May 16, 1872. ] 



JOUKNAIi OF HOETICULTDEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



Antwerp hen that has flown scores of times fi-om London Bridge 

 to Birmingham, a distance of nearly 120 miles, in two hours and 

 ten minutes, and this bird, too, obtained the first prize at Glas- 

 gow Show the first year a class was made there for Antwerps, 

 ■which I beheve is foirr years ago. 



It is a weU-known fact that all Pigeon-flying men consider 

 soft-coloured birds faint-hearted, and not able to he trained to 

 fly any distance ; so, as the Silvers with the dun bars are wastrels 

 and only fit for a pie, how is it the same remark does not apply 

 to the washed-out blue with had-eoloiu'ed bars ? May I ask, also, 

 what has the Pigeon-flying man to do with the exhibitor '? Are 

 •the decisions of our judges, who are gentlemen of well-known 

 ability, to be discarded because a Pigeon-flying man says the 

 reverse ? Is it not a fact that the enthusiastic Pigeon-flyer cares 

 not what colours he crosses together, if he can improve his birds 

 in .speed for a short distance of twenty mQes, or add stamina 

 and endirrance to his champion of one hundred mil es ? Does the 

 flying Dragoon man object to have in his stud a black pied, a 

 sooty blue with bars hardly discernible, blue-splashed birds, 

 blue white-flighted, or wliite-rumped birds, or anything of the 

 sort, so long as he can fly the distance in the shor-test time "? 

 Certainly not. Are not such birds invaluable to a Pigeon-flyer, 

 and at the same time would not an exhibitor consider them 

 wastrels and only fit for the pie ? — H. Axlsop. 



[This and similar controversies serve to rouse attention to the 

 subjects in dispute, but must not be prolonged. The decision 

 can only be arrived at by the votes of a committee of competent 

 judges. — Eds.] 



EVENLT-MAKKED CANAEIES AND MULES. 



I AM again reluctantly compelled to reply to my Tvorthy friend 

 Mr. Hawnian's remarks on the above subject. I still fail to dis- 

 cover any valid reason, assigned by him, why the elUptic- 

 capped bird with even-marked wings should not be allowed to 

 compete in the Evenly-marked classes; and this is really the 

 poiut in dispute. Mr. Hawman furnishes us with an extract 

 "from the rules of the Bacup Ornithological Society refei-ring 

 to marked Belgians, but tMs is not to the point. What are 

 wanted are the rulee relating to the Unevenly-marked classes of 

 Korwich, Cinnamon-variegated, Yorksliire, Belgians, and Mules. 

 I cannot but fancy that the rules quoted are of a very ancient 

 type, inasmuch as I notice that some of the essential and best 

 features of truly good Belgian Canaries are entii'ely overlooked 

 or omitted. No doubt the head, neck, and shoulders of a Bel- 

 gian Canary, as also a well-filled back, are vital and important 

 points, but without size, good legs, a long, close, and well-curved 

 tail, a good chest, small waist, freedom in movement, good 

 erect can-iage, and general and gi-aceful contour, what do they 

 all amount to ? How many bh-ds with nice, flat, snake-looking 

 heads, and long, fine, well-formed necks, "uith good shoulders 

 and well-filled backs, do you find with short stunted legs that 

 -cannot get off their hocks, and with short, broad, stiff tails, 

 sticking out Uke a rocking horse, and quite as wooden in their 

 general appearance? This convinces me that the rules are 

 either old, or the Society is certainly in the sere and yellow leaf, 

 and far behind the present enhghtened period in the science of 

 ornithology, and hence unworthy of being cited as an authority 

 in any form. If Mr. Hawman refers to my former article he 

 will find that I did not say that the cap-marked birds emanated 

 from the societies mentioned by him, TVhat I did say was, that 

 I presumed the rales excluding the cap-marked birds from the 

 Evenly-marked classes had originated from them; and in this, 

 at any rate so far as Bacup is concerned, I was quite i-ight. I 

 should hke to be informed upon what grounds Huddersfield, 

 Halifax, Bradford, itc, are to be regarded as the "principal 

 places having Canary societies." If this is so, why do they 

 not, Hke Sunderland, Newcastle-ou-Tyne, Durham, Darlington, 

 Middlesborough, Stockton, York, Bei-wick-on-Tweed, and many 

 other places, have an annual *' All England" show '? 



Mr. Hawman told us in his last that several judges had at 

 different shows awarded prizes to the capj^ed-marked birds. 

 The bird Mr.Beloe claimed at Middlesborough two years ago, and 

 which obtained the second prize, was exhibited by a well-known 

 and successful competitor residing at Derby; and I ask, Where 

 is there a better or more successful lot of breeders and exhi- 

 hitors of Norwich Canaries than there is at Derby ? Therefore 

 it is evident that at Derby the cap and wing-marked birds are 

 regarded as Evenly-marked birds, another gi'eat consideration 

 in favour of my argument. — Robert C. "W-vllace, Bcrwich-on- 

 Ticeed. 



[This controversy had better cease. — Eds.j 



against moths; it will throw out better swarms, is more rehable 

 for swarms, sustains itself better, and, most of all, will give a 

 large surplus of honey. Such a swarm will protect itself during 

 the winter, will require no feeding, no removal, very Uttle care 

 of any kind — none in the woods — and it is only such swarms 

 that will pay, as bee-keeping goes. They ■^^ill pay better if the 

 improvements are added, but without them they will pay. 



We have this beautifully demonstrated here, in a rather noted 

 section for bees, where the common old-fashioned hive has 

 made little fortimes for their owners. Their secret is, strong 

 swarms ; this, at any rate, or no swarms. Hence little feeding, 

 Uttle trouble to keep, safety — you are sure of your investment; 

 otherwise, you may be sure the other way. 



