Queen. — The queen is not a good one and should be replaced by a new one as early as possible. W. A. C. (Castle Gary).— Queen Lost While Manipulating. — The queen you found was no doubt a fertile one, and the stock is now most probably queen- less. This can be definitely ascertained by a thorough examination. The bees will remain quiet for a longer time when queenless at this period of the year than in the summer. Her absence from the 440 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 2, 1911. hive for so long a time, and conse- quent feeble condition, would account for the bees in the hive refusing to allow the queen to enter. J. D. (Denbigh). — Queen Found on Alight- ing Board. — The queen was badly crushed in the post, so we can say no- thing about her. If you are quite sure the hive is queenless, it will be best to requeen even now. C. R. (Wickford). — Bee-Jceepers in Canada. — Write to the editor of the " Canadian Bee Journal," at Brantford, Ontario, who no doubt will be able to give your son the names of bee-keepers near Woodstock. S. M. (Hounslow). — Foundation in Shallow Frames. — You must wire foundation even in this case, or the combs may break when extracting. A. W. (Ilfracombe). — Increase Extra- ordinary.— Your description is quite correct; it is a "fairy tale." If you are wise you will not attempt it. J. L. (Newton).— Dea/ingr with Soiled Combs.— {!) You should not trj^ to save the combs, but melt them down. There is some danger of the food stolen affect- ing the colonies which robbed the diseased stock. Keep a sharp watch for signs of disease, and if they appear, treat the stock as advised in the " Guide Book." Mks T. T. (Surrey). — Honey from Diseased Stoch. — The honey is quite fit for human consumption, but must not be given to bees. Y^ou must also be careful to burn the wood of the sections when the honey has been used. A. D. (Tipton). — Vitality of the Wasp. — The insect is a queen wasp, and in spite of the immersion it had undergone it was still alive when it reached us. Honey Samples. B. (Lewes). — The samples are not num- bered or distinguished in any way. The light honey is good in all respects but density, which is only fair. The darker sample is also good, and would certainly do for a local show. H. F. (Pontypool). — A good heather mix- ture, worth from Is. to Is. 2d. per lb., retail. Enquirer (Hereford). — Both are very good samples. No. 1 is pure clover and No. 2 mainly sainfoin. F. 0. S. (Newton Abbott) No. I is mainly from bell-heather, good in every respect but density. No. 2 is from mixed sources and has just a little heather in it. Extracting from brood- oombs accounts partly for its dull ap- pearance; there is no honey-dew in either and both are quite fit to eat. 0. P. (New Barnet). — A very insipid, light- coloured honey of poor density and no aroma. As it has practically no flavour except sweetness it is difficult to say from what source it has been gathered. William Stephenson. — Sample No. 1 is a very nice clover honey worth 56s. per cwt. No. 2 medium colour from mixed sources, density very poor, worth 50s. per cwt. No. 3 sample was smashed in post, but appears to be fermenting. No. 4 was also smashed. It is a good heather blend worth 60s. to 70s. per cwt. Special Prepaid Advertisements. Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. LIMNANTHES DOUGLASII; strong plants, 4d. per score, post free.— R. LITMAN, Castle Gary. 1 4 1 6) DOZEN good Dark Honey, screw bottles, X/V 6s. 8(i. dozen; Jcwt. fine Light Clover Honey, 28s.; Jcwt. medium ditto, 25/-.— M., c/o " B.B.J." Office, 23, Bedford street, Strand, Lon- don, p 39 6 281b. tins of Hone.y, splendid flavour, 58s. cwt.; sample 3d.— CUTFORTH, Oakham, Rut- land, p 47 HONEY, splendid flavour, light or medium colour, 8s. 6d. and 8s. dozen; sample full size bottle, Is.— ANDREWS, Longthorpe, Peter- borough, p 47 WANTED, two strong stocks healthy Bees, plenty winter stores, old Queens and with- out Hives preferred, cheap.— CROWE, Central- avenue, Wigston, Leicester. p 46 COCKERELS. — White Wyandottes, Goode's strain, strong and healthy, utility birds, reared with freedom in fields, February, March hatched, 7s. each.— HOPKINS, Broadoak, Leigh- ton Buzzard. P 4& 6 DOZEN good Sections, 7s. 6d. per dozen, safely packed; cash with order.— EDWIN BLAKE, Jun., Deddington, Oxon. p 44 FOR SALE or exchange, good line Ferret, rabbiter. — H. SIAMARK, Willingham, Cambs. P 43 BUCKWHEAT HONEY for SALE; also 20Ib. good Beeswax, fine colour; sample 2d.— HAZZARD, Haddenham, Ely. P 42 W ANTED, icwt. good Dark Honey, price on rail.— 8, Orchard-road, Colchester. p 41 Nov. 9, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 441 Editorial, Notices, &c. BEE DISEASES LEGISLATION. This matter has been brought before us -owing to the receipt of several letters on the subject, one of which, headed "Apiaries Regulation Act,'' by Mr. Cr. Thomas, will be found on page 445. While commending and thanking the " Smallholder " for assistance we •cannot help expressing our regret that it should have taken up the matter without reference to what has been done and is being done at the present time by the British Bee-Keejjers' Association with regard to legislation. This Association has had the question before it for very many years, has not allowed the matter to rest, has been in close touch on the subject with the Board of Agriculture, and was now obtaining the information required. It will be recollected that in the interview with liord Carrington on 17th ]Marph, 1910, he asked that the B.B.K.A. should obtain evidence that the majority of bee-keepers were in favour of legislation, which would strengthen the hands of the Board of Agriculture in ■dealing with the matter. The Chairman of the B.B.K.A. at that interview pro- duced 700 voting cards obtained by one county Association, all those signing with the exception of one being in favour of legislation. We would also point out that most county Associations, as well as local Associations, have already passed resolutions in favour which they have sent to the B.B.K.A. and the Board of Agriculture. That a large number of bee-keepers favour legislation is already well known, but this is not sufficient, as the Board of Agriculture, before moving in the matter, naturallj' desire to know the extent of the opposi- tion. This can only be obtained in the way the B.B.K.A. is now proceeding. We would point out that a strong representa- tive committee was appointed, and held its first meeting in Liverpool on ■23rd June, 1910. At that meeting the draft of the bill, projiosed in 1904, was taken as a working basis, and after being discussed, clause by clause, alterations were made to include all bee-diseases in the proposed bill. This as amended was printed on page 273 of '"B.B.J.," for 14th July, 1910. This led to a considerable correspondence in our columns both for and against, and the committee have since taken into consideration all the objections raised, and have amended the proposed bill, so that it is hoped there will now be no opposition to it, or, at any rate, that it may be so insignificant as not to influ- ence the Government against legislation. We would therefore urge upon those secretaries of Associations and district secretaries who have not already done so to assist the B.B.K.A. in obtaining the ballot required in order to arrive at an estimate of the opinion of the majority of bee-keepers. This is the only obstacle at present in the way of legislation and we do not think petitions in favour, how- ever numerous and well intentioned, are likely to have any influence on the Government at present. GENERAL SIR STANLEY EDWARDES GOLDEN AVEDDING. We have much pleasure in reprinting the following from The Daily Telegraph of October 13th; — " General Sir Stanley and Lady Edwardes, of Sponden, Sandhurst, Kent, will celebrate their golden wedding on Sunday next. Sir Stanley is a son of the late Captain George Edwardes, of the Bengal Arm}-, was born in 1840, ent-ered the Bombay Corps in 1857, and has seen a great deal of active service. In 1858 he joined in pursuit of Tantia Topee, was in the Abyssinian Expedition of 1868, for which he received the medal, took part in the Afghan Campaign of 1879-80, was appointed colonel of the 102nd (King- Edward's Own) Grenadiers in 1905, having a few years previously been made a K.C.B. Lady Edwardes, whom he married on October 15th, 1861, is a daughter of General G. A. Leckie, Indian Army." General Sir Stanley Edwardes is a practical bee-keeper, and for many years has been an active member of the Council of the B.B.K.A., and we are sure all bee- keepers will join with us in congratulating Lady Edwardes and himself on the happy event, and in wishing them many more happy years together. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION NOTICE. Will any reader having a copy of the Report of the British Bee-keepers' Association for the year 1897 kindly for- ward it to the Secretary, 23, Bedford Street, Strand ? AYRSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The annual show of the Ayrshire Agri- cultifral Society was held on October 19th and 20th, at Kilmarnock, and proved in many ways one of the most successful ex- hibitions ever held by this association, the show being in point of size a record one for Ayrshire. In the honey section there were 150 entries against 103 last year, and the judge (Rev. R. McClelland) had some difficulty in making his awards, the 412 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 9, 1911. quality being so uniformly awards were as follows: — good. The Six 1-lh. Jars of Extracted Honej/ ('2d entries.) — 1st, A. White, Lyndhiirst, Cum- nock; 2nd, P. M'Donakl, Amulree, Cum- nock ; 3rd, John Henderson, St. Serfs, Cumnock; v.h.c, Richard Allen, Tusmore, Bicester, Oxon ; h.c, Alexander F. Bor- land, The Knowe, Cumnock; S. G. Leigh, Broughton, Hants; c, James Pearman, Derby. Six 1-lb. Jars of Extracted Heather Honey (15 entries.) — 1st, A. White; 2nd, James Hallidav, Slogarie, New Galloway ; 3rd, P. MDoiiald; v.h.c, James H. W. Fishwick, Cathburn, Lancashire; James Pearman ; h.c., W. M. Lloyd, Lancaster ; c, John Ross, Dumfries. Six 1-lb. Sections (15 entries.) — 1st, John Ross; 2nd, James Pearman; 3rd, John M'Donald, Dumfries; v.h.c, Joseph G. Nicholson, Cumberland; h.c, H. C. Gibson, Ballvgowan, Belfast ; c, Richard Allen. Six 1-lh. Heather Sections (10 entries.) —1st, P. MDonald ; 2nd, James Halliday ; 3rd, Joseph G. Nicholson; v.h.c, Alex. F. Borland; h.c, John Ross; c, A. White. Six 1-lh. Jars of Granulated Honey (10 entries.) — 1st, Robert Steven, Irvine Road, Kilmaurs; 2nd, Richard Allan: 3rd, J. Woods, Mansfield; v.h.c, R. Brown and Son, St. Ives, Hunts; h.c, R. W. Lloyd, Norfolk; c, John Shannon, Kings- court, Co. Cavan. Beeswax (15 entries.) — 1st, John Ross; 2nd, AV. Patchett, Caistor, Lines; 3i-d, R. Brown and Son; v.h.c, John Row- lands, North Wales; h.c, John Shannon; c, John Duncan, Burnhouse, Galston. Three 1-lh. Jars of Extracted Honey (limited to exhihitors resident in Ayrshire) (13 entries.)— 1st, P. MDonald; 2nd, A. AVhite; 3rd, Alex. F. Borland; v.h.c, John Henderson; h.c, John Duncan; c, David Briggs, Maybole. Three 1-lh. Sections (limited to ex- hihitors resident in Ayrshire) (7 entries.) — 1st, Hugh M'Quiston, Dankeith Dairy, Kilmarnock; 2nd, A. AVhite: 3rd, P. M'Donakl; v.h.c, John Nisbet, Cumnock; h.c, David Briggs; c, Allan Gibson, Tar- bolton; John Dodd, Tarbolton. Tiro 1-lh. Jars of Extracted Honey (25 entries. )~lst, A. AAliite ; 2nd, P. M'Donald and John Henderson (equal) ; 4th Alex. F. Borland; v.h.c, John Shannon; h.c, AA". Patchett, Caistor, Lines; c, Lindley Alderson, Kingscourt, Co. Cavan. Two 1-lh. Sections (15 entries.) — 1st, John Ross; 2nd, Joseph G. Nicholson; 3rd, John M'Donald; v.h.c, A. AVhite, James Smith, James Pearman; c, Hugh M'Quiston. — Communicated. LEICESTERSHIRE B.K.A. .\UTUMN CONFERENCE. A very successful autumnal conference under the auspices of this association Avas held at the Highcross Restaurant, Leicester, on October 2S, Mr. A. E. Biggs,, chairman of the organisation, presid- ing. Mr. Faulkner, delegate to the meeting in London of the British Bee-keepers' Association, presented a resume of the- business dealt with by the parent society for the benefit of county associations and the bee-keeping industry. The Chairman distributed the silver medals won at honey shows held during the past season to A. J. Marriott, C. Bottrill, J. E. Weston, G. S. Jesson, H. Dil worth,. M. E. \''arty, and J. AVaterfiekl. Objects of interest to those engaged in the craft were exhibited, and a general discussion followed. After tea musical items were well rendered bv the Orpheus Male Quartette Party, and Mr, 'W. K. Bedingfield followed with a. very instructive lecture entitled " Moi'e about bees and their relations," illustrated by photo-micro- graphic lantern slides. — Coinmunicated. HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By ir. Herrod. PKOCUEING SURPLUS. There is no doubt but that the most- profitable system of working for surplus is shallow frames for extracting. At the same time it is necessary to take into account the district and also the demands of our ijarticular market. There are some districts where it is impossible to produce good comb honey. In such it is futile te attempt the production of sections, the only successful method in such cases being to work for extracted honey by means of shallow frame supers. If the district is suitable for the production of comb-honey and the bees are kejit near a town wUich is more residential than industrial, or near a seaside or inland holiday resort, then un- doubtedly comb honey production will pay the best. Amongst the class of people usually residing or visiting in such localities comb honey is more in demand than extracted, for two reasons; first it is more delicate and appetising when put on the table in the comb, and secondly they imagine it is impossible to adulterate comb honey. In a manufacturing centre, on the contrary, the people desire to get all they can for their money, and therefore prefer to- buy the honey in a jar, and not in the comb, looking upon the latter in the same light as they do on the bone in their joint of meat, "some- Nov. 9, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 443 thing which is useless and has to be thrown away." The points in favour of producing ex- tracted honey are as follows: (1) There is less danger of swarming ; (2) a greater quantity is obtained on account of saving comb building; (3) the supers can be tiered up and remain till the end of the season; (4) the honey obtained can be stored for any length of time. We will first of all consider the super. This, as already remarked, should contain shallow and not deep frames except under exceptional circumstances, such as men- tioned before in these hints, where they will be required for driven bees at the end of the season. Many bee-keepers use shallow frames, yet if asked why, they can give no reason beyond the fact that every- one else uses them. In extracting there is not so much danger of the comb bi'eaking as there would be in a deep frame ; they are also much more comfortable to handle so far as weight is concerned either singly or collectively in the super. Then again the shallow super can be given much earlier than a deep one, as it will not check brood-rearing by giving too much space at one time. Heat rises ; therefore if a 9in. chamber is given, the bees have to maintain the temperature in it as well as the brood-chamber, thereby wasting their energy and also food. The object of the bee-keeper should be to ob- tain combs as straight as possible ; the combs should also project beyond the woodwork of the frame so that the cap- pings can be cut off quite easily, and not have to be dug out. The cells should be drone, as they take less wax, and the honey presents a larger surface for ripening ; it also leaves a larger cell more easily than a small one, and it provides the bees with a means of exercising their natural in- stinct in building drone comb in a place where it will be harmless, the excluder pre- venting the queen from getting up and ovipositing ; therefore the rearing of a lot of useless drones is prevented. The foundation should be wired, and the combs eight in number, for the storage of food we can dispense with the |in. thick comb and go to 2in. In doing so two sheets of foundation are saved in each siiper, also the secretion of wax for sealing the faces of four sides of combs, which would be necessary if ten frames were used as in the brood chambei's. It is difficult occasion- ally to get the bees into the super when all the frames contain foundation and are widely spaced. This can be overcome by using the ordinary narrow end until the combs are built out, when they can be replaced by the wide ones. (To be continued.) Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications- THE B.B.K.A. AND LEGISLATION. [8289] In the report of the Council meeting of the B.B.K.A., published in the British Bee Journal for Septem- ber 12th, mention was made of the draft of a Bee Diseases Bill which had appeared in the " Smallholder." As I am mainly responsible for this Bill, and a great many communications regarding it have reached me from bee-keepers all over the country, I should like to define as clearly as possible my own position in the matter, as well as that of the paper with which I am connected ; and at the same time to dispel certain misconceptions that have arisen respecting my motive in bringing the Bill forward at the present juncture. In the first place, it is in no spirit of antagonism or journalistic rivalry that the measure proposed by the '"Smallholder" which, for convenience, I have called the Apiaries Regulation Act — has been put before the public. Nor have I, as a loyal member of the British Bee-keepers' Association, any other feeling than one of warmest sympathy towards the Ck)uncil in their renewed efforts to get a Bee Diseases Prevention Bill presented to Par- liament. To all that they have done, and are trying to do, no bee-keeper of ex- perience and foresight could extend less than a whole-hearted admiration and support. But, so far as my knowledge goes of the provisions of "the Bill which the B.B.K.A. will be advised by the Legisla- tion Committee to adopt, I find it im- possible to agree that these provisions are sufficient to meet the necessities of the case. I have before me the B.B.K.A. Draft Bill, published in the British Beb Journal for July 14th, 1910; and so far as I am aAvare, no amended version, nor any official communication regarding the Bill, lias since appeared. Taking, there- fore, of necessity, the original text as that still representing in the main the committee's proposals, I, and I believe many other bee-keepers having the welfare of British apiculture at heart, profoundly mistrust the efficacy of the measures advocated. 444 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 9, 1911. The points raised from time to time by opponents of legislation in general have been effectively dealt with by the Editor of the " B.B.J." and others, and all reasonable men must now regard them as finally out of court. My own sincere objection is quite on the other side. I cannot but think that the association is only tinkering with the matter ; that it is trying to effect a compromise which will not only satisfy objectors to the Bill, but will fail in a great degree in the achieve- ment of its principal object — the mitigation, and perhaps the final stamp- ing out, of bee-diseases throughout Great Britain, To this view I know there exists a certain amount of adverse opinion, but I am also assured that a very large body of bee-keepers agree with it in the main. The two vital points wherein I ■ think the B.B.K.A. Bill is deficient are, first, that the fixed-comb hive is apparently to be allowed to remain in the country as a perennial source of re-infection of cleansed stocks, thereby being a means of nullification for all legislative effort; and, second, that nothing is to be done to control the impoi-tation of infected queen- bees, honey, and foundation. If we allow box- and skep-hives, which are practically uninspectable, to exist in the land, and if we continue to permit contamination to be brought freely into the country from infected foreign dis- tricts, it seems to me that no Act of Par- liament, however admirable in other respects, can be anything less than a dead-letter. No one who has studied the working of the Apiaries Act in New Zealand during the last four years, and the masterly reports tliereon by Mr. Isaac Hopkins, could. I think, arrive at any other conclusion. I am fully aware that the task of getting a Bee Diseases Bill through Par- liament would be greatly facilitated if the Bill proposed were of so mild a nature as to ensure its being treated as uncontroversial matter by both sides of the House. I am convinced, however, that the B.B.K.A. are sacrificing too much for expediency's sake; and I have felt it, therefore, my duty to lay before bee- keepers—before the great body of small- holders who are so rapidly recruiting our ranks, and especially before all honey- lovers, the public generally, who are equally interested in the prosperity of bee-farming— what form I think legisla- tion must take if it is to have any per- manently beneficial effect on the industry. In a sense, we are at the end of our tether in this matter. As the Editor of the British Bee Journal, truly said some time ago : " Unless something is soon done (to combat bee-diseases) it is difficult to see how the industry can go on much longer." But if that something is only to be aimed at the effect, while leaving the main cause of the evil largely un- touched— if we are only going to lop off the twigs of the poisonous tree and leave branch and root still to flourish- — I for one would rather see the whole question shelved for the present, and trust to the hard logic of events in the near future to bring home to legislators the truth of what bee-laws are really needed. Will not our new Minister come to our aid? — TiCKNEK EdWARDES. THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. [8290] In reference to the question asked by me at the recent conversazione, quoted on page 432 of the British Bee Journal, as the reporter has condensed my long, detailed query into seven lines, and has thus failed to convey my meaning, may I ask your permission to refer again to the matter? The question I asked was this : If queen- cells are begun on the same day over three larv8B of one day, two days, and three daj^s of age respectively, would the last- mentioned cell produce a queen first, so that, as she would destroy the two remain- ing queens, there would not be the sur- vival of the fittest? The theoretical answer to this question is in the affirmative, and almost all bee- keepers, including myself, hold this view ; yet a gentleman who is both an experi- enced bee-keeper and a scientist argues that the last-mentioned cell would not pro- duce a queen first, the inmate having been fed on the highly-nourishing food for so short a period, but that the first queen would issue from the first-mentioned cell, as a result of the normal period of feeding. To test the point with certainty would involve time and opportunities which are not at my disposal ; but I shall be glad to hear whether any of your readers have carried out the experiment and recorded definite results. To put the matter in another way : Does the length of time that the larva feeds on the highly-nitrogenous food affect its develo]5ment after the queen cell has been sealed over? — J. B. Lamb, 3, Maitland Park Road, N.W. A SUCCESSFUL COTTAGER. [8291] An illustration of what can be done by cottagers (especially in such a season as the past one has been) has recently come to my notice. A farm labourer, living in a quiet little Somerset village, recently took to bee-keeping, and made his own hives. The outer cases are Lipton's tea boxes, but the inner fittings are all right. At the commencement of 1911 he had eleven stocks, which have T^'ov. 9, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 445 been increased to eighteen. But, in addition to this increase, he has made a net cash profit of £20 during the season from the sale of honey, &c. "V\Tien he is in full work he earns 13s. Gd. per week, but often receives less, in con- sequence of bad weather and slackness of employment, so it will be readily understood what a boon the additional income has been. Indeed, he is most enthusiastic and devouth' thankful as he sr)eaks of his bees. Like a careful and intelligent man, he has opened a Savings Bank account, ''so as to have a nest egg if a rainv day should come." His best hive yielded' 1301b.— C. T., Somerset. FACTS ABOUT BEES. [8292] Life is too short for one to learn all there is to know about bees, yet, if one hundred bee-keepers would share the details of but five years' experience, would not each become nearly as wise as though he had kept bees some 500 years? Your columns furnish an opportunity for the experiment to be tried, at any rate, and what I propose is a sort of Eeferendum on interesting questions. I offer as a simple example the question of the way bees build combs in new (pre- viously unused) skeps or boxes. I invite your readers who have had cases before them to write me a post card stating ivhat was observed, as below, and I will Tindertake to tabulate the results and pre- sent the conclusions in a further letter. The following questions should be answered, referring to same by number and without repeating the question : — (1) Name and address of owner of skejD or box. (2) Race of bees. (3) Was a skep or a rectangular box used? (4) Were the combs placed (a) substantially at right angles to entrance, i.e., end on, (b) substantially parallel to entrance, i.e., side one, or (c) diagonal to entrance? (5) If diagonal, were the ends to the left or right of entrance, as seen bj^ observer, facing the entrance? (6) Did the entrance face N., N.W., W., S.W., S., S.E., E. or N.E. ? (7) Was the box or skep previously unused, and if not so, then M^hich way were the combs built previously? This is a method by which bee-keepers in a small way, and with no literary ability, can be of service. If the idea is acceptable, I shall be happy to follow it up with further questions, and would ask for your readers' suggestions. — E. B. Wedmore, The Old Hall, Clifton, War- wickshire. APIARIES REGULATION ACT. [8293] I would like to draw the atten- tion of your readers to a proposed Bill for the benefit of bee-keepers published in the " Smallholder " of September 23rd. Our tlia.nks are due to the Editor of this paper for the interest he displays m bee- keeping by bringing forward this "Bill." I wrote to him, pointing out what I tliought to be deficiencies in the proposed Bill, e.g., Clause III. I ask for three days' notice of intended visit of insjDec- tor to avoid the balling of newly-intro- duced queens. Some notice is necessary to extensive apiarists, because they might not be on hand to inform him of such recent introductions. I also suggested dates between which stocks may not be examined, and in the "Smallholder" of October 14th Mr. Tickner Edwardes (the f ramer of this Bill) iirges the examination of stocks any time '■ when the thermometer stands above 50deg., with absence of rain or strong wind" between the dates October 1st and May 1st, that is, in winter (page 176, "Smallholder," bottom third column). In my opinion, it is not safe to examine any stock at any time during the winter. The bees should be fed well in autumn and not disturbed until late spring. The examination of the brood in each hive does not take long; in fact, I would undertake to examine all stocks in Pem- brokesliire in one month in summer. In my own ajjiaries I can examine 170 stocks in five days quite comfortably ; in fact, at a pinch it can be done in three days. Clause III. must be altered to allow the importation of appliances, and Mr. Tickner Edwardes quite sees the force of this in his reply of October 14th to my letter. It is quite impossible to cure foul brood without the new frames and foundation, a point which seems to have been overlooked. He makes a point of the danger of infected foundation, but if the importation of any other than "weed" foundation into an infected area were prohibited that point would have been got over. There are a certain number of bee- keejDers who are opposed to legislation of the kind proposed. It is only right that their opinions should be, to a certain extent, respected, but the majority of us wish for an efficient Act. Under these circumstances I think we ought not to allow too much to the inspectors in the matter of interpreting it. Their duties should be clearly stated, so that all shall know to what extent they may proceed. This is only fair to opponents of legislation. Clause VI.— Mr. Tickner Edwardes, in his suggested Bill, proposed that no honey shall be removed from an apiary which has 440 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 9, 1911. been taken from the brood-box of an in- fected stock. I have had no experience of fonl brood, but cdnnot imagine anyone extracting honey from a rotten comb ; yet there may be clean combs of honey in the brood-box of those hives which contain from fifteen to twenty-two combs, of which there are many in use in South Wales, and, I presume, other parts also. Would not this honey be in the same category as honey from the supers of an infected stock? Clause VII. prohibits the importation of foreign bees from infected districts abroad. This will be of great benefit, but at present I do not see how it will be discovered whether a certain apiary abroad is infected or not. The British Bee-keepers' Association have, I believe, the draft of a proposed Bill, and I think a good opportunity now presents itself to take the good points of both Bills, put them before the readers of the " B.B.J." and of the " Smallholder" for discussion, and jjroceed to get signatures from bee-keepers and others interested in bee-keeping. — G. Thomas, Coedwelyn Stackpole, Pem- broke. [We allude to this in an article on page 441, but would point out that the question has already been thoroughly dis- cussed in these columns, and that the B.B.K.A.'s amended Bill is based to meet the objections raised. We do not think any good can be served at the pre- sent moment in going over 'the same ground again, but when the proposed Bill is published we will give ample oppor- tunity for discussing any fresh objections which may be raised. — Ed.] RANDOM JOTTINGS. By C. II. Heaj), Beading. Mr. D. M. MacDonald has indicated how the objections of Mr. Woodley and others to legislation with regard to bee-diseases may be met ; but I think if some of the opponents of Parliamentary action had the misfortune to have stocks which suffered from foul-brood or some other pest their opposition would be appreciably weakened. Isolated on the heights of Beedon, Mr. Woodley, for in- stance, has never had an outbreak of foul- brood in his apiary during the many years he has been a notable and honoured member of our craft. For a dozen years after I bought ray first swarm foul-brood was unknown to me, and I took a languid interest in foul-brood bills. In an evil hour, however, I bought two stocks of bees at a country vicarage, on the assurance, in writing, that they were free from disease. As I had to place them close to a road, and they showed a vicious disposition, I thought it advisable to put the supers on without making a careful examination of the combs. When I took off the shallow frames at the end of the summer I dis- covered foul-brood. After my purchase I cycled into the neighbourhood from which the bees came, and was not surprised by my subsequent discovery, for I found an apiary the like of which one might travel a thousand miles without seeing. The bees for the most part inhabited boxes piled promiscuously on the top of one- another, and covered with sacking, pieces of old oil-cloth, tin, or anj^- thing that would turn a drop of rain. The place resembled a marine store dealer's yard more than anything else. Some day, if this wonderful apiary still exists, I hope to get a photograph of it for reproduction in the Bee Journal. It will provide a good argument without words for a little regulation of some phases of the industry. Ignorance and Experts. — From time to time there is a disposition to criticise and to magnify the faults of the bee expert. While there are varying degrees of com- petence among experts, we must not forget that many owners of bees know so little about their tiny labourers, and about- scientific methods, that they cannot pro- perly understand the advice given them, while others will interpret the advice iu such a way as to suit their own ends. Through the purchase of a swarm I once made the acquaintance of a middle-aged lady who kept bees. »he knew practically nothing of the subject, and had to engage a man living in the village to hive swarms, and to put on and take off supers. One day early in June I gave her a passing; call. She was greatly troubled because she had some broken comb and could not get. the honey from it. The comb was badly infected with foul-brood, and I was told that the bees one day got to it and were very troublesome. It seemed that as the combs were old the lady had decided to- have the bees driven later on, but the old fellow Avho did the work in the apiary, on learning her intention, persuaded her to let him drive the bees there and then. As he did not knoAv what was the matter, his act was reprehensible in the extreme^ and no doubt in this case brought its own retribution. Had the colony not been diseased, the driving of his stock and the break-up of combs full of brood would have been a wanton destruction of bee-iife. .4/! Injustice. — I was asked to look at the remaining hives, and at the end of July examined the tAvo frame-hives and found one with foul brood in several combs. I advised one of several courses ; but the lady would not be satisfied until the super was placed on the hive again, although there was not the remotest pros- XoY. 9, 1911.] THE BEITISn BEE JOURNAL. 447 l^ect of getting an ounce of surplus hone)'. Now came an injustice to one of the county experts. I received a letter two months later saying that Mr. , the expert, had called. He said the bees I had looked at would do no more good, and had advised her to sell them. Would I make an offer? Of course, I did not want the worthless stock : but it showed me how easily an expert's advice may be perverted. I knew the expert, and did not for a moment believe he had advised the sale of these diseased bees. What probably hap- AX EGYPTIAN APIARY. The picturesque illustration below of an apiary in P]gypt gives one an interesting view of the scenery in that Old World country. The bees are kept in very primitive fashion. The hives, which are constructed of clay, are cylindrical in shape, the ends being loose. In the centre of one end can be ^een a hole which allows ingress and egress to the bees. The hives are stacked together and present the ajjpear- ance of a clay wall. The honey is ob- tained by removing the back end, the AN EGYPTIAN APIARY. pened was this : the expert advised her to get rid of the bees ; and being possessed of a strongly-developed commercial in- stinct, the lady bee-owner jumped to the conclusion that the bees should be disposed of, as sickly cattle, pigs, and poultry are, to some unwary purchaser. Why I was singled out for this doubtful compliment T cannot imagine. How much better it would have been if the expert had had power to order the destruction of the bees than that the owner should have the right, providing a customer could be found, of sending the stock to infect a neighbour- hood in which possibly the disease was un- known. bees being then driven from the combs by burning a particidar kind of wood. The combs containing honey and brood are then removed and consumed intact. The natives do not seem to mind eating the brood as well as the honey ; in fact, they seem to prefer this mixture. One man will own as many as two thousand of these primitive hives. The greatest enemy of bees in Egypt is the hornet, and to prevent their depreda- tions Aral) boys are employed to kill them with a flapper, i.e., a large piece of leather fastened to the end of a stick, by means of which they knock down and kill the hornets. 448 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 9, 1911. Queries and Replies. [8244] Candy as a Food for Bees. — With regard to feeding with candy in autumn or putting candy on for use in winter to make sure that there is sufficient food, how do you account for the bees taking the candy down, say in late October ? Is this ' not as bad as feeding syrup late in the year, and does it not defeat the object for which the candy is supplied? Can there be any difference between feeding good thick syrup and feeding candy? if there is, I should say that the syrup is better, as no water is re- quired by the bees in addition. I have' fed with candy as you advise for wintering, and I find that the bees have taken the Avhole lot below as soon as pos- sible after it has been put on the hive. I do not understand this wintering with candy at all, — Luke Berry, Nelson. Reply. — If candy is well made bees will often take it in preference to their own stores for immediate use. Syrup feeding would be wrong as the bees do not require a lot of moisture in late autumn and winter. It cannot be used up in their bodies, and causes distension of the bowels unless they can get out to void their excreta. When breeding, liquid is neces- sary to make chyle food ; at that time the bees are flying, which makes all the differ- ence. The idea of candy is to give a food practically all of which can be used up in the body of the bee. [8245] r^tilising Large Hive. — I sliall be glad if you will advise me on the following through the "B.B.J." I bought a job lot of hives, and among them is one very large one ; it is 24^in. long, inside measurement : (1) I should be glad to know what was the object of the bee-man in making such a hive. (2) How can I utilise it? It will take sixteen standard frames and division-board. (3) Can I make two hives of it? If so, how can the supering be done? What would you suggest to make the best use of it, as there is so much waste space. It is very elaborately made, and must have cost a lot in mak- ing. (4) What is the best thing to keep extractor from rusting? Can it be painted with aluminium paint? — Monmouth. Reply. — (1) The hive is no doubt one of the old combination pattern in which the honey was obtained at the back of an excluder dummy placed at the tenth frame. (2) Simply use a dummy board and work the stock on ten frames. (3) No, don't try it. (4) After use, the ex- tractor should be well washed in hot water, thoroughly dried, and rubbed with vaseline. [8246] I'arious Queries. — Would you mind answering the following questions in your next issue of "B.B.J." ? (1) Could I insure against injury to cattle by barbed wire fence, of course for an extra premium? (2) Will honey keep well in tins, if kept airtight? Will it be con- taminated in any way by the metal if allowed to stand for months ? (3) Is there any danger of bees balling the queen if the hive is opened on a fine day in March or the beginning of April? (4) Is it useless introducing a fertile queen (or virgin) to a hive with a laying worker in possession? Would the bees prefer the fertile worker, and does the season make .a difference? (5) In uniting two stocks, which queen is sacrificed, the incoming one or the one in possession? Of course, if both were equally valuable we should take one away. (6) We are Derbyshire people, but live on the borders of Notts. Would it matter if we joined the Notts Association, as that county is the handiest for us? I may say we apjjreciate the Journal very much, and although bee-keepers of some years stand- ing we have picked up several ideas from it.