JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 21, 1872. 



Gaite Bantams (IF. Adams). — We are glad you have taken more prizes, Ac, 

 than any other breeder in the eastern counties. You had better challenge the 

 party you name to exhibit as you propose. It would be a good advertisement 

 even for the defeated competitor. 



Lice on Fowls (F. TT.).— These vennin in poultry are effectually destroyed 

 by thoroughly dusting flowers of sulphur down to the roots of the feathers 

 twice or thrice, with the interval of a day between each two dustings. The 

 best course of procedure, however, when yon detect lice in your chickens, is to 

 give them immediate relief by putting a Uttle sweet oil with the fingei- on the 

 poll of the head and imder each wing, then let them have a duat bath. 

 Thoroughly dry coal ashes are best for this bath, and mis a pound of flowers 

 of sulphur with the ashes. 



Light Brahmas' Feathers (E. B.).— We cannot imagine that pure 

 Light Brahma fowls can have such feathers as those you enclosed to us, 

 and we would neither keep nor breed from such birds. There must be a 

 cross of Buff Cochin. The only defective or faulty feathering to whi«h 

 these birds are subject is pencilling on the back and in parts of the body 

 that should he quite black. This may occur among pure birds, but buff 

 feathers cannot. 



Dorking Hen's Comb — Place for Sitting Hens {R. E, H.). — In these 

 days poultry hooks are so numerous, and many of them so correct, that we 

 must refer our readers to them when they want full descriptions. It is quite 

 correct for a Dorking hen's comb to fall over. When a hen's comb is upright 

 there is mischief brewing. Sitting hens should he confined, and few t hi ngs 

 are better for the purpose than butter-tubs cut in half with the bottoms 

 knocked out, because the eggs should always be on the ground. The top 

 should be covered over with something affording plenty of ventilation, but at 

 the same time having strength enough to confine the hen. They should be 

 taken off eveiy morning at the same hour to feed, di'ink, and freshen them- 

 selves. It must not be left to their own discretion, as they leave and come 

 back, and they are worried by the non-broody fowls. Hens always prefer to 

 lay in a sitting hen's nest. 



Black Hamburghs versus Br-AHMAs — Proportion of Dccks to Drake 

 {H. S.).— The Black are as good domestic fowls as the Hamburghs of any 

 other colour, but we do not consider them as useful as Braknias — forinstance, 

 in sitting and rearing. They are not so large, nor do they grow as fast. They 

 are not so hardy. We always consider a proper run to be, a diuke and three 

 DuckF, Many put more, but our own experience is not favourable to it. It 

 does not always follow because you have more eggs that you have more 

 young. 



TouNG CocK*s Spurs (Black Red). — The cock would not be disqualified 

 but it would be a disadvantage if his spurs were cut off. If it affects his 

 walk, or if they scratch his legs in walking, they must be shortened. In a 

 Game fowl shown as an adult, we see no objection to scraping or fil in g the 

 spurs. Either method is preferable to cutting. 



Chickens Cramped (J. H.). — There is no doubt the cramp was induced by 

 the stone floor. Chickens should never be put on stone, wood, tile, or brick. 

 They are better anj-^here out of doors. We have ours on the grass, and they 

 do not srffer, butwe fasten a board in front so that they maynot get di-aggled 

 in the chilly white grass in the morning. It is natural for fowls to be on the 

 earth, and they must be there if they are to bo healthy. Add some bread and 

 milk to the diet. 



Mating for Sexes [J. H. J.). — Ton will never find any work to teach you 

 to mate birds for sexes. It is a work of experience. If you put two brothers 

 with six sisters in two separate pens, it is fair to suppose you will breed aUke 

 in both pens. By brothers and sisters we do not mean that cocks and pullets 

 should be brothers and Bisters. If they were, they would, of course, produce 

 the same results. If you have been fancier long enough, you must breed 

 your sexes separately by mating according to that you wish to produce. We 

 have always laughed at the idea of choosing the sexes of eggs, but we believe 

 the earUest eggs will produce more cocks than the later, and they will be more 

 like the cock than the pullet. We never give a positive opinion, nor do we 

 now ; but we are sure of it. 



TtTRBiT Hen Going Light, &c. (Captain). — In giving your bird a castor- 

 oil capsule every night, you did the worst thing possible, as castor oil is 

 lowering and weakening. It is a cod-liver-oil capsule which you should have 

 given, and which might have done her much good. We do not know what 

 you mean by the nest question, "What is the best medicine to be given to 

 Pigeons failing to bring off young ? " If the eggs every time are clear your 

 birds are too old to breed. If the Pigeons do not feed their young well, put 

 them under commoner sorts. Many high-bred birds will not raise their 

 yoimg, and require you to keep feeders, especially Almond Tomblers and 

 Pouters. 



Dragoon not Dragon (Reader). — Tou and your brother lads, o'er twenty 

 years ago, may have bred Pigeons and called them "Dragons;"' but Moore, 

 who wi-ote on Pigeons more than 130 years ago, spells the name of the variety 

 "Dragoon." 



