IS-j 



JOURNAL OF EORTIUULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t September i, 1873. 



doinfr- Will you also kindly inform me where I can procure a 

 pure fertilised queen, and the proper course to be followed to 

 ensure a successful union ? — G. M. F. 



[As you do not appear to have utilised the comhs ah^eady con- 

 structed in the first hive, we fear that you will have hut a very 

 small amount in the new bos at the present time. An enormous 

 quantity of artificial food would be necessary to enable the bees 

 to supply the deficiency in combs, and to lay-in sufficient store 

 for the winter. Under these circumstances we should not advise 

 your incurring the exi^ense of a Lif^juriau queen with the risk of 

 losing the stock durin« the winter. You could, however, try the 

 experiment with your other hive now, or wait until next spring 

 to see if the transferred colony would then be in a sufficiently 

 prosperous condition. There is no objection to the present time, 

 other matters being suitable, for exchanging Ligurian for common 

 queens. If you determine on making the attempt, write either 

 to Messrs. Neighboui', Regent Street, London, or to Mr. W. J. 

 Pettitt, Dover, either of whom will supply you with a reliable 

 queen, and with instructions as to the best mode of proceeding 

 to ensure a favourable result. — Eds.] 



HONEY SEASON IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE. 



I HAVE received a letter from a bee-keeper in Gloucester 

 giving a very poor report of the season in his vicinity. He 

 states that " Everybody who keeps bees about here is sadly 

 complaining of want of luck this year. I went out yesterday 

 two miles in the country to see a person who had taken two 

 hives, an old stock and a swarm of this summer, and only ob- 

 tained 12 lbs. of honey from the two. At another place, where 

 there were eight hives, the owner destroyed four, and took but 

 12 lbs. from the whole. I have taken one super with 17 lbs. and 

 another small cap with 5 lbs. Tliere was a good deal of dark 

 comb and some brood in one of the supers." 



This general deficiency of honey, and the prevalence of breed- 

 ing in supers, continue to be the complaint from all parts of the 

 country. I should be glad to hear at the proper time what bees 

 may have done at the heather this autumn. — S. Bevan Fox, 

 Exeter* 



RiPiD Pickling OF Meat. — Roll the meat in a mixture of IGoz- 

 salt, Joz. saltpetre, and 1 oz. sugar, so that all parts may be 

 coQipletely salted ; then wrap closely in a piece of cotton cloth 

 previously well scalded and dried, and place in a porcelain or 

 other vessel. The cloth is essential with small pieces, to retain 

 the brine formed in contact with the meat. After about sixteen 

 hours, however, some brine will drain off into the bottom of the 

 vessel, and it will be necessary then to turn the meat, still 

 wrapped up, daily. A piece of Bibs., treated in this way for six 

 days, then unwrapped and boiled, will be found quite palatable 

 and sufficiently pickled. For larger quantities the cloth may be 

 dispensed with, since the brine formed will be sufficient to cover 

 the mass, provided the pieces are closely packed, and any un- 

 avoidable cavities filled with stones. — [English Mechanic) 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Ddnkeld and Meigle^ Poultry Shows.— These were local shows, not 

 advertised. 



Buckwheat for Fowls.— " I read in your number for August 14th, in 

 answer to 'Colne,' 'Buckwheat is not good for fowls.' How am I to recon- 

 cile this with Wright and other authorities ?— Ellcee." 



[The authority we cousutt on subjects connected with ponlfcry-lieepius con- 

 demns buckwheat as a poultry food ; but we know it is used as a pheasant 

 food by gamekeepers, and good authorities speak in its favour for poultry : so, 

 as you have piu-chased some, you will do wisely to try it and thus test ita 

 merits. We do not know where you live, but if near Suffolk or Essex you 

 might readily obtain it if you call it '* brank."J 



Game Fowls' Plumage (J. r-iuin).— We have submitted your letter to 

 Mr. Wright, and his reply is, "I will communicate with him direct if he 

 wishes.'' Mr. Wright's direction is, " at Messrs. Cassell <!c Co.'s, Editorial 

 Department, La Belle Sauvago Yard, Ludgate Hill, London, E.G." 



Northern Counties Columbahian Society. — The gentleman who won 

 the first prizes in the classes for Pouters, Tumblers, and Foreign Owls was 

 Mr. Townson, of Bowdon, not, Messrs. Towerson, of Egi-emont, who did not 

 crhibit. 



Keeping Wood Pigeons in Confinement (E. J.).^A. cage, even a very 

 large one, would be a Email place for Wood Pigeong; a room, or shut-in 

 loft, would be better. Wo say shut-in, as when adult they would bo certain to 

 fly away and not return, all attempts to domesticate them and cure their 

 roving propensities having failed. Brought up from the nest and confined to 

 a room tliey will be fairly tame, and possibly may breed. Give them for food 

 peas, barley, or wheat. If healthy and kept well fed and clean, they will live 

 jor years. Mind and give water for di-inkiug and bathing. 