— W. A. H., Alfreton. Reply. — The B.B.K.A. do not issue such a policy. (2) Honey will keej) for any length of time without contamination in tins if hermetically sealed. (3) There is always a certain amount of danger of balling on the first examination after a winter's rest. (4) The only way it can be done is to cage the queen on a comb of un- sealed brood from another hive. (5) Always select the youngest and most pro- lific queen irrespective of which colony she is in, and cage her. (6) The Notts Asso- ciation, like most of the others, take members two miles over the border, and as the Derbyshire Association is not affiliated to the B.B.K.A. its members ai'e not eligible for the benefits therefrom. We should strongly recommend you to join the Notts Association. [8247] A Beginner^s Queries. — I am only a beginner in bee-keeping, and have made a few hives. In the meantime I have been looking about for some bees. I have just found some for sale, and went to see them yesterday ; they are about eight miles from here. They are on bar frames the two lots, being in a box covering the whole The owner has become too old to look after them, the result being that both colonies are full of honey which has not been touched this season. There are no supers on. Now I am having them sent over to my place and should like your advice as to the best way to settle them for the winter. Should I take some of the honey away, or let it remain? The stocks seem strong, and I should like to divide them next spring. If this is advisable, how should I proceed? But for the present I should be glad to Nov. 9, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 449 know how I shall be able to make them comfortable for the winter. — F. Wood- house, Chelmsford. Reply. — The hive should be set quite level from side to side, and tilt about ^in. to the front. See that the quilts fit down neatly, provide winter passages, and put in naphthaline. Make sure that the roof is quite watertight. Drive a stake down at one side, to which tie a cord; pass it over the roof and tie a brick at the other end, so that it hangs just below the floorboard and does not knock against the side of the hive. Do not remove honey at all. The entrance shoiild be open about 4in. Leave quite quiet until next spring, and in the meantime buy the "Guide Book" and read up the methods of increase. [8248] Hive Blown Over in a Storm. — During last week-end we have had a very bad storm here and unluckily one of my hives was blown over, although I had taken the precaution to rope it down. I discovered the accident soon after it hap- pened, and immediately set up the hive and tried to arrange the frames. I was very surprised to find that the bees had not suffered much, and though a great many must have been blown away, there is still a good stock in the hive. I moved the hive into a portable wooden building and it is there now. Also, I found a bee which I am afraid is the queen lying dead on the ground where the hive had overturned. (1) I enclose it, and would be glad if you would let me know if it is the queen. (2) In future I shall keep my bees in a bee- house, and M'ould be glad if you would let me know how to fit one up. (3) I noticed several drones in the hive, and wonder why these have not been killed off. Can you find any reason for this? (4) Do you think the stock will survive the winter, or will the disturbance have been too much for them? Thanking you in anticipation. — E. E. W. G., Symonstone. Reply. — (1) The bee is a worker. (2) We do not advise keeping bees in bee- houses. If you rope the hives they should be quite safe. (3) It points to queenless- ness. (4) They should be all right now; there is nothing more you can do to ensure their survival at present. [8249] Dealing with a Queenless Stoch in November. — The bee-keeper must be prepared for all sorts of surprises, many of them unpleasant. I packed my stocks for winter some five weeks ago, assuring myself, first, that each had a laying queen, and plenty of stores. For the' past week, or more, the bees have been bringing in pollen in considerable quantities. Two days ago all were exceptionally active, the temperature rising to 56deg. One of my strongest stocks, on ten frames, with a July queen raised by themselves, which was laying well when I packed the hive, was particularly busy at 11 a.m. At 11.30 I happened to look at the hive again, and saw a queen standing motionless about a foot in front of the hive. I picked lier up and warmed her in my hands and pre- sently her wings began to quiver and she crawled over my hand. Making sure that she came from the hive in front of wnich I found her, I put her three successive times at the entrance, and each time she was seized by a worker and hustled off the alighting board. The last time a worker seized her by the head or antennse^ rolled off the alighting board with her, and even then I had some difficulty in separating them. Not knowing what else to do I brought her into the house, put her in a match-box, and gave her some honey and kept her warm, but by 4 p.m. she was dead. I suppose I ought to have caught about a dozen workers, put her in a queen cage with them, and given them some Good's candy, but I had neither a queen-cage nor any of the candy. My intention was, if I could keep her alive, to let her slip i;nder the quilts at dusk by Simmins' method. About 2 p.m. the bees seemed to have discovered their loss. Numbers of them were scurrying in and out of the hive and all over the alighting board, taking short flights and returning, frantically searching for the missing queen, and yesterday they were doing the same till long after the other hives were qviiet. I confess I am quite at a loss to understand the reason for the queen thus leaving or being forced out of the hive, but, no doubt, with your long experience you may be able to suggest one. May I ask you, further, which, if any, of the following alternative plans you approve of ? (1) Put the queenless stock on the top of the next hive only 3ft. away. The latter is not nearly so strong, but has a laying queen. Put no excluder between them, but a sheet of brown paper with a few small holes in it, so as to allow some days to elajise before the bulk of the two stocks meet, and remove the paper at the end of a week. I wish to avoid using smoke or exciting the bees more than I can help, and therefore I do not suggest dusting the two stocks with flour. My idea, too, is to choose a cool day when very few bees are flying, and moving the hive with the two stocks 18in. nearer the stand where the queenless stock is at present ; of course, re- moving the latter altogether. (2) Put the weaker stock with the laying queen on the top of the queenless stock in the same way. (3) Place a clean warmed hive between the other two and remove both stocks into it, one on the top of the other in the same way, and remove the other two hives. T wish to give them all their stores and that is why I desire to put one on the top of the other. — J. G. Dalzell. 450 THE BRITISH BEE JOUIINAL. [Xov. 9, 1911. Reply. — We should adopt plan iNo. 1. It is difficult to suggest a reason for the strange occurrence without examining the queen. Notices to Correspondents Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion 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 loish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately following the receipt of their communica- tions. J. A. S. (Penzance.)— 7fo«ey Granulating Badly.~Yes. Reliquefy it by standing it in a vessel surrounded by hot water. E. L. (Forest UiW.)— Good Honey District. — We do not know very much of Raynes Park. It is no doubt a suitable place in which to keep a few hives of bees, but if you intend to go in for bee- keeping on a large scale, it will be necessary to locate the apiary more than twelve miles outside London. B. J. (Kirriemuir.) — Dealing tvith In- fected Hives and Honey.— You must certainly not use the honey for spring feeding. The hives can be used if they are first thoroughly disinfected by scorching the insides with a painter's spirit lamp. Honey Samples. Silicon (Co. Durham).— The sample of heather honey you send is a very fine one. We are using it personally and find it excellent. Thanks for your kind remarks re the Beitish Bee Journal. Suspected Disease. J. S. (Carnforth.)— From outward symptoms it appears that the bees are suffering from Isle of Wight disease. In order to verify this, send a few (alive, if possible) to Dr. W. Maiden, Medical Schools, Cambridge. In the case of the sample of comb, it contains chilled brood only. Constant Readee (Swansea.) — ^(1) The comb shows that the stock is affected with foul brood. Put Apicure in the hive until spring, when you can see the state of the colony. (2) It is not powerful enough. (3) Yes, by using either Apicure or Formaldehyde. (4) Strong stocks sometimes become affected through robbing weak and diseased colonies, and the robbers carry- ing home the disease. A. H. D. (Brighton). — We are sorry to say the bees show outward signs of having died of "Isle of Wight" disease. We congratulate you on the neat way in which you packed the bees, and wish all our correspondents would take similar pains, as it would save us both troixble and annoyance. Though meeting with such discouragement at the outset of your bee-keeping career, we hope you will try again, as your neatness and method show that you are just the one to succeed eventually. Special Prepaid Advertisements. Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. 5CWT. PURE EXTRACTED CLOVER HONEY, 281b. 15s. 2cl.; new cans free, caretuUy packed, iree on raU; Northants County guarantee laDei; immediate delivery.— iVlOKR IS, Welland "Valley Apiary, Barrowden, Stamford. R. FARROW begs to inform customers that all the goods aie sold. M BACHELOR, Nurseryman, well connected, successful apiarist and breeder prize poultry, pigs, &c., stock now value £60, wishes correspond- ence with Bee Expert who understands cows, with view to combine apiaries, milk round, and fruit farming; must have moderate capital and genuine worker; half house rent free; ail correspondence welcome and replied to ; profits shared. — N Li R SER Y - MAN, c/o Mr. Dryer, Glenside, Great Hadham, Herts. p 50 HAT OFFERS in motor cycle or fittings for gentleman's 3-speed cycle, value £6, and 3 strong Stocks Bees, new standard hives; particu- lars.—E. WHITFIELD, 7 Elizabeth-street, Hough- ton-le-Spring, Durham. p 51 ESIRABLE HOUSE, IJ acres ground, stables, out-buildings. To be Let, £40; or sold. Suit- able for small-holding, excellent bee district, within 20 miles London.—JUDGE, Lanes-end, Dart- ford, p 52 HAPMAN HONEY PLANTS, all sizes, seeds, wallflower seeds, borage do., cornflower plants, pansy do., assorted packet, 6d.— JOHN BRADLEY. Stretton, Yockleton. Shrewsbury, p 55 ABOUT 601b. DARK HONEY; free sample; no reasonable offer refused.— JACKSON, Dux- ford, Cambs. p 54 EXCHANGE for good Granulated Honey in tins, two gentlemen's 25in. frame c.ycles, value £3 and £6 respectively.— W. H. WYATT, Bishops- wood. Chard, Somerset. p 55 WANTED, secondhand copy Cheshire's " Bees and Bee-keeping," vol. 1 (scientific). — DENISON, Stockton, Rugby. p_56 £*f\f\f\ WALLFLOWERS FOR SALE, Vulcan OvFvf" and Golden King, good bushy plants, 2s. 6d. per 100 or 22s. 6d. per lOOO; packing free.— J. BROOKFIELD, 108, Stamford-road, Birkdale, Southport. p 59 i>CWT. of LIGHT COLOURED EXTRACTED ^ HONEY at 56s.; carriage paid.— E. BENNETT. Heacham, Norfolk. p 58 WANTED, instructive or interesting Bee-keep- ing Lantern Slides or Photos to produce from.— R. STEELE, Newburgh, Fife. p 59 WANTED, well-made Body Boxes and Ripener, in perfect condition.-BUZZARD, Bux- ted. P_60 IT^OR SALE, LIMNANTHES DOUGLASII _ PLANTS. Is. 100, post free; also Canaries. A. JACKSON Elveden, Thetford. p 61 Nov. 16, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 451 Editorial, Notices, &c. THERAPEUTIC VALUE OF HONEY. Dr. Demade, who writes on this subject in L'Abeille de VAisne, says that for some years he has been convinced as to the valuable properties of honey, resulting from his observations on young children suffering fjoni acute or chronic diarrhoea, which he had at that time under his treatment. He relates that the Lady Superior of the Convent at K asked his advice about a tiny, miserable-look- ing baby of eight to nine months old which lay in its mother's arms. It gave one the feeling that it had only to close its eyes and die. It was a lamentable example of diarrhoea, with all the symp- toms of the most advanced stage of this •disease, which the Flemings call d'oude man (old man). It was emaciated to an extreme degree, had a cadaverous appearance, with black rings under the eyes and the lower stomach fearfully large. The sufferer had no appetite whatever, but was tormented with almost incessant vomiting and diarrhoea. What could a medical man hope to do in such a •case, when any breath might be the last? However, on the supplications of the mother, who stood there pressing this little remnant of life to her heart — her ninth child, which she said she loved better than all the rest — Dr. Demade prescribed a diet of nothing but honey and water for eight days, and, turning to the Lady Superior, he added that if the child were still living at the end of that time she shoidd put it on adiet of diluted goat's milk, in the propor- tion of one-third milk to two-thirds water. Dr. Demade thought no further about this case, as he never expected the child to live, but three months later, on visit- ing the establishment, he was shown a healthy-looking, well-nourished child, only slightly discoloured under the eyes, its stomach reduced to normal proijortions, with an excellent appetite and regular habits. This was the miserable little creature which had been metamorphosed by means of the honey. He also learned that the grateful mother recommended his remedy in all her district. Every time a ■child in her neighbourhood suffered from stomach disorder she advised the use of diluted honey for a more or less extended period, and showed her child as an example of the beneficent results of such treatment. Dr. Demade profited by his experi- ments, and afterwards used this honey remedy systematically in all cases of in- fantile diarrhoea. liy his general success in numberless cases he came to the con- clusion that honey — unfermentible and easily assimilated — was a valuable thera- peutic agent in most diseases of the diges- tive organs. How does honey act? Dr. Demade thinks in two ways : by reason of its cleansing and nutritive properties. It is antiseptic, almost free from fer- mentation, and it is also an aliment ready for assimilation without diges- tion. To complete his demonstration Dr. Demade adds that he has tried honey in two other very different cases. (1) In that most obstinate of all diarrhoeas which follow an advanced stage of pulmonary consumption ; (2) In diarrhoea to which young animals, such as chickens and turkeys, are subject during their early growth. In every case he obtained the same results — namely, the stoppage of diarrhoea and the return of the desire for nu- trition. The list of chemical products that have been tried up to the present for cleansing the intestinal canal, with variable results, some of which work other mischief, is a long one, and the doctor thinks that honey can with advantage replace them all, and that its therapeutic and nutritive value in such cases as have been men- tioned must be obvious to everyone. In a communication to La JReforme AJ imenfaire ^ Dr. Demade says " that it should be easy for any practitioner with commonsense to recognise the reasons for this high value possessed by honey. It is, in the first place, a most extraordinary natural product. It is a sugar, but not of the ordinary kind. It is antiseptic, almost free from fermentation, and withal capable of almost instant assimilation in the organism with next to no exertion on the part of the digestive agents. Ordinary sugar is saccharose, whereas honey is glucose. The former ferments readily, and has to be turned into glucose by the action of the saliva or some of the other digestive juices before it can be assimi- lated. In the case of a healthy stomach saccharose can be dealt with at no great expense to the system ; but when the digestive organs have been weakened by disease, and the whole nervous system is extra-sensitive, sugar should be withheld and honey given." [Several of our readers have cured a number of cases of infantile diarrhoea, which was so prevalent during the past summer. They were induced to try the remedy by an article in our pages on the matter some time ago, and it is in re- sponse to a special request, to bring it to the notice of the public for the benefit of others, that we reprint it. We give above the most recent information on the subject, 452 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 16, 1911. and hope our readers will give it their earnest attention. — Ed.] SUSSEX B.K.A. ANNUAL SHOW. The Sussex Bee-keepers' Association held their first honey show on October 31st and November 1st, at the Dome, Brighton, in connection with the Brighton and Sussex Horticultural Society's Chrysan- themum Show. The quality of the honey shown was excellent, and the number of entries very large, especially in the open classes for lib. bottles and lib. sections, and in consequence the competition was very keen. The shoAV was largely attended on both days, great intei-est being ta^en in the honey department, as it was quite a new feature in Brighton. Lectures were given during the day by the Expert, Mr. C. T. Overton. The "judge, F. B. White, Esq., made the following awards : members' classes. Six 1-lh. Sections (nineteen entries). — 1st, E. Baruch Blaker, Worthing; 2nd, Miss Burder, Barcombe ; 3rd, Mrs. Hos- sack. West Wittering; sp., A. G. Davey, Burgess Hill; v.h.c, E. Watts, Partriage Green; h.c, E. S. Read, Arundel, and J. Fairall, jun. , Hellingley. One Shalloiv Frame (six entries). — 1st, Parker and Hind, Rottingdean ; 2nd, Sisters of Bethany, Crowborough ; 3rd, A. Capelin, Falmer ; sp.. Miss Thomas, Lewes. One Standard Frame (three entries). — 1st, the Hon. Mrs. Goldman, Rottingdean ; 2nd, A. Capelin; 3rd, Miss Thomas. Six 1-lb. Jars of Light-coloured Extracted Honey (twenty-one entries). — 1st, Miss Burder; 2nd, Rev. W. R. Nightingale, Selvaston ; 3rd, A. Capelin; sp., B. J. Burtenshaw, Cuckfield ; v.h.c, Mrs. Hossack; h.c, G. Butler, Crawlej^, and A. J. Stevens, Siddlesham. Six 1-lb. Jars of Medium-Coloured Ex- tracted Honey (eighteen entries). — 1st, A. J. Stevens; 2nd, Rev. A. A. Evans, East Dean ; 3rd, Mrs. Charrington, Lewes ; sp. , J. Fairall, jun. ; v.h.c. Miss Biirder ; h.c, A. G. Davey, Miss Longhurst, Frant, and Miss Thomas. Beeswax (eleven entries). — 1st, G. Butler; 2nd, J. Fairall, jun.; 3rd, E. Baruch Blaker; sp., Mrs. Bissett, Broad- water. OPEN classes. Single 1-lh. Section (nineteen entries). — 1st, Richard Allen, Bicester; 2nd, Miss Hossack; 3rd, A. Burtenshaw, Hassocks. Single 1-lh. Jar of Extracted Honey (twenty-eight entries). — 1st, S. J. S. Leigh, Broughton ; 2nd, A. Jones, Farnham ; 3rd, B. J. Burtenshaw. non-competitive exhibits. Display of Honey. — E. Baruch Blaker, and C. T. Overton and Sons, Crawley. Observation Hive of Bees. — C. T. Over- ton and Sons, Crawley. — C. Oveeton, Hon. Sec. CRAYFORD B.K.A. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Crayford and District Bee-keepers' Association wa& held at Crayford on October 27th. There was a good attendance of members from several miles' radius. Mr. E. R. Stone- ham (President) was in the clxair. The Secretary (Mr. J. M. Bates) pre- sented the balance sheet, which showed receipts amounting to £19 13s. 8d., and expenditure totalling £15 Is. 4d., leaving a balance in hand of £4 12s. 4d. The Secretary's report for 1910-11, which dealt in detail with the Society's work, was also presented. In adopting the report, very great regret was expressed by those present at the news that Mr. E. R. Stoneham was unable, owing to pressure of public work, to accept nomination as President for 1912. A special \^ote of thanks was passed,, and a note of Mr. Stoneham' s highly valued services ordered to be placed on the minutes. Mr. S. K. Keyes, of the Dene, Dart- ford, was elected President, whilst Messrs. E. R. Stoneham, A. Dewey, A. M. Fleet, J. Roper, G. Bryden, and G. P. Baker were appointed Vice-Presidents. Mr. J. M. Bates was again re-elected Secretary and Treasurer; Messrs. Judge, Bryden, and Roper, experts ; Messrs, Judge and Smiles, representatives on the B. B.K.A. Council; and Messrs. Smiles, Abraham, Barnes, Firmin, .Judge, Hewitt, Sykes, Upton, Newman, with Mrs. Simms and Miss Smiles, as the Council for the ensuing year. A very fine winter programme was sub- mitted by Mr. Judge, and he received the cordial thanks of those present. For the first time the experts of the Society (Messrs. Judge, Bryden, and Roper) presented Iheir annual report, and the fol- lowing interesting information is culled from it: — The year 1911 was an excel- lent one for apiculture. There was very little disease, only seven per cent, of the total number of colonies being affected. Experts are of opinion that comijulsory Parliamentary powers should be sought for dealing with bee diseases. Close watch must be kept for so-called " Isle of Wight" disease. Members — Bee-keepers, reporting, 71 ; non-bee-keepers, 8 ; bee- keepers refusing information, 3 ; bee- keepers now left district, 5 ; total, 87 ,' stocks in frame hives, healthy, 254;. diseased, 21; total in frame hives, 275; stocks in skeps, 6; grand total, 281;; Nov. 16, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 453 swarms secured, 29; nuclei formed, 17; queens reared (for requeening), 31 ; honey production, complete sections, 2,100 ; ex- tracted honey, 5,3071bs. ; total, 7,4071bs. ; bees\\ax, 411bs. Retail price for sections and extracted honey, IIW. per pound (averaoe). HONEY REPORTS. The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom during the month of October, 1911, was £3,064.— From a return furnished to the Beitish Bee Journal by the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs. AMONG THE BEES. EXPERIE.NCES. By D. M. Macdonald,- Banff. ".1 Hollow Tree." — This favourite home of the bee, so well known in Virgil's time, is now and again resorted to by a run- away swarm. Two came under my notice this year, one of which I aided in '" taking down." My assistant was one of our new third-class experts, and on him fell the burden of the work. By " soundings," it was judged that bees occupied about 9ft. of the hollow interior, so, after the tree was thrown, this length was cut off. The bees were partly stupefied with sulphur fumes, and the log cut into tliree parts by a cross-cut saw. The bees, during this operation, were discovered to be pretty active owing to the large number of openings and cracks in the timber allowing the fumes to escape freely. In spite of this, combs were quickly broken out of their setting and transferred to a roomy receptacle, after being brushed clear of bees. Two or three spectators kept at a respectful distance, leaving the work to the two experts. In the end, a quantity of about 301b. of honey was handed over to the owner of the bees, the workers not having received a single sting. Very curiously, the queen was discovered on one of the last combs handled. The opening in the tree would have measured only oin. or Gin. in diameter, but ran up for over 10ft., and every inch of this was utilised by the bees as a breeding-place or for storing honey. Hiving a Swarm. — AVe were three of the most enthusiastic bee-keepers who ever handled bees, perhaps. AVe had done valorous deeds on a broiling hot sum- mer's day in hiving a double swarai which had settled high up in a tall tree, and then transferring it to a capacious hive. Dinner had been kept waiting until the operation was brought to what we short- sighted mortals thought was a successful climax ; and we attacked the meal with a hearty zest, imparted by duty well done. Across the walnuts "' and the wine " my two clerical "aids " and I were dis- cussing our various performances in hiving swarms, when the sharp tones of a female voice was heard shouting, " The bees are off!" So they were, and on a higher tree, and high in that tree too. The youngest of the trio volunteered to ascend, and the other two were nothing loath to let him. It was a stiff climb, and he was burdened with a heavy rope and a saw, but he shinned up that tree marvellously, in spite of the torrid heat and the broiling sun, and the clouds of bees covering his track. The rope was with considerable difficulty thrown over a higher branch, fastened to the one on which the swarm had clustered, and then the saw was plied successfully ; we two below doing all the "bossing," he, aloft, doing the work! Slowly but surely that mass of bees came down steadily, in spite of stings freely administered to the operator above, from that high altitude where they had clustered, to be eagerly seized by two excited apiar- ists. AVhat a mass of bees wei*e every where — there must have been fully 101b. of them ! A solemn procession of three — for we honestly waited until the " worker bee " had joined us — carried the branch to the empty hive, all three proud of our prowess. First to last, it took four hours or more to perform the doughty deed. AA'hat a si^lendid future was pre- dicted for that mighty swarm ! Did they fulfil expectations? Somehow, bees seldom do ; they do nothing invariably. These did not : they decamped, not leaving a single bee behind, at 1 p.m. next day ! Waspish Bees. — They were worse than wasps ! Hornets could not be so bad. Bees in all n\j past experience never were before. The day was not an unfavour- able one, and the smoker did its duty fairly well, while the fuel was corrugated packing-paper, which usually works correctly. They were stranger bees, but I had no reason to suspect them of undue ire. My duty was to take off two racks of sections, and as soon as I had drawn aside the under-quilt I used the smoker, gently. Clouds of bees rushed out, how- ever, and stung every exjjosed part. I blew in more smoke, but that only in- censed them still more. I saw it was to be a pitched battle, and tried to wrench the top rack off, when it parted in two, one half coming off in my hands, the other remaining solidly glued to the under one !. My hands, by this, were really bristling with venomous stings, twenty or thirty in each. More smoke was tried, but it only' roused more Amazonian warriors eager to engage in the fray. My veil caught in a thorn hedge, in front of which the hives stood, and this tore an extensive rent.' Then my head and face received tokens of the loving kindness of those " blessed '* 454 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 16, 1911. bees. I liad no one near at hand to appeal to. I think If I had I would have bolted ! But I kept at it until I had withdrawn both racks, covered up frames, and put on the roof. Then I cleared out with as great pleasure as I ever turned my back on a bee-hive. In those ten minutes I got the worst stinging of my life, and I never want to receive such another ! Experiments. — I have had a busy season of experimenting with every known so- called cure of " Isle of Wight " disease (but " B.Well "), and all proved equally effec- tive, i.e., none had any effect. The nearest I came to doing any good was by carrying two fairly strong stocks down to the foot of my garden, shaking every bee off the combs, carrying queens away, and letting all healthy bees return to a clean hive with sheets of foundation on new frames. I presumed the affected bees would remain behind. So very many did. The united lot progressed well for a time, but later the well-marked signs re-appeared. A splendid swarm, my only one this year, was accepted, and jilaced in a clean, fresh hive on full sheets. They drew out eight combs well, but a month from hiving showed patent signs of being diseased. A driven lot of last year hived on con- taminated combs, died out in early summer. A swarm procured this year for the purpose caught the troiible early through being hived on foul combs. So did two driven lots introduced in early August for experiment. I mention these cases as a warning to others, and advise them not to play with fire — Experienta docet! Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications- DEALING WITH "ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. [8294] Will any of the readers of this Journal who have had their bees swept off with "Isle of Wight" disease, and have successfully started again, be kind enough to give their methods of disinfect- ing? I am informed on good authority that it is unwise to start again. I pro- pose to have a tank made large enough to hold a hive, as I have 130 hives to treat straight off, and putting each hive twice into the disinfectant at an interval of twenty-four hours, also disinfecting all tools, supers and appliances. Disinfectant: 8oz. carbolic to gallon of water, vide Board of Agriculture pamphlet. Melt up all brood-combs and boil frames in disinfectant. There will be no fear of in- fection from beeswax, because it will after- wards be treated with sulphuric acid. I have about twelve stocks left healthy in each affected apiary, and I propose to leave these and their combs alone, after first transferring them into disinfected hives and disinfecting the vacated hives. I have about 1,400 shallow extracting combs at my two apiaries, and I propose to leave these alone, as it is such a ^ig loss to melt them up. What do you sug- gest? [Melting them, or, better still, burning them. — Ed.] The ground at each place I propose to treat to two loads of lime. Both the daughters and grand-daughters of one queen have had none of their bees in- fected yet. Do you think there can be something in the strain? Will any who have successfully started again please reply .P — G. Thomas, Coedmelyn Stackpole, Pembroke. A NOTE FROM SOMERSET. [8295] A village curate who lives in a parish on the moors commenced bee-keep- ing this 3^ear, and had 1501b. of honey from two stocks. These he has now increased to four by driving bees for his neighbours. He is keen on giving instructions to those who are willing to learn, as to the use of the frame-hive and its many advantages. — C. T. (Somerset.) HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE. APIARIES OF OUR READERS. We have great pleasure in presenting a photograph this week of a veteran bee- keeper, Mr. F. V. Hadlow, who has been a reader of the "B.B.J." almost since its commencement. To continue with the hobby for over forty years, and to still take a delight in it after so long a period, shows that Mr. Hadlow is a true lover of bees, and the industry is much indebted to him for the work he has done in pro- moting the more humane treatment to the "bee people." The view of my apiary was taken about five years ago. The more distant figure shown is my gardener, who has been with me forty-one years and more. The youth standing nearer the front of the picture is in training as my helper. He has been such an apt pupil that when he joined the Terri- torials three years ago, and was asKed to describe himself, he said he was a bee- expert. Though a Londoner by birth I have always loved the country. In 1850, I started a business in Brighton, and travel- Nov. 16, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 455 led there daily, but in spite of this I have kept bees at my present place for forty years. I naturally thought that the natives here would teach me the craft, but I soon found myself drawing verj- large diagrams, giving lectures, and mani- pulating bees in the bee-tent. When I began, there was a magazine conducted by the late Mr. Charles Nash Abbott, and bees were shown at the Crystal Palace by a gentleman who took for his motto "Never kill a bee," because at that time almost always bees were killed when their honey was harvested. At first I made innumerable experiments as to hives, using the ordinary skeps at the beginning, then buying large flat skeps and fixing wooden tops adapted for glass bells, which were much used by Mr. A. the back ^\ as taken off and a long case hooked on, all the bars, which were hinged together, could be drawn out and the bees on each side of all the combs could be seen. This was very well received at Brighton Park, and at Preston^ where Mr. Cowan presided. He. was very kind, and though it was not for competition, gave me a certificate of merit. I took the same exhibit to London, and was so disappointed with the result that I shut it up and returned home, not a single question being asked. I was soon asked to send it North, but I wrote to the secretary, saying that it had been badly received in London, so that I was dis- heartened, and did not mean to try again. I am now nearly eighty-five, and my sons attend to mv business. I can still em- A VETEUAN BEE-KEEPER (mB.. F. V. H.\DLOW) IN HIS APIARY AT BUXTED, SUSSEX. Neighbour. Once I fitted bars into a round skep, but it was not long before I found the immense advantage of the now indispensable bar frames in rectangular hives. On one occasion when "Peace" was in the air, I made my bees work out the word in honey-comb, and exhibited it at a Brighton Flower Show. A lady who was much pleased with it asked me how it was done, and as it would not have been •easy to explain, I told her that one had to wliisper to the bees overnight what you wanted, but added that it was just as well to give them at the same time a "plan" of operations. Once after a great deal of 'thought I invented an observatory hive -with glass sides for show purposes. The l)ees were on bars in a square hive, but if 1 ploy myself with roses, bees, &c., but I re- I quire help. All my hives are home-made, I though I am not a carpenter, but an engraver. I provide a bee-way at the top of each hive by having a wooden cover under the quilts; this is lifted ^in. above the bars and is divided into about six pieces, the largest being provided with a feed-hole. The other five vary in size, till the last is only lin. wide. In order to regulate the supply of naphthaline, I make shoi't round boxes of perforated zinc, which are fitted into round holes at the lower part of the back; these can be examined at any time without distiirbins the bees. 450 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. IG, 1911. I could keep on writing much longer, but I believe I may already have exceeded the limit. I always take in the bee magazines, and keep a recent edition of the "Guide Book" handy, and I think Mr. Cowan and the whole of the B.B.K.A. have great reason to be gratified at the progress that has been made in advanced apiculture in a comparative^ short time. THE HONEY HARVEST OF 1911. BRIEF REPORTS. Readers in many parts of the country have been good enough to send us short reports of the season in their locality. It is both interesting and instructive to study them and observe the varying degrees of success in the different counties, though the general consensus of opinion appears to be that the season was a very good one on the whole. BEDFORDSHIRE. Season good right through for both quantity and quality, some hives yielding as much as 2001b. of honey. — H. S. BERKSHIRE. The honey season in this district, although the takes are not so good as one could have wished in several instances, must be recorded as a fairly good one. Some stocks that were strong in bees yielded 601b., others less, and some nothing. Hives that were weak in spring were left to be strengthened with swarms which never came off ; tlie weather in April was cold enough to chill the brood in some cases, and before the bees could recover themselves a month later the honey flow was full on, and consequently the brood- nest got filled with honey instead of young bees. The few swarms that did come off had a mania for absconding ; stra\¥ skep- pists had swarms galore, and very good takes of honey. The takes of honey in this district this year from bar-frame hives may be classed on an average from 351b. to 401b. per hive, which is about the usual for a moderately good season. Of course this is about three times more than last year. — Nosema Apis. C.