Portraits of Pigeons (Alpha and Others).— ThQ delay is not our fault- 

 We have the portraits of the Ice and the Magpie Pigeons, and we are waiting 

 for relative notes from the Birmingham Columbarian Society. At the same 

 time it is but just to add, that the Society's delay arises chiefly from anxiety 

 to be accurate. 



When to put on Supers (Novice^ Kent). — We do not advise supers to be 

 ^ven until the stocks showundoubted signs of possessing a strong population. 

 We generally find that the bees take more readily to supers, and proceed more 

 vigorously to work in them, if the right time is chosen. This will of course 

 vary both as to the district, and to the more or less advanced state of the sea- 

 son. From the first week in April to the end of May seems a wide range ; 

 but any time during that period you may choose, according to the prosperity 

 of your colonies and the nature of the weather. A little judgment is requisite 

 in deciding on the right time, and if you should he in doubt, you had better 

 err on the side of giving additional room too early than too late, but at any 

 rate you need not think of doing so until nest mouth. 



Wooden Hives (B. Wihan). — ^Hives 1-4 inches squai-e and 8 inches deep, 

 would be better than your proposed size, 12 by 1"2, and 10 inches deep. We 

 are sorry to have mislaid your note. 



Hive (W. E. S.). — We consider the simplest, cheapest, and best hive for a 

 beginner is a plain bos of inch deal, 14 inches square inside measure and 

 8 inches deep, with a window at the back. It should have a 2-iuch hole at 

 the top over which to place a super for honey at the proper season. If you 

 order "Bee-Keeping for the Many," 4(i., at the office of this paper (post free 

 fovLd.), you will get all needful instructions. Undoubtedly the best way to 

 begin is to buy a stock of last year now, or during the nest six weeks, if you can 



obtain one, because you will be likely to get one or more swarms out of it, and 

 perhaps some honey. Do not buy a hive within two miles of your residence, 

 for fear of losing many bees. 



Commencing Bee-keeping (Goddess). — A swarm is best bought in May, 

 about the middle of the month, but any time before the 10th of June will do 

 in ordinary years. The usual price of a swarm varies from 10«. to 20(i. accord- 

 ing to circumstances. A plain hive of straw or wood will answer well. 

 Payne's " Bee-Keeping for the Many " can be had free by post from our office 

 if you enclose five postage stamps with your address. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Square, London. 



Lat, 51° 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0' 8' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



REMARKS. 

 13th. — A fine bright day and starlight night, not so cold as yesterday, the 



wind being S.W. 

 14th. — Fine morning to early afternoon, then cloudy, slight shower at 9 P.ai., 



and again at midnight. 

 15th. — Very fine from sunrise to noon, after which time, though the sun shone 



occasionally, the beauty of the day was gone, and about 5 p.m. there 



was such a dark haze that it seemed at least an hour later in the 



day. 

 16th. — A fine day throughout. 

 17th. — Fair, though cloudy till 8 p.m., then a sharp short shower, and again in 



the night. 

 18tK — Cold and winterly, occasional sunshine and showers. 

 19th. — Generally overcast with short gleams of srfnshine, several slight showers 



of hail between noon and 6 p.m. 

 The somewhat higher temperature this week arises principally from the 

 greater amount of cloud at night, whereby the nocturnal radiation has been 

 considerably diminished. — G. J. Si'HONS. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— March 30. 

 Vert little alteration has taken place either in supply or demand during the 

 much the same. 



lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 10 



Currants.... 



Black flo. u u u u 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 6 10 



Melons each 



Mulberries lb. 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges ^100 



Pears, kitchen doz. 



doz 



Strawberries ^o; 



Walnuts bushel 10 



ditto ^100 1 



lb. 6 e 10 

 aoz. 

 .,1b. 



VEGETABLES. 



Beans, Kidney.... perl03 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Red doz. 



Carrots bunch 



CauUflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts.. doz. bunches 



Cucumbers each 



pickling doz. 



Endive - doz. 



Fennel bunch 



GarUc ■• Ih. 



Leeka bunch 



Lpttuce doz. 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress, .punnet 



Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley per doz. bunches 



Potatoes bushel 2 S 



Kidoey do. 8 5 



ndle 3 10 



Sea-Kale basket 10 2 



Shallots lb. 4 6 



Spinach bushel 3 4 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 3 9 



Vegetable Marrows. .doz. 



POULTRY MUIKET.— March 20. 

 Tht: scarce season is drawing on, and prices are affected by it. They are 

 rising, but we must warn our readers, for the hundredth time, we quote only 

 good Lf not the best poultry. 



Large Fowls 4 to 



Smaller ditto 8 G 



Chickens 3 



Green Geese 8 



Ducklings 6 



Guinea Fowl 3 C 







Hares 



Rabbits 1 6 



Wildditto 9 



Pieeons 10 



Pheasants 