Uniting Swarms (Ignorant). — We think your surmise is correct. Tho 

 Bwarni of August 14th doubtless came out of your second hivo in the u'lass 

 case ; but as this cannot be moved about without danger of falling to pieces, 

 we should not meddle with it. Why not break it up if it has few bees and 

 no honey ? Yon might smoke the bees out of it, and save all but the drones ; 

 but if these are not yet got rid uf, and tho bees are few in number, we should 

 be inclined to destroy them, aa of no probable value. Aa to the swarm, we 

 should feed it up at whatever cost, seeing that your stock of bees is so 



Umited. It would pay well another year with a fair honey haiwest. {Be<:). — 

 Ton can most easily unite any number of stocks by simply di-iving the bees 

 of each hive, one after the other, into a common empty hive, and then dash- 

 ing them all out in a heap in front of the ef ock you wish to keep. It is nob 

 too late to drive bees. If you put this on the ground in an open space, just 

 tilting up one side of it on a bit of wood or a stone, all the bees will march 

 up into it without any flighting whatevei-. Of course they will settle between 

 themselves who is to be the reigning mother. Blow a little smoke in at the 

 entrance of each hive before you begin to operate. 



Honey Deficient— Uniting Swarms (An Old S»bs(:r(!icr).— We sympa- 

 thise with your disappointment, having no honey harvest whatever ourselves 

 this year, but we do not despaii*. We shall feed largely, and advise you to do 

 the same, beginning towards the middle of September, and feeding mostly 

 by night. It will be good policy also to unite all weak hives to their stronger 

 neighbuurs. No method of uniting stocks can be simpler or more effective 

 than that re I'.nm mended in this day's Journal to another inquirer. Drive two 

 or more stocks of neighbouring bees into some common hive or box, and dash 

 them out on the ground in front of the hive yon desire to strengthen ; but 

 we would drive out the population of this hive as well, and then return the 

 whole united bees to it in the way prescribed. Writo again if you want 

 further information. Driven or united bees need not be far removed from 

 each other. 



Transporting Hives (An Old Su.bsciiber\ — You will^find your queries 

 fully answered next week. Let us know how yon succeed. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Square, London. 



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



EEMARKS. 

 '27th, — A fine day, though there was a little rain once or twice. 

 2Sth. — Very dark at 7.30 a.ji., but fine soon after ; heavy rain soon after noon ; 



thunder at 3.'26 p.m., with two or three heavy shower,^, and much 



strong wind diu-ing the day. 

 29th.— Blight, though raining at 8.30 A.m. ; fine at noon and till 6 p.m., from. 



that time showeiy. 

 30th. — Fine pleasant day. 

 3Ist.— Rain early, but fair by 9 a.m. ; cloudy before noon and till G p.m., when 



it rained heavily ; wet evening. 

 Sept. 1st. — Rather dull, but not raining in tho middle of the day, but several 



showers in the evening ; fine night. 

 2nd. — A very showery day, with bright gleams of sunshine between the 



showers. 

 Showery week and much lower temperature, in fact (except the minima) 

 lower than for many weeks past. — G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— September 3. 

 A LARGE supply of fiuit comes into the market ; a difficulty in clearing it. 



s. d. 8. d. I 



Apples i sieve 1 to 1 6 



Apricots doz. 2 S 



Cnerries 1r^ lb. 6 10 



CheatoutB bushel 



Currants 1 sieve 2 3 



Black do. 2 8 



Figs doz. 6 2 



Filberts lb. 9 13 



Cobs lb. 1 (> 



Gooseberries iiuart 9 IS 



Grapes, hothouflg lb. 10 5 



Lemons ^ llH) 8 14 



Uelons each 2 5 



Mulberries V lb. 



Nectarines doz. 



Granges ^ 100 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitcben doz. 



dessert doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 



Plums J sieve 



Qaiuces doz. 



Raspberrifla lb. 



Strawberries ^ lb. 



Walnuts bushel 



ditto %^100 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagus 1^00 



French 



Beans, Kidney.. .. i sieve 10 o 



Beet.Red doz 10 8 



Broccoli bumllo 9 16 



Cabbage doz. 1 1 6 



Capsicums V 100 1 6 



Carrots bunch 6 



Cauliflower doz. 3 6 o 



Celery bundle 16 2 



Colcworts. . doz. bunches 2 6 4 



Cucumbers each 8 9 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 2 



Fennel bunch 3 



Garlic lb. 6 



Herbs bunch 3 



Horseradish bmulla 3 4 



Leeks bonch o 



Lettuce doz. 16 2 



VEGETABLES, 

 d. S.d. 

 0to6 

 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress.. puimet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley per doz. bunches 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Round . do. 



Radishes., doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



i Salsafy bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Scorzonera bundle 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bimch 



Vegetable Marrows 



d. t. i. 



too 



8 



1< 



12 







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Otoi 

 



6 

 

 4 

 1 

 1 

 6 

 

 



1 

 1 



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