\MnBIDGESHIRE. The bee-keepers of Cambridgeshire have this season had the best honey harvest for very many years. What the harvest would have been had the weather not been so dry and hot, it is almost impossible to say. I understand in some parts of Cam- bridgeshire the "takes" have been very large indeed, and I may say in all my wanderings through the county 1 have not heard one single complaint. In fact, the bees appeared, in the early spring, to be so busy gathering nectar that they had no time even to swarm, for swarms have been very scarce indeed. What swarms did come off soon established themselves, and did remarkably well, giving in some cases four and five racks of sections. Honey is fairly plentiful in Cambridge- shire, but not so abundant as some of the London newspapers seem to imagine, when they say that producers can give it away. I find that not to be the case; at any rate I cannot get anybody to give me any. Trusting to have another such season next year. I am sure it has done the bees a world of good, and disease a very great deal of harm. — Ernest F. Dant. cheshire. I find that the honey harvest in this district has been the best since the last. Coronation year. Honey has not only been abundant but of good quality. Takes of Icwt. from a single hive are quite common. — E. W. Franklin. CUMBERLAND. The season in Cumberland and West- morland has been a fairly good one, although nothing like the quantity of honey expected has been secured. In the majority of districts the want of rain was detrimental to the free blooming of clover, whilst on more retentive soils the pasture was good, and a large surplus was secured. The honey was of very good qualitj', and no honey-dew has been gathered. I have had reports from many districts, some to the effect that a very large amount has been harvested, but the majority have taken less than in 1910. The heather season was a peculiar one. Fine weather prevailed, but the honej'-flow was one of the shortest owing to the heather drying off prematurely on account of the drought. The fortunate ones who hdd their stocks on the moors early secured an average of from 301b. to 401b., but the harvest was over here by August 15th, and bee-keepers who sent their stocks up at the usual time harvested little or none at all. — G. W. Avery. DEVONSHIRE. You will be glad to hear our hive of black bees has done well for Okehampton, having given us 1141b. of honey. My Carniolans have done badly, so I have started them again with driven bees and one of Mr. Sladen's British golden queens. — C. T. B. DORCHESTER. The honey harvest in this district varied : some parts gave very good returns, others a good average crop. Much depended on clovers ; owing to drought there was little or no second growth. Heatber and ling gave no returns, the bloom having quickly dried up. Bees are generally in good order everywhere. No " Isle of Wight." disease, and very few cases of foul-brood, then only through neglect. Honey was of grand flavour and colour. — H. C. N^ov. 16, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 45 ■ DURHAM. In Tyneside and West Durham the season has been splendid, heather honey in the comb selling readily at Is. Id. to Is. 4d. per section in shops. Shopkeepers are offering Is. wholesale, but bee-keepers can sell (if they are known) all they have easily at these prices direct to the consumer. Losses during last winter were very heavy owing to early cessation of breeding in the autumn, which has caused a 50 per cent, reduction of stocks, so that the total crop is relatively small. Good hives gave 301b. clover and 201b. heather. — J. X. KiDD, Stocksfield. ESSEX (Terling). Some bee-keepers about here tell me they have done very badly. I have never had a better season myself so far as quan- tity goes, but the equality of quite two- thirds of my surplus leaves something to be desired, being flavoured more or less with ragwort. — Richard Dutton. GLOUCESTERSHIRE. I quote the o]3inion of our largest bee- keeper, who has several hundred hives in the Cotswold Hills. " I do not consider the season a record yield ; just a good average and nothing more, except in cer- tain extra-well situated localities." His crop, I may add, is almost entirely from clover and sainfoin, the honey-flow from which was of short duration, owing to the abnormal heat. Another bee-man from the Cotswolds writes : " What a good season we should have had with a drop more rain." On the other hand small apiaries in the valleys and lowlands, where successive harvests are obtained from fruit blossom, flowers, field crops, and limes, have done well. Thus I have four hives in my garden, which I fed early, and got into good condition for the fruit blossom ; they have given me 3641b. surplus, best hive 1261b., and have required very little feed- ing for winter. The harvest from lime- trees was exceptionally good, thanks to the showery weather during the latter part of June. A bee-man from near Bristol tells me that he had 3001b. from five stocks, and no swarms, '"they did not seem to want to swarm." — Rev. F. H. Fowler. hertfordshire. Have been very successful this year with the bees, 3211b. extracted and 130 sections from nine hives. — F. P. Howard, Ware. HAMPSHIRE. The honey harvest in this district has been well over fcwt. According to re- of course, sufficiently so to make up for the many bad ones preceding it. In many apiaries the average per hive has been well over fcwt. According to all re- ports that we have been able to collect from members of the local association, there has been no honey-dew gathered,, and all the honey is of prime quality, light, thick, and of good flavour. Stocks in the majority of cases, have abundant stores for winter, the only drawback in seasons of this description, for those who have not sufficient spare time to give full attention to their hives, being the insuffi- cient number of winter bees owing to the clogging of the brood frames with honey. — E. L. and H. C. Jones, Andover. HEREFORDSHIRE. This has been a record year for honey in this district, I have taken 4631b. of hone}^ from seven hives. The most. I took from one hive was 901b. 12oz. ; from one super I took 511b. 2oz. All are shallow frames. — A. D. R., Ledbury. ISLE OF MAX. I had twentv hives spring count, three I used for inci-ease. I have no queens beyond their second season. Had one swarm only. Have taken 9001b. of good quality honey, from seventeen stocks. — A. W. Grant, Sulby Glen. KENT. The season in the district between Otford and Maidstone, has, after the fine promise of the earlier months, been very disappointing. The bees were very late in flying and working, and it was May before manipulations were safe. From early May till the second week in June it was ideal weather, and the bees, took full advantage of the fruit blossom. During the second and third weeks of June bad weather was experienced, and then a very hot dry period set in ; in- stead of helping the honey harvest, it scorched up the blossom, and fields of sain- foin and clover, destroying all chance of a good harvest. A little honey was gathered from the limes, but only in a few places was any stored. Owing to the shortage of food, the queens practically all stopped laying in August, and have only started where feeding was in pro- gress. A little honey has been gathered from the ivy, also from third crops of lucerne and clover. The heat so scorched up vegetation, that I have repeatedly seen apples that had been partially baked on the trees. — Henry Brice. {To he continued.) Queries and Replies. [8250] A Beginner's Queries.— 1 have read in some bee books that the '"Queen only leaves the hive for fertilisation by the drone, and that fertilisation only takes place in the air," which I take to be when a swarm issues. Now if you treat this swarm as a separate stock and put 458 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 16, 1911. it in another hive, all well and good, but as the reigning queen goes away with the swarm what possible good can become of the new queen when she hatches with the old stock if you prevent further swarming, unless fertilisation takes place in the hive as well as in the air. You will see by my query that I understand that the queen never leaves the hive unless she accom- panies a swarm. Doubtless your reply to the same will prove interesting to other beginners. Needless to say I take "B.B.J." and find some "daylight" in it. I also have your Guide Book which I find also very enlight- ening.-— -J. E. J., Pontardulais. RepIiT. — The queen leaves the hive on two occasions, first for mating purposes, and secondly when accompanying a swarm. The queen goes out alone when taking her mating flight. As she usually emerges from the cell about three days after the swarm issues, and does not leave for mating for another five days, you will see how impossible your sugges- tion is. When once accomplished, the mating lasts for life. If you read the Oiiide Book carefully, you will find this explained clearly there. [8251] Making Observatory H'tves. — In your issue of the British Bee Journal, of May 11th last, and also in the Record for August a very interesting article from Mr. J. Anderson appeared on " Bee- keeping in Lewes," describing a "Nichol- son" obsei'vatory hive. I make my own hives and am desirous this Avinter of making a small observatory hive, but the drawings and measurements I have are of huge things like the EncyclopEedia Brit- annica revolving bookcase. However, as the "Nicholson" is now in the hands of a manufacturing firm, I presume that it is not possible to obtain the measure- ments. (1) Could you kindly inform me where I could obtain particulars of a hive similar to the "Nicholson"? I was much interested in Mr. Snelgrove's article on "Re-queening," in the "B.J." of Octo- ber 26th. He advises small bee-keepers to . purchase their queens fertilised, but I have bought queens that have let stocks die out, and now having strong stocks would very much like to breed from them. Suppose I were to make a small one-frame observatory, and when the stock in this raised a queen I were to cage it and introduce it a la "Guide Book," and shortly afterwards unite the one frame to any stock in need of it, after removing new queen-cells on frame. Do you con- sider the idea practicable? It seems to me that I could do all my queen-raising like this, as I never require more than two queens a year, I should lose the foraging bees. (3) Many of your corre- spondents mention going to their hives in a way that seems to show that they must open them about once every week in the season. One correspondent, advised novices to practice on one stock, and said, "It will practically ruin it." As one who reads to learn, I would like to know whether it is not better to leave the bees alone as much as possible. (4) Would it be possible to approach your correspondent "Nemo"? Being a bit of a linguist, I would be glad to see some of those French and German bee papers. Would it do to offer to purchase old copies, or should I be gently "sat upon"? If you could spare me a few lines for a short reply to my long queries I should be very grateful. How refreshing the little "Journal" is! All facts, instructive and intensely in- teresting, in a small compass, a literary, apicultural nut in a shelly whereas we buy our daily paper, and wade through pages and pages of stuff that is of no interest to find a few paragraphs worth reading. — Abejero. Reply. — (1) The "Nicholson" hive has been patented. The nearest in similarity to it is a " Brice " observatory hive. (2) It is possible to rear your own queens, and you will find it most interesting work. We would advise you to use not less than a three-frame nuclei to get the best results. (3) The "correspondent" who wrote this is now answering you. Having had over twenty years' experience of teaching bee- keeping, he realises the great amount of harm that is done by the novice practising manipulations on all his stocks. It is much better to set one aside and ruin it alone than ruin the lot. That is the idea he wished to convey. You are quite right; let bees alone except for neces- sary manipulations, and they will thrive the better for it. (5)" Nemo" likes to keep those foreign papers, but if you wish it, and will let us know exactly the papers you desire, we will endeavour to let you have them. [8252] Bees He-queening Themselves. — On August 13th, I lost a queen of a good colony through bad management, and on the 21st I found five queen-cells in the hive, all sealed. On August 30th I found the queen-cells removed, and on Septem- ber 9th, I found three frames with brood ; some cells irregularly distributed were sealed, and contained drone larva\ I also found much regular brood, of which none was older than seven or eight days. The queen now lays regularly, and only worker brood. (1) How did these irregular drones originate? (2) Were they laid by fertile workers before the queen was mated, or how is it to be explained? (3) Is it a frequent occurrence that fertile v/orkers develop during the development of a new queen? Thanking you in antici- pation of the explanation. — L. W. Deuss, Fort Johnston, Nyasaland. Nov. 16, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 459 Reply. — There are occasions when un- fertile eggs are laid in worker-cells, even bj a fertile queen. It is a very rare occurrence, and no doubt this is what happened in your case. Laying workers do not develop during the rearing of a queen ; they occur generally when a colony has been queenless for a long time, and the bees have no means of producing another. [8253] Bees Clustering in Hive Boof. — A neighbour has a swarm clustered in the roof of the hive. They have combs provided in the brood-chamber, but have not worked down to take possession as it was expected they would do. They are a weak lot, and short of stores. (1) AVhat would be the best way to feed them ? (2) In the case of one of my own stocks some few handfuls of bees persisted in clustering in the upper shallow-frame of two boxes put on for them to clean. One cool night the roof was left off, but the cold did not dislodge them. Do you think they could have had a queen with them. I cannot understand why they should per- sist in staying when there was plenty of room below to which they had access. — Igno, Ross. RfirLY. — (1) The only way to feed them is to wedge a cake of candy as near the chister of bees as possible. (2) Bees will sometimes hang about the combs in this manner, and be loth to leave in the autumn for no apparent reason. THE COMMON WASP. There were five wasp nests in my grounds this year, and two were well placed for observation. The frames of two hives, of which the bees had been lost, were left with their combs, and these were taken possession of hj two queen wasps. The nests were opened in early August, and the following points noticed : In the large one, the six central frames (the hives contained twelve each) were filled by the grub pupse in various stages of development. There were many queen and male cells ; these cells were almost the same size. The larger must have been the queen cells, although the male is as large as the female. The queen wasp had taken possession of the bees' cells and deposited her eggs in them without alter- ing the cells in the least. Wasps build their combs with the cells arranged verti- cally, and the grub is placed with the head downwards. This shows that the queen wasps can adopt changed conditions when there is a saving of labour. Neither queens nor males were noticed among the young wasps in the hive, but empty queen and male cells were there. The smaller nests were probably built by a queen of this year. If these small nests were not built by this year's queens, how is it that the}' were so small in the middle of August ? A queen wasp is larger than the worker, but not much, for the difference is not so great as in the queen bees. The male is larger than the worker, and almost the same size as the queen ; but its markings are different. In the antennae, i.e., those fine spines which spring from the head, there are thirteen points, while the queen has twelve. The}'' are feelers, and pos- sibly have a power of smell. The workers are females Avith undeveloped ovaries as in bees; under certain conditions possibly they may be made to breed. The queens and workers have the power of stinging but not the males. The queen wasp hibernates during the winter, and at the first approach of warmth she begins to wake up and come out of her quarters. She is seen often near some fluid or offal. Her next dury is the finding out of a good position foT^ her nest. If watched she will be seen to examine careful;; many places, especially banks facing south by west ; but queen- wasps will and do build their nests facing all points of the compass. The amount of energy, skill and forethought shown by the queen wasp is extraordinary. She is an architect and builder, then mother and nurse. She feeds her young on flies, meat, or any soft food that she can find. She cannot suck up the honey like bees. If watched she will be seen chewing up the food before taking it to her young; later she will carry bodily large flies, butterflies, weevils, pieces of fruit and meat. The author watched one nest for hours; he saw the workers carry into the nest bluebottles, grubs, caterpillars, flies, pieces of fruit, parts of the honeybees and portions of wasps. Thus wasps are cannibals. The art of making jjaper Mas known to the wasp possibly before the advent of man. Wasps make their paper from wood pulp. (Wood pulp paper-making is new within the last few years to man.) Watch wasps — one must be near a nest to do so — and you will see that they make their paper from the outside of wood which has been sawn, and by exposure to the weather has become softened. The soft wood is gnawed ofl", rolled into a ball after being- mixed with a secretion from the mouth of the wasp, and carried away to the nest. The ball taken from a wasp and examined with a needle, aided by a hand- lens, is soft and exactly like orown paper made soft or pulped. The author saw at the entrance of the largest nest the workers feeding young wasps just as a bird feeds its young at the edge of its nest. They carried par- ticles of fruit and other organic matter. 460 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 16, 1911. Wasps keep their nests and combs clean, and one seesi at the entrance, especially if the nest is in a bank, the debris which is cast out. The comb once made is used time after time. The wasp lays its eggs, and in eight days the grub is hatched. It thrives until it fills the cell, when it spins a silken covering for the floor, and passes into the second stage, where it re- mains for about ten days, and emerges as the imago, or fully developed wasp. The cycle is eighteen days, possibly as in the "bee ; the queen and male will take a little longer. The queen begins to lay in May and there is a brood in June and July ; this year there vv'as one in August and Septem- ber. The worker's life is not a long one; and Nature, in order to keep up the stock, is able quickly to replace the lost ones. Wasps, like bees, ants and hornets, know each member of their own colony by a distinct smell. If a strange wasp be put into another nest, it will be killed or ex- pelled at once; but if both be smeared with oil of peppermint it will not be recognised. — ^M. Carrington Smith, M.D. in Country Life. (Conchulcd next irrck.) Notices to Correspondents- W. H. B.— Queen Cast Out. — The queen is a fertile one. J. W. .S. (Lanes.) — Purchasing Honey. — We are continually advising both sellers and buyers to insist on the use of our deposit system when dealing with ad- vertisers. It is the only means by which persons can be safeguarded against loss, and we provide it at some considerable inconvenience to ourselves. The honey is very good ; it has a little from heather in it. We are afraid you have no re- dress from the railway company; to take action would waste more money than you have lost already. W. Randall (X. Devon.)— Wasps. — The insects are queen wasps. In response to your request, and as the subject has been much discussed lately, we reprint an interesting article from " Country Life" on the habits of the wasp (see page 459). GoNNE (Wales.) — Bees Dying Outside Hive. — From your description, we should say that the bees have come out tempted by the sunshine, and have be- come chilled. Queenlessness would not cause this. Thanks for your kind ap- preciation of "B.J." Honey Samples. Round Nob (Staines). — The colour of honey is good, as is also the aroma and flavour. It lacks density, however, and would do to show locally. Worth lOd. per lb. retail. MuLFRA (Penzance). — The honey is mainly from clover, rather thin, but good in colour and flavour. You could prosecute the man for stealing the sections, and for wilful damage. If you apply to your County Council they will send the expert free. M. S. (Devon). — The honey is of good quality, mainly from clover, worth about 56s. per cwt., and lOd. retail. H. S. (Oxford).— We should say the material you send is what is called Honey Substitute, and sold a& such. L. R. (Carmarthenshire). — The honey is from mixed sources, with just a slight trace of heather, which makes it delicious eating. There is no need to try and sell all your honey in one year. When extracted it will keep for several years, so you should ask a fair price, and save what you cannot dispose of until, next year, when the honey crop may not be so abundant. Special Prepeiici Advertisements. Two Words One Penny, minimum Sixpence. Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only he inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. FRIVATB ADVERTZSBMBNTS. PLENDID LIGHT CLOVER HONEY, 58s. cwt.; sample, 3d.— ALBERT COE, Apiary, Ridgewell, Halstead, Essex. n 100 PIARY of 11 Strong Stocks, stored for winter, for sale; will sell separately.— LEAD- BEATER, Manor Farm, Shirley, Warwickshire, p 93 JLCWTS. GOOD HONEY FOB SALE, 60s. cwt. 3 —Apply. F. H. BUCK, Wimbish, Saffron Walden. p 92 prCWT. good Medium Honey for sale, granulated, O 281b. tins; sample, 2d.— HAZZARD, Hadden- ham, Ely. ■ p 91 LOVER HONEY, 58s. cwt., 281b. 15s.; tins free; sampic, 5il.; Light Beeswax, Is. 8d. lb. —THOMAS. Coedmelyn Stackpole, Pembroke, p 90 BOUT 501b. of Finest Beeswax for sale.— H. COLLIN. Kirtling, Newmarket. p 89 A SUPERIOR Pale Lincolnshire V^^old Clover Honey, 60!b. tins, 35s.— SMITH, decorator, Caistor. FOR SALE, several dozens lib. jars Light Honey.-Offers to L. W. MATTHEWS, Great Rollrigiit, Oxon. P 86 H ONEY, 201b. Extracted, 10s.; tin free.— G. SHARP, Cuckfield. Suffolk. P 85 WANTED 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th. 5th. 12th. 13th, and 16th Editions of " British Bee-keepers' Guide Book."— Particulars and prices to " British Bee Journal," 23, Bedford-street, Strand, London, W.C. RHODE ISLAND REDS, splendid cockerel, rose combed. 21s.; also single comb, 12s. 6d.; pure white Orpington cockerels. Cooks' noted strain, 6s. 6d.. April hatched. Approval.— MISS PALING, The Nest, Partridge Green, Sufsex. p_83 10 DOZEN full Clover Sections of Honey. 9s. ^ ^^ per dozen: carefully packed.— JOHN IRVING. Armathwaite. Carlisle, Cumberland. HEATHER HONEY, 9 dozen screw capped jars- also 9 d"zen medium coloured Honey: what 'offers.— HAFOD. Hope, Mold. p 81 Nov. 23, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 461 Editorial, Notices, &c. BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION The monthly meeting of the Council was held on Thursclar, Nov^ember 16th, 1911, at 23 Bedford Street, Strand, Lon- don, W.C., when Mr. T, Bevan presided. There were also present Miss M. Gayton, Messrs. E. Watson, 0. R. Frankenstein, J. Smallwood, H. Jonas, E. Walker, A. Richards, and J. B. Lamb (Affiliated Association delegates), G. W. Judge and J. E. Smiles (Crayford), G. R. Alder and T. W. White (Essex), and the Secretary, W. Her rod. Letters expressing regret at inability to attend were read from Mrs. Chapman, Messrs. T. W. Cowan, C. L. M. Ealgs, A. G. Pugh, R. T. Andrews, G. Hayes, G. W. Avery, J. X. Kidd, and Captain Sitwell. The minutes of the Council Meeting held October 5th were read and con- firmed. The following new members were elected : Mrs. E. Bissett, Yew Villa, Broadwater, Worthing; Miss I. Sargeant, Bank Street, Braintree, Essex; Mr. J. T. Studley, Wellington Club, Grosvenor Place, Lon- don, S.W. ; Mr. D. Wilson, Windmill Lane, Belper ; Mr. AVm. McNally, Glenkice, Scotland; Mr. A. Wakerell, 21 Mansfield Road, Croydon. The report of the Finance Committee Avas presented by Mr. J. Smallwood. The balance in hand at the end of October was £212 Os. 6d., and it was resolved that payments amounting to £138 16s. lOd. be made. Mr. D. Wilson, of Belper, presented himself to undergo the lecture test for the first-class certificate, and it was resolved to grant it to him. The interim report of the Development Grant Committee on the arrangements made for a site for the Experimental Apiary in the gardens of the Zoological Society at Regent's Park Mas presented. It was considered most satisfactory and was accepted. It was resolved that to reduce the number of copies of Annual Rejiorts required from Affiliated Associations, the members of the Council forego the copy they are entitled to. Correspondence was read from the South African Bee-Keepers' Association, re conditions and privileges of affiliation, and it was resolved that a Sub-Commit- tee consisting of Messrs. T. W. Cowan, W. F. Reid, A. Richards, and O. R. Frankenstein draw up a report and present it to the Council in due course. Correspondence re the " Smallholder " Foul Brood Bill was read and it was resolved that the same lie on the table. The next Council Meeting will be held on December 21st. BAR NET AND DISTRICT B.K.A. The Barnet and District Bee-keepei-s' Association held their first show of honey and wax at High Barnet on Noveni- ber 14th and loth. The various classes were fairly filled, and the quality of the exhibits left little to be desired. Mr. W. Herrod kindly acted as judge. A great deal of interest was aroused in the visitors who thronged the room the whole time the show was open. — G. James Flashmax, Hon. Sec. REVIEWS OF J^'O^x^IGN BEE JOURNALS. By "Nevio." Preserving Combs from Wax Moth. — M. Buguet, of Rouen, has been making a series of experiments in preserving velvets, silks, woollen goods and furs from the depredations caused by moths, and we read in LWheille cle I'Aisne that he has dis- covered a valuable remedy which is equally efficacious with wax-moth. M. Denis, who writes about this discovery, says that you simpler procure from your chemist some carhoii tetntchlorkle, a small quantity of which is poured into a bowl or saucer. This is placed with the articles to be preserved in a box, cupboard, or other receptacle, taking care that it is hermetically closed. There is nothing more to be done. The vapour given off by the tetrachloride of carbon very soon destroys all insects within its sphere of action. There is no inconvenience and no fear of danger. Tetrachloride of carbon is not inflam- mable, and it has no noxious effects either on colours or on the material of the most delicate objects exposed to its fumes. It is important not to leave any fissure for the escape of the vapours, and it is recom- mended not to amuse oneself by smelling it as it acts somewhat like chloroform. Up to the present nothing better has-been found, and it is superior to bisulphide of carbon in not being inflammable, there- fore it avoids the danger of fire. It is a heavy, volatile and mobile chloroform-like liquid Avith a pleasant pungent, quince-like odour if pure, and can be purchased for about 3s. 6d. a pound. Introducing Queens. — M. J. Dupont, writing in L'AbeiUe ct sa Culture, foiys that the introduction of a queen into a hive re- quires great precaution. There ai-e some bee-keepers who are content to allow a queen to run in at the entrance of the hive and take her chance. This is simple enough, but it is a plan which cannot be 462 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [:^^ov. 23, 1911. recommended, as in most cases the results are not satisfactory, although it may siic- ceed sometimes. In order to be successful in the introduction of a queen, the first thing is to ascertain the exact condition of the colony ; for not to make sure that the hive one supposes to be queenless does not contain a defective queen, or even lay- ing workers, is to court defeat. A queen is introduced under two different condi- tions, first, immediately after the removal of the queen which it is desired to replace, and second, when a colonj' has been queen- less for a greater or shorter length of time. .Th.e operation in the first case will suc- ceed provided certain precautions are taken, and only fails in the rare instance of there being several queens in the hive. This, however, may happen if, for instance, there is an old queen which the bees are keeping after they have reared a young one to replace her ; and as only one of the two queens is removed by the bee- keeper who has overlooked the second one, this one will not allow the entrance of a stranger. In the second case, success de- pends entirely on the condition of the colony. Young bees accept a queen more readily than do old ones, and this is the reason why the introduction becomes more difficult the longer the colony has been queenless. There is a very simple way of finding out if a colony is really queenless. It is by introducing a frame of comb con- taining eggs and young larvpe. As soon as this is done the bees of a queenless colony at once begin to construct queen- cells. The absence of worker brood and the pre- sence of drone brood indicate that there is either an old drone-breeding queen, an unfertilised one, or laying workers, i'hese last are recognised by the irregularity of the brood, as they usually lay several eggs in some of the cells, and leave others empty. A queen would not be accepted ff introduced into such a colony, and it is therefore necessary to renew the popula- tion and get rid of these adverse condi- tions. Are Bees Attracted hy the Colour of Flowers or the Nectar? — Dr. Biittel- Reepen discusses this question in liWp'i- cvlture Nouvelle. He says that whereas Plateau strongly maintains the theory that bees are principally attracted by nectar and not by colour, Aug. Forel, who was almost alone in advancing the opposite idea, has supported it by conclusions arrived at after several years of experi- menting. A few younger investigators have recently associated themselves with him, and are now able to verify his con- clusions that it is mainly the colour which attracts bees. Relying on the investiga- tions of Forel, Andreas, Giltay, Detto, and Kienitz-Gerloff, it may be considered as proven that the bee. Apis MeUificu, L., is strongly attracted by the colour of flowers, and not principally by the nectar. The colour of the flower serves as a brilliant sign which indicates from a distance that "Here food is provided." The fact tnat the foraging bee as a rule does not visit two sorts of flowers, but only one species, sufficiently proves that bees observe flowers very minutely. This is easily seen in examining the pollen baskets of foragers returning to their hive. Only one colour of pollen is noticeable, and Dr. Biittel- Reepen says he has only once seen a mix- ture. HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By W. Hcrrod. PROCUTMNG SURPLUS. {Continued from Page 443.) It is also an advantage to have a bait comb or two on hand, i.e., according to the number of hives, one or two supers of shallow combs should be kept just as they leave the extractor without being cleaned. These can be distributed amongst the other sujoers when put on the hives next season. In working for extracted honey it is im- perative that an excluder be used. A great many bee-keepers are averse to its use, but if it is desired to have nice clean combs free from brood and pollen, then the only way is to use the excluder. That it does hinder the Avork of the bees to some slight extent there is no doubt, but if a "Wilkes"' excluder is used this is reduced to a minimum. Probably one of the difficulties a novice has to contend with is to know just when to put on the super. Many imagine that the work can be done by rule on a certain date, just as they pay their rent on quarter day. Owing to the vagaries of our seasons, and the difference in climatic con- ditions between north and south in these islands, it is impossible to give any set date. As an instance, I have seen full supers removed in the south, where cherry orchards abound, in the month of May, while in the north very often the first sur- plus is not obtained until the beginning of July. Then again, we must take into con- sideration the strength of the colony. I have seen supers put on with only five or six of the brood-combs covered with bees. Until the lirood-chamber is full to over- flowing, and there is an abundance of forage, it is useless to put on extra chambers. Neither should we go to the other extreme, and wait until the bees are upon the point of swarming, for if once a stock gets the swarming fever it is very difficult to prevent the swarm issuing. The best gauge is to wait until the bees ^'ov. 23, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 463 begin to elongate the first rows of cells next the topbar ; this is easily seen as they are very white. When this occurs^ put on the super at once, and the bees will take possession of it immediately. I have seen them crowding supers put on under these conditions within an hour. The explana- tion of the extension of these cells, though rarely understood by the novice, is very simple. Bees when crowded use up all the available space. The usual space between the combs from cajai^ing to capping is fin. for brood ; this can never be smaller, but between honey cappings a bee space, i.e., :jin., will suffice ; so when honey is coming in abundantly the bees utilise the extra tVu). on each comb for the storage of food. As the food is always stored above the brood-nest we get the cells drawn out in the position indicated. The bee-keeper should ascertain at wliat period of the year in his district the flowers from which surplus is obtained come into bloom ; he can then bring his bees to full strength at that period by carefully stimulating them. It is just as harmful to get bees to full strength too early as too late ; in the former case only swarming will result, while in the latter no surplus will b'? ob- tained. When once supering has commenced a watchful eye must be kept on the bees so as to keep them fully employed. Even with a super on they may become crowded to such an extent that they will swarm. Room just a little in advance of the bees' requirements should be our motto. When the first super is about two-thirds full it should be raised, and a second one placed underneath, and so with a third or more if the season and district are favourable. Do not put the empty super on top of a full one, or the bees may refuse to take possession of it and swarm instead. The best time to put on the empty super is mid-day when the bees are hard at work. Many will be out in the fields foraging, so the hive will not be too crowded for the novice to carry out the operation. When the bees are working in full swing, draw the entrance slides right out so they may not be impeded in the least in coming out or going into the hive. If the honej^-flow comes on at a time when colonies are not quite up to full strength, surplus can often be obtained by crowding them on to eight or nine frames. In such cases careful nursing will be neces- sary at the end of the season to get them into laroper strength for wintering. {To be continued.) In dealing Avith Helpful Hints to Novices I endeavour to touch upon those subjects AA hich I think are most difficult for the beginner. The thought has struck me that novices may help me by suggesting subjects they would like advice upon. Tlierefore, I shall be grateful if they will send me their ideas, which shall have my careful consideration. — W. Heerod. Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications- WHAT THE DISEASES OF BEES COMMITTEE IS DOING. [8296] So many inquiries have been addressed either to the Journal or to members of the committee that I may profitably report progress. The draft of the Bill which was pub- lished in the "B.B.J." of July 14, 1910, met with so much criticism, some of which was heljjful and some destructive, that the draft has been considered in the light of such objections and fully revised. Sub- sequent to the last meeting of the com- mittee in September, copies of the revised draft have been supplied to the members for review. Several further suggestions have thus reached me, and I have tabu- lated them for the committee's considera- tion. I hope to be able to publish the , completed draft at an early date, when readers generally will have the ojjpor- tunity of seeing the work done by the comm.ittee, and voting upon it. I should not in the ordinary course have dealt with the matter until the labours of the com- mittee were complete, but in view of a counter proposal in the "Smallholder " I feel it is fair to all concerned, and to those who have devoted their time and thought to this matter, to do so now. Mr. Tickner Edwardes has given us some of the reasons which have induced him to take the course of proposing separate action, but 1 feel that they are not quite convincing. He is, of course, a free agent, but his action is liable to be construed into opposition to the B.B.K.A. proposals. I say this in con- sideration of the fact that he made no inquiry of the conimittee appointed for this speciiil purpose as to the progress 464 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 23, 1911. made, although aware that the subject was under their consideration, and bases his reasons upon the draft published in July, 1910, knowing that this was under revision. Now one of the objections raised to a postal ballot has been that bee-keepers were asked to vote in the dark. This objection will be removed in the case of the B.B.K.A. draft. And I make an appeal to readers of the "B.B.J.'' and such others as they can reach, to withhold their signatures until they peruse the draft of the committee, which it is hoped will meet all reasonable objec- tions, whilst jDroviding an efficient remedy for admitted evils. — L. S. Crawshaw, Hon. Secretary, Diseases of Bees Legisla- tion Committee. NOTES BY THE WAY. [8297] Now that our bees are snugly packed away for the winter months we turn our attention to providing new hives •during the long winter evenings if we intend to increase our ajDiaries. With such good, results for the 1911 season no doubt many are wishing their stocks had been more numerous. As it is possible that we may have several successive good bee sea- sons, such as we have had in the past, if our new recruits intend to share in the spoils thejr must make ready in advance. One of the first points to consider is the hive in which to house the swarm. For my own use there is no hive like the "• Combination, " as a home for the bees, for easy manipulation of the brood-combs, also supering for comb-honey. I have seventy frame hives in use in mj apiaries and they are very good hives, but for eas}^ handling of the bees the Combination is, in my opinion, far in advance of the square hive with its fullj^-exposed top- bars. First there is the removal of the dumm}', frequently fixed with bee-glue — not an easy job, and unless the dummy is a thick packed one the first comb has to be taken out also before you have room to reach the brood nest ; then if the bees are at work there is a general uj)set of the apiary if you keep the hives open very long and the flying bees get a taste of the exposed comb of honey. If the apiary is in an exposed position and the wind rough, the quilts will be sent in all directions. In manipulating with the Combination hive this is easily avoided; the llin. sides give good protection for the quilts, the length of the hive enables the examiner to spread his carbolized cloth over the brood-combs. As he removes the quilt the dummy is moved back and the whole of the frames can be made loose before a bee is exposed, then if they are troublesome a little puff of smoke may be blown under the cai'- boUzed cloth, though this is rarely needed, and the brood-combs can be examined, and each onej:eturned to its previous position most expeditiously ; in fact, I have many times examined a stock in five minutes. I may say I rarely use more than two racks of sections on a hive at one time, and my best takes this season have been from Combination hives. Another point in their favour is that the cover though loose need not be hinged to the body of hive, but by inserting two strong screws or nails in the front of your hive body, just below but touching the fiUit of the cover when in place, the cover can be turned u]3 on these projecting screws, and held by a piece of cord, thus forming a good screen from the bees at the front of hive. With the W.B.C. type of hive the whole is exposed to the bees in all directions. For extracted honey I should use a W.B.C. or similar pattern, but for comb honey, if starting bee-keeping again Avith my present experience, I would rather purchase " Combination " hives than start with W.B.C.'s at a gift. I have no wish to start a controversy on this subject, l)ut if any one wishes for moi-e jDoints of its merits or dimensions, I .shall he happy to oblige. — W. Woodley, Beeclon, Newburv. KEEPING THE EXTRACTOR FREE FROM RUST. [8298] There have been several en- quiries lately as to the best way of keep- ing an extractor free from rust, so I give my method : Warm the extractor and rub over the inside and the cage with a cake of wax, then invert it with the cage in- side over a blow-lamp until the wax has melted and sjiread over the surface, being careful that the flame does not play on the metal. The advantage of a covering of w,ax is that the extractor is ready for use at any time without having to be first cleaned, and it may be used through the season without cleaning, as the honey does not get in contact with the metal. — W. A. C, Castle Cary. MAKING HIVE-ROOFS SECURE. [8299] I should like to give "B.B.J." readers my plan of jJi'eventing hive-roofs from blowing off. I run a length of wire underneath the hive, bring the two ends to the top, then pull the wire tight, and twist the two ends, leaving each end about four inches long. It is a simple matter to undo them, when required, and tliere is not the least fear of the roof blowing off if these directions are followed. — H. HoLDEN. {Correspondence continved on page 466.) Nov. 23, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURISrAL. 