But some bees, even strong swarms, will not do well. 



True, we have known such, and the strong ones held out best. 

 We know one cause of such decline to be bad location, not with 

 respect to territory, but the effect of the climate, the direct rays 

 of the sun striking the hive for the whole day and the entire 

 season; also pelted mercilessly by all the storms. But the sun is 

 the worst. Bees seek a rehef from this by going to the woods. 

 Here is, not dense shade or all sunshine, but a tempeiing of 

 both. The colony does not seek the lower part of the tree, dark 

 with shade and moisture, but ascends to the top, where light 

 and shade alternate, and the winds fan the place of abode. This 

 partial shade shoudd be the aim of the bee-keeper in selecting or 

 making a location. 



The best success here (Starkville, N.T.), is in a small grove, 

 occupying the yard of the house on the north side, buildings ad- 

 joining on the east and west, thus lessening the tutense heat of 

 the sun, and yet affording sufficient warmth. No bees seem so 

 industi'ious, and do so im.ifornily well in this locaUty, as these. 

 Shade, strong swarms, and intelligent care, are the thing here. 



There are others similar. We think there can be no mistake 

 about the shade, and we are surprised that it is not more in- 

 sisted upon. The thing has been spoken of, but not with suffi- 

 cient emphasis. That shade is an aid, generally, is clear ; that 

 it is of the iitmost importance, indispensable in a hot season, is 

 equally clear. This we have seen beautifully illustrated. In a 

 wet cloudy season there is little difference. It needs but a few 

 trees. A rather close orchard will do; though Maples and some 

 other ornamental trees, with a few fruit trees, somewhat scat- 

 tered, form the protection of the place mentioned. — F. G. — 

 ')i Cultivator.) 



STRONG SWAKMS— IMPOETANCE OF SHADE. 



The thing in bee-keeping is strong swarms. This is so much 

 the case that a strong swarm, left to itself, will do well in the 

 woods — if quite strong, remarkably well, as everyone must 

 know, immense amounts of honey being thus realised. 



A strong swarm will defend itself both against other bees and 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Illustrated Poultry Book {R. E. H".).— It is publishing ia monthly 

 pai-ts, price 1^. Any bookseller can obtain it for you. 



Spanish Cock's Comb Black and Falling oteh (Subscriber). — It will 

 be safe to exhibit the bird, and the colour will probably return to the comb 

 when we have some dry weather. It is such an important feature in a 

 Spanish cock, that we advise you to leave it alone. Give two more of Baily's 

 puis at intervals of twenty-four hours. They should put him to rights. 



Flesh as Poultry Food (P, M. H.).—It is generally supposed that when 

 fowls have their Uberty they find enough of animal life in the shape of slugs, 

 worms, snails, and other crawling things that have the ill-fortune to come 

 imder their notice. All bu:ds are carnivorous. Even Doves will eat flesh, 

 and acquire a px-eference for it over their natural food. It is said that all 

 men become cannibals after they have been fed for a time on human flesh, 

 that the love of it becomes a fui-or. The same may be said of fowls fed on 

 flesh. They soon acquire a distaste for other food, and oi-e always on the 

 look-oat for flesh. Finding no other, they eat each other. We have of late 

 constant complaints that fowls eat each other's feathers. We also know that 

 they feed gi-eedUy on any naked bleeding spot there may be on one of their 

 fellows, and that the sufferers stand quietly to be devoured. We attribute 

 much of this to meat-feeding; it induces an unhealthy state of body, a mere- 

 tricious craving instead of a wholesome appetite, and a longing for tasty 

 gai-bage rather than good, wholesome, plain food. It induces excessive fat, it 

 causes the appearance of health, and it stimulates laying, hut it also wears 

 out the fowl, and the bird that should have lasted for years crowds the wor k 

 of a lifetime into a few months, and, though it may live, is afterwards a 

 worthless thing. 



Crossing H-utburghs with French (Idem).— We have never tried the 

 cross between the fowls you mention. We should not be disposed to do so, 

 because we can see no gain from it. The Hamburghs lay the largest number 

 of eggs, the Houdan and Creve-Coeur the largest size; but we fear if you try 

 to get the number of the first and the size of the last by crossing the two 

 breeds, you will be disappointed. 



Breeding from Chickens— Feeding (W. L.).— Those learned in poultry 

 are not friendly to breeding from chickens of both sexes. They are quite fit 

 for the process at nine months of age, but as a rule we put the young cocks 

 with hens, and with the pullets we put the old cocks. The small eggs are 

 what is called pullets' eggs, and are sometimes as small as you describe, but 

 seldom less than Pigeons'. They ai-e not indicative of condition, but rather 

 argue disordered secretions. We do not admire your dietary. Pollai'd is poor 

 food. Substitute bai-levmeal or gi-ound oats for it, and give the scraps as well. 

 You may give whole maize in the middle of the day, and you should feed as 

 long as they run after the food, not afterwards. 



Rouen versus Aylesbury Ducks (Doris).— Aylcshmy Ducks are the 

 earUest layers, but thev do not sit. They require wet nm-ses. Formerly they 

 were heavier than the' Kouens, but of late years they have yielded to tht 

 Rouens. The Aylesbun- people were fickle, and although the Ducks brough. 

 them £30,000 for manvVears, thev all, even Mr. Fowler, went in for Rouens 

 If it be true—" Qu'on revient toujours u ses premi^rrj amours;' some day the 

 Aylesburies will look up again. As a lule, the drakes are not ^^cloas. 



Various (Dalkey).—V.'e expect the bird has corns from walking on the 

 gravel. It may perhaps be from age. Old Ducks are subject to the visitation. 