465 HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE. APIARIES OF OIR READERS. Mr. Haynes' apiary presents a charming picture, combining both beauty and utility. The situation of the hives is an ideal one from the bees' point of view, with its sheltering ti-ees in the rear and an unimpeded flight over the trimly-kept grass plot, to where the most abundant forage can be found. The excellent re- sults recorded by Mr. Haynes show that under cajjable management bees can be made to pay, even in a "second-rate" honey district. He is to be congratu- lated on the long immunity from disease his apiary has enjoyed, and we trust that this happy state of things will continue. has ever troubled me ; perhaps strict attention to cleanliness and the free use of disinfectants have done something in keeping the arch fiends at bay. At the time of beginning I was told I should never get any honey. " Well, perhaps not," I said, "but wait and see," and then when I brought it in by the hundred- weight I was told again, "t should never dispose of it all." Suffice it to say I have never had any difficulty in selling all my produce at good prices (wholesale only), because of the attractive way I put it up. I work maiiily for section honev ; the largest surplus I have ever taken from any one hive being 1321b., and this from a second-rate district is a fairlv MR. C. H. haynes' apiary, HANLEY CASTLE, WORCESTER. In the notes sent to accompany the picture, M)-. Haynes says: — At the invitation of the Editors, I have pleasure in offering a few notes on my bee-keeping experiences. I commenced the hobby as far back as the year 1880, through reading a leading article on apiculture in the London "Standard." My first happy thought was to write to the late Rev. H. R. Peel, who kindly ad- vised me what to do and hoAv to do it, and with the help of the Bee Journal and " C4uide Book," I became fairly launched on the road to success. Foul brood has only paid me a visit once during thirty- one years, and then " cleansing fire " banished it. Xo " Isle of Wight " disease good return. Of course, it goes without saying that I have had some novel ex- periences with bees, one of which was a swarm hived in the iisual way, which after a brief stay decamped and entered a hole high up in an elm tree. After a little cogitation as to the best way to circumvent it, I induced my gardener to erect a thirty-rung ladder and go up " armoured " with a bottle of carbolic solution and sprinkle some of the con- tents in and about the place of entry. In less than an hour the truants came forth and settled low down on a bush, and I had no further difficulty with them. I could go on relating my experiences connected with mv bees and their erratic doings, but 466 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 23, 1911. fear to trespass further on the valuable space at the disposal of the Editors of the B.B.J. After trying a number of foreign races 1 have come to the conclusion that the English bee for utility pui'poses is far and away the most desirable kind to keep. {Correspondence, continued from p. 464.) TALES I HAVE READ. [SSOO] From the easy-flowing pen of your correspondent, D. M. McDonald, instruction and amusement flow simul- taneously. I know not in which he excels, but this I do' know, that Bee Journal readers owe him a heavy debt of grati- tude for time and trouble so lavishly bestowed on research into the history of bee-craft, how our knowledge has accrued, and when, and where. And yet only lightly has he touched its surface. Often on a summer evening have I watched swallows Inlaying over the tranquil Avaters of a deep lake. Anon, one in rapid flight will breast the reflecting mirror, and with a shiver of its wings, speed swiftly away, leaving behind rippling circles, ever widening to the shore. But these un- dulations, si^arkling, and tinted by the westering sun, conceal profundities below, where caught up in the lap of the mountains Nature has garnered her wealth of waters. In similar manner, like the floods pent np in a Highland loch, is the accumulated history of our craft. It is written in the Assyrian cuneiform, in the Hebrew letters, once traced by the awful finger of Jehovah on tables of stone, in the sonorous sound simulating characters of Homer, in the licpiid cadence of Virgil's Latin verse. In Saxon, in Norman, in English, in every language has the paean of the nectar-gatherer been sung — she, an ever ready object- lesson to illustrate industry, organisation, and obedience to established authority. And the volume is so great, that the few. who have written of its treasures are but as sAvimmers breasting the floods. No diver yet has plunged into its very depths, nor has mariner yet with master mind dredged to its bottom that he might tabu- late its treasures for the benefit of less gifted brethren. Presumptuous am I, therefore, that I may interest and amuse in essaying a few random casts thrown here and there. Whenevei' reading, should I happen on anything touching on my madness, I jot it down, or, as Captain Cuttle advises, •' When found, make a note of." Lately I was reading Hei-odotus (we had been dis- cussing Babylonian wars), and right in my way came some very amusing con- ceits, some sidelights on bees, and on honey— real and unreal — which quite took my breath away, and made me feel how much I had stil) to learn of what bees can do, when evil disposed, and how their main production can be done, but I Avill quote his own words as follows : " Now the Thracians say that the other side of Ister is occupied by bees, and by reason of them it is not possible to pro- ceed further." Thank Heaven, the bees in our days are- better mannered. But they had an aAvful bad character in those very old times, if but half of what is written about them is true. Just imagine, bees stop- ping the advance of a victorious army ! And there is some corroborative evidence- from another writer ; I believe it is Thucydides (I cannot at the moment verify the quotation), who speaks also of them staying an army of the Greeks. Again, in Deuteronomy it is written, " The Ammonites chased you as bees." We could have believed very much that is wicked of the Cyprians, or the Syrians, it never took much to rouse their anger, but here, close to the Danube, the bees should be much more gentle. My heart sank, but I dared to read the next sentence, and it rose again, for I found that the historian did not heUeve the tale himself. He proceeds: "But. to me it seems, that when they so speak, they say that which is not probable " (what a delicate way of calling it a lie), " for these creatures are known to be intolerant of cold, and to me it seems, that the regions which go up towards the North are uninhabitable' because of the cold climate." For those days, Herodotus was a great traveller and exploier, as also an historian, but unfortunately he had a very loose way of accepting any tale that was told him without investigating the truth of it, and for this he was satirized by Juvenal and others. But it would appear that he could not quite swallow this "on dit " of the Thracians. He tells one or two other " historical facts " with more ap- pearance of credulity, and with the Editors' permission I will relate them another week. — J. Smallwood. THE HUMBLE BEE. [8301] The late Charles Darwin, Avriting on the subject of Natural Selec- tion, makes the following interesting observations on the habits of the humble bee : — " It has been noticed that thei-e are a great many more humble bees in the neighbourhood of towns than o;it in the open country ; and the explanation of the matter is this : the humble bees build nests, in which they store their honey and deposit the larvae and eggs. The field mice are amazingly fond of the honey Xov. 2:3, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 467 and larvfe ; therefore, wherever there are plenty of field mice, as in the country, the humble bees are kept down ; but in the neighbourhood of towns, the number of cats which prowl about the fields eat up the field mice, and, of course, the more mice thev eat up the less there are to prey upon the larvse of the bees — the cats are therefore indirect liclpfrs of the bees." To this paragraph the late Professor Huxley added : " Coming back a step farther, we may say that the old maids are also indirect friends of the humble bees and indirect enemies of the field mice as they keep the cats which eat up the latter." — F. de Silva, Bath. LATE BROOD REARING. [8302] A short time ago I was asked tf) remove some bees from the , wall of an old plaster bunga- low. I went on Thursday, Xovem- ber 9th. After a night of rain the sun shone out and the morning became quite warm by eleven o'clock. The first thing' that met my eye was a sting, but after removing some of the plaster and lath, I saw a good large jDatch of healthy brood. Some of the young bees were just eating their way out. The colony was a. vagrant swarm of this year, and the combs were the whitest I have ever seen. Though a very strong stock, I got them out quite safely, and also took about 181b. of very fine honey, almost ^^ater white, but in first-rate condition and of good flavour. This is the latest brood I have ever seen or heard of. I caught the queen, oiaced her in a match-box, and put the box in my hat to keep her warm. I ran her in without trouble on arrival home, and the bees have made themselves quit-e com- fortable in my garden. The bees in one of my strongest stocks are still turn- ing out one or two drones on fine, warm days ; this also is late for this part. There has been a field of mustard in full bloom near me, and I think that accounts for the late brood and late drones. Can you give me a description of the weed called ragwort. — C. Reed, Third-Class Expert. [Ragwort (>S'. Jacohau) is a very com- mon weed in Britain^ and unfortunately the flavour it imparts to honey is rank and unpleasant. It grows some two to ihree feet high, flowers in summer, and the flower-heads are a bright yellow. The leaves are covered with a loose woolly down, especially on the underside. — Ed. J A GOOD REPORT. [8303^ I have been reading the reports I "B.B.J." of the honev harvest in different counties, and think that the fol- lowing may be of interest to your readers. Having kept bees in North Wales for three years, I removed to this district during the second week in May, and brought one strong stock of bees with me lieaded by one of Simmins' queens (two years old). About three weeks after arrival I made an artificial swarm which I allowed to breed their own queen, giving them one frame of eggs and one of brood. From this stock and swarm I have taken 2101b. of honey, of which 1 have since used about 101b. of uncapped for feeding. So that since the middle of May I have ob- tained 2001b. of honey and a swarm from one stock. A sample of the honey was sent to the Editors, who reported it to be of ex- cellent colour, flavour, and density. I do not know how others in this dis- trict have fared, but from enquiries I have made most of the stocks had previously been wiped out by '' Isle of Wight " disease. And I am afraid with the too frequent re- sult that the old infected hives and frames have been left open to all bee visitors, because early in October I found both my hives siiowing indications of this disease. I immediately commenced treating them with the " B. Well " cure, apparently with success, for paralysis has been decreasing and breeding increasing, until on Nov. lltli the bees were out in large numbers, and did not show any signs of the disease. I am using both the quilt and dummy board, so hope that both stocks will sur- vive the winter and come out strong and free from disease next spring. — H. WiL,i,ouGHBv Lance, Pinner. CAPPINGS OF COMB. BY L. S. CRAWSHAW, NORTON, MALTON, YORKS. Bee Escapes (p. 384). — I wonder wnether J. B.C. put that escape the right way up. Presumably he did, as tne bees had an alternative exit and yet remained. Clearly they were both warm and com- fortable, and in touch with the brood- chamber. Possibly the escape allowed passage each way. The r^noval of all but one light quilt or the insertion of an empty super might have made a difference. The editorial note upon this letter sug- gests the idea that, as escapes have not been used for several years, the bees may have forgotten how to use them ! Driven Bees (p. 385). — This is a helpful hint. It troubles me not a little to leave a number of these fledglings aimlessly crawli'ng amongst the combs. One tender- hearted driver, kindly desirous, deter- mined to drive to the bitter end. But the queen having been extra prolific, he was kept busy coaxing up to their fellows a continuous stream of hatching bees. It 468 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 23, 1911. was hot weather, and the swarm started housekeeping above. The first larva was just hatching when he gave the final exhausted pat to the bottom skep. A Bee Story (p. 386). — My apologies are here tendered to Mrs. Bvles for appearing to scoff at her account. In extenuation of mj' crime, I can only say that I had no idea from the signature that the writer was a lady. And b}' way of humble penance I will confess that I did not doubt the story, although foolish enough to make light of it. But then I thought it was a mere man ! So I trust my fair critic will be appeased, and find this amende as soothing as Coutt's acetic acid. Isle of Wight Disease (p. 395). — If warm moisture be the essential of cure, how comes it that the disease spread in damp summers and diminished in a dry hot season? Given a strong stock, would it not be fair to describe the hive interior as hot and moist whatever the outside summer conditions ? Seeondhancl Propolis (p. 396). — In reply to Mr. Price's query, I may say that I have often observed hees collecting old or used propolis. I did not think to make notes at the time, but I am under the im- pression that it was usually during a dearth of honey. I noticed that the bees packed the propolis whilst standing, although they pack pollen whilst on the wing, leaving the flower temporarily for the purpose. The phenomenon may be easily observed by placing propolised quilts in a sunny corner. The bees do not, how- ever, make a clean job of the work, or this might be the easiest way of getting separators cleaned. Honey by Bail (p. 396). — O.W. seems to answer most of his queries. Clearly the porters act in the railway companies' in- terest if they take extra care of goods con- signed at company's risk. The consignee pays for such extra care. In this world interest is more generally powerful than altruistic teaching. Anyhow it is too much to expect of a porter that he should read the word ""Tragile " written upon a parcel. Proper labels should be used and plenty pf them. Where i)o Truant Sioarms Go? (p. 406). Is the reply, into ferret hutches? First ferret them out, and then out-ferret them ? That a ferret would be no use for hunting bees is made clear by this narrative of a ferret tragic affair. The owner of these bees must be possessed of both patience ^ and perseverance, in that he three times tried to hive 101b. of bees in a skep. Was it not expecting too much of some 40,000 bees that they should adopt such quarters in such a summer? It was at least an emphatic protest on their part to leave one of the Rest apiaries for a not over- clean box. Painting Queens (p. 406). — As one who took part in the discussion, I am grieved to find Mr. Swabey an apostate. But his new arguments do not carry conviction. What is more easy than to paint fertile queens before introduction? Then no extra time would be used in their dis- covery. On his own showing they miist be hunted up for supersedure, and the one operation would cancel the time of the other. The pleasure of finding at a glance, and the certainty of age, using colour for year, surely compensates for " time, temper and paint." In any case, a bee- keeper should have plenty of the first, and none of the second. As for paint, a little goes a long way, especially if the bees abscond. It would not be easy to block the spiracles, but anyone so inept as to be likely to do this would never attempt to paint his queens. Queries and Replies. [8254] Feeding in Spring. — Will you please answer the following questions in the British Bee Joxjenal and oblige? (1) What would be the proper time in April to commence feeding bees in South Devon with candy? I notice you say about the middle of April. ' Seeing that the fruit blossom and flowers are about four weeks earlier here than in the Midlands, would earlier feeding be beneficial? (2) I have a piece of ground I intend plant- ing with clover next season. Which kind is best to sow — White Dutch or Giant White Clover? (3) What is the proper time to set the Chapman honey plant seed ? (4) Will the bees gather from the ordinary mustard seed? — "Fruit," Paignton. Reply. — (1) Candy is given only in the winter months. Syrup should be given in April. You can cqmmence in the first week in March, if the weather is warm, as you say you are a month earlier than other parts. (2) Sow White Dutch clover. (3) Sow in the spring of one year, and plant out in the autumn for the next season. (4) Yes. THE COMMON WASP. {Continued from page 460.) A nest may be located as follows : (1) Watch a wasp on an old wooden post ; it will be making pajjer for the comb. Follow it when it leaves, and the nest will be found near at hand. (2) Watch a wasp feed ; when filled it will fly in almost a straight line to its nest. (3) Bait a place with a strong-smelling bait, Nov. 23, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 469 such as putrid meat ; soon a crowd of wasps will be at it; and follow single ones or more, and you will soon find the nest. (Note that a wasp when ij, knows of a feeding-place will fly from the nest in a direct line to the food.) Wasps are guided to their food, not by vision, but by their powerful sense of smell. This can be proved by placing some putrid meat or highly-scented food at the inner side of a keyhole. Given wasps, before long one will see a wasp creeping through the hole to the inner side of the door, and feeding on a well- earned meal ; once one has found the food, others out of the same nest will follow at once, guided by the smell of the wasp, not by any signalling or M^ay show- ing. Wasps are deaf, but the sense of feeling is developed highly, compensating for the deafness ; the least vibration sets a whole nest buzzing. Much doubt has been shown about the manner in which the queens are fertilised. The author, by good for- tune and patience, saw this take place on August 26th. The queen was at the entrance of her home ; a young queen, known by her bright and new clothing. She ajipeared dazed, as if by the bright light, whe suddenly she was seized, I thought at first it was a fight, by a large wasp, a male, who carried her off on their honeymoon in coitu. They flew as one wasp to .a great height, and were lost to vision. Wonderful Nature comes in here ; the male wasp was evidently from anotlier nest (this stops inbreeding) and guided by that instinct followed a queen to her home, seized her and carried her off. This is a common custom among some of the savage tribes. This was very early for queens to take their flight, and from this one can believe that this summer young queens have made homes for themselves and caused the pest of wasps. What use has Nature for wasps? Wasps, when in reasonable numbers, are beneficial to man, plants and fruit. They acts as scavengers, eating up or carrying away putrid organic matter ; they also kill thousands of flies, blue-bottles, blow- flies, grubs and small snails. The author, some years ago, called attention to the danger of house-flies, disease and germ carriers. Infection and infectious diseases would soon die out if the common, house- flies were extinct. Wasps destroy tliese in thousands, also their gentles (grubs). The author exposed hundreds of gentles; these were carried off in a few minutes after the first was found. This year, to prove the beneficial use of wasps owing to their numbers, there never were less insect life, caterpillars, green flies, mag- gots and small snails in the gardens. The wasps have eaten or carried them off ; so much so, that they have had to find, owing to their number's, other food, as fruits, meat, game and anything which came their way. The next ' year's growth of plants and other shrubs ; which, in ordinary seasons, would have ' been eaten up by insect life, will benefit to a., remarkable degree. Wasps are not the only fruit-eaters ; the fruit is broken oftener by birds and then seized upon by the large flies, when the wasps come on the scene and eat the flies and fruit, carrying off both. It is amusing to see a wasp in a state of in- toxication. Expose an apple or plum which has been well broken into and just beginning to decompose ; keep this in a position to hold a little water, i e., fill the eaten part with water and keep it all night in a room to allow fermentation, expose this the next day, when wasps, by the scent, will soon be on the sjiot; the fluid will be taken at once, when the wasps will be drunk indeed. An interesting ex- periment, which may be made without danger, is to place some weevils or mag- gots in the palm of the hand and expose the hand in the vicinity of a nest or in the wasps' track ; soon their attention will be drawn to these grubs ; the wasp will seize one by the junction of the head and body, pierce it — it is dead instantly — and carry off the body in its jaws. Wasps do not attack a person except in self-defence, either of their body or home. One can train them to visit a given spot and feed them. The sting of a wasp affects a person in several ways. (1) The wasp's sting leaves in the puncture a little of its poison (formic acid). (2) If it is disturbed or rubbed off the part, it may leave the sting along with its in- jection. (3) It may puncture the skin and leave no injection (the latter is the most harmless). (4) It may puncture the skin and leave in the wound germs of serious troubles, viz., streptococci, result- ing in dangerous septic poisoning. Stings of the mouth, tongue, larynx and palate are dangerous owing to the rapid swelling of these parts. A septic sting, i.e., a sting which conveyed septic germs, on the face is ver^^ dangerous; fortunately the wasp is a clean person, if dirty in its taste. The best remedy for a sting is ammonia applied to the parts, or a raw onion ; the latter will act almost like magic if it can be well pressed on to the part. The action of the onion is due to the powerful oil which volatilises from the cut surface. Kind Nature has her use for all living things. — M. Carrington Sykes, M.D., in Country Life. 470 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 23, 1911. WEATHER REPORT Barnwood, Gloucester. Octob A GOOD SECTIONS, at 9s. per dozen, on ^'i rail.— H. DOBELL, Harden, Kent. r 4 HONEY, in glazed Sections, required, quote price.— GREEN, 4 Goldspink-!ane, Newcastle- on-Tyne. r 3 k>OrKLBS. HONEY, good flavour and colour, -^Ovf 6d. lb.— J. LEE, Cambridge-road, Dunton. YORKSHIRE HEATHER HONEY, 141b. and 281b. tins; sample and quotations, 4d. — JAS. B. MARSHALL, Garforth, near Leeds. r 1 WANTED, one or two secondhand W.B.C. Hives, good condition.— FIELD, Baildon, near Shipley. p 100 IT^XCELLENT EXTRACTED HONEY, quantity J 15st. at 56s. per cwt.; sample 2d.— CHARLES DAVY, Loddon, Norwich. p 99 ODOZ. good, clean Sections; also about Jcwt. O medium colour mixed Honey for sale.— C. F. STORY, Braceboro' Spa, Stamford. p 98 4> STOCKS of BEES, in W.B.C. Hives, made very /V strong, calico tops, in excellent condition, guaranteed healthy, sufficient food for w^inter, with two drawn out shallow crates with each, 42s. each, free on rail: surplus stock reason for sale. — C. J. ELLETT. The Gardens, ChLcksands Priory, Shef- ford. Beds. p 97 mv. 30, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. 471 Editorial, Notices, &c. REVIEWS. The South African Bee-keepers' Journal (published in Johannesburg, monthly, price 6d.). — We have received the first number of this journal, and we congratu- late the South African Bee-keepers' As- sociation for its enterprise in venturing to publish a paper of its own, as this step marks another stage in the history and jjrogress of South African bee-keeping. The starting of such a paper is no easy task, but the Association has boldly launched forth, and with the assistance of so many willing helpers there is every prospect of its attaining the object in- tended, anil that it will bring bee-keepers in touch with one another. Among the names of the writers we find several who have been for many years able contribu- tors to oiir columns, and, with Mr. G. S. Oettle as editor, there is no reason why the undertaking should not be a success ; but this can only be assured by every member of the S.A.B.K.A. giving it loyal support. The editor has our heartiest good wishes, and we shall watch with interest the development of bee- keeping in South Africa, more especially as now there is, by affiliation with the British Bee-keepers' Association, a bond of union between the bee- keejjers in the Colony and those of the Mother Countiy. Neighhoiirhood, by Tickner Edwardes (London : Messrs. Methuen, price 6s.). — Mr. Edwardes is known to bee-keepers as the author of that brightly-written book, '' The Lore of the Honey Bee." He is a graphic writer who, Avith a keen eye for the picturesque and as a lover of country life from childhood, in the volume before us describes the scenes and people amongst whom he has lived for more than twenty years. He writes as a villager, and tells us that life in an English village derives its charm from "neighbourhood," the daily interchange of thought and word and kindly deed, as well as from intimacy with wild Nature and all her wonders and beauties. Of course, bees form part of village life, and Mr. Edwardes devotes a chapter to these and introduces us to an old cobbler " ringing " his bees, and relates all that he saw until the swarm was safely hived in a skep. There are several chapters devoted to every month of the year, so that we get a glimpse of country life at all seasons. The book is well illustrated, and the stories should be read by every lover of the country. HITCHIN AND DISTRICT B.K.A. A meeting of the Hitchin and District Bee-keepers' Association was held at the Workman's Hall on the 13th November. Mr. James Allbon .was in the chair, and there was a good attendance. The speaker was Mrs. Douglas Wilson, who gave a A'^ery interesting and instructive lecture on the "Romance of the Beehive." Interest in the subject was considerably enhanced by lantern views, manipulated by Mr. P. C. Russell. At the conclusion of the lecture a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the lecturer. The Chair- man then presented two silver medals to Mr. A. Prince, of Letchworth, one for the best six sections of comb honey and one for the best six jars of run honey in the classes open to members of the Associa- tion at the Chrysanthemum Society's show at Hitchin. The lecture was the first of a series to be held under the auspices of the Association. At the subsequent three monthly meetings Mr. W. Herrod, F.H.S., lecturer, expert and secretary of the British Bee-keepers' Association, will be the speaker. The public are admitted free. — J. Cooper, Hon. Sec. Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications- SUGAR-FEEDING AND DISEASE. [8304] I shall be glad if you will kindly give me space in your valuable paper, the British Bee Journal, to write a few lines in reference to some re- marks made by Mr. L. S. Crawshaw, in his " Cappings of Comb," on page 437, "B.B.J.,'' Nov. 2, re " Sugar-feeding and Disease." He here refers to a letter written by me on this subject. May I say that I am not of the opinion tliat the case would stand where stocks were closely related in the same apiary, but I do not think that this affects what I said, as I 1)elieve that in the majority of modern apiaries a great many of the bees are not related to one another in any way. Of course, where the bee-keeper rears his own queens systematically each year, the bees would be almost, if not all, of one breed. 472 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 30, 1911. but men who do this are in a small minority. The case I referred to AViis that of a frame from a bought stock being given to a weak colony of my own wintering. As to the "test" which Mr. Crawshaw suggests, in my opinion he misses the point altogether. To introduce a diseased frame to a clean stock would almost inevitably cause that stock to be- come badly .affected, because although the bees, through being in a state of great vitality, may be able to resist a small quantitj^ of germs, if a diseased comb was introduced with its thousands of millions of active bacilli, they would no longer be able to do so, and would succumb to the disease. It is possible, on the other hand, tliat the diseased comb might become purified without injury to the stock, but it is unlikely, and the process would not constitute a test of the case. If bees can be induced to clean out diseased cells, a cure is effected much quicker than otherwise, and a diseased colony has been known to have been cured by exchanging places with a strong, clean stock. The bees from the clean stock being in a high state of vitality, and, of course, gathering honey at tl:^e same time, soon clear out the diseased cells. The bees from diseased hives do not, as I have found, carry the disease if the hive is moved in the middle of a hot day, when honey is coming in, without shaking or disturbance to cause the hees to fill themselves with the honey from the diseased hive. I have found that a good race of Italians are much easier to cure than natives, as they clean out the foul cells much more readily. It is not the health of bees I referred to, but their general vigour for work and action. All bee-keepers must have noticed the great difference there is in bees in this way. I do not think that a few individual bees, being weakly, would affect the matter as Mr. Crawshaw appears to think. I believe it is the right way to judge the natural vigour of bees from the " com- mercial standpoint." — R. B. Manley. MAKING A MARKET FOR HONEY. [8305] The attached cutting was taken from the issue of November 17th of the "Leamington Spa Courier," and I, think- ing it worthy of publication in your Journal, am sending it with that in view. WASPS KILL SIX STURDY ELM TREES. " For several weeks during the latter part of the hot summer we have experienced, a number of elm trees, measuring 4ft. in circumference, have been infested from top to bottom with wasps. The sight may have been interesting to passers-by, but the colonisation was to the detriment of the trees, which, owing to the sap being taken out by the wasps, have died. The Rev. Canon Sitwell, of Leamington Hastings, the owner of the land, has had the trees felled." I would like to remark on my success in the disposal of honey. As a beginner I had to devise some way of getting a market. One old friend said to me, " Ah, you'll find 'tis easy enough to give it away; but you'll never sell it!" This caused me to think round the matter, re- sulting in my getting a somewhat costly card printed with a specially made em- bossed die. These I sent out in a first- class envelope, and the result has exceeded expectations. All sales have been care- fully filed, and these records will be dealt with another year. Of course you will quite see that future prints of the cards will cost much less than the first hundred. — T. J. K.^ Leamington. TALES I HAVE READ. {Continued from page 466.) [8306] Was it in a nursery tale book, or was it on a hoarding as an advertise- ment for somebody's incubator, that I saw an old hen "in doleful dumps," head a-side-ways, cackling out (while re- garding the, to her, hateful invention) the: following lamentation: — " Hatching chickens by machine ! Well, indeed, I call that mean. Bu^: I suppo.se we soon shall see Eggs laid by machinery." Irresistibly, the next references of Herodotus reminded me of the excusable fear the poor barn-door matron had that her natural products would be dispensed with by the aid of science and invention combined. And they read thus: — "Next to the Zauckes (Libyans) are the Gyzantes, among whom honey is made in great quantities by the bees, but in much greater quantities still it is said to be- made by men, who work in it as a trade." And again, he writes: — "Xerxes passed from Phrygia into Lydia, then crossed the Mainda, and passed by the city Callatebos, where men live whose trade it is to make honey of the tamarisk tree and of wheat flour." Impossible ! quite impossible ! That these "Barbarians" should be 3000 years, in advance of us. Three thousand years in advance of "civilisation." Yankee notions, " and wooden nutmegs." It was unthinkable. And whatever did they need to make honey for? Here was a country where " honey is made in great quantities by the bees," in a neighbour- ing country the bees were so numerous tliat a victorious army was unable to proceed, and yet it was made " in much greater quantities" by men themselves — Nov. 30, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 473 and as a trade, too. Evidently there mvist have been considerable money in- vested in appliances, however rude they might have been. Where was the market? Who ate it all? How was it consumed? I grew excited. I felt myself on the brink of resuscitating a great industry that had lapsed. What a benefit I should confer on my brother bee-keepers. And, of course (this was to be a secret), what a lot of money I should make. Why do people devise vain things? Why do they build castles in the air? Why live in a fool's paradise? My dream was cut very short. I had but to proceed a few chapters further, when I read: "The Babylonians bury their dead in honey." The bubble was ]>ur.st! Here was the demand — never failing, never satisfied- - and the supply was in no way equal tcj it. Further, to the general death rate — by no means low — they had such nice ways of increasing it in those days by de- capitating a few thousand captives at a time, as testify the inscriptions which have come down to us. Shades of the mighty! Was this the end of all your glory, the reward of all your valour, to die and to be candied For my own part, if I might have been permitted to choose, I think I should have preferi'ed the bitumen and cloth wrapping mode of sepulture, as in fashion with their neigh- bours the Egyptians. It had, at any rate, the merit of allowing the artists of those days to depict in vivid tints on the outer coverings s^jme slight repre- .sentation of what the "dear departed" had been like. Presuming for a moment that this tale is true, or, at any rate, that there was some foundation for it, the thought naturally occurs : To what ext^'nt did the ancients know the preservative action of sugar, and its affinities? What a great pity it is that s<^jme of the great " jam- smashers " of those days did not stow away in some corner of the Pyramids, or in the tomb of a mummy, a sample of their manufactures. Or, better still, if one " of the men whose trade it is t^j make honey " had left behind one of their long-necked jars filled with his confection. It would have been so interesting to analy.se it. The efforts to preserve the corpus vih. by the " candying " process do not seem to have st^xxJ the test of time so well as the " pitching " process. Therefore we are unable to comment on the finished article. Even here the almost universal custom seems to have prevailed. It was considered necessary that the war- rior should be buried in marching order, weapons, clothing, food, and even money to pay his entrance fees on the other side of " Styx," or its equivalent river. If only from one of these tombs we could disgorge- a pot of honey, what a price? we wouUl pay for it in the suggested museum of the IJ.H.K.A. — Jno. Smai.lwood. IJKE XO'I'ES FJiOM DERJiVSlilllE. [8307] A few lines on the honey crop in this part of the country for this most gloiious summer just ended may be in- teresting t^) Bke J ouknal readers. To com- mence with, we hiid five weeks of the very worst bee weather imaginable, c/Ad north-east winds that seemed to blow the bees down in an et thick. The weight had pulleel the hedge down till the swarm resteeJ on the ground not four yards from the hives; there would be at least 141b. or lolb. of bees. I carrifKl the spare hive with the other swarm in it close up to the cluster, and after taking the queen out, a young one just returned from her mating flight, 1 put the whole lot tejgether. I gave them two 1 racks of partly-filled sections, and an 474 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 30, 1911. empty rack. They went to work with a will; at a rough guess there were 201b. of bees put into that hive (the first swarm had partly filled the six frames that were in it). Although the best of the clover was cut and dry — ^hot weather was burning it up — they completed over fifty sections. What they would have done had the conditions been better can best be conjectured, but in a month's time that hive was no stronger than any of the others. I took 1701b. of clover honey from the five hives. The remaining five hives I kept at home gathered only 351b., though I never saw so much clover in this valley before. I have not heard of any- one taking more than 101b. or 151b. per hive just round here. I had six swarms altogether; I never had so many before. The heather season also seemed amazingly short; I don't think it lasted a week, for it was half over before any honey came into it. It only rained on four days in the six weeks the bees were at the heather, and they did not get any more honey than they did in the first year I took them to the m.oor, when we had only six fine days during the whole time they were there. I then got 201b. from two hives, and I have only taken about 601b. from six this year. Out of eighty sections put on four hives, there were only about two dozen anything like filled. It was enough to make one resolve never to go near the moors again. I wonder how it is the heather honey has never been that deep maroon colour since the year it was gathered early in September. — Tom Sleight, Danesmoor. RECOLLECTIONS OF AX OLD HAND. By James A. Ahhott. Under the above title we are promised some reminiscences by Mr. J. A. Abbott, eldest son of the late Mr. C. W. Abbott, founder of the British Bee Journal. Mr. J. A. Abbott was well known to all those who took a prominent part in bee- keeping about forty years ago, being his father's chief assistant. He caused amazement among the spectators by his cool handling of the bees without veil, gloves, or smoker at the first Crystal Palace Show. He was also a keen photo- grapher, and some of his work, done at a time when the bee-keeping hobby was not so common a feature at shows as it is now, will be seen with interest by amateur photographers of the present day. He was best known as "Jim," that being the way his father always spoke to him, and a name he still answei's to. Mr. Abbott says : — I make no apology for intruding again into the bee world. For some twenty-five years I have resided in Ireland, and have lost touch with nearly all who knew me in the old days, our editor, Mr. T. W. Cowan, being the only one I can remember of the original members of the Associa- tion, though there may be others still connected with the industiy. Price of Honey. — In those days, comb honey was thought much more of than now. I well remember my father selling a glass super Avith about 401b. of honey- comb in it at 2s. 6d. per lb. to the pre- sident of an officers' mess. I also remem- ber a large exhibit of heather honey at one of the earliest bee shows being bought by Messrs. Fortman and Mason, of Picca- dilly, at 2s. 6d. per lb. for the lot (several hundredweight), and it was at once put in their window marked 3s. 6d. per lb. What a time some of us would have if we could get these prices now. We also sold our entire stock of run honey at about A COOIJ SAN \1!M, the same price. This was honey which had remained in the comb till it had partly candied, and when strained and bottled it granulated in the bottles like thick butter, without a particle of grain or grittiness. It was all bought by an experieiiced bee-keeper, who probably had customers waiting for it. The photo- grajDh of a natural swarm was taken under very peculiar conditions. I noticed tliat in the sunlight the bees moved their wings, &c., so quickly that no shutter I could make would keep pace with them, but I also observed that they hung like dead creatures after dark, so I focussed the swarm in full daylight, and left the camera standing till it was practically dark, and then took the photo with an ex^Dosure of about half-an-hour, yet any present-day photograi)her on seeing it Nov. 30, 1911.] THE BHITISH BEE JOURNAL. T^-ould call it instantaneous work. That of the queen and her attendants was really instantaneous, taken with a shutter I niade myself, and was practically the first photograph I ever took. A regular photographer did the dark-room work, but did. not care about facing live bees, so I got my first lesson in photography, and liked it so well that I took it up thoroughly. I made lantern slides on dry plates, though I was told they would never be good enough to show. I am sending some of these lantern slides made over thirty years ago to the Editor for his opinion. I do not see my way to im- prove on them with all modern con- veniences, which the photographer of that day had not the advantage of possessing. For a developing tray I often used a cardboard plate box, or its lid, in which I had melted a common candle. I still do the same occasionally, and any of your readers may find it worth a trial if they run short of a developing tray of the size required, and the sho]5s are shut. In THE QUEEN AND HEK ATTENDANT printing lantern slides on bromide plates I gave fifty times the exposure that would have made a picture, and modified the developer to suit (no matter how). (To he continued.) AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS. EXTRACTS AND COMMENTS. By D. M. Mncdonald, Banff. Doctors Differ. — The Australian Bee Bul- letin advises : AVhen stung, place the feet in cold water as soon as jsossible after being stung. The cold water draws the blood from the head and chest in order to counterbalance the difference at the feet!" An editor nearer home advises : " Apply hot water, as hot as it can be borne, which -will reduce the swelling and irritation in the only natural manner." Cold means congestion, inactivity, death ! Warmth means movement, circulation, life ! Stings Cure Bheuniatism. — This subject crops up eternally. Gleanings relates that Mr. John Reniier, Cincinnati, visits the apiary of ]Mr. Fred Muth, and takes stings unflinchingly. The experiment has been going on for weeks with the result that he has been "Transformed from a patient hobbling about on a cane to a man who can walk almost as sprightly as any- one." America's Poorest Season. — Mr. Root re- cords : "The year 1911, from the very best information we are able to gather, ap- pears to be doomed to go down to history as the ijoorest one for honey that has been known for many years back." Worse still, he reports other food-stuffs, including luxuries, are advancing in price; but honey has not kept pace with other commodities. A Golden Wedding. — Fifty years ago Mr. and Mrs. A. I. Root were bound together in matrimony. Excellent pictures are given on pages 594-5, showing the " counterfeit presentment " of the pleasant and intelligent-faced old gentleman, and that of his genial and motherly help-mate of fifty years. May they see the diamond anniversary of their wedded bliss! Afterthoughts. — "Oh, my imperfections as a bee-keeper!" writes a contributor to the Americun Bee Journal. '■ 1 make mis- takes, blunders, and resolve to do better to-morrow. Here and yonder I could have requeened colonies, and greatly increased returns. I could have given storing-room where it was required. I could have arranged things more ideally. I could have arranged the brood-nest better, so that queens would increase the population. These and many other things too numerous to mention." But these are after- thoughts. How very many of us could do things better if we had to do them over again? Man the Chief Factor. — Mr. Townsend writes: "It's the man, not the hive, that produces tons of honey annually. That you cannot know too much about your business is as true to-day as ever. If you are not getting good crops of honey — as good or better than your neighbour who is in close proximity to' you — do not attribute it to your hives or your location. In other words use your brains; they will help you out. take ray word for it." Concentrated Wisdom. — Last month I quoted the advice to " Keep more bees," improved into the advice to "Keep better bees." Last Gleanings improves on this still further: "Keep bees better." This is the soundest advice of the lot; how very frequently do we find badly-kept bees. Their dwellings, their surroundings, their store cupboard, their surplus chambers are 476 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 30, 1911. all evidences of slovenly bee-keeping. A well-kept apiary of one hive may pay better than one containing half-a-dozen. Worhing in Tent. — "While working under a tent it was a revelation to me to learn that, although the bees outside were very cross, yet inside one could work with impunity, without a hat or veil on, and get scarcely any stings. The cross bees from the hive seemed to cluster in the corner of the tent, and stay there until shaken down when moving to another hive." Mr. Root, in commenting on the above experience of Mr. Byer's, says : We have noticed this time and again. When robbers are prowling about bees are apt to be cross : but even when they are inclined to sting from other conditions, they can usually be handled easily under a tent or cage, for the moment a cross bee, or a number of them, find they are imprisoned in the enclosure, their desire to sting is imme- diately transformed into a desire for liberty. They bump their heads against the wire cloth, and then when tired out they cluster quietly on the top of the cage." A tent is an excellent article to use when any manipulations are absolutely necessary during a dearth of honey with robbers prowling about. I think those who do much handling of bees in a tent will agree that, for several reasons perhaps, stings come rarely their way. The same holds good when handling bees in a house apiary. Any bees left inside seldom think of stinging. Selling Honey. — The editor of the Ueview has been taking up a good deal of space in recent numbers. Many have recorded their own experiences, and in the latest issue Mr. Tyrj-ell gives his own experience. He believes in selling direct to customers instead of through a middle man, as thereby the producer pockets all profits. He considers a 101b. pail the small- est package, as most customers will purchase one of these about as readily as a pound tin or bottle. For securing new customers he employed a high-school boy to canvass from house to house. At first he carried a sample, but later he trusted to verbal explanation. No one objected to the price asked, and no one made a request for a smaller package. Another plan he 'follows is to canvass clubs, associations, and restaiirants. From one pail sold at a social gathering he secured orders for seventeen other pails. He gave the first gratis merely to advertise his trade. Still another source of customers is the working man. Call on them where they are working, say on new houses or at somewhat similar employments. He uses no samples, and takes care to talk only to one man at a time. Avoid talking to a crowd unless you can have their undivided attention. He- believes in selling on the plan of direct- to-the-customer and, without hesitation, advisers his readers to follow it out as much as thev can. THE HONEY HARVEST FOR 1911. {Continued from p. 457.) MONMOUTHSHIRE. The past season has proved the best that has been experienced for very many years. Not only was honey plentiful in quantity, but excellent in quality. Honey, which last year could be sold at Is. 2d. per lb., this year has changed hands at 7d. Many of those who sold their honey at the beginning of the season, got a slightly higher price. It is no uncommon thing in the county to find a single hive yield- ing 1201b. In the more northern part of Monmouthshire, among the hills, where heather is plentiful, the yield has been without a parallel. When you contrast this with last year, when some bee- keepers reported their return as " nil," and others a few pounds of Very dark- coloured inferior quality, the change is a very welcome one. Generally, if the weather is inclined to be damp elsewhere, it is something worse than damp in these hilly districts. When a fine summer does come along this is an ideal county for bees.— F. G. S. NORTH MIDDLESEX. I append report of season in my dis- trict, North Middlesex and South Herts, which includes South Mimms, Barnet, Muswell Hill, East Finchley, and New Southgate. The bees did not come through the winter very well; most stocks, other than those fed up in late autumn, were short of stores, owing to the last bad season, and the mild winter caused a number of colonies to dwindle in the spring. The warm May brought all surviving colonies on rapidly, and by the end of the month all stocks properly cared for were in good condition, and a small surplus was secured from the fruit blossom. In June, just as the clover came into bloom, a cold and wet spell set in, and the bees were unable to take fidl advantage of a good crop of clover, mixed in among the grass. Hot and dry weather continued after the hay was cut, the pastures became dry and' parched, consequently there was no second crop of clover. For the same reason the- flow from the lime trees was very short. I got a little honey from a field of sain- foin close by me, but bee-men in this district depend on the clover and limes for their main crops. The general re- sults are good ; though not a record season for quantity, the quality has been excellent. There is little disease about,. Nov. 30, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 4TT but I heard of several cases of " Isle of Wight " disease having broken out during the earlier part of the year in Barnet. Stocks have gone into winter quar- ters in strong condition with plenty of sealed stores. We now have a Barnet and District Bee-keepers' Association, which was formed this year with a num- ber of enthusiastic members. The associa- tion holds meetings, at which lec- tures are delivered, once a month. They held their first honey show at Barnet on November 14th and loth. — H. Ceiley, Muswell Hill. IsORTHAMPTON. We have had in this county a good honey season. Some large "takes" have been reported of good quality, which has secured for our members many prizes, in- cluding the first in the light honey class at the Grocers' Exhibition. — Robeet Hkffokd. korthumbeblaxd. The honey harvest of 1911 has been much above the average, both from flowers and heather. From mid-April right on the bees were busy ; fruit, hawthorn, char- lock, &c., all in turn kept up a flow, while the clover was abundant in July right into August, the clover on the "fog" being exceptionally good. We have no bee-keepers on a large scale in the district, but with from two to four supers per hive all that I have spoken to are well content. Friend Crawshaw, I notice on page 397 "B.J." bemoaning that the honey-flow at the moors was all too short. I wonder whether he sent his bees up in time ? My own stocks were sent on July 26th, and most were up in the supers by August 1st. Bees began at the heather at once, and the flow lasted till about the loth. The drought dried up the nectar, and even the bloom was all burnt and withered before September came in, whereas a flow in the first or even second week of September is by no means uncommon. One result of the clover in the fog so late this year M-as that in many cases there was a certain amount of heather blend in the first racks, where hives stood near the edges of the moors, but the second and third racks were pure heather. That many racks of twenty-one fully-sealed sections were taken off proved that the flow was good while it lasted. Mr. Robson, one of the joint secretaries of the Cheviot and Tweed Borders B.K. A., tells me that this season, for the first time in his ten years' experience, parent stocks with young queens did well. As a rule, it has not proved worth while sending such stocks to the moors. The successes of Mr. Robson at the " Royal " and Mr. Balmbra, of Alnwick, at the Dairy and other big shows, will, I trust, increase the fame of our Northumberland honey, which, though much appreciated locally, is hardly as widely known as it should be. That entries at local shows have risen from about five or six to eighty-six in two years goes to prove the value of associa- tions, but I was not asked to write on that subject. That all hives may winter well and be ready for as busy a year in 1912, is the best wish to all bee-keepers of F. SiTWELL (AVooler). OXJFOBDSHIEE. A year remarkable both for quantity and quality. Many very heavy takes are recorded, several of from 1031b. to loOlb. from a single hive. The flow commenced very early, and lasted long. The effect of the wonderful season was to increase the health of the hives and diminish foul-brood, but the moths were very troublesome. — J. S. SHBOPSHIRE. The honey harvest in Shropshire has not been as good as many people anticipated, except in some favoured localities. The spring was a very late one, and stocks did not begin to build up till several weeks later tlian usual. In addition, owing to the jireceding bad season many stocks were weak and short of stores, and there was considerable loss where bee-keepers had neglected to feed up for the winter, one man, to my knowledge, losing seven colonies — the whole of his apiary — from sheer starvation. There was a large quantity of honey, of excellent quality, staged at the honey show held in con- nection with the Horticultural Fete at Shrewsbury in ^^ugust ; but taking it en the wliole, although much above the aver- age of the last three or four years, the yield was not so large as supposed by the outside world, owing to the continued drought drying up the nectar of the flowers. — (Revd.) G. H. Pratt. SOMERSETSHIRE. The honey season of 1911 in Somerset has been the best experienced for many years. The fruit bloom yielded well, though more stocks than usual were un- prepared to take full advantage of it. The honey obtained showed slight in- dications "of honey-dew, although in other respects it was of excellent quality and exceedingly thick. In several^parts of the county considerable quantities of honey- dew were stored during the early part of June, some of the produce being almost black. Other parts of the county, how- ever, appear to have escaped this entirely. The latter part of June and the month of July brought a continuous flow of ex- cellent clover honey. Yields of from 801b. to 1001b. per 'stock were frequent, and the exhibits at the annual show were so numerous that it was difficult to find -478 .1fHE:BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 30, 1911. ,roe>m" for them. ail,-7-L. E. Snelgeove, ^Hbn. Sec, Somerset BrK.A, (To be continued.) Queries and Replies. [8255] Uniting Bees. — Age of Queens. — I have a problem to put before you, the answer to which may interest many of your I'eaders who, like myself, do not go in for queen-rearing, or the introduction of purchased queens, but rely on natural swarming for the renewal of their stocks. Suppose that in the spring of 1912 there are four stocks, A, B, C, D, all of equal strength, but none of them very strong ; and that it is known that A swarmed in 1911, but the others not since 1910. In what way would you make these four colonies into two? Would you leave A, with its young queen, alone, and unite the others? Or would you unite A and B, and C and D? In the former case you would have one weak lot of bees with a young queen, and another strong lot of bees with an older queen ; in the latter case you would have two hives, equally strong toi begin with, but one with a young, prolific queen, and the other with a. queen that is less prolific. By which of these two arrangements is one likely to secure the greater surplus of honey? I have put my question in a concrete manner because I believe it is easier to answer in that way": but I should be glad if you could tell me, generally, what is the 3"elative value of queens in their first, second, third, and fourth year? By their first year I mean the year in which they are hatched. — H. Balfour Gardiner. Retly. — (1) To obtain the best results you should unite A and B, and C and D, leaving the 1911 queen to head the united lots. A little later you could make a nucleus from the lot headed by the 1911 queen; place it beside the united colony of C and D. When the queen has emerged and been fertilised, remove the old queen and unite the nucleus with queen caged, to C and T), first removing the old queen, and letting them remain queenless at least twelve hours. In this way you will get young queens in both lots without purchasing. (2) Queens gradually depreciate after the second year ; how much, depends a great deal upon the strain. There is no advantage in keeping a queen beyond her second season, unless of very good known quali- ties, and then only for queen-rearing pur- poses. [8256] Stock Buinecl by Error in Manij)u.lating. — I bought for a friend a stock of bees during the summer (through an advertisement in the "B.B.J."), which turned out to be exceptionally strong, on ten frames, and I had great hopes that they would eventually give a good account of themselves. About a week after they were put in position my friend brought a swarm, which had been pro- mised for some time, and placed it in an empty hive adjoining the newly-pur- chased stock. As far as I can under- stand he had great difficulty in getting it into the hive, so he took four of the best frames with brood and bees attached from the stock, and put them in the hive with the swarm, giving frames with strips of foundation in exchange. I was not present at the time, or I should not have allowed it to be done. About a fortnight after I examined the stock and found they had made no progress at all, and had not even touched the foundation, and I now find they are dead, and ap- parently have been so for some time. The swarm adjoining is in fairly good con- dition, covering six frames. Could you give me the reason why they should have died off in this manner? There was about half a pint of dead bees in the hive. I have an idea that the wasps may be accountable for it, as when I opened the hive I saw about half a score of wasps on the combs, and they have been very numerous this season. Should you think they were weakened to such an extent that they could not de- fend themselves successfully against the wasps? or is it possible it may be some kind of disease, though I could detect no smell about the combs or any- thing unusual. — J. L. H., Salcombe. Reply. — There is no doubt from what you say that the queen was removed from the colony together with the combs. Naturally, there would be tv fight between the two queens, and one would be killed. The colony would rear another queen, which evidently got lost or destroyed when taking her mating flight. The colony now having no means of replacing her, gradually died out. It was most foolish to take out four combs and bees. The proper procedure was to take one comb of brood, brushing back the bees and place this in the hive in which the swarm was being established. [8257] jRe-queening by Mr. Snelgrove^s Method.— 1 have been greatly interested in Mr. L. Snelgrove's paper on " Re- quecning " (page 424). I understand that the body box is divided into two parts by a division-board. Behind this is placed four frames of bees; a hole is bored fin. in size, and 2in. from the back of the hive, and the alighting-board is fixed for the bees to get out and in. An extra frame of bees is brushed in to the back Xov. 30, 1911.] THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL. 47^ of the hive to make up for the flying bees that will come in at the front. Now, I would take it as a very great kindness if Mr. Snelgrove would advise me on the following i>oints : — (1) Would he recom- mend this plan in spring as well as in August? (2) . How many pounds of honey would he give to this stock to raise the young queen ? (3) And if it was in the autumn would it do to feed the old queen with sugar syrup, so that they would go into winter quarters with a full stock of young bees, or would he feed her also with honey? — Renfrew, N.B. Reply. — Mr. Snelgrove has kindly re- plied to your inquiry as follows: — (1) The plan would work equally well in spring, but should not be allowed to interfere with the honey harvest. (2) Give the bees five or six holes of the feeding bottle, and keep it filled for the first ten days. About 21b. of honey may be mixed with the necessary syrup. (3) Yes, sugar syrup. [8258] Honey Vinegar. — Granulation of Honey. — Some time ago there was an article in "B.B.J." on the various frames in use previous to the adop- tion of the first "Standard" frame. (1) Can you give me the date of issue? (2) What quantity of honey should be put in a nine-gallon cask for making vinegar? (3) How would you account for two bottles of honey having about ^in. in the bottom, remaining liquid, while the honey above and all other bottles of that extracted have gi-anulated in a solid mass. Had the liquid been on top I should have con- cluded that it was thin, unripe honey, but I don't understand it being liquid at the bottom. — John Goodsell, Cranbrook. Reply.— (1) "B.B.J.," 1906, April 19th, page 151; also "B.B.J.," Febru- ary 1st, 1882, page 203. (2) ll^lb. of honey will suffice. (3) It is the levulose that has got to the bottom, being more dense than the crystallisable dextrose. The reason it has not shown itself in other jars is because it has been more intermixed, and it is possible that the two jars were the first filled. Thin, un- ripe honey would float on top, whereas this seems to be dense levulose which does not granulate. [8259] Dirindling Stnc]<.— 'During the last fortnight of October I had one of the most extraordinary experiences of dwindling in one of my hives. Towards the middle of September I went carefully ■ over my stocks, examining each hive carefully before packing up for the winter, and found that they had an exceptionally large supply of stores, the bees being also very strong in numbers. I was attracted to the hive in question about a fortnight later by the number of' bees flying, and also by the dead bees on the grass in front. I was alarmed to find that the latter daily increased in numbers, and one mild day I opened the hive and found I had only about three frames of bees left. The day following was wet, but in spite of the rain the entrance of the hive luid quite a busy aspect. I felt assured that robbing had commenced. On farther examination of the grass I found that the quantity of dead bees had greatly increased, and that there were quite a number creeping on the tjlades of grass. Three days later I again opened my hive, this time just before dusk, and found it quite empty. There were not more than thirty dead bees on the floor- board. Tiie combs were practically un- broken, and not more than 2in. square of the honey had been used. I shall be glad if you can give any enlightenment as to the cause, or likely cause, of the bees leaving the combs only to die a few yards from the hive? Their bodies seemed quite healthy, and on one of the combs there was a small patch of brood at stages from six to eighteen days' old. The hive is now securely closed, and the grass cleared of dead bees. — J. H. S., Selkirk. Reply. — Your description points very strongly to their being affected with " Isle of Wight" disease. We can give no other cause for the mortalitv. OBSERVATORY FLOOR-BOARD FEEDER. Mr. R. Grose, of Bodmin, sends us his improved feeder. This is made so that it may be used as a floor-board feeder, or placed above the frames. It is arranged for either slow or rapid feed- ing, and has an adapter which enables it to be used for skeps. It consists of a rectangular wooden feeder divided into two comiDartments. Each compartment is also divided longitudinally by means of a piece of glass, on one side of which there is a float and on the other a block of wood nearly filling tlae space. On this block there is a broad wick which by capillarity draws up the syrup and enables the bees to obtain it without any risk of drowning. The quantity of syrup taken is regulated by a, zinc slide which covers the wick so that the slowest stimulative feeding is easily accom- plished. For rapid feeding the division glasses are removed and placed on the top of compartments containing the floats, the other part of the feeder being also covered with a piece of glass when top feeding. 480 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Nov. 30, 1911, Mr. Grose ealls this an observatory floor- board feeder, because when used below the hive one portion of it covei'ed with glass is exposed for watching the bees at work. The feeder is suspended on two ledges fastened to the floor-board and the hive is slid backwards into place over it. The two compartments can be used also to feed two lots of bees in one hive, when divided by a division-board for queen rearing. The feeder is an improvement on the one described on page 455, of "B.J.," iNoy. 18th, 1909, and we have no doubt will accomplish all that Mr. Grose claims for it. Notices to Correspondents. Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space devoted to letters,, queries, and replies is meant for the general good of bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our correspondents to bear in 7nind 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 imme- diately following the receipt of their communica- tions. Suspected Disease. J. W. M. (Edinburgh.) — Mcdicaterf Candy. — The candy is a little too soft, and you have overdone the chemical addition. DuNRAGiL (Wigtonshire.) — Your best plan is to destroy bees, combs, and all con- tents of the hive, well disinfecting the latter. If the seller was aware that the bees were diseased it was a dishonest action to sell them to you as healthy. We should not advise trying remedies at this time of the year. Anxiotts One (Cambs.) — We are much afraid from our external examination of the bees that when you receive Dr. Maiden's report it will be that the bees have died of "Isle of Wight " disease. Tlonei/ Samples. H. W. R. (Catford.)— The honey is partly from lime, but the bees h.ave been visit- ing a jam factory or sweet-boiler's for a portion of their stores. It is quite suitable to use as food, the percentage from the latter source being very small. H. H. (Cromer.) — Sample No. 2 is best, being from pure white clover. No. 3 oomes next, and No. 1 third in quality. The two last-mentioned are a mixture of clover and sainfoin. A. B. C (Welshpool.) — The honey is from mixed sources, being good in every re- spect, except colour, which has been somewhat spoilt by a very small quantity of honey-dew. For home con- sumption this will not matter, but it will make it difficult to sell. V. C (Penzance.) — The honey is good in every respect but density, it being rather thin. If the sections are well filled they are worth about 9d. each retail. T. H. H. (Bangor.) — The sample is a good honey, from clover with a little buckwheat or ragwort in it. Yes, utilise the sections as you suggest. Special Prepaid Advertisements. Two Words One Penny, mininxum Sixpence- Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens. and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per i in., or 5s. per inch. PBIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. LOVER HONEY, 58s. per cwt.; one 281b. tin, 15s.; dark Honey, 5d. per lb; sample, 3d. — THOMAS, Coedmelyn, Stackpole, Pembroke, r 23 WANTED, Cheshire's " Bee-Keeping," volume II., Practical. — Particulars and price to HERROD, " B.B.J." OfSce, 23, Bedford-street, Strand, W.C. BEST CLOVER SECTIONS, 9s. dozen; seconds, 8s., packed on rail.— BARNES, Clogger, Wig- ton, CumDerland. r 21 FOR SALE, nice white candied Honey, guaran- teed pure English, 4 231b. tins, Ms., tins re- turnable; IJ gross s. cap bottles, 4s. 6d.; 1 gross s. cap bottles 8s. 6d.; i dozen sections, 9s.; Jib. sample jar, 6d., cash with order.— F. SAPLEY, Madingley, Lytten-avenue, Letchworth. r 22 WANTED, Honey, White Wyandottes, or use- ful exchange, for new Beehives, Extractor, Ripener, 2 Incubators, 60, 40, gentleman's new 26in. lady's 23in, gentleman's 24in. cycles.— BOWDEN, Broomhill, Witley, Surrey. r 20 BEEKEEPER, can make appliances, plain gardening, seeks situation.— PRITCHARD, New-street, Stockbridge. r 19 1 ^CT-iB. HONEY, in 281b. tins, 5d. lb, splendid XOO flavour and colour; sample, 3d.— CUT- FORTH, Oakham, Rutland^ rW IJLCWT. HONEY, icwt. tins, with tap, excel- 3 lent flavour, dark; sample lib. jar, Is.— RECTOR, Stanford Bridge, Worcester. rJ7 t>CWT. good run English Honey, 6d. per lb.; 4> clear.— SHEPRETH, Cambs. rj GOOD, pure English Honey, 56s. cwt, 281b. 14s. —GEORGE THOMPSON, Helpringham, Slea- ford. r ^6 COMPOUND MICROSCOPE in case, objective giving three powers, in good order, suitable for nature study. 12s. 6d.. cost 30s.; particulars free.- MASOM, Moorend, Stony Stratford. _ r 15 FOR SALE. Extracted Honey in 141b tins, at 6d. per lb.; sample, 2d.-ARTHUR ADCOCK Ashcroft, Meldreth, Cambs. r 1'* 1IRST grade Clover Sections and Clover Jars, _ 9s 6d dozen; ditto Heather Sections, 14/-; second grade Heather Sections. 11/-; 20lb. Bees Wax Is. 8d. Ib.-NICHOLSON, Langwathby. r 13 -pi Dec. 7, 1911] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 481 Editorial, Notices, &c. WHITBY AND N.E. YORKS B.K.A. HONEY SHOW AT WHITBY. The first annual show of this progressive Association was held at Whitby on Wed- nesday, 29th November, in the Silver Street Lecture Hall, and the numerous visitors to it were pleasantly surprised at the very large display of honey, wax, and bee-keeping appliances; over 3001b. of honey was shown in various neat and tempting forms. Mr. L. S. Crawshaw judged the exhibits, and had considerable difficulty in deciding which should receive premier awards in some of the classes, so high was the standard of excellence attained. A brisk sale of honey went on during the afternoon, and the whole of the honey entered for the gift classes was disposed of to the many visitors, as well as a good deal from the selling classes. At five p.m. there followed a lecture illustrated by lantern views of apiaries, appliances, manipulations and the natural history of bees. Mr. T. Hood gave the lec- ture and descriptions, and Mr. Pinkney described the aims, objects and the work of the Association, asking for the support of all bee-keepers in making it a still greater success. The membership is already over seventy. The lantern was manipulated by Mr. Cooper. LIST OF AWARDS. Three 1-lb, Sections.— l&t, C. R. Pink- ney, Whitby ; 2nd, R. Hunton, Fryup ; 3rd, Mrs. E. Adamson, Yarm. Three 1-lb. Sections Heather Honey. — 1st, Hy. J. Scaife, Pickering; 2nd, E. Baker, Pickering; 3rd, Mrs. W. Bowes, Stokesley; v.h.c, J. Shaw, Sandsend, R. Hunton ; h.c. Mrs. W. Bowes, Stokesley ; c, A. Botham, Whitby, and Mrs. E. Adam- son. Three 1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey. — 1st, T. Hood. Whitby; 2nd, R. Hunton; 3rd, A. E. Harrison, Pickering; v.h.c, M. Benson, Pickering; h.c, Mrs. E. Adam- son; c, Wm. Burn, Whitby. Three 1-lb. Jars Heather Blend Honey. —1st, E. Baker; 2nd, T. Hood; 3rd, W. Burn. Three 1-lb. Jars Heather Honey. — 1st, R. Hunton; 2nd, E. Baker; 3rd, W. Bowes; v.h.c, F. W. Hutchinson, Malton ; h.c, J. Shaw. Shallow Frame of Comb Honey. — 1st, N. W. Maud, Pickering; 2nd, R. Hunton; 3rd, Wm. Burn. Beeswax. — 1st, H. J. Scaife, Pickering; 2nd, A. E, Harrison; 3rd and c, T. Hood; h.c, E. Burtt, Pickering; c, E, Baker. novices' class. 1-lb. Jar of Honey.— 1st, A. E. D. Cooper, Whitby; 2nd, A. Thompson, Glais- dale. SELLING classes. Six 1-lb. Sections. — 1st, E. Baker; 2nd, N. W. Maud; 3rd, Mrs. E. Adamson; h.c, C. R. Pinknev; c, A. E. D. Cooper, Whitby. Six 1-lb. Jars of Honey 1st, A. E. Harrison; 2nd, P. J. C. Francis, Whitby; 3rd, R. Hunton; v.h.c, T. Hood; h.c, H. J. Scaife; c, P. J. C. Francis. GIFT CLASSES. 1-lb. Jar of Honey. — 1st, F. W. Hutchin- son; 2nd, R. Hunton. 1-lb. Section. — 1st, Hy. J. Scaife; 2nd, Tickle and Carr, Scalby; v.h.c, E. Baker. Straw Skcp. — 1st, Hy. J. Scaife. 2-lb. Cake of Bee Candy.— 1st, withheld, 2nd, E. Burtt.— C. R. Pinkney, Hon. Sec! HEREFORDSHIRE B.K.A. This Association, after a lapse of several years, has, by the activity of Mrs. H. Mynors, of Llanwarne Rectory, been resuscitated, and a large nvimber' of bee- keepers have already joined. Sir James Rankin is the president, and Mrs. H. Mynors secretary and treasurer. ; An exhibition of honey was given in the Shirehall in conjunction with the produce show of the County Council, and very satisfactory entries were made in the four classes provided. There were eight entries for sections, seven for light extracte.d honey, fifteen for dark ex- tracted honey, and three for the best and most attractive display of honey and wax, to be over 561b. in weight and not more than Icwt. Three prizes were offered in each class, and after Mr. Alfred Watkins and Mr. Joseph Thomas, who undertook the onerous task of judging, had carefully examined and tested each entry, the result was given as follows: — Sections. — 1st, M. Meadham, Hunting- ton; 2nd, Mrs. M. B. Bankes, Much Birch; 3rd, J. Helme, Norton Canon; r., Miss E. Gardiner, Peterchurch. Light Extracted Honey. — 1st, J. Helme; 2nd, J. Arnfield, Breinton ; 3rd, A. Bai-ker, Kington; r., J. Turbill, Ponts- hill, Ross. Dark Extracted Honey. — 1st, A. Barker ; 2nd, C. J. Lewis, Pontshill, Ross ; 3rd, G. Meredith. Westfields; r.. Miss BarneS; Lugwardine. Display of Honei/ and Wax. — 1st, J. Helme; 2nd, Mrs. H. Mynors, Llanwarne ; 3rd, J. Arnfield. — (Communicated.) THE BIMT'ISH BEE JOTJUNAL. [Deo. -7, 191^. SYMPTOMS OF "ISLE OF WIGHT" DISEASE. As there still exists ' considerable doubt as to the symptoms of the so-called " Isle of Wight " disease, especially among those bee-keepers who have been so fortu- nate as to escape its ravages, I took a recent opportunity of obtaining some photographs of a colony severely attacked.: these are reproduced in the hope that ati illustration of the actual appearance of an. infected colony will assist those who are inexperienced in recognising the disease so that in the event of an outbreak steps can be taken to prevent the whole apiary or district becoming con- taminated. It is hai-dly necessary to say it is a disease that attacks the adult bees only; a distended appearance, and crawling over the combs and floor-board., unable to fly. When the temperature is not '• too low these work their way to the entrance,, falling 'to the g'rotlfld"to perish' in" large numbers. In warm weather the soiling of the hive and ground adjacent to it' does not usually occur, but with a colony badly attacked during a cold spell the alighting-board, front of the hive, and ground in the im- mediate vicinity, as W:ell as the inside walls of the hive, become very much stained with excreta from the disieased bees. This is probably one of the .chief means of infection, containing as it does numberless nosema spores, which on con- tact with food supplies are automatically transferred to the alimentary canal of the bee, there to commence a fresh growth. ALIGHTING-BOARD OF INFECTED HIVE. the brood to all appearance remaining perfectly healthy, and with the exception of that portion which is killed through chilling, hatch in the normal way. The queen, too, apparently does not suffer, and usually is the last to survive. Unlike other disea.ses of bees an out- break may occur at any period of the year, and it is to be noted that very often the strongest stocks are those first at- tacked, and these appear to be the ones that suffer most. At this season probably the first sign of an attack is brought to notice by the number of dead and dying bees lying on the floorboard, both inside and outside the hive, as shown in the illustration, and if an examination is made a number of bees will be seen having Wasps and other insects which occasion- ally gain access to the hives are possibly agents in transferring the germs. Wasps are scavengers and consume large numbers of diseased bees, and it seems very reason- able to suppose that they act as carriers, contaminating either the honey itself, or even by actual contact with the guards in their endeavours to steal into the hive. A peculiar feature very noticeable in the complaint is the position of the small posterior M'ings. In healthy bees the wings, when in repose, are laid over one another on each side, and almost parallel with the body, the posterior ones being covered by the anterior pair ; but when disea.sed the small wings seemingly become paralysed, and retain the posi- Dec. 7, 1911.] THE BHITISH BEE JOURl^AIi: '4^ tion as when in flight. I do not think this effect is p-eculiar to the " Isle of Wight" disease alone, as I, have occa- sionally noticed it in healthy stocks, but it is certainly very marked in all suffering colonies, and thus forms one of the means of diagnosing the complaint. The illustrations, of course, show only a portion of the mortality of the stock, but those bees that are in view all perished within a few hours. Every precaution should be taken to prevent further spread- ing by destroying diseased colonies and disinfecting the stand by means of car- bolic acid or lime. Any dead bees lying about should be collected and burnt. — Geo. W. Judge, Dartford. callow days we may have considered delicious. I think school-boys of the present time are less familiar with the sweet concoction, and they less seldom than in the past trouble to undergo the fiery ordeal of harrying a bike with the attendant pleasure of a stinging. Or is it that the bombus tribes are dying out, or that perhaps the years are teaching them wisdom which induces them to resort to tracts unfrequented by these roving biped corsairs? For quite a long time, whether from climatic or other reasons I know not, fewer wild bees' nests have come under my direct observation. This year, however j persistent hunting, with the aid of some INTEEIOR OF THE DISEASED HIVE. AMONG THE BEES. OUR HUMBLE-BEES. By B. M. MacdonaJd, Banff. What school-boy bred in the country does not know a humble-bee when he sees it, and what would we think of one who is not familiar with the appearance and construction of a "hum-bees-bike"? I think Shakespeare in his youth must have known all about the subject, to judge by the words he puts in the mouth of Bottom — "Kill me," he says to Cobweb, " a red-hipped humble-bee on the top of a thistle, and, good sir, bring me the honey bag." Then Titania speaks of " honej-- bags stolen from the humble-bee." Few of us now would relish the conglomerate mass stolen from a nest of these "humble dumbledors," which in our eager and expectant youngsters, quite a number turned up, and received careful attention and interesting study. The great majority of the bees seen and the nests discovered were those of Bomhus Terrestris, the earth-burrowing humble-bee. It makes its home generally in some di'y bank where it scoops out a hole of con- siderable size, or it accepts such a hole if found made by some other means. This is one of the largest of the species, and it is rather a burly fellow, who may be known bv its deep sonorous hum even before it is seen. Frequently the home-nest was found a foot or more beneath the surface. At times the gallery leading to it went straight from the entrance, at other times it took a winding and devious course. Everv single queen-bee seen in early spring provides a nest of its own, and there ^eis 484 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Deo. 7, 1911. aip housekeeping, the construction entail- ing a large amount of hard work before it founds a family and provides for its wants. Before recovering from the weakening •influence of its long hibernation it rests a little, seeking at first only sips of the strengthening nectar found in few flowers then. Soon it works like a Trojan, carry- ing in pollen and honey, completing the tunnel or vestibule of its home, or enlarg- ing the roomy apartment in which its young are to be reared. Several early spring flowers are favoured, and the hum on some of the willows, sycamore trees, and fruit bloom is constant and pronounced. No rest or stay is now indulged in by the busy toiler. This patient mother, alone and un- aided, founds the home, gathers the pollen, carries in and stores the nectar ; and to these duties she adds that of comb builder and egg layer. Rude cells are built, not as our hive-bees construct them, per- pendicularly, but laying horizontally with the mouth up, and the cells are round and cup-shaped. A pellet of pollen mixed with honey is placed in each cell, and into this mass is consigned an egg, which is practically left to its own resources to develop into a young bee, the mother heing busy gathering more stores, build- ing other cells, and ovipositing. Soon her daughters come to her aid, and between them several hundreds are raised before the end of the season. Then all males and neuters die off, leaving only the young queens to outlive the winter and carry on the race in a subsequent season. This is the typical " Bumbee." No one hunting for this insect can mistake a specimen once seen. The feathering is mainly black, with a yellow ring in front of the wings and another on the abdomen, while the part near the tail is white. The length is about an inch, and the perfect females are rather larger than either workers or males. Bombus Kortorem, as the name implies, is commonly found haunting our garden flowers. A little smaller than Terrestris, its colours and shadings are somewhat similar, and it constructs its nest in much the same way. Hereabouts it is by no means so frequently seen as most of the other homhi. Bombus Muscorum is in many parts the most common of all, and in its season can be found in every field and meadow, as well as in our woodlands, wherever the in- sects can find sufficient moss wherein to make their home. Over a great part of the northern and central counties thousands of these bees' bikes are disturbed by foresters cutting grass on the borders of woods and fields. I saw during August several hundreds in a small area. Bombus Lapidarliifi, the red-tailed humble- bee, chooses a different location for its resi- dence, as it constructs its nest amongst stones. They are not widespread here. All these four classes of humble-bees are very hairy, and these hairs are sometimes arranged in different coloured bands. The long hairs of the under part of the abdo- men are frequently vised to carry home pollen, although this at times is carried on the hind legs as in the case of the hive bee. The communities are generally small, numbering frequently under one hundred, while they rarely exceed from two to three hundred. In the early part of the season workers only are reared, while males and perfect females are pro- duced later. All these queens are allowed to inhabit the nest, and live in perfect amity towards the end of the season. " Bumbees " never swarm. Several nests of all the four species of humble-bees were taken carefully from their selected sites, and provided means for nature study of a very interesting kind, and the bees in several cases became at least half domesticated. They became so far tame that they allowed close observa- tion, occasional manipulation, and con- siderable teasing without showing any signs of annovance. Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications- BEES AND FLOWERS. [8303] I continued my observations on bees and pollen last summer, but have no fresh facts to add to what was published in the " B.B.J." last year (page 454). The only point of interest was that last summer I did not see a single load of birds-foot-trefoil pollen brought in (though I captured numerous samples that proved on examination to be something else), while in 1909 and 1910 it was a very important source of pollen. (I should mention, how- ever, that the stock on which this year's observations were made was situated in a different part of the garden to that occu- pied by the bees in 1909 and 1910— the stock itself was a Whit-Sunday 1911 swarm from one of our old stocks, which we had given to a neighbour, and which had escaped the " Isle of Wight " disease). The Dec. 7, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 485 Tsirds-foot-trefoil was, perhaps, a good deal less plentiful than usual, owing to the drought ; but it is a curious instance, is it not, of how bee-forage varies? The same «tock also gathered a lot of pollen from the white water-lily {Nymphdea alha), although they had to go nearly half a mile (as the bee flies) to get it, and the Portugal laurel, white clover, and charlock -were in full bloom. The honey season here has been fair, and would have been very good but for the drought in August, which spoilt the heather crop. I fear we still have "Isle of Wight" in the district, but have not made any enquiries lately. — Annie D. Betts, Camberley. THE DRY SEASON AND DISEASE. [830'9] Mr. L. S. Crawsliaw, p. 468, ■"B.B.J. " of November 23rd, says: "If warm moisture be the essential of cure, liow comes it that the disease (I.O.W.) spread in damp summers and diminished in a dry, hot season?" Does not Mr. Crawshaw realise that he is referring solely to the condition of the .atmosphere outside of the hive? A damp season is one of depressing inactivity to the bees, and the inside of the hive, where the elements of cure should be active, is then wholly deprived of those desirable conditions. In a poor, damp season the hive itself is in a drier condition, internally, than during a hot, fully active season, when every possible cell is crowded with the ■glistening newly gathered nectar. In the latter case there are other most essential elements offering resistance to disease. The bees are active night and day, expel- ling the excess of moisture in ripening the thin honey with whioii the combs are heavily charged, the result being a con- tinual change of air. This is without con- sidering the greater activity out of doors, the more frequent flight, and a larger suc- cessive population. Compare this with the general inactivity of the bees in a •damp season. Infrequent flights, with the bees shut in for several days at a time, Tsare, dry combs, little or no ventilation by 'fanning, and it is easy to see how the poor season adversely affects the internal economy of the hive, should any lurking ■enemy he ready to take advantage of stag- nant nature. Again referring to Mr. C'rawshaw's text, he mav be interested to know that after my statement in the "B.B.J." (8266), October 5th, p. 395, several readers put the matter to the te,st. One took a help- less diseased bee indoors, and placed it under a steaming saucepan-lid on the table, and after a few seconds the bee was able to fly away. Another, following a Tnore drastic course, took a rose watering- can, and poured some rather warm wa-ter on a lump of the usual crawling bees in front of a diseased colony, and presently,, after cleaning themselves a bit, several took wing. Now this does not imply that these bees were definitely cured, but it shows moist warmth may be taken as one of the first aids towards effecting a cure. How does Mr. Crawshaw know that the disease really diminished in the dry season? I have, as he says, already admitted that, with so many favourable items during the fine honey season, the treatment I recommended might then have a more beneficial effect; but to think that hot weather alone is likely to result in a per- manent cure is one of the fallacies the majority of bee-keepers must dismiss from their minds, as many have already done through recent bitter experience. Some of the worst cases were reported to me during the hottest weather in July ; and as soon as the honey-flow was over, while the weather still remained hot and dry, during the early autumn further sad cases, in increasing numbers, came to my know- ledge. The trouble developed further as the warmth gave place to chill autumn days, heavy rains, and a few days of confine- ment. The surplus honey being removed, and with little unsealed stores, loss of general activity, and ventilation, the old calamity was again seriously in evidence, and thousands of stocks went under before any attempt was made to save them. In some instances where the trouble was new to the unfortunate owners, the stocks had been slowly decreasing from August until the latter part of October, when appeals for help were, of course, too late. In hundreds of other cases stocks were allowed to become reduced before anything ■ was attempted, and too late for any chance of recviperation before winter. Through November, down to the present time, further freshly developed cases are being reported, and it must be recognised by the community that we are face to face with a disease which has yet but begun to run its course, and is very far from having worn itself out, as many like to delude themselves by imagining. In a former article in this journal I suggested that the autumn would in all probability find the "Isle of Wight" disease again largely in evidence. Unfortunately I have sinc« then heard from hundreds of aflBicted bee-owners ; but from what one knows of the common spring reports, we have no alternative but to look forward to a still heavier outbreak in the early season of 1912. My object is not to create panic, but rather to put readers on their guard, so that losses may be avoided by timely observation and early attention. Candy given in winter is one of the first elements of danger, especially where there 486 THE BB.ITISH BEE JOIJE.N:AL, [Dec. 7, 1911. is any posisibility of disease. The same writers who advocate candy for winter use will tell the reader that candied stores -ill the combs are unfit for wintering. How ean they reconcile these opposite state- ments? Diseased beeSj whether they have dysentery or constipation, as with the "Isle of Wight" malady, suffer from the want of water, while its absence is often the cause of trouble when candied stores are allowed. I have frequently been able to assist distressed correspondents in early spring who have complained of stocks having dysentery, although well stored (?), dry, and breeding freely at the end of February. The stores have been too thick, especially when consisting of heather honey ; hence I advise that thin warm syrup he given in a 31b. dose rapidly. But in this case nothing but a plain bottle is of much use, having two thicknesses of old thin linen (or cheese cloth) tied over the mouth, and the bottle inverted close in the frames, just over the cluster. Of course, it is desirable to do this while the bees may fly at the middle of a sunny day, and then they will settle down quietly Softer a free flight. It is better, however, to do it anyway rather than not at all, as the water is of the first importance, and the operator will use his own judgment at the time as to whether a medicinal application is required. My own motto is : ''Never feed without." — Samuel Simmins, Heathfield, Sussex. NOTES BY THE WAY. [8310i] I have to thank Mr. Crawsliaw (8296, p. 463) for his report on what the Bee Diseases Act Committee are doing. Since the " Tickner Edwardes " draft bill appeared m the "Smallholder " I have had several letters on this new "terror" to bee-keepers, which will meet with our most strenuous opposition, and I trust bee-keepers will carefully read and study the effect that such a measure will have on our industry before they append their signature to the so-called petition — to condemn the straw skeji to extinction. As regards the B.B.K.A. draft of the Bill (F.B.), there will have to be in- cluded a clause exemjiting large apiaries from compulsory inspection. D. M. M. says (p. 415) the owner conducts the manipulation while the inspector looks on. That may appear very fair from one point of view ; but suppose the inspector calls just after we large bee-keepers have finished our spring cleaning ; is it reason- able that we would willingly go through our ^apiary again? or would it be neces- sary? I contend that any bee-keeper who has twenty or more hives is not likely to allow foul broody colonies to exist in his apiary, as every prac-tical bee-keeper knows that such colonies are not only use- less of themselves but also a gi-eat danger- to his other healthy colonies. Besides, a large apiary of two to three hundred hives would take .a fortnight, in some English springs, to go through. Who would endure such compulsion? I shall be glad to hear from my friends — the owners of large apiaries — as I cannot write them in- dividually, if a clause exempting us from compulsory inspection be included in the next " Bill ''' will meet their approval. This clause would not prevent anyone of us calling on the inspector to inspect our bees if we wished his help or advice, but we must not have any affected area busi- ness with bee produce, or bees either, except hees and queens from infected apiaries. A friend of mine had over 4^ tons of honey this season. What would it mean to a man such as this if his apiaries, were within an affected area, and he was debarred from selling his produce? My note on the combination hives has. brought me so many letters I cannot reply to all of them. I ought to have said that the " Combination " hive was brought out. by the late Editor of "B.B.J.," Mr. Chas._ Abbott, and is still made by Messrs. Abbott, Southall. It is not a cheap hive; it is. too good and durable to be cheap. My frames run parallel to the entrance, and a packed cork-dust dummy in some hives. and plain board dummy in others, with space at back. The sides of body are- llin., and in bee-gluey districts a 2in. piece at the back end should be made to turn down on two hinges; this gives a better chance of inserting a screw-driver to prise up the racks of sections if re- quired. My racks are of the usual size, to take twenty-one 4iin. by 4|in., twO' bee-way sections with slotted dividers. My best dividers are cut from thin zinc, and with these thin dividers I get very little propolisation. There is no difficulty in parting the sections, as is often the' case with wood or even thick tin dividers. Perhaps I should add my racks have slotted wooden rests and a plain follower, and a wedge to tighten up the sections. I use Abbott's broad shoulder frames, and fix a strip of wood each side of the section racks, so that the rack of sections, when on the hive, prevents any bees from escap- ing from the brood combs. I have never' used hanging frames for sections, or ex-* cluder under sections, but always use it- under shallow frames. — W. Woodlet, Beedon, Newbury. A NOVICE'S BEE-NOTES. [8311] Having been a Bee Jotjknai. reader for the past two years, I had a desire to start a hive of my own, so in^ June, 1910, I purchased a swarm from a^ friend in this village. The queen wa^- I)ec.. T, 1911.] the' MjETISH B& JOtrHNAL. 487 about eleven montlis ' old, but as it was such a cold summer, I got very little honey— about 111b. or 121b.— which I left in the hive, and supplemented this supply in the autumn by giving them 111b. of sugar made into syrup, according to direc- tions in the "Guide Book," and they came out in good condition in the spring of 1911. On the 6th of June last I decided to make an artificial swarm as the bees were increasing so fast which I succeeded in doing, and on the 10th Jul\ was rewarded by finding eggs in the hive. On that date l"made a second swarm, placing it on the old stand and removing the original stack to a new location, as I also did in the first instance. On 1st August I found eggs in the second stock ; thus I had three stocks all the progeny of one queen. I have had during the summer 381b. of extracted honey, and the bees have drawn out twenty-four sheets of foundation (standard frames), and fifteen shallows, also five shallow frames half-drawnj and when I examined them on 7tli September, I found two of the hives with nearly sufl&- cient honey to winter on^ and th_e third hive had four frames filled from top to bottom, besides five more nearly half full. I gave the three stocks 101b. of syrup, and I believe they will have sufficient to bring them through the winter. I may add that my stocks are just the ordinary dark coloured bees that have been in the village for a generation — quite forty years. I was also told that bees would not do any good round here^ as we are too near the sea for honey. Certainly. I know some that do not seem to do any good. Now, Mr. Editor, how does this experi- ence compare with other young bee- keepers? [Very well indeed. — Ed.] Some of my friends in the craft say they have never seen more perfect frames (they are all wired), and that my manipulations are all right, I am hoping to increase my stocks next year and get a few more pounds of honey. Wishing all brother bee-keepers success. — T. H. P., Grain- thorpe. JUSTICE TO WASPS. [8312] Witli reference to the "cutting " in "B.B.J.," page 472, from T. J. K., Leamington, the writer is wrong when he accuses the wasps of Warwick of having killed elm trees. It has been found by the scientists at Kew that these elms were attacked by a fungus called "slime-flux," and that the wasps only came to suck up the sweet fluid. The trees were doomed as soon as the slime-flux got to such lengths, and the was])s had no more to do with it than the dogs that licked the chariot had to do with the death of Ahab. — €r. G. Desmond. CAPPINGS OF COMB. BY L. S. CRAW SHAW, NORTON, MAI.TON, YORKS. Drone v. Worker Comb (p. 407). — As Mr. Harris pointedly remarks, when com- paring our opinions, that he writes from " actual practical experience," which does not appear to leave much loophole, ther6 is little for me to do but admit a dangerous leaning towards theory! He asks me questions, however, which admit of difference of opinion, and must forgive me if I appear to theorise in an endeavour to arrive at solutions. First, then, I think there can be no " practical objec- tion to worker comb in shallow frames. ^^ At least, it must depend upon the pur- pose of tile comb. If bees are to be reared in the combs, then worker cells, are desirable, but if the combs are to be devoted to the pi-'oductipn of extracted honey, drone size has many advantages I Mr. Harris himself points out : (1) the practical immunity from pollen (p. 345), and Mr. Herrod deals seriaUm with the question (p. 443) ; (2) less wax is required,, a small point, perhaps, but (3) allied to this, combs are more readily extended to the \^ide spacing ; (4) the natural instinct is complied with to the advantage of the bee-master ; and (o) the bees more readily adopt the super in springtime; (6) moisture is more easily evaporated, a big point ; and (7) honey leaves more readily, and thus m.ore is obtained in the extractor — a considerable gain. On the other hand, excluder must be used, a debatable disadvantage, and the comBs are not avail- able for driven bees, etc., as the bees can- not pack so well. But I have dealt with this point, in supposing a distinction between brood combs and super combs. The question is still further affected by the type of hive used. The user of the sectional hive is master of the situation, and well-filled drone combs can be placed outside the brood-nest. But if, as I judge, Mr. Harris uses the standard, he- must own surplus roofs to be able to use these shallow combs to advantage, other- wise standard combs would be preferable. And, according to his showing, they c«ase to be super combs when so used, so that he is forced into the necessity of removing them from shallow to standard frames. Apropos of this, if it must be done, would it not be better to substitute standard' end-bars and leave the comb attached to the original top-bar? I have abandoned this kind of work, and as for extracting from skep-combs, I can only describe it as a messy business. Again, the building up of pieces of comb into a larger frame in^ volves a number of transition cells, which result in tlie rearing of drones, the which Mr. Harris seeks to avoid. I do not object to a few drone cells in the extreme- corners, but I do not like them to occur in the centre of otherwise good combs. I 488 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNili. [Dec. 7, 1911. prefer, indeed^ to devote a comb to the purpose, and such comb is marked by a V-shaped notch cut out of the end of the top-bar, which gives it a swallow-tailed appearance. Mr. Harris further asks what I would do with heavy and perfectly opaque combs. Well, if they really were opaque, I should judge their opacity to be caused by honey-dew or — remote possi- bility— by much pollen, and I should give them to needy nuclei. What else could I do with them? Cei'tainly I should not extract them, as Mr. Harris seems to expect. Evidently, I misunderstood him as to drone comb in sections, but he wrote of "comb honey for show purposes," in connection with the freedom from pollen, so that my mistake was perhaps pardon- able. Be that as it may, I have had so ma-ny sections spoiled this year that I am seriously considering the use of drone base, instead of worker, for all super purposes. Wooden Extractor (p. 407). — I have never used one of these, but I imagine a danger in the hands of a less careful bee- keeper than Mr. Harris. For if it were left one season without being properly cleaned, would it not become tainted with sour honey.'' A "tin'' extractor requires equal care, but carelessness is not fatal. It can be heated and brushed over with hot paraffin wax, and made satisfactory. The best treatment is to let the bees clean the extractor out when thoroughly drained immediately after use. A Point of Order (p. 41S).— D. M. M. demands the name of the villain who said there were no young bees in the hive. I admit that I presumed it, if I did not actually say so. But D. M. M. implied it, I thought, for he wrote (p. 282) of in- troducing "eggs and larvse," to a stock in which no worker bee had been reared for months, if at all. Now, unless sealed or hatching brood, or young bees, were also introduced (and in my first and perhaps over-hasty reading, I presumed there were not), the resulting bees would find no larvpe to rear at their date of hatching. But even supposing brood were hatching, 1 doubt whether that would be sufficient. Such very young bees would not, I suggest, sufficiently influence the mind of the colony, already discouraged beyond measure by their abortive attempts to rear a queen. Nothing but the introduction of sufficient bees to re- organise the colony would suffice. Now having made that point afresh, I would ask D. M. M. to reperuse my note. For he has unintentionally misrepresented me as asserting inahility on the part of certain bees to perform certain functions. I referred, as he will see, to their re- luctance— which, however, I am willing to admit, for the sake of argument, implies a temporary incapacity, and I further stated that their performance would be, under the circumstances detailed, in- adequate. Beyond that I did not go, for, like D. M. M. himself, I am inclined, perhaps too much inclined, to measure the conclusions of others by the foot-rule of a necessarily limited experience. Upon re-reading D. M. M.'s note, I see he makes a point of the bees not being aged in the worn-out sense, but that is a little stretching of the term "young," as we understand it, is it not? In any case, my comment (p. 337) seems entirely to cover the point. A CHEAP AND WELL-MADE HIVE. We give below a very interesting account of this work done by an enthu- siastic young bee-keeper Mr. S. Heaselden, with a photograph on opposite page of a hive made by him. We had the pleasure of awarding this a first prize in its class at the C'rayford Show, and can testify to the excellence and accuracy of the work- manship, which would be a credit to a much older person. We prophesy a success- ful future in bee-keeping for its builder. Mr, Heaselden describes it as follows : " The hive is ' W.B.C.' pattern, and consists of a stand on splayed legs, a loose floor- board with sunk entrance, and a sloping alighting-board, bodj'-box with movable porch (which slopei3 to the sides) , regulating slides, one 7in. lift, one Gin. lift, and a roof which is calico covered, and after- wards painted. This makes it quite water- proof. The inner brood-chamber, with a division board, containing ten standard frames, is inside the body-box. I shall probably make the shallow frame, and section racks next spring, as I require them. All parts exposed to the weather are painted with three coats of white lead paint. The joints of the hive are dovetailed together, and the whole was made from two Quaker Oats boxes, costing 8d., and other old wood which was found about the yard. The paint cost Is. My age is six- teen, and I have made the hive from in- structions which I have heard at Mr. Herrod's lectures at Crayford." Queries and Replies. [8260] M'lntcrinq with a Super in Position. — Sting of the Bee. — I should be very much obliged if you would set my mind at rest upon the following: — In the early autumn, having extracted the honey fi'om the supers, 1 jjlaced the latter back on the hives again to be cleaned up. Before taking the supers away in the first place I had made certain that the honey- Dec. r, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 489 flow had ceased ; but shortly after this the drought was broken, and the bees in one hive set to work again, and stored a quantity of honey. This I left with them, and they are now wintered with a partly filled super, the combs of which they do not cover. Above this there is a chaff cushion and felt quilt. AYill they be able to generate sufficient he^t to survive the cold? I should be very loath to lose the stock. Another question I have been asked, and to which I have never been able to discover a reply, is : [8261] Sparinri Shallow Frames. — I shall be glad if you will kindly let me know through the medium of your valu- able "BB.J." whether it is advisable to space tlie shallow frames 2in. apart from centre to centre, or l^in., as I have seen this Y)]nn recommended, and also adversely spoken of. I feel inclined to favour it myself seeing that it would mean a saving of comb drawing to the bees to the extent of, say, two frames. If you advise this plan how do you fix the frames? as I have tried fixing them thus, but I can- MR. S. HEASELDON AND HIS PRIZE HIVE. "Does a bee die after having used its sting?" You will doubtless notice I am a beginner in beecraft, and I may say that the " B.B.J. " affords me pleasure every week. — E. N. P., Manchester. Reply. — (1) You must leave the super as it is now. Y'ou would do more harm by disturbing the bees in taking it off than in allowing it to remain. (2) The bee usually tears away the sting on account of the barbs. Allien this happens it dies in the course of a few hours. If it extracts the sting, which it can succeed sometimes in doing by going round and round, so freeing the barbs, it does not die. not get eight frames to fill the rack and get them 2in. from mid-rib to mid-rib. Perhaps I might overcome this difficulty by using extra wide metal ends, so if you advise this spacing kindly let me know what size ends I should use. — J. E. J., Pontardulais. Reply. — Shallow frames should be spaced 2in. apart after the comb is built out. Y"ou can obtain the wide metal ends for the purpose from any appliance dealer. [8262] Extmrfing Wax.— I should be very much obliged if you would kindly tell me what is the best method of 490 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Bee. 7, 1911. extracting the wax from brood-combs? I have used a " Gerster " extractor for some time, but it is a very slow and, I consider, unsatisfactory process. It takes almost q,s much coal to keep it going as the wax i^ worth, though it works very well with cappings or scraps of natural comb. The wax-extractors, fitted with screw presses, seem to be rather expensive, and the question is whether the benefit derived is worth the outlay. If it is a fair question to, ask, which one should you recommend? -^Wax, Woi-cester. Reply. — The best and cheapest way of extracting wax is by means of a " Solar " wax extractor. They soon repay their cost. Notices to Correspondents. Letters or queries asking for addresses of manu- facturers or correspondents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such informa- tion, 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 ivish our correspondents to bear in mind that, as' it is necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue imme- diately following the receipt of their communica- tions. W. Ion (Grimsby). — Producing Comb Honey. — Your questions Avould need page>s to answer properly, and as our space is limited you had better purchase ^1 copy of the " British Bee-keepers' Guide Book," in which you Avill find simple instructions for working. Briefly, you did wrong in driving the bees so late in the year, and it is doubtful if they will live. Should they siTrvive the winter, and are still weak in spring, unite them to make a strong colony. Anxious (Lazonby). — StocJc Short of Stores. — The stores will not be sufficient for the whole winter. To make all safe give a cake of soft candy ; medicated is best. W. A. C. (Castle Gary).— T/ie Common Wasp. — The wasps sent are queens. We have always found that the queens are much larger than the workers. E. A. (Leamington). — Honey District.— We regret our inability to speak of the district you mention with personal knowledge. Write to the Hon. Secre- tary of the Warwickshire Association, Mr. J. Noble Bower, Knowle, War- wicks. No doubt he will be able to give you the desired information. SANDVcnoFT (Renfrew). — Good Honcij Districts. — At present it would not be advisable to start in either of the counties you name, on account of the presence of '' Isle of Wight " disease there. Suspected Disease. A. B. C. ( Woolwich). ^The bees have died from " Isle of Wight " disease. All combs and internal fittings of the hive should be burnt. ' R. W. W. (Suffolk).— They are suffering either from "Isle of Wight" disease or I malignant dysentery. Send a few bees I (alive, if possible) to Dr. Maiden, Medical i Schools, Cambridge, for his opinion. ,; A. D. T. (Nantwich).— Yes, isolate the affected colonies, and write Dr. Maiden again. Inquirer (Basingstoke). — We regret to say that the bees show distinct symptoms of " Isle of Wight " disease. Honey Samples. J. C. A. (Grangemouth);— The heather honey, you send is good in every respect except density. The defect is due to an admixture of other honey, probably clover. A. C. S. (Norwich).— A light-coloured honey of good flavour and aroma, gathered from mixed sources. Special Prepaid Advertisements. Two Words One Penny, minimum SiKpence. uraers for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers Record" free of charge Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate Out will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum charge of 3s. per i in., or 5s. per inch PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. REVOLVING OBSERVATORY BEEHIVE iron iirT. ?^i^- taking two Standard frames, 15s.— ii 4ET- WRIGHT, FernJiurst. ^ 4^ G^?? ¥^M7 HONEY, 56s. per cwt.; sample, 3d.— DEAN, Bower Vale, Epping. r 40 ^CWT. BEST HAMPSHIRE HONEY, granulated, #i7im-'"-u^^-lJ" 281b tins; single tin, 15s.-COR- BETT, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Andover. r 39 HONEY, first quality Sections, 8s. dozen, three dozen 23s.— R. COUSINS, The Rosary, Mis- terton, GainsboTough. r 38 SEVERAL dozen lib. jars Light Honey, 7s. 6d. per dozen : few strong Stocks, on eight frames. — L. W. MATTHEV^^S, Great Rollright, Oxon. r37 -j i^LB. extra light Beeswax, Is. 8d. per lb., .JL/^ carriage paid.— AVERY, Deverill, Warmin- ster, r 36 HONEY in 141b. tins; granulated, at 6d. per lb.; sample, 2d.— W. JOHNSON, Melbourn, Cambs. r 35 5 CWT. good medium Honey for sale, granulated, 281b. tins; sample, 2d.— HAZZARD, Hadden- ham, Ely. r 34 HEATHER HONEY, 16oz. screw cap jars. 10s. dozen; 6 for 5s. 6d.; sample, 3d.— COOPER, Thorley, Isle of Wight. r 32 OFFERS WANTED for two Bee Hives, with fittings. Makers, Overton, Crawley.— Apply by letter to WOOD, 13, Dyers-lane, Putney, r 31 Dec. 14, 1911] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 491 Editorial, Notices, &c. REVIEW. Bees and Honey, or First Lessons in Bee-keeping (G. W. York and Co. 117, North Jefferson Street, Chicago, U.S.A., price 50 cents. 2s. Id.).— This is a new edition of "Bees and Honey," written by Thomas G. Newman, editor of the American Bee Journal, and published first in 1878, under the title of " Bee Cul- ture, or Successful Management of the Apiary." The present edition has been revised by Mr. C. P. Dadant, one of the most successful honey producers and the reviser of the last edition of Langstroth's book, so this is a guarantee that the work is well done. The book before us is prin- cipally intended for beginners ; it contains the foundation principles of bee-keeping, and is not meant to take the place of the larger works on the subject. Progress in bee-keeping has been so great during the last thirty years that we are not surprised to find that much which appeared in the earlier editions has had to be left out, new matter taking its place. The book consists of 189 pages, is profusely illustrated, and the cover, which represents a reproduction of a comb showing sealed honey-cells and brood in all stages of development, at once shows that the work is devoted to bees. A number of useful recipes will be found at the end in which honey figures both as medicine and food, nearly four pages con- taining recipes for various sorts of cakes. HONEY IMPORTS. The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom during the month of November, 1911, was £5,326.— From a return furnished to the British Bee Journal by the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs. HOW POLLEN IS COLLECTED BY THE SOCIAL BEES, AND THE PART PLAYED IN THE PROCESS BY THE AURICLE. By F. W. L. Sladen, F.E.S.* (Illustrated with Drawings by the Author.) At the base of the hind metatarsus of the worker honey-bee there is a strange thorn-like projection, named by Kirby the auricle. The auricle forms with the apical end of the tibia, which is truncate, a powerful pair of pincers, tlie function of which, according to modern text-books on the honey bee, is " for removing the scales of wax from the abdomen." * Copyright reserved by the Author. A few days ago, feeling dissatisfied with this as a full explanation of the function of the auricle, more particularly because the wax of the queen and worker humble- bee, which also possess the auricle, is soft and sticky, I determined to carefully examine the auricle and its socket in the tibia in some specimens in my collection, and found that in several queen humble- bees the socket contained particles, not of wax, but of pollen. Moreover, in a worker humble-bee {Bomhus vuderatus), which had been captured in the act of collecting pollen, and had a small quantity of this substance in each corbicula or pollen-basket, the space between the auricle and its socket was crammed full of pollen, the pollen extending from here in an unbroken mass on to the apical end of the corbicula. It then occurred to me that the auricle might be used to push the pollen on to the corbicula, and on looking for corroboration I saw a beauti- ful apparatus for this. The structure of the auricle with the surrounding parts is essentially the same both in the honey-bee and the humble-bee, though there are differences in detail, and while not denying that it is used in the honey-bee for holding the wax scales, I think it is plain that its primary function in both bees is to assist in conveying the pollen to the corbicula. How it does this adds an interesting page to the wonderful story of the life of the bee that is not given in our text books. The inner side, that is the side next the body, of the metatarsus, is densely clothed with stiff, short bristles (in the honey-bee these form ten transverse rows) . These bristles, as Cheshire and Cowan observe, constitute the pollen-collecting brush by which the pollen is gathered from the hairs on the body, and in my B. vuderatus worker they were thickly covered, towards the apex, with pollen. Along the apical end of the tibia on the inner side, bounding like a wall the socket of the auricle, is a comb called the pecten. The function of the comb is, clearly, to scrape the pollen off the metatarsal brush into the space between the auricle and its socket, for this is where we next find the pollen, the pollen on the metatai-sus of the left leg being gathered by the comb on the right tibia, and that on the metatarsus of the right leg being collected by the comb on the left tibia. And now, with the space between the auricle and the end of the tibia stuffed full of pollen, what is the next stage? Simply by the straightening of the'^leg, the auricle enters its socket and the poUen is forced outwards and upwards on to the corbicula.. By a continual repetition of this process the corbicula is o-raduallv loaded, each fresh contribution being pressed up by the auricle and 492 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Dec. 14, 1911. tending to push forward the mass that has gone before. It is now clear why the corbicula is so perfectly smooth and impunctate, for the pollen actually slides up it. The edge of the corbicula is fringed all round with long, slightly incurved hairs to retain the accumulated pollen, except — and this is very significant^ — that portion of it which adjoins the socket of the auricle, and here the corbicula is slightly hollowed. Over this hollowed entrance to the corbicula the hairs springing from either side form an arch. In the humble-bee this arch appears to be for the purpose of safely guiding the stream of pollen on to the corbicula, but in the honey-bee there is another arrangement to carry out this duty, and in both bees the main function of the arch of hairs is probably to hold the accumulated pollen without interfering with the passage of fresh pollen on to the corbicula. and guides it on to the corbicula. The process is easily understood by referring to Fig. 4, which demonstrates strikingly the modification of structure for forcing material through the legs outwards and upwards. I made the drawangs of the leg of the honey-bee here shown from freshly-killed specimens, and, while view- ing them under my microscope, muscular action caused the joint to open and shut and showed how perfectly the auricular fringe performs its duty. In the humble-bee the entrance into the corbicula is not perfectly hairless, but is densely clothed with short fluflf (mossy hairs), and bears about three basket hairs. In the honey-bee there are traces of fluflp, but no longer hairs. The presence of the fluff and hairs is probably to pi'event the pollen sli23ping off at its start. It is to be obseiTed that the auricle does n<:it merely push forward the pollen, but acts in conjunction with its socket corbicula FIG. 1. HIND-LEGS OF QUEEN OF Bovihus Terrestris. There is an angle between the surface of the socket of the auricle and that of the entrance to the corbicula. In the humble-bee this angle is obtuse, and so the pollen is easily jiushed on to the cor- bicula. But in the honey-bee the angle (see Fig. 4) is much sharper, the surface of the socket of the auricle being concave (in the humble-bee it is slightly concave), and the auricle is produced into a lamel- late wing, its surface being also concave. The pollen, when compressed between the auricle arid its socket, can find no way of escape except by forcing back the weak wing of the auricle, and so it passes to the outer side of the leg. Here, owing to the sharpness of the angle, it would fail to pass on to the corbicula, but this is prevented by a fringe of hairs on the auricle, which deflects the stream of pollen as a pollen press, and this is probably a very important and essential function, tor the pollen on the metatarsus is in a loose condition. Unless each little contribu- tion was well compressed before being added to the bulk on the corbicula it would crumble to pieces. But a press that stamps out each lot of pollen as a separate cake would be useless ; this is prevented in the humble-bee by the shelv- ing away of the surface of the socket, and in the honey-bee by the yielding wing of the auricle. And so each little lot of pollen is not only compressed, but is plastered firmly to the lump on the cor- bicula. Different specimens of queen and worker humble-bees in my collection showed the whole process in different stages; it was also shown well in a worker of Apis Dec. 14, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 493 dorsata from India, caught after it had collected a little pollen. The fact that the pollen, always begins to collect at the apical end of the corbiculii is now satisfactorily explained. To test the working of the auricle and its socket, I relaxed a queen of Bomb us lapidarious, and after filling the socket with some pollen that I dug out of a comb from one of my hives, I worked the joint and began loading the corbicula just as the bee does it. I was struciv with the freedom of action of the joint and noticed that the auricle could be placed in its socket in various positions, so that it can not only compress pollen there, but it can scrape M^ /Metatarsus out the socket, and on the other hand can deliver the pollen right on to the corbicula. It should be added that the metatarsi of the middle pair of legs also possess pollen brushes, and the pollen dust is gathered by these (at least in the humble-bee) out of the hairs on the upper surface of the thorax. The pollen dust on these legs is moistened with honey from the tongue, and is conveyed to the Corbiculae of the, hind4egs in the manner explained. Prob- ably it is also conveyed to the hind meta- tarsi by rubbing the legs together. Un- less the pollen dust was thus moistened it would not cohere. Although our modern authors do not connect the auricle with pollen-gathering, Kirby, writing of the parasitic humble- bees, now included in the genxis Psithyrus^ said : — " The females and neuters of these in- sects, it is probable, do not, like the rest of the Bombinatrices, carry masses of wrought pollen upon their hind-legs, or they would have been furnished with a corbicula for that purpose ; from the ab- sence of the pecten of the posterior tibia, and of the auricle at the base of the planta, which are usually concomitants of the cor- bicula, we may conjecture that these in- struments, which are over against each other, are given to the insects which have them for the purpose of preparing their little masses of pollen ; the pecten, which consists of strong bristles, probably break- ing the grains, and the auricle assisting to knead them into a paste, previous to their being laid upon the tibia.'' (" Monographia Apum Anglife," 1802, vol. 1, page 210.) But Cheshire, in '"' Bees and Bee-keeping," vol. 1, page 132, sajs that in the honey- bee the pollen is transferred from the meta- tai-sal brush (or combs as he calls it) by the "metatarsus scraping its comb-face on the vipper edge of the opposite tibia, in the direction from the base of the combs towards their tips. These upper hairs are nearly straight, and pass between theeomb- teeth. The pollen as removed is caught by the bent-over hairs and secured. Each scrape adds to the mass, until the face of the joint is more than covered and the hairs just embrace the pellet." I have proved bj- experiment that the wax of the humble-bee exudes from between the dorsal segments of the abdomen, not as stated by Hoffer and others, from the ventral side, and that the wax is collected like pollen on the hind metatarsal brushes, but does not pass on to the corbicula. Looking through the workers of several species of Meliponn in my collection, I notice that althougli they possess a very wide corbicula and a pecten, the auricle is absent, and the metatarsi are extremely narrow at the base. Apparently therefore in these bees the pollen is not compressed, but is scraped on to the corbicula by the pecten in a loose state, and the corbicula bears a beautiful rack like a long-toothed comb to retain it. The shape of the metatarsus, however, suggests that the metatarsus may sometimes be bent up sa 494 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Dec. 14, 1911. that its upper edge presses against the end of the tibia to form a pollen press. In the solitary bees there is no corbi- cula, the pollen being conveyed on brushes situated either on the hind-legs or on the underside of the abdomen. EXPLANATION OF DRAWINGS. Figure 1. Hind-legs of queen of Bomhus t^rrestris. Figure 2. End view of hind tibia of Bomhus terrestris queen, showing arch of hairs covering entrance to corbicula. P, comb or pecten. S, socket of auricle. J, juncture of the metatarsus with the tibia (this is a ball and socket joint, the socket in the tibia being here shown). F, hollowed entrance of the corbicula, covered with fluff and bearing only three strong hairs. Figure 3. End of tibia and base of metatarsus in hind-leg of worker honey- bee, outer side, showing the pollen press open and closed. P, comb or pecten. A, auricle. S, socket of auricle. AH, fringe of hairs on auricle for guid- ing pollen on to the corbicula. Figure 4. Section through auricle and end of tibia in honey-bee worker. O, surface of corbicula. Other lettering as in the other figures. HELPFUL HINTS FOR NOVICES. By W. Herrod. PROCURING SURPLUS. (Continued from page 463.) The removal of supers is the next operation, and probably the one which is faced with more mingled pleasure and drea-d than any other by the novice. This was excusable in days gone by, but the improvements in bee-keeping appliances have rendered the majority of manipula- tions simple and expedient in the hands of the thoughtful and careful bee-keeper. In the case of shallow-frame supers, the honey should be allowed to remain on the hive as long as possible to ripen thoroughly. "What do you mean by ripening honey?" asks the novice. Grenerally he is so anxious to take off his first surplus that he overlooks this im- portant factor in the process of obtaining good saleable honey, that will keep for any length of time when properly stored. In passing, this is a matter often little understood even by bee-keepei-s of long standing. I have tasted honey over thirty years old that was as good in flavour and aroma as on the day it was taken off, simply because it was harvested and stored in a proper manner. Honey, when first placed in the cells, contains an excessive amount of moisture, which, if allowed to remain, would eventually cause fermentation. This is evaporated by the heat generated by the bees, it condenses on the side of the hive and runs away at the entrance. To see this for yourself, go to a colony very early in the morning, when the honey-flow is at its height, and you will see the mois- ture coming away from the entrance. All the bees being at home at night, evapora- tion takes place quicker then tlian at any other time. To facilitate this the bees change the honey from one cell to another, so that the .heat can penetrate the liquid better, just as good wine is racked off into other bottles from time to time to mature it and get rid of the sedi- ment. In my last hints I said the empty super should always be placed underneath the full one to prevent over-crowding and swarming. Here we have another important reason why the partly-filled super should be lifted. Heat rises, therefore by lifting to the top it is placed in the warmest part of the hive, so that the honey ripens quicker. When thoroughly ripe, and not until, except in very rare instances, the bees seal over the honey hermetically with cappings made of pure wax. If sealed before it is ripe, the same result occurs that would happen in the case of insufficiently boiled jam placed in jars and tied down; fermentation would take place, and the honey would be spoilt. Tiering up of supers must be carried out with care and foresight, to avoid having a number of combs at the end of the season with a quantity of unsealed honey in them. By the exercise of a little trouble this can be avoided; in fact, in small apiaries there is no excuse at all for such a condition. Dec. 14, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 495 We will suppose, as an illustration, that the second super has been on for some little time, and that in it, as well as the upper one, there are oombs complete and incomplete. Instead of putting on a third super, remove the top one, take out the incompleted combs and replace them with completed ones from the second super. Put all the unsealed and in- complete combs into the second super, when being next the bees they will be finished off, whereas if a third super were added the bees would commence working upon it, and if the honey-flow ceased before it was finished Ave should have a number of combs containing unsealed and unripe honey. The same would not be wasted, as it can be got into condition, but that entails a lot of extra work and trouble ; also the honey is never so good as when ripened in the natural way by the bees. The novice is, as a rule, anxious to do the best he can for his bees, and very often is over zealous. For instance, he reads that to prevent the bees from swarming a good plan is to cut out queen- cells, so he goes about every other day to the supered stock, removes the supers, and searches diligently for queen-cells. All this can be avoided to a very great extent if the first super is put on at the right time. Once let the bees get the desire to swarm by being cramped for room, and there will be difficulty in pre- venting swarming for a week or two, although the supers are in place. Let the bees alone as much as possible com- patible with proper management, and they will thrive all the better for it. If it is considered necessary to remove queen-cells, (this can easily be ascertained by the bees crowding at the entrance, although every- thing possible has been done in the way of adding supers, giving ventilation, &c.) ; then examine the brood-nest and remove all queen-cells. The work should be done at mid-day, for the reason given pre- viously. Place a board slanting from the entrance to the ground, as for hiving a swarm. Take out the combs one by one, and brush or shake the bees clear from each on to the board at the front ; by so doing every queen-cell and commencement of cells can be seen at once and destroyed. I defy the most experienced bee-keeper to do this work thoroughly without remov- ing the bees ; if even the base of a queen- cell is missed the labour is in vain, as the bees will swann as they intended. Should all quieten down the operation need not be repeated, but if at the end •of about nine or ten days the bees crowd again at the entrance then make another examination. (To he cnnfinued.) Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications- BEE CULTURE IN KASHMIR. [8313] Bees in Kashmir have many enemies to contend with, but they liave one great advantage in the length of the warm season. Even when the night temperatures are below freezing point, in the daytime the semi-tropical sun shines warmly and enables bees to bring in pollen and honey from hardy plants, such as cosmea, helianthus, dahlias, mignonette, and sweet sultan. As late as the second week of November stores are still being brought in, although the amount is very limited. In the winter the cold is in- tense, the thermometer in January sometimes registering zero. Last winter I used sawdust for extra packing, and also covered in the hives with dry grass, put on slabs of candy in case of need, and then left the bees absolutely alone. On March 6th the first crocuses were out, and it was amusing to see the race for pollen. The bees jostled and hustled each other as they struggled into the partially open blossoms. As they were so keen, I put flour in, and also dis- tributed little saucers of it among the flower-beds, and these were soon emptied. "To him that hath shall be given," is a truth verified by daily experience. Two outside swarms came to me — the first as early as March 25th, and the second on April 15th. As these were both small, I united them, and fed them well till the fruit-blossom appeared. The spring in Kashmir is perfectly glorious. In addition to pears, apples, cherries, plums and quinces there are large numbers of peach trees with their masses of pink blossom, but owing to the great sun heat the fruit trees very soon cast off their gay robes and assume the more sober green garment of summer. Swarming usually occurs in the last week of April or the first few days of May — earlier than in England — but by giving plenty of room and ventilation, three out of five of my hives gave off no swarms. Kashmir swarms are apt to be wild, and rising rapidly to dash off beyond all possibility of control. One which I caua-ht and hived bolted on the second 496 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Dec. 14, 1911. day, as I had omitted to put "excluder" across the entrance to keep the queen at home. Outside two of the hives which did not swarm dead young queens were found. Owing to the drought, hornets were very troublesome. The first was seen on April 22nd. From that time they steadily increased, and often as many as ten a day were killed. Strong hives are able to protect themselves, the bees massing on the alighting-board when the hornet comes near. If it tries to pick off ii bee the others hang on, and running vip, ball the hornet. I have seen this occur several times. Once the ball rolled off the alighting-board, and the colony con- structed a rope of bees, on to which it hung like an attenuated swarm. This year scrupulous -insulation of the hives in water completely protected them from the depredations of ants, except in one case, where some ardent red ones walked over the dead bodies of their dro^^ned comrades. Should, liowever, any bee be guilty of indiscretion or excess, and come back too late, or drink too much nectar or honey, the ants always formed an avenging Nemesis, and it was often a horrid sight to see them attacking living victims which had fallen on to the ground. The time for the honey harvest in Kashmir is at the beginning of October. This year I attained the ideal of the small amateur, with four or five hives, and obtained enough, honey for the con- sumption of my own household and for sale to friends. Although shallow frames were well filled, once more I failed to get bees to go up into sections, through the colonies not being strong enough. The Kashmir bee appears to be somewhat smaller than the English variety. Possibly, as a consequence, I was much troubled by their inveterate habit of building cross brace-combs. There is also great uncertainty as to w^hether comb foundation will be properly drawn out. In some cases they have constructed parallel combs between two sheets of foundation, in others they have built their own combs on to the foundation, but left the latter intact and of full thickness. This year the honey was so dense that it was difficult to empty the combs with the extractor. _ Of enemies, wax moth is the most per- sistent ; some of the grubs were two inches long, so it appears to be a larger breed than the British. Owing to the warm autumn days I have found that November is the best month for doing the final feed up with warm syrup. This year I have also left an extra supply of honey in two of the hives with a view to 'obtaining really strong colonies next year. So far I have been unable to import foreign queens, Mhich I regret, as, judging from the general similarit}' of climate, Ligurians ought to do well. The great gentleness of Kashmir bees is noteworthy. When they are having supplies of artificial food you can handle them with impunity, subduers of any kind being rarely necessary. The workers appear to be somewhat smaller than English bees. — Ernest F. Neve, Kashmir. A GOOD "TAKE." [8314] It was a swarm late in the spring of 1910 which settled on an old apple-tree in the vicarage garden at Water- stock, Oxfordshire. It is alwaj's the un- expected which has such a perverse way of happening, and therefore, of course, no- thing was ready for the due and worthy reception of the humming crowd, and to fetch a hive from the nearest town — Oxford ■ — eight miles away, meant possibly that the " Spirit of the Hive," as Maeterlinck loves to call it, would have incited the restless cro'R'd to seek other pastures ; therefore an old box standing by was requisitioned for the moment, the resolve being that a new hive should be procured on the morrow. But, alas ! that morrow never came. Pre- vented by the myriad demands of a coun- try cure of souls, it was a week before the newly "boxed" swarm could have atten- tion, and then it was found that so rapidly had they proceeded with the furnishing and fitting of their home, that it were a shame to disturb their labour. Box and bees were placed on the top of the new hive, which had at length arrived, hoping that they would work out the frames below. But again another trouble arose. Frame- hives measure, as we know, about 16in. over all in length, but our box measured 21in. in length; slates therefore had to be requisitioned to ledge on the top of the frames, and to extend under the overlap- ping box. Thus packed and fortified they M'ent to " bee-bye " during the last winter. In the spring of this year of grace the expert on his tour suggested that it would be a saving of time and trouble to drive the bees, cut out the combs, and tie them into the empty bars of a frame-hive, which was done. As, however, there were more combs with brood than could be utilised below, it was resolved to place the box on the hive again with excluder zinc beneath it, and after due time allowed for hatching the remaining larvse, to replace the box with the usual racks of sections, or shallow frames. But " man proposes and bees disjiose " — at any rate they did in this instance. They were in- sects of character, had a determined will of their own, and were not to be confined 'twixt straitened walls. So in their thousands they teemed up into the space Dec. 14, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 497 above. Nectar in the fields was abundant, of space there was ample, and the workers were willing. What wonder, then, that the work went right merrily on. The interior measured 20in. by 13in. by 13in. One wonders how the pliant wax could bear the weight. There were two perfectly straight built combs of these dimensions each measuring 260 square inches, or the two together 520 cubic inches. It was not possible to measure the other combs ; they were irregularly built, as we know they often are, but every possible inch was filled, and the contents being weighed struck the beam at 1031b. vicious lot of bees using their lancets re- morselessly, you, too, would have been glad to place it gently and safely on its side and trust to Providence. Nor is it "professional" for an expert to wear a veil. But if the bees, scornmg the power of the human eye, find a delight in going tor that same organ, or the nose, being prominent, and getting there, I commend his discretion as being the better part of valour. Of the driving of those bees from the box and the cutting out of the combs the expert writes nothing. Those who have essayed a similar task, when the bees will BEES IN A BOX. It would have been a pity not to have preserved a photographic record of such a "take," and therefore the Rev. E. C. Spicer, the fortunate owner of the hive, brought the camera into action. Now I know that critics will at once say, "What a very stujDid fellow that expert was to turn the box on its side. Why did he not place the box so that the combs hung per- pendicular?" Perfectly true, my dear critics, but if you had a box filled with honey weighing nearly one hundred- weight and a quarter on the top of a frame- hive threatening to topple over from head- weight, and in addition a remarkably stick in the farthest corner and the combs begin to break, know the delights of the work. It sufficeth that it was managed to the satisfaction it is believed of all con- cerned. One is tempted to quote the Per- sian proverb : " Lick up the honey and ask no ques- tions." {Maqamat of Heriri.) Now, from experiences such as these much wisdom may be drawn, and what are the special moral lessons here inculcated? First, always in swarming time (this lesson is for bee-keepers) have your hives ready for vour bees. Don't let vour bees have tO' 498 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Dec. 14, 1911. wait for the hive. The possibilities are that if the hive had been ready in this instance the take would have been many pounds heavier. Second (this is for any- one), never put off until to-morrow what you can do to-day. You may have a fixed and firm intention when you retire to rest to be up and doing early in the morning. Howevei-, we are told that a certain broad road leading to a place not often men- tioned in good society is paved with good intentions, but as it is not within the [ memory of man that anyone who has travelled on that way has ever returned we have no confirmation of this legend. It is " not proven." A bee-keeper also might have made a third deduction, viz., " What a grand queen there must have been ! Why not raise other queens from her?"— J. Smallwood. HAMPSHIRE NOTES. "isle of wight" disease. [8315] It is now some time since I sent any communication to the " B.B.J.," not since the above disease has made its ap- pearance in England (at least in its pre- sent form), and though not wishing to un- duly trespass on your valuable space, I should like to give a brief account of its peculiarities as experienced by myself. My trouble began in the autumn of 1910, some few colonies being at that time entirely destroyed, and then in the spring of 1911 colonies went under very rapidly, until I had lost thirty odd stocks. In the beginning of the month of May I still had about a dozen lots affected, which I cer- tainly had no hope of saving, but, to my surprise, towards the end of the month I noticed a marked improvement, and one by one those affected colonies seemed to quite recover ; early in June they began to increase in strength veiy rapidly, and before the end of the month almost all had supers on. I naturally at- tributed such a wonderful change to the weather, the like of which we had not ex- perienced for many years, and I really began to hope that such a glorious change had killed the disease. But I have now something else to tell, for at the first ap- pearance of dull weather the disease began to reappear, and to-day it is rapidly spreading in all directions in a more malignant form than hitherto, being much more rapid in its destructive work, though the first symptoms are exactly the same. In connection with this disease there is one thing I particularly wish to mention, namely, the uncertainty of the extent and nature of the contagion. For instance, there is a doubt in my mind if combs are contagious, and if combs are not, hives are not, and if such a supposition should prove to be true much of our trouble and loss | ceases. If I state the following facts it will be seen w)iy I have strong doubts as to the infectious nature of combs. Two swarms (quite by accident) took possession of hives and combs in which the bees had been killed by "I.O.W." disease. Both hives were supposed to be bee-proof, but in one instance the swarm found its way through the cone escape in the roof, which had been forgotten. When it was discovered that swarms had taken possession of these hives they were given up as lost, much to the sorrow of the owner. Day by day they were anxiously watched, but up to the pre- sent moment there is not a trace of disease. Now, I can vouch for the absolute truth of the above statement, for I am the owner of those swarms, and even should disease break out with them now, there would still be no proof that the combs are contagious, because of the fact that it is not only those colonies which were diseased in the spring that are showing it now, but others which were perfectly healthy, and also swarms of this year. There is just one other noticeable feature which I must men- tion before I finish these notes. Sugar- feeding has been suggested as a cause of this disease, but, strange as it may seem, those colonies sugar-fed (sugar only) have been in several cases to my knowledge the only ones to escape. I have always gone in very strongly for natural stores, and the above facts will not alter nay convic- tion .OS to the advantage of these in a general way; yet facts are facts, and I am certain that sugar- fed colonies withstand the disease, if not entirely, to a very great extent, and I feel equally certain that pollen has not so much to do with the complaint as honey itself. Thoufvh \n the early days I thought it was set up by pollen, I now feel certain that to search for the cause along this line will be utter waste of time. Not that I wish to imply that either honey or pollen is actually the cause of disease, but that the disease (of whatever nature it may be) seems to find a better medium in honey than in syrup, and that the well-known " clog " is not caused by masses of pollen. I must apologise for the length of this letter, but I trust it will be of some interest, if not of any help in solving the problems of this mysterious malady. — O. Beowning, Hants. A GOOD BEE-PLANT. [831 6J As an old bee-keejser who keeps fairly up to date in bee lore, I do not re- member reading anything about the shrub BitddJcia Glohosa as being useful to the bees. I have had one bush in my garden for several years, and it is a pleasant sight when in flower to see three or four bees working upon each ball of blossom. The flower consists of three, four, or five round Dec. 14, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 499 orange-coloured balls upon a stem ; the balls or globes are a mass of V-shaped cups from which the bees gather the nectar. The flowers have a peculiar smell of wax (slightly), which most bee-keepers are familiar with. I would like to know if other bee-keepers have observations in any way corresponding with mine. There are otlier species, I believe. — J. Brown, Poly- phaet, Launceston. BEDFORD B.K.A. LECTURE AT BEDFORD. It is not often that the busy human bees that swann in the street on Satur- day afternoons can furnish many of their number to hear an educational lecture, but oh the occasion of a lecture given by Mr. "VV. Herrod, F.E.S., Secretary to the British Bee-keepers' Association, the gathering was large and representative of town and country. It was a lecture which illustrated the best uses of the kinema as a means of making quite familiar the ways of the provident insect, and some phases of bee management that many people might never come into practi- cal contact with in the cou;i*se of a life- time and which the more timid ones Avould be quite content to read about in Maeterlinck. The lecture, which was held on Saturday, November 28th, at the Modern School Hall, Bedford, was given under the auspices of the Bedford Bee- keepers' Association by arrangement with the County Education Committee. Mr. H. Trustram Eve, President of the Association, was in the chair. He con- gratulated Mrs. Hemsley, the Hon. Secretary of the Association, upon having originated this excellent idea of having a meeting to hear Mr. Herrod and to see Mr. J. Beo Mason's beautiful pictures of bee-life, and upon the very encouraging attendance of her friends. Mr. Herrod first showed a number of lantern views, and said the kinema pictures to follow were now shown for the first time before an Association out of London. Bee-keeping was suitable for both sexes, especially in these days when ladies are taking up so much work which has been the privilege of men, and it was a subject which both practically and theoretically would appeal to the ladies. In New Zealand and the Orange Free State the Government apiculturists were women. People who lived in the country thought they knew a great deal about it, but he once came across a man who had been keeping bees for forty years, and never saw a queen bee till he (Mr. Herrod) showed him one. Inexpensive text-books could be obtained, and a good deal learnt by reading, but there were people who did not believe in " book- larning," and no doubt a good deal of knowledge could be picked up by practice,, only tbey might spend a life-time in doing it, and have to leave off when their education was getting fairly advanced. | Mr. Herrod also- touched upon the physiology and practical work of this ' wonderful insect, and concluded his in- ' teresting address by showing the value of bees in pollinating the flowers of fruit trees, and so promoting the production of fruit. Mr. J. Bee Mason then exliibited i his kinema pictures of bee life. Very amusimg it was to watch the young ; bees wriggling out of their cells and shaking themselves as they walked off. The birth and acceptance of the young queen was witnessed, and the ignominious ejection of the rejected one. The disablement and casting-out of the drones, the building of the comb, the capture of the swann, the search for a truant swarm, the hiving and settle- ment in a new home, the capture of a swarm and a store of honey in a beer-barrel were among the wonderful living pictures shown.. Instruction of great practical value was conveyed by the pictures illus- trative of bee management, the pre- paration of sections, the extraction of honey by centrifugal force, &c. They ! were mai-vellous pictures of the inner history and intimate life of the bee. In answer to questions, Mr. Herrod said the temperature of the hive is raised by the bees eating more food, and lowered by the fanning of their wings. Cross- bred bees are cross and not nice to handle, but they are prolific and good workers. Pure cane sugar syrup is used for feeding in winter. The Chairman said they had had a delightful hour, and thanked the lecturer and Mr. Bee Mason for his pictures ; also Mr. Kaye for kindly lending the hall. — Communicated . Queries and Replies. [8263] Aitificial Increase. — I should like your opinion as to whether the following plan would be successful : — (1) I propose to divide a hive with an excluder zinc dummy, make a small entrance at one end, and then put two frames of honej' and brood, with a ripe queen celi on it, in that end. When the new queen becomes fertilised I should remove the old queen and the dummy. Would a perforated wooden dummy be 500 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Dec. 14, 1911. better than the zinc, and if a section rack is on could both lots work in it? When the dummy is removed, should I dust the bees with flour? (2) If I have a nucleus colony, and want to unite it to another, would I have to cage the queen, or just dust the bees with flour after killing one of the queens? I have only been a bee-keeper for two years, and I started on my own when seventeen years old. — P. Wilson. Reply. — (1) You could work in this way, and as the bees would all have the same scent there would be no need to flour them! (2) Yes. Cage the queen for at least twelve hours, in addition to dusting the bees as you suggest. [8264] Various Queries.^-l shall be much obliged if you will give me a, little light in your valuable paper on the following questions: — (1) Is it possible for a queen to be mated in captivity, i.e., without letting her go on her first flight? (2) Would you advise oil- cloth as a sheet or quilt? It seems to me to prevent all ventilation and to collect moisture through evapoiation. (3) An empty hive (but fitted with eight combs of brood foundation) was taken possession of by a swarm this summer. The next morn- ing, when complimenting myself on my luck, I found it had decamped again. The hive is a good W.B.C., and has been used for many years past. What could have been the reason of this desertion ? Hoping that that most useful and instructive chapter "Hints to Beginners" may con- 'tinue. — Lancastrian Bee. Reply. — (1) No. It is quite impossible. (2) You are quite right ; oilcloth should on no account be used as it collects damp, which is fatal to the well-being of the colony. Use calico or ticking, then about three pieces of some warm felty material. (3) Swarms will very often develop this trait of restlessness. To prevent them absconding it is advisable to put into the hive a comb of unsealed brood. We are pleased that you find " Helpful Hints " so useful. [8265] DeaUng irith Gronidated Sec- tions.— I shall be grateful if, through the medium of the "B.B.J.," which is a weekly help to me, you could advise me in the following difficulty. I have some sections, which, in spite of their having been stored in a suitable place, have be- come granulated. As they are now, of course, unfit for sale, I should be pleased if you could tell me how I can reliquefy and extract the honey from the wax. — J. StF-ELE. Reply. — Cut the sections out, place them in an earthenware vessel, stand it in water, and heat until the wax just melts. Allow the mass to stand until cold; you will then be able to lift off the wax and strain the honey. Rainfall, 5 41 in. Above Average 2 39 WEATHER REPORT. Westbourne, Sussex. ^November, 1911. Minimum on Grass 22" on 22nd. Frosty nights, 9. Mean maximum, 499. Mean minimum, 36' 8 Mean temperature, 43-3. Above average, 01 Maximum barome- ter, 30339 on 30th. Minimum barome- ter, 28-837 on 18th. L.B. Birkett. Heaviest fall, 110 on 11th. Rain fell on 20 days. Sunshine, 537 hrs. Below aver., 14'9 hrs., Brightest day, 1st. 5 9 hours. Sunless Days, 7 Maximum tempera- ture, 58° on 4th. Minimum tempera- ture, 27° on 11th Notices to Correspondents Suspected Disease. E. A. B. (Hants).— (1) The bees have "Isle of Wight " disease. (2) It is quite possible that the germs have lain dor- mant for that time. Novice (Dudley). — We are much afraid that the trouble is "Isle of Wight'' disease. A. G. C. (Surrey). — The bees show every sign of " Isle of Wight " disease. The queen was amongst the bees sent. We should not advise you to use the honey, you had better destroy everything in the hive. R. W. R. (Ripon). — There is every appear- ance of" "Isle of Wight" disease about the bees vou send. Special Prepaia Advertisements. Two Words One Fenny, minimum Sixpence- Orders for three or more consecutive insertions entitle advertisers to one insertion in " The Bee- keepers' Record " free of charge. Trade advertisements of Bees, Honey, Queens, and Bee goods are not admissible at above rate, but will be inserted at Id. per word as " Busi- ness " Announcements, immediately under the Private Advertisements. Advertisements of Hive- manufacturers can only be inserted at a minimum^ charge of 3s. per J in., or 5s. per inch. PRIVATE ADVERTISEMENTS. W ANTED, 2810. Beeswax; state lowest price. —ORAM, Lark Hill, Worcester. r 42 WHAT OFFERS, four 281b. tins Granulated Dark Honey; no reasonable offer refused.— C. J. ELLETT. Second Lodge. Shefford, Beds, r 45 COTCH HEATHER HONEY FOR SALE, 200 sections, splendid quality.— CRUICKSHANK, Edin-road, Gordon, Berwickshire. r 44 LIGHT ENGLISH HONEY, 281b. tins, 5Ss., 60s.; sample, 2d.— W. H. STOPPARD, Tiptree, Essex. r_45 t O DOZEN First-class Sections; what offers? ■ ' WILTSHIRE, Potterne Wick, Devizes, r 46 Wilts FOR SALE, 4cwt. finest Hampshire Honey, 201b. Beeswax. — PRITCHARD, New-street, Stock- bridge. r_47 BEES, five strong stocks, 1911, Italian Queens, in frame hives. 15s. each, or offers; must sell. —8, Orchard-road, Colchester. r 48 Dec. 21, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 501 Editorial, Notices, &c. CHRISTMAS. Christmas Day, the great day of the re- union of families, will have come and gone before our next issue. Therefore we wish that Joy and Happiness may reign supreme in every home into which our Journal enters, and that the coming season may be as good as the one just passed. ANDOVER AND DISTRICT B.K.A. A large attendance of members of the -above association and the general public dissembled in the Town Hall, Andover^ on Saturday, 25th November, to discuss the question as to what steps were being taken to obtain proper legislation for bee diseases. Mr. E. C. R. White presided, and as no in- formation was available at the moment from the B. B.K.A. (their Bill being suh judice), is was resolved that Mr. Tickner Edwardes's Bee Diseases Bill pub- lished lately in the "Smallholder" should bie taken as a basis for discussion. The majority of those at the meeting were of the opinion that the Bill, taken en bloc, was a very good one, but that certain amendments were necessary. Mr. Finder (Hon. Sec. Wilts B.K.A.) said that in his opinion the Bill was too drastic, and conferred too much power upon those appointed as officials, thereby interfering with the liberty of the subject. Legislation bee-keepers certainly wanted, and that badly, but we should be careful not to get an "over-dose" of it. A resolution was then passed that the B. B.K.A. be written to, and the resolu- tion of this meeting given to the parent association, viz.: — "That this meeting calls upon the parent association to do their utmost to bring to a satisfactory posi- tion the Bill M'hich is now in its hands without delay, "Isle of Wight" disease being still rampant in this county." The joint secretaries of the association, Messrs. E. L. and H. C. Jones, tendered their resignation, as they are shortly leav- ing for New Zealand, and proposed that Mr. N. A. Allen be asked to take up the duties pro tern. Mr. Allen accepted, promising to do his best to make the asso- ciation a real live business affair, and on the vote being taken Mr. Allen was elected unanimously. A vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. T. Norridge to the retiring secretaries for their past services, which was carried unanimously. — N. A. Allen, Hon. Sec. (pro iem). AMONG THE BEES. By D. M. Macdonald, Banff. Queen Mating Stations. — The idea is not a new one. Some yeai-s ago the late Mr. Weston, with an energy all his own, went heartily in for the provision of such centres. He proposed that here and there all over the country apiaries should be provided in situations where pure mating should be secured. The very choicest drones would be bred there, and bee- keepers, for a small fee I presume, could forward their selected virgin queens for mating. On their safe return, these high-bied and choicely-mated mothers would be placed at the head of their best stocks. In course of time, every colony would have such a queen mother at its head. The anticipation was, of course, that more bees would be bred in such a hive, strongei" battalions would go out foraging, and heavier takes of surplus honey would result. At present the choice of sire, even in our best a-egulated apiaries, is very much a rule of thumb, or a matter of the merest chance. Hence scrub stock results. Bees too often are simply mongrels, frequently of the most undesirable strains, weak in body, short-lived, waspish in temper, and defective in sealing ; given to heavy propolising, and poor honey- gatherers, poor winterers and poor breeders. Switzerland already has such mating stations, and good results are reported. I do not know any better pur- pose to which part of the Development Grant could be assigned than to some such scheme which would secure us better bees. Can this not yet be arranged? Defective Sections. — In a good many cases these were very noticeable this season, and I was frequently asked, why? In some instances, I believe, if the history of the sections could be traced from the time they had been placed in the racks, the secret would be revealed. They were allowed to lie about at all angles, in all temperatures, many of them a whole year, some of them two. One bee- keeper owned that some of his had stood on their sides the whole winter. Founda- tion in this case could not but be at an angle. Hence bees built it out so. Most of the sections would be connected Vi-ith the dividers, producing brace-combs, free attachment, and consequently there would result bleeditig honey and un- saleable sections. The slant at the saw- cut has a tendency to throw the full sheet out of the perpendicular unless fair pressure is brought to bear on the founda- tion at the time of fixing in to counteract the slant. Dividers, too, when left lying about, are ajDt to twist and buckle. Defective sections naturally follow the use of such between rows. Some racks are a sharj) 12|in. across, thus compelling 502 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Dec 21, 1911. dividers to be forced in. This twists metal dividers out of tlie straight, result- ing in a thick and thin section on either side of such a malformed division between rows. If sections are not wedged tightly in the filled rack, irregular spacing will cause defective sections. Many blame the bees or the appliances for defects which ai'6 potently due to their own care- lessness. ''Decorating^'' Prize Wax. — Certain coloui-s Mend well together. Others, by j contrast, secure harmony. I feel that a bright shade of wax, such as our prize- takers delight to obtain, does not harmonise well with a vivid green. Some competitors in such a leading show as the Grocei-s' did themselves an injustice by the' juxtaposition of such unassimilable colours. I was at first coming away with the impression that the judge had com- mitted an error of judgment in assigning the sample so high a place, but fortu- nately was given an opportunity of seeing the cake in its purity, apart from its " adornments," and it proved a model samplei in every way. " Nature unadorned is adorned the most!" and I felt the same sentiment was applicable in this instance. The colour of the cake, when it stood by itself, was not the same by very many degrees compared with what it showed in its fancy surroundings. Honey, too, is very much improved or deteriorated, as far as looks are con- cerned, by an uncongenial surrounding or backing. I have a recollection of a case of beautiful extracted clover honey at a local show being thus much injured in its effective display — and I have no doubt in its ready sale as well. It gave an altogether untrue and distorted idea of the genuine appearance of the product. Great care should also be taken that section cases should harmonise with the sample shown on the show bench. A Frame Hive. — I am not about to describe this well-known home of the bees, but I should like to call attention to a very common error in the use of the name. I bar the bar! The employment of the word is a " superfluity of naughti- ness." Why not as well call it a side- bar frame, or a lower-bar frame, or a top- bar frame. Either Avould be as appro- jDriate as the other. Why think of the top-bar at all? It is simply a frame; only that and nothing more, and the introduction of the word "bar" is a redundancy. It is a clumsy term for a simple and well-known part of a hive. Then the designation appears so fre- quently that really it takes uji a consider- able amount of printer's ink, which is literally thrown away. In the aggregate, altliough the word is so small a one, it <'ccupies a large space in our pages during a year's time which might well be spared for other and more useful words ! Might I plead with our writers to eliminate it from their manuscripts ; with the editor to blue-pencil it when used ; with, the " reader " to erase it when he spies it ! I hope it will not appear in our New Year's volume. It is a dirty little word at best. I read of the "bar" of the police-court. I know of it only from hearsay! Then there is a "bar" which no good bee-keeper, according to Butler, should have any acquaintance with. But I must draw up or the word will get on my nerves ! DEATH OF MR. O. DUNN GARDNER. The sad news has reached us just as we are going to press of the death of Mr. Cyril Dunn Gardner, of Fordham Abbey, Cam- bridgeshire. Mr. Dunn Gardner was one of the most extensive bee-keepers in this country, being especially successful in the production of extracted honey. As a member of the British Bee-keepers' Asso- ciation, he took a keen interest in bee- keeping and his loss in the prime of life wiU be regretted by all. We are sure all our readers will join us in tendering our deepest sympathy to his sorrowing family. Correspondence. 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. Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper. We do not undertake to return rejected communications- BEE-DISEASES LEGISLATION. [8317] Mr. Woodley's remarks in " B.B. J." for Dec. 7 : (p'. 486) are, I think, liable to create a false impression as to the nature of the petition to the Board of Agriculture which the "Smallholder" has for some time past been putting forward amongst its readers. The petition does not. as Mr. Woodley states, ask for the abolition of the straw-skep, nor does it advocate any particular measure what- ever. It merely records the opinion of its signatories on the general question of the need for legislative control in cases of bee-disease, and for State promotion of sanitary methods in apiculture; and as such I am sure it cannot but meet with. your own approval, as well as that of most of your readers. Dec. 21, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 503 The petition is quite distinct from the Apiaries Regulation Bill advocated by me in the same journal, and characterised by your valued contributor and our common friend. Mr. Woodley, as a new "terror" to bee-keepers. You have already allowed me to lay before readers of the "B.B.J." my views on the legislation question, and I do not here propose to re-traverse the ground already covered. But I should like to ask our professional apiarists, large and small — and particularly those who are opposing legislation in any form — whether they quite realise what developments the near future may, possibly and probably, have in store — developments which may fundamentally affect home honey-pro- duction. We are all at one in our desire to lessen, and, if possible, stamp out bee-diseases ; but this is not an end in itself ; it is only the means to an end. A really effective bee-diseases Act will result, most of us believe, in a large reduction in cases of disease throughout the country, with a corresponding saving in bee-life. Stocks that would otherwise have perished will remain in the land to increase and mul- tiply. The principal object, therefore, and indeed the inevitable result of a good bee-law, will be the production of a greater honey-harvest everywhere; and each year will see us better able to cope with the home demand for prime British honey. So far, so good. And now I recommend for the earnest perusal and consideration of our professional bee-keepers the follow- ing extract from a recent issue of the "New Zealand Canterbury Times": — " Perhaps the most interesting item of bee-keeping news at the present moment is that referring to the proposed establishment of one or more depots in Britain for the put- ting up and sale of New Zealand honey. . . .British bee-keepers cannot raise enough to supply the needs of Britain's markets. . . The Waikato (New Zealand) Bee-keepers' Association alone has gviaranteed to the Government an export supply of thirty- five tons of honey annually from April, 1912 ; and I really see no reason why, if taken energetically in hand by all N.Z. Bee-keepers' Associations and the season proves an average one, a hundred tons of first-class honey could not be made avail- able for shipment in bulk by April next." The meaning of all this is plain. While, for the last fifteen years, the more wide- awake among British bee-keepers have been agitating for Government help in the control of disease and for the State pro- mulgation of scientific methods in bee- keeping, and nothing has been done. New Zealand has been quietly going ahead. For four or five years back the Dominion has possessed the most enlightened bee-diseases prevention Act in the world, and during I that time we know that the hive produce of the country has doubled itself. Now it looks as if it is to reap the reward of its progressive energy at the expense of our home producers. British honey farming, so long unfostered and unprotected by the State, is seemingly face to face with a crisis such as it has never yet encountered. Colonial honey is no novelty here, and hitherto we have easily beaten all comers on the point of quality alone. New Zealand honey, however, is a vastly different thing. No one who examined and tasted the magnificent col- lection of samples staged at the late "Japanese" Exhibition could be in two minds on the matter. But a hundred tons of such honey, and that only as a first contribution ! • No wonder some of us take a gloomy view of the prospects of British apiculture, believing that it will go the way of many another of our important minor industries unless a stringent Act is passed. In conclusion, I trust you will allow me to acknowledge here the courteous criti- cism of Mr. Crawshaw in "B.B.J.," November 23rd, as to my action in bring- ing forward what he feels compelled to regard as an opposition measure to that of the B.B.K.A. I venture to hope, what- ever may be the views of readers on the merits of my proposals, no one will credit me with any other motive than a sincere desire to see the honey industry of this countiy placed on a sound commercial footing. But is there any question of clashing Bills? Surely there can be only one Bill, and that the Bill eventually pre- pared by the Board of Agriculture, after hearing all representations. — Tickner Edwardes. rOur correspondent has overlooked the fact that the letter accompanying the petition asks for " support in bringing about the passing of a Bee (Prevention of Diseases) Act as drafted in the ' Small- holder,' and in the first clause of this it is distinctly stated that its object is the abolition of the skep. The exact wording is '' Keeping of bees in anything but movable comb hives prohibited. Abolition of old skeps, box-hives, and the like to be complete in one year from date when the Act comes into force." We therefore cannot see how the petition can be dis- sociated from the proiDOsed Bill, and the signing of the former would be a pledge of support of the latter. — Eds.] WHY I ADVOCATE BEE-KEEPING. [8318] I have often been asked at shows and various bee-keepers' meetings why I am always on the look-out for recruits to commence bee-keeping, when as my enquirers avow there are already too many 504 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Dec. 21, 1911. bee-keepers, and the result is that few of us can get a large take from our hives. I invariably reply to my enquirers that their fears are unfounded, and ask them to take a more unselfish view of the hobby and see if there is not something besides honey to be gained by keeping bees. In the first place I advocate bee-keeping because of its levelling influence ; notice a meeting of bee-keepers, and you will see bankers, doctors, and labourers all so in- terested in the hobby that their position in life is insignificant and they all become friends, aye, and fast friends. Of course, trees, the very fields look different to him, in fact he discovers beauty in things which he would not have had the patience to look at before his bee-keeping days, and he makes, as I have said before, friends; in short, he becomes a different man alto- gether, and finds life is really worth living. There is another point which commends itself to me, and that is that bee-keeping is an outdoor pursuit, and the person who has to follow an indoor occupation will derive much pleasure and benefit from the hobby because it is carried on in the open- air. Even when no manipulations are to be carried out, the bee-keeper can sit for MR. M. J. STEVENSON. I admit that amongst all fanciers to a cer- tain extent this spirit is noticeable, but in bee-keeping it is most pronounced, and on this score alone, the hobby is to be greatly commended. Then again, I advocate bee-keeping because of its edvica- tional value. Persuade one of the roughest labouring men (as I have done and love to do) to keep bees, and you will begin to notice a change come over him ; inoculate him with what we call "bee fever," and he begins to see things which he had never observed before, he commences to study, he becomes interested in the flowers and hours without ennui and watch the bees, while he might perhaps have been fast asleep having as it were a P.S.A. in the armchair. One might continue to enumerate the many benefits to be derived from bee-keeping, but I think that the foregoing are the principal ones, and to my mind are of far greater value than the honey obtained, although I admit that a little honey is acceptable at all times, but it is not the most important thing to be gained. — A. W.\kekel>l, Oroydon. {Correspondence continued on p. 506.) Dec. 21, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 505 HOMES OF THE HONEY-BEE. APIARIES OF OUR READERS. Mr. M. J. Stevenson, whose apiary we present this week, is not only the most ex- tensive bee-keeper in Ireland, but has the unique distinction, with a neighbouring bee-keeper, of being the first offenders under the Irish Bee Diseases Act to be prosecuted for refusing to allow the in- spector to examine their stocks. As the inspector in question, with more zeal than discretion, wished to do this during the height of the honey-flow when the hives were supered and working well, readers will rsympathise with Mr. Stevenson and his the paper was set fire to under the con- demned skeps. After a few minutes I thought the bees would all be smothered, and went to lift up the skep, when to my surprise I found the combs and honey were falling down in the hole and only some of the bees were dead. I got a milk pan and put the combs of honey, and half-dead bees into it as best I could, but I shall alwavs remember the good stinging I got. Till" 1900 I had but little further experience of bees, but in that year I got a swarm, and the following spring this stock swarmed. I put the swarm into a C.D.B. hive, and in the autumn I sold what surplus honey it had gathered for £1 1.5s. lOd. I PART OF MR. Stevenson's .\piary, auamstown, co. wexford, Ireland. neighbour, who, however, were merelv fined a nominal sum, and told " not to do it again." In his interesting notes, our friend excites our envy by relating the substantial profit he has made from his bees, and we congratulate him on his suc- cess. Perhaps on some future occasion he may let us into the secret of how he does it. We certainly are not surprised at his considering bee-keeping a good paying business. Mr. Stevenson says: — My first experience of bees was in 1887, when a great-aunt of mine told me to smother an old skep. She showed me how to make a large hole and put the brim- stone on the paper ; when I had done this made up my mind that there was money in bees, and I bought eighty stocks in skeps. About this time I also bought about forty C.D.B. hives and drove the bees from every two skeps into one of these hives and fed them for the winter with the honey taken out of the skeps. I started the season of 1902 with forty-two stocks and have increased my apiary every year since. Vp to the present time they have done and paid me well. In the season of 1910 I made a net profit of £152 17s. 2d. from ninety-nine stocks, and this season (1911) from one hundred and two I have made a net profit of £203 lis. Id. Do you wonder that I consider bee-keeping, if well conducted on proper lines, the best paying business known? 506 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Dec. 21, 1911. (Correspondence continued from p. 504.) THE POLLEN-COLLECTING APPARATUS IN THE SOCIAL BEES. [8319] In my paper on this subject, published in last week's Bee Journal, the name Bonibus vuderatus should read Bombus ruderatus and B. lapidarious should read B. lapidarius. A suitable name for the socket of the auricle in the end of the tibia would be the "receiver." I find that its siirface is smooth and shin- ing both in the honey-bee and in the humble-bee, but in the humble-bee the margin of it that borders on the entrance to the corbicula is striate, the little ridges and furrows running in the direc- tion of the movement of the pollen. — F. W. L. Sladen. FIGHTING FOUL BROOD. NEED FOR LEGISLATION. [8320] On page 486 of Bee Journal for December 7th I read with feelings of dismay the letter from Mr. Woodley re- garding the proposed legislation for bee diseases. After all that has been written in favour of such legislation and the numerous amendments introduced (with a view of conciliating opposition) into the recently recast Bill, I am at a loss to understand how any reasonable bee-keeper could write of it as a " new terror " and endeavour to stir up opposition against it. With your permission I should like to put some of my experiences before your readers, and Mr. Woodley in particular, and afterwards to ask them and him if there is not an urgent need for something to be done. I have kept bees for the last fourteen years, my apiary ranging from twenty to thirty stocks. In 1904 I had two stocks affected with foul brood, and these I promptly destroyed, burning combs, quilts, and all movable material, after- wards scorching the inside of hives with a blow lamp. Since then I have annually destroyed by fire on an average five stocks from the same cause. No one could take greater precautions than I do to prex'ent the disease from spreading. I never open a hive without first washing my hands in a strong solution of Izal. I keep napthaline in the hives summer and winter, clean and scorch all section racks and empty hives before use, and still the disease held sway. I strongly suspected that the source of infection was in my own neighbourhood, two decaying apiaries being situated within a short distance of my own. I had mentioned my trouble to the owners of these apiaries, and asked if I might be allowed to have a look through the hives, but was met with a curt refusal, in- dicating that their bees were all right. Driven to despair this spring by find- ing twelve colonies affected, I called on the owners and told them that if they would be kind enough to let me examine their hives I would replace with English swarms at my own expense any stocks which I found diseased, provided I was allowed to destroy them. The fairness of this ofter overcame all scruples, and I pro- ceeded to open the hives. I need hardly say that my suspicions were fully con- firmed. One apiary of thirteen stocks had dwindled down to four hives contain- ing live bees simply reeking with disease. The remaining hives contained combs in a deplorable condition, and being open were hotbeds of infection. The other apiary consisted of four hives, two^ of which were tenanted with dying and dwindling stocks Q-otten with disease, and two contained empty combs in a like con- dition. I made a bonfire of the lot after sul- phuring the few remaining bees, and the replacement cost me over £5. I may say that neither of these men knew that such a thing as foul brood existed, paid little or no attention to their bees, and when they died off, left the hives standing wide open, spreading death and destruc- tion around. After clearing out these pest holes I destroyed the affected colonies of my own, and when I tell you that the fifteen healthy stocks left gave me 70 sections each, I leave it to your readers to estimate my loss. I might instance another case which came under my notice a few years ago. I assisted an old man with his bees and found that one stock had con- tracted foul brood. I counselled destruction at the time, but my advice was not heeded, with the result that every stock (ten) perished within two years. I was told by a party who hapjDened to be passing his place that the rotten combs were lying exposed on the ground, and black with, bees. Is it any wonder that foul brood is rampant in the land ? It seems to me to be nothing short of scandalous that I or anyone else seeking to augment a some- what slender income by the deligiitful hobby of bee-keeping should thus have to suffer loss of capital without any means of redress, and yet when fellow sufferea-s have been goaded into action and try to get some sort of protection which will preserve their industry from extinction they are met with opposition from bee- keepers, who claim to be advanced and enlightened. It is maddening to think of the ci'uel injustice of it, and anyone who, out of pure arrant selfishness, because he has hitherto been immune from disease, tries to block this measui'e deserves to be boycotted by every right-thinking mem- ber of the craft. Dec. 21, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 507 I should like to ask Mr. Woodley, and I trust- he v,ill answer me with candour, how and by what means he or any bee- keeper can rid his apiary of foul brood if he is powerless to remove the source of infection from his neighbour's garden. One might as well disinfect every corner and crevice of a room in which a fever- stricken patient lay, and leave the bed untouched, and expect to be clear of in- fection, as expect to rid an apiary of foul brood while your neighbour leaves the polluted source untouched. My experience is that only a very small percentage of bee-keepers, especially those living in rival districts, know anything about the habits of the bee or its diseases. They have never seen a Guide Book or read a manual of any description on bee- keeping, and it is from such tliat pro- tection is needed if the industry is to exist and prosper. An inspector would not only detect and destroy atfected stocks, but he would educate the people in the management of their bees, so that they would know the disease and be able to notify an outbreak. The owners of large apiaries may safely be trusted to keep their own hives clean, and to obviate any hardship which might be entailed on them. I would certainly favour the inclusion of a clause exempting them from compulsory inspection if such would be the means of removing their objections and gaining their support to a measure which would confer the greatest possibly boon on bee-keepers in general. — Sufferer, Inverness. DRONE V. WORKER COMB. [8321] In reply to Mr. Crawshaw's criticisms (page 487), I can only repeat what I said before : That for practical utility worker comb is the best. I do not understand what Mr. Crawshaw means by " sectional hives," or " surplus roofs." I use shallow-frame drawn out worker combs in brood frames for driven bees, also skep combs with worker cells in them ; and, as everyone knows, in the driven-bee season any spaces will be filled up with worker cells. There are — with me — no "transition cells." We could not sub- stitute standard for shallow frame end-bars ; the combs would break away from the top bars. Of counse, I fill the standard frames with comb and fix it with melted wax, using duck-wing feathers as a " soldering " tool. I do not find it the least bit " messy " to extract from skep-combs, and, with me, it is quite easy and efl'ective to fit in the pieces in a brood frame without a single transition cell, let alone drone cells. In reference to the heavy combs, I had intended to say, or rather I meant trans- parent combs, for after extracting and bees cleaning them they weighed 8 to lOoz. each. There was not a sign of pollen or honey-dew in them. In fact, the honey was bulked, and the samples shown by me in the Grocers' Exhibition Selling Glass, (for which I got two diplomas besides the only one for sections), were taken from the bulk. Mr. Crawshaw seems very unfortunate with his sections. I had less than one per cent, with brood in, and these were of the nature of brace comb with drone cells. Wooden Extractor (page 488). — Mine holds about 1201b. below the gears, and, of course, the honey has to be run off when nearly at that point, and is lightly scraped out. Tlie extractor iis then left till again wanted, and being air-tight it always seems perfectly sweet. I always scald it out and leave for a few minutes, then run out the water and place in the full sunshine tilted so that the sun plays all over the inside. It is then again ready for use ; I, too, have sometimes let the bees clean it out. It is this way with me : I happen to be a practical joiner, and the wood and gearing cost me 7s. or 8s., and my extractor appears to answer as well as a tin one costing 50s. It seems sounder and sweeter now than when made fourteen years ago. — ■ A. Harris, AVavendon. DECEMBER POLLEX GATHERING. [83221 Sunday, December 3rd, was un- usually bright and warm with little or no wind. Three of mj four stocks were fly- ing freely between 1 and 2.30 p.m. To my astonishment, the bees from one which I requeened at the end of August, and am wintering on seven frames, I observed to be bringing in bright yellow pollen in considerable quantities. I have mentioned the facts to several of my bee-keeping friends, and they are quite at a loss to give any ex- planation or to venture any suggestion as to the probable source from which the pollen was derived. The incident appears to be so unusual that it may interest readers of your journal. — H. P. Perkins, Frogmore, nr. St. Albans. RECOLLECTIONS OF AN OLD HAND. By James A. Abbott. {Continued from page 475.) . Perhaps an interesting part was the dis- covery of "open" driving. The old- fashioned way was to iiut the emptj' straw hive on the inverted full one, and wrap a towel round the joint. Of course we soon omitted the towel, and it was generally my part of the work to keep the two hives in projDer position with my hands, knees, or anv other wav I liked. Bov-like, I got 508 THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Dec 21, 1911. impatient, and lifted up one side of the top skep to see if the bees were going up. Finding that more were running up on one side than another, I gradually lifted one side of the top skep till I saw the queen entering the skep with the bees. This seemed to settle the fate of the old- fashioned plan of driving, and the new "open" driving soon came into general use ; and now the old way is never heard of. The new method was first shown publicly at the Ctystal Palace Show before the British Bee-keepers' Association was in- augurated, and no doubt the interest it created helped considerably in the success of that very successful show. I generally adopted a position which I do not see copied now : perhaps it involved too great familiarity with the bees. The full hive was put on the ground, and the empty skep with its edge fastened by a skewer to it was held securely between the knees, which kept it free from vibration, and while in a stooj)ing position I looked over the hive. This position had the advantage of giving the spectators a clear view of the whole operation, though the position was more suited to a youth than an older man. I was very cool-handed and somehow the bees never seemed to trouble to sting me as they would some people, particularly those with hot, moist hands. Then the wearing of a linen jacket made tightly fitting at the wrists was a great advantage, as the bees did not often get up my sleeves — a common nuisance with an ordinary coat. The ease with which these thin jackets were washed periodically, was"a great advantage as the washing removed the smell of pre- vious stings, which always annoys the bees. A point not generally understood is the great courage bees possess in defending their hives as compared with wasps. I remember once when on a boating holiday the ladies of the party being an^ioyed by wasps at dinner time, I determined on revenge, so clad in cricket flannels only, and without veil, gloves, or other appli- ances, I borrowed a spade and a bottle of paraffin oil from a lock-keeper. I poured a little paraffin in the nest either at the entrance or another hole made with a boat- hook, and set fire to it, and immediately dug out the nest and flattened the combs with blows of the spade. Although owing to my thin clothing I was vulnerable all over, I disposed of seven nests without a sting. I could not have done this with bees without suffering severely, and pro- bably the first would have been the last.. Though the bees that stung me would have lost their lives, they would not have died in vain. At the time of the first Cr^'stal Palace Show the merits of skeps and bar- frame hives were strongly contested, and a great octagonal glass super was shown holding nearly a hundredweight of honey which was said to have been produced from a small skep. One glass was broken and had been replaced by wood with a label on it stating that the glass was accident- ally broken, but that all behind it was finest honeycomb. The judges, however, were not credulous folk^ and wrenched off the board, when it was found that the thing contained a lot of brood, and was not a super at all, but a hive. It came out afterwards that to produce this monster "super" the bee-keeper had put into it the bees from about six hives, and a small skep underneath. Soon after this the introduction of sections did away with the big super, and it was left out of the prize list altogether. The biggest super my father ever got weighed 761b., but this was during an exceptionally abundant glut of honey, and was all worked in eighteen days. I never remember honey being so easily gathered ; even nucleus hives stored surplus. Anything put over the feed-hole of a skep was at once con- verted into a full super — feeding bottles, flower pots, and anything else the bees could fill. I never tasted better honey than some I got here in the middle of Dublin City, though this happened only once. Bees cannot as a rule be kept pro- fitably in a large town. The various manufactories of sweets, &c., prove death- traps to them. I see some talk of open- air feeding. We once tried that exten- sively, bvit I strongly deprecate it. The bees lost so much in vitality in their struggle for the food, and their vain search for more that I am sure it did them more harm than good, so I simply repeat Punches advice to those about to marry — "Don't!" {To he continued.) CAPPINGS OF COMB. BYL. S. CRAWSHAW, NOETON, MALTON, YORKS. Utilising Driven Bees (p. 416). — E. A. Millward advocates a practice I have tried and proved. Two driven lots will generally winter well in an ordinary hive. But why iise Wells partitions? Possibly ventila- tion is better, but I have had good results without the perforations. I have just packed up the last of my hives in this way. Two five-frame nuclei were side by side, and until recently I had no hive for them. How to transfer without breaking the clusters? I placed a couple of end- bars thwartwise of the frames above the quilt, and ran fine screws through quilt, and all into each top-bar. I then lifted the combs bodily, and slipped them into the prepared hive, and placed this ^on the original site. No disturbance, no stings, and no loss of bees, in spite of the season. Source of "Isle of Wight" Disease (p. 417). — This is a difficult question. One must sympathise with " Constant Reader." Dec. 21, 1911.] THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 509 Why should we not be told where disease was obtained? Mr. Beemaster says, "I have got ' Isle of Wight ' disease. It is confined to a lot of bees purchased from — Hampshire." Is this not likely to do Hampshire bee-keepers generally more harm than if the ex?.ct